Flower Power

There were lots of inspiring things to make in this months' Craft Stamper magazine. One of the articles which caught my eye - was by Jo Capper Sandon

She turned a small metal pail into an unusual and summery 'photo frame' with a gorgeous photo of one of her sons blowing bubbles.

I am not sure about copyright 'rules' otherwise I would have scanned the article and put it in this post.

Anyway - I sent off for the rubber stamp plate of flowers that she used to have a go myself.

But then I couldn't find a pail so gave up.

Then today, when I spent a little time in my studio and was stuck for ideas, I had another look at the article - and realised, that these are for inspiration - and not meant to be copied religiously.

So I looked again at the plate of flower heads - and had previously been daunted at the prospect of cutting them all out individually. After re-reading the article, I realised that I didn't 'have' to.

I got out some 'free' paper I received with a purchase - which I couldn't use for anything and started stamping!

I stamped the whole plate in one go - and voila - from 'rubbish paper' pretty coloured flowers started to emerge.

Here are some samples of what I have been doing. I can now cut the petals, give them some shape, add ink, or gems, in fact they can be coloured and tinted for whatever project I do.

I am not too sure about the 'loud' striped ones - of which I have only cut out a few - but the shades of blue I like. The cream ones have lots of potential (the paper had thin brown random flowers on it all over - really not 'me' as they were - well I didn't like the paper - enough said.) Stamped with flower heads the brown flower pattern disappears completely!

I was looking on some blogs at some gorgeous cards people had made. One lady had made a fantastic card and added flowers as a corner and side border - I counted them - there were over 30 prima type flowers, roses, all sorts. It did look stunning, but the cost of the flowers would have been out of my budget.



I know you can't compare these with purchased flowers - but I intend to stamp them on all different coloured papers, tint them, and mix and match and layer etc.

So whilst I didn't get to make the photo pail - I have been inspired by Jo to think 'laterally' and used just one of her ideas.

It was actually relaxing and fun just stamping and cutting out, whilst looking out of the window at my garden, watching my chickens playing in the rain!

It has also made me look quite differently at scraps and oddments of paper that would otherwise have been headed for the recycle bin!

Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces just arrived

Remember the little lace vintage jigsaw puzzle book I made for the swap on UK Craft Stampers?

Well the postman has just been and this is what he delivered.



The artist is called Piney. Thank's Piney - just off to the forum to thank you on there.

Gorjuss Angel Chunky Book

No pressure today - so just played about with a Gorjuss Angel - and coloured her with Promarkers.

I made a chunky book with lots of A4 sheets of paper - and navy blue mount board - and my trusty BIA machine.

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There is a fantastic chance to win some blog candy at this super blog site

Ruby Wedding Anniversary Gift

I have been working on this book for days - my original plan having been scuppered when the promised scans of photos did not materialize.

(Click on photos to enlarge)


We are going to a Ruby Wedding Anniversary party and I wanted to make a nice keepsake book for them - with photos taken over the years. It wasn't meant to be I guess, so I had a rethink and decided to make a book that all the family and friends could leave messages in.




I made some thick acetate covers for the outsides - which I embossed along the top and bottom edges - which I hope might protect the cover pages from mucky fingers.




This book is about half A4 size. I coloured all the flowers with a copic marker,





Ditto their initials, frame, and numbers, so that they all looked like red velvet and matched. The little vintage lace flowers are the same colour as the ribbon, which I mounted on plasterers joining mesh which I cut in half lengthwise. The remnants of which I used with the ribbons to tie it all together (No pun intended)

The inside covers of the front and back pages have the same paper as the front and back covers - and with personal messages on them so I won't show you those.

I cut all the pages into large tags.

One side of each inside page is stamped with a pattern etc with a blank 'plate' to write a message on. Below are just a sample of some of the pages there are too many to photograph and blog.


The reverse of the stamped pages have all different stamped images - with blank spaces for the messages. I used Tim Holtz stamps from Happy Daze




In between every 'pair' of pages is another with a poem on it.





I embossed some of the poem pages to add texture and interest- but each is the same colour 'ties in' with the overall theme




Not to everyone's taste - but I am an old romantic at heart






That's it - finished - a bit like marriage - 'For Better Or For Worse' - I tried my best.




After finally completing, after days of hard work and many aborted pages and ideas, I showed it to my husband just before he went out, and his parting words to me were...................

'I'm not being funny, and its nothing to do with your book, but I don't think that people who are having a good time and are drinking or drunk would be bothered with signing a book'.

(Anyone know the number of a quick locksmith!)

Recycled Metal

After seeing Sara's tutorials on her Time for Crafting site I decided to have another play with metal and came up with this.

I have made this for the Lots To Do Challenge Blog this week - to make something out of recycled stuff.



You can't get more recycled than this! It is meant to look old and grungey.


It is made totally out of a tomato puree tube.

I opened it up, washed it, flattened it, and cut out some petal shapes. Then I used a bit of the tube that I hadn't roughed up - and glued it behind to make the blue petals, and bent the tube over at the back to totally enclose it. Punched hole with my Cropodile, added rivets to secure it and make it strong - and a bit of old flower arranging wire I found in my 'rubbish' when I was clearing out.



The 'seeds' I wrote backwards on the front of the tube with a biro, and then kept going over it - the gold is the inside of the tube - and I roughed that up with some sandpaper.

It is a label for my seed box!

Painting with purple

I have been working up my allotment every day this week, and thank goodness for rain, so I have an excuse to stay at home and play.

Not much to show for it though as I am struggling to make a book for a Ruby Wedding Anniversary party, so I decided to take some time out just to play with purple!



I am still on my slow cardmaking journey - so very basic beginners work, but I did have fun experimenting with colouring, not only the Gorjuss stamped image, but also the flower, and vintage lace.

So long as I have some fun - then I am a happy bunny, as being retired, this is just playtime for me - no pressure!