How can it be time for another Challenge over on our challenge blog (here).  Time is just whizzing by. The theme this time is Anything but a card.  I can do that!!! But first a huge thank you to everyone that took part in the challenge, it was fab to see so many creations, we hope you all had fun.

Anyone who has visited us this season at an exhibtion will have seen me wearing a button necklace, and I promised that I would make a tutorial for you all. Speared on by the fact that I will be wearing the necklaces (yes I have a collection in different colours!) in Paris next week, and my French is not good enough to talk them through the demo!, this Anything but a card challenge has come just at the right time.

So here goes with my tutorial.

Step 1.  Gather all the bits you need, 5 large buttons for the bottom row, 4 large buttons for the top row (I use 2 different colours), and 6 small buttons, they can all be found stripes here and spots here.  You also need a needle, scissors and some Organza swiss dot ribbon here.

Step 2.  Cut the ribbon to a very fine point.

Step 3.  Thread a normal needle.

Step 4.  Lay the buttons out to form the necklace.  This ensures you pick up the correct buttons.

Step 5.  Thread the first large button from the bottom row onto the needle.

Step 6.  Sew up through the small button that sits on top.

Step 7.  The ribbon goes across the button and back down through the other hole.

Step 8.  The small button at the start and end of the necklace acts as a stopper, so the buttons do not slide along the ribbon.  So we take the needle through the same hole the ribbon came up through.

Step 9.  Come back up the other hole in the large button.  Pull the ribbon tightish so that it snuggles to the button.

Step 10.  Pick up the next two button from your line and go up through both. 

Step 11.  Take the needle back through the spare hole in the small button, the large button AND a new large button from your line. Pull the ribbon tightish.

Step 12.  Take the ribbon up through the bottom large button and pick up the next set of large and small buttons from the line.

Step 13.  Repeat 11 and 12 until you come to the last small button.

Step 14.  As this is the last stopper button it needs to be sewn back through the hole you have already come up through.

I just tie the ribbon at the back of the neck with a bow.

So come on and join in with us on our Crafty ribbons Challenge Blog HERE , you can have some fun and might even win some ribbon.  The prize is our famous Bev's Bag! The winner can pick which ever one they would like.  How cool is that!

If you have not got time to enter the challenge, do check out the DT girls creations they are awesome and are ooozing with inspiration - ribbon inspiration of course!

We are putting the final touches to our Paris stand today, the last minute stock has been returned from the out girls so just needs putting on the pegs.

Hope you all have a great day.

It's time for a NEW Challenge over on our challenge blog (here) and when the DT girls said we should do a Bingo Challenge I was completly flummoxed!  Ok - I know what the game of Bingo is, ( I used to play it with my Nan), and I know we use a bingo bag for all our Friday Freebie numbers, BUT how can that be a challenge.  Anyway, I shouted help and the girls came to my rescue.............

....this is the Bingo board and you have to select a line of three to make your creation..................ooooooh that's NEW to me (I get the feeling they are trying to push me out of my comfort zone!).  Glitter - nope haven't any, ditto flowers although I could make some, embossing - rather on the scary side, lace - only have one and I used that on the last challenge. 

Maybe I should look at it from the other side, what can I do. Ribbon (loads and loads of it!), I like the idea of hand made embellishments and I am sure I can find some gems. 

That's my line Handmade embellishment, ribbon and gems. Do you want to see what I made, (believe it or not I am rather a nervous crafter) never thinking my creations are very good, so I always show the girls in the warehouse first.  If I get a good reaction, I share with you all...................if not................back to the drawing board. 

The flowers are my handmade embellishments, I sewed the flowers first using seam binding ribbon.  I punched out the flower shape and made a hole in the centre then pushed the sewn flower through it.  The gems were a problem, I could not find any.  So in the end I raided Sydney's craft drawer!!!  I always give her the little free packets you get on the craft magazines and I finally found the three little silver flower gems.  I had not planned on using silver so I then did some faux stitching with a silver pen around the card and on the flowers.

