Happy 2009

I just want to take this chance to wish all my fellow bloggers a very Happy New Year for 2009. I hope the coming year is kind to you and your family and brings good fortune and health.

Have you made any New Years Resolutions? Do tell me about them in your comments. I've made mine - Mainly to be more organised and get my craft room tidied and less like a junk room so I can actually work in there again.

I want to be even more creative and artistic and use the inspiration I get from all your lovely websites and blogs to help me be a more regular and imaginative blogger.

I also plan to offer some blog candy/ small giveaways at some point later in the year when I have more regular readers/ followers so don't forget to follow my blog and keep your eyes peeled for the chance of a freebie or two.
I hope you had a good holiday season however you celebrated Christmas. We don't go overboard as there aren't any youngsters in the household and we just enjoy a little time to relax.

Yesterday I finally collected my new specs - was a bit disappointed they weren't here before Christmas but there was a problem and they had to be sent back to the lab. At least I can see properly now and they are quite trendy too.

My best news is that Santa brought me what I've been hankering after for ages - a laptop! So now I can sit and blog-hop in front of the tv as well as in the study.

We had planned a day out at our caravan on boxing day but the car developed a fault so we just had a walk around our local area, there's an old railway line which has been made into a walk so we ambled along that. Hardly the day out in the stunning Durham Dales as planned but the weather was bright and dry and we enjoyed the fresh air.

I'll be SO glad when March arrives and we can begin to use the caravan properly again.

Just because I'm missing being there here's a scrapbook layout I did of pictures taken at the caravan.

Found a great giveaway

I just found a great crafty giveaway at http://www.alphastamps.com/blog/

Lots of crafty goodies to be won.

Also if you fancy more chances to try and win some lovely crafty goodies, scrapbooking stuff and "blog candy" have a look at my favourite links over on the left.

Winding down

I've finished my Christmas shopping and did my main grocery shop yesterday. I was a bit surprised that it wasn't terribly busy in Sainsburys. I bet everyones waiting until the very last few minutes of Christmas eve and then they'll all rush in and wonder why theres nothing left!

I really don't enjoy food shopping at all the only kind of shopping I enjoy is thrifty shopping at fairs and markets and shopping for arty and crafty stuff.

Today I'm cooking us a big chicken that'll do us for the 3 days until Christmas as we'll have a roast chicken dinner today then tomorrow we'll have some cold with chips and salad then I'll turn whats left into a sweet and sour stir fry.

I've been sitting watching tv and making some vintage altered slide mounts. I love making these and I use them to add to cards, altered cds and in collages and on the front of decorated notebooks.

I take an ordinary blank plastic slide mount and cover it with pretty printed paper (sometimes I age the edges with ink or add some embossing powder or glitter) then I add a miniature vintage portrait from collage sheets or my collection of old postacrds and photos and decorate it with a vintage button, bits of ribbon, or anything else which takes my fancy.

They're only tiny but I think each ones a little mini artwork in itself.

I'm always looking for more different ways to use them - any ideas?

Pretty pendant

I realised I've not posted any beady stuff or jewellery I've made this month, which is unlike me.

I was sorting through some stuff I made a while ago. You know how you look at something you've made with a critical eye and think "Hmm, I'm not really too impressed with that" Then you take a fresh look at it months or even years later and think "Hey thats not bad after all"

Thats what happened with this Pendant. I was messing about with some Fimo ages ago and made this pendant by cutting a square shape and then making a big donut hole in it. I rubbed the surface of the Fimo with some Pearl-ex powders and then scraped a swirl with a pointy tool, Finally I sprinkled on some ultra thick embossing powder then baked the pendant to see what it came out like.

The utee make a raindrop effect which I thought spoilt it but looking at it with a fresh eye I think its kind of pretty.

I added several thin strands of seed beads to hang it from in toning colours.

Digital collage

Here are a couple of simple vintage collage pictures I've made today on my computer.

I love messing about with collage and using vintage images but as the house is all nice and tidy for Christmas and my DH wants it to stay that way I decided to have a dabble with digital collage. I'm not very good at it yet but I enjoyed having a go... What do you think of them?

I've been playing around with my Scrapbook flair software and some free digital scrapbooking backgrounds and embellishments from Simply clean digi scraps , and a Vintage photo I tinted.

There are lots of lovely free digital scrapbooking backgrounds and kits to get you started if you fancy having a go and you can find some of them by clicking this link Digital Scrapbooking Freebies

Free collage sheets

Just found this lovely website ten two studios where they're offering a free collage sheet every day in the countdown to Christmas. There are some really lovely ones too.

