Birthday Tea Bag Easel

Todays blog post card features one of my most favourite traditional card making techniques, tea bag folding.  I combined this with more modern techniques to make a card that I hope my sister-in-law (to be!) will love when I give it to her for her birthday next weekend.

The tea bag flower is pretty darn large in size, about 5 1/2" across! All the papers are news from my stash (I really have too many papers to remember where they all came from haha!).  The "mirri" is just a generic mirror card and the cardstock is from American Crafts.

 

I made a basic easel fold, and covered in patterned papers, I cut flowers using my Sizzix dies from the same papers as well as plain cardstock. The flourish dies are by Tonic and the tag you can see poking out from under the sentiment is by Tonic also. The layering dies behind the tea bag flower are by Spellbinders.

 

I used a large button for the centre of my tea bag flower, with a small die cut flower layered on top. I used some strings of lovely pearlescent sequins to finish.  The edges of the tea bag flower are inked using Distress Ink in "Mowed Lawn".

 

I cannot recall the make of the sentiment die.

xxSAMxx

 I would like to enter this card in the following challenges please:

613 Avenue Create - #78 Anything Goes (Mon 7 July)

Ditzie Digi Designs - Anything Goes (Sat 12 July)

Order of the Opus Gluei - #186 All tied up (13 July)

Scribble and Scrap - #21 Anything Goes (Fri 4 July)

That Craft Place - Anything Goes / Blog Hop (Sat 5 July)

2 Sisters Challenge - Make Your Own Embellishment (Tue 1 July)

Crafting At The Weekend - #3 Anything Goes (Sat 26 July)

Crafty Calendar Challenge - Petals and Pearls (Fri 4 July)

Paper Crafting - #13 Anything Goes (Fri 11 July)

Paper Creators Crafts - #26 Anything Goes (Fri 11 July)

Tammy Buccaneer - 40th Birthday

Todays blog post is to show off one of my most favourite Saturated Canary digistamps, "Tammy Buccaneer" and what's more, this digistamp is absolutely free for those who join the Saturated Canary Facebook Group!

 

This card is for a 40th Birthday (for my sister in fact!) and is just stunning if I may say so myself!

I used various papers, card and lace from my stash and Nenah Card for printing Tammy onto.  The flower dies are by Sizzix, the tag behind the 40 is by Tonic, and the flourish by Tonic also.  The "40" is chipboard, painted up and glittered!

 

 

Tammy is coloured in the following Promarkers:

SKIN: Ivory, Blush, Coral, Soft Peach, Dusky Pink

HAIR: Ginger, Spice, Cardinal Red

DRESS: Marine, Petrol Blue

BOOTS: Cool Grey 2 to 5

OTHERS: Putty, Tan, Buttercup, Tulip Yellow, Moss

I highlighted the earrings and coins with Stickles then inked the edges of the card with "Gathered Twigs" distress ink after distressing them scissors.

 

I painted the chip board numbers with white acrylic paint followed by yellow and red roughly mixed together.  Whilst the coloured coat was still wet I sprinkled them with copper and red fine glitters.

xxSAMxx

 

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges please:

613 Avenue Create - #78 Anything Goes (Mon 7 July)

Ditzie Digi Designs - Anything Goes (Sat 12 July)

Lacy Sunshine - #36 Anything Goes (Sat 5 July)

Order of the Opus Gluei - #186 All tied up (Sun 13 July)

Scribble and Scrap - #21 Anything Goes (Fri 4 July)

That Craft Place - Anything Goes / Blog Hop (Sat 5 July)

The Corrosive Challenge - #202 Colour Me Happy (Sun 6 July)

2 Sisters Challenge - Make Your Own Embellishment (Tue 1 July)

Crafting At The Weekend - #3 Anything Goes (Sat 26 July)

Crafty Calendar Challenge - Petals and Pearls (Fri 4 July)

Digi Designs - Lots of Layers (Sat 5 July)

Paper Crafting - #13 Anything Goes (Fri 11 July)

Paper Creators Crafts - #26 Anything Goes (Fri 11 July)

Tiny Turtles

Each year I am commissioned to make some keepsakes for a class of very special and wonderful kids.

Last year, their theme was dinosaurs.  This year, the theme was "Under The Sea" and I was tasked with designing and making 8 little turtles for the kids to take away at the end of the school year. 

 

These little guys' shells measure about 5"across and are made from various cottons/polycottons from my stash.

 

So hopefully 5 little boys and 3 little girls are going to be very happy indeed!

xxSAMxx

Life for a Cripple, before the Internet

A friend of mine today got me thinking about just how much the internet has brought to my life, particularly with respect to coping with my disability.

The condition I have (CMT) is mostly a hereditary condition, so even if people with CMT don't have "friends" to talk to, then there is usually at least 1 other person in the family with the same condition.  However, I am adopted and until I joined Facebook I felt so totally isolated, living in an outdoorsy family, not able to join in the family fun (even to this day I sometimes feel like that in my family, they don't intend on isolating me and indeed they do try to be inclusive, but that's a conversation for another day).

