Midweek Papercraft Party (35)

Welcome to another papercraft challenge!  This week's theme is Happy Days!

Last week's winners are

Donna and Jennyfer

Well done! You both win three digistamps of your choice from the Handmade Harbour shop.  Please email wendy@handmadeharbour.co.uk with your choices and I'll get them to you as soon as possible.  You also get to grab the winner's badge for your blog, which you'll find in the left hand sidebar if you scroll down a little.

Moving on to the design team creations with our Happy Days theme, I love how Teresa cleverly combined two stamps to create this cat with a candy floss (cotton candy) stall.  It conjures up summery, fun days in my head - definitely meets the happy days brief!

The candy floss cart digi is one of my favourites and I love seeing it all beautifully coloured here (I really like how Teresa created the 3D effect on the canopy with colour).  Paired with the cat digital stamp, it creates quite special card.

Oh, now here we have a card after my own heart!  I have quite a thing for seaside beach huts and this card just speaks to me of happy days - summer at the seaside!  The beach hut digital stamp is just a simple, single beach hut with a little note on the door (life's a beach) - but look how a bit of background and some fabulous colour can really bring it to life!

Elina used a homemade embossing paste for the sand - very effective, I think.  I love it.

Emma at the Sparkly Fairy created something quite simple but very special.  I love how just a touch of colour (and maybe glitter, too) on a digital stamp creates a wonderful image - a purrfect card! 

This might be a papercraft challenge, but we can't leave out fabric creations using digital stamps (digis are perfect for applique designs, especially raw-edge techniques with free machine embroidery).  This adorable notebook cover was created by Josie using the elephant and bird digital stamp. What a superb gift this makes!

Josie combined it with a tiny scrap of elephant fabric from her stash - the perfect finishing touch!

I hope you find something from this post to inspire you this week - whether it's one of the design team's designs or the theme, or colours... whatever, it's always good to find inspiration!

If you'd like to join in our challenge this week, it's easy.  Please add your link below so we can visit you.  We're looking forward to seeing your creations!

PS: Handmade Harbour has a brand new Facebook group!  Please follow the link if you'd like to join us on Facebook!

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Handmade Harbour's Facebook Group...

A very quick announcement - Handmade Harbour now has a Facebook group!

It's a place where you can share your own crafts and craft-related news, as well as find out more about Handmade Harbour - please feel free to have a mooch and join us!  It's brand new so looking a little bit lonely at the moment!

The group was very kindly set up by Martha - thanks so much Martha!  I'm looking forward to seeing how this new development works out!

hen party rosette by Teresa using the Girls Celebrating digital stamp

Handmade Monday 165

Welcome to another Handmade Monday!  I don't know about you, but time seems to be speeding by at an alarming rate - these weeks come by far too quickly!  Magazine projects and deadlines seem to make time go even more quickly, as I'm always looking ahead.  I think we need a pause button sometimes - anyone else feel that?

But (maybe at least getting a sense of slowing down slightly) I'm loving the vintage feel on my latest card making project for Craftseller magazine..

These cards utilise the free papers that Craftseller will be giving away with issue 38, but I also got to use a free download from The Graphics Fairy in the form of a French postcard back - which I just love.

And as I was speaking of magazine projects, vintage and looking ahead...this is part of the latest projects, too:

Quentin news
Guide dog puppy Quentin is still doing well.  He's pretty good now at sitting on my left hand side, responds really well to come, sit, wait and (to a lesser degree) down and is starting to learn the command stand (from a sitting position).

I have my eye on that treat in your hand...

 I think he's getting better on the lead, although there are times he doesn't seem to quite understand that walks are for walking, not for sitting, lying down or chewing his lead (or my legs, which clearly seem tempting at times!).

Yes, I'm gorgeous!

He likes people very much.  Too much, probably, because he pulls to go towards people whenever he's out - he does have to learn that he can't get attention from everyone he meets!  It's hard, because most people want to stroke him and he just wants to be stroked.

Lying down for a treat - I like that idea!

Over to you now...how has your week been? What have you been making?

