About Me

My photo
My name's Alison but for reasons too long to go into I'm known as Cockney Blonde or CB for short. I've been rubber stamping for several years but now spend most of my time either knitting or crocheting. However, with the advent of a New Year I have bitten the bullet and am tackling my usually hated pastime of sewing. I've even bought 'Sewing for Dummies' to guide me on my way. I've been with my hubby Dave for 24 years and between us we have 4 kids and 5 grandkids. We also have 2 cats and a dog, the latter features as my 'photo' image. I used to be able to blog daily but these days I struggle to blog weekly. Hopefully now we are settled into our new home in the country, I can get back to a daily (well almost) update from the room I now have to share with hubby. No more personal crafting space for me!!! Thanks to all the blogs and sites I follow for all your brilliant inspiration, and thank you to everyone who finds the time to comment on my blog.

Wednesday 14 December 2011

Catching Up


Just realised I've been MIA from Blogland for over a week. Where did that week go???

Anyway, I haven't really much to share with you at the moment as I've been busy knitting for my Folksy Shop and for private orders, plus doing the Christmas pressie run to Scotland for the grandees, and of course battling with the weather. However, I wanted to share this beautiful card I received from the lovely Jayne as part of a pink card swap in honour of breast cancer awareness. I love how she's made the flower.

Below, is a pair of hand warmers, or fingerless mitts, which I have been making following a request and they now seem to be selling like hotcakes.

And here are some ear warmers in beautiful autumnal colours. They didn't stay on the shelf long either, lol
So, I'm now packing ready for our trip to Barcelona on Friday to celebrate hubby's 60th birthday. I will try to pop back next week when we return but our days will be short as next Friday we fly to Cyprus for Christmas. So just in case I go AWOL again let me wish everyone who celebrates a wonderful Christmas and here's hoping 2012 is a happy and healthy one for everybody.

Merry Christmas, x

Sunday 4 December 2011

Last Cuddly Cushions for a while


Good Morning. Just a quick post before I shoot off to work to show you my latest additions to my Cuddly Cushions range.
I'll be back later to have a proper hop around blog world but in the meantime if you like what you see hop over to my Folksy Shop for more information and piccies.

Have a good day, x

Friday 2 December 2011

More Cuddly Cushions


OK, so I know its back to the 'S' word again but I've now ventured into the world of machine sewing. My beloved sewing machine has been sat in my wardrobe for too many years to mention. I bought it nearly 40 years ago with money my Grandad left for me when he passed away. It still works perfectly and its made it so much easier to run these cushions up in double quick time.

I've 2 more, stuffed and ready to finish off so I'll share those with you over the weekend.

BTW, I bought the cute little dog for illustration purposes. Isn't he sweet.

In the meantime I hope you all have a fun weekend whatever you're up to, x

Thursday 1 December 2011

Craft Barn Calendar Grand Finale


Well here it is. My Grand Finale...

I've used my bind-it-all to attach all the pages to the cardstock stand I made and just added some ribbons for a bit of flourish.
The first 6 months are ready to go and once they have been flipped over the stand all I need to do is turn it round and I have the second 6 months.

Hope you like this idea and here is the link for the Grand Finale :-
http://thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/calendar-challenge-grande-finale.html

Craft Barn Calendar Week 12 - December


Good Evening everyone. So sorry I've not been on here a lot lately but its just busy, busy, busy here in West Yorkshire. Also I must apologise for not visiting your blogs recently but that will be rectified asap.

Anyhows, here is the last instalment in the Craft Barn Calendar Challenge and this time it was to use red and green, pine trees and sparkle.

I've stamped the polka doodles trees onto DP and then cut them out. I've added copper stickles to the trunks and some adhesive stars to the top left corner for the sparkle bit.

Here comes the challenge link and pop back to my next posting to see how I've connected the pages together, x
http://thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/calendar-challenge-week-12.html

Tuesday 29 November 2011

How to keep your ears warm...


Good Evening. Hope you're all well.

