Christmas Creative Gift

Back in school many many years ago, one of my vivid memories was an art lesson.  In that lesson, we were based at the top of the tower, so with beautiful views over the River Humber plains, we set about following the instructions from our art teacher Mrs Cosens.
"Now do be careful," she remonstrated, "don't cut towards your hand, always put you hands behind the cutter tool"
Very carefully we began the lino cutting.  Sharp tools were used and we carefully gauged out the lino to produce an image.
Before long, I was so into it that the "rules" went straight out of my head and the tool went straight into the side of my hand.  I went into panic mode.  Clearly I was going to be bleeding to much to get away with no one noticing, so I stood up, went over to the sink, washed my hands and then pretended to cut my hand on the paper towel dispenser.
The teacher handed out plasters and I avoided the "I told you so" speech.

Anyway, This christmas  have been  given a lino cutter starter kit.  I'm having fun and have so far managed to shove tools into the end of two fingers!!
I'll show you the results in a few days time.

Brushing off the dust

Christmas over, out to play comes Creative and Faithful!

Victorian Baubles For Christmas

I have been busy making victorian style baubles.  You can read more about them HERE

My Grandma

Sadly, my Grandmother died last Sunday. These are just a few thoughts.

 Grandma was a believer appreciater and encourager of artistic talents.  I remember making her a plastercast of Peter Rabbit when I was young and it being given pride of place with her Pendelphin ornaments.  Never mind that it wasn't a work of art.  She treasured it.  It was the same a few years later when I made her a quilled egg.  It took pride of place in her  display cupboard. She would treasure the handmade cards that people had made for her for Christmas and would bring them out year after year, it was her way of showing you that she treasured the thoughts and love that you put into  each creation and that she could give back the thoughts and love too.

The Handmade Christmas Shop

I have been frantically updating my online store in the run up to Christmas and have just added my Christmas page.
I have many more items to add over the next few days, but as an introduction there are:

 Christmas trees

 

Nativity bracelets

Christmas spiders

All the items in the shop are handmade by me.

Where have I been?

Actually, I've been indulging myself and concentrating on setting up a new blog.  Yes another one!!

This one is called Christmas Creative and features the work of crafters, christmas tutorial, christmas music, Christmas trivia and anything else christmas I can find.

In the meantime, I have been faithfully following my one a day programmme and photographing the sky etc.

I hope t catch up with the posts on here very soon.

In the meantime, I'd love you to pop by Here and see what I've been up to!!

Day 205 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Natural tones necklace

assorted neutral and natural toned beads individually linked to form this necklace

Day 204 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Blue toned necklace

Another of the individually linked necklaces, this time in blue.  I find this technique so relaxing that I think they'll be a few more yet!

Day 203 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Pink toned necklace

Assorted pink beads individually linked together.

Day 202 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Green toned necklace

Assorted green toned beads individuallly linked together

Accessorising ~ The Ballet Top ~ Magenta

This lovely Magenta Ballet style top would look great teamed with slim line trousers, jeans or with leggins.  The simple line and style can easily be accessorised to dress it either up or to make it more of a casual look.                                                                                       

This Polymer clay necklace takes the magenta tones and teams them up with black and white with Bali silver accents.

This bracelet contains multiple layers of mixed red toned beads, again with silver acents.

Finally these lovely magenta and haematite earrings will complete the look.

All the jewellery in this piece are available through http://www.crystalvelvet.co.uk/ or by contacting me.

From the inside out

I heard this song for the first time last night and it's stayed with me since, rattling around in my head.

My heart and my soul
I give you control
comsume me from the inside out

Everlasting your light will shine when all else fails
Never ending your Glory goes beyond all all fame.

Day 201 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Pale pink shell cluster necklace

Stunning pale pink shell clusters are accentuated by fresh water pearls and small delica beads

Sky ~ 17/8/10

grey and cloudy

Craft Juice Tuesday ~ For the Nursery ~ 17/8/10

This amazing quilted wall hanging is the inspiration for this weeks theme.  The work that has gone into this is very evident and bring childhood memories flooding back.  The hanging is 19" square and has been created by Handmade With Love

Now if I were a knitter (which sadly I'm not!) I would be torn when choosing which of these cute critters to make.  The simplicity and yet gorgeousness and potential cuddlyness of each of them would leave me flustered.  I'm glad to say that Fluff and Fuzz has included them all in her e book of patterns.

This baby cocoon and beanie hat are beautiful.  Don't you just want to pick that cute little baby up and have a cuddle. The lovely soft chocolate brown yarn is an unusual, but perfect colour and it's all been handknitted by adoruhbul creations

This exploding box new baby card is simply beautiful. It's created by Cards and candles for all occasions

Day 200!!! ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Teal necklace ~ GIVEAWAY

To Celebrate 200 days of creative fun, I am giving away todays creation which is a teal toned necklace made of Czech Dagger beads, Swarovski crystals, delicas and Bali silver beads.  There will also be other goodies that I've not made yet.
To enter simply leave a comment (1 entry)
(and or) follow me on the blog (1 entry)
(and or) follow me on twitter (1 entry)
(and or) tweet about the giveaway (1 entry)
(and or ) blog this (1 entry)
The draw for the winner will be made randomly on Monday 23rd at noon BST.

Accessorising ~ Black and white print dress

This beautiful monochrome dress gives the opportunity to be teamed with jewellery and accessories in a number of ways.

The wearer can choose whether to stick with either the black, the white, the balckand white or to accent with any other colour they should want.

Black and white will sit very happily with pastel or jewell tones.

Grey and black tones necklace and earring set

Grey and black tones wrap around bracelet

pastel toned accent beads

The bright colours on this polymer clay necklace will give a contrast to the monchrome print

The dress is available from Matalan.

