Welcome


Hello, my name is Dionne and I have been crafting for a very long time. As a very young child my mother tried to teach me to knit, it was a disaster. However, it must have sparked an interest in making things and, partly to prove that I was not totally useless and partly because I really wanted to make things, I taught myself to crochet. Over the years I have developed a love of cross stitch and all types of paper craft ..... I eventually even taught myself to knit.


I am married to a very understanding man, thank goodness, because I spend all my time either crafting, thinking about crafting or talking about crafting. I am hopeless at housework and dinner is often late!


Thank you for visiting my blog.


Dionne

Monday 25 November 2013

Storybook Characters

Hi

Another exciting challenge starts at Crafty Boots Challenges today and the theme of this new challenge is 'Storybook Characters', it was was chosen by the lovely, and very talented, Sandra.  This is one of my favourite themes as there are so many possibilities.


This little lovely is Princess Peanelope, by Saturated Canary, from the story of the Princess and the Pea.  I coloured her with Promarkers before mounting her on pearlised card.  The ribbon is from Stampin' Up and the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards, everything else is from my stash.

The rest of the Crafty Boots Challenges Design Team have been very busy making some inspirational pieces, please pop by and take a look.

I am off to check my mountain of stamps to find out which other suitable images I have, I am sure there are a lot of them.


Dionne

Friday 15 November 2013

Butterfly Candle

Hi

Today I am back with another project featuring butterflies to help my friend Mrs Beez raise awareness of the work of the charity Amy and Friends.  Amy and Friends supports children suffering from Cockayne Syndrome.  The butterfly is the symbol they use to represent those whose lives have been cut short by this illness.  Mrs Beez hopes to raise awareness of the disease and the work of Amy and Friends through her blog.  So please visit her blog and find out more about this important charity.

My latest project features the stunning Stampin' Up swallowtail Butterfly on a candle.


It is hard to get the whole butterfly into the picture, so here it is from one side ...


and the other.



Adding stamped images to candles is so easy to do.   Simply stamp your image onto tissue paper, I coloured mine with Promarkers and a white gel pen, then, after roughly cutting out the image, place it onto your candle.  Cut a strip of baking parchment to wrap around the candle.  Use your heat gun to gently melt the skin of the candle and watch the tissue disappear into the molten wax.  Take care not to over heat the wax, you do not want it to run.  The wax will quickly set again once you remove the heat.  I finished the candle by adding some navy blue lace from my stash.




Dionne

Monday 11 November 2013

Memories

Hi and a big welcome to anyone visiting my blog for the first time.  I am sure you will agree that it is so great to have new visitors to your blog, but it is even better when someone chooses to come back again, so a very big hello to you too.

A new challenge starts at Crafty Boots Challenges today.  The theme of this challenge is 'Remembrance', it was was chosen by the very talented Helen.  My thoughts automatically go to Remembrance Day and those who have given their lives for our freedom.  When I was a little girl I always called it Poppy Day because of the Poppy Appeal adopted by the Royal British Legion.  However, your design can be anything you like, as long as you remember a loved one or an event.

This time last year I made a set of ATC's to commemorate the Poppy Appeal, which regular visitors to my blog may remember ....


However, for my Design Team piece today, I thought I like to make some new memories and, with the help of my friend Lynn, I came up with this mini photo album.


The cover of my mini album is made from scraps of mount board and I chamfered the edges where they met on the spine.  I covered the back and front with some lovely Anna Griffin paper (I think it is Anna Griffin but I have had it a lone time!).  I chose a contrasting paper for the inside cover and the spine.


I then cut a 12" x 12" sheet of paper into three strips and folded them in half.  I joined these together with a zig zag of the contrasting paper and then glued them to the inside cover.


I punched a couple of holes in the cover and some pretty organza ribbon makes the finishing touch.


The rest of the design team have made some stunning Remembrance projects, pop across to the  Crafty Boots Challenges blog and take a look.

Good luck with your entry.


Dionne

Monday 4 November 2013

Autumn Happiness

Good morning

Regular visitor to my blog will know that the current  Crafty Boots Challenges is Autumn, you can take as your theme anything to do with autumn, the colours, or objects such as pumpkins or bonfires.

I have another card to share with you featuring the Sylvia Zet digital image Autumn Happiness.


I coloured the image with Promarkers and Wink of Stella pens.  I also added some glitter to give the impression of misty mornings.

I then mounted it on some silver mirri and some lush gold glittered card.  I used a a couple of X Cut punches to make my autumn leaves and another Martha Stuart punch to make the green fronds.  I added some red flat backed gems from my stash.  The backing paper is another of the freebies from Bearly Mine.


Dionne

Sunday 3 November 2013

Witchkeys - Take II

Good morning

Thank you for dropping by today, I hope your weekend is going well. I promise, this the last of my Halloween posts for this year.

Regular visitor to this place will know how much I love this Saturated Canary image,  'Witchkeys'.


After colouring the image with Promarkers I mounted it on some silver mirri and muslin.  The backing paper is a freebie from Bearly Mine Deigns.  I also mounted it on some blue glittered card.

I realise that roses may not be the most obvious embellishment for a Halloween card but I tried several things and nothing else seemed to work.  In the end I went with blood red roses, they are from Wild Orchid Crafts.  The pumpkin charm is from my stash.


Dionne





Saturday 2 November 2013

Ghoulish Hands

Hi

I'm almost done with my Halloween posts.

For some time I have been seeing those ghoulish hands on various blogs and I was determined to make some for the family this Halloween.


Clearly they are quick and simple to make and, in particular, the little boys loved them.  There were shrieks of nervous laughter when I laid them on my hands and wiggled my fingers.  Oooooow!!


Dionne

Halloween Strangers - Take II

Good morning

I hope you are having a good weekend.

The card I have to share with you today is  a 'Frame It' image from Bugaboo Digi Stamps featuring Stella called 'Halloween Strangers'.


This image made me smile because for one night a year we throw out all our rules and encourage our children to do just that, in a friendly, fun spirit that encourages neighbourhood togetherness.  Why can't we be like it the rest of the year?

I coloured the image with Promarkers and mounted it on silver mirri and purple pearlised card.  The ribbon and flat backed pearls came from my stash.

Dione


Friday 1 November 2013

Trick or Treat Boxes

Hi, I am back with my second post of the day.

I made some little trick or treat boxes for my callers last night.  They were quick and very easy to make and made something different for my callers.


Sadly I underestimated the number of callers I would get but I had lots a sweets in reserve.



Have a good weekend.


Dionne

My Bite is Worse than His Bark

Pinch and a punch it's the first of the month.  Happy first of November.

I know, I know it was Halloween last night but I still have a few cards to share with you.  This little Saturated Canary vampire image is called 'My Bite is Worse than His Bark'.


I coloured it with Promarkers and mounted it on some mirri card and some purple pearlised card from my stash.  The beautiful lacy spiders web backing paper is a freebie from Crafticious - I love this purple colour.  My thanks to my good friend Lisette for the fabulous little pumpkins.

Thank you for dropping by today.


Dionne