Polkadoodles Challenge Week 33

As I am a confirmed Polkadoodles addict, I thought I would have a go at one of their weekly cardmaking challenges. This week's challenge has been set by team member Ruth and it's quite a tricky one! The theme of the challenge is 'Single Layer Cards', either printing or stamping directly on the card, and only using minimal embellishments to finish it off.

For someone like me who struggles with the 'less is more' concept, this was a challenge indeed. I really did have to restrain myself!

I used the 'Mummy' black and white digi stampi from the fabulous 'Sundae of Seasons' CD-Rom (available from Polkadoodles of course!). I coloured the Mummy using the new Flex Markers from Letraset, then hand stitched around the image with a thick cotton floss to give the impression of a red layer under the image. To add another 'fake' layer, I coloured in a rectangle around the Mummy and red stitching, again using Flex Markers. To enhance the effect, I added faux running stitches using a white Sakura pen around the rectangle, which makes it pop out from the card a little bit more. I edited one of Nikky's sentiments from the same CD and printed it directly on to the card. As I couldn't help myself, I finished the project off with a short piece of Cosmo Cricket ribbon woven through the card, tied in a knot.

It is my birthday in October, so I think nearer the time, I will leave this card laying about in the hope that one of my three little ones writes it out and gives it to me, along with birthday breakfast in bed and a whole load of crafty goodies for a present (I'm compiling a Polkadoodles wish list kids, just in case you were wondering what Mummy wants for her birthday - the last one in my 30's, so don't forget 39 'kisses' in the card lovely children!!).

Welcome

Glad you could join me!

Having crafted all of my life pretty much (yep, pretty sure I was making things in my cot as a tiny babe), I don't have one particular craft I prefer, but I am hardly ever to be found without at least one fabric, yarn, paper or mixed media project underway!

This means that Toadstool Curio is an ecclectic mix of handmade, vintage, embellished and upcycled items from baby gifts, new mum essentials, one-off clothing designs, fashion accessories, home decoratives, gifts, cards, scrapbooks and much more.

I also design sewing patterns, digital stamps for cardmaking / scrapbooking and occasionally sell crafting supplies for those who like to make their own goodies.

I have a shop front at Folksy. If you fancy a visit sometime, hop on over to www.Folksy.com/shops/ToadstoolCurio Look forward to seeing you there! I also welcome commissions for a huge variety of handmade items. Looking for a special gift? Just email me info@toadstoolcurio.co.uk with details and I'll let you know what I can offer.

Cherries

This time of year, I usually like to pick lovely fresh cherries. As I can't walk at the moment, I am pretty much housebound, so no cherry picking for me! Instead, I think I'll set myself the challenge of crafting some cherry themed items over the next week or so. Or perhaps I'll just send someone out to buy me some...

A Card for Oliver

I always keep the cards that I make for our children. I intend to scrap them someday. This means added pressure to make something they'll like (and that I will still be happy with in years to come!) and not just give in and buy something from Tesco's! For Oliver's 7th birthday card this summer, I decided that he might like one of my manga-inspired robots. I added a piece of chain from a keyring, a press stud, a cog and part of an old McDonalds toy to add to the futuristic effect! I've been known to use can ring-pulls, old earrings, clothing tag barcodes and electronics components before now on this type of card. I'm nothing if not resourceful...

Cards to Welcome a Baby Boy

A friend recently asked me to make a personalized card to celebrate the arrival of her new nephew. I couldn't stop at just one, so made her a few cards to choose from, include one which folded out to spell 'Baby' on the outside with vintage images inside. I then went on to make a few more in similar designs, but for girls as I have several friends all with babies due over the summer. What better excuse to play around with some gorgeous vintage baby images and soft new-born colours.

Simple Sun Dress

Whenever I am organised enough, I like to make handmade gifts. Of course, not everyone appreciates them, but hey, I enjoy making them! My daughter Purdey has been a really popular little girl since starting at infants school this year. She gets invited to so many parties, which means sooo many presents! For her friend Maya's 5th birthday, Purdey told me that she wanted me to make Maya a pretty sun dress. I made a simple smock-topped dress in 100% cotton, which had co-ordinating wide ruched straps which can be worn on the shoulder, off the shoulder or with the straps tucked in to make it, well, obviously, strapless! Luckily, my wonderful Brother ES2410 sewing machine is a whizz at smocking, so it was a joy to whip up this little number.

As usual, the dress is modelled reluctantly by Purdles in our, rather overgrown, backgarden. Having given this dress a road-test, Purdey then demanded I make her atleast two, frogmarching me to my fabric stash so that she could pick out exactly what they should be made from. She most certainly is her mother's daughter!

Victorian Costumes

Each year, we take our three children to Rochester's Dickens' Festival. Not that they are really old enough to appreciate the works of Dickens, but they love the costumes, theparades, the Punch and Judy shows, the charity lucky dip stalls and, of course, the fun fair. This year, I decided to make them some simple costumes so that they could join in. They were filthy by the end of the day (far too many pale colours for three children under the age of 7), but they had a great time. The only low point of the day was when Purdey lost her hand-made sateen bonnet in a gust of wind! Never mind, it would be too small for her by the time next year's festival comes round anyway.

Carte Postale

Thought I would share a digital scrapbook layout I have finished this weekend, featuring my beautiful 5 year old daughter, Purdey. It is mostly using the gorgeous 'Carte Postale' kit from http://www.digital-crea.fr/ plus a few bits and pieces I whipped up in Photoshop. I love the vintage feel to the finished layout. When I create traditional 'paper' layouts, I tend to use hidden journalling so that I can keep what I have written fairly private unless I choose to share it. In my digital layouts, I rarely add any journalling, as I generally print the finished layout anyway (I am a paper-lover at heart) and then use the opportunity to slip a journalling tag between pages to write my thoughts/feelings/comments. Sneaky, I know, but I think it gives the page breathing space.