Mini Artist Trading Cards

When I was sorting out my Ikea wooden drawers at the weekend I came across some remnants from a craft which I very much enjoyed a few years ago pre-children. Artist Trading Cards, or ATCs, are miniature works of art, about the same size as a trading card (64mm x 89mm). You can use all sorts of media to produce the art - collage, paint, ink, even fabric.

I used to belong to a Yahoo group to do with altered art, as I was also interested in altered book making. I received the messages as a daily digest, and I loved spending my time reading through everyone's ideas. I don't remember sharing so many pictures on-line in those dark days before Pinterest, but I took part in several swaps and in my collection I have some gorgeous cards which I received from people around the world.

For the swaps I cut cardstock to the right size to make my cards, but for my own cards I used old playing cards. I generally made collaged cards, using pictures and text from magazines and scraps of coloured paper. I found that I could make up a whole bunch of them pretty quickly, and I loved matching together different words and pictures.

My favourite cards were made using some miniature playing cards which I bought in a toy shop. They each measure about 4cm x 3cm. As I remember most of the text and pictures in these cards came from a single magazine, and I made them all in one crafting session.

As for what to do with them when I'm finished, I'm not sure yet. I used to leave some in geocaches, which was another hobby that we were enjoying at the time. I'm sure there are still plenty of swaps going on if I look into it. I've also toyed with the idea of making my own business cards with my URL and Twitter handle, although I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to hand them out!

I'm planning on having a go at some more cards soon, and to get me started I've began (what else!) a Pinterest board which will soon be filled with inpiration! I'd really like to move away from collage a bit, and perhaps incorporate some drawing or painting. See some of my inspiration below!

Follow Jennifer Jain's board Artist Trading Cards on Pinterest.

Review - Disney Mickey Mouse Cozy Coupe from Little Tikes

Even if you're not a parent, I think that you'd be familiar with the iconic Cozy Coupe car from Little Tikes. I can certainly remember them being around when I was little. Although we've never had one ourselves before, my children have loved playing in them at toddler groups and friend's houses, so I was very excited to have the chance to review the new Mickey Mouse Cozy Coupe.

This brand new character look has been launched by Little Tikes this Spring, and as well as Mickey Mouse you can also buy a Minnie Mouse Cozy Coupe. Each comes with ears on top and themed stickers, as well as all the usual features - a working horn, storage area at the back, petrol cap and clicking ignition key.

The Cozy Coupes are recommended from age 18 months. At five Harry can still easily fit inside, although to be fair he's on the small side. At almost three Mia fits perfectly inside and can easily drive the car about. For younger children that can't quite manage the legs yet, they are easy and safe for an adult to push them around in, as they are very light and manoeuvrable. Little ones soon pick up the technique for pushing themselves along, and although to me it looks like quite hard work it doesn't seem to bother them, it's certainly fantastic exercise!

I did find that the Cozy Coupe wasn't very easy to assemble. It definitely takes two adults, and sometimes quite a bit of brute force to push the elements into place and screw through the plastic. You also need to concentrate on the instructions to make sure that all steps are completed in the correct order. After assembly we realised that one of the front side pieces wasn't in properly, and we had to take it apart and rebuild. But once it's assembled correctly it is very sturdy and robust, there's no way that it's going to fall apart.

I was very interested to notice how differently Mia played with the car. Harry has always been happy to just drive them around, but Mia really involved herself in role play. She drove it around the house to take her teddies to pre-school and the supermarket, and she loved having a little compartment at the back where she could stow things. Although it has only been used in the house at the moment, as the weather improves we'll be moving it out to the garden for even more adventures. It's definitely durable enough to cope with different surfaces outside.

Mia adores her car, and she has been playing with it constantly since we received it. If you have toddlers I would absolutely recommend one.

I received the Mickey Mouse Cozy Coupe to review.

