Merry Christmas

Wishing everybody a safe Christmas and a happy and healthy 2012 from all the team.

Busted and Some Big Changes

I completely forgot to do the prizes for October and November. I'm so sorry. A big change too but more of that after the winners announcement

There was only one entry for October which was the scarf pattern so Kate please can you email me at craftgardenshop@gmail.com and I will send you the pdf of the pattern.

We had a massive number of entries to the November challenge. The criteria was Christmas with no red or green and the prize was to win some digital images. The winner chosen at random was number 52 Nana Donna with her adorable sledding polar bear. Please can you email me at craftgardenshop@gmail.com and I will forward your details to the company providing the generous prize.

Right now onto the big change.  I have taken the big decision to move the business back over the eBay.  It is mainly for the coverage eBay brings.  My little shop just wasn't getting any custom on its own. I sponsored UKScrappers this year but I'm finding myself branching out more and more into handmade things other than craft flowers so it won't really be a viable option financially to do that again next year. Don't worry I'm still selling my crocheted and fabric flowers aswell as my other stock.  As I own the domain name for www.thecraftgarden.co.uk I've now pointed it to my ebay shop and cancelled my create shop.  If anybody has any suggestions for any craft flowers they would like me to make in the new year then I'm open to ideas on colour/shape etc.  

December Recipe

Welcome to the December challenge.

This month, being the month of those yummy Christmas recipes, we are having a recipe challenge and the prize is a guest design spot on this blog for the month of your choice.

It works like this - each design team member has chosen an ingredient in the recipe and you have to use 4 of those items in your creation.

Your choices are:

Kerry - turquoise (for one of December's birthstones)
Carly - Snowflakes
Melly - Kraft
Tiffany- Office Supply

Kevin - Ribbon
Jay - Buttons
Cathy - charm
Helen - Purple

Kylie - Paint

Here is what the fabulous design team have created:

Carlyann

I chose Snowflakes, Turquoise, Office supply (paper clip) & Ribbon


Helen
I have made a chipboard tag and used the following ingredients: Turquoise, purple, ribbons and a button. I used distress inks to achieve the background effect and then stamped my border and dandelions again with distress inks. Added some pealr bling, ribbons and a button to finish off.

Kylie

I have done a 12x12 Christmas scrapbook page using Kraft as my base, turquoise, purple and paint:

Cathy
I used charms, snowflakes, Kraft and ribbon

Kevin
I have used, Turquoise, Snowflakes. Ribbon and a Button

Jay

I have created a 12" x 12" Scrapbooking Layout & used Kraft Cardstock, Turquoise Ribbon, Buttons & Paint

Kerry:

I used turquoise, ribbon, button and office supply (staple)

Melly

I used kraft, purple, ribbon and snowflakes

Tiffany

I used turquoise and Kraft cardstock, purple buttons, purple ribbon and a few tickets from a roll of raffle tickets as my office supply item!

November Challenge

Welcome to the November challenge.

This month we are very lucky to be sponsored by Crafty Sentiments Designs who have provided the design team with some images to use. One lucky winner (drawn at random) will win some images of their choice from their shop.

Here is a little bit about Crafty sentiments designs:

We are a small online based company selling both digital, clear and exclusive rubber stamps along with our own range of diecuts called 'Crafty Cutters', to cardmarkers and scrapbookers, started in October 2009 by me (Suzette), we offer a wide range of exclusive images as well as some lovely sentiments with some essential crafting products.

Now onto the challenge. Your challenge this month is quite simply CHRISTMAS but with a twist. I don't want to see any red or green.  Any entries which include red or green in any way will not be eligible to win the prize.

Here is what my amazing team created with the images provided by our sponsor:

Kevin

Cathy

Helen
I am busy making gift bags and boxes at the moment and thought these snowmen would make delightful decorations. I have coloured my images using copics and the raised snow was made using matt accent and glamour dust.