Although I had used ribbon to make my flowers, I thought I still needed to use it again for the third item of the bingo challenge.  Not seen this ribbon on our website?   Yes you have.....it's seam binding......but I have printed on it using my ink jet printer.  How cool is that!  (Don't worry I will show you a little later.)

When I put all my card together I thought it looked a bit............well............plain.  So I added a few extra faux stitched flowers.  After the scariness had gone away I had so much fun making this card, why don't you come and join in with the challenge (here).  We have a super prize this week, no NOT Ribbon, we have a sponsor - Mulberry Crafts

MulberryCraftsUK online shop is a Home-Based business run by Bev .  At the moment we are focussing on providing miniature flowers made from genuine mulberry paper for crafts use - although we have a small selection of non -paper crafts too. Why mulberry paper? Because they are robust, realistic, look and last longer than ordinary paper and it provides a sustainable income for people in the cottage industry. In due course we will be introducing more of  other craft materials which is not related to mulberry paper.   Website - mulberrycraftsuk.co.uk

Bev has given a extra super collection of flowers for a prize.  Ooooh I would like some of those.

 

Put double sided tape over the printing.  Peel off the backing paper and place the seam binding ribbon over your design and stick to the paper.  feed this back into your printer and print the same design again.

Carefully lift the seam binding ribbon away from the sticky paper.

That is it!!!  Just think what you can do - ribbon to match your backing paper, ribbon to match your borders.  The only down side is you can only print the length of A4 paper, but I am sure that will not stop you.

Nearly forgot you can find our seam binding HERE.

I found a ghost in my garden

Oooooh no lots of little ghosts......

I dread to know what my neighbours think of me!!

Do you remember I told you last week I had a crafting session planned with Sydney. Well.........I had two little crafters that also wanted to join in.  As soon as Syd and I started to climb the stairs to my craft room we heard "me too, me too", and Mollie and Sam came running to join in. Three of them in my craft room, with all my studio lights arrrgh.  I tried to ask Syd if we could all craft downstairs on the canteen table, "Ali you promised me we could craft in your room".  So one at a time I took them upstairs (the stairs to my craft room are filled with crafty bits that need to find their way upstairs, so there is only a very narrow passage to walk up).  I have a big long kitchen style work top underneath a window, so I pulled up my chair for Syd, a stool for Mollie and Sam wanted the step ladders (don't ask!).

We are going to make ghosts, "I don't like ghosts" Sam said! You will like these Sam you can eat them.  So here is a little tutorial for the children of our ribbon world.

You will need a square tissue (3 ply) a lollipop, white ribbon, glue and googly eyes.

Seperate the three layers of the tissue, all my three little crafters had no problem with this, although one was a little rough and tore his!

Place each layer of the tissue on the table to form a star shape.

Place the lollipop in the centre.

Pick up the tissue so the lollipop is covered. 

Scrunch the ribbon around the base of the lollipop.

Tie white 3mm satin ribbon (here) around the neck.  (Syd wanted hers tied in a bow!)

Put the googly eyes on and you have one finished spoooky ghost!

This is a perfect project for half term, Mollie will be 3 in November and she managed to make her own ghost.  The guys used a felt tip pen to draw a mouth on each of their ghosts.  What do you think of their creations?

Enjoy

P.S.  That is our Mollie on the left, it was Hero's Day at school and she went dressed as a princess - only problem was she loved having hair so much she refused to take the wig off!!!

NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK

Friday's cupcake holds a secret...

Blueberry Curl Frosting

Under the delicate curls of frosting, lies the distinctive subtle flavour of blueberries.

Can you resist this last cupcake treasure of the week?