Ikea wooden drawers upcycle

I bought these little wooden drawers from Ikea a number of years ago. I don't think that you can still buy these exact drawers, although a similar version is still available - the Ikea Moppe mini chest of drawers. I always felt that I should do something to make them a bit more interesting but for some reason never got around to it. Then I discovered Pinterest, and one of the very first things that I pinned to my popular Craft Inspiration board was some decoupaged Ikea drawers. I've seen some other fab examples since, and so I decided it was time that I had a go!

This is how the Ikea drawers started out, not only plain but also looking a bit battered and faded after sitting on my bookshelf in sunlight for several years.

I began by removing the drawers and painting the outside frame. I lightly sanded the wood, then used white emulsion to paint, with a small amount of red poster paint mixed in to make it a very light pink. I painted the top and sides, then along the fronts. I didn't paint all the way inside the box, but I did go in 1-2cm around the insides, as the drawers are not a completely snug fit inside the frame and you can see inside a little bit.

Then I looked at covering the drawers. I experimented with both paper and card, and found that although the paper did work well, the card was really best. I used plain pink card and some pieces of patterned card that I received from Baker Ross as a member of their blogger network - Spring Patterned Card and Paper. I found the easiest way to do it was to place each drawer face down on the piece of card, lining up the smooth cut edge with the top of the drawer. I cut it out so that there was a border of approximately 2cm around the sides and bottom, then marked out and cut the finger hole in the top of the drawer.

To glue the card to the drawer I just used PVA glue. I glued the front on first, then folded the card around the bottom and sides and glued that in place. To secure it firmly I used sellotape, which I hope will also make sure that the drawers slide in and out easily and the card doesn't catch.

My drawers are not used very frequently, so I'm hoping that this will be strong enough to last. For drawers that are in more frequent use I would probably cover them with clear contact paper or perhaps a layer of glue. I also chose not to put labels on the drawers as I'm likely to change their function regularly.

I'm so proud of them!

And the best thing about this project? I completed it all with small children around! Harry occupied himself, and Mia did her own painting and cutting alongside me while I did mine, and considering how long I've been putting it off it really didn't take long at all!

I went on to do another Ikea upcycling project - decorating some Ikea wooden magazine files - another really simple project that has made a big difference to the look of my bookshelves.

Mia, and finally taking an interest in books

Mia has never taken much of an interest in books, something that has been bothering me for a while. I was showing books to Harry at two days old and reading him The Gruffalo at three months, but Mia has never been particularly interested. She has never had the patience to sit down for a longer picture book, and when we go to the library she still goes for the baby books with a simple illustration and couple of words on each page.

Because of this I've not pushed it with her. Until recently, she didn't really even have any books in her room at all, only ones that had migrated there from elsewhere. But at the weekend we redecorated Harry's room, and we bought him a large bookcase, moving his smaller one into Mia's room. At the same time we had a sort out, and moved all the baby and toddler books onto her shelves. She's always had access to them in Harry's room and around the house of course, but something about putting them into her room and calling them 'Mia's books' has had a massive influence. 

For the very first time at bedtime the other night she asked for a story, and then another one, and then another one. She will also sit there happily and read the books to herself. She's still going for the ones with the lift up flaps and the different textures, but she is actually paying attention to a story, repeating words, and talking about what she can see in the pictures. It's wonderful!

I've always longed for the day when I can sit down with the two of them and read them both a book at the same time. Unfortunately whenever I've sat down to read to Harry with Mia around she gets bored very quickly, and will usually just scream for attention which doesn't make for a pleasant reading experience. Perhaps that day will soon be here!

Review - What If? Pet Parlour jigsaw puzzle from Ravensburger

I've always loved jigsaws, although these days I don't have quite as many opportunities to complete larger, adult puzzles as I used to, both from lack of time and lack of space to leave them out undisturbed! I like to make the time for them when I can though, as I do find jigsaw puzzles relaxing and satisfying.

