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.

Sunday 30 October 2016

Twist and Turn Pop Out Card.

Morning!! I meant to blog this yesterday - but was a bit busy so didn't get the chance! This is my Twist Turn Pop Out card that I made with the brand new 5x5 Create a Card dies.
I used the Birthday Garden and Congratulations for the outer piece. This was made from a piece of A3 Ivory double sided Centura pearl. You need the whole length, but cut the width to 6½". Butt the short side on your Big Score, and score at 8⅛" and 8⅜". Make sure you die cut before adding the mechanism.   
The turning mechanism is made from piece of card 10½" x 5½". Score in half along the length. On the other side, make marks 2½" from each corner along the long sides. Score using these marks to create a cross in the middle. This folds to make an arrow shape. Make a mark on the middle of the 2 score lines on the inside of the outer piece. The point of the arrow is lined up with these marks and stuck to the inside of the card - only glue the triangular pieces of the mechanism.
The inside of the card is made from a piece of card 15½" x 5½". Butt the short edge on your Big Score, and score at 7¾", then turn the card over and score at 3⅞"  and 11⅝". Die cut the elements - I used Country Garden for the outer pieces and the Happy Birthday for the inner section. Place over the opened out mechanism, and fold over the outside creases of the inner section. This reveals the ends of the mechanism. On the right, draw a line on the mechanism from the top to the middle score line. On the left hand side, draw a from the middle score line to the bottom. Add glue to these rectangles - top right and bottom left and stick the inner piece to this.

I would suggest practicing this with paper first if you can, as it took me a while to get my head round. I've kept the paper one as a reminder for the future. 

The flower embellishments are Die'sire Essentials Flowers for All Occasions, and I used the Classiques Floral Flourish on the inside. The blue paper is from the Downton Abbey 12x12 paper pad.

There are still a couple of shows left today on Hochanda, so tune in if you can! 
Cxxx


Friday 28 October 2016

A Country Garden!!

The birthday week launches keep going with some amazing new products! Today it's the turn of a collection of fab new 5x5 and 5x2 Create a Cards. 

For this tent fold card, I have used the Country Garden 5x5 die, along with the Happy Birthday 5x2 sentiment die. I backed it with Centura Pearl black card, and overlayed some silver butterflies.
I reinforced the front of the tent fold with more black Centura Pearl, and rather than throwing away the waste from the sentiment die, I used it inside to create the sentiment.
The embossing folder is one that has been in the Gemini Monthly Mega Deal - the Elegant Orchid folder.

Tune in to Hochanda today and over the weekend to see more of these fab dies.
Cxxx

Thursday 27 October 2016

Thinking of Christmas!!

The last couple of years, I really wasn't interested in Christmas. In 2014, my Dad had just been told he had 3 to 6 months left to live. And in 2015 we were dealing with our first Christmas without him. So I didn't have any enthusiasm for having a tree or putting up decorations. Well, this year, I seem to have found my Christmas mojo again. I have already been buying a few bits and pieces and have a couple of sewing projects in mind - a tree skirt and a table runner! My colour scheme is very neutral. Brown, cream, beige and gold - with some wooden pieces, and Scandi bunting. I think this is why I made this card in these colours!  
I have used Crafter's Companion Christmas Create a Card Cut In Die - Sparkling Bauble. I cut just the outline to create the aperture in the front, with the little bauble from the set as a dangler. At the back is the full size bauble, and the decorative strips are used down the side. They may not be conventional Christmas colours - but they're my Christmas colours.
Take care,
Cxxxx

Sunday 23 October 2016

A little more Illustrator!

Morning! Just popping on with another of the samples I made with the new Spectrum Noir Illustrator pens. This is a stepper card made with another Just Inklined image called Three Wise. My niece is obsessed with Orang Utans - and Just Inklined have several that I have used for her cards!!
The pens I used are: 
Bodies: Portrait - Dark Brown, Natural Brown, Cream
            Hues - Amber, Gold
Hands/Feet: Portrait - Dusty Pink, Peach


The sentiment is from Crafter’s Inspiration 6, and I used Embosalicious A4 Argyle embossing folder!

Enjoy your day!! 
Cxxx

Friday 21 October 2016

Birthday time means new goodies!!

Morning!! It's been a while since I have blogged. Not because I have nothing to share, but just that I don't seem to have time to get on here and blog!! Anyway, just had to pop on to share with you some samples I have made using the brand new Illustrator pens from Crafter's Companion. They come with a brush nib as standard, and the other end is an ultra fine nib. There are eight packs of 6 pens, and 4 packs of 12 pens. 
The first of my samples is using a Just Inklined image called Masquerade. The colours I have used are:
Feathers: Portrait - Ivory
               Earth - Khaki, Moss Green, Raw Sienna, Goldenrod

               Tints - Vanilla, MoonlightMask: Earth - Petrol Blue, Pale Mint          Tints - Duck EggRibbon: Portrait - Ivory
             Earth - Raw Sienna, Goldenrod
             Tints - Vanilla, Moonlight

The base card is Papermill Teal card, and I have used Hobby House flowers for embellishment. The sentiment is from one of the free Crafter's Inspiration sets!

Don't forget to join Leann at 10 on Hochanda for the launch!! 
Cxxx