card and candles

One of Tonic Studios latest dies is this ornate comb. I had this pretty picture of a Japanese lady combing her hair, so have combined them in a card. Which reminds me, I must book a haircut ! :-)

I have also just made a batch of beeswax candles and now have them on sale at a local art gallery. Of course I used my Tonic Studios dies to make the pretty labels!

Time to go check that the log fire is still crackling away! Brrr, it's cold out there!
Have a lovely weekend. Stay safe!

Doda
xx

What's in the box ? It' a little keepsake album

Here's what is inside the cute little oval gift box. I made a sweet little album with a message. The album features a wonderful variety of beautiful Victorian ladies.

It can be opened up in the box...

...or taken out the box completely. It was hard to show you how long it is, I have 16 photographs and two quotes.

"Be Yourself, an original is worth more than a copy", is my quote for the beginning of the album.

I would love to know each of these lovely ladies stories, wouldn't you? If only photographs could speak.

You could use this idea to make a little keepsake album with your own choice of photographs or quotes. I hope it has inspired you. For more ideas with the latest Tonic Studios products, pop on over to Blog Tonic.

Doda
x

A little box

Tonic Studios have done it again. Created some more beautiful dies to play with.
I decided to use these ones to make a pretty box. The box started life as one of those kraft paper coloured papier mache box blanks . You can buy them at Hobbycraft, and many other craft shops.

 I covered mine with pretty Tonic paper and decorated with the dies.

Inside is pretty too as I have lined it with more of the papers.

The little feet were made from some beads I had in my stash. I think it gives the box a cute quirky look.

...but you'll have to wait to see what I made to go in the box until my next post. 

To see more of Tonic Studios new releases, pop on over to Blog Tonic.

Stay warm and cosy wherever you are . 

Doda

x

Miss You

I can't wait until my older daughter comes home from college. I miss her...and not just because she bakes often ;-) The card above is made using some of the latest Tonic Studios dies.

I did a spot of baking myself yesterday - for my younger daughter's school fair. Nothing too challenging...cranberry rock buns. But they did make the place smell amazing!

We've been doing some more picking and choosing for the new house. I am excited that we have decided to go with air source heat pump for our heating - along with the multi fuel stove. No more oil! Yey!

Well...I must try and clear myself a workspace in the craftroom. I have a table and two desks in there and not one of them has any workspace left on it! Oops!

Have a lovely weekend.

Doda
x

Decorative storage box

I bought one of those kraft papier mache boxes to cover with the delightful Tonic Vintage papers. I then used Tonic's new Millinery dies to decorate the lid to make this useful and pretty box for storing ribbons in. I also used one of Tonic's gorgeous library handles on the box to add further vintage styling.

The label is black paper with white pencil writing for a chalkboard look.  I love these handles, they are so cute!

 I lined the box too. I can't help myself!

In other news, someone just gave me a colour laser printer to play with. I'm excited for all the possibilities ! 

Have a lovely creative day !

And a very happy thanksgiving to all my American friends.

Doda

x

Glass etch labelling

I said I'd be using those new Alphabet dies a lot. I've been doing a spot of glass etching with them here. I have used self adhesive vinyl and dies before to cut stencils for etching, but this time I also bought some transfer tape. This made the job a whole lot easier. You lay it on top of the vinyl that has been cut, so that once you peel off the self adhesive backing, it is easier to smoothly place your vinyl onto the glass that is to be etched.

I just use up any bits of vinyl I have left to do this. It doesn't matter what colour it is. This picture shows the letters being placed before I remove the transfer tape.

It is important to have a frame around the letters otherwise there would be no nice neat edge around the etching. You could alway use masking tape to make a frame around the letters.

The product I use is called Armour Etch but there are other similar etching creams on the market. Remember to follow all the safety instructions.

I'm delighted with the result. I think I may just have to do a few more labels on my jars now.
Have a lovely day

Doda
x

Oriental cabinet

Introducing the new Tonic Studios Verona unit. I've chosen to create an oriental cabinet out of mine, but they are so versatile and can be decorated any way you like. I have used authentic screen printed Japanese papers for the front of the small drawers, and the fern paper I made by creating a stencil from Tonic dies.

I have used Tonic's 2 part crackle glaze on top of the stencilling to give a lovely effect.The cracks have been highlighted with Tonic's gilding wax.

As you can see, I added a few hidden surprises. Little decoupaged butterflies inside the drawers. The smaller drawers were lined with more Japanese paper.

The little tassel handles I made from cotton yarn, and threaded them through Oriental coin embellishments. The fans on the side and top have been cut with Tonic dies, the rococo on the side and the Indulgence soiree ornate fan on the top piece.

So as I say, so many ways you can decorate these!

Have a lovely day
Doda
xx

Apothecary cabinet

Tonic Studios have recently brought out some very cool mini furniture that you build and decorate yourself. This unit is called the Tivoli unit and is designed primarily to be used as an advent calendar. I decided to give mine a vintage twist and just for fun made it into an apothecary style unit. It will find a use on my desk storing drawing pins, paper clips and other such small items.

I'm a little bit OCD, and so I always have to decorate the back to make it pretty too. I found some wonderful vintage printable advertisements for some rather dubious sounding medications!

Electricity..nature's chief restorer apparently! Sounds a bit scary if you ask me !

These units can be decorated in any way you fancy.  I added the little wooden drawer pulls for feet to further customise the unit.

