Thursday 22 August 2013

Keisercraft Needle and Thread sewing set

Morning! Design Elf Katrina here to show you something a little different using the new and very pretty vintage Keisercraft Needle and Thread collection.

    Those who know my work would of noticed I like to make all sorts of things. This time we are using or I should say re- using a couple of tins!  I actually found myself in the supermarket looking at tin sizes rather than the contents!! But I think you will agree once you have finished you would never know they were a tin of soup and a little tin of spaghetti hoops!

 
In my sewing collection I have a large tin which could store your large sewing scissors, a small pin cushion storage tin and then a pin book. I have used the pin book to store the lovely large hat pin style pins we use in card making these days but could hold pins and needles for sewing.  
 
 
For the pin book I used some packaging card to make the cover and then covered it in the Keisercraft  Needle and Thread 12x12 bobbin paper for the outside and the Backstitch 12x12 paper for the inside. The letters are from the sticker sheet and matted onto a snippet of paper and then felt. The RicRac is also from the sticker sheet. I then added a piece of the collaged paper ( I think it was on the reverse of the Bobbin paper ) and a button from The Fruit Pixie bright collection that looked just right. To close my book I stuck some embroidery thread in between the paper and the back cover and then tied knots and added beads from my craft bits to make a little charm hanger decoration.

 
For the inside of my pin book I cut 2 pieces of felt with Pinking scissors, folded them in half and stitched then into the spine of my cover.
 
Then all you need to do is add your pins!
 
 
For the large tin I took a soup tin with a pull ring top. These give you a smoother rim on the top. Remember to keep your top as I have a cute idea for those too!!!!
Remove the label but keep it for later, then wash out well or put it in the dishwasher. Your family will think you have gone a bit mad but if they are anything like my Hubby they are used to that. ;)
 
 Then I used the label I had removed earlier as a template for the paper I wanted to use to cover the tin. I used the rest of the Backstitch 12x12 paper and then a row of the Bobbin 12x12 paper for the bottom and some of the measuring tapes from the reverse of the Backstitch 12x12 paper to decorate the top. I also added a couple of buttons from The Fruit Pixie pastel button collection with some embroidery thread tied through them to tie in with the Pin Book. 
 
 
 
For the small Pin cushion storage tin I used a smaller tin, again with a pull ring top. This is important for this little tin as we need the rim around the top. Again I removed the label and kept for later then washed it well.
 
You then need to cut 2 circles of very stiff card ( or 2 circles of less stiff card and stick them together to make a stiff card ) that will sit on the rim around the top of your tin with a little space fro expansion.
I then cut a larger circle of felt, stitched a running stitch around the outside and pulled it in and added stuffing and one of the card circles. I then pulled it in tight and knotted the threads together to form the pin cushion. Then I added the Embroidery thread decoration using a wet glue to stick them to the card bottom. Take the second card circle and glue to the bottom of the pin cushion to neaten everything off. You could also cut a circle of the decorative paper to cover the bottom circle if you would like.
 
 
The pincushion top should then fit in to the top of your tin, sitting on the lip around the top. I then used the label as a template to cut some of the Bobbin 12x12 paper and using a wet glue stuck it around the tin. I used some of the measuring tapes from the reverse of the Backstitch 12x12 paper to add decoration. To finish I added a button from the Fruit Pixie pastel button collection to the top of the pin cushion.
 
 
This would make a lovely gift for someone who enjoys their sewing, it is such a lovely paper collection with such a vintage feel to it, why not try it for yourself!
 
                    Happy crafting!
                                                               Till next time, love Katrina
 
 
 

Friday 16 August 2013

Ruby Rocket Cook collection magnetic menu planner

Hi there, Katrina the Fruit Pixies design elf here. While Sarah-Jane is off on her well deserved summer break I am here to entertain you with another project using the great Ruby Rocket Cook collection.





