Tim Burton inspired craft swap

So i can finally show you what i made for the
Tim Burton Inspired Craft Swap
organised by the fantastic
Meridian Ariel
my partner has let me know that her parcel made it to America
BUT she is not going to open it intil she has sent my parcel
i can wait no longer to blog about it so have warned her off my blog :)

everything to be squeezed into a shoe box!

some crafty treats

a pumpkin softie or pin cushion
i made it with a vintage linen napkin - a recycled t-shirt - a vintage duffle coat toggle
and a big m.o.p. button

i found this swap really hard
which really surprised me as i love Tim Burton films
but i just couldn't get the creative juices flowing

collections of supplies lay around the work table
failing to inspire me

i had decided early on i was going to decorate a tote bag
i used this one which i'd previously dyed in burlesque red
my swap partners colour choices were i'm afraid ignored
as burlesque red - orange and teal seemed to force themselves onto this project!
i'd never of thought of using these colours together normally
but they just seemed right.

i used a band of vintage cotton lace aound the top of the bag
made several suffolk puffs from a vintage pillowcase
i'd recently inherited from my great Aunt

and selected some vintage doilies and teal buttons
made a teal zipper rossette
and pinned them to the bag
at this point i wandered off for several weeks
occasionally re-arranging the different elements

my swap partners favourite Tim Burton character is Sally
from the Nightmare before Christmas
i had a patchwork theme in my mind and visible stitches
but i've not yet attempted patchwork {scared}
so i felt these different textures and colours
could represent Sally's dress

and the embroidery the stitches Sally uses to sew her body parts back to together
the words are from the song she sings about her love for Jack Skellington

it always amazes me how many things i make for a swap
that never make into the final selection
does anyone else do that?
these spiders seemed a good idea but didn't quite work out!


so there you have it
everything i made i have made this year
i can't understand what has happened to my creativity
this time last year my blog hits were through the roof
i was prolific in my crafting
i need my mojo back
if you see it please send it home.

Button Swap

Kitty Ballistic has set up a button swap over on the crafter...oo forum
swap entries close at the end of the week so HURRY !!!

http://www.crafteroo.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=8300.0

lots of good people already signed up
a nice cheap'n'easy swap
go on - go on - g'wan
:D

and if you've learned anything on my blog
it is surely that i have a HUGE button surplus!
more button swaps i say!

omg Doctor Who AND Neil Gaiman . . . . . swoon.

Two of my favourite things in one place
an episode of Doctor Who written by Neil Gaiman
omg
plus from the clips it also looks steampunky
yay!

i'm so looking forward to this episode
hopefully it'll make up for last weeks
ok but nothing special episode

i know it's only Monday but woo-hoo roll on Saturday!!!!

oh and it's got Ood's!

Rule Britannia

what a lovely day we had
watching the wedding on tv
admiring the lovely choice of wedding dress
checking out the days fashion statements
wondering what the hell Princess Beatrice had on her head
and how Victioria Beckham can walk in those shoes :O
i thought it was a great show
especially loved all the military uniforms
and the carriages
and the day off
:)

did you watch it?
what did you think?

Easter fun!!!

sorry i've not been blogging lately
we've been too busy having fun in the easter holiday sunshine!!!
It has been so beautiful here in Devon
sun, sun and more sun!

we watched James May's second attempt to run his train from Barnstaple to Bideford
we went to the paddling pool at the park
we went for nature hunts
had icecream on the beach
we walked the coastal path
we hunted pond creatures and found them :)

we watched the long awaited Doctor Who
oh my god
we loved it - did you?

but my brain hurts now trying to work it all out!!!
so i may just have to watch it again
care to join me?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010tb7q

and then there was Easter!!!
lots of chocolate, a birthday party and lots of cups of tea with my cousins :)

a less chocolatey option!

my daughter bought me the sweetest little marzipan bunny
it seemed a shame to eat it
but
i did!!!

hope you all had a wonderful break too xxx

dark days

credits

http://pinterest.com/pin/10718293/

http://pinterest.com/pin/10927523/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ymonster/4496252754/in/photostream/

http://pinterest.com/pin/11667505/

it's official - i'm a mad doll lady!

the dolls in dolly corner are looking nervous eh?
or perhaps expectant . . . . .


Do you remember this perfect Patch doll
that i picked up in the charity shop back in October?
Well i sold her on Ebay
for a HUGE profit

anyway i've being looking at Blythe dolls for ages and AGES
and
now i own one of my very own!

i was expecting her to arrived nekkid
but she came with a selection of super cute dresses a stand and a hat
{thanks Katy}

she also came with a cheerleaders outfit
which my son {who was off school poorly} stole
and dressed up his boy Brat doll Dylan
:) :D :)

isn't she pretty?

here she is with Sindy and Pippa
yeah yeah i am a mad doll lady
:D