Crochet Time

It was my turn to post over on It's a Creative World this weekend:
Hi all!
You may remember my post earlier in the month about Quick Knits well I've continued to knit and have even taught myself to crochet to a pattern!

First of all here's my little Gnome I was just starting last time. He knitted up really fast and came out a treat (my Sister is after him!). He was from a free pattern HERE and the only changes I made were to add some stitches tom make a nose and ears and I knitted the beard in garter stitch.

I love tortoises and knitted this teeny Torty:

I then bought a lovely pattern online for a cute piggy who was knitted- love those hooge feet!!
If you search etsy.com there are hundreds of beautiful and varied patterns for you to knit and often less than $5

I then decided that it was about time I taught myself to crochet and follow a pattern as there were so MANY adorable amigurumi patterns free on the net!

I thought I'd look for a REALLY easy pattern and spotted this cute Happy Pill pattern on Ravelry.com
(you need to sign up to use the site but you don't get any annoying emails and it's a HUGE resource!)

I had looked at instructions on how to crachet but it hadn't clicked but luckily I found this awesome tutorial on YouTube AMIGURUMI TUTORIAL and I was off!

I learnt how to decipher a crochet pattern, to increase and decrease in single crochet *beams*

So my next project was to crochet a cookie which I made up myself (get me!), followed by a cupcake from free pattern HERE and a coffee cup from HERE

I've learnt to use Slip Stitch, crochet into the front or the back of the stitch and to use HDC- half, double crochet!

Anytime I've been stuck I've resorted to Googling for the answer or heading to YouTube for a video tutorial- so easy!

As well as crocheting I've discovered 6mm black safety eyes which really give the look of an amigurumi!

So that's what I've been up to lately, I hope you enjoyed my yarn adventures and if you'd like to have a go then why not try some of these sites which have LOTS of free patterns to try!

Free Patterns:

Free Amigurumi Patterns

50 Free Adorable Amigurumi

Amigurumi Patterns.net

Ravelry.com  (requires sign up)

Complete Amigurumi Tutorial


Happy Crafting!

GlitteryKatie xXx

FABULOUS news...

First off all if you LURVE Bombshell Stamps as much as I do then RACE over to the online store because it's black Friday and you can get an awesome 25% OFF all Bombshell Stamps!!
in fact it's even better because it's not just the Deal of the Day - it's the deal until MONDAY 28th of November!!!
All you need to do to get 25% off is:
 
Just use coupon code "CYBR30" at check out

Now my kids have their Advent Calendars (German Style, NO chocolate and loads of silver glitter- my Mum would be proud!) to get them in the mood for Christmas.
Well I have TIM HOLTZ's Holiday tags!!!!! YAY!!!
He's bringing them back for the fifth year!!!
Cannot wait for Dec 1st to come round- see the deets HERE!!!

Just 'finkin'...

....'bout Beagley stuff....

o

Our beautiful Willow just chillin'!

Smoothies and Roundabouts!!!

Spent a lovely afternoon in MK with hubby today!
We had a wander around Marks and Spencers which was LOVELY- so many pretty, pretty Christmas decorations and home enhancing items (homes mind you that don't have us lot and 2 dawgs in them!!!) 
Later we popped into Costas for a berry smoothie each as we were hot, parched and a bit pooped

 ...I tell you that beastie took some slurping but it was delish!!

Lastly we acted like a pair of kids and had a go on the HOOGE roundabout in the shopping centre- it had lovely ginny horses that go up and down (makes photo taking tricky though!!)

So it's Friday (Hooray) and I'm off to do some more knitting, I want to wish you all a lovely weekend!!
Love,
GlitteryKatie xxx

Ms. November's Bombshell Challenge

This month's challenge comes from Celina:

"Hi everyone, Celina, Ms November here with my challenge for this month. On my blog I like to have Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays where I post a card I made out of scraps from my scrap drawer. We all have those pesky little scraps we can't bear to throw away, but they always seem to linger. So my challenge is to create a card using just the scraps you have on hand. It doesn't have to be perfect, in fact I love creating crazy looking cards with little bitty scraps. Bonus kudos if you even stamp on a scrap colored piece of paper instead of a white one!


I really look forward to seeing your creations and don't forget to check the Bombshell blog on November 16th to see what the DT has come up with!"

 Like most crafters I have a HUGE folder full of scraps (oops!) so this challenge was perfect for me!!!