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Midweek Papercraft Party (34)

Hello and welcome to the latest papercraft party!  Sorry I'm late this week - I can't blame anything except chaos from magazine deadlines and Easter getting in the way.  Still, it was nice to have a break, even if it did create a backlog of work!

Our theme for this week is birthday or best wishes but before we get to that, let's announce last week's winners...

Carol and Lori

Congrats, ladies - could you please email wendy@handmadeharbour.co.uk with your choice of 3 images - thanks so much for taking part, it's always appreciated and it's always great to see what you've made!

It's always great to see what the design team has been making too!  Here we go...we have a slightly depleted team this week, but hopefully we'll be back up to speed by next week!

Lynne made this lovely card, using the new girls celebrating digital stamp - perfect for a birthday!

Lynne didn't stop there though and made another!  I love all the sparkle in these - it really adds to that party atmosphere!

Rachel made this beautiful birthday card for a thirtieth.  The cat and chicken digistamp was originally designed for my niece's 30th birthday, but I thought it might be worth sharing!

If you've been making cards for birthdays or just sending some best wishes, we'd love to see them!  Feel free to join in with the papercraft party this week... 

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Handmade Monday 164

Happy Handmade Monday and Happy Easter!  I hope you're managing to enjoy your Easter weekend, whatever you're doing.

The May issue of Sewing World magazine really made me smile!  One of the themes in a lot of my sewing projects is organisation - not because I'm really well-organised, but because I would like to be!  So this title on my latest project for Sewing World kind of spoke to me - it's entitled Oh to be Organised!

The project is a dinky little notepad wallet, with zipped pockets and an integrated pen holder.  The notepad is A6 size, but the pattern could quite easily be adapted to suit any size really.  The main fabrics are from Wholeport -  they're leftovers from other projects (you really don't need much fabric for this project).

Quentin News...

Guide dog puppy Quentin went to his very first puppy training class this week!  It's a special class just for guide dog puppies and Quentin was the smallest puppy there this week.  He was too excited to take much in, but I was able to take home some tips for his continued learning.  I didn't manage to take any photos though - far too hectic!

He's starting to learn how to sit on my left hand side (rather than just in front of me) because that's going to be quite important when he's a working guide dog.  He's not quite so brilliant on the down command, which I suspect will take some time.  He's learning the wait command too, and sits and waits at meal times for his food (which I think shows considerable restraint at only 3 months!) and just today he's started responding to wait in other situations, too.

This made me laugh - he doesn't usually sleep with his head on the floor!  Most of the time, his bed is still quite adequate, as he likes to curl up.  But there are moments it seems he needs the next size up!  He's growing very quickly!

It's your turn now - how has your week been?

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Midweek Papercraft Party (33)

Welcome to another papercraft challenge!

This week's theme is home and family - you're free to do whatever you like within that remit.  I'm loving the design team's work this week - but before we get to that, let me announce last week's winner:

Carol

Carol, please email wendy@handmadeharbour.co.uk with your choice of three digistamps as winner this week.

OK, back to this week and our Home and Family theme...

Emma at The Sparkly Fairy made this gorgeous cottage card (I think I want to live here - it looks so cosy and welcoming!).  I love the way the slates on the roof are different shades and look old!  Emma used the pretty cottage digital stamp for this card.

Teresa at The Fat Cactus used tea and cake and special friends digis to make this fabulous card:

Lynne made this gorgeous card from the new dog at the window digital stamp.  

Elina at Scrapbooks Crafts and Cards has made another gorgeous card - and full of detail, too.  She says she had great fun creating the stone effect on the house and pavement (sidewalk).  This is another new digital stamp - it's called Happy New Home and the sentiment is included.

I guess it's no surprise that dogs feature twice in a home and family theme - they're a huge part of many families!  Frezja made this gorgeous thank you card:

Last but by no means least, we've got Josie from Sew for Soul showing us that digital stamps are not just for papercraft!  She's used the sewing machine digital stamp to make a zipped pouch, superb for keeping a few sewing essentials (especially when you are travelling and taking along a sewing project or two!).

