Summer Holiday Crafts - Day 5 (15/08/14)

Today I found Lara a 'Form-a-Lines' stitching pattern of a dog. It cost just £1 from www.form-a-lines.net. The e-pattern was supplied as a PDF file and was easily printed on the computer. Easy to follow step by step instructions were also included.

First Lara transferred the pattern from paper onto card using a pricking tool.

Using embroidery floss the image was then stitched. This took lots of concentration and patience to make sure the needle went in and out of the correct holes in the correct order.

Beads were used for eyes.

When the picture was finished we found a little wooden frame to put it in.

Summer Holiday Crafts - Day 4 (14/08/14)

Today Lara got out the Hama Beads and using some patterns found online she made some Minions from the Despicable Me 2 film.

Summer Holiday Crafts - Day 3 (13/08/14)

Today Lara used the Nesting Dolly Decoupage Kit which came free with the July issue of Crafts Beautiful magazine. Everything was included in the kit apart from glue but Lara did use some additional tissue paper which we already had.

The instructions suggested painting the three wooden dolls and then gluing motifs from the tissue onto them. This seemed a bit fiddly so Lara instead chose to just glue the tissue straight onto the dolls.

The dolls were then left to dry.

Summer Holiday Crafts - Day 2 (12/08/14)

Todays craft activity was found at Womansday.com via Pinterest. Lara made a Bird's Nest Bowl.

First she shredded several sheets of A4 red craft paper.

She then wrapped a large plastic bowl in clingfilm and put it upside down on the worktop. A glue mixture was prepared using 2 parts PVA glue to one part water.

The bottom of the bowl was then brushed with a little of the glue mixture ....

..... and a small clump of shredded paper was added in a random fashion. More glue was dabbed on top to get the paper to stick together. Gradually more and more paper and glue was added working over the majority of the surface of the bowl.

When Lara was satisfied that enough of the bowl had been covered it was placed in the bottom of the airing cupboard overnight to dry.

The next day, once the paper had completely dried, we carefully prised the paper away from the clingfilm and the plastic bowl and were left with a Bird's Nest Bowl.

We put some potpourri in it.

Summer Holiday Crafts - Day 1 (11/08/14)

Today Lara and I started our Summer Holiday crafts. This is a tradition that we have maintained for a few years now. A craft activity each weekday during the school summer holiday (apart from when we are away).

Today we tried a couple of Hobbycraft Needle Felting Kits. I can't remember how much the kits cost but they weren't expensive.

Lara made the dog and I made the cat.

This was the first time we had tried needle felting and the results are by no means perfect. I think we should probably have been a bit more patient and spent more time stabbing the felt but despite this we're pleased with the results.

Scrapology - August Layout Challenge

Whilst I was on holiday recently a new layout challenge went live on the Scrapology blog.

For August, the team took inspiration for a layout by Ingvild Bolme and used the theme 'E is for Exposed'

For my layout I used a photo of Lara taken when she was a small girl. It was a hot sunny day when I took the photo and she was playing in the garden with an umbrella. I saw the photo recently and the song 'Sunshine on a Rainy Day' came to mind so I went with that title for my layout.

As usual I used some of my older supplies to create my layout. The paper was probably from Anna Griffin but I can't be certain. I also used a beautiful flower spray from Prima.

The title was printed onto plain white paper using Sktchy Times font and then handcut. The vines and sunshine were cut on the Craftrobo and then doodling added. The layout was completed with a pink paper doilie from Trimcraft, a card doilie from Craftwork Cards, alphabet stickers and thread.

Here's Ingvild's original layout .....

.... and Lynn's sketch

Please pop over to the Scrapology blog to find details of the challenge, get inspiration from the team and view the prize.

Scrapology - July Card Challenge

This month on the Scrapology blog Tracey Dutton from Lavinia Stamps is challenging you to create a card based on 'Dreams and Delights'. The design team choose to use some of Tracy's beautiful rubber stamps on their cards.

For my card I used a set of Lavinia Stamps fairy stamps which were a free gift with a recent issue of Papercraft Essentials magazine and a free printable 'Scenescape' (background) also free with the magazine. 

I printed the Scenescape onto card and then overprinted it with a quote from www.squigglefly.com. I then stamped the fairy and star dust images in black onto the background and highlighted it with silver Stickles. 

The finished image was matted on black card and put on the front of a square card blank.

Pop over to Scrapology to see what the rest of the design team made for inspiration and to have a go at the challenge.

Scrapology - July Layout Challenge

This month on Scrapology the team has been using paper punches and has been inspired by a layout by American scrapbooker Stacy Cohen.

For my layout I used some photo taken on my daughter practising the drums for her first public performance.

I must admit that my 'punchouts' aren't actually' punchouts'! They were cut on the Craft Robo but give the same appearance.

Supplies:

• Cardstock - Bazzill
• Dovecraft Sparkles 'Rockstar' title
• Handmade Accordion Flower using sheet music paper and button
• Felt Stars - Paperchase
• Fundamentals Alphabet Stickers
• Sequins
• Gems
• Resin Stars

Here is Stacy's original layout ....

... and Lynn's sketch

Pop on over the the Scrapology blog to see all the design teams layouts and find out full details of the challenge which runs until 5 August.

Scrapology - June Card Challenge

This month the design team at Scrapology have been inspired by the work of Tina Weller. Tina has made a video on how to make pop up box cards and so Scrapology challenges it's readers to make a box card.

The design team have all been busy making their own box cards and here's mine.

The patterned card and die cut butterflies and sentiment were all from Buzz Craft's Garden Blossom collection.

The butterflies were mounted on acetate and fixed to the struts inside the box to make them look like they are flying.

The good thing about the card is that it folds flat to fit inside a standard envelope.

Please pop on over to the Scrapology blog to see all the cards the team has made and find out about the super prize on offer this month.