Simple Little Daisy Card

One of the things that customers always say to me at the shows is that my cards are clean. I rather like that as, while I can do fussy, the things that really attract me are the simple cards that have a big impact. I think that I've achieved this here. What do you think?

To Make this card all you need to do is stick a piece of the new funky flower ribbon to the centre of the card with double sided tape.

Stamp the sunshine sentiment and mount on to pink card.

Colour up and stamp the Leaning Daisy image, cut out and stick to the card with foam page.

Stick on  a few buttons and your card is finished.

How simple was that!

Damask Ribbon Rose

Some time ago I posted the instructions for making a ribbon rose. The ribbon that I used at the time was a fairly wide 23mm ribbon. I've made this rose as I wanted to show everyone that it is possible to make a rose from thin ribbon. I used this beautiful thin wine damasks ribbon to show you what you can do.

The instructions for making this rose can be found here. The principles are the same just the size of the ribbon has changed.

How to Decorate a Fabric Bag

Don't you just love it when something turns out right? Well, I do at least, and this latest bag is a 'just right' for me.

The kit is available from Craft Fairy at an offer price until the 25th March.

Everything can be bought separately if you would prefer.

To be honest this bag is simplicity itself to make.

Attached the green ribbon to the bag with Bondaweb. Occasionally put in a loop to look like leaves.

Attach the pink flower ribbon over the bottom of the flower stalks with Bondaweb.

Sew the buttons in place and the bag is done. How easy is that?

OK .... alert:

You can use double sided tape too.

Cupcake Hair Bows

In my last blog entry, I showed you the new cupcake ribbons that have just arrived here with us at Craft Fairy. This time I am going to be far more proactive (don't you just love that word) and show you a simple bow project.

I've put in a picture right away as I always find it annoying if you have to wait until the very end until you find out what it is. 

So, to make this bow you will need:

Cupcakes on Pink grosgrain ribbon 16mm wide

Brown grosgrain ribbon 16mm wide

a button from the flowers button pack

Strong thread

a needle

Double sided tape.

C

Cut two 24cm pieces of 16mm brown ribbon 

Cut two 24cm pieces of 16mm pink ribbon 

Put a piece of double sided tape in the centre of each of the 4 pieces of ribbon. Make sure to put it on the wrong side of the cupcake ribbon.

When you've done this, remove the covering from the double sided ribbon and fold the outer edges to the centres that they touch and are held in place by the tape. 

Sick all 4 pieces as shown in the picture above. 

Cross the two pieces of brown grosgrain as shown and sew the two pieces together with a running stitch. 

Pull the thread tight and loop it around the ribbons so that they bunch up in the centre. Repeat this stage with the cupcake ribbon.   

Now, sew the cupcake ribbon onto the brown ribbon and finish with a button in the centre. You can add a pin or a barrette to the back if you like.

Cupcake Crazy

Everyone seems to be going cupcake crazy these days and not just for eating either. We have had a delivery of fabulous cupcake ribbon and I couldn't wait to get it on the web site for all to see. i thought that I'd give everyone on the blog a quick peek at the fabulous, and oh so hot ribbon.

 The first one is a 9mm grosgrain cupcake ribbon with really cute tickled pink cupcakes that seem to just dance across the ribbon.

 The second is every little girl's dream ribbon. Pink and cakes, what more could you ask for. Yumm!

For the last one, we couldn't leave the chocolate aside and so here it is in the fantastic 16mm chocolate brown grosgrain ribbon. Even more yumm!

Newsletter question

I sent the newsletter out this afternoon and strangely enough, even though I am on the mailing list, I didn't get mine. So can you see if your has turned up? Please leave a comment to tell me one way or the other. It costs a lot to send the mail out so I want to know that it's working.

Vintage Colours for This Weeks Special Craft Fairy Offer

I know that all of you fellow crafters will be well into your vintage cards so that's why this weeks offer on the Craft Fairy site is one that has lovely soft vintage colours. I also think that varying the tones creates a luxury look and so that is what I have put together. The feathers are there because that are beautiful and because I love them.

So I used some of the elements in the offer pack to make a card for you as inspiration. Here it is:

I thought that I would vary the card a bit by using a ribbon flower to add a different finish. So here is an alternative for you:

The flower is a sneak peek of the latest ribbon flower invention that I have come up with. I really, really hope that you like it.

Pull Treat for a Small Flattish Gift

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and, while we want that special gift from the one that we love, we also want it to be beautifully packaged. So here is an idea for making the packaging look superb and the treat inside it will seem so much better too!

This pretty pink package is made with:

a heart die cut

pink calligraphy pens

9mm pink saddle stitch ribbon

3mm saddle stitch ribbon

a sheet of heavy paper

1 sheet of medium weight card

1 flat gift a bar of chocolate is perfect.