I used my old favourite - tomato paste tube, to cut the letters with Tonic's new alphabet dies. I've used crackle glaze all over this unit. I love the effect!
(And yes, I had to decorate inside too !)

There is another new style of drawers being launched tomorrow on Create and Craft TV. so I'll be letting you see that very soon. For more ideas on how to decorate these units pop on over to Blog Tonic. 

Have a lovely afternoon

Doda
x

Hello again

Me again. Just dropping by with a quick card. I've been playing with wood veneers this morning. I can manage to get a simple die cut but anything too fiddly tends to snap across the grain. Here I have used one of Tonic Studios dies to cut the wood which I have then finished with a light coat of furniture wax. The hello is cut from their new Pretoria alphabet dies ! I will be using these a whole lot! More coming soon with them.

BTW...Here is one of the lovely things I like about this old house. Halfway up the stairs is this gorgeous window! And it's just at the right hight to sit on the ledge too, so my little girl enjoys doing that.

Back to the craft room now...laters xxx

New view

Hello. Thought I'd drop by and just let you know I am still alive. We are enjoying our new temporary residence very much. We are living in an old manse which is full of character - and uneven floors. It's a beautiful building with a lovely feel about it. This is the view I now get from our upstairs bedroom. Quite a change from the forest outlook we had before. I must take some pictures of the little things I love about this place.

Our house build has not yet started, I am still trying to make all the decisions I need to make before we can give it all the go ahead.
We just chose our stove! I can't wait to sit next to it!

Now I am trying to make final decisions on the kitchen and bathrooms. I have also been busy beavering away painting a project for Tonic Studios which I will show you before too long. I have a few other projects on the go too.

I've also been daydreaming about getting a piano...which we hope to be able to do once the new house is built. I wonder if it will ever happen. It all feels like a dream just now!

Sigh! Ah well...time to go get busy in the craft room.

Have a lovely day !

Doda
x

We've moved !

First things first...the first card I have made in my new craft room. It features some of Tonic Studios new dies just launched on Create and Craft TV. For more details on that, pop on over to Blog Tonic.

So, it's all done and dusted...we are now settling in to our rental property and we are loving it. It is so very different to be in a little village where we can pop out for a pint of milk, than where we were before which was quite rural. My little girl has just started at her new school and so far it is going well.

I have a whole lot of craft projects to get on with...my craft room is still a bit of a mess, but once I get some projects done, then I hope to organise it a bit better. At least I can see the floor now ;-)

It's so good to finally have done away with the house selling stress !
Phew!

Have a lovely day, wherever you are.

Doda
x

The times they are a changing....

It's all happening in the Smith household ! We are moving! I am currently rushing around like a crazy woman trying to pack everything in time for the removal van which is coming on Monday!!!! Yes, it is all happening so very fast. We only found out for sure last Friday afternoon. We are so excited, exhausted and exhilarated !

Above is a thankyou card I made earlier with one of Tonic Studio's new releases. You can see more about that over at Blog Tonic

My craft room is packed up and ready to go, we've moved some of it over to our rental property already, so there may be a lull in my posting once I have posted the cards I did for this lauch. But hopefully it won't be too long before I'm up and running again.

Have a lovely day !

Doda
xxxx

A quick hello

Goodmorning. Just popping by with a card I made yesterday. It's good to be able to do a little gentle crafting to relax just now. Things with the house sale aren't looking too hot at the moment...now I am thinking about how I have to unpack all the boxes again! Well...I'll let you know what happens...it can't go on like this for much longer.

Hope you have a lovely day

Doda
xxx

Buenos Dias

I was having a Mediterranean moment with this card,  and so chose to embrace a bit of Spanish just for fun. I think that the lovely lady in Tonic Studios new silhouette die range could easily be a Spanish lady with her delicate layered skirt...don't you? For a few more details on the new dies check out Blog Tonic.

The house sale seems to be taking one step forward and two steps back at the moment. Stress is not my friend!

hasta luego

Doda
xxx

Bright Butterflies

I thought a bright cheery card was much nicer to look at than a picture of an exceedingly stressed woman in her 40s.

I cannot begin to tell you just how stressed out I am at the moment. Solicitors! Our house buyer's solicitor and ours seem to be having quite a few communication issues at the moment and our house sale is really dragging on much , much longer than is necessary. There is so much to organise and so much to do, but it is all currently on hold until we get things sorted.
Aghhhhhhh!

Hope to be posting with good news sometime soon.

Doda
xxx

Card for the day

Using only white card, Tonic, ink and a few jewels, I made this delicately shaded large format card giving me plenty of room to write a heartfelt letter inside.
For more details on the tools used, check out Blog Tonic. 

It's getting closer to the date of our move, but the buyer still hasn't signed the sale documents. Quite stressful really ! So many things to set in place - we could do with it being confirmed!

Hope you have a lovely day !

Doda
xxx

A recycled gift box

I had fun making this sturdy little gift box from recycled items I had around the house. I was excitedly waiting for the lovely new Tonic dies to decorate it.

Now... can you have a guess which recycled items I used to make this box? There are two sizes of one  type of item, and for the feet I used another item most people throw away...that's a real tricky one. Here's a clue about the item I used for the feet...

I'm wrapped around these circles, and I clean between the gaps.

I'll let you know that the card I used for the inner rim of the box was from  Amazon book packaging.

All I added were some pretty papers, a few jewels, some Tonic Funky glue and of course, fabulous Tonic Dies.

I wonder if any of you will guess right !

Have a lovely day

Doda
xxx