Facebook brought to me a world of new "family" members, others with CMT.  I have not met a lot of them, indeed some are not even in this country, but having them to talk to and compare notes with is invaluable to me.  The internet also brought me to CMT United Kingdom, and in turn to the Annual Conventions they hold each April.  I've been to 3 (or is it 4) of those now, and they are the time I look forward to most in the year.

But what if I didn't have the internet?  No doubt I would still be feeling all alone.  I wouldn't be armed with the wealth of knowledge that being part of the CMT community brings me.  I wouldn't have the confidence to lead the management of my condition where it needs to go, and I wouldn't be under the wing of an awesome Neurologist at a leading Neurology center (thank you Dr R)!

I would probably still be reliant on the half-arsed doctors at my local hospital.  Worse still, due to the lack of knowledge and confidence the internet has given me, I would probably be unaware that the local neurologists didn't actually know much about CMT (for I had to correct them myself on several occasions, which they didn't appreciate!). 

But luckily I do have the internet, and I have so much to thank it for.

In addition to friends with CMT, I have also found friends with other illnesses.  I feel it is important to have those around me who understand how difficult it is just to live life.

So, if you are out there, reading this blog and you have CMT, then join the various groups on Facebook, particularly the CMT UK one.  Similarly if you have any illness, the internet can form part of a wonderful support network.

CMT UK's tag line is "Together We Are Stronger", and this is just so perfectly true.

Toting Turtles!

So last week I blogged about the Crayon Roll I made, here is a quick photo to remind you!:

 

Yesterday I finally manged to make the Tote Bag that is going with the Crayon Roll. This will hold an A4 colouring book as well as the crayon roll.

 

It is fully lined and also has a zip along the top as per the customers request.

 

It also Poppy's name on the front, so there's no mistaking who it belongs to!  This was ironed on using fusible adhesive, then hand sewn.

 

So, I can finally get these sent off to Tia, along with the Pencil Case she also ordered.  That girl has the patience of a saint!

Alongside the bag I've also been in the process of the Turtle production line! All these bits and pieces will (hopefully!) turn into 8 cute little turtles who will be swimming off to make 8 special needs kiddies very happy at the end of their school year!

 

I'll be sure to pop back with photos of them when they are done!

 

xxSAMxx

Birthday Card for a music lover

My final blog post for today is to show off this gorgeous birthday card made for a talented young man who loves pink!

 

I have used a digistamp from paperprintables.com again for this card (having used one of their handy member resource image for the football themed Father's Day Card also made in the last few days. I coloured this using Promarkers in Cool Grey 1-5.

I used embossing folders to add texture to the background and also to the border of the sentiment.  The black cardstock is from American Crafts and the pink is Create and Craft own brand. I finished the Card of with some ribbon, gems and treble clef embellishment.

So it's been a few days of making cards for men which I always find a challenge but I enjoyed this lot!

Please may I enter the following challenges:

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards - Wed 25 June

QKR Stampede - Thu 19 June

Sister Act - Fri 20 June

Father's Day - Doctors

With Father's Day tomorrow I thought I would share some of the father's day cards I've made in recent days.

Here is the final Fathers Day card made yesterday, this time for my own Pappy, a retired GP... and YES he does have a scrawl worse than a 2 year old!

 

 

I coloured this digi using the following Promarkers:

SIGNS: Cool Grey 2

LAB COATS : Cool Grey 2

SKIN: Ivory, Dusky Pink, Soft Peach, Coral, Blush

OTHERS: Moss, China Blue, Prussian, Cerise, Pink Carnation, Plum, Blender

I completed the card with American Crafts cardstock, patterned papers from my stash and real pills!

Please check the rest of my blog for the rest of the father's day cards I've had fun making. I do find men's cards a challenge but found these great fun and really quite easy.

Please can I enter the following challenges:

Craftitude - Tue 24 June

Savvy Handmade Cards - Tue 1 July

Sister Act - Fri 20 June

Father's Day - Fishing

With Father's Day tomorrow I thought I would share some of the father's day cards I've made in recent days.

Here is another Fathers Day card, again for a customer, and this time the brief was "fishing".

 

 

The stamp is a fab one from QKR Stampede, and I coloured it using the following Promarkers:

SIGN: Tan, Cinnamon, Cocoa

GRASS: Moss, Olive Green

SKIN: Ivory, Dusky Pink, Soft Peach, Blush

HAT/SHIRT: Putty, Tan

WAISTCOAT: Moss, Olive Green

JEANS: China Blue, Prussian

SHOES: Cool Grey 2-5

DOG: Almond

OTHERS: Poppy, Burgundy, Marine, Petrol Blue

 

I completed the card with American Crafts cardstock, patterned papers from my stash, plastic embellishments, ribbon and crochet flower.

Please check the rest of my blog for the rest of the father's day cards I've had fun making. I do find men's cards a challenge but found these great fun and really quite easy.

