Still no cards.

Over on PreemiesUK facebook page I set myself the challenge of knitting at least 20 items during March. I’m halfway there already with these which are ready to go in the post.

Firstly a few little bonnets, the top left is newborn sized and the smaller ones are from a doll’s pattern but i’m sure they will be ok. They are so quick and easy to do and the pattern ‘pretties’ them up a bit.

Next, sadly, burial gowns and bonnets for tiny babies who don’t survive. I didn’t think i’d find it in myself to be able to knit these but the thought of tiny babies without such clothing is a sadder thought, they all deserve the dignity of clothes.

Now something to raise a smile hopefully.

These are exactly what they appear to be – knitted boobs! Admittedly they do require some stuffing. Midwives in the units use them as an aid to teach new mothers the techniques of breast feeding.

If you'd like to help, even if you don't knit, nip over to PreemiesUk on facebook and take a look at the type of things they collect and recycle. I'm also sending some white fabric which hopefully can be used in cribs and a pack of used postage stamps. Thanks in advance if you do decide to help in any way.

Sue xx

PreemiesUK

I’ve just sent my 2nd package of tiny knitted items off to this worthwhile cause. They provide, with the help of lots of knitters and crocheters, special small sized items for premature babies in hospitals throughout the UK. Some sadly are used for babies who are so small or ill that they don’t survive, others are given to grieving parents as something to treasure to remember their baby by.

These hats really are tiny and have a hole in the top to allow wires to be attached to the head if needed.

To get some idea of the size just look at the buttons, they are so small. The bodywarmer measures about 5 inches across.I managed to find a matinee jacket in prem sizes and tried it out in this spotty yarn. It’s a 12 inch chest and only took a couple of evenings to make.

The saddest thing is these tiny burial buntings, measuring only 8 inches in length. It brings a lump to the throat and a tear to the eye to knit such items.

If any readers to my blog would like more info on PreemeisUk and the good work they do they can be found on facebook. Don’t worry if you can’t knit or crochet as there are lots of other ways you could help.

Sue xx

Jewellery gifts

Quite a few of the Christmas gifts that I gave this year were handcrafted jewellery items. Some were made from scratch but a couple were made from ‘bits’ which I had given to me and then altered.

These cute little memory wire bracelets were given to my grandaughters as stocking fillers.

This cascade style bracelet was made for my daughter, it uses silver plated jump rings, silver coloured shiny and textured beads and pink glass drop beads.

These 2 pictures show the altered jewellery items which were in fact both broken. I simply used the components to make my own, with the addition of ear-ring wires and silver plated chain.

Sue xx

‘Special’ Christmas cards

I realised i’ve not blogged for absolutely ages so thought i’d post the cards I made for the family this Christmas.

The week before Christmas I received a lovely gift of flowers through the post from my Mum, 10 days later they still look beautiful.On Christmas eve Mick gave me a potted orchid as he couldn’t find any nice flowers. Another bud has opened already, I just hope I can keep it alive.

Family cards VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Sue xx

Baby time again

My daughter’s friend had a baby boy last weekend, the card has already been sent but i’ve just finished off the blanket which I have been knitting.

The card uses an image and background papers from Teddy Friends cd by Peerless designs. It’s all printed onto pearlescent paper to give a nice sheen to it.There’s a narrow mat of silver foiled card behind the image.

The inside has the same image suspended on fine wire in an aperture.

The blanket is in white and to finish it off I managed to crochet a single chain into each of the holes around the edge. This is done in pale blue and gives it a nice fresh look. It measures about 27 inches square and is knit from corner to corner, increasing each row until the size is achieved then decreasing each row.

This little fellow just had to get in on the act but he’s staying with me.

Sue xx

Male cards

It’s my brother’s birthday today and my brother in law and young nephew have birthdays next month so here are the cards I made. They all use images from MCS.

This is for my brother who has his own motorbike. I’ve put various bits and pieces together to make this image then added the text before printing. I used a very dark cardstock for the card.

This is for my brother in law who likes his fishing. I’ve added a tag and scrap of silver yarn.

This is for my nephew, all layered up in MCS before being printed.

Thanks for looking.

Sue xx

Decopatch

This was a new craft introduced to me back in May, along with my daughter I covered 4 letters to go in the kitchen on a canvas. Sadly i’ve not finished the project.

However at the recent ICHF show in Cardiff I came across the stand selling the items and paper to cover them.

These geckos are something i’d noticed before and to me this paper seemed to be made especially for them.

