Crocheted toys

Here are some of the crocheted toys I've made, mostly for my grandson Jack. You'll be relieved to know that sometimes he goes home with the toy before I take a pic, so you are spared the full inventory.

I mostly make them up as I go along, I like to have a picture of what I'm supposed to be making. I don't turn patterns, I've tried writing it as I make, but it slows me down, and I like to crochet with my brain in neutral (it's happiest state).

 Jack likes dino's, and aliens, and stuff from the tv progs he watches. He's recently started asking for dino's that I can't even pronounce. I put him off (wicked Nana) by saying, just bring me a picture and I'll make it. He finally said, well can you just make me a Panda.....you don't need a picture for that do you. He had his usual sweet smile but I'm sure there was a trace of sarcasm in his voice lol.

An Alien, he'd like all his toys this size, but his Mom said she'd need another house for them.

dinos from ice age 3

Another alien, falling out of his bed lol.

From ice age 3.

Turtle from Nemo

I'd started this for my daughter, she'd reminded me I never got her the pony she'd wanted as a child lol. I nearly finished and I just didn't like it.....Jack did, so of course.....The bits of loose yarn is where he had a try at sewing.

Some of you may recognise these from Shaun the Sheep. I think this is the mommy.

Shaun and a needle felted Timmy

A few of his toddler toys 

A soap Saver I made for him.

That's all folks, well done if you managed not to fall asleep.

Shapely Dino

This cute little dino is from my own template. She cut out on textured card and coloured with aqua pencils, and does look like she has reptiley type skin. The first one I made was the blue one at the bottom of the post, my grandson had that for no reason what-so-ever other than that he saw it lol. 

Not much more to say about her except if you'd like the template let me know in a comment and I'll put it in my next post. 

A few Challenges I'd like to enter if you'll have me :-

The Shabby Tea Room ... Get in Shape

There She Goes Clear Stamps ... Cards for Kids

Woodware USA Clear Stamps ... Anything Goes

Allsorts Challenge Blog ... Monochrome

Charisma Cardz Challenge ... One for the Girls

Sassy Studio Designs ... Monochromatic

Craft Your Passion ... Monochrome

Scanned version, colours a bit truer. 

The Blue one. 

In the Pink - Not !! ...and Tammylee Stamp Corner Blog Candy.

First a little mention for the great blog candy over at Tammylee Stamp Corner Blog.  This tempting treat is offered until 27th Dec. Pop over for a chance to win.

And now my card...................................................

I could send this card to anyone of my M.E sufferer friends and have a good chance of them having a day like Gretchen is having here. She doesn't know what day it is, just about remembers who she is and maybe where she is...but not what she was just going to do lol. If she noticed her pinks clashed she really wouldn't care, they were the first thing she put her hands on and can't be bothered to get changed now. Poor Gretchen. 

Don't like my colouring in the photo, I swear there really is some shading in her hair....I know it doesn't look like it, but it is there lol.  Oh and I did this without my safety net (no sketch to follow lol). 

My receipe :- 

Image - Hate Morning Gretchen from Digi's with Attitude

Papers - My Grafico Printables

Nesties - Label 8 and large Deckles

Emboss folder - Quickcuts Flowers

Colourants - Promarkers

Stickers, ribbon, gem, buttons - stash

Sentiment - my brain cell 

I'd Like to Enter this card in the following challenges ...

Charisma Cards - One for the Girls

Meljens Designs Challenge - Buttons and Bows

Alphabet Challenge - E for embossing

Digi's With Attitude - Pink, Black & Silver

No Time to stamp - Use Black

Marks Finest Papers Blog - Add A Bow

Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog - Buttons and Bows

Gingerloft challenge - Bows 

I Did it Creations - Suprise me

Paper Sundaes - Adorn Those Corners

 Image close up

 and a couple of the bits and bobs

Shuttered 25th Anniversary

It's been a while since I made a shutter card, so had to look for a tutorial, isn't it great there are so many lovely people out there willing to share there talent with us.

Card is 2 x 12 inches, I've glued half sheet 12 x 12 scrapbook paper onto a piece plain white cardstock before cutting and folding. I made my scallopie type edge by cutting two large nestie rectangles and then trimming them lengthwise. As you can see I've gone mad with the stickers again, and 'framed' everywhere with them.