I love that fabric Josie used for the sewing machine, don't you?

We'd love to see your home and family themed crafts this week - especially if you've used digital stamps and even more especially if you've used a Handmade Harbour digi!  

Every week you get the chance to win three digital stamps of your choice - a perfect way to build up your collection at no cost!

To join in, simply...

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Handmade Monday 163

Hello!  Welcome to Handmade Monday!

This week I have to say I am completely in awe of anyone who does a lot of quilling.  Now, I haven't quilled in many, many years - until this week.  I was asked by Craftseller magazine to make some 3D quilled items for a wedding.  How many coils of paper did I create?  I'm not entirely sure but it was in triple figures.  I don't think it reached four figures, though, thankfully!

I always enjoy a diversion and a chance to try crafts I don't normally do, but I have to admit to feeling slightly relieved when all the quilling was done!  This is a craft that really requires a higher degree of patience than I seem to possess. And it was quite tiny!  Here's part of the project sitting on top of the notes I was making so I could write up the instructions:

One thing I did love about this project was the chance to try something that is really quite traditional and play around with it a little bit for more up to date results.

Quentin news...

I ordered breakfast in bed...

Guide dog puppy Quentin has had his vaccination and is allowed to go out for walkies!  This was his first walk, this morning!

He's still not allowed on grassy areas (until his next vaccination) although he's OK to play in our garden.  So his walks will be limited to pavements (and of course shopping centres!) for a few weeks, which is OK because that still gives us a lot to explore and chance to keep improving those lead skills...

...although it seems he has his posing-for-the-camera skills perfected! 

Here he is having a rare moment of quiet...

And here he is waiting for that string of sausages to start moving again so he can pounce on them!

People keep saying "How will you be able to give him back?"  I don't really know how to answer that one, because of course I love him to bits already!   It will be a day of mixed emotions, that's for sure!

For now, though, he's sleeping soundly and it's over to you for Handmade Monday!

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An Easter Basket for Mummy and Daddy

What's not to love with this project?  It combines paper, glue, chocolate and a small child!

I was sent some packs of Cadbury's Egg and Spoon Easter eggs to craft with, and my granddaughter Emily, aged 3, was delighted to get sticky in the name of Easter presents for Mummy and Daddy!  

Emily worked hard with glue and paper, and concentrated for such a long time on gluing and sticking.  

In fact, once the baskets were complete, she couldn't stop herself and added more embellishments with the scraps that were hanging around ...

She chose some flowery paper from my stash for the handles and we found some co-ordinating paper that had feathers on - perfect for a pair of pink chickens, we thought!

I did the cutting, and Emily did pretty much all the gluing.  She also spent a long time peeling glue from her fingers.  She enjoyed that part almost as much as sticking the paper down, I think.

The chickens are made from bits of screwed-up newspaper held together with sellotape...

Emily then covered them to make her pretty pink chickens... I added the beaks and the hairdo!  She added their eyes herself when the (rather generous amounts of) glue had dried.

I think Mummy and Daddy will enjoy getting their chicken and eggs for Easter!  And Emily was so engrossed in her crafting that she didn't once ask for chocolate, despite it being there in front of her!!

Midweek Papercraft Party (32)

Hello and welcome to another papercraft party!  Our theme for this week is Home and/or Family!

Before we get down to creativity, let me announce last week's winner, who are:

Andrea and Joanne

Well done! You both win three digital stamps of your choice from the Handmade Harbour store. Please email wendy@handmadeharbour.co.uk with your choice of images.

Home and Family is our inspiration and challenge this week and here's what the design team has rustled up for you...

I love this card by Lynne - the way just one of the houses is coloured in is really effective.  The sentiment comes with the image - it's one of the new digital stamps only just released this week.

Rachel's card uses the same image and a similar idea with the sparing use of colour...

Aleksandra used the Cat in window box stamp - a fabulous, fun image for any cat lover and definitely conjuring up feelings of home and family!  A perfect image for this challenge!  That cat looks contented!

