Crafts Beautiful

I wanted to share with you all one of the other things I get up to when not blogging or crafting......I'm a member of the Crafts Beauitful website....and I'd highly recommend it to all crafters out there! Its the website version of the magazine Crafts Beautiful and you'll craft projects, downloads and competitions by the bucket load..... http://www.crafts-beautiful.com/

My favourite section however is the forum, which allows you to chat and interact with fellow crafters from around the world. We have a general chat section and individual sections for all the different crafts where you can show off your makes, ask questions and be inspired. There is also a challenge section, where you can enter various competitions. Plus there is the crafty swap section, which I love! Each month you can sign up to the different swaps (cards, jewellery, bookmarks, fridge magnets etc), make the item and send it off...in return you'll get some elses make! Its a brilliant way to challenge yourself and see how other people make things.

This month I've entered the card swap, the jewellery swap and the bookmark swap and here are my makes:

This is my bookmark, the theme for this swap is love. I have taken a piece of red card and stamped the outline hearts on both sides of the card. Once dry I dotted around the outside edge with glitter glue. I then added black and white dotty ribbon in a bow to the front - cute and simple, just the way love should be (ha, ha!).

My second swap is the jewellery swap, and if I'm honest I am sad to see this bracelet go! The theme for this swap was pearls and sparkles and you could make either a necklace or a bracelet. I've used painted pearls in soft pinks and silver greys, along with some fantastic glitter beads in silver that I found on Ebay. The beads are all on headpins, and I've used a piece of memory wire for the base. I've kept the bracelet fairly loose, to allow the beads some movement. I don't think the photo does this one justice - its so gorgeous!

Finally we have the card swap - this month its a Birthday card and the theme is Flower Fairies. On closer inspection of my craft stash I realised I have no flower fairies lurking around - so I created this little lady myself. I sketched her in pencil and then scanned her into my computer. I'm quite pleased, even if mum says she is more a granny fairy!

This card also fits in with the Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge this week, as I have used the layout that they have given us by Jane, go and take a look at the DT designs - they are all super gorgeous this week:  http://thesecretcraftersaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/2010/01/challenge-65.html

So I have used the sketch exactly, allow they did allow you to rotate it. I have used a combination of pink card, a little patterened paper and two ovals that I created on the computer, along with three little blue flowers made using my trusty punch.

If you haven't already joined the fun over at Craft Beautiful its worth stopping by. You'll meet loads of fellow crafters and its great for when the inspiration runs dry!

Thanks for stopping by,
Wedgie xxx