Just a quick posting this evening to show you some of the ear warmers I knitted for the Christmas Fair last weekend. Unfortunately the piccies aren't brill and these were the best of the shots I took but I was doing the finishing touches the night before the Fair.

I also made some in a deep red colour and some were decorated with beads rather than buttons, but you get the gist. I sold 7 out of the 8 I made so I was well chuffed. I'm now busy knitting the next batch as I've received some orders.
Just to make it clear. You wear these like a headband but pulled over your ears to keep them warm. Great when you don't want to wear a hat.

Hope you like them, x

Saturday 26 November 2011

More Bits for Christmas Fair


Just a last couple of bits to show you before tomorrow's Christmas Fair. Above is the final calendar and below a selection of quick and easy bookmarks.
I'm frantically finishing off some ear warmers and will share those with you tomorrow. In the meantime enjoy your weekend. I'm off to knit and sew in front of the TV as its a Strictly night, x

Rude Comments

Firstly this is a warning to any of my followers not to take any notice of a certain individual who is posting unpleasant comments on our blogs. I was told that my work lacked uniqueness and the text should have been printed lower....Whatever!

I clicked on the attached link and it took me to a Pakistani shop. There didn't appear to be any virus attached I just think its some very unpleasant individual who gets a kick out of trying to p--- people off. Well he/she failed. I also think its odd that other affected bloggers seem to be linked to each other in some way so I suspect they've googled onto one of our blogs and then looked at our sidebars to see who we follow. If said individual is reading this then let it be known that crafters are made of stern stuff and won't be affected by petty minded little people. Go get a life and leave us bloggers in our creative worlds.

To everyone else ie pleasant people...have a lovely weekend, x

Friday 25 November 2011

A Very Poppy Birthday...


Good Afternoon, said I would be back. This time with a card using one of my fav images. I just love Poppies and this one's from Penny Black. I've coloured it with copics to blend with the DP which is 'Madeleine' by Prima. The copics by the way are: E27, YG91, 95, RV25, 29
 Here's a close-up of the ribbon bow effect that I tried and below the inside of the card stamped in Versafine Smokey Grey with just a hint of the poppy.
I'd like to enter it into the following challenges:-

Tuesday Morning Sketches #121 - Sketch
http://tuesdaymorningsketches.blogspot.com/2011/11/tuesday-morning-sketches-121.html
The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop #4 - Buttons and Bows
http://theprettylittleribbonshop.blogspot.com/2011/11/november-challenge-4-buttons-and-bows.html
Paper Sundaes #96 - Beautiful Bows
http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/2011/11/paper-sundaes-challenge-96-beautiful.html
Pile It On #47 - Anything with a 'P'
http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/pile-it-on-47-anything-with-p-and-dt.html
Fab n Funky #100 - Happy Birthday
http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/2011/11/challenge-100-happy-birthday.html
Hope you like it and I'll be uploading another of these in my Folksy Shop, x

Hug A Mug


Good Morning Bloggers.

I'm not known for my early mornings but I'm beginning to think my age has something to do with me not needing as much sleep. I hope it doesn't last, lol.

Anyway, a quick post to show you some of the mug cosies I've made for the Christmas Fair. So simple and quick to knit up and ideal for campers, caravanners or even workmen to keep a drink warmer for longer.

That's it for now, off for some brekkie and I'll be back later with a card.

x

Wednesday 23 November 2011

The Craft Barn Calendar Week 11 - November


Well almost there, only one more week to go in this brilliant Calendar Challenge.

Here is my page for November. Our challenge was to use grey, pale yellow and incorporate bare branches. I also had found this lovely November poem in an old book which I have been keeping for this page.

Not much to say really as I'm not sure where the stamp is from, I think I came by it in a grab-bag.

Anyhow, hope you like it and here's the challenge link:-
http://thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/calendar-challenge-week-11.html

Less Is More in Less Than 10

Good Evening Everyone. After I had created this card I realised it fitted into the challenge over on our KCUK Yahoo Group so I shall be off to upload it there too.

In the meantime let me tell you that the image and the sentiment are by Creative Expressions, both stamped directly to the card.