Melly

Tiffany

Kylie

I'm not much of a carmaker, but i tried my hand at some paper-piecing with one of the provided images, and dressed it up with some bling and ribbon:

Carlyann

Craft Fair

Tomorrow I am taking the shop and lots lots more besides to a craft fair

Free parking, free entry, lots of stalls and the main man by the name of Santa will be in his grotto. If you are around come and say hello. My stall is in the tea and coffee hall.

It is a few moments from Junction 32 of the M62 near Xscape and the Junction 32 Shopping Village.

Scarf Knitting Pattern Giveaway

My very first proper knitting pattern is now available for purchase.  I have listed it on Ravelry for £1.99 which is approximately $3.

It is called Forest Ruffle because I decided on the design whilst we were on holiday in the forest and couldn't think of anything else.

Anyway here is a piccie of the finished object and you can find the pattern here

As we haven't had a prize this month with it being the design team call month I am having a little bit of a giveaway for knitters who read the blog.  Leave a comment and I'll pick a winner or winners to receive an electronic copy (pdf) of the pattern.

If you would like to purchase a copy of the pattern then the buy now button will take you to the purchase page - Paypal do the clever currency conversion part of the purchase for free where ever you are in the world.

New Design Team

I am very happy to announce that our new design team members are

Kylie

Cathy

and Jay

I'm really happy to welcome these ladies on board and look forward to working with them.

A huge thank you to everybody who applied by the link and also by email. It was a hard task.

September Winner

First of all I am so sorry that I haven't picked a winner before.  It totally slipped my mind and I do apologise to all of you who entered.

The winner of the flowers is entry number 10 which is MARY-LOU

Please can you email me at craftgardenshop@gmail.com and I will get your flowers posted out to you.

Thank You

Thank you for all your lovely design team entries both by link and email.

I have a tough task over the next day or two choosing. The announcement should be before the end of the week.

Also a huge apology. I completely forgot to choose a September winner so I will do that today and let you all know.


Kerry x

Design Team Call Changes

I'm guessing that the picture inspiration and the fact that I preferred you only to use it for the dt call was putting some people off since we have only had one entrant and the deadline date is drawing near. 

As the deadline is only this sunday I have decided to just change it to a standard email me your details type of design team call.  If you have been waiting and have used the picture I put up as inspiration over in the original post then please link it up over there.  I would love to see it.

The deadline is 16th October and if you are interested please email me (craftgardenshop@gmail.com) by then with no more than 5 examples of your work and a link to your blog or online gallery (or both) plus any other information you would like to share.

All details of what is required of you can be found here

Design Team Call

**Important***

I have changed the design team call as follows:

I'm guessing that the picture inspiration and the fact that I preferred you only to use it for the dt call was putting some people off since we have only had one entrant and the deadline date is drawing near.







As the deadline is only this sunday I have decided to just change it to a standard email me your details type of design team call. If you have been waiting and have used the picture I put up as inspiration over in the original post then please link it up over there. I would love to see it.






The deadline is 16th October and if you are interested please email me (craftgardenshop@gmail.com) by then with no more than 5 examples of your work and a link to your blog or online gallery (or both) plus any other information you would like to share.




Our current Design Team term is now at an end and I am really happy that some of the team are staying.

I am looking to add some more gardeners (designers) for the challenge team so October is Design Team call month.

This is how it will work:

First of all use the picture for inspiration to produce something which will

SHOW ME YOUR STYLE

The autumnal picture is this from the fabulous artist Carl Larsson

Source is highlighted if you love it as much as I do and would like more info on how to purchase a full sized print.

Take from it whatever inspires you - the tree, the lady, the buildings, the colours, something else or the whole thing to create something which SHOWS ME YOUR INDIVIDUAL STYLE

Second - upload your creation to your blog or other online gallery and add that link to the inlinkz tool below like you would if you were submitting to a normal monthly challenge.