The tutorial for making this gift wrap is to be found on splitcoast stampers resource page.

The flower making and pen blending technique can be seen here.

Once you have mastered the technique you can make the package bigger or smaller to suit the gift.


I would love to receive this. Now, how can I persuade my husband to make it? I'll let you know if I am successful

Craft Fairy Newsletter

Have you signed up for the newsletter? It is sent out weekly (or as often as I can remember) and includes discounts and projects. Just go to www.craftfairy.co.uk to sign up for the newsletter.

Stained Glass Stamp for a Winter Card

I've had this stamp for quite a while now and it is a truly lovely stamp.

It is the Stained glass Stamp from the 'I Brake for Stamps' clollection on Craft Fairy and a must have for all stampers. I've chosen it for the weekly special offer and along with the pens used for making it.

The special offer includes a 20% discount. It really is too good to miss.

So, you will need:

Stained glass rubber stamp

Stazon, I used Stone Grey

Card

buttons

Foam pads

Art graphic pens in colours: 56, 2, 38

Offer available here

Stamp the image with stazon and using the blue pen and water colour in the glass pieces of the image. Leave to dry.

Now use the olive green and colour with a light touch the petals. For the stems use a more concentrated colour.

Colour the centres of the flowers in yellow.

Layer up the card with paper and buttones for a beautiful finish.

 

The winner is....

The winner is....

I am pleased to announce that ther winner of the blog candy give away is 

Jennie, The Crafty Wife.

If Jennie can get in touch I will post her goodies out to her.

Thank you to all those who took part and please come back soon as there will be regular give aways on this blog for the Next Year.

New Button Tree - Shades of Autumn

I've made another button tree. I made this one as I gave a talk to a local WI and I wanted to show them fairly economical ways that you could craft. This picture is made from just half a pack of our Autumn Shades buttons and a couple of twigs from the garden.

As with the other button tree, it is sewn together and that way it will not fall apart. 
The hardest part of this is finding suitable twigs.
Happy Crafting.

I'm turning my attention to buttons

You may all have noticed that  I have done a lot of sewing lately but now the time has come to turn my attention to buttons. So I have been looking around the internet for inspiration and I have found lots. I saw these on a site called Craft-Craft. Now the idea here is not to copy but to be inspired and these are some of the things that I have found inspiring.

Now all I need to hope for is that I come up with something new and unique that you will all like too.

Pinterest

Have you visited Pinterest lately?

Do you know what it is?

I must admit, that until quite recently I'd never heard of it. Now, though, I use it all of the time.

Basically it's an online pin board that allows you to pin ideas if things that you see and admire. I use mine for inspining craft ideas. I pin my things, but gasp...I pin those of other people too. Lots of things.

You can pin things that you see on Pinterest and things that you see odd the site. Whatever takes your fancy really.

Best of all are the bords that other people have as they are truly amazing. Food, decorating style, craft, Christmas  ......  I could go on and on.

So, why not click on to my Pinterst bar at the side of this blog and go explore.

Craft Fairy Blog Candy

Please post a link to this giveaway on your blog or Twitter. 

 

To celebrate the New Year Craft Fairy are holding a give away.

Rubber Stamp Clearance Day on Craft Fairy

Today I am reducing many of our rubber stamps on Craft Fairy.

These are fabulous stamps, but I have more than I need and the end of the year is coming and we need to clear for the new stock so you will all benefit from the clear out.

Look at some of what's on offer:

and

These won't last long so be quick.

Organza Ribbon flower

Well I must say that I do seem to be on a roll as far as these ribbon flowers are concerned and this is the latest. Ribbon and button offer.

What you will have in this tutorial is the basis bow that will allow you to build up lots more bows. I've kept this simple for you so I hope that you're ready to play along.

You won't need much to make this, just:

1.5 metres of 23mm ribbon. ( The wider the ribbon, the fuller the flower. If you use thinner ribbon you will need to wrap it more to get the fullness. All will become clear).
1 large button
a scrap of contrasting ribbon
thread
needle
1 piece of still cardboard 5cm x 15cm. ( Cut it off an old cardboard box).

To make the flower:

Start with cut piece of ribbon at the top of the card as seen.

Wrap the ribbon around the cardboard overlapping the pieces as you go. Tie a good knot in your thread ( don't worry as it's not going to be seen) and sew a running stitch along the bottom edge of the ribbon.

 Slide the ribbon off the cardboard.

 Pull the thread abd it will ruffle up the ribbon.

When you've pulled tight you can sew the two edges together at the back of the flower and open out the loops. Now you can leave it like this if you like.