Ingredients:

* Polystyrene ball approx 6cm diameter.
(I used an egg shape cut in half)
* Glass headed pins
* 6mm Lilac Grosgrain HERE about 1mtr
*13mm Saddle Stitch Purple/White HERE about 1mtr
*13mm Saddle Stitch Orchid/White HERE about 1mtr
*Ric Rac Purple HERE about 1mtr
(note to chef - you can use any flavour ribbon from here,  here and here)
*Cupcake cases

Instructions:

1.  Pin saddle stitch ribbon around the base, or middle of the ball.

2.  Continue pinning ribbon around the base.

3.  Where the ribbon meets, fold the ribbon over to create a neat join and pin.

4. To make the ribbon curls, cut both saddle stitch ribbons, ric rac and grosgrain into 5.5cm lengths.
Fold the ribbon over to form a loop around your finger, overlapping the ribbon.

5.  Place a pin in the centre of the loop.

6.  Pin onto ball at the top.

6.  Continue adding ribbon curls at different angles to each other.

7.  Continue until the ball is covered.

I have to say I think this is my favourite, those ribbon curls are to die for.

Sam is still off school with a tummy bug, so Mollie picked the Strawberry winners....

Number 12 = Sarah
Another great cupcake, making me hungry.
Sarah

Number 20 = Pam T
Wow another lovely cupcake.  Wonder what tomorrow's will be!

Strawberry Delights to you girls, all we need are addresses please to craftyribbons@gmail.com

Hope you have enjoyed our Cupcake week - did you have a favourite? Do tell.

For this weeks Friday FREEBIE prize we have a bundle of ribbons from each cupcake.
For a chance to win this collection just leave us a comment and we will pick TWO winners
from our "Bingo" bag on Monday.

Don't forget if you are having trouble with our spam filters (comment disappears when screen is refreshed) then just email it to us craftyribbons@gmail.com and we will add it for you.

Happy cupcake weekend all.

If you are unable to leave a comment due to our spam filters, please email it to craftyribbons@gmail.com and we will add it for you. 
All the comments go into our "Bingo" bag and we draw a random number(s) on Monday.
Please check back to see if you have won, it is up to you to claim your prize - we do not contact you.

Today is the start of our second Challenge over on our NEW Challenge Blog here . I am pleased to say we had 93 entries last week, which we are delighted with.
The theme this Challenge is Anything Goes - sounds interesting.
Please pop on over and have a look at the the super work of the DT girls....WOW can they craft with ribbon!
You may have won the Challenge, or be one of the Top 3 or you could have won the Followers Candy.
I think my Cupcakes fit into this theme nicely.

NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK

Thursdays cupcake is light and fluffy.

Strawberry Delight

Lashings of pure white icing, add a few sprinkles and a light fluffy strawberry cream...yum...yum...yum.

This cupcake is light as a feather and zero calories!

Ingredients:

* Polystyrene ball approx 6cm diameter
* Glass headed pins
* 10mm White Grosgrain HERE about 2mtrs
*10mm Pink Grosgrain HERE about 1mtrs
*10mm Basics 2 Go Pink Sheer
(note to chef - you can use any flavour ribbon from here and here)
*Cup cake cases

Instructions:
(I forgot to pick up the 10mm white grosgrain for the tutorial,
so I unmade my cupcake!!!)

1.  Cover the ball in the same way as for the lemon & Lime drizzle cupcake here,
using only the 10mm grosgrain ribbon.

2. Lay the pink ribbon onto the ball just above half way and pin in place.
Fold the ribbon at an angle and pin.

3. Fold the ribbon again, making it slightly off centre and pin.

4.  Continue this method of folding and pinning all the way round the ball.
Overlap the edges to make a neat join.

5.  Add the pins to look like sprinkles above the folded ribbon.

6. Cut sheer ribbon into lengths of 6cms.  Fold over one edge.

7.  Fold again.

8. Fold the raw edge up again and then fold all of it in half.  Push a pin through the centre.

9. Pin to the top of the ball.

10. Continue adding to the top, to create a fluffy strawberry top.

Oooh how delicate and creamy with a hint of strawberries.........

Would anyone like to win a FREE collection of strawberry ribbons?

That is correct we have another selection of FREE Ribbons today!
Leave a comment and we will pick TWO winners on Friday morning.
(REMEMBER - THREE winners if we get over 50 comments, tell your friends, facebook, tweet
about our Fantastic Ribbon Cupcakes! - all this week.)