 My flowers are from sheet of self adhesive stickers - have to admit I thought I was sending for a sheet of multisized decoupage lol. Turned out happy accident though. I trimmed off the pale green backgrounds and stuck them to my mat and layered nestie shapes. Made a lift up flap to hide my sentiment, and added sticker greetings and little embellishments about to finish off. I've tiny clear (silver) gems on my big corner stickers and centre of rosette.

My first go at a rosette. I like the finished effect by boy was it fiddly....and had to leave it to dry overnight as couldn't be bother to get glue gun out for just one thing....mistake.

My Receipe..

DPs - 12 x 12 Scrapbook Craft Creations

Stickers - Mostly Craft Creations

Flower Stickers - Bouquet of pale flowers, yes..also Craft Creations

Mini gems - Craft Creations (your noticing a theme here aren't you)

Die Cuts - Nestie Rectangle labels 8

I'd like to enter the following challenges -
One Stitch at a Time ... Season or Event
Artful INKables ...Die cuts or Punches
A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge ... Anything Goes
Paper Take Weekly ... Cut it Out
EveryBodies Art Challenge ... Use Shapes
Inktegrity Design Team Challenge ... Anything Goes
Delightful Sketches ... Flower Power
Moving Along With the Times ... More than one Fold
Stamp Insanity Blog... Try something New (Rosette)

Card Flattened out...

The Panels

A  close up of Rosette ....

Printed, hidden sentiment, font has little flowers on it. 

Mandarin Mandalin

 Another month, another swap card. This months theme is Medallions, and I've used one I designed myself a couple of years ago. After all the fun of designing, I never actually got round to using it and it's (and a few others with it) been sitting on the back burner of my 'puter ever since. If by chance you like it you can snag it from the bottom of this post....bearing in mind it's hand drawn, and therefore in the 'naive' style.  If a few are interested I'll put the others on another time.

Using my favourite craft item, which is beyond measure, printable papers....so versatile, so available, so many freebies.......so sue me lol. My new favourite is promarkers, can't colour without them now. This is a new paper collection I've just bought from Stitchy Bears - Citrus. the colours aren't showing true of course, I can never get a proper image can I!! I know it look like I've used two different orange cards, but they are the same.  I've gone for really bright colours again as an antidote to the dull, dull, foggy and dull days we've been having here. 

My Receipe...

DP papers - Stitchy Bear

mini gems - Craft Creations

Stickers - Imag-e-nations

Ribbon & button - stash

Bright card - Tesco

Colourants - Promarkers

Canary, lime green, Red, peach

Sketch - Friday Sketchers

I'd like to entre the following yummy challenges :-

Fab 'n' Funky challenge ... Forget me not (my own Digi)

AiFactory Challenge ... Bring on the Bling

Paper Romance ... Favourite Things (Printable paper, and promarkers)

Digi Doodle Shops Best ... Anything Goes

Hodge Podge Shop ... Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Weekly challengel  ... Get Well Soon

Fairy Fun Friday ... Buttons and Bows

Glitterbabe's Challenge ... Make Us An Easel

Fresh Brewed Blog ... Show off your Style

Simon Says Stamp ... Sparkle

 Front panel

 Fuzzy close of layers, eight in all

The sheet of Medalin's.

 You know all the copy-write things, don't claim it for your own etc, also please send people to my post rather than passing it on to them, and I'd appreciate a mention if you use it. 

And/or the single Image.

Another first, My DT card for Blackberry Lane Designs.

I'm so thrilled, and proud I have to add, to say I've been asked to be part of the Design Team for Deborah over at Blackberry Lane Designs. Deborah is a very talented artist and has just launched her beautiful digi images featuring nature, birds, animals, and other items that I know you'll enjoy. As she's just starting out I hope you'll pop over and follow her, and collect the freebie digi I've used in my projects of course.

©

I printed my card back and front with co-ordinating papers. Cut it on Diagonal and Tri-folded. I embossed the rose bud design, and using a wet cotton bud, followed the design to get a bleached' effect. The word Friends is de-bossed down the front edge, doesn't show up well on pic though does it. I don't have a huge range of pro-markers so the colours I've used may seem strange. I went all over the 'finished' leaves with lime green to blend them all together and did the same with the blooms using ......wait for it....tulip yellow. 

