Colours of Kew

Isn't Autumn the best season of the year?  I love the clear days, albeit with cooler mornings and nights and of course who doesn't like the astonishing range of autumn colours.  Sadly living up here in the north we don't get quite the same range of intense colours, but everything is still pretty spectacular.  So this is the perfect time for Creative Craft Cottage to run this months 'Autumn' theme.  Also to help with your projects we've included a colour chart to assist with your colour selections.

 

Here's an oldie, but a goodie for you all.  These are some photos I took while on my big OE in 2010.  Sadly we only spent a couple of hours running around Kew Gardens, but I managed to take lots of photos especially of the fabulous autumn foliage.  Sadly it was a cold, drizzly afternoon, but isn't that when you get the best colour in your photos??

 

This layout was put together in a class, where we used several different TH dies, and lots of embossing, inking, distressing, & stamping.  I love the effect of the TH tattered leaves that were put through an embossing folder then inked.  All of us in the class came out with very different looking pages due to the big difference in photos of course.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing your gorgeous 'Autumn' projects.  There's still plenty of time to go out and take more photo's of those awesome leaves if you need to.  And remember that any crafted creation is acceptable for entry into our challenge.

Mothers Day card

For a change I've decided to try my hand at cardmaking, something I very rarely do.  Our latest theme at Creative Craft Cottage is 'flowers and hearts', which immediately struck me as being a great theme for a Mothers Day card.

 

Mum loves her bright colours and wears a lot of these strong pinks and blues, so why not go with those colours on her card??

 

I love the combination of burlap with the softer ribbons & flowers, so started by fraying & stitching the edges.  The blue heart is actually a paper doily which got a coat of Dylusion Ink as it was too fragile to paint or ink.  The 'I am Roses' flowers compliment the colours of the hearts nicely,  then the card is finished off with a seam binding bow.

 

Come and see all the lovely examples the other DT ladies have on site for your inspiration.  I hope to see your entries there soon, until then happy crafting.

Black & White

A new month brings a new challenge at Creative Craft Cottage, the theme this time is 'Black & White'.  This really made me put my thinking cap on for a while, but I'm happy with the choices I made.

 

I've always wanted to try a page with this quilted look, so when my sister decided to visit, I took advantage of her sewing skills and put her to work with me hand stitching all these squares. 

Once the background has been completed it took a bit of thinking as what to do next.  The doily broke up the black nicely, then luckily I managed to find this gorgeous photo of my grandmother. 

I've used a mixture of flowers from Retail Girl, Dusty Attic, Petaloo & I am Roses along with feathers & pearls.  The scrabble tiles, although not strictly black & white, match the vintage photo.

 

Thank you for visiting, come & join in with us at Creative Craft Cottage for the chance to win a wee prize. 

Year of the Horse

Here we are with a new challenge at Creative Craft Cottage, gee how time flies.  This challenge has the more serious theme of  'the Year of the Horse', so I thought it was a great opportunity to dust the cobwebs off some of the old photos of my beautiful pony I had as a young girl.

 

Earlier today I was bouncing emails with a fellow crafter about different gorgeous paper collections, she uses the absolute, most gorgeous of papers Maja and Websters, just to name a couple whereas I have a more limited access to the 'names' and use mostly Kaisercraft or G45. 

Where I'm going with this is . . .  this page I've done here today is actually made with only random 'no-named' papers that have been growing dust in my stash forever, and I think it is just as nice as all those fancy collections we all drool over (mind you I'd not say no to any of those fancy papers tho).

 

After distressing the edges I was thinking about stamping or stencilling, then I came up with the idea of adding this ripped script paper - I LOVE how it looks, and inking the edges has really lifted it as well.  I wanted to keep the flowers to a minimum, or at least keep them grungy - FAILED miserably.  I did at least make these burlap flowers and this is my 1st attempt at zipper flowers.  I've left the DA chipboard raw as the colours matched the page perfectly.  Pheasant feathers finish the embellishing.

 



I hope to see you over at Creative Craft Cottage with your horse projects.  The other DT's have some lovely projects to inspire you as well.  Thank you for visiting.