I can see me doing a batch of these quick and simple cards which will only need a small letter stamp.

Here are the challenges I'd like to enter it in:-

Totally Papercrafts #93 - Black and White
http://totallypapercrafts.blogspot.com/2011/11/challenge-93-black-and-white.html
Allsorts #130 - One Layer
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/week-130-one-layer-card.html
Less Is More - Silhouettes
http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/2011/11/week-42-theme.html

Monday 21 November 2011

Sewing in a Caravan


Evening Peeps, I said I would be back. This time with some more sewing projects completed over the weekend. It was so much easier to take some material, cottons, needle and scissors away in the caravan rather than all the papercrafting stuff I usually cart around. As you can see above, I've made some more lavender pomanders for the Christmas Fair, although the middle one I'm going to wrap as part of Mum's Christmas pressie. It will freshen up her bedroom if I hang it on the bed. It's actually made from an old serviette that she embroidered over 60 years ago. I wonder if she'll remember.


Here's another of my designed cushions. This time in really vibrant colours. Again with the pocket on the front and the hand-stitching up the centre to divide it into 2 smaller pockets. I added a couple of buttons for interest. I've decided to call these CB's Cuddly Cushions on the basis that a small cuddly toy can be housed in the pocket. See below. I'm going to pop this one on my new Folksy Store. If you want to take a peek just click on the piccie in my side bar.
Here's a close-up of Casey's little hippo keeping snug and warm.

This sewing malarkey is getting a bit out of hand now.....the sewing machine has ventured out of its cupboard.... I also have to admit to clacking away on the old knitting needles over the weekend, again making bits for the Christmas Fair. So far I've made 6 mug cosies. I'll upload these very soon. Again, another easy peasy thing to take caravanning.

As for the caravanning weekend. We had a lovely weekend on the Chatsworth Estate once a few minor problems had been sorted out. Firstly I didn't pitch the caravan correctly, so after picking hubby up from the station we had to hitch back up and manoeuvre it so that we could put the awning up in the correct place. This we left until the morning as by now it was dark and the light on the pitch bollard was out. I also managed to damage the electric cable although I've temporarily fixed it with some electrical tape, and finally 3 blinking lights blew on the car so that was the first job on Friday morning.

Friday we drove into Bakewell. I've never been before and it is a lovely town and we enjoyed a simple lunch after I'd got the car sorted out. Saturday we woke up to glorious sunshine and were able to walk to the Christmas Market at Chatsworth House (about 20 minutes). I must say we had far too many layers on as it got hotter and hotter. The dogs enjoyed the walk and Joss enjoyed hoovering up the bits of food that people managed to drop. Some mulled wine and several carrier bags of goodies later we walked back to the van to pick up the car and drove into the local village for lunch and some more Christmas shopping. We couldn't get over how beautiful the weather was for November. Of course, when we came to travel home yesterday it was foggy for the whole journey.

That's about it for now folks. So I hope you too had a good weekend and I'll see you all tomorrow, x


A Card at Last


Yayy! At last a card to share with you, although not one of my better creations. Too engrossed in the sewing malarkey, lol.

I've specifically made this for #2 Son. No point going over the top with embellishments cos his comment is always the same...'oh! that's nice', lol. Anyway while I'm at it I thought I'd enter it into the current ABC Christmas Challenge which is 'W' for Winter Sports
http://abcchristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/w-for-winter-sports.html

I've coloured Edwin with copics: E00, 21, 93, 15, 33, 35, 37, YG63, 67, BG13, 15, R27, 29 and the DP is Christmas Fancy by Dovecraft.

Hope you like it and I'll be back later with details of our weekend and some more sewing projects, x

Wednesday 16 November 2011

Just A Quickie

Just wanted to show you another couple of hanging pomanders I've made before I log off for the weekend.

We're off in our caravan to Chatsworth for the weekend to take in the Christmas Market. I went last year with a friend but this year hubby and son #2 are joining me. I think we're planning on visiting Bakewell on Friday and then the market on Saturday.

