Thursday 29 December 2011

DECEMBER CHALLENGE WINNERS..

I hope you all had a really nice Christmas - we did in this house, despite the occasional sibling rivalry that occurs from time to time when my boys get together - but I guess that's family life in all its glory for you!

We now have five lovely 'All Wrapped Up' winners - very carefully chosen by our super-talented Jo Capper-Sandon.  Jo has also provided me with a beautifully worded summary about her choices and the reasons behind those choices - so over to Jo.........

'There may have been fewer entries due to the hectic time of year, but there was some wonderfully skilled work shown both by the team and the participants.

I found choosing just five very difficult.  I'd be useless on X factor picking for boot camp.  In the end I went for a wide and varied cross section on how people viewed 'All Wrapped Up' to be.

An entry I wish I'd made myself was a gift bag made by LAURY.  It reminds me of a scrap page on a bag.  I love the free feel to this with the painted area and frayed edge fabric:



This little Christmas Box by CARLA appeared at first glance from outside to be a delicately decorated box for a tiny gift, but on removing the lid burst open to reveal more wonderful Christmas Crafty Individuals images, using every surface to the full:

 

SAM READ brought a twist to the theme by using her process of applying colour as the 'All Wrapped Up'.  By wrapping the card in cling film Sam achieved a paint effect as a background for the 'Rudolf' card.  Sam also showed us what really goes on in that creative head of hers by adding a second image too, lol:



A little sewing gift pouch was brought to us by ZOEY.  Perfect for those odds and ends that get mislaid so easily and always good for an emergency sewing task.  The stamped images were finished off beautifully with a pearl headed pin (I love to see little details like that):
 


And finally, last but not least, this was the 'Ratatouille' moment for me (if you've seen the Disney film you'll know what I mean when Ego tastes the Ratatouille).  This tag by TRISH LATIMER reminded me of frost patterning on the inside of windows when I was a child living up north in the days before central heating became the norm.  Trish has captured the winter feel perfectly, makes me shiver (in a good way!) just by looking at it:


I wish I could have chosen you all.  It was a tough job.  Congratulations to the five!'

So there we are with the last Challenge of 2011 - thanks to all who entered, and to everyone who supports us with their fabulous entries, hope you will join in with us again in 2012.  If you are one of the ladies named above please get in touch with us at info@craftyindividuals.co.uk to claim a rubber stamp of your choice.

However we have been discussing the timing of the Challenges and have now decided to run them on a bi-monthly basis in 2012, as we think it is going to be tricky all round keeping up with the monthly plan  - those month ends come around so very quickly.  That means there will be just five or six Challenges next year and you will get a full month to assemble your entries.  So no excuses folks - keep those crafting fingers busy and help make the gallery of entries bigger and better than ever in the New Year.

The next Challenge will commence at the beginning of February all being well - so do watch this space!

If you are signed up to the CRAFTY INDIVIDUALS Website Mailing List watch out for a great deal coming very soon especially for you - and if you haven't signed up to it yet go do it now and join in the fun.

Chat to you all again in the early New Year - we wish you all a mellow and peaceful 2012!

Jean x

Thursday 22 December 2011

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

This is my last post now before Christmas and I just want to wish you all a Happy Christmas, and thank you so much for your support, and lovely comments over the last few years.  Hope you have got nicely to grips with the last bits of the shopping - well nearly anyway, and are now settling down to enjoy the holiday.  I think I had also better post images of the last of my stack of Christmassy craft projects still waiting on my computer desktop before it is just too late.

I adore these lovely tags and card made by Isabelle Norris over in Canada.  I think Isabelle has got in touch with her grungy side this time and it really suits her.


Check out our Elements stamps page for the trees used here.

Then 2 beautiful tags with close-ups:







How are those for lots of glittery gorgeousness?!

Now a lovely idea by Ginger who has acquired a bit of an obsession with decorating little wooden blocks.  In the project below she has used images from our Christmas Miniature Books:


A very nice alternative Christmas decoration me thinks - will be working on that idea myself at some point!

Now just before I go I want to let you know that Isabelle has also very kindly set up a Facebook page for us, and we would love you to check it out, and leave comments when you get the chance.  I am still on a learning curve about Facebook - its a new experience for me, so your help in making it interesting would be very welcome.  You will find the new CI page HERE.

Note: Just 2 days to go to get your 'all wrapped up' project linked up on the Challenge Page!

I think that is about it for tonight - Merry Christmas everyone!


Jean x

Thursday 15 December 2011

LOTS MORE PROJECTS TO SHOW YOU....