I have no little helpers this morning, Sam went down with a tummy bug yesterday and Mollie has her visit to the Dentist.
So my lucky number is 13 and Tony's is 7, so the winners are...

Number 7 = Laura
Wow!  That one is very impressive!

Number 13 = Twinkle Star
Loving the colour combo, what a fantastic cupcake! x

Address please to craftyribbons@gmail.com to claim your Black and red ribbons.

Have I left the best Cupcake till last, only way to find out is to pop back tomorrow!

NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK

Wednesday's cupcake is dark and mysterious..

Black Forest Cupcake

Layers of chocolate, whipped cream and maraschino cherries....ooooooooh!

.....no holding back today this is a "full on" cupcake!

Ingredients:

* Polystyrene ball approx 6cm diameter
* Glass headed pins black and red
* 10mm Black Grosgrain HERE about 2.5mtrs
*10mm Red Grosgrain HERE about 2.5mtrs
*10mm Black Gingham HERE about 2.5mtrs
*10mm Red Gingham HERE about 2.5mtrs
(note to chef - you can use any flavour ribbon from here and here)
*Cup cake cases

Instructions:

1.  Cut the ribbons into lengths of 10cms and tie a knot in the centre of each ribbon.

2.  Pin a ribbon to the top of the ball.  If you want to see the pins use the opposite colour to the ribbon.

3. Hold back the first ribbon and pin in a different colour ribbon.

4. Keep adding ribbons one at a time, working around the ball.

5. Continue adding ribbons until your ball is covered and will sit in the cupcase without the ball showing.

An irrisistable Black Forest cupcake.

Would anyone like to win a FREE collection of black & red ribbons?

Yes we have another selection of FREE Ribbons today!
Leave a comment and we will pick TWO winners on Thursday morning.
(REMEMBER - THREE winners if we get over 50 comments, tell your friends, facebook, tweet
about our Fantastic Ribbon Cupcakes! - all this week.)

I had two little visitors knocking on my door this morning, Sam and Mollie came with the cake tin to pick the winners before going to school -
WOW that is dedication for you!
The TWO winners of yesterday's Lemon & lime ribbons are.......

Number 5 = Amanda
Mmmmmmm more scrumptiousness!!! And perfect for my diet!!
Hugs
Amanda xx

Number 28 = Sarah
Humm looks tasty, could you do christmas puds for the tree I wonder?

Well done girls you have some scrummy lemon and lime ribbons - all we need are addresses please to craftyribbons@gmail.com.

My two remaining cupcakes are all made and resting in the kitchen.
I have really enjoyed making these ribbon cupcakes, as there is....
NO WASHING UP!!

NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK

Tuesdays cupcake is soft and delicate, but the flavours will explode..

Lemon and Lime Drizzle Cupcake

Look at the freshness of the colours - have you got the slight zing of the lime?

Will you be able to eat the flower.....or put to one side to admire?

Ingredients:

* Polystyrene ball approx 6cm diameter
(I have used a egg shape cut in half)
* Glass headed pins
* 10mm Lemon Grosgrain HERE about 2.60mtrs
(note to chef - you can use any flavour ribbon from here)
*6mm Lime Grosgrain here 35cm
*1 Lime Button here
*Cup cake cases

Instructions:

1.  Pin the 6mm Lime ribbon onto the ball, take ribbon across the top of the ball

2. Secure on the other side.

3.  Section the ball into quarters with the lime ribbon.

4.  Section the ball again using the 10mm lemon ribbon.

5. Continue covering the ball with the lemon ribbon, overlapping if needs be.

6.  Once ball is covered with ribbon, add a few lime pins.

7.  Place a pin in one of the holes in the button.

8. Cut 4 pieces of 14cms of 10mm lemon ribbon and pass the centre through
the pin to create a star shape of ribbon.

9.  Fold up one cut edge of ribbon at a time and attach to the pin.

10. Once all ribbon ends have been attached to the pin, you have your flower head.

11.  Place the flower head onto the top of the cupcake, and add 3 extra pins.

One yummie Lemon and lime drizzle cupcake.