My Receipe -

Image ....Tulip 1 Freebie, Blackberry Lane Designs

Digital Papers ... Stitchy Bears Cafe Pigalle Collection

Emboss elements ... Keepsake

Ribbons & Embellishments ... Stash

Colourants ... Promarkers

Pastel Pink, Peach, Honeycomb, Coral & Tulip Yellow

Lime, Grass & Forest Green.

A Challenge or two ...

Critter Sketch Challenge Blog - Texture

One Stitch At a Time - Favourite Colour

Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes

Fairy Tale Challenge - Everything Goes

Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Emboss it 

A not very well lit pic of open card. 

This is my second project using the Tulip. An ATC for a swap I'm doing this month. The theme is favourite flower. It's really my mothers favourite, but I adore orange/peach Tulips, so it qualifies. I flipped the image as you can see...my first time doing anything like that so happy to find how easy it was. I used some of my scrap from the card and embossed it using a textured impressions folder. Well I hope that's wet your appetite for some more of Deborah's Image's which you'll find right here

©

A few challenges...

Fairy Tale Challenge - Everything Goes

Our Daily Bread Blog - Anything but a Card

Paper Sundaes - Pick Your Sundae Topping (emboss & ribbon)

Tucked up with Space to Dream.

I've made this card for my Grandson Jack, who I'm quite frankly besotted with. He's just turned 6yrs and unfortunately often ill through the winter because of Asthma. I saw this image (ain't it the cutest) on Mami Doodles and just had to have him. There is also one of a girl in pj's very cute, and you get 4 versions of her. Jack love Dino's but he's had four dino cards this year so I've gone for space and aliens. The novelty buttons are a bit OTT I know... but he'll love them - and will have them ripped off the card before the day is out. I turned the teddy into a panda because he has asked me to crochet one for him. After this card he'll want me to crochet a space ship or robot....trust me he will ....and I'll do it lol. 

I coloured my image with promarkers, and also used them to colour the plain green and orange ribbon. Edged with promarker too.  I put sparkles on his pj's and on bits of the planets etc with glitter pen, hopefully you'll see that better in close up. Used it on the sticker greeting too, but can see I'm going to have to go over that again now it's dried. 

Receipe for this card...

Image - Mami Doodles Kaz & Teddy

Sketch - Eat, Sleep, Stamp

Card & DPS - 12 x 12 from stash (unused I have to add)

Novelty buttons - Craft Creations

Glitter pen - Sakura Tiara

Peel off stickers - stash

Die Cuts - Spellbinders nesties

Ribbons plain - stash

Ribbon fancy - Do Craft Boutique Ribbon Verde

Colourants - Promarkers

 Vanilla, Blush and Tan for Skin

meadow, grass, lime and Forest greens for onesie

Canary, Tulip yellow, tan and sandstone for hair (cus all I had for it)

I'd like to enter my card for the following challenges ...

Eat, Sleep, Stamp Thursday - Sketch

Digi's With Attitude! challenge - sparkle, ribbons, 2 DP's

AiFactory Challenge - Die cuts or Punches

Pixie Dust Studio - The Boys in Our Lives

Southern Girls Challenge - Transport/Travel

Moving Along With the Time - Nice and Bright

365 challenge - Warm and Cozy

Lexi's Creations -Anything Goes

Without more ado, my Darling Jack. The pix on the right has been altered by my friend Ulina - doesn't it look so much better. She does the most beautiful photo's and you can find her blog here

A few close ups :-

 Kaz changed into Jack

A little bit of sparkle

Sentiment and ribbons

My Blog has Attitude Award

Can you imagine my surprise this morning, I open up my blog for my favourite treat of reading comments and find I've been given this award by the lovely Priyanka. I've only recently found her blog and she has the most fantastic detailed projects. AND..as I've never been given an award before, can you imagine my delight.

So to qualify for the $5 free digi certificate from Digi's with Attitude I have to tell you three things that makes my blog unique, and pass the award onto 5 other blogs...the only problem I see there being having to limit it to 5....so much talent with attitude out there lol.

No 1...my blog is unique  because I'm unique...my family all agree that they are very happy there is only one of me lol. Through my blog I'm trying to work out my craft hoarding problem...I have a very long way to go as I have a long established hoard....but I'm having fun on the way.

No 2...May not be terribly unique, but I adore everything about challenges. I love to pop over to  Feline Playful and choose all my challenges for my card...I can't seem to make a move without my challenges now. I need a sketch, the colour, embellies...everything before I start lol.

