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.

Friday 26 August 2016

Silver Anniversary!!

I was asked to make a 25th Wedding Anniversary card for my friend to give to her husband. Apart from the wording, all she said was "something modern". This is what I came up with.
The card base is A3 Fresh White Centura Pearl, teamed up with the Matt Silver card from the Sara Signature Together Forever collection. I also used a darker matt grey paper for contrast.  
The champagne flutes are from Sara Signature Together Forever Collection, and the rose is from Verity Rose Cupcake Accessories collection. I also used the Lattice Flourish Edge'able die that came free with Crafter's Companion Crafter's Inspiration Issue 8. The bubbles were cut with the centre die from Essentials Flowers for All Occasions 1. And the lettering is Die'ire Contemporary Alphabet and the little Essentials Alphabet.
I always make a matching box to go with these 8x8 celebration card - and to decorate th inside of that too!!
Cxxxx

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Sunset!!

Back today with another Spectrum Aqua card. This again uses Sheena's "The Beach" stamp - but this time with more sunset colours.
The colours I have used for this one are: Sunset, Amber, Topaz, Kingfisher, Peacock Blue, Sea Green, Boulder, Evergreen, Desert, Fawn, Chestunut from the Nature set and Charcoal and Moss from the Essentials set.
I used the scribble technique to create the background card, then spritzed it with water...
... before placing a piece of watercolour card on top to soak up the colour. Matt Black card helps to bring out the the sunset colours. And now I shall be heading out into the garden to do some tidying up before a little family BBQ tonight.
Cxxxx

Tuesday 23 August 2016

Getting Organised!!

Hardly seems like the Summer has begun - and yet it's only a week and a bit until term starts again. Am beginning to think of what I need to make sure I have for school - a trip to Staples is on the cards. And I need to get organised with other things in my life - like receipts and the like. And all the inspiration I've collected for art journalling. So I think I might need to make myself a couple of these organisers from Crafter's Companion Big Score.
I made this one a while ago with card from the Below Stairs Downton Abbey A3 pack. They look so complicated - but it's actually really easy to make. All the instructions are on the Big Score DVD.


Cxxx 

Monday 22 August 2016

The Beach

Morning!! Thought I would pop on quickly to share another Spectrum Aqua Pen card. This one is using Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Sketchy - The Beach.
I used Peacock Blue, Sea Green, Kingfisher, Desert, Fawn, Chestnut, Boulder and Evergreen from the Nature pack - and also Slate from the Essentials. For the image, I masked areas as I went along with Pebeo Drawing Gum. 

The background was create by scribbling onto a white tile, spritzing and transferring to Crafter's Companion Watercolour card. I added a little rock salt while it was still wet.
The green flowers were originally white, and I coloured them with the Sea Green marker.
Cxxxx

Sunday 21 August 2016

Watercolour Orchids!!

Finally have found some time to blog!! And thought I would share one of my samples for the Spectrum Aqua pens that are on Hochanda this weekend.
I really enjoyed making this one - I absolutely love watercolours - and Sheena's flower stamps are always great to colour. This one is A Little Bit Sketchy - Orchids.
I started by stamping the image to the left of a piece of Sheena Stamping Card, and painted over it with Pebeo Drawing Gum. 


I then used my paint daubers/sponges to add colour. I scribbled it onto a white tile first and added some water before splodging it on! I used Red Violet and Aquamarine from the Primaries set.
The drawing gum was rubbed off - and the re-applied just around the edges of each petal.

I then used Red Violet for the Orchids, Sepia (Essentials) for the stems, and Jasmine (Florals) for the centres.
I stamped the orchids twice more, and painted them in the same way, before cutting them out and layering them onto the original one.
The sentiment is also from the same set.

Hope you are enjoying the shows! 
Cxxxx