About Me

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I'm a retired primary school teacher, who started paper crafting in 2008, when I had a fancy to make my own Christmas cards. Since then, I have tried all sorts of techniques and styles - and I kind of like them all. I have been lucky enough to be on blog teams and large design teams and to do a bit of freelance demonstrating - and I love the challenge of working with different products. My crafting style is very varied - from junk journaling and art journaling, bookbinding and journal making, to quilting and patchwork - and of course I still make cards. This variety keeps me interested - and my crafty stash growing!! I'm always seeking inspiration for new projects.

Saturday 29 August 2015

Gardening Card!!

Morning!! Am back today with a birthday card I made for my brother-in-law whose birthday it is today! Like me, he loves gardening, so I used these Kanban Pottering About toppers.
The dark green stepper card is made from a single sheet of A4. With the card portrait, along the bottom of the card, draw a faint pencil line at 6cm and 15cm. Turn the card landscape onto your Big Score, and score at 2cm, 4cm and 17cm - go from the edge to the 6cm line, and from the 15cm line to the other edge. Then on your Ultimate Pro, score 1/2 A4 but only between the 6cm line and 15cm line. With your craft knife, cut from the end of the 17cm score line down to the end of the 2cm score line. Do this on both sides. This will then fold into your stepper card.
I used some very old Create and Craft Orange texture effect card, along with some leafy print card from my local market, and more dark green card for matting and layering the topper. The embossing is with a Spellbinders Grand MBossability. I cut the letters with Die'sire 1" Decorative Alphabet.

Back soon,
Cxxx

Monday 24 August 2015

CCM&M 146 - No DP's

Afternoon - it's time for a new challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and More! Leslie is hosting this fortnight and she would like to see your creations without using any patterned or design paper.
I made this easel card using Centura Pearl Hint of Silver. I cut into the edge of the easel with Die'sire Doily Lattice Edge'able, and used Centura Pearl Purple and Papermill Teal card for matting and layering. For texture, I embossed some of the Hint of Silver with Embossalicious A4 Dainty Floral and 8x8 Elegant Orchid.
The sentiment is Die'sire Classiques Only Words, mounted onto Essentials Ovals and Scalloped Ovals. To finish I decorated with ribbon and resin flowers. 

Be sure to check out the rest of the work from the DT! 
Cxxx

Wednesday 19 August 2015

On the edge!!

One of my new favourite things is the collection of  Die'sire Fancy Edge'able dies. Have to admit they were a little shorter than I had envisaged when I got them - but I'm actually finding that they are really quite versatile dies. 
This birthday card is for my eldest stepdaughter - and uses the Butterfly Dreams Fancy Edge'able! The base card is made from Crafter's Companion A3 double sided Polka Dots and Gingham card, and I cut into each side of the A5 tent fold with the Edge'able die.
I then used more of this card with some Mink Centura Pearl, along with Papermill Teal card, to matt and layer across the front of the card. The shoes are cut with Tattered Lace High Heel Bella, layered onto a Die'sire Essentials Decorative Frame 1. I cut the name with Die'sire 1" Decorative Alphabet, and embellished with a Bebunni butterfly - and a little heart charm! 

I would like to enter this into:
Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
Dream Valley Challenges - Add a Charm

Cxxx

Saturday 15 August 2015

A Real Diamond!!

My last post was a sympathy card made for my friend who lost her Mum! Well, back in May my friend asked me to make a Diamond anniversary card for her Mum and Dad. I had recently made her a box card for her birthday, and she asked if I could make her a larger version of this. She also supplied me with a photo to use. 
I used a sheet of A3 double sided Fresh White Centura Pearl to make the box, then a combinatinon of white and black glitter card and matt white card. On each side of the box I used a white glitter Die'sire Lace Flourish, with little flowers from Bebunni Daisy die. The top plaque, and part of the side plaques were printed from the computer, with the 60th cut using CC 1" Decorative Numbers. The corners are Die'sire Essentials Decorative Corner 1. 

The flowers for the inside of the box are all quilling dies (Fringed - large and small, Itsy Bitsy Bloom, Rose - large and small) - made with black rolled Stamens. I used Flowers for all Occasions 1, 2, 3 and 4 to stick them onto, and added clear gems into the centres.

As I had no boxes big enough, and because it was for a special occasion, I decided to make a box for the card to go into. 

I used more A3 Fresh White Centura Pearl to make the box, and matt white card to cut the Aurora Create a Card. Another glitter lace flourish, along with Classique Only Words "Special Day" and more of the tiny black glitter flowers helped to decorate the lid.

Although my Mum's friend was very ill at the time, I know that it was a card that was very much appreciated - and I shall miss making these special cards for her.

I would like to enter this into:
Digitally "Sweet" Challenges - 141 Celebrations (photo and sentiments)
Creative Card Crew - 93 - Sparkle

Back soon!
Cxxx

Wednesday 12 August 2015

A sad post

A very good friend's Mum passed away just recently!! Her Mum was also a customer of mine, and showed her appreciation once by writing me a lovely letter which I still have. So, making a sympathy card was a very sad project to work on.
I used Centura Pearl Hint of Silver as the base, and cut into the edge with Crafter's Companion Die'sire On the Edge Doily Lattice die. I used Die'sire Essentials Circle and Scallped circles to create a base for the Classiques Only Words "Thinking of You" sentiment. The black strip and circle were embossed with Embosslicious A4 Argylle folder, and the white strip with 8x8 Elegant Orchid folder. I also embossed the black piece inside the card. 
And to finish I used a combination of satin and organza ribbons, and black pearls.