 Or you can.....Cut the tops off the loops at a diagonal as shown.

Thread the scrap ribbon through the button and tie tightly. Sew in place in the center of your flower.

Do you like it?

Now I've put an offer on the Craft Fairy home site as usual so that you can get this ribbon at a lower price.
Click here for the offer.

Anniversary blast from the past

I made this card some time ago and it was posted on my old blog. I have been looking through it recently and I couldn't let this one moulder away unseen so I've brought it out and dusted it off for all to see.

For this card you will need:

1. 1 DL card in pale blue.
2. The loving couple stamp from our new Flaunt It sheet of unmounted rubber stamps.
3. 1 sheet of white card for stamping the image and the background paper.
4. Youth is a State of Mind Stamp from the Funny Ladies sheet of stamps.
5. Art and graphic pens from Kuretake in Pink, Skin Tone, Grey and Blue
6. Stazon in Stone Grey


What to do:
1. Use Stazon in Stone Grey to stamp the image on to a piece of white card and trim to size. Colour the image with the pink and blue pens and use a little water to thin the paint to give a paler colour where needed. Edge the card in blue.
2. Decorate a piece of card with the pink calligraphy from the Heart set that you have edged with the blue pen from the Art and graphic pens from Kuretake. Trim to leave a fairly wide border as seen in the example. Edge the card in blue as you did with the earlier card.
3. Stick to the base card and use 3d foam pads to stick the loving couple sheet to the card.
4. Now, use Stone Grey Stazon to stamp the Youth message and again edge in blue. Yes, lots of blue edging here I know but it helps to harmonise the Images.
5. Use 3d foam pads to stick to the card. Your card is finished.

Our Brand New Cross Stitch Kits

I really, really hope that you love these cross stitch kits as they are the first that we have brought out and are excluse to Craft Fairy. You can buy them at the Craft Fairy site

Christmas Ribbon Rosette

Have you noticed how rosettes of all shapes and sizes are becoming high fashion itmas and are being worn by so many people, crafty and otherwise? This is why I've chosen to do my latest project of a ribbon rosette and I've made it in Christmas colours so that it is in time for the coming holidays.

What's even better, is that I've put together an offer for you over on the mothership ( AKA http://www.craftfairy.co.uk/ ) so that you don't have to search around for each product and you will also get a discount by buying the lot! Even better. Click here for the offer.

So let's get on with it. You will need:

16mm red with green dots grosgrain ribbon. This should be cut into 4 x 15cm lengths.

16mm willow green grosgrain ribbon cut into 6 x 10cm lengths

1 piece of satin edged chiffon in a 30 cm length. No need to cut this in to short pieces.

1 red button

1 length of strong green thread.

1 strong needle. I know that I've said this before, but when you have to sew through several layers of grosgrain you will not be able to manage with a thin needle. A thimble is also a good extra to have.

Thread your needle and lay out the cut lengths of willow grosgrain as shown.

Secure the legths of ribbon in the centre with a couple of stitches to stop them moving when you sew the next layers. Your needle should now be on the right side of the work.

 

 Take one of the 15cm strips, form a loop and center the bottom of the loop on the underneath as shown in the image. The edges should overlap about 1cm. Push the needle up through the bottom of the loop, trying to get as closely centered both lengthwise and width wise as you can.

Pull first loop down the thread to sit on top of the bottom ribbons, then repeat process for remaining 3 loops. When all are threaded, arrange  them so they are evenly spaced in a nice circular arrangement. As you will see below.

Nearly there.

Now concertina fold the satin edged chiffon so that the folds are slightly narrower than the ones below and thread the needle up through the centre. Fan the folds out and stitch into place. It is at this point that you will be glad that you have a strong needle. Sew the button into the centre of the rosette.

Last of all you will need to trim the bottom layer of ribbon

on a slant. Then seal the edges with the flame of a tea light, This is by far the safest way to do it. The open flame of the gas hob is a bit too erractic. Finished.

Poinsettia Wreath for Christmas

Some of you may remember the poinsettia flower that I did as a tutorial a few weeks ago. I pondered and pondered about what I could do with it and finally this wreath is what I came up with.

If you want to make one then you will need some red felt to make the wreath and some kapok to stuff it. I cut out a circle of felt. I used a large ribbon reel but feel free to improvise and use whatever you have in the house. The centre was marked with a reel of beading wire that I happened to have handy.

The wreath is sewn together using good old blanket stitch and stuffed with kapok just before it is completely sewn together. Sew the poinsettias to the wreath.

I uesd a 38mm satin ribbon in teal to make the bow and the hanging ribbon. You can buy it from Craft Fairy here.