I'll be home Sunday but in the meantime I hope you all have a good weekend, x

Tuesday 15 November 2011

More Sewing...I Need a Lie Down


Here I am back again with some more hand sewn goodies. Above are 2 cushions made from some lush Christmas fabric. I've added a felt flower cut from a spellbinders die and handcut felt leaves, embellished with a single pearlised pin.

Below are a selection of hanging pomanders. Basically they are made from stitching 2 character panels together, incorporating some ribbon and then filling with some cushion stuffing and dried lavender...Mmmm!
Hoping these will go down well at Mum's Christmas Fair, x

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge Week 10 - October


Good Evening Peeps, hope you're managing to keep warm in this dull and damp November weather.

I can't believe I have managed to keep up with The Craft Barn's Calendar challenge. Only 2 more to go and then I'll have a full calendar. Yippee!.

This week the challenge was autumn colours and leaves. I started off stamping a complete sheet of paper to use as a background but by the time I'd trimmed it and straightened it and then trimmed it some more and then....you know how it is....I ended up with the piece you see, lol. The large leaf stamp is by Personal Impressions and all the colours are shades of Brilliance.

So having ended up with a smaller piece I decided to matt it onto some copper mirri card which I first embossed with a maple leaf and then overlaid a smaller die cut maple leaf.

I hope you like it and here is the challenge link:-

http://thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/calendar-challenge-week-10.html

Sunday 13 November 2011

Back Home and Calendars


Just a quick posting tonight to say we are back home from a lovely weekend in Perth with our friends Linda and Drew. We didn't have a lot of time together but what we did have Linda and I put to good use and made these quickie calendars for the Christmas Fair at my Mum's Nursing Home in a couple of weeks.

The top arrangement of beauty is Linda's work and the bottom piccie are mine. Thanks Linda for creating your masterpieces.

Hope you like them and hope you've had a good weekend, x

The Craft Barn 600+ Followers Blog Candy


Hey, look at this. I've just come home from a brill weekend in Perth to find that The Craft Barn have this fab candy on offer
Click on the link in my side bar to go to the site and see what its all about. You have until the 25th of this month.

Thursday 10 November 2011

A 'Trying' Card

Back again with the 2nd of my posts for tonight. I can't believe that's 2 non-Christmas cards I've made, lol.

This one is using another LOTV stamp, one of their brilliant 'boys/men' images. Again I've coloured it in copics:-
E00, 21, 93, 31, 33, 35, 15, 18, C2, 5, 7, BG93, 96, Promarkers Tea Green and Grey Green.

The DP is 'Glitterati' by Memory Box.

I've used a lush black velvet ribbon as a trim. My other black ribbons were either too fine or too feminine. The swirl is a shapeabilities die.

I'll also be popping this one in my Folksy Store.

Whatever you're doing I hope you have a great weekend. Hubby and I are going to stay with friends in Perth. For those in the know she's a little lady with BIG boots, lol.

Here are the challenge links I'd like to enter it into:-

Sketch Saturday #180 - Sketch
http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/2011/11/week-180-5th-november-sponsored-by-sew.html
Bearly Mine #23 - One for the Boys
http://bearlymine-challenges.blogspot.com/2011/11/bearly-mine-challenge-23.html



Artifical Flowers


Good Evening Peeps. Hope you're all well. Its been another miserable day here in West Yorkshire, foggy, grey and generally dull and dark. That's the 3rd day in a row. I do hope we get a little sunshine soon.

Anyhow, here's the first of 2 postings this evening before I go away for the weekend. After many attempts to create this shaped card without losing the hinge, lol, I finally succeeded. I've used the Go Kreate Frilly #6 large and medium dies, also a nestabilitie scalloped circle.

The cute image is by those folks at LOTV which I've coloured with copics:-
E00, 21, 93, 31, 33, 35, B00, 02, RV000, 02, 34, YG03, 06, 09, Y000, 11, 13, 17.