There's not really much else to say! 
Cxx

Monday 10 August 2015

CCM&M - 145 Warm Summer Colours

Afternoon - it's time for another challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More. Last week I hosted the challenge and it was great to see all the entries. Be sure to pop over to the blog to check out the winner and top five. 

This week, Bec is hosting, and she is looking for Warm, Summer Colours!! Living on the south coast, summer always makes me think of the beach - and so I have used a Crafter's Companion Halcyon Days image (from the paper kit). It's a decoupage that was meant to go in a 3D frame - but I decided to just use it as it is.
For the base, I used the lovely Ivory Centura Pearl with, and the striped, embossed paper is from a pack called "Summer Fun" from ..... Lidl!! It's amazing what you can get in that shop!! The stripes remind me of deckchairs and sitting in the warm sunshine!! 

To embellish, I wrapped some pink grosgrain, and yellow organza ribbon around another strip of Centura Pearl - and added some resin flowers. The sentiment is from the Halcyon Days Kit. Don't forget to check out the inspiration from the rest of the DT on the blog.

I would like to enter this into:
Country View Challenges - Summertime
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes in August

Back soon!!
Cxxx

Friday 7 August 2015

Thank You!!

Good evening to you!! What a fine summer's day we have had today - a bit of sun and warmth at last!! Today's card was commissioned by my niece - the instructions being "a pretty Thank You card with flowers"

I started with a piece of A4 Fresh Pearl double sided card, scored in half, and cut into with Die'sire Floral Dance Fancy Edge'ables. As a mat, I used Create-a-Card A6 Daisy Dreams, matted onto a frame cut from C&C Texture Effect card (old stuff from my stash). 
I also used wide strips of pink and pearl across the middle of the Create-a-Card, along with organza and satin ribbons. The Die'sire Only Words sentiment was placed onto Essentials Circles. The flowers are Essentials Flowers for all Occasions. And I used white and pink pearls to decorate!!

I would like to enter this into:
In The Pink - #75 Anything Goes
Fab 'n' Funky - #269 No DP

Cxxx

Wednesday 5 August 2015

The Mirror Crack'd - #12 - Masks

Afternoon! It's time for a new challenge at The Mirror Crack'd - and this month Susanne would like to see you mixed media projects that use masks. If you pop over to the DT blog, you will see how diverse our interpretation of the theme has been. Some have created physical masks, others have used stamps and dies of masks, and some have used masks to create texture - or masked off areas of their project for different effects.  However you choose to interpret the theme, make sure that it is clear in your write up - and don't forget that this is a mixed media challenge.

So, I have done something a bit different for me!! I'm usually quite a literal person - so the things I create are what they are!! However, for this challenge I've created something a little more "deep" - that has a meaning beyond what you see. And to be honest, it wasn't what I set out to do - it just evolved!!
Anyway, I knew I had a few papier mache masks in my stash, and while rummaging for them, I found an old canvas, and some green and gold gilding flakes. 
I decided to paint both with black gesso.
And then had a rummage through my Eco Green paint box and gathered together all the greens and golds I could find - to match the gilding flakes!!
Using a cheap make up sponge, I began to apply the different green paints.
It was while I was doing this, that it occurred to me that I was creating a camouflage effect - and it struck me that we use masks to hide behind in a similar way to using camouflage to hide!!
And then I thought about how we use masks to create a different persona - and decided to cut out a glittery mask using my Tattered Lace Mask die to create a totally different look on the canvas!!
Firstly, I used some double sided paper cut into strips, and added Crafty Notions Variegated Green and Imitation Gold gilding flakes. I then created a matt for the die cut mask using gold mirror card and black glitter card!  I also used Lidl Gold texture paste through Crafter's Workshop Microbial stencil, along with Sage and Chiffon Frantage fragments.
To finish, I added buttons and pearls!! As I said - something quite different from me!! Don't forget to check out the rest of the inspiration on The Mirror Crack'd blog - then get busy on your projects!!

I would like to enter this into:
Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes 
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes
Sister's Of Craft - Anything Goes
That Craft Place - Anything Goes (Mixed Media)
Anything But Cute - Making Magic

Back soon!!
Cxxx

Monday 3 August 2015

Football Match!!

Afternoon!! Today's post is a quick one to share a birthday card I made for a friend's son's 11th birthday. I had a rummage and found a Kanban Patchwork Pals Football Match topper sheet. 
The topper included some decoupage element for a bit of depth, and I picked up on the green, gold and blue for the rest of the A5 tent-fold card. The papers are from a VERY old Crafter's Companion Boys CD - and the embossed gold card is also Kanban! I cut the name and age using Crafter's Companion 1" Contemporary Alphabet and Numbers. I finished off with a couple of the extra elements from the sheet, and with some Baker's twine!

Back soon,
Cxxx