Friday 26 October 2012

Brrr Autumn is here



Well here we are again - another Friday and another blog and now I know that I'm not talking to myself it makes it all a bit more real.   First is the family stuff - my youngest daughter has been moaning that I don't mention her very often so a big hello Wendy!!  On your right is our grandson David on a school riding lesson - because he goes to a special school he gets riding lessons as part of his curriculum - he loved it but unfortunately we don't have a back garden big enough for a horse!!  The big tree has been taken down from the back garden and it seems really bare now - i'm going to have to start looking at gardening mags to get ideas on what to plant in its place.  The back garden is still a mess though and it will be a while before things can get organised to how I think it should look.

I've done a few ATCs to post off for an October swop on one of the craft forums - hopefully Anne has got them by now so I can put photos on next week hopefully - the theme was flowers so nice summery ATC's that are in lovely warm colours.   But that's for next week so back to this week's crafty work.

  I found an old box at the car boot sale - now I know that all the experienced crafters will throw their hands in the air when I tell you what I did to it - and it is probably everything that I shouldn't do so be warned - this could be shock horror time!   The box had shells glued to the top of it so the first thing I did was hack off all the shells and sand it until it was smooth - then I got my distress ink out and rubbed it gently all over the top and sides.   Silicone glued lace and ribbon on the side and added a couple of die cut paper daisies and put a blob of  yellow stickles in the middle of them.
I then chose a nice background paper and silicone glued it into the middle of the lid, then built up the die cut decoupage and stuck it down where I thought it looked best.   I added stickles fine glitter glue over the aprons to give a bit of shine.  I had some flower pots that I didn't really know what to do with for a long time and thought I would add it onto the lid to make it look summery - I blobbed green stickles on the leaves and the fine clear glitter glue over the pots and flowers to make them look shiny.   This is the first time I have tried anything like this and I like the look of it - I think I will have to read some blogs and use utube to see how to alter boxes properly as this was a real stab in the dark and not knowing what I was doing type of thing!!  typical of me though!!
 The last couple of things I want to show you is a cross stitch key-ring - it may look small but it took me 5 hours to do over a couple of days - I really like the celtic knots but it does hurt the eyes with all the small counting - I think I prefer big cross stitches but I've got a few more key-rings to make as extra stocking filler pressies - this one is for my friend Ann-Marie - oops sorry Ann-Marie I know you like to keep all your pressies secret until Christmas Eve ha ha ha (wicked laugh)

The very last thing is a knitted flower brooch - arghhhh this is my first attempt at knitting and I used an Usbourn How To Knit Book - ha ha - I'm not going to tell you how many times I ripped it apart and googled instructions but....I did it and like it enough to use as a present for someone.  It is simply (for other people not me!) knitted as 5 leaf type shapes that are sewn together to make the flower shape - I added 2 buttons for the middle and a large brooch pin at the back. I kept trying to flatten the petals out until one of the ladies in my craft club said it looked more realistic as a flower with the bent in petals.
I've started another knotted flower now but using a different method - I will probably have it done by next week.................so until the next time (if i'm not tied up in wool)



                 









24 comments:

  1. Hello Eileen, I'm from Edinburgh too....you have been busy with all your crafting, and they are all so very pretty....Lorsx

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  2. lovely photos of your family eileen,the box looks gorgous and your other projects. sue xx

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  3. What s great job you have done with the box!

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  4. Love what you have done with the box - fabulous
    Linda xx

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  5. Great projects, the flower could pass as a poppy.

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  6. Fabulous creations, I love the box well done. Chris xx

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  7. great selection of creations Tracy x

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  8. What fabulous projects love the box it's beautiful. Caroline xxx

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  9. Fabulous creations, love the little box, its amazing what you find at car booty's

    Lorna xx

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  10. Your box is beautiful. And Eileen.....there is no right or wrong way to craft.................just craft as your heart takes you and it all works out. I love your blog and your photos of family are fabulous.

    Love and hugs

    Annie xxx

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  11. The box does look brilliant and do like the knitted flower xx

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  12. Your box looks brilliant -great cross stitching on your key ring and love the knitted flower
    carolx

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  13. What an inspiration - I would have just walked straight past a box with shells on. You have made a very pretty box

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  14. Wow Eileen you have been busy! Your box is absolutely fantastic. Know what you mean about small x-stitching, I can't do it any more, between my eyesight and my arthritis. Your knitted flower is brill as well.
    Anne x

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  15. Your wooden box is fantastic, all your hard work paid dividends as it is gorgous and hard to believe that it's your first time at something like this. Well Done, you must be proud. Happy Hopping xxx

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  16. oh my goodness eileen love your box ... I must say I have collected things in the past and meant to "alter" them ... well they are now down in the summer house ... hm ... perhaps you have inspired me ... just doing a bit of blog hopping ... bit late but better late that never ... had a bit of a catastrophe with my dear Mum so been a bit busy ... happy crafting and love sandy xx

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  17. Just gorgeous Eileen, fab work :-) Happy Leapblogging! Elaine-xxx-

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  18. Fabulous creations ,love what you did with the box x

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  19. Yous box looks great, well done. Hope the garden gets sorted soon, although with all the rain its easier said than done.

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  20. your box is fab hope you feeling ok

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