Entries will be open from 00:01GMT 1st October 2011 to 23:59GMT 16th October 2011.

Entries are limited to one per person and I would ask as a matter of courtesy your creation made for the dt call not be entered in any other challenge this month.

I will make my decision during the week beginning 17th October and the new team members will be announced in time for the November challenge.

If you would like to email me with more info about other galleries etc where I can see more of your work or if you wish to tell me more about yourself then that is welcome but you MUST link your creation with the inlinkz tool below even if you are emailing me aswell. The email address is craftgardenshop@gmail.com



What I ask from you

The term is from November to April (inclusive). You are required to create at least one inspirational project from the challenge I set and upload it to the blog in time for it going live on 1st of the month. There is no payment but some months will be sponsored so there may be some images/products available for you to use. Other months you will be required to use your own products to produce your inspiration. You will be given plenty of notice of the requirements for each challenge and all I ask is that you have created something to upload by the time the challenge goes live.

International applicants are very welcome. I welcome applications from any craft (knitting, crochet, sewing, embroidery, cardmaking, scrapbooks, altered art, fimo, etc etc etc).

I gave the design team members the choice of either having a month off, using the inspiration to show us their personal style or showing their style without the picture and here is what they created:

Carlyann

I took inspiration from the lovely picture, by incorporating a vintagey flowery theme with my card, i also wanted to use the greens from the picture but also incoporating my pinks and my sassy image to give my card my ''style'' so to speak!
 

Helen

When I saw this delightful picture it made me think of a very traditional simple way of life, very different to the ones we live today. As I am currently making a wedding album I took the inspiration for the layout below from Carl Larsson's painting.

Melly
I loved the autumnal feel of this picture and also the colours in it that reminds me so much of the changing season! I used the colours to make an Autumn "feeling" card

Kerry
I went for inspiration by the colours and crocheted a corsage for autumn. 

Ebay

I've added some more bits to Ebay at bargain start prices of 20p upwards.  These are mainly items I've been experimenting with where the glue hasn't gone quite where it should (you know that awful stringy stuff don't you?).  The full list of items is here

and these are a few piccies

September Challenge

Welcome to September.

This month sees the start of the autumnal equinox in this part of the world.

Your challenge is to use this picture from here as inspiration. It can be the colours, the ladies or anything else that inspires you.

Your prize this month is the following selection of flowers in colours to match the colour palette from the challenge.

I also provided the design team with some flowers from the colour palette above and let them loose
 with their imagination.

Carlyann


I was thrilled to have been able to use some fantastic blooms and beautiful butterflys from The Craft Garden shop for my DT Card this month! If you've not visited the shop omg! where have you been! get over there!!! hehe!
I've gone for the colours of the picture for my card this month & throughly enjoyed making it!!

Melly

I loved these colours and knew my Prima Madeline Papers would be perfect with the gorjuss BLOOMS from the fab shop!



Helen

Well my eyes just grew when I saw the beautiful butterfly and flowers Kerry sent for this months challenge. I knew that they were going to be used on more than one project and so set about crafting straight away! The first project is a mdf book for my nephew's 21st, I used several flowers inside but also used the butterfly and this cream flower which I stamped for the back cover. Being a lad I have had to make the book simple but still decorative, this butterfly set the page off beautifully, I am sure he will find a suitable photo to add to it.

I was in the process of making this tag when Kerry's flowers arrived and they just finished it off so perfectly. I just love the overall feel of this piece and the flowers give added texture. The wings are stamped and then crackle glazed.

The above page is for a wedding album I am making as a gift. The paper is very pretty but needed a title and I decided to to it in the form of a tag. I love the stitching details on the flower and leaf embellishment.

Kevin

Kerry:

Tiffany

Again we had lots of lovely entries for the August challenge and the random number generator chose number 20

which is DonnaT with this entry

Donna please can you get in touch at craftgardenshop@gmail.com to claim your prize.