For the love of cards

 Hello peeps, I am finally getting back into the groove with some card making and using up some scraps.

This card used up some left over toppers I've had hanging around for AGES and some off-cuts of ribbon.

The next card has 3 different coloured leather flowers that I die cut from leather leftovers (I love Sizzix Bigz dies as they cope so well with leather).  

The pink flower in the centre is such a small off-cut I wasn't sure what I could do with it, but bright pink leather no matter how small it just too good to throw away!

Both of the cards are bright and cheerful but I think they would be ok for Valentines day or even for a birthday. 

Happy crafting

Kyla

 

Mens gifts

 So, did you all have a wonderful New Year?  I always find its a bit of a damp squid where a taxi costs £40 and pubs charge you to walk through the door to spend money!!  Plus living in a City with 2 universities (yep, 2) it means we are over-run with students so town is  a bit of a no go area.  This meant we stayed in and watched a TV dramatisation about Tommy Cooper!

Now the tree is down, the Christmas cards cut up and I have already made some re-purposed cards ready for next Christmas (Sam Hettie you would be proud of me!).

So, this means I have had time to upload some more photos of the gifts I made over the past few months.

This time its mens gifts.  Me are SO difficult to buy for let alone make for.

So this year I made 2 of the mens gifts, both basically the same with a few tweaks.

I covered a note book in leather.  This one was for my Uncle in New Zealand.  I added a binding to keep the book closed and I created end papers for the book with a map of wales (where he used to live before emigrating).

 The next book I made was similar and for my brother.  I made a wrap out of Ecuadorian fabric that he brought back for his wedding (he and his wife lived there for a few years)

 I used maps of London (where they currently live) for the end papers.

So there you have it, a couple of presents for men-now if anyone has any other suggestions I have my brothers birthday on Valentines day!!!

Happy crafting

Kyla

First part of my Christmas make round up

Hello peeps, as many of you will know I have had to be a bit cagey over the past couple of months about what I show on my desk in case I uncovered something I was making for Christmas!

Finally I can share with you some of those makes.  First for each brother (hubby has 2 and I have 1) I made a homemade hamper.  They each contained a bottle of elderflower cordial, some spicy rhubarb chutney, spiced sugar (which contains flavours such as clove, orange, cinnamon and bay leaf, yep, bay leaf...it really does work) and some sloe gin.  All handmade and I finished off the hampers with some candy canes and some christmas tree decorations with their names on (not handmade but they did look so cute)!

 Back in the summer I did a glass fusing course and made necklaces, keyrings and coasters.  Now, I did make a few but I kept a lot of them myself so I need to do another course (luckily my brother in law and his lovely wife bought me a glass blowing course voucher so that's another craft to try!).

 I also made several book covers.  I made a few quilted ones (but these are a PAIN and took me hours to make just one!)

 So I decided to try using solid fabric instead and this worked just as well but took a lot less and didn't cause my RA to flare after.

Then there is the proverbial problem of what to make for men!  Well, my brother currently works for a Japanese company and I know that tradition states that they respect their business cards so I made him a leather business card holder with his initials stamped on the front.

So, that's a few of my latest makes.  I will finish uploading the rest of my photos soon and share them.

Happy crafting

Kyla

 

Kate Bush and leather! Not the obvious pairing

 Hi peeps, sorry I have not been round for a while but things have once again been busy, busy, busy at chez Pidge!

It has not been all work, as last week I was lucky enough to go and see Kate Bush LIVE!!  I know, never in all these years did I expect to be able to tick that one off my bucket list.  I am so grateful for my friends Marnie, Ade and Andy who sold me their spare ticket and also drove all the way to London for the gig...I was like a kid...sang all through the concert and grinned from ear to ear the whole time (sorry especially to Ade who I sat next to and had to endure my catawaling)!

When the dust settled I realised I haven't blogged about my new purse that I have made.

It's from a kit from http://www.simpleway.co.uk/ I have already made a small coin purse and a handbag from them.  Their kits come with everything you need and really clear instructions.

This purse is called a Tardis purse (as its larger on the inside than the outsidebut don't get me started on the new Dr....I may rant for several days on that one!).

It is in leopard print which is a limited run of leather finish that they advertised on facebook (which is where they advertise their short limited runs...a great use of social media).

It took me a few sessions to finish as the rheumatoid arthritis in my hands means its a little hard to grip at times, but its really sturdy and the great thing is that if it starts to come apart through over stuffing (with receipts and shopping lists...lets be honest its never going to be overstuffed with money!) then they even include some spare thread for any running repairs!

The company do bags, shoes and accessories.  If you get a chance to look them up I can highly recommend them.

Happy crafting

Kyla

 

What have I been up to?

I have been away from blogland for a while.  I have been busy.  First I went to the Contemporary Craft Fair in Devon a couple of weeks ago and then last week I was on holiday in Malta (where my parents and grandparents used to live).

Bovey Tracey Contemporary Craft Fair is fabulous.  It has been going for 10 years and I have been attending for about 7 of them.  Its 3 days of hundreds of fabulous artists, sculptures, stone masons, painters, glass workers etc as well as workshops and talks-I thoroughly recommend it.

Plymouth college of Art take over a tent every year and show case new talent.

 Elsewhere in the show the stonemasons were particularly good this year.

 The oddest thing though is next door.....

 Next door to the site is a company who specialize in advertising models and film sets

 It is free to visit and it's 2 stories tall filled to the brim with the strangest things!

After visiting next door we popped back to the fair for some final purchases....mine came in this bag....made from wallpaper and sewn up the sides with ribbon threaded through punched holes at the top for handles (and strengthened inside the holes with a small piece of gaffa tape).  Such a brilliant bag just to hold my new purchase.

 and my new purchase?  Well that was the red and grey leather handbag in the left middle of the photo made by the rather talented Gosia Weber.

A brilliant trip, I believe they also do one up north, if you get the chance I would recommend it.

And Malta?  Well, lets just say Valletta is the most beautifully architectural city and we spent the week visiting cathedrals, gazing at paintings by Caravaggio, swimming off the rocks with the locals and loving that I was mistaken as both Maltese and Italian!!

Shame I had to come home and back to reality really!!

Happy crafting

Kyla

  

Magic Mushrooms

Hello peeps.  I have been having a lovely 3 weeks off work (yikes, 3 weeks......Monday is going to be difficult!!), Mallorca first then a few days with my brother who was visiting from Ecuador....all to be topped off tomorrow with a crop and a chance to meet fellow WOYWWers at the grand event that the lovely Julia has organised here.

Those of you who saw my desk this week may have spied my mushroom that I made.

 

I used some pale suede for the gills underneath and the stalk and red leather for the cap.  I used my crop-a-dile to punch some pale spots.  The cap is stuffed with toy stuffing and its all stuck together with leather glue.

I have made 3 different 'shrooms so far (2 brown and 1 red) all from leather/suede from local cobblers or the scrap store...not sure what to do with them, I was thinking of sourcing a split log with the bark still on and drilling some holes in and making a 'scene' with them.....not sure yet, may just turn them into brooches!

Anyway, I am looking forward to meeting some fellow WOYWWers tomorrow, and for those that can't attend I am taking my camera!!

Happy Crafting

Li'l Pidge x