All the jewellery shown is available through http://www.crystalvelvet.co.uk/ or by contacting me

Thought for the day ~ Opportunity

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Winston Churchill

Sky ~ 16/8/10

Another blue day

Day 199 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Creative Wrapping

Pink Metalic wrapping paper teamed with a silk Anaenome and a butterfly tag with curling ribbon.

Sky ~ 15/8/10

Beautiful Day

Thought for the day ~ You never let go

You never let go of me

Accessorising ~ The Peacock Maxi Dress

This season, every wardrobe should contain a maxi dress.  The long flowing light fabrics can suit every size and shape.
This particular example is one of my favourites.  Mother nature dressed the peacock in beautiful tones of blue, gold, green and purple and now the "Stella label" have used the peacock for their stunning fabric.
Dress available from: http://www.chic-argo.co.uk/ for 29.99 + P&P

Choosing jewellery to accessorise this dress is easy.  There are so many colours to choose from and you could either choose a single colour from the green, purple or gold, or you could have a necklace that incorporates all the colours.

This necklace contains all the peacock colours in a multi jewelled string

This simple illusion style necklace takes teal and gold tones to accentuate the colours in the dress

Finally, this necklaces accents green toned beads with silver beads.  It is finished with Baroque peacock beads in lustrous tones.

All the jewellery featured in this article is available through http://www.crystalvelvet.co.uk/

or by emailing me.

Thought for the day ~ Belief

Believe you can and you're halfway there.

Day 198 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Blue Knotted necklace

Blue toned beads on a multi strand knotted necklace

Sky ~ 14/8/10

Look it's beautiful BLUE sky!!!

Day 198 ~ One a Day Challenge ~ Add a bead bracelet

Another Add a bead bracelet

Sky ~ 13/8/10

Where has the summer gone to?

Day 197 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Add a bead bracelet

This bracelet is an interchangable bracelet where beads can be slid on and off to suit your style.

Sky ~ 12/8/10

Yet more grey

Day 196 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Indian Red Swarovski Crystal Necklace

Indian Red Swarovski crystals are combined with Bali Silver beads.

Sky ~ 11/8/10

Drizzly rainy sky

Day 195 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ Amethyst drops necklace

Amethyst drop beads are teamed up with Swarovski crystals, peackock beads and silver delica beads.

Sky ~ 10/8/10

More grey sky

Artist profile ~ Jon Hicks

Whilst in Norwich last week to escape the rain (although it came with us) we visited a huge art centre called the forum.  It was incredibly impressive and after we'd walked around some of the exhibits which were themselves amazing, we noticed by the doorway an area set aside for street performance.  We decided to stop.  It was evident that paint was going to be involved as a ground sheet was laid out ready that itself resembled a Jackson Pollock of the finest quality.
We stood and waited whilst an announcer drew more crowds.  Eventually we were introduced to the performer Jon Hicks.  He emerged and started his act.  He said nothing during the whole act, but gesticulated with tiny insignificant hand movements.  His dead pan approach was very disconcerting and yet drew you to watch and watch.  Whilst looking at the crowd, he amazingly transfered a piece of paper into a flapping origami bird, and then involved a child in a dropping sugerlump act, the whole thing was amazingly well put together and flowed beautifully.  I knew the paint would come eventually and it did.
Two sheets of black paper were stapled to a wooden frame, one covering the other.  Then in true Rolf Harris style he bagan to paint sploges and lines, daubs and dots and nothing seemed to make sense.  All through the act, there was a range of music playing and eventually, several colours later the image literally sprang to life.  A daub of red and then Dot Cotton was there in all her glory.  Having been a Rolf Harris fan and inspired by him as a child, it was amazing to see this before me.

The act wasn't over, we all knew that there was another piece of paper!

The second painting began.  It was very difficult to see what it was going to be, but when the white paint began to flow the secret and extra ordinary skill of Jon Hicks showed through.

With a final flourish of black paint to hide and dribbles, the screen was spun round and round and revealed the Elvis image that had been painted completely upside down.

You can see more about Jon Hicks here and see more of his amazing pictures.

Day 194 ~ 201 ~ One A Day Challenge ~ The holiday makes

The last week was spent in a tent in Norfolk.  I decided that rather than taking a break from the one a d ay challenge, I'd think laterally and create other things.  There are no photos so I've sources appropriate images from the internet!

Day 194 ~ I made a camp (yes I did have a little help).  it's not easy in the drizzling rain, but before long the tents were up and sorted. and then I made a discovery and found the wedding ring I lost camping last year!!

Day 195 ~ I made a black rubbish bag into a leg cover for a wheelchair user. 

Day 196 ~ I made tears .... we went to see Toy Story 3.  I knew that people had found it an emotional experience and by the time the film neared it's end I'd laughed and enjoyed it, but couldn't understand why people cried ..... and then I found out and joined in.

Day 197 ~ I made a sandcastle.  The weather was nice enough to go to the beach.

Day 198 ~ I made a campfire

Day 199 ~ I made a tent bailer.  Boy did the rain fall and it managed to find a way into our tent and so I had to create a bailer and managed to scoop up a whole big bucket ful of water.

Day 200 ~ I made a Getaway from the rain, or at least I treid to.  The rain had stopped, the tent was dry and it was the end of the day.  I thought it would be better to pack up in the dry rather than wait until the following day to go home in the rain.  The matresses were deflated, the sleeping bags rolled up and everything else packed in the bags,  only the car to load and the tents to put down .............

and then the rain came in style.  and boy did it tip it down.

Day 201 ~ I made a camp.  I had to put the ten up in the garden to dry it off!

I promise that the One A Day Challenge will purely relate to real crafts in future!