It's all about....papercutting!

Hello there!

I hope you're well today and having a great day!

I've recently decided to try my hand at a new craft.....yes, if you hadn't already guessed I am one of those annoying crafters who likes to dabble in everything! This time I have swayed back to a material I am really comfortable with.....paper....for a spot of papercutting!

What is papercutting I hear you cry.....well it's the art of cutting designs into paper. All you need is some paper, a cutting mat and a craft knife....oh and a steady hand is also useful!

If you fancy giving it a go yourself you're in good company - its a worldwide pass time, with a rich history. It's so popular that if you don't fancy starting from scratch with a design you can get lots of different templates to get you started.

I gave this a try last week because we are going to be doing this in the WI papercraft group that I lead next week......but I am hooked already!

I started off with a tea-related design....

Papercutting Design

I thoroughly enjoyed putting this simple design together, figuring out how everything needed to tie together to make one whole piece. As you can see for this one I drew my pencil design and then cut around it - leaving my pencil lines for all to see - whoops! The trick here is to draw the design backwards and cut out, so any pencil lines remain on the back of your design. Every day's a school day and all that!

I found the whole process very therapeutic, concentrating on the cutting meant I blocked out everything else around me.....it was very relaxing! Even Tinker joined me .....

I learnt a lot from my first attempt.....like having a super sharp craft knife is best and you need to start with all the little fiddly middle cut out bits first (its much easier!). I decided to try and make something for someone else next....combining my new found passion with my love of card making.....

Papercutting Birthday card

This time my design was drawn on the back of the paper, meaning no horrible pencil lines on the finished design! Again, I enjoyed creating the design for this Birthday card - deciding which letter needed to connect etc. I also got to practise cutting out lots of "e"s!

I made a couple of mistakes on this design, but luckily there were really small ones. Overall I was really pleased with this....especially with how the white paper looked on the simple kraft card.

This spurred me on to try something more challenging.....a bigger more complex design.....

Papercutting Star Wars Design

Yep, a Star Wars papercut design created for my lovely friend (and hug Star Wars fan) Becca! 

Here I used a combination of templates (they are actually pumpkin carving templates) and freehand to create this design. I'm not overly happy with the Darth Vader shape in the background - his hood is all wrong, but the rest I am really pleased with. I enjoyed using the Yoda and Chewbacca templates, they let me practise finer detail and precision cutting. The writing and R2D2 I created myself and I enjoyed getting creative!

I am so pleased with how this looks, I could have added a bit more detail and maybe some more stars (which admittedly are very chunky) but overall I am super pleased with this....and it looks great in a frame....

Now I can't wait to start on my next design! I wonder what I will cut next??

Thanks for popping by today,

Wedgie xxx

Hello there.....it's been a while!

Hello there,

Fancy seeing you here!

Well, it has been a while since I last wrote a blog post on Wedgie's Wonderful World....over 7 months in fact! Bet you thought I'd fallen off the face of the earth! The truth is I ran out of time....work got really hectic with lots of travelling around the UK, I was involved in the setting up of a shiny new WI in Farnham and my afternoon tea blog was really busy....I simply didn't have enough time in the day for everything and card making was becoming a chore rather than a pleasure. It was time for a break....

However, we all knew I couldn't stay away from crafts for too long! I miss my lovely Sweet Stampin DT lots, but have been embracing all my creative passions since stepping down from the Sweet Stampin design team, rather than focusing on just papercraft (although I do run a papercraft group for our WI!). I have been sewing a lot more and experimenting with different crafts.

I enjoyed creative April (where I made something different each day) so much that this Christmas I challenged myself to make as many presents I could....yep I had a handmade Christmas (wouldn't Kristie be proud??)

So, what did I make I hear you cry....

Nearly all the Christmas gifts I made (there are a couple missing)

A lot is the answer!

From a sewing machine tidy for my mum....

to Lego superhero cuff links for Jim my brother in law....

