Cookbook RR and Thank you.

In one of my groups we did a Cookbook RR sometime ago. I too joined the RR but unfortunately due to other commitments I had to drop out. Ladies in the group however decided to go on with my book which was so very kind of them. I did a small folder do that the pages would be small and easy to manage and post. When I finally got my Cookbook I was so astounded by the recipe pages that I got back. Not only do the recipes look delicious but each page is a work of art. So I take this opportunity to thank you all for doing this for me thank you from the bottom of my heart. I shall cherish these pages.

Just painting

While the aweful events have been unfolding today I have been trying not to watch too much of the news. It just makes me feel very sad. So instead I took up my brush and did this. Not a great effort but at least it soothes me. If only people would pick up a brush or a pen and use their God given gifts to make other people happy it would be a different world. But like many of my friends I guess I am a dreamer......

Just for fun

I was begining to get withdrawal symptoms since I have not been able get into my craft room for a few weeks lol!. So I decided to do something about it. I brought my sewing machine to the room that is the warmest and did an easy craft pattern. I also thought it would make a fun gift for my nieces since I just don't know what to give them for Christmas. It can grace their flat with its bright colours. They could have it on their bed or in the sitting room it will look cheerful. I do hope they will like it. I am making another one in different colours. While I was making it I suddenly thought it would also make a lovely pincushion if I reduced it in size. It is a free pattern which I got from here. I think I should have increased the body size a bit more even though the pattern says it will fit I find the body size is a bit small. But since it is a fun pattern I think it will be ok.

Recycled angel

A long time ago about 20years back, I bought a tree top angel. I do not know why I bought her as there was nothing special about her. She had a silvery cardstock cone shaped body with silvery wings. Perhaps her face was so cute that I bought her. Anyway she never sat on my tree top and she was rather lopsided as well. One day I just tore her body off and kept her head. After years of her head popping up now and again I bought a polystyrene cone and perched her head on it with the idea of making a new angel of her. Years passed by and she still sat there with her polystyrene body so patiently. Yesterday I took her down and started giving her a new look. It was because I cannot at the moment go and create in my room peacefully. So this was an ideal project to start as I can move around with her. This is how she turned out. I have uploaded the picture of napkin so that if you are from UK you can go and get it from Sainsbury's , that is if they stock it in your branch. I am one of those who collects very odd things and if a pack of napkins that I like catches my eyes I just have to buy it. The good thing about it is I can keep a few napkins and use the rest. I decoupaged the angel body as you can see with the above paper. Stuck a little bit of bling. For the wings I used some left over silk organza fabric. I stuck the piece of fabric on the wire. I used Gripp glue which I have some bottles still left over. It is good to use a strong glue to stick the fabric on metal. I then coated the back of the whole fabric with mode podge I guess pva glue would work too. Then decoupaged some more napkin paper on the back of the wings. Once the glue was dry I cut the wing shap and made sure I cut the excess fabric at the top very close to the wire. Then I gave it highlights with gold paint. I also removed her rather garish looking halo and put a cloth one. Rolled the cloth into shape with Mode Podge stuck it on the head and painted it with gold. I gave her hair some highlights with gold as well.I think I am quite please with her.

Vintage lace

I got these vintage lace from a charity shop. Isn't it a wonderful find. When I went looking for these lace in antique shops I was quoted some ridiculous price that I came away without buying. But then I found these for next to nothing price. Can someone tell me whether I can wash them ( handwash) them or not? Tomorrow I might show you something else which I am trying to make without the workmen getting under my foot. At least I can carry it with me while I try to find space to create.

Angel paper doll

I haven't done much with my online class doll for the past 2 days. You know sometimes you get that feeling when you want to create what builds up inside you. Usually it happens suddenly and you just want to get it all out. Well I just felt like doing a paper doll today so this is what I made. I made her look quite traditional. First I gessoed the doll body then I painted her with Golden Interference gold paint. Added little bit of Delta Ceramcoat 14k gold paint as high lights. Added lace and gold microbeads as embellishments. I did her wings the same way but covered the whole wing with lace and brushed it with the gold paint and Decoart Starlite top coat which gave it a delicate glitter. If you don't have the Deco art top coat you could just mix up some glitter with any craft glue that dries clear and brush it on lightly. For the wreath I cut some yarn and stuck it on the paper circle with some beads and again brushed it lightly with the Starlite topcoat. I looked for some wreaths in the shops but couldn't find the right ones. Finally for her face I used a ready made mould to make the face with paperclay and painted it and stuck it on the head. For hair I used some yarn again. After making her up and because I had so much fun doing her I thought I would offer the pattern to you for you to make her up as you want. You can enlarge her if you want and embellish her as you want. If you don't have the mould to make her face not to worry you can draw your own and make her up that way. Click the link below to get the pattern. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/3028986931_6b12d729cc_b.jpg

