finally entering a challenge!!!

I treated myself to some gorgeous images from the lovely Lily Chivers the other week thinking I'd use them to enter the 'Take a Word' challenge - the theme was 'fantasy'.  Two words later I've missed that one, but reading Sue's blog discovered that Lily has launched her own challenge:

The first challenge is 'Alice in Wonderland' which fits perfectly with these plates I designed recently as samples for our Mad Hatter's tea parties at The Bean & Brush :)

I was thrilled with this before it went in the kiln, and it looks even better now!  How cool would this be as a real clock!!!

The Cheshire Cat came out well too although I'm not sure I'd fancy eating off of this plate LOL.

Over at The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge you can enter anything along the theme of 'Alice in Wonderland', and if you use Lily's images you are entered into the monthly prize draw.  I thought I'd enter my plates so I had at least entered, but I'm now off to play with Lily's images in my journal :)

I've found a new addiction!

Toadstools!!!  Via another new addiction 'Pinterest.com'.  This is full of yummy arty pictures to look at and opens up a whole new world of blogs and websites!

I came across these fabulous terrariums whilst looking for images for a Mad Hatter's Tea party at The Bean & Brush.   How great is the use of those zips!  

And I also spotted these, from LucyKateCrafts.  Whilst visiting Amy's blog, I discovered she's written a book, with some amazing softie designs in it...

.. and with Sophie's birthday just around the corner I ordered one (it's a fab, fab book) and promptly spent the morning of her birthday making a toadstool.

There was a fair bit of dumfing going on in the making of this piece (that's use of the embellishing machine!).  I also added some free machining to the top of the toadstool.

I was really pleased with how the base of my toadstool worked out (although when it goes in the terrarium it'll never be seen).  I used a coloured baby wipe (from my journalling activities) and felted it to some plain green felt.

I can see me getting some more of these made...although the garden called me today and I'm working tomorrow so not sure when!  Sophie had a Mad Hatter's tea party for her birthday so as part of her birthday present I made her a charm bracelet, similar to one I'd seen online:

I was really pleased with how this turned out too.  I want one!!!

PDCC57 a load of old pegs

Actually the ones I used are new but old sounded better in the post title!

I've been busy making things for our church Advent fair on Saturday, which meant a hunt for crafts that look good but are quick to make.  I'd already chosen this week's photo inspiration a while back, but when I came across the idea of decorating clothes pegs and putting a magnet on the back to turn them into magnetic clips for your fridge I just knew I had to do it for this week's play date cafe challenge!

I just love the shades of browny-grey that pegs go when they are weathered.  This week we are sponsored by a UK company, Stamp Attack, who very kindly supplied the DT with their choice of stamps.  I chose an Alice in Wonderland set.

I printed an early, handwritten copy of part of the Alice story from the internet, coloured it with coffee and glued it to the front of the peg.  I love the contrast of the brown and the grey/black of the old style illustrations.

Sadly we are saying goodbye to two of our super talented design team members this week.  

Suzanne Czosek

Lisa Somerville

We'll truly miss them but wish them all the best in what they do next, but will obviously be staying in touch as they do such gorgeous work (and Lisa is our technical wonder who is always able to help us out in the land of computer wizardry :)  )  The other guys have decided to stay on another long while, and Julie and I are busy oohing and ahhing over our DT entrants for the next team.

Andrea Ewen
Savannah O'Gwynn
Ruby 2 Shoes

Please check out the DT's wonderful work, and head over to the Play Date Cafe to see the results of Player Appreciation week - everyone seemed to enjoy this week's colours :)

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving all my US friends!!!

TMTA: kings and/or queens

I know she's a bit predictable, but I really didn't have any other kingly/queenly images and I was keen to try this one out! This is a stamp a friend of mine leant me a while ago but this is the first time I've played with any of the images. The background was looking a bit 'iffy' 'til I swiped it gently with gesso - now I like it!!