As usual, we'd love to see what you've been making.  By joining in, you get the chance to win 3 digital stamps of your choice from the Handmade Harbour shop.

If you use Handmade Harbour images, it increases your chance of winning.  You can buy digital stamps from the website, or you can get free digis to try them out!

OK, so it's over to you if you're playing along this week...

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Handmade Monday 162

Hello! Welcome to Handmade Monday!

I want to show you something one of my daughters made for me.  My oldest daughter has begun papercutting and is loving it!

She made me a gorgeous whimsical personalised papercut for Mother's Day - this house has chickens (complete with cute chicken coop) and a little dog kennel too! Oh, and with the name Quentin papercut onto the kennel!  The finished piece measures 6" square and is cut from one sheet of paper, so some of these details are really very intricate...her artwork is always highly detailed and precise, so papercutting suits her style, I think.

The papercut is mounted in a 3D frame, and in artificial light, the papercut throws shadows onto the colour at the back.  I love the effect.

I really think she could start selling these (she's got some health problems and is finding her current work, dog grooming, quite difficult as it's very physical work at times).  What do you think about her papercut?  If you have any comments, I'll pass them onto her!

Quentin Update:
Guide Dog puppy Quentin is learning to walk on the lead.  He's not allowed out where other dogs are for another week yet, but I can walk him on the driveway and in shopping centres.  The support from Guide Dogs is really good - I have a lovely and very helpful Puppy Walking Supervisor who gives me lots of tips and techniques for getting him to do things.  He's got a long way to go as far as lead work is concerned - but I was thrilled when one of the techniques meant he trotted nicely by my side instead of pulling! In case you're interested, the trick was having a lure (a toy or tiny treat) in your hand, near him but just out of reach.  He gets to play or gets the treat during or after his short walk!

Having plenty of chew toys and tug toys is proving essential!  Luckily, Quentin isn't too bothered about what they look like and they are easy to rustle up from old jeans and T-shirts.  Ideas for more handmade puppy toys are playing around in my head just now...

Of course, all that lead work and playing makes a boy tired...his gentle snoring and muffled sleepy woofs really make me smile!

How has your week been?  If you would like to join in with Handmade Monday, you're very welcome...

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Midweek Papercraft Party (31)

Hello!  It's time for another papercraft party!

This week our theme is Spring or Easter!

We've had some gorgeous spring weather here in Cheshire, UK, although it's a bit grey again today!  I love spring when everything starts to grow again - blossom on the trees and daffodils lining the roads!  So I'd love to see some cards with a spring feel!

Last week's winner is:

Laura Le

Well done!  Please email wendy@handmadeharbour.co.uk with your choice of three digis from the Handmade Harbour shop.

As always, I love seeing what the design team has been making.  Let's take a peek...

Teresa made a gorgeous Easter gift bag.  I love this - so pretty!  Teresa used the cute bunny with flowers digi for this (the sentiment with lots of love at the top of the gift bag comes with the image).

Elina went outside the box with this project! She used the Cute Easter Chick image and mod podged it onto a plain puzzle base. She thought this would make a cute Easter gift to put in her daughter's basket this year. She loves doing puzzles! The two pics to show the puzzle before it was completed and the finished product.

Emma at The Sparkly Fairy used the stripey chicken stamp to make a lovely Easter card! 

Josie has wowed me again with her digital stamps turned into super cute little egg cosies!  These egg cosies will be perfect for Easter celebrations and gifts - I know Josie has made a lot of these! Josie adapted the owl waiting for Santa digi (one of the great things about digital stamps is how you can alter details quite easily) and the flower is from the flowers on the hill stamp.  The butterfly is from the butterflies and hearts stamp.  If you love raw edge applique, you'll love Josie's blog!  Aren't they adorable?

  

Frezja's card makes me think of spring - lovely bright flowers and sunshiney colours!  This is a card that would brighten anyone's day!

Have you had spring or Easter in mind with your papercrafting projects?  We'd love you to join in the party if you have!  Just leave your link below, and enjoy browsing the other links!  There are digital stamps of your choice to be won every week!

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