Its a Dog's life

Here we are starting a New Year already, wow how time has flown. Luckily I am still finding plenty of time to craft.  Here at Creative Craft Cottage we are starting the new year with a wonderful challenge "Quote Me" which has our entire DT using the awesome quote sheets from our latest sponsor Imagineif.   By participating in this challenge you are in with the chance of winning some of these quote sheets for yourself.  Please go over to her website to see all the other goodies she has on offer. 
Here is my layout using a quote from her "I love my dog" sheet:

 

Here I've started with G45 'Steampunk Spells' paper which I punched with the Martha Stewart Doily punch to create the round page - LOVE IT ! ! !  As the paper was so bold I had to keep the rest of the page rather quiet, so the embellishments are rather limited. 

I've layered the photo upon some muslim, then created the big gold flower, added burlap roses & a mini rose.  The Dusty Attic Grass Clusters #1 DA0660 & Mini Grass Clusters DA0786 were painted then I flocked the flowerheads.  A tag tucked under the photo hides the journaling. 

 

The gorgeous quote I've used says  "What a beautiful world it would be if people had HEARTS like dogs".  How true.  I thought the saying matches this lovely photo of our son's dog Shadow, with his big kind eyes and that big smile.  Doesn't he just make you melt?

 

I've had fun making this page to share with you all, and am looking forward to seeing all your lovely creations as well.  Remember if you don't have a blog to link your entry, please email your photo thru to us and we will enter it for you. 

 

Thank you for visiting, and please leave a comment as I love to hear what you think.

Secret Santa sssshhhh.....

Time for another new challenge at Creative Craft Cottage and wouldn't you know it the theme is Christmas (of course).  Here I am sharing a secret santa gift box I have sent thru to another kindred crafty spirit in Australia.  It is, of course, full of crafty goodies.

 

I started with a paper mache box which I gesso'd, then painted green.  I then covered the outsides with santa serviettes.  I've finished with ribbon, bows, doily, xmas trinkets, and a handmade burlap flower (did I say how much I LOVE these???).  They are sooo easy to make, have a look here for easy instructions.

 

Please share your wonderful xmas creations with us and be in with a chance to win a lovely little prize.  As always, if you don't have a blog, feel free to email your entry thru to us.

Another Gift Box

I just can't help myself at the moment, as here is yet another gorgeous gift box.  This is my DT entry for the latest challenge at Creative Craft Cottage where the theme this time is 'Say it with Flowers'.

As the colours in this G45 paper are so rich I had to be very careful with my choice of flowers.  Here I have started with the burlap rose (which I've just learnt to make), then complimented it with more soft coloured flowers.  The buds I've used were actually blue, but everything can be painted can't it?  A small doily under everything was also painted to match.

 

 

I actually created the box primarily to send a journal back to its owner, then decided this person deserved a little bit more.  I've filled the box with all sorts of goodies I hope she can use, topped off with doilies and a few handmade xmas decorations.

 

 

 

I'm really pleased to have learnt to make these burlap roses, they are really very easy.  I followed instructions I found here on You Tube.  I actually received a few in a swap, and have always wanted to make them for myself.  I'll definitely be making more of these.

Thank you for visiting, and please join us with your entry at Creative Craft Cottage.  As always, if you don't have a blog, just email your entry thru.

Delightful Doilies

Another new month brings another new challenge at Creative Craft Cottage.  For September the theme is 'Round like a Record'.  So any project with something round in or on it can be entered.  There is a lovely little prize for the lucky winner as well (oh, I wonder where they came from???)

Here are some examples of the doilies I have been making to use in my projects.  Whenever I am sitting idle or watching TV,  I have to do something to keep my hands busy.  Even though I make lots of these I never seem to have enough, as I use them in lots of ways, from using on my layouts, to giveaways and swaps. 

So for your chance to win some of these just join us in this challenge.  Remember if you don't have a blog you can still enter by emailing us your entry.  We look forward to seeing your lovely projects.

Paris

August is time for a new challenge at Creative Craft Cottage where the theme this month is "Buttons and Bows".  Come over to see us, and join in on our monthly challenge.  We are just a new site run by New Zealand ladies and look forward to seeing all your beautiful crafty creations, where  ANY craft is welcome.  Here is my example, I hope it inspires you:

 

This is an 8"x8" canvas which I firstly covered in 'texture' (muslim, die cuts, ripped paper, stamped tissue), then gesso'd, painted, misted & stamped.  I made the 3 large flowers & finished the page with lace, ribbon, mini roses, pearls & creatures from G45 'Once Upon a Springtime'.

I hope you like my efforts, as much as Paris's nana does,  and hope to see you soon at Creative Craft Cottage

Challenges entered:
lets craft & create - say it with flowers