I thoroughly enjoyed researching things I could make myself and stretching my skills - Pintrest was my friend! There was a lot of sewing....including cute little felt dog brooches....

Fabric clutch bags.....

And a fancy wash bag for Joe, complete with pockets....

I worked with lots of materials that I hadn't used before, and where possible also made the boxes for my gifts. This included several porcelain necklaces (new material / skill) and their sparkly boxes (yes I learnt to make boxes!).....

It wasn't all fun and sequins though....about half way through I got a bit stuck for ideas, especially for Joe. I found that quite stressful until I was reminded that this was a self-imposed challenge and I didn't actually have to make every present! Silly me! Once I got over that blip it was all systems go again! 

I started quite early, making some of the items in October and the final gifts I made in the morning of Christmas Eve (cutting it a bit fine)! Overall it was a satisfying project that I really enjoyed doing - I didn't miss the usual run around the shops / online browsing but enjoyed researching gifts that I could make. Would I do it again....probably yes....but maybe not next Christmas!

I hope you've enjoyed sharing my handmade Christmas gift project - if you have any questions about any of the makes just let me know!

Thank you for popping by today,

Wedgie xxx

Terrible Teens

Hello there,

Welcome back to my crafty little blog!

It's been a while since I posted....I'm not sure where times vanishes to these days! Work is so busy and my role in our local WI group also keeps me busy - this week was our monthly meeting and it was my turn to run the evening. I dedicated my talk to the dark art of social media - sharing my blogging story and how I use social media to support my afternoon tea blog and share the crafts I make. It was great fun and I enjoyed sharing my passion with others. We had a really mixed group of ladies, ranging from the IT savvy to those who really don't use social media at all - but everyone participated and asked questions. And since we were talking about my afternoon tea blog we decided it was right to enjoy a spot of afternoon tea during the evening....

Anyway, today I'm back with another fab challenge from Sweet Stampin....I say that....but I'm not so sure I found it fab when I was trying to decide what card to make! The theme is "terrible teenagers"....but my experience of teenagers....terrible or otherwise is very limited! I had to really think about this and in the end I decided to make a card based on my teenage memorise of shopping.....I didn't really enjoy shopping as a teen....but I think I was just odd as my friends all loved spending hours in the shopping centre!

So here you go.....my terrible teenagers card....

I'm not even sure that image looks like a typical teenager either.....but you get the idea!! My image has been stamped on card and coloured with my Promarkers. I have used a selection of patterned papers with a shopping theme and plain coloured papers - lots of layering here!I have then added a hand-written sentiment (my printer has given up on me!!).

For more terrible teenager inspiration pop by the Sweet Stampin challenge blog and take a peek at the fab DT cards that have been created this week. While you're there you can also take a peek at our fab sponsor!

I've also been crafting quite a lot recently.....lots of sewing has been taking place in my craftroom! here are some of my recent makes....

Lots of small zipper pouches (I love giving these are gifts), some flower brooches and my favourite.....a fab flamingo cushion! I just loved this fabric when I first saw it and knew I needed it in my life! This cushion has taken pride of place of my sofa!

Thanks for popping by today,

Wedgie xxx

Forgotten Pleasures

Hello there,

Welcome back to Wedgie's Wonderful World.

Over the festive season I had rather a lot of time off work (lots of untaken leave that I had to use before the end of 2015) and that meant I could spend more time in my lovely craft room - woo hoo!

Last year I really started experimenting with dressmaking and machine sewing generally...it's something I have dabbled in for a number of years.....but I think I've finally got the hang of it. I'm by no means perfect.....but my wardrobe has increased with some rather lovely (even if I do say so myself) handmade clothes and I was able to give some hand sewn gifts for Christmas this year!

50s Style Handmade Dress
with circle skirt

Handmade zipper pouches made using Liberty print 

Then my mum asked whether I could help her stock a craft stall that she is thinking about taking over at her local church in 2016. This got me thinking about all the different small items I could make that might be popular......thats when I remembered my felt stash!