Would anyone like to win a FREE collection of lemon & lime ribbons?

That's right we have FREE Ribbons today as well!
Leave a comment and we will pick TWO winners on Wednesday morning.
(THREE winners if we get over 50 comments, tell your friends, facebook, tweet about our
Fantastic Ribbon Cupcakes! - all this week.)

The TWO winners of yesterday Chocolate ribbons are.......

Number 1 = Jan
absolutly scrummy!
xx

Number 24 = Angela
What a great idea! I will have to have a go.carry on with the new inspirations!
Angela

WOW! I did not expect as many comments as yesterday - thank you.  Please can Jan and Angela send address details to craftyribbons@gmail.com.

NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK

Everyday this week we are going to tempt your taste buds with a different Ribbon Cupcake. 

Monday's is this mouthwatering Chocolate Swirl.

Look at the delicate folds of chocolate ribbon icing........yummy.

Topped with shavings of white chocolate.

Ingredients:

* Polystyrene ball approx 6cm diameter
* Glass headed pins
* 9mm Chocolate ribbon HERE about 2mtrs
(note to chef - you can use any flavour ribbon from here)
*10mm white chocolate sheer here
*10mm marshmallow dots here
*Cup cake cases

Instructions:

1.  Place your ball into the cupcake base and draw a fine line on the ball.

(Note: Photos added after posting as a request from readers - I did not have a round ball in the warehouse,
so I cut an egg shape one in half! Worked great)

2.  Pin the chocolate ribbon below this line to secure. (For this half egg shape I secured it underneath).


3.  Twist the ribbon so the dots are facing upwards and secure with a pin so it sits just
covering the pencil line. (For this egg shape, the first line sits on the cut edge)


4.  Twist the ribbon again and pin in place.  Using matching pins.

5.  Continue all the way round the ball, starting to pin the next layer on top of the first.
Just like you would with normal icing.


6. With the second layer and above, twist the ribbon twice and only pin on the second twist. Continue to 1cm from the top.


7.  Cut the white chocolate and marshmallow ribbon into 2 pieces of 10cms (4 ribbons in total)
8.  Place the white ribbons on top of the cake, in a star shape and pin in place,

(Holding them together tightly at the top like a fountain with a pin)


9.  Continue icing the chocolate ribbon right to the top, squeezing the white ribbons in place, cut ribbon and secure end.


10.  Cut each of the white ribbons into 3 and fan out, cut them shorter if needs be.

One calorie free cupcake!

Would anyone like to win a FREE collection of chocolate ribbons?

Fancy getting your ribbon piping bag out!
Leave a comment and we will pick TWO winners on Tuesday morning.

Ummm what flavour for tomorrow? 

Don't you just LOVE wednesday's? Say hello to wednesday  "hello wednesday" It's all downhill from now on to the weekend - yippee!!!

Wow that time of week again, the days are just rushing by this week.  Keeping with our Christmas ribbon week, I have another new ribbon for you, sadly not exclusive to us but he is adorable.....

Yes, I promise you it is ribbon and you can find him HERE.

It glistens and sparkles with every move. Three different snowmen faces all wrapped up in warm hats and scarfs.  This ribbon design just shouts to be cut up.  I could just tell you how easy this process is but thought I would do a quick tutorial to show you.  I had planned a video but our internet is so slow at the mo that it would have taken a fortnight to upload to you tube!

 Tutorial to turn ribbon designs into images for cards.

Step 1.  Gather all the bits you will need - thin card, scissors, double sided tape and ribbon. 

Step 2. Stick a line of double sided tape onto the card.

Step 3.  Cover the card with double sided tape.  If you have sheets of double sided then you can use that.  It is important that all the card is covered with the tape.  the tape acts as the centre of the sandwich and stops the ribbon from fraying around the edges.

Step 4.  Remove the backing paper from the double sided tape.

