Easy Altered Coffee Tin Pen Pot Tutorial!!

Hello everyone!!  Don't you just love little tins!!!  I bought these small tins of coffee recently and thought that they could easily be re-used for something else!!  Initially I had hiped to alter the lid as well but that didn't go so well as the were difficult to paint and cover due to the texture and the fact that they had alot of ridges in them.  So hey - I thought a pen pot it will be!!!

Here's the tin before I did anything to it

So the first thing I did was paint the tin with Gesso to give a texture which would make it easier to stick my patterned paper onto.

I don't get on so well when using Gesso and then putting acrylic paint on top so I avoided doing that!!

I chose some nice paper - mine was 6 x 6 so I had to measure around the tin and join the paper.  The paper was from a pad called Life's Journey by K & Co.

After cutting my paper to size, I stuck double sided tape around the tin, pushing it into the rim with my nail to ensure it was stuck properly.

 Then I carefully stuck on my paper.

I wanted to use a lacy edging but didn't want real lace so I used this fab stick on paper lace that I picked up in a brilliant Japanese shop called Daiso.  The US and the Far East have lots of these stores and they have some fantastic bits and bobs in them for generally £1-£1.50 per item.  I've just found out that a Daiso is in the Japan Centre in Regent St, London - albeit much smaller than the branches abroad but it's a start!!!!  Not sure whether they stock the tape there though!

Here's the tape

Here's how it looks on my tin - I did the bottom edge as well but no photo of that yet!!  It covers up any imperfections on the edge of your paper!!

 

I then used a Sizzix flourish die and cut one out to put on the tin. I cut a few bits of it off so that it would fit on the tin nicely.

Here it is on the tin - you can see the lace tape on the top and bottom edge on this photo.

Ok - now to add a few flowers!  I cut them using the bits of leftover paper using Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die.  I brushed them over with some Distress Inks so that they had abit of colour.

I then shaped them with an embossing tool and stuck them together and added some pearl embellishments for the middle of the flower

and stuck them on the tin.

Just the right size for keeping my Sharpies!!!

Thanks for popping by!!!

Mobile Phone Case

I've got my first finished item made using the pattern and tutorial from my new Super-cute Felt book.

I made the hedgehog mobile phone case.  I used the same size as they suggested and my phone fits fine in it.  I am really pleased with how it came out and my mum thought it was so nice that I had to make her one as well!!!  I made hers slimmer as she has a much smaller, basic phone!!  This meant that I had to also resize the hedgehog!!

Here is my phone case

 

Cute isn't it!!!!

Super Cute Felt Book

For Christmas, I had a lovely book on making felt items.  I had asked for it and so was happy that someone bought it for me!!  The book is called Super Cute Felt.  It's got 35 step by step projects to make and I'm going to have a go at a few of them so watch this space!!!  I think I will mix and match them so as they aren't all exactly the same as the book though.

If you've not seen the book, head over to Amazon where you can flip through it before you purchase it!!

New Shoes and Bag!

I had some money for Christmas so thought I'd hit the shops to see if I could see anything nice.  I'd already bought some new leather shoes from Clarks online - I got Faze Fever and they were half price in the sale!! 

I love Clarks shoes, it's hard to get decent leather shoes that are well made these days but Clarks still do them!  Ok, so you pay alittle more for them but I think if you want a shoe to last and fit you well then it's worth paying extra for!!  You can get some fab bargains in their sales also!! 

A few months back I bought a slightly different design in a tobacco colour.  They reminded me of the old Clarks school shoes we used to have in the 70's - you know with the 'T' bar!!  Well these didn't have the 'T' but were similar otherwise!!!  They are such comfortable shoes and the leather is a really nice quality.

They have a sale on at the moment with some fantastic bargains - I have to stop looking as there are many more that I could easily buy!!!!  I can't wear heels so I tend to go for comfort - these 2 styles could be worn in the winter or summer so very versatile!!  I think they are pretty funky!!

I seem to have a bit of a thing for leather!!  I also love leather bags - when I was in the US a few years back my ex bought my a lovely 'Lucky Brand' bag, simple style but lovely soft leather.  I'm still using it!!  I also treated myself to a green patent leather Coach bag.  It was expensive but I got it in the Coach Outlet so much cheaper than it should have been! 

Since then TK Maxx have been my favorite place for leather bags.  They get some lovely ones in at really decent prices especially if they have been reduced again in the sale!!  I've been quite lucky and been there at the right time to snap up a few beauties!!

Here is the first on that I picked upa few months back

Then I saw this larger one that would be great for hand luggage or an overnight bag (haven't used it yet!!)

So last week when I went in, armed with my Christmas money, I saw this satchel style bag which had been reduced down to a silly price.  I've been wanting a satchel bag for a while now so was thrilled to find this one!!!  I snapped it up and added it to my collection!!

I have a few more smaller leather bags as well!!  Think I'd better stop looking at bags for a while (few years!!!) and use what I have!!

I'm sure I'm not alone in my love of good quality shoes and bags!!

Felt Flower Brooches

Brrrr it's a colder morning today - the temperatures are set to drop and there has been talk of some snow!!  Hope it doesn't snow as I really don't like to have to leave the house when it is snowing!!!  I'm not very good with cold weather and for years I used to escape the winter and go to live in India for 6 months! 

Anyway - I'm loving working with felt at the moment.  I have a huge pile of it in a rainbow of colours, it's lovely to look at!!

I've been making some flower brooches with some embroidery and bead and sequin detail on them.  The colours are lovely and bright.  They are nice and flat so sit nicely on a jumper or coat as well.

Sorry the photos aren't great because of the terrible light!  I found it very difficult to get the true colours to photograph well especially the teal ones which are lovely and bright in real life!!

I'm selling them over on my Facebook group - Bumble Bee's Craft Den so pop across if you'd like one!!

I've also made a felt hanging heart and I put a little of my dried lavender into it so it has a faint smell to it!!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy New Year and a Cute Felt Doll!

Well firstly, I'd like to wish all of my followers a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.  Here's hopng that 2013 is a fantastic year for everyone.

I've been busy today finishing off a cute felt doll and I am very pleased with how she came out.  I used a Ginger Melon pattern (I love these patterns!!) to make her.

The cutting out took ages!!!  I stitched up all of the pieces ready to join together.

The arms are movable like a plastic dolls.

And now she needs some clothes - can't have naked dolls all over the place!!!

Isn't she just the cutest thing ever!!!  She will be given to my niece next month for her 5th Birthday and I'm sure she will be very loved!!!