Ages ago I had a real thing for creating felties and other small felt items, so I thought I would give it a go again......and I am so pleased I did! I had forgotten how much I enjoy working with felt to create little items like these felt brooches....

Collection of handmade felt brooches

There is something rather wonderful and satisfying about designing and creating with felt. As long as you have the right stash at home you can make a new brooch relatively quickly....

Brooch making at the beginning

You can also add quite a bit of detail, using buttons and hand stitching to embellish your designs....

Finished felt flower brooches

I made the five brooches in the photo above in one afternoon (and that included faffing about in my craft room to find all the materials!)......so I will definitely be helping mum stock her craft stall this year!

Have you got a forgotten craft that you really enjoy doing? 

I'd love to hear about it.....

Thank you for popping by today,

Wedgie xxx

A little elegance....

Hello there,

I hope you're having a tea-riffic day!

I have a little project for you today which features two of my favourite things....tea and teacups! I saw this project in a craft magazine and since it included a little bit of sewing as well as card making (my two favourite crafting activities) I thought I would give it a try....

The card is basically an elegant teacup and a little teabag......but here is the cool thing.....you can remove the teabag from the card and use it as a bookmark.....

The teacup is made of patterned papers and is fixed on the card using 3D sticky pads, which creates a little pocket. I've opted for an art deco backing paper for the teacup, which I think is perfect for an elegant teacup.

The teabag is then made out of acetate and little gold stars.....so cute! The tag is made out of card and string and is stitched into place as you sew up the teabag. Using my sewing machine to do this took no time at all, but creates a really cute little bookmark. It was great to be able to use both my card making skills and sewing skills on one project.

I have included my tea themed sentiment on the inside of the card and carried on the gold star theme....

I liked the design so much that I decided to make another one with a slightly more rustic feel....

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations - elegance

Crafty Sentiments - anything goes

Lemon Shortbread - anything goes

Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes

Pop by all of these fab blogs to see some gorgeous DT cards!

If you fancy taking a peek at some more teacups and some scrummy cake why not pop by my afternoon tea blog.....

Tea With Me and Friends

Thank you for popping by today,

Wedgie xxx

Oh Look....it's 2016!

Hello there!

Happy Sunday! Yes, I know.....I'm a day late with my Sweet Stampin post! I had every intention of being a well behaved, super organised DT member and then I blinked and guess what....it's 2016 already and I'm late with my first card of the year!!

You may have also noticed something else....yes, I have a very colourful looking blog! I decided to start the year with a bit of colour...I have also been tidying up some of the older links of the blog to make it more up to date. It feels good to start the year with a fresh new look!

Talking of "new things" our challenge over at Sweet Stampin this week is new stash or new occasion...I went along the new occasion route...celebrating a new home.....

As well as my digi stamp image, which has been coloured with my Promakers, I have also added a felt and button flower which matches the backing paper and also a kraft paper frame which I cut out myself with a craft knife. By of these are new things that I have been experimenting with, as many of you know I love all kinds of crafts...including sewing....and I thought it would be nice to combine two of my crafty passions.

I've also included two of my other favourite things.....polka dots and white faux stitching. I spent a long time moving the layout of this card around (at one point I had three house images!) but I am really pleased with this final look. 

For more "new" inspiration pop by the Sweet Stampin Challenge blog and take a peek at all the gorgeous DT cards. While you're there you can also find out about our fab prize this week!

I'd also like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - What's new (making my own kraft frame)

Digi Designs Challenge Blog - What's new to you (that kraft frame)

Glitter & Sparkle - anything goes

Tuesday Throwdown - anything goes

Passion for Promakers - let's celebrate

Cute Card Thursday - anything goes

Pop by all these fab blogs to see some gorgeous DT cards!

Thanks for popping by today,

Wedgie xxx