V&A Ring Update

I've had the exciting news today that my ring has been shortlisted for the V&A Inspired by... competition. I have to take it to the V&A on Friday, and I guess they look at it (so far they have only seen photos of it). And I see what happens next. I'm happy though.

Silver Jewellery

Something else I've been working on recently - a commission for a friends birthday. Got it back from hallmarking yesterday, so its had its final polish, and will be handed over later today.

It was quite fiddly to make, but not too difficult, just a little time consuming.

(The dot in the top left is a speck of dust inside the camera lens - the only way to get it removed is by sending off for a clean - and I haven't got any lovely photo editing software that I can remove it with. And the thought of being without a camera for a few weeks is what is really putting me off doing it.)

PTI playday!

Well our PTI playday is almost here. There is a group of us on ILWS that have arranged to get together and do a shoebox swap - we each design a card/project and put all the supplies in a shoebox for making that project (enough for one each). Tomorrow we (mostly all) get together to make our projects - a few will be playing from home as they could not make it along.

My card is shown below


And it can be made either way.

Card, ink and ribbon, all stampin up.

Stamps and dies all from PTI

I made some card candy too (little 'elements' that can be stuck onto a card) - but don't have a picture of that. Perhaps after tomorrow I will have one to show.

PTI Challenge Day 2

Well its day 2 of our challenge, and today, rather than taking inspiration and producing a card, I did my best to copy Nicole Heady's card below (original post by Nicole is here - scroll down a bit for this card).


Anyway, this is my version. I don't have the exact polkadot stamp set used, and rather than tearing a page from a book I stamped the written background.

I'm pretty pleased with the result. I'm getting alot out of these challenges - finding ways of using stamp sets I already have, and dies. It really makes you think about how with a little adjustment, you can get by.

Not sure I'll do tomorrows challenge (at work all day), or Sunday's (having a fun 'playday' with some fellow stampers. But I might do a 'catch up' on Monday. Just need to pick at least one project per day to find inspiration from.

PTI Challenge

There is a group of us over at ILWS that love PTI products, but this month we are trying to resist the new release stamps and dies, so have challenged ourselves to create something that takes inspiration from the release projects, using current stash that we already have.

This is the first card by Nicole Heady (her orignal post can be found here)


And my slightly more muted version - I made a little mistake in the stamping, so had to change the orientation, so I could stick my sentiment over the top to hide it! A very simple card, that really didn't take long to make at all.

And the next card by Nicole that I took my inspiration from:

And my card, agian in soft colours. Had to make my own gingham pattern, using some distressed stripes, and instead of using the simple framed shape (not yet released), I used mat stack 4 die and stamp set, and Fillable Frames 12 for the sentiment. I've loaned my flower die to someone, but managed to find this felt flower I'd had hanging around to use instead.

It was a fun challenge. And I'm going to try pick a project from the next few release days to take inspiration from too. Hopefully will take enough of the shine off the new stuff for me to not want to go straight out and buy it! At least for now.

Random Stuff!

My daughter is continually admiring her rounded stomach (gernerally after a large dinner), and pronouncing she has a baby in her tummy. Well, tonight was obviously the night, that her tummy expanded, helped enormously by a balloon (all her doing). She happily posed for the camera.

Later, at bedtime stories (balloon now gone), she told me the baby had come out of her tummy and was sleeping. If only it really was that simple...

I'm currently enjoying making banners, and this one was for hubby, and his recent birthday. A complete surprise for him - I'd had to wait till he had gone to bed before stringing it up ready for him to see in the morning (after his breakfast in bed). Not a great photo, due to flash requirement, this was taken on a very grey day.

And a close up of the individual banner triangles - you can't really see but I have used patterned papers (Stampin up - sweat pea).

And finally, I've entered a competition, run by the V&A, Inspired by... The entry form and photos arrived with them today (I've done the on-line tracking thing with RM), so I'm hoping that it stands out and they like it. If they do, the winners (?) entries are displayed in an exhibition in June this year - would be great to be able to say I had something exhibited at the V&A wouldn't it? But I expect there are a high number of entrants, all with stunning entries (variety of mediums), so I'm trying to be realistic about my chances. Still, it was a challenging piece to make, which I enjoyed. I also left it a bit last minute - really should have been more organised about this.

Clearly if my ring is picked to be displayed, I shall be shouting from the rooftops about it. If not, you probably won't here about this again... I won't know until March some time.

Christmas

Well, Christmas Day was lovely. Callum's obvious delight at receiving his DS




James was also over the moon with hits train set

And Millie loves her huge doll

And this was the box for table favors that I made. A sizzix die cut the boxes, I printed names onto card then punched them out with a large circle punch from SU, and the snowflake stamped, and placed on red card cut from a lable die from PTI. The card goes all the way round the box. And inside? Little gifts taylored to the receipient - they all enjoyed so much more than some tacky gift from a cracker, and I spent less than a box of crackers on the lot!

Happy New Year!