This week I was sent a puzzle from the What If? range by Ravensburger to review. The What If? range is a collection of puzzles which are a little bit different to a traditional jigsaw. As a twist, the picture that you see on the box is not the image found on the jigsaw inside. Instead, the concept behind the puzzle is that you need to imagine what might happen if things do not go to plan. The puzzle I was sent is called What If? Pet Parlour, and you are invited to imagine what might happen if Pamela's Pampered Pooch Parlour diversified. 

As with all Ravensburger puzzles, the quality of the jigsaw is excellent and the pieces are sturdy, fitting together evenly and solidly. It's not as easy as completing a normal puzzle where you can follow the picture on the box, but the clues are there to help you complete it and the extra thought that you need to put in provides a satisfying challenge.

I received this Ravensburger puzzle to review.

Me and knitting socks

I knitted my first pair of socks several years ago. I'm not a fantastic knitter, and I do require a lot of support while I'm knitting. If I make a mistake I have to stop and take it up to my Mum to sort out for me. But a few years back I became quite successful at knitting socks, which is surprising because they aren't the easiest things to knit. You have to make three knitting needles into a sort of triangle and then knit around them all, keeping track of all the needles at once and trying not to stab yourself. Then you have to do some complicated manoeuvres to turn the heel, pick up stitches, increase and decrease and all sorts. I needed a lot of help the first few times, but a few socks later I got the hang of it and produced five or six pairs of socks that looked pretty good, if I say so myself.

I think I particularly liked knitting socks because of all the fantastic sock yarns that you can buy. You buy a ball that is all different colours, and then when you knit it up it turns into stripes and other patterns that you couldn't imagine before you start knitting.

Somewhere along the way though some children came along, and the sock knitting was put aside. Abandoned right in the middle of a sock in fact.

I was reminded of my neglected sock again while I was hunting out my blanket knitting bits. I can't believe that I abandoned this gorgeous, brightly coloured sock. I was knitting a different pattern to my standard one which is mainly worked in rib, and it looks as though it will be so stretchy and comfortable when it's finished. The yarn is Wendy Happy 4 ply 2504 Capricorn and I can't even remember where I bought it from or when.

So I took it up to my Mum and she helped me to identify whereabouts in the pattern I'd got to, and she encouraged me to get started with it again. I don't have much to do to finish the first sock, then hopefully I'll be able to knit another one that looks pretty much the same. Then maybe by next winter I'll have a new pair of socks!

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Findon (Worthing) Garden Centre

This Easter weekend we were invited to have breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Findon (Worthing) Garden Centre, one of the centres in the Garden Centre Group.

We had a lovely time! The whole experience felt very individual and welcoming. We had a personalised Easter card waiting for us on the prettily decorated table, and the restaurant manager was very friendly, making sure that we had everything we needed and telling us what would be happening.

The garden centre restaurant has a good sized soft play area, and the children were able to play for a while before breakfast was served. It was lovely and empty because it was first thing in the morning, and the little ones were perfectly happy there while we waited at our table. We had a vegetarian full English breakfast which was very tasty, and we were able to request it without the bits that we're not so fond of. 

Our children are generally rather fussy when it comes to food, but they had lots to choose from and there was plenty of toast to go around. They were particularly delighted with the bunny shaped toast, which was a great touch! When they had finished eating they could go off and play again while we relaxed and enjoyed our own breakfast.

Then they both had the chance to decorate their own Easter nest cake with plenty of mini eggs and sprinkles. They both loved doing this, and all the children were surprisingly neat in their efforts!

When they had finished, it was time for the Easter Bunny to make an appearance. She hopped over to the children, and they had the chance to go up to her before being presented with a lovely little stuffed rabbit and some Easter Eggs. There was plenty of time to sit down, to have a chat and to take our photographs. Although fascinated, Harry wasn't keen to get too close, but we bribed Mia with a balloon and she sat still just long enough for a nice photo!

The whole experience took around an hour and a half which was perfect, not at all rushed, but no chance for the children to get bored. Breakfast with the Easter Bunny isn't something that I'd ever heard of, let alone thought of doing, but I'm really glad that we had this opportunity as it was a lot of fun!

Our visit was complimentary, in exchange for a review.