The canvas measures about 16x20 inches and has distress ink in orange and green shades roughly rubbed over it.

This is the large gecko done in a stone colour paper with brown veining. It looks like cracked paint. The smaller ones are done in a lovely bright green with dark green veining. Where i’ve not layered so much paper the colour of the mdf gives them an almost yellow tinge.

The canvas is ready to go on the wall now, in the hallway right by the front door.

Sue xx

Finished bunting.

Following on from my post of a couple of months ago here are the 3 sets of Tando bunting that needed to be finished. Each of my grandchildren now have their name to display.

First one is for our Grandson with different paper on each piece, silver letters, which don’t show up very well in the photos, a few buttons and lots of card candy, painted in pale green and tied together with pale blue ribbon.

’Little’ Faith all in pink spotty paper with purple letters on pink backgrounds. Embellishments include adhesive ribbons, flowers, brads, card candy and pearly doodles. This is all fastened together with lemon ribbon. I think this is actually my favourite, I just love the way the painted background goes so well with the spotty paper.

‘Big’ Faith has purple starry paper with darker purple letters outlined in silver faux stitching on purple backgrounds. Embellishments include buttons, brads, flowers, self adhesive ribbon and card candy. All held together with white ribbons.

A few close-ups now.

Now all of them together………

It’s a good thing all of them have quite short names.

Sue xx

More Romance

It was our 37th Wedding Anniversary yesterday.

The card I made was quite simple, using the materials I had out on my desk. I think it works though and like the way it turned out.

It’s an A5 white card with a pale green textured backer.

The hearts have been stamped and embossed in white on pearlescent paper and layered up with just a tiny white border. 3 little paper daisies have green brad centres and have been added to the top corner.

The sentiment is also stamped and embossed in white with the whole thing finished off with a few pieces of card candy.

Another wedding card, this time for the couple next door who are getting married in a couple of weeks.

I’ve used white and pale pink pearlescent paper onto white hammered card, a Martha Stewart punch and white embossing powder on the heart stamp.

This time adding a loop of small pink seed beads and a couple of silver peel-offs.

Sue xx

Sugar Bowl #65 take 2

Another card for the Sugar Bowl challenge using the same sketch but a different image.

This is my new Luv a Latte stamp from Sugar Nellie. In good light the pink doesn’t dominate the card quite so much as it appears here, it is after all a blue challenge.

I’ve used Promarkers to colour along with a Cuttlebug folder, Martha Stewart punch and peel-off greeting.

Sue xx

Matching set.

Following on from the memory wire bracelet I did a few weeks ago, I decided to make a necklace to match.

I had to carefully count the seed beads and space them out as they are the last that I have in this lovely colour.

I’ve made 2 bracelets in this colourway now, one chunky incorporating the larger beads and one quite fine using just seed beads. Both are so easy to wear, I love them.

Sue xx

Wedding card

Here at last is the wedding card I was asked to make.The base is hammered white card, overlaid with silver mirror board and pink pearlescent paper with a punched heart border. The sentiment is computer generated.

The hearts have been stamped onto white pearlescent paper, embossed in white and layered up onto mirror board. Swarovski crystals have been hung from the top of each one.

There are 4 pages of inserts, though i’m showing only 3 as the first has a photo of the couple. The centre pages are printed onto the same pink pearlescent paper as on the front while the outer 2 are on super smooth white paper.

This page has 3 verses and a photo of one of my son’s doves.

This has 1 verse and the dove with room for a handwritten message.

The last page is a picture of the vessel on which they will be spending their honeymoon.

The reverse of the card features the same papers as the front. (excuse the finger-marks on the mirror card, they will be wiped off)

The card measures around 19cm square so a single A4 sheet was not big enough, that’s why it’s joined in the back. It also gave me the chance to hide the workings of attaching 4 separate insert papers as they go between the fold and back piece.

Sue xx

Sugar Bowl #65

Another challenge from the Sugar Bowl challenge blog. A sketch to follow and the colour blue to be used.

Having 3 Grandaughters and only 1 Grandson most of my crafting tends to be pink or purple but I found a piece of blue backing paper in my Henbury Lane stack to use. I teamed it with pink roses from the same pad, a Martha Stewart punch and some white ribbon. The bow is hung with a silver jump ring. The image is Daisy from Sugar Nellies, she has been coloured with Promarkers.

I’m also entering this for the Sugar Nellie fb challenge which is to use punches/die cuts. It also fits in as:

a girly card on the Stampavie challenge this week.

Say it with flowers on the Pixie Cottage.

Sue xx