I have lots of projects stacking up to show you, so I thought I had better make a start tonight with a few of them to begin with.

Firstly a dangly heart project I made with our new plate CI-335 - I really, really, like this plate of girly things.


I actually made this for a Craft Stamper article - but made it in completely the wrong colours (not what was asked for - note to self - must read instructions!).  So this is the reject.



You may be able to see the stitching around some of the edges on my heart project.  I am just loving an old Singer sewing machine we purchased in Saltburn in a charity shop.  We bought the one below for our sewing plate CI-328.  Malcolm photographed it and I made it into a stamp.  I am now totally in love with these machines as they just adore stitching through paper and card and because they are hand operated rather than electric you can stitch nice and slowly too.  One of the gentlemen involved with the charity shop has a passion for servicing the old sewing machines so all the models they sell work beautifully, and you can pick one up for around £30 - £40.  I now have TWO - so may be starting a collection I feel!  If you would be interested please get in touch and I can give you the name of the shop and other details - I believe there are two little beauties in stock at the moment, and its all for a good cause too.


On the subject of our latest stamp releases Lynne sent me over a couple of card images where she has used stamp CI-333 to great effect.



Very delicate and pretty!

Lynne has also made another 'all wrapped up' project as inspiration for our current CHALLENGE.  Entries are a bit on the slow side this month, but I guess that is only to be expected as you will all be involved with the Christmas side of things.  However this does mean that you will have a greater chance of winning one of the 5 prizes if you give it a go.  Still nine days left to get crafting!  Here is Lynnes lovely project - a Christmas pillow box.


Finally tonight I want to show you a fabulous box made by Isabelle.  She made this as a present for her father - and I'm sure he was 'over the moon' to get this!





The beaky birds Isabelle used on this gorgeous box were from stamps CI-265 and CI-266.  Check out Isabelle's BLOG for more details about how she went about creating the decorative effects used on the box.  Thanks for sharing Isa!

Back soon folks.

Jean x

Friday 9 December 2011

SIMPLE AND QUICK(ISH) CHRISTMAS CARDS

Thought I had better drop in a brief post (before it has been and gone), showing you some Christmas cards - some made by myself and some by ISABELLE in Canada.  Isabelle has more on her blog HERE.  All of the cards were made in a pretty quick and simple way - which can only be good at this time of the year can't it?

I used Christmas themed stamps from our INDIVIDUALS COLLECTION, some older images and some new, and added glittery sparkly bits and glittery die cuts, and the card background itself I cut from a ready decorated card sheet  (DCWV pad) - which makes the whole thing quick and easy. The cards measure around 4" square.


Plus a few close-ups:







And from Isabelle:



And I particularly love this one:


Do check out Isabelle's lovely BLOG for more cards and ideas.

I'm off to make some more now - still lots to do!

Jean x

Wednesday 7 December 2011

MORE 'ALL WRAPPED UP' CRAFTY PROJECTS...

I think it is well time that I showed you some more 'team' projects on the theme of 'All Wrapped Up', which is our current Crafty Individuals Challenge topic.  We are already getting some lovely entries HERE, but there is still lots of time to get your project made and linked in (17days to go!).  So to give you some more food for thought I have some lovely 'all wrapped up' piccies below, using Crafty Individuals products.

Firstly a very Christmassy exploding box by our talented Helen Chilton.  Helen was in recycling mode for this one - check out her BLOG for more pics and info - hope she doesn't mind but I had a bit of a play with the background (just for fun).


And the inside .....


How amazingly cool is that?!

ZUZU also did some recycling with her project too, and re-decorated a toiletries box in delicious colours:


And


It does seem recycling is the order of the month as LYNNE recycled a Primark bag in this lovely project:



ISABELLE is getting ready for Christmas with her beautifully decorated boxes (and she has a template available for you on her BLOG too which can be found in her post about the boxes).




GINGER made a very Santa filled money envelope (nice idea!) in her 'all wrapped up' project:


SUE has concentrated on wrapping paper and tags in her inspiring projects, and there are more pics and info on her blog HERE.


And the tags...



All very festive!

LUCY has decorated some adorable little gift bags for us to enjoy:




KIM has been busy decorating a little jar, and making some rather funky gift tags, in her themed projects:



Well that's about it for tonight folks, hope you have enjoyed the display, and you are now extremely inspired and ready to join in with the Challenge.

One last image to finish, which was sent over by JO, which is so very festive - a photo of her little squash book hanging on her Christmas tree.  If you check out Jo's Blog HERE you will find a You Tube link about how to set about making a squash book too.


Bye for now,

Jean x