If you're into collage please do go have a look.

Recolouring vintage photos

I just found this website where you can download a free trial version of some really cool software which makes it east to add colour to black and white photos.



Its really useful for me as I like to use vintage images and portraits in my altered art and collage projects. However I'm always drawn to those which were hand tinted as that touch of colour really makes a difference.



I'm not very skilled with digital imaging and not patient enough to teach myself properly however in just a few minutes I managed to turn this

Into this - ok its not perfect but not bad for a first go.

Smokey the literary cat

I thought my cat Smokey was a bit quiet, so I went into my lounge to see what he was doing and found him lying on the book I'm reading, looking for all the world as though he was going to begin reading it.

It was closed when I left it so he'd opened it himself.

Doesn't he look as though butter wouldn't melt? Don't you believe it - he's a little devil even though he's calmed down a lot now he's getting on in years and is a more mature gentleman - though he's still my baby.

For those of you who wondered what type of cat he is he's a Devon Rex.

The book, in case you're interested is by Bear Grylls, and is called across the frozen Ocean.

I've promised myself that I'll add something to my blog at least once or twice every week.

Trouble is I sometimes wonder what I can put (such a boring life I lead)



I've been staying indoors quite a lot, its so cold outdoors Brrrrr. Had to nip into town today for a few essentials but didn't stay long.



I was glad to get back to my warm home, a good cup of coffee, my computer and my cat. I've been playing scrabble on Facebook with several friends.

If anyone reading this is on Facebook heres my profile why not join me in a game of scrabble?





I saw this lovely image on Photobucket, isn't it cute?

Vintage altered art cds

After posting a couple of my cards yesterday, Treez's lovely comment reminded me of the altered cds I make also on a vintage theme.

I usually give these as small gifts to friends who need cheering up either in with a card or in place of one.

They have been well received and much admired.

I include a ribbon or cord hanger or a clip so you can hang them on your wall.

I had a stack of those old free cds you get given with Sunday newspapers and decided to make them into something pretty.

I cover them with pretty vintage paper, then add images, words, slide mounts ribbons and buttons all to add to the vintage feel.

I enjoy searching out vintage images to use in my art.

Vintage style cards

Just thought for a change I'd show a few vintage style cards I've made.

I love using these old photographic images.

They look so pretty and romantic.

Hope you enjoy looking at them.

Snow today

Well, I now know its winter. We had a good overnight layer of snow and some of its hung around all day. Its only the beginning of December and I'm sick of the cold already - I don't DO cold! I'm such a warm weather person it makes me wonder why I live here in Northern England where its often cold.

Having arthritis means when the temperature drops I AGE overnight and ache all over - creak, groan. Oh well the snow looks beautiful and brings out the artistic side in me so what better excuse than to stay indoors reading and crafting with a nice mug of hot chocolate.

Heres a picture of my back garden covered in snow.

What I made today

It was my morning at bead group today.

there are about 12 of us in it and we get together once a week to do some beading, share patterns and techniques.

I've made these 2 donut pendants which I've suspended from a ribbon and cord thong necklace.

I think they're really pretty - what do you think?

I'm going to sell them for just £6 each.

Earring things

Thought I'd show you a few of my easy to wear dangly earrings which are really popular.

You can buy these and see many more styles at

http://beadyjan.fotopic.net/

Sizzle bangle

This is what I made yesterday - for sale at £7.


Its another memory wire bangle which fastens with a Tibetan silver S clasp.

It will fit a medium wrist - approx 7.5" but I can remodel it on request to fit a little larger or smaller.

I just love the hot pinks with a hint of black to stop it being too girly girly.

Christmas shopping anyone?

I've been busy making some more items for Christmas presents and got carried away as usual and made far too many, so if anyones looking for a few stocking fillers how about
Beaded bookmarks.

at just £4 each they are the perfect stocking filler for any book lover. Made from strong flexible Silver plated wire and pretty beads they keep your page marked in the prettiest way.

I have begun to make memory wire wrap bracelets again, after several people begged me to, they really are the thing to be seen wearing right now.

They fit most sized wrists snugly and are priced at £12 for multi coil with 4 coils .

or £7 for single coil wrapover as shown below.
(worn singly or several together these really are the easiset bracelet ever to wear) no clasp or fiddly fastener to mess with.

Email me with your requirements now.

I can make them up in different colourways of your choice ( subject to availability of beads which I have in my current stash.

I accept payment by Paypal or uncrossed postal order.