Toyota Elena Auto 7 - New Adventure Part 1

When I was around 8 years old, we had a neighbour who had a knitting machine. It was my first touch of how easy and fast it was knitting! The lady taught me to knit a skirt and a nice knitted vest, oh boy how much I loved them. The experience of machine knitting and my beautiful knitted clothes.

For few years I've been thinking to get a machine ,but only if I find a bargain. There are tons of risks naturally buying a second hand machine, but I wasn't looking anything fancy. Definitely not electrical or electronic thing. Not too complicated either, my brain is not the same as before, due heavy medication and heheheh, old age.

Well, there is was, ebay starting price £29.99

Yes, I won the auction, for some reason I was the only bidder. Lucky me! There is exact same model with same accessories asking price £250! 

Next hurdle was to get machine home. Wonderful girl from our congregation helped me out and  collected TEA home. (Yes, TEA as Toyota Elena Auto)

This Toyota model was in production circa 1985, time when machines were made for last. It says "Full metal needle bed, 4.5mm". I assume this is important information. Ok, time to open the box. Boxes, as there was also a Lace Carriage included. And punch cards and manuals and sketch papers.

Okay, this is all for now. Need to read manuals. Several times. Slowly. Absorbing the information. 

Tea Time

It's windy out there and sky is darkening more and more. It's Ophelia, or what ever is left of this hurricane, coming for a visit. We are all safe and well and it's a perfect time for a nice cup of tea!

Lili of the Valley stamps are cute, how ever long you have had them, and over and over again it is nice to take a stamps and markers out and do something!

Again I took and embossing folder and sanding paper out. The effect is such a nice change for most of the time using design papers.

Easel cards are easy to make and it doesn't need too much to secure the standing. This time I glued 5 4mm rhinestones. Works well :)

Card blank - Craft UK

Stamp - Lili of the Valley

Colours - Promarkers (Letraset)

BP - stash

Die cuts - Tonic Studios, Spellbinders, Sizzix

Embossing folder - bought from China, no marking for manufacturer

Embossed card - Tim Holtz brand

+ a bit of sanding

Flowers - made by me

Rhinestones and ribbons - stash

I hope there is still time to take part:

Passion for Promarkers - #416 Embossing

Color Inspiration Monday - Hand Colored Images 

Crafting from the Heart - Always Anything Goes 

Cutie Pie Challenge - must be cute - #116 THINK PINK

Bunch of Flowers

Thankfully we have had quite beautiful autumn weather here in Yorkshire, but bunch of flowers always makes you feel warmer. I prefer flowers in their natural habitat, not in a vase. Embossed, stamped, hand crafted, drawn, painted, etc etc are all beautiful and those ones I love.

Here is one flowery card I made yesterday:

Card blank - Craft UK 8x8
Embossing Folder - 

Card Stock - blue is Tim Holtz brand and after embossed it, I used sandpaper to make the image clearer. (I LOVE sanding)

BP - stash - it was fun to cut pieces of 2" wide strips to cover 8x8 card - very therapeutic 

Flowers - made by me and Silhouette Cameo cutter 
Paper for Flowers - Lidl 

Sentiment - by using Silhouette Cameo cutter pens and blade

Music Sweet Music

Autumn is knocking the door and when you need some cheering up (cheer up and chin up), Art Impressions stamps are just perfect for any occasion.

Here is one of my favourites, hehe, it's me although I don't have a piano, but enthusiasm is like looking at the mirror, perfect :)

Card blank - 8x8 die cutting using Go Kreate Frilly #7

Stamp - AI - U1527 Betty

Coloring - Promarkers from Letraset (old name)

Backing papers - Dovekraft / Lidl 

Gems - stash

Flowers - me, scraps, gems, glue and Tonic Studios punch

Distressing touch - Ranger Tim Holtz

Sentiment - sort of from Cliff Richard's Congratulations song

Challenges for this one:

Passion for ProMarkers - #415 Pretty in Pink

Looking for Greener Grass

There is something very sweet in this stamp. From the biggest to the smaller they work together to give Mr Big Pig a chance to look for the greener grass. 

Got this stamp from eBay years ago, but unfortunately never got the front part. Never mind, this is such a beauty anyway. Not the first time I made this to a card :) 

All farm animals like spring and yay! will get out and enjoy sunshine, nice warm promise of summer and want to wonder around. (Clearly I have no idea of real farm life, but here we go!)

Stamp - Art Impressions U1719 Pig (front and) Back

Colours - Prismacolors Pencils

Card blank - Craft UK

Backing papers - Trimcraft

Flowers - small made using Cheery Lynn die + distress inks

Flowers - big made using Britannia die + distress inks

Card stock - Image stamped on Papermill 300gsm ivory card

and white hammered card backing is from Crafter's Companion

Cutting die - Go Kreate Frilly #3

Anything else - stash

Some nice challenges:

Crafty Catz – #162 - Anything Goes with a twist: Touch Of Pink (PIG)

Art Impressions Stamp Challenge  #204 Spring-y Cards

Moving along with the Times 2W,3E #41 Handmade or Die Cut Flowers

What the Bookshelf Is For

Adorable stamp, isn't it? Two cats relaxing and feeling cosy. Millions of details to colour, and that is what I love about this Charles Wysocki's stamp "Frederick the Literate".