 The inspiration for this came from a menu planner I saw on Pinterest. Just the thing I needed as every night hubby and I ask each other the same old question  " What shall we have for tea? " and you always get the same answer " I don't know !"  So now with this wonderful idea that question is a thing of the past................. well that's the idea! :) 
               So if you go through a similar thing then this could be the project for you

      I used for this project -

      * A small metal baking tray ( mine came from the Pound shop )
      * Ruby Rocket Cook 12x12 Ledger cardstock
      * Ruby Rocket Cook 12x12 Ephemera cardstock
      * Ruby Rocket Cook 12x12 Patchwork cardstock
      * Ruby Rocket Cook Die cut pack
      * Tim Holtz Alterations Typeset alphabet
      * New bottle tops
      * Magnetic tape
      * Post it note
      * Coordinating cardstock
      * Coordinating ink pad
      *  P.V.A. Glue
      *  Circle punch
      *  Cosmic Shimmer Lacquer



   Here is how I made it

 
Cut the Ruby Rocket Cook Ledger paper down to fit your baking tray and ink around the edges. Stick the paper to the baking tray using P.V.A. glue.

 
I cut out one of the sections from the Ephemera 12x12 cardstock and drew and cut out a box/ envelope shape. I then stuck it together and inked around its edges.  If you would like the template for this little box then just drop me an email.
 

 
 I then used my circle punch to punch out some of the papers from the Patchwork cardstock and stuck them into my bottle tops. I used the Tim Holtz Typeset alphabet to cut out the days of the week and stuck then into the bottle tops. You could of course use small stickers or use a pen to write them in , I would do that though before you stick them into the bottle tops, it will make it easier to write on.
 
 
 
I then filled the Bottle tops with the Cosmic shimmer Lacquer but you could use Glossy accents instead. Leave over night to dry.
 
 
 
Cut your magnetic tape into 7 pieces and stick them to the back of your Bottle tops.
 
 
 
Take your coordinating cardstock and cut it up into strips of about 1 inch thick. then into smaller pieces that will fit into your tray design. These are for you to write your meal ideas on, I decided to write mine but you could use stamps, stickers or even print them on your computer. Remember to cut extras to pop on your pocket box to add new meal ideas later on.



        Then all you have to do is use the Die cut pack to decorate your tray. I used a Post it note for a shopping list.

 Here are some close up photos of my board, the die cut pack was almost made for the job, don't you just love the knife fork and spoon!!


 



 
 
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and will make a magnetic menu board for yourself. Now what's for tea.............???
                                                                                 Happy Crafting
                                                                                           Love Katrina


Sunday 11 August 2013

A Little Holiday...

We are off to The Peak District for a little Summer rejuvenation. The site will remain open and all orders will be processed on our return - 19/08/2013.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer rejuvenation too 

Tuesday 6 August 2013

Ruby Rocket cook collection die storage

Hi everyone, Katrina here, design elf for the Fruit Pixie.

 One of the things I like about Ruby Rocket is the fact that not all the papers in the cook collection have to be used with a cooking theme.

  Here for example I have used them together with the Stix 2 magnetic storage sheets to make this storage book for my thin dies ( and I thought I only had a few !! ) Well here is how I did it.

 
I covered some recycled stiff packaging card with the 12x12 Ruby Rocket cook Polka cardstock and added one of the borders from the Ruby Rocket cook Miscellenea 12x12 cardstock. I added pieces of cream ribbon before covering the back of the cover with more of the Polka cardstock but this time used the pattern on the other side. I then decorated with some of the tickets from the Ruby Rocket cook 12x12 Tokens cardstock. The pennants are from the Ruby Rocket Cook die cut pack. The letters are from my own craft bits.
 
I then punched holes in both the covers and then used them as a template to punch holes in the plastic CD covers, you can buy these readily on the high street, which would hold my dies. I chose to use D rings but you could use round book rings to bind your book.

 
I then cut the magnetic sheets up to fit into the plastic CD covers. I really like these magnetic sheets because they are nice and sturdy and one the other side they have the right kind of surface to store your stamps that go with your dies! Clever eh??
 
 
One thing though, because the sheet is A4 you can only get a couple of the larger pieces out of a sheet but I just used the smaller pieces for smaller dies.
 
I then labelled the covers with the name and make of the die that was inside and made dividers so I can find what I am looking for easily using Ruby Rocket Cook 12x12 Floral cardstock.
 

 
So now my dies are safe and sorted so I can find them easily, all using the Ruby Rocket cook collection and not a knife and fork in sight!
 
It feels great being all sorted out, why not give it a go, you might be surprised how many small dies you have!
 
   Happy Crafting
                                      Love Katrina