Please can I enter the following challenges:

Craftitude - Tue 24 June

Pattie's Creations - Thu 26 June

QKR Stampede - Thu 19 June

Sister Act - Fri 20 June

Stampin For The Weekend - Thu 19 June

Father's Day - Football

With Father's Day tomorrow I thought I would share some of the father's day cards I've made in recent days.

This first one was for a customer, with the brief being "football".

 

The digistamp a member resource from paperprintables.com and I coloured it using the following Promarkers:

BOOTS: Red, Poppy, Burgundy, Cool Grey 2-5, Almond

FOOTBALL: Cool Grey 1-5

 

I completed the card with American Crafts cardstock and patterned papers from my stash.

Please check the rest of my blog for the rest of the father's day cards I've had fun making. I do find men's cards a challenge but found these great fun and really quite easy.

Please can I enter the following challenges:

Pattie's Creations - Thu 26 June

QKR Stampede - Thu 19 June

Sister Act - Fri 20 June

Hospital - Neurologist

Okay, a slight diversion from the crafts, but I did promise the occasional update on my state of health.

You may know (or not!) that I live with the incurable peripheral neuropathy called Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease.  Despite the ridiculous name, CMT is a serious disease and is currently incurable.


On Monday I went for my Annual Neurology appointment with the amazing Dr Roberts at Salford Royal Hospital.  I am so so lucky to be under the rather ample wing of this man!

CMT is unfortunately a condition in which the majority of doctors are inexperienced, although this is slightly improving.  Dr Roberts is a whiz in CMT, always accurate, helpful, friendly and not condescending (make the cheque payable to "#1 patient" please Dr R!).  Dr R told me this time that he has around 100 patients with CMT which I find incredible!  On Monday we talked about how I think I've progressed since seeing him last, and if I had any issues that need addressing.  So, I'm off back to the surgeon next to try and fix my pesky toe that is determined to reach for the sky since my toe straightening op 2 years ago! 

Dr Roberts had one of his registrars in with him as usual, and I'm always happy to be a guinea pig and help him to teach his minions about CMT!  He has a wonderful team.  

Now for a plea for help!

I am greatly supported by a network of fellow "CMTers" through the charity CMT United Kingdom, and the charity always needs financial help in order to help people like me, whether directly through their information service or indirectly through the research project they are part funding.  Do please consider donating a little.  Think of it this way, whilst there will probably never be a cure or life changing treatment in my lifetime, with your help the research the CMT UK are focussing on will certainly help to make a difference to future generations of CMT patients.

Please visit the CMT United Kingdom website HERE.  They are not a huge charity rolling in funds like some, so please consider them when donating to good causes.

Thank you!

Rock and Crayon Roll!

Okay, well there's no rock... not unless you count the Evanescence I was listening to yesterday evening whilst drafting this post!

There IS a Crayon Roll though!  It is padded with Batting, and uses the gorgeous Riley Blake Little Red Riding Hood cotton fabric, along with a red cotton polka dot for the lining/pockets.  I made my own pattern, nothing special, it's something many others have made before me!

So here it is!

 

This was great fun and I'm going to make some more!  I'm also making a Tote bag tomorrow to go with this one, to hold the colouring book.

xxSAMxx

Pencil Case

Yesterday I was out much of the day spending time with my partner Claire's Nan.  I had a lovely time and I do like to go see her but as a result I didn't get much crafting done other than taking my crochet with me and whipping up a couple of Granny squares! I'm getting quite a pile of them now!

I did however have time to finish off a pencil case that I was making for myself. Production has to temporally cease as I was on the hunt for a zip of just the right shade of fawny brown haha!

Anyway, I managed to find one eventually that I was happy with and here if my pencil case!

PHOTO REMOVED

As with all my pencil cases it is fully lined.

PHOTO REMOVED

I already have several pencil cases including another that I made for myself but I wanted to make myself one with this fabric and only once I finished it did I decide what to use it for! It is going to hold my Stabilo fineliners.

I need to make another case to replace my tattered old shop bought one that holds my Sharpies. I may also make myself something similar to stuff in my handbag to hold whatever bit of portable crochet I'm working on!

When does it end?! We always think up other things that we NEED to make don't we! What is on your list??

 

xxSAMxx

Sausage Dog

Look at this super cute Sausage Dog made especially for a wonderful cause!

 

 

I made this using one of my own original patterns that I already make a "Hamish" Scotty Dog cushion from.

 

I adapted this pattern by obviously making the body section much longer and narrowing the snout.

This raffle is raising money to get 8 dogs from hell in Romania to new lives here in the UK.  They are Mum Barbie and her 7 pups Frenchie, Clara, Clementine, Maya, George, Poppy & Cheeko.

 

The total raised to today is a wonderful £365! As each puppy/dog costs £155 to transport to the UK we have enough to get 2 puppies here plus £55 towards a third!

Lets keep the money coming in folks! These doggies are due to travel at the end of June and we have a way to go yet!

TEN wonderful prizes up for grabs! Tickets are £1.50 each, 4 for £5 or 10 for £10

PayPal: samsfundraising@outlook.com (please tick "sending to friends or family" and quote "Barbie" in the message box when sending)

Please visit the event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/665121383536381/?source=1