Working on the doll

I have been working on my doll from Marilyn's on line class. I had a little mishap with her. I knocked her head accidentally and broke her ear. I have stuck it back again and luckily it doesn't show. I also stuck plenty of mirror tiles on her instead of the coloured tiles that we were supposed to use. The reason being the mirror tiles were all cut small and ready to use as for the other ones I would have had to cut them. I know I would never have succeeded in cutting those tiles and also it meant I would have had to invest on a tile cutter for small tiles and I am not sure if I am going to cut tiles again. Another problem was space to cut these tiles. It is too cold to go out and cut them and nowhere inside either. So I decided to do it this way. I just did a design so that I didn't have to use the bronze tiles a lot. Now I am in the process of sticking the fabric on the body. Shall post pictures soon so stay tuned.

Very remiss of me!

I would like to thank all of you for wishing me for my birthday. I should have done this post earlier so sorry.

Undignified heap lol!

This morning when I walked into my sitting room I saw my dolls and nearly laughed. They were dumped by me in a very undignified heap last night. I don't think they have ever been treated like this by me before. I bet I ruffled quite a few feathers there he..he.. This is not a very good picture as my mobile camera battery was low but it gives you an idea how beautiful autumn is. I was driving on my way to do some grocery shopping and I had to stop and take a picture much to the annoyance of a bus driver lol! Oh by the way it was a perfectly legal place to park with no signs of no parking or any kind of yellow line.

About last night's incident some of you thought it was the builder's fault but to be fair to him I do not think that he or anyone else could have thought that the cap would get severed by the pressure of the water. Perhaps the cap was a faulty one but it is one of those freak things which happen. Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.

Early morning rant!

We are having our bathroom renovated at the moment and for the past 3 weeks life has been chaotic in the house with either not having water in the toilets or not having hot water at times etc etc. Day before yesterday there was no water at all so we spent the night in a hotel. Of course the builder warned us ahead so that was not a problem. Yesterday he installed the boiler and we got water plus hot water for a shower in our second toilet so that was fine. He said he would get the heating connected today. So last night as we were settling done for a comfy night at home with the hope of heating being connected... when suddenly we heard a big gurgling noise and a hiss from the next door bathroom upstairs which is being renovated. Hubby and I shot out of bed and looked at each other in horror when we heard water. Rushed into the bathroom to see a jet of hot water was pouring out of the pipe which only a few minutes ago had a cap over it! Oh my God I was panicking. Finally hubby sussed out which pipe to close outside. So once again I have water dripping through the ceiling in my craft room. Hubby said the ceiling might collapse so in the middle of the night I was moving my dolls, sewing machine, project I am working on etc etc. Today we have no water no heating and here I am sitting and ranting not able to even brush my teeth as there is no water. There I got it out of my chest LOL! It is 8 O'clock in the morning and I have to wait for the builder to come. Lets hope he will get some water going. After all this I am thinking how used to we are to having drinking water, hot water, heating and all these small luxuries that we don't pay attention to them but when something does go wrong we start ranting and raving about it. At least I have a roof over my head and it is not that cold and I do have a heater and I can put on my woollies if I still feel cold. I can go and buy drinking water. So life is not all that bad just a bit inconvenient that is all.

Creating after celebrating

After a weekend of being cossetted, pampered and fed delicious food until I couldn't take it anymore by my nieces, nephew and hubby lol! It did put me in a creative mood after my big day. So this is what I am doing for the base of my doll. It is just a close up to show you the texture of the base

Lovely Weekend!!

Flowers, Gifts and cards,

Sumptuous breakfast

and delicious cake

and basking in the love of loved ones what a wonderful way to spend the weekend.