Monday 28 June 2010

The Shabby Birthday Challenge and Giveways galore....

This month is party time at Lets get Shabby as we celebrate our first birthday and pop open the fizzy wine and divide the cake amongst our friends and faithful followers.


This month you need to make a birthday themed project that includes stamps. The challenge runs during July along with some fun, games and giveaways and we would love you to join us!




This months sponsors at Shabby are Purple Onion designs who kindly supplied the stamps used on my project.




I stamped the words with Distress Ink on a previously sprayed background using Glimmer Mist. For such a finely detailed stamp I am delighted with the quality and how the red on red looks so good!


My cupcake was inspired by Ingvild Bolme and I used a combination of her technique here and the original one from
U-Tube here.



I would recommend taking some shortcuts though.....


1) When forming the inner circle (Just after the rubber band stage) you could just use a row of double sided tape to bind it all together on the outside. I used a glue gun but looking back it might have easier to run tape around it.



2) My topping is made from white felt. I cut 2 semi circles and scalloped the edges. Once glued onto the polystyrene balls I added some dimensional paint to create the edges and peaky icing bits. Then I lathered it with glue and sprinkled the glitter all over.



3) My favourite trick at the moment is to use fine wire and thread it through cotton lace. It gives you more control over the size and amount of gather in flowers or circles and worked great around the ball.


These are such beautiful and versatile stamps and are perfect for card makers.
My car boot bargain cake stand and doiley!!



Please call back later in the month for the fun and games and giveaways....

Love and cupcakes

Ruth xxx




Wednesday 23 June 2010

Snow and Strawberries....

For Fathers Day we made Mr IT a Snow Globe.


I have always been fascinated with these and remember being a bit jealous of my friends who had them.
I have quite a large..ahem..collection of them now (all blank and ready to alter) but just didn't have the inclination at Christmas.


I think a summery theme is just the tonic ...we need snow globes all year round to cheer us up!!




A misted crochet flower with prima gem centre..
Georgia has one side with lots of roses and hearts in it and Ben has the other side with blue pearls.
Both sides have the same photo with the kids hand written "love you Daddy in them"



PS: Did you know snow globes are very tricky to photograph as the light hits the circumference of the plastic and bounces back off...urghhh!!


This ones for you Mum, remember Grannys storage jars and Carlton Ware vase.....they look lovely on my new tiles...shame about the dusty windows caused by all the sanding!!

pps: Come on Kiwis...come on England

Love and snow globes

Ruth xxx

Friday 18 June 2010

A photo for Dad....

The kids were having passport photos taken last month when it was Mr IT's birthday and I had a cheap photo taken of them together for fun.




They gave the larger one to their Dad for his birthday and I turned the remainder into this layout as a reminder.



Sorry about Bens fingers in the above shot. A millisecond later he put sticky jam fingers on the photo:(
"Kids aye who'd have em?"

I have totally fallen in love with using glimmer sprays etc on cotton lace...more of this next week!!

Love and sweetness
Ruth xxx

Thursday 17 June 2010

Introducing Willow....

Meet Willow.....she is a special little bear who joined our family today, thanks to my friends at playgroup.


Willow was made by a friend of mine who is so mega talented at making these bears that she has been entered for some national bear making contest. (bet you didn't even know they did this sort of thing in England!)


She has a delightfully old fashioned shape to her nose, piercing blue eyes and lavendar ears and paws. She is made from 100% German Silk (I think)

Willow is wearing delicate clothing with matching bloomers and has great taste in jewellery!

Tracey lives locally and works in our childrens centre. She is nearly up and running on the internet but if you were interested in looking at her bears I think she sometinmes has them on E-bay. Willow is fully jointed (no that does not mean she is stuffed full of drugs!) it means that her arms and legs move and she can sit quite happily on my display shelf.


I chose the name Willow to remind me of where we lived and the lovely friends I have made in our playgroup. (should we ever get this house painted and sold)

If anyone is serious about buying one of these collectors bears then please feel free to e-mail me and I will forward your details onto Tracey.


Love and teddy bear kisses

Ruth xxx

Monday 14 June 2010

Vintage lunch box

Georgia needed a new lunch box so I bought this pink plastic cool one (made in NZ) with different compartments in it for fruit etc....The only problem is she finds it difficult to carry to school as it doesn't have a handle. So I figured it needed a bag and thought I might just make her some...preferably from cool material(think Cath Kidston).





Fortunately an early morning weekend trip to a car boot sale solved that one, and 20p later I had a vintage bag that fits her lunch box like a glove.....this morning on the way out the door Ben was in tears...my flower bag...MY FLOWER BAG.......MY FLOWER BAG.....waaahhhh..Full blown tears and foot stomping!! I knew just how he felt!!lol!!
Love and old curtains
Ruth xxx

Friday 11 June 2010

Wrinkles and all...

I have made a layout just for me.


I was never blessed with lovely english rose skin, and as I age my freckles might be fading a bit but the liver spots are starting to appear, alongside the wrinkles..eeeck!!



Do you think normal people have botox? I'm quite tempted!! (they say that bookings are up during the world cup as women treat themselves for being neglected by their husbands...I wonder what treats they get the rest of the year?)

The magnifying glass is from Tillys and is made by Tattered Angels

Vintage signage is by Making Memories Vintage Findings range (I think)
The diamonte flower is from the Mother in Laws broken jewellery collection (thanks B xxx)

Love and botox?

Ruth xxx

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Shabby Tutorial

Yumiko has produced a beautiful and original tutorial for an altered jar this month.

Isn't it gorgeous?




Pop on over to Lets get Shabby HERE to see exactly how she made it.
I'm thinking a great alternative to wedding favours if you made them out of baby food jars!! (shame I'm already married..I swear I should have been a wedding planner!!)
Ruth x

Monday 7 June 2010

Whatever happened to Scrapbook Trends?


Does anyone know what happened to Scrapbook Trends the UK version that was due to be published and then ran into some difficulties?


I made a layout for them in January sent it in and haven't heard from them since. I was really excited at he thought of being published in such a quality mag but am cool with it if it isn't going to happen.....I'd just like my lovely layout back again!!


.....and no I don't have any addresses or e-mails cause if you know me well enough then you will know that I have lost or deleted them because I am so blonde (red)..... ok....I'm stupid!!
Love and Scrapbook Trends where are you?
Ruth xxx

Saturday 5 June 2010

Our Vintage Affairs next challenge is up....

and what a beauty it is!!!

Polly has made her lovely sample
and left full instructions for finding templates for Tussy Mussies


Loreta has joined the design team



and Delish Designs have donated a gorgeous Vintage themed prize!!


What more could a girl want..shoes handbags and flowers...I wonder what next month will bring...diamonds perhaps?

Our Vintage Affair can be found HERE .....oh and they are looking for talented DT members too!!

Wednesday 2 June 2010

Rockstar

5 Microphones
1 Guitar
1 Keyboard
1 Songbook

endless out of tune songs sung in a fake Southern (american) accent

TURN THAT RACKET DOWN!!!

"But mummy all I wanna do is be a pop star."

Prima Pastiche papers from Happy Daze



Intricate chipboard flower aka Twiddley Tree from Twiddleybitz


1 Happy layout-Priceless!
Love and headphones
Ruth xxx