Card blank - 8x8 Craft UK
Stamp - Charles Wysocki "Frederick the Literate" (Stamps Happen) - I've been looking for information of when the stamp was released, but no luck. Artist passed away 2002 and stamp was released by Mosaic Licensing. 
Colouring - Promarkers and Flexmarkers
Design Papers - Trimcraft
All the rest - stash

Challenges: 
Passion for ProMarkers - Week 386 Lace/Ribbon/Twine
Crafty Creations - #336 Always Anything Goes 
Retro Rubber Challenge - (must use rubber stamp you had for some time/at least a year) - Anything Goes
Through The Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes
The Ribbon Girls - must use ribbon, must be a card – Any Card with Ribbon 
Color Inspiration Monday - Always Anything Goes with hand-colored image
Crafting from the Heart - Always Anything Goes

Wedding Congratulations

I'm sure 3D paper crafting is familiar and popular everywhere and it's something I've always enjoyed. Here's my wedding congrats keepsake for a couple who are in same congregation where I am and I was privileged to design and make all wedding stationary. (Hmm... I should have pics somewhere!)

A Very Proud Grandma Presents

Long time since last blogging. Well, here I am now and happy. Happy because I am a GRANDMOTHER. It was quite certainly one of the happiest days in my life when son told me the news that they are expecting. I was laughing and crying same time, heart was singing tunes and I felt so proud and happy for my son and daughter-in-law.

Here's the one I sent after birth.

Colouring by Promarkers and Flexmarkers

Flowers coloured using Distress Inks

Embossing board is Keepsake Glitter Girls Board #50

Die cuts Marianne Design

Cardstock Crafter's Companion

Challenge for this:

Passion for Promarkers - Week 385 It's a boy

Through The Craft Room Door - March 7 - 13

Mermaid in Blue

I do believe that mermaid are just fantasy and result of wild running, or should I say swimming, imagination but digistamps from Make it Crafty are fabulous to colour and if this bothers anyone, please think this was just a costume party outfit ;)

Flowers I made using Britannia cutting dies
Embossed sea is by Fiskars embossing plate
Embossed light cream card from Papermill, 
embossing folder Crafter's Companion 
and a bit of Ranger - Tim Holtz Distress ink. 
Ribbon and pearls are from by endless drawers 
Sentiment is from Lili of the Valley
Backing paper could be Docrafts or First Edition
Card blank is 8x8 Craft UK
Coloured using Promarkers

Baby News

It's always great news when hearing wonderful miracle happening, a new life has been created. This is a card to first time parents to be.

Digistamp - Make it Crafty
Colouring - Promarkers
Cutting dies - Spellbinders, Tonic Studios

Apr-CAS-MiC-Sketch

You really must love abbreviations ;)
April
Clean and simple
Make it Crafty
Sketch Challenge

Digistamp - Make it Crafty Adele

Colouring - Promarkers

Dies - Spellbinders

Embossing folder - Couture Creations 

Golden card - Create and Craft

All the rest - stash

From Make it Crafty website: This month our challenge is a Sketch Challenge! Here is the Sketch we would like you to play with:

Join the challenge, it's fun!

Fancy a Cuppa?

There is something special in Make it Crafty "Little Houses". This is a teapot and I wanted to try kraft + Prismacolor Premiers and Metallics.

Every month Make it Crafty has a colouring challenge and March Challenge was Bubbles. Heh, this blog post is written after all the fun. I really need to shake all the dust off and blog more often! There are lot of cards and keepsakes I've made :) Watch this space ;)

Challenge:

Make it Crafty: #31 Bubbles

Till next time :)

Giving a Bit Different Thanks

We are in middle of September and I feel it is a good time for me posting this card. It's showing someone how I really appreciate our friendship.

Kenny K's Krafty Krew has a new challenge, 

# 203 Anything Goes with a Twist "Thank You"

Random winner's prize is 3 free digis of the Winner's Choice, 5 if twist is used.

The Top 3 will be chosen by KennyKs Krafty Krew 

Prize will be one (1) digi for each of you

Remember you MUST use a KennyK digi or stamp to qualify for a prize!

Kenny is always offering a free image, visit the shop and you will find it there :)

Very minimalistic colouring, and it works beautifully with backing paper and embellishments. 

Image is Kenny K digistamp - Kitty Katastrophe

Colours - Promarkers

DP - Docrafts

Sentiment - typed and printed

Swirl - Tonic Studios

Flowers - scraps stash

Black flowers - Tonic Studios punch

Purple flowers - made a file and cut it

Glitter - Mod Podge

Oval dies - Tonic Studios

Sentiment cutting shape - made a file and cut it 

Pearls - stash 

Challenges to take part:

• Crafting from the Heart - Always Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Always Anything Goes
• Eclectic Ellapu - Use something in your stash that is 6 months or older (papers, embellishments, punch...)
• One Stitch At A Time - #245 Anything Goes with Gratitude (what you are thankful for)
• Crafting-With-Friends - Anything Goes
• Simply Papercraft - No. 13 Anything Goes
• Passion for Promarkers - Week 313 Use Sentiment
• Where the HeART is - #1 Add Some Text

It's your turn now!

Flowers Again

Here we go.

I think it was a cool to add some black.