 

OK so here's where all my supplies came from:

Stamps: Ahoy Sailor and Homeward Bound ;
Papers: Background is some Tim Holtz Kraft resist I had left over;
 The blue star paper is left over October Afternoon;
The Postcard (with the Ship stamped on) is an actual old postcard, aged with Distress Inks;
All the stamped images are stamped onto left over scraps;
The blue ribbon has been floating around my desk for months!
The paper lace was cut for another project weeks ago using Tim Holtz vintage lace die by Sizzix;
The muslin fabric was an off cut;
The Baker's Twine was actually the only thing that wasn't a left over!
Coloured using Spectrum Noir and Copics;
Spellbinder;
Distress Inks.

I LOVED this challenge - it was fun rooting through my scraps folder, I hope you 'll give it a try too!!
Happy crafting!

GlitteryKatie xXxXx

Happy??!

...yes! Because I took my Happy Pill!!!

My first attempt at crocheting something other than a granny blanket (25 years ago!)
He's a bit lumpy but I did it!!! *grins*

This cute pattern is from Sarah Hearn- thank you Sarah for getting me through my first crochet project!
Also to YouTube's WireMySoul for the video tutorial- bless you!!!

Knitty Update!

The Traveling Gnome:

He's finished!!! He's really quick to knit up so I think he needs a friend or two!

I added a nose and ears and knitted his beard in garter stitch for some texture!

He's very cute and only 2.75 inches small!

Willow the Beagle took a liking to him and tried to steal him, luckily I rescued him!!

Here's Gomne's Pattern (ever read the Rupert Bear story of the Gomne's?!)

I also finished Taffy Tortoise who's a real cutie- I love tortoises, used to own one as a child!

 

He's only 2" high and 3" long, perfect pocket size!! 

Here's Taffy's Pattern.

I've really enjoyed using the black safety eyes- only ever used felt or embroidery for eyes- it gives the toys a 'proper' amigurumi look I think!

Off to have a go at a little crochet and remind myself how to knit rounds!!!

Happy Crafting!
Glittery Katie
 XxxxxX

Quick Knits

It's my turn over on It's a Creative World Blog:


Well the nights are drawing in now and for me that always seems to herald KNITTING!
I love to get out the knitting needles and some wool and find some cute, quick projects to whip up in an evening!
When I was first crafting my Mum used to collect the Soft Toy patterns from Woman's Own and I FOUND my favourite pattern in the folder:

We used to knit LOADS of these guys and the lil' stockings too for school and Church fetes! They use so little yarn and knit up in no time at all!! Now obviously this is a VINTAGE pattern now *giggles* but I did find an alternative.
Jean Greenhowe has her own website on on there she has some freebie patterns including little Stockings  HERE!!
And here are just two of the MANY stockings I've already produced!! All five of us in our family has their own stocking for the tree because Santa likes to pop choccy coins in them!

So anyway I started to search to see what other cute little knitty patterns I could find online and I was delighted with the results!
Over on a GORGEOUS knitting shop called Twins Knits I found a whole host of freebies as well as her full but reasonably priced patterns which are for sale!
Here is a lovely pencil bookmark,the pattern is HERE

....and these cute little guys: HERE

And over at Mochimochi Land these lil alligators

hee hee aren't they wonderful?! Their pattern is HERE

They have at least 13 free patterns at Mochimochi Land which are the sweetest little Amigarumi (Japanese) style characters.

Then I found my fave site with LOADS of free patterns for knitted cuties Knitted Toy Box.

I am currently knitting, well finishing knitting the Traveling Gnome as it takes SO little time to knit!
Here he is visiting Paris!! His pattern is HERE!
He's so cute and little at only about 2-3" tall!

This is what he looks like tonight:

As you can see he's VERY straightforward to knit in stocking stitch with some increase stitches!
These patterns are mostly from America so the knitting jargon is slightly different however all of the patterns explain what the abbreviations mean and anything you are unsire of can easily be Googled. There are lots of online sites that 'translate' US knitting terms to UK English!
So have a go at some Quick Knits if you have a bit of time on your hands!

Here are those sites to go and pootle around for your freebie patterns:


Jean Greenhowe Patterns
Twins Knits (free Patterns on right hand side, page down)
Mochimochi Land (free knits page down on right hand side)
Knitted Toy Box

Happy Crafting!
GlitteryKatie XxXx

Bombshell Forum Relaunch Scavenger HUNT!!!!

Now here's another great excuse to browse our Bombshell DT member's blogs a Bombshell SCAVENGER HUNT!!!

Head over to the newly relaunched Bombshell Forum for the details on how to play!

~You have until midnight PDT on Wednesday, November 2nd to enter
~Bombshell DT members (past and present) can not win prizes for this challenge.
Have fun!!!!
GlitteryKatie x

Celebrating!!!

We're feeling seasonal here this evening!

We're dressed up.

Pumpkins are scooped, carved and glittered (thanks Martha!)

Strictly Come Dancing is on and the road kill (or pepperoni) Pizza is a cookin'!

