Look what arrived today - a very special gingerbread man die!!!

This Gingerbread man is very special!! He had been on my wishlist since sizzix released the christmas shapes a month or 2 ago.... then it suddenly vanished from the sizzix website - luckily i had kept a note of the product number!

I googled the number (656295) and found the image so i knew i was not going mad, but he was no-where to be found! My next point of call was Sizzix who told me that the die had been discontinued (i don't think it was ever released!!) So then i managed to track down one die..... In Austrailia!

He was not cheap this little man, but i think he was worth it!!! and he came pretty fast too!! but i paid the same in delivery as i did for the die!!

as you can just make out in this pic he is quite a bit bigger than the die i have used for my gingerbread man decorations

Mum Shabby Chic Birthday Card

A bit of a change from all things festive, this is a birthday card made for a friends mum

The sentiment and papers are from Papermania and the butterfly is punched from them using a MS punch
The letters are die cut with the sizzix Vintage market Decorative strip Alpha

Nooo! Don't Throw it Away!!!!

Before you throw all the Christmas rubbish away, have a little rummage through and snaffle any pretty or sparkly packaging!
As we move into New Year I am going to do some tutorials and projects to get the most from your die cutting machine, there are so many pretty things to cut that do not cost a penny, from acetates, giftwraps and even purfume boxes like in my photo!

Just collect a few bits and bobs over the next couple of days and meet me back here with your die cutter at the ready!

a couple of sparkly tags.....

....and some white corregated card from inside a perfume box

see you back here soon!

HobbyCraft Sale - WOW!

This morning i popped to Hobbycraft to look at their sale!!!
I normally go to Boots on Boxing day and i spend the points i collect all year round on some perfume as a treat for me! I did go to boots but before i went i waited for the doors of hobbycraft to open so i could look at their sale things - and boy I am glad I did!

the 2 12x12 stacks above were £2.99!!!!

These 2 12x12 stacks were £6.99 for the glitter and £7.49 for the doodle around stack

These 8x8 stacks were 2.99 too

and the DCWV 6x6 were £1.99 and the MM pad just 99p

You can see all of the prices in the pics really but there were some great bargains to be had!

they had a few other things marked down around the store, like the MM slice for just £49.99 and some of the cards down to £20

I was served by the store manager and she said there were more reductions to come so i may pop back down at the weekend!

when i nipped into boots, not only was i lucky enough to get a set of my fave purfume (pure poison - Dior) reduced with just enough points - i got these photo gifts above to squirrel for next chrimbo too!

all in all a great days shopping!!

Did you get any crafty goodies for chrsitmas?

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and that santa left you something nice!!
He left me some lovely things and i have taken pics of the crafty ones here!!

above are 2 dies - one is a box for my big shot pro! 

I also got some cinch wires, a glue stamp pad and some drill bits for my little wing up drill!!!

Would love to see what he left you xxx

HAPPY CHRISTMAS - And 2 Dinosaur Chrsitmas Cards!

Firstly I want to wish every single one of my readers a Happy Chrsitmas!
I love doing this blog and I hope you love reading it, I will be blogging all over the festive period if you fancy a break from watching Home Alone and eating quality street!!

These 2 cards were made for my friends little boy who loves dinosaurs - not the easiest christmas theme i must say!

I think he will like them!

Big crimbo hugs

Lisa xXx

Festive Cards - Holly With Felt and Buttons!

These 2 cards are nice and basic and festive - i think!
I have a bit of a thing for felt and buttons right now, i am loving it!

The Holly is die cut using Sizzix Bigz Holly and Berries die  and then stuck at a raised angle to give it a bit of dimension!!
The letters are cut from glitter card using Tim's Chip Block Decorative strip die

The kraft card blanks are from papermania and i must confess i got a set in every size!

A Pair of Christmas Cards - MME Papers and Craft Work Cards Baubles!

These cards were made for 2 Sisters as cards from their mum - I hope they liked them!

The card blank was covered using some papers from a MME Christmas stack (which i noticed this week was half price at hobbycraft - what a bargain!)

I have added a chraft works cards chrsitmas greeting bauble, i think these were a NEC buy one year and shamefully these were the first ones i had used!

The ribbon bow is from papermania and the letters were die cut using Tim's Vintage Market Decorative strip alphabet I love love love this alpha, it seems to go with everything!

I am quite liking my pics agains a black background lately so think i may mix it up a bit from the normal white look in the new year!

Hugs

Lisa xXx

Mini Candy Cane Sweet Teats Bags with Go Kreate Die Cut Toppers

These were another make for my boss, this time to give to all of his staff as a little thank you gift!



They had to be quite quick to do as i had to make 80 in total!! Each topper is individually cut and scored

there are 3 mini canes in each bag plus some holographic snowflakes and stars!



I also made a batch for his wife to give to her staff too!!



There was a lot of die cutting involved after i had printed the greetings on the computer - i get 6 greetings on a A4 sheet and these (once cut out) fit perfectly on an 3"x5" cello bag

and the star of the show.... Frilly Square #1 Concentrics die from Go Kreate
This die has made well over 200 cuts this christmas and still cuts and looks like new - fab!

Christmas Table Setting Gift Boxes - Using Bigz Pro Milk Carton Die

Each year I make gift boxes for my bosses christmas table, they are used instead of place names and crackers and contain a personal pressie!

This year these are in the shape of milk cartons....

The cartons are not glued... as they need to put the presents inside the boxes they need to be able to open and close them so i have held them shut with a cute little bulldog clip which is adorned with a gingham bow and tag

The snowflakes are cut from gold pearl card using sizzix originals snowflakes #3 die

names were printed on the computer then cut into a tag shape using a nestabilities die.....

.....ties on with my fave stampin' up! gingham ribbon which they have sadly discontinued :o(

I had ran out of red gems, so improvised by punching holes using my cropodile from glittered self adhesive foam, I am going to get myself another pack of this lovely stuff (from hobbycraft) as it is proving to be realy usefull and the fact that it is die cutter friendly is a massive plus!

there were 10 boxes in total, all the same apart from the names!!

This is a fab die! It cuts all in one and you just fold and glue together.... Simples!

WOYWW :: Gingerbread men!!!

I am in the process of tidying my craft room for chrsitmas as it has been manic around here lately and the mess has built up, so I have resorted to doing what I always do when it is a mess.... crafting on my laptop!!

It is the only bit of my craft room that is never too cluttered!!
So while i am sowing you my workdesk (AKA Laptop!!) I thought i would show you what i was making too!!!
These are inspired by my crafty friend Helen and her love of gingerbread men!!
I think she will see this post before the little fella gets through her letterbox - so if you are reading this Helen Happy Christmas - He is on his way!

I am far from the best sewer, but i just love felt and things made from it, I have lots of felt that i buy and stroke but never have the confidence to make things with, so this is my first attempt at a felt decoration, they are far from perfect but made with love for a few special people!

It wouldn't me a Lisa project if it did not involve die cutting!! So i am pleased to tell you these little men were not cut by hand, oh no they were cut with this die here (656726 Sizzix Originals Die - Gingerbread Man #3 by Rachael Bright)

I hope everyone who receives one thinks he is as cute as i do despite the "home made" look he carries in his stitching!