One of the challenges I'm entering it for is CES #60 - inspired by a song and as soon as I saw this image I thought of 'Artificial Flowers' by The Beautiful South, one of my all time favourites.

The DP is Fairy Flora by Prima, and here is a piccie of the inside using more of that fabby paper.
I hope you like it and I'll be putting it up in my Folksy Shop. There's quite a few bits and pieces gathering on there now. Do take a peek, the link is in my sidebar.

Here come the challenge links:-

Pixie Cottage #95 - Sketch
http://thepixiecottage.blogspot.com/2011/11/pixie-cottage-challenge-95-blue-for-boy.html
CES #60 - Inspired by a Song (Artifical Flowers by Beautiful South)
http://ceschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/11/challenge-60-entertain-us-song-or-film.html
Polka Doodles #44 - Shaped Card
http://polkadoodle.blogspot.com/2011/11/week-44-challenge-shaped-card.html
Oldie But A Goodie - Buttons and Bows
http://oldiebutagoodiechallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/buttons-and-bows.html
CRAFT #128 - Cute
http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/craft-challenge-128-cute.html

Tuesday 8 November 2011

That Spindle Challenge - WARNING, lots of photos

No cards today as I wanted to catch up with some blogging and also, at last, wanted to reveal to you all the finished article from my Spindle Challenge. Neet of Hickydorums Blogspot challenged a few of us to alter an old wooden loom spindle. Apart from coming up with a few rude suggestions, which I was told were not allowed, there was no remit. The top piccie is a clearer version of my teasing photo of last week. All I actually did to the spindle was add a coat of varnish and some fibres.
I then browsed through some of my old copies of Altered Art Magazine and basically my finished item was born out of two articles. The first was 'A Pyramid Quilt Book' in May/June 2005. Apart from the spindle, the base started life as an empty shiny box. First off I gessoed it to get rid of the shine and then I decided to adhere torn pieces of pre-printed design papers.
Then I came up with the idea of having an opening page on each side so some folded cardstock was added and then more torn paper. On the outside of each folded page I stuck an old photo, although this was done right at the end. By now I had decided to keep within a vintage theme. I've only shown you one here, but you get the gist. The bulldog clips are by Tim Holtz and the hardest bit was 'shoving' 4 fibres up a narrow hole in a spindle to attach to the clips. The fibres are prevented from coming lose at the spindle end by securing them to a large bead.
Then of course I decided that this wasn't going to work.....{This project kept evolving }. This was when the second magazine article came into play, 'Soiled Doves' in January/February 2008. This required multiple folded pages with hidden flaps and pockets. I love stuff like this. So starting with the above picture here is a run down of all four sides folded and then opened out.
 I did do some stamping, as it was part of a rubber stamping group challenge. I've also used tags, pictures (Crafty Individuals), ephemera etc.
 The DP I used was mainly from the Printery Collection and I also used distress inks in Shabby Shutters, Walnut Stain, and Antique Linen.
 And, of course, lots of fibres to stay in keeping with the spindle.
 Some of the gorgeous coloured papers were given to me by a good friend for a birthday pressie last year.
 I tried to make each side just slightly different to maintain interest. I'm sure there is probably more things I could add.
 I've also used old postage stamps which I always keep from mail I receive from abroad. They often have such wonderful designs.
 I love the saying below. How true it is in many walks of life.
 The final piccie. Hope you're still awake.
Thanks for looking. I hope you've enjoyed sharing in my project.

More Sewing...It's definitely a mid-life crisis


Good Evening Bloggers. Well, I'm back again with another sewing project. I definitely need to see the Doctor, this is just so unlike me.....

This time I've upcycled an old denim shirt of my hubby's which I rescued from the charity bag. I planned the cushion cover around the button fastening so that I could utilise it as the opening for the cushion to be inserted. The seams have all been stitched by hand again. I know I should get the machine out but it gives me something to do when I'm watching TV, which isn't very often. I may need to get the machine out if this new venture takes off.

I've listed it on my new Folksy Store if you wanna take a peek. Just click on the link in my sidebar.
Your comments would be much appreciated. Thanks for looking.