Deadly Doll and her Beau V for Vendetta:

Children are embarrassed:

 Don't annoy the cook though:

Enjoy your Halloween celebrations!!
love
Spooky kt xxx

Bombshell October Blog Hop!!!

And a BRILLIANT challenge from Alison for my FAVOURITE time of the year:

It's October! It's October! My very most favorite month of the year! Can you tell I'm excited??? So...what's this month's Bombshell Hump Day Hop Theme, this month's theme is...Halloween of course!  But...it's with a twist. You must include skelletons or a skull in/on it somewhere. You can use any of the numerous Bombshell Stamps skelletons, or you can create your own. Just make sure you get your Bombshell Stamps in there somehwere! You may also create a Day of the Dead project for this hop. But I couldn't fit it all in the title! Like last month, I encourage you to make a decoration as opposed to a card, but this is not mandatory. 

Isn't that a cool challenge?
Well now here's my canvas featuring Rose's Portrait but glammed up for Halloween!
Can you see my skull, it's small but it's there?!!

 

Supplies:

Bo-Bunny Gabrielle papers

Copic Ciao pens

Spectrum Noir pens

Vintage Lace Sizzix Die

Distress Ink

Netting

Spellbinders Labels 17

I hope you like my Gothy chick?!

Don't forget to play along with us for a chance to win Bombshell goodies!

Hop along now to the gorgeous Cheryl's Blog to see here creation (I can't wait!)!

Bombshell Blog

Alison

Mary G.

Glittery Katie  You are HERE!!

Cheryl

Alex

Kelli

Torrey
Meredith
Paula
Milo

Alaine

Sparkly Mary
Stempelientje


 

Love, 

GlitteryKatie XxxXxxX

Bombshells Think Pink!

 It's time for the monthly challenge from our guest DT for October, Paula!!
Paula's challenge is in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month which is of course this month. She's challenging everyone to THINK PINK: to use the color PINK somewhere on your project. Your project can have a breast cancer theme, but it doesn’t have to. Just be sure to use PINK.

My card was just a little one as I wanted to use the Rose and Banner stamp from Rose's Portrait set.
I used:
Prima Printery 6x6 papers
Spellbinders Label 22
Distress Ink
Spectrum Noir pens
Seam Binding
Distress Rock Candy Stickles

Hope you enjoy my card now if you want to see all the other wonderful creations pop along to the Bombshell Blog!
If you get a chance why not playing along with us in our Think Pink challenge and you could win some cool Bombshell goodies!!

Beagle warmers!!

My son 'The Blonde One' and 'DH' have discovered another use for their laptops.
Unbeknowst to the inventors of the Laptop they have a secondary use: as a Beagle Warmer!
Whenever 'DH' or 'TBO' sit down on the sofa with their laptops soon a Beagle will appear beside them and then they start to manoeuvre themselves so they are lying along side the cooling vent. They then have a blast of lovely warm air blowing across themselves and they are super comfy!

So tonight 'DH' is still working away though it's past 10pm, he does however have company:

Two very comfy and VERY pooped beagles!

I tell you , it's a hard life being a Beagle!!!

Love,
Glittery Katie xx

InstaGram Fun!!

It seems appropriate that in the week that Apple's Steve Jobs left us a magical part of his world should become a new member of ours!
'DH' has a new iPhone for work and I just HAD to have a play!!!

Here's me and my boy in a 70's glow!!

These are just SOME of 'DHs' masterpieces of modelling skillage ever ready to defend us against the attack of the Cybermen (we like many genres!)

My guy, 'Save me Jebus' looking particularly glowy and all knowing! Which reminds me: when I was a kid I used to worry God could see me on the loo!!! LOL

please note Jesus' necklace adorning his lovely neck! That was a stocking filler from my Mum when I was 6 and I've loved it and kept it safe all these hundreds of years!!

I can see me and Instagram are going to be great chums -'DH' is well chuffed with it so it just comes down to me wrestling his phone away from him in the evenings and weekends!!!

As I said at the beginning of this post I was deeply saddened by the death of Steve Jobs.
My first foray into the world of computing , proper was at the keyboard of an Apple Macintosh.
We were in our 1st year at Hatfield Uni and we told that all essays and dissertations had to be word processed.
To be honest we were horrified and terrified in equal measure!
However we duly trundled down to the modest computer lab with named floppy disk in hand to be inducted into the world of WP.
We had a blast!!
It was so darn easy!!
My typing wasn't brilliantly fast but CUT and PASTE was a revelation, oh the joy of copying swathes of text and simply plonking it elsewhere in your essay!!!
I remember the day we were shown how to insert footnotes- I squealed wen I saw those cute little numbers in my essay and the tiny text at the foot of my work!!
Mac and mouse were my friends now and we scoffed at the unenlightened with their paper and pens!!