No 3...Probably not so unique either, but I make all my cards with oodles of love, but as we are all unique, we all love in a unique way don't we. However, I'm having serious problems giving up the cards I make for my challenges - I love them, they are my friends, I don't want to part with them lol.


Now for the five lovely people I want to pass this on to.
http://staceyscraftycreations.blogspot.com/
http://apricotbubbles.blogspot.com/
http://unique-by-annemaritta.blogspot.com/
http://designsbydj.blogspot.com/
http://danasinspirations.blogspot.com/


Now you wonderful ladies, to qualify for the $5 gift you just have to do the same as I have, but
please first pop over to http://digiswithattitudechallenges.blogspot.com/p/i-got-attitude-blog-award.html
and read the rules there.

Simply Sepia, Truest Vintage

I coloured my image following the sepia tutorial on Going Buggy.  For those who don't know, the lovely  Enfys is producing a promarker tutorial each day, to go along with her full set of promarkers blog candy. Fantastic for a complete beginner such as myself, but also great info on buying 'starter' colours and colours that got well together for high lights etc. 

I love the sepia technique so much, as obsessively as I love the paper peicing lol. I could have carried on until my pens ran dry but thought it sensible (who me!!) to actually make a card while my challenges were still on. I coloured my ribbons to match with cocoa promarker. Used the same pen for edging round my papers, where it looks lighter, I've gone over it with the blender pen.  I pulled the reins on myself with the embellies as I've got the card quite busy with my papers.

My Receipe for this card -

DPS ... Bearly Mine Designs Country Collection (15% sale on collections)
Plus November Freebie.
Image ...Digi Doodle Shops Best Vase and Hat
Colouring ... Promarkers: Sandstone, Tan, Cinamon, Coca
Ribbon & Button...Old stash
Sentiment ... Sentimental Sundays Freebie
Sketch...By Dorcas for Sentimental Sundays

It's like to enter this card for the following challanges ...
Crafty Creations - Buttons
Fresh Brewed Designs - 2 or more patterned papers
Digital Tuesday - Something not used before..Digi, and papers
Kaboodle Doodles - Make it Vintage
Stamps R Us - Buttons and Bows
Ginger Loft Challenge - Buttons
Sentimental Sundays - Sketch and Sentiment
Crazy 4 Challenges - Square Cards
Crafty Catz Weekly - Spots and Stripes
Passion for Promarkers challenge - Colour of old Photo's

A few close ups -
button and bows 

My sepia image

The sentiment.

Great Prizes for Card Challenge

Hi all, I've just straight copied and pasted this from the Craft Creations Site. It's well
 worth making a card, many prizes, first prize being a £90 voucher for the store. 

November Card Challenge - 25th Anniversary Card

Hi Everyone,

November 2010 is the 25th Anniversary of when we started Craft Creations Ltd, so when thinking of a subject for the November Card Challenge we thought the ideal subject for this month would be a 25th Anniversary Card. Of course, we don't mean one specifically for us!

Rules - Simply email a photo of a 25th (Silver) Anniversary card that you have designed and made using only Craft Creations products in its construction. Entries must arrive by the end

 of November 2010. Only one entry per person, not open to Craft Creations employees.

To enter just email your photo (jpeg - full size if possible) along with a brief description of how

 you made the card to: cardchallenge@craftcreations.com - don't forget to include your name

 and address, only your name will be shown with the picture.

At the beginning of December, 10 Craft Creations employees will choose their 10 favourite

 cards, these top 10 cards will then feature in an online poll so that everyone can vote for 

their favourite card out of the top 10.

Prizes - As it's Craft Creations' 25th Anniversary we thought some Extra Special Prizes 

(for this Anniversary Challenge only!) would be good and here they are:

1st - £90 Craft Creations Voucher.
2nd - £75 Craft Creations Voucher.
3rd - £60 Craft Creations Voucher.
4th - £45 Craft Creations Voucher.
5th - £30 Craft Creations Voucher.
5 Runners Up - £15 Craft Creations Voucher Each.

The vouchers can be used in our online shop, on phone orders, on orders sent in by post

 and also in our shop at Cheshunt.

Entries will be posted below when they start to come in, so be sure to check often.

We look forward to seeing your entries, good luck!

p.s. Don't forget to stick to the rules!