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.

Thursday 29 October 2015

A Little More Downton!

Morning!! Just sharing these three Downton Abbey makes that are in the current issue (126) of Papercraft Essentials. 
All three use the CDs, dies, embossing folders and some of the fab new embellishments. 
All the details of how to make them are in the magazine.
Back soon.
Cxxx

Wednesday 28 October 2015

A Little Bit of Downton

With all the gorgeous new Downton Abbey papercrafting elements, I thought I would share a make from the previous launch of the CD.
This is a little set of cards made with toppers, tags, sentiments and papers from the CD. The box that they sit in, is made from Centura Pearl with panels embossed with the Downton Abbey Leaf Flourish embossing folder, and embellished with the Downton Abbey Ribbon Brooch die.

Each card is roughly A6 in size, made from Centura Pearl. I used Core'dinations card for matting and layering.

The bands across the centres are embossed with one of the four Downton Abbey embossing folders: Leaf Flourish, Downton Damask, Thistle, Fleur de Lis.

For embellishment, I used Die'sire Essentials Decorative Corners 1 & 2, and Essentials Flower Buttons.


I then made a matching envelope for each on the Enveloper board. 

Back soon!
Cxxx

Wednesday 21 October 2015

Wedding Card

Good morning!! It has been a little while since I blogged - not because I had nothing to share - but because the day job has been a bit frantic - and I've not been feeling 100%. But I've a little time today, so thought I would pop on and share a wedding card I made for a friend to give to her son and his wife.
The 8x8 base was made from a piece of A3 double sided Fresh White Centura Pearl. The coloured card for matting and layering is from Papermill. The hearts are cut with a combination of XCut and Die'sire Essentials Hearts dies - with the little decorative one being a Tattered Lace mini die. The decorative panel is Crafter's Companion Die'sire A6 Adore Create a Card.

The "Congratulations" sentiment is another Die'sire Essentials - and I used a variety of other Essentials Only Words to cut the letters for the names.
The box is also Centura Fresh White - and decorated in a similar way. The little hearts are waste from the Create a Card - as in the heart inside the box.
Back (hopefully) soon,
Cxxx

Monday 5 October 2015

The Mirror Crack'd - Challenge 14 - Wall Hanging or Tic Tac Toe

Well - back again this afternoon, as it is also time for the latest mixed media challenge at The Mirror Crack'd. And yet again, this is another sad post, as I am stepping down from this team too. I've had a fabulous year since the team first started, and have loved creating the mixed media projects - another big thanks to Lin for letting me be part of this wonderful team.

So, the theme this month is Wall Hangings or Tic Tac Toe.
                                                 
I decided to go with the wall hanging, and add in the time and textures element from the middle row of the tic tac toe.
I used an old box canvas that had been used for another project, and painted over with white gesso. I then used Deco Mache papers (Pink Roses, Red Roses and Crackle Brown), applied with Matt Mod Podge.

Over the top left and bottom right corners, I used That Special Touch Cogs Mask. With a stencil brush, I applied Pebeo Deco Matt Burnt Umber bottom right, and Ash Pink top left.

For texture, I mixed Dreamweaver Metallic Gold Embossing Paste with Burnt Umber paint, and applied through That Special Touch Distressed Dots folder over the bottom cogs. And then similarly with Ash Pink paint over the top cogs. I then splodged more of the texture pastes over other areas of the canvas. Once dry, I applied a little Pebeo Renaissance Gold Gilding Wax over the top. A strip of hessian across the middle added more texture.

The time element comes with the deconstructed clock - cut with Spellbinders Circle die, embossed with Crafter's Companion Textures Distress Folder, and highlighted with Pebeo Renaissance Gold gilding wax. The numbers are CC original 1" number dies, and I cut out the clock hands with scissors. This links with the Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Just Thoughts sentiment - " Learn to pause ...... or nothing worthwhile will catch up to you." 

The other piece laying on the hessian is made from pouring Pebeo Light Plaster over Papermania's Square Urban Stamp - Beautiful Time Pieces. Once dry (and it really needed to be left overnight) I painted it with Pebeo Deco Matt Ash Pink paint, with Burnt Umber and Antique White splodged over the top. I finished it off with more gilding wax.

Be sure to check out all the fabulous inspiration from the team over on The Mirror Crack'd blog.

And as for me, I will be having a pause and hoping, for the minute, that nothing else quite catches up to me........

Cxxxx 

CCM&M Challenge 49 - Circular Cards

Afternoon!! Today's post for Crafty Cardmakers and More is a very sad one as it is my last as part of the Design Team as I have decided to step down. I have had almost 4 wonderful years as part of this team - the first I ever joined!! A big thank you to Lin for giving me the opportunity to be part of such a fantastic group. I'm sure I'll be popping back to take part in the occasional challenge!! 

Anyway, the theme for the fortnight is Circular Cards - and the lovely Kim is hosting. Be sure to check out the rest of the inspiration from the DT on the Crafty Cardmakers and More blog.  

I started with a Craftwork Cards Circular Easel Card - but it was still too rectangular, so I used my Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Circle dies to make all parts circular.
The cake topper and "Congratulations" sentiment are from an old Kanban set - as are the papers. I've added in a bit of blue and cream Bazzill card too. I used ribbon and pearl flowers to embellish.

Will be back very soon!! 
Cxxxx