Step 5.  Lay the ribbon on top of the sticky tape and press down with your fingers from the centre outwards.  You do not want to trap any air bubbles.  This ribbon has wire at the edges, but there is no need to remove it first as it will be cut away.  Ensure that the ribbon is firmly stuck to the card all over.

Step 6. Roughly cut around the shape.

Step 7.  By using the outline of the printed ribbon as a guide, cut around the shape.

Step 8.  Continue cutting around the shape.

Step 9.  Finished snowman.  I used 3D foam pads on the back of the ribbon snowmen to lift them away from my card.

I used the string of snowflakes to finish off the design.  The snowflake string was so popular we sold out last year, way before Christmas - we have bought double the quanity and it is back in stock here.

Off to get ready for tomorrows launch.

Have fun.

Don't you just LOVE wednesday's? Say hello to wednesday  "hello wednesday" It's all downhill from now on to the weekend - yippee!!!

Oooh there are lots of things going on down Tin Pot Lane this week, we have been busy planning, photographing new ranges and a challenge blog...............so we have a DT call.  More about that later in the post, so please read on.

First off my creation for todays Hello wednesday and a tutorial to boot, see I said we had been busy! When I made this hat Mollie just HAD to wear it! She wore it all round the office, she wore it in the car on the way home, and Rachie tells me she wore it to bed.  Aaaahh.  We went on a family day out to a House Garden event, and yes you guessed it Mollie wanted to wear her NEW hat. But not everyone can carry off such a clash in colour, red strawberry dress with a Lime green hat -ummmm what a colour combo!

These roses only take a minute to make, they really do.  You do not even have to sew them if you do not want to, I just secure with wire.  So here is what you do.

1.  You require about 80cms of ribbon , scissors, wire to secure or a needle and thread.

2. Find the centre of the ribbon  and fold one side of the ribbon down to create a right angle.

3.  The ribbon that is on the bottom, fold up over the top ribbon.

4.  The ribbon that is now on the bottom, fold across over the top ribbon.
Keep repeating this folding until you come to the end of the ribbon.

5.  Once all the folds are completed it should look something like this.

6. Pick up the ribbon and hold it between thumb and finger.
Hold tightly the two ends and start to pull ONE of the ends.

7.  As you pull the ribbon it will slide through the centre of the rose.

8.  Keep pulling until your rose appears.

9. Stop pulling the ribbon end when it looks like this.

10.  With a piece of wire, wrap the two ends of the ribbon together underneath the rose.
You can secure with a needle and thread if you wish.
Cut away the excess pieces of ribbon, one will be short - the piece you did not pull,
and the other will be long - the piece you pulled.  This cut off piece can be used to make leaves and buds.

11. One finished Ribbon Rose.

See I told you they were quick! Go and have a play.

We all know you like our Ribbon Challenges, and you love adding ribbon to your cards and projects, soooooo..................... how about a dedicated Crafty Ribbons Challenge Blog here. (This will not affect our own Ribbon Challenges, they will be continuuing)  Every two weeks we will set a new challenge for you to have a play with, lots of ribbon prizes and website vouchers to be won, just by entering your card into our ribbon challenge. 

But before we can do this we need a Crafty Ribbons Design Team - would you like to be on the team?  You will be sent a fresh new bundle of ribbons to create your project or card, you must have an active blog and able to take good photos.  The team will be managed by Mandy and will be run completely seperate from this blog. This DT call is open to everyone from around the world, not just UK crafters.

So if you are interested then please link up on the Challenge Blog. The first bundle of ribbons you will get to play with are our EXCLUSIVE Crafty Ribbons Christmas Ribbons.  Mandy was the first to see these ribbons outside of our warehouse team - she went mad over them and even tried to smuggle a few into her pockets!!!  I am not that mean, I manged with shaky hands to cut lengths of my samples and give to her, months of hard design work left the warehouse in a carrier bag!!

If you want to read more about the challenge then do not forget to have a look here, become a follower and you can have a chance to win some super blog candy. We launched a new range of Cherry ribbons yesterday, they could all be yours by leaving a comment and linking up

One very excited