Roses are...

I haven't used my YOF minis set for a while so decided to pull it out and make some tags. Very relaxing just stamping and colouring for a few hours. Here is the first - roses are definitely one of my favourite flowers.

Supplies

Christmas take 2

Yes, just getting a head start on some cards. I don't like having that rush at the end of the year, especially as I'll be away for 3 weeks in November (in NYC running the marathon - more about that later!)

Normally I choose one design and make 30-40 cards, but this year I think I might experiment a bit more and come up with one or two more options. Does you good to have a little fling now and then :)

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, rustic cream, enchanted evening, kraft; SU paper
Stamps - PTI Star of Wonder
Ink - Amuse navy, Versamark
Accessories - clear embossing powder, silver glitter glue, metal dots, cricut machine, foam tape

It's beginning to look a lot like...

Well, Christmas, actually. Here are a couple of tags to share and I've been working on a few holiday cards too. Saves all the rush at the end!

Supplies
Paper - PTI rustic cream; kraft; vellum; SU Christmas paper
Stamps - PTI Peace, Love, Joy
Dies - PTI Tag Sale 3
Ink - Versamark; Amuse Currant; PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - clear embossing powder; baker's twine; white gel pen

I {heart] tags

Here's another quick and easy tag - perfect for a sweet little gift.



Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white; Sweet Blush patterned paper
Dies - PTI Trendy Tree Tops
Ink - PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - PTI felt; baker's twine

All booked up

Now there's a set I haven't used recently. So I decided to incorporate it into another tag. The perfect thing to accompany a book!

Don't have any grey ink so for the focal point I stamped off black ink once - I like the slightly faded impression it gives.

Supplies
Paper - PTI rustic cream; Hopscotch patterned paper
Stamps - PTI All Booked up
Ink - Versafine onyx black; vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - Crop a dile; baker's twine; black pen

Tagging along

So much to do around the house and garden at the moment that I have little time to craft. That's why I'm sticking with small projects like tags for now. I can whip something up even if time is short.

Here's a tag using one of my favourite Simple Stories' collections - Harvest Lane:

Supplies

Fruits of the harvest

March and April are busy times in my garden - lots of produce to harvest. Now it's the turn of the crabapples, so I decided it was time to make some jelly.  Crabapples are rich in pectin and make the perfect companion to all sorts of berries. One of my favourites is crabapple and blackberry, but there were no frozen blackberries to be seen anywhere.  But I did manage to find both boysenberries and mixed berries, so made a couple of jars of each.  Here's how I turned these lovely crabapples into delicious jelly:

Chop washed crabapples roughly and be sure to leave the cores because they're particularly rich in pectin.  As the fruit pulp is going to be strained, there's no need to peel.

Add berries of your choice and enough water to come about half way up the fruit.   I used equal proportions of crabapples and berries - about 500g of each. Simmer until the fruit is soft.

Then mash well.

Tip into a jelly bag over a bowl and leave to drain. If you want clear jelly, just the liquid drip through, but if you don't mind your jelly to be a little cloudy, squeeze the bag to extract it all.

Measure the juice, transfer to a clean pan and add 750g of sugar for every litre of juice.  Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil rapidly until you reach setting point (106 degrees C).

Put into sterilised jars and seal - yum!

Continuing with the travel theme...

Another tag - this one uses PTI's Up Up and Away balloon set. Love the slightly vintage feel. Definitely something nice about the combination of kraft and blue!

Supplies

One for the journey

Still on a roll with my tags. Don't seem to have much time for crafting at the moment, so the small size of the tags works well.  Here is a cute car - enjoy the ride :)

Supplies Other - Kaiser yellow droplets; SU Loads of Love Accessories