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.

Monday 21 September 2015

Crafty Cardmakers and More - #148 Make It Sparkle

Afternoon! It's time for a new challenge over at CCM&M. This fortnight Sally is hosting, and she wants you to 'Make It Sparkle'. Any form of sparkle will do - glitter, gems, pearls, shimmer sprays etc!!
Now, I struggle with glitter. I love the effect of it - but I really don't like the mess of it!! So I decided I would really challenge myself - and use loads of it!! 


I started by making a roughly 8x8 base card with Crafter's Companion Matt Black Card. I then took another piece of the card, taped down Sheena Douglass' 7x7 In the Forest stencil, and used Crystal (clear) texture paste that I got ages ago from Lidl. Once the stencil was removed, I tipped loads of black glitter over the top, tapped off the excess, and left to dry.

On another piece of Matt Black card, I used a sponge dabber with Pebeo Studio Acrylic Paints - 354 Iridescent Red Blue, 356 Iridescent Violet Blue and 356 Iridescent Blue Black. This created the background mat, and I also cut some of the flowers from the offcuts.
Despite the fact that I am not a glitter fan, I have a huge stash of glitter card from the early days of my crafting, so used a combination of black and lilac to create the mats. The corners are also cut from glitter card using Die'sire Essentials Lace Corner 1. The little branch and flowers were cut using Crafter's Companion Kimono Branch die.
The flowers are Die'sire Essentials Flowers for All Occasions 4, while the sentiment is Dies'sire Only Words. I finished it all off with some small pink gems, and ribbon.

Make sure you pop on over to the Crafty Cardmakers and More Blog to check out the inspiration from the rest of the team.

I would like to enter this into:
Allsorts Challenge - 329 Sparkle
Crafty Friends Challenge - 14 B is for ....... Black

Back soon,
Cxxx

Downton Abbey - Gift Box!

Morning. Did you manage to catch the start of the last series of Downton Abbey last night? And what about the launch of the papercraft range on Create and Craft this morning? It's already flying out the door!!  
I used a papier mache box, and painted it with a mix of white Pebeo Gesso and a little black paint. The Card Companion is from CD2, along with the papers and embellishments. 
I used blue Core'dinations card for some matting and layering, and made the buttons 3D using a ball tool and foam mat.
I part filled the inside of the box with blue tissue paper, and added a body puff, soap, bath salts and a little candle. For each item, I made a co-ordinating wrap with the Core'dinations, and flowers cut using Die'sire Essentials Blossom.

Watch out for more shows on Create and Craft - and lots more inspiration from the team. 

Back soon,
Cxxxx 

Sunday 20 September 2015

Downton Abbey - not long now!!

Afternoon!! Only a matter of hours until Downton Abbey series 6 arrives on our screens!! And just a little longer until Sara in on Create and Craft with the launch of the fantastic Downton Abbey papercrafting range.

Today I have a very masculine card to share with you. I have used a card companion for the image, combined with a couple of matching papers.
I scored one piece at 10cm, 20cm and 28cm, then attached the second piece to the 2cm flap at the end. I then trimmed the excess off the end of the second piece.
To the front I attached the Card Companion, and decorated with ribbon and buttons from the card companion sheet. I made these 3D by rolling them with a ball tool on the back of a mouse mat.
For the inside, I used the Downton Abbey Icons dies, alongside the smaller image from the card companion and a cameo from an embellishment sheet. I did a little teabag folding for the far edge of the card.
I used both tags from the card companion to make the sentiment inside.
Don't forget to tune in to Create and Craft at 8am tomorrow for the launch of this great range.
Cxxx

Saturday 19 September 2015

Downton Abbey - Gatefold Card!!

Morning. Thought it was time I joined in with all the Downton Abbey sneak peeks!! I have been a bit of a fan of the series and am looking forward to the start of the last one, this Sunday. Sara will be on Create and Craft at 8am and 1pm on Monday, as well as 9am and 3pm on Tuesday. Fiona will then be on at 2pm on Wednesday and 5pm on Friday.
I made this gatefold style card by first printing the papers from CD1 direct onto Sheena Stamping card - to make a piece of double sided card. I then scored landscape at 16cm and 24cm for the folds. To make the curves, I just drew round the inside edge of a roll of tape.

The images are from one of the Card Companions on CD 1 and all the embellishments are from the CD - printed onto Printable Light Card.
The gorgeous bow at the top is cut using the Downton Abbey Ribbon Brooch die. 
I used some glossy accents on the sentiment and on the cameos to add a little dimension, and finished off with some co-ordinating flat backed pearls.

Keep an eye out for more sneak peeks from the team, and I'll be back soon with more myself.

Cxxxx

Tuesday 15 September 2015

Crafter's Inpsiration 8 - My Makes

Morning - have been away on holiday, so just getting back into the swing of normal life! Thought I'd just share a couple of pictures of my makes as featured in the latest edition of Crafter's Inpsiration from Crafter's Companion.
The first is my pincushion. The design from the free CD was printed onto printable fabric, and then I added a little embroidery, and a button to decorate.
The second is a sewing box that I made. I loved making this - and I adore the way it has been photographed for the magazine!!

Back soon.
Cxxx

Monday 7 September 2015

CCM&M Challenge 147 - Flower Embellishments

Afternoon! It's time for a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More - and this fortnight the lovely Julie would like to see your flower embellishments! Flower images alone will not count - it needs to be 3D embellishments!!

So, I decided to raid my stash for this card. I made a tri-fold base from double sided Fresh White Centura Pearl, 
The pink paper is from Kanban - Love and Marriage pad, the pink from Kanban - Birth and Celebration pad, ad the Flower from Kanban - Well Wishes and Celebrations. 
I have a feeling the coloured flowers may also be Kanban, but I popped them out so long ago it's hard to remember. In addition, I cut more flowers from Fresh White Centura Pearl, and some cream card using Crafter's Companion Essentials Flowers for all Occasions 1 and 3 die sets. The leaves are Crafter's Companion Die'sire Quilling Leaves.
Make sure you pop over to the Crafty Cardmakers and More blog to check out the rest of the inspiration.

Back soon,
Cxxx