In 1992 I was lucky enough to have my own Apple at home- the Apple LCII with a Canon bubble jet printer- I was in heaven!!

Around 1994/5 a friend lent us the Apple Newton. It blew us away with it's handwriting recognition and it's pocket sized electronic organizer'ness. Ahead of it's time maybe and perhaps with problems but to us it was the future, a little bit of Star Trek in our hand!

In 2002 our lives were changing- new house, new town and three young children.
In 2002 'DH' bought me an iMac and I went online for the first time I was HOME!!!!

With Apple I have discovered my feet in the crafting world, made fast friends and had opportunities I never imagined. I can access information and people at any time in any part of the world and I do, believe me I do!!
The cry of 'Google it' is heard daily in our house!!

My music horizons have expanded enormously through iTunes and then later i had an iPod shuffle YAY!! Do you remember how HARD it was trying to get hold of a piece of music if it was out of the charts and out of fashion BEFORE iTunes came along-I do and I bless the accessibility of iTunes !!

So now here we are 21 years later and I'm zooming around t'internet on my third Apple computer and listening to music on a pink iPod nano (as well as watching Doctor Who episodes and Killers videos on it!). So to me anyone who quibbles that Steve Jobs didn't so this or didn't do that is just that QUIBBLING!
For me he brought the computer into my life, helped me get my BaHons degree, helped me start scrapbooking, helped me meet hundreds of friends online and help me sate my thirst for knowledge and music!
So from me and my family I thank you very much indeed Steve Jobs and hope that the spark you created with your imagination and drive in that once little company called Apple continues to grow and touches and enriches other lives as it has mine!

kt x

Happy Birthday Niecey!!

My Niecey Sophie was TRINNY-ONE last month- amazing how quickly they grow up *sniffs*
She's away at Uni so I'm sure she had a lovely birthday with her friends!!
Here's a little card I sent to her:

Supplies:
Prima Printery Paper
Tim Holtz tissue tape
Spellbinders Lables 22
Tim Holtz Steampunk stamps
Bombshells Banner Sayings
Sizzix Alterations Rosettes Dies
October Afternoon papers (rosettes)
Silver Stickles
QuicKutz Nutmeg numbers

Happy Crafting!

GlitteryKatie xxXxx

September Bombshell Blog Hop!!!

It's time to hop and find out the theme Alison has set for the September Hump Day Hop! 

Many of our major holidays are just around the corner. I think we all know what my favorite holiday is (Halloweenie!  )...but what's yours? My challenge to you is to make a Bombshell project for your favorite holiday. Bonus points if you make a decoration!!! Use any holiday you want and create something that's going to make us want to celebrate!!! 

Great challenge thanks Alison and I agree with you that Halloween is my favourite too!!

A book or a card?

 Peer inside the book:

A room?

 

Ahhhh! A secret lair for the bride of Frankenstein to escape to when Mr Monster when he's in one of his moods!

So what sort of things does Mrs Monster have in her den?

Well she decorates with her own special touches:

...and a place on the shelf for her potions (she likes to cook)....

...and of course when the stresses of the day become too much there's always some liquid relaxation on hand.....

I hope you enjoyed  the tour of The Bride's crib!

Now HOP along to Sparkly Mary's blog to see her HOLIDAY HOOPLA creation!!!

Happy Crafting!

 love ,

    GlitteryKatie xxx

Here's the full list of hoppers!!

Bombshell Blog
Alison
Alex
Terra
Kathi
Kelli
Jennie
Glittery Katie-you are HERE!! 
Sparkly Mary
Mary G
Alaine

Bombshell Stamp Release BLOG HOP!!!

We have some GORGEOUS new digital Bombshell stamps HERE being released today and to celebrate we're having a lil Blog Hop to show you how much fun you can have with these three beauties!!

Now these Bombshells have a definite Halloween vibe but I wanted to show that they are very versatile.
I coloured her with Copic Ciao marker R59, R29, R22 for the dress; 100, C7, C5, for the cloak; E00, E02, E11, E09 for the skin.
Papers: 7gypsies
Handmade paper rose.
Stamps: Halloween Costume Digital Stamps; Mi Amor
Spellbinders Nestabilities

So now it's time to HOP along to the next blog and see what KELLI has created!!

Happy Crafting!
GlitteryKatie xXXx

Here's the blog list if you missed anyone out:

So far, the hop list is:
Bombshell Stamps Blog
Alaine
Alison
Mary G
You are here!!
Kelli
Kathi

How cute are these??!!

GORGEOUS from Prima!!!!!