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 27 February 2017

Exciting!!!

Just a couple pf hours to go before the launch of Sara's Shabby Chic Collection. This one is a little clutch bag, that could be used for a gift card or money! It's from the Ult Cards CD - I just didn't add the handle.

The base is embossed with the Rose Garden folder from the collection and inked with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The papers are from the 6x6 pack, and I used the Antique Edge, Filigree Flourish and Aged Rose dies - with lots of distressed edges and Vintage Photo Distress Ink.


I also used the papers on the inside - and added a Velcro fastener to keep the bag closed. 

Cxxx

Sunday 26 February 2017

Shabby Chic Picture


Morning!! Just a quick post as I'm off shortly for a day's Mixed Media workshops with the amazing Finnabair!! Super excited!!


Anyway, this is a picture frame I made using the Shabby Chic collection from Sara Davies.



The frame is just as I bought it (from the Range) - as I thought the distressed colour was perfect. I used paper from the 6x6 paper pad for the background, including fussy cutting the flowers used in the top right corner!

I used a combination of Kraft and papers to cut with the Chic Butterflies, Classic Lily, Antique Edge and Aged Rose dies- with lots of Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. The little corner pieces are from the Weathered Wood die. I also used the Cherished Memories Stamp and Die set for the sentiment. A little bit of garden twine and co-ordinating Baker's Twine - along with Linen Script Ribbon from the collection - finished it all off.

Enjoy your day!! 

Cxxx

Saturday 25 February 2017

Shabby Chic Tag Card

Morning!! Have another Shabby Chic sample to share today!! This one is a tag shaped Kraft card cut with Die'sire Create a Card Base Die - Stacey, which I embossed with the Rose Garden folder, and inked with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink.


The pink papers (all inked with Tattered Rose Distress Ink) are from the 6x6 paper pad, as are the black flourish and pieces behind the window. The window is the Weathered Window die from the collection, and I also used the Chic Butterflies dies and the Filigree flourish. 

The sentiment and the banner it is on are both from the Cherished Memories stamp and die set. I've also used a bit of lace from the Lace Ribbon pack, with some little pearl embellishments.

Keep an eye out for more Shabby Chic samples. 

Cxxxx

Friday 24 February 2017

Shabby Chic is on its way!!!

Afternoon, I'm a bit late to the party, but here's my first sneak peek!! Next Monday - 27th February - sees the long awaited launch of Sara Davies' new Shabby Chic Signature collection!! It's a fabulous range of papers, dies, embossing folders and accessories!




This side stepper is made from Cream Linen card, and uses papers from the 6x6 pad along with the Antique Edge, Aged Rose and Filigree Flourish dies. The little image is cut using Die'sire Essentials Circles dies from one of the papers - as is the wording on the tag. I distressed the edges of the papers with my Tim Holtz Distress tool, and inked with Bundled Sage and Victorian Velvet Distress Inks.

Cxxxx

Sunday 12 February 2017

Flower Canvas

Morning!! Didn't get round to posting yesterday, so thought I should get on with it this morning. So I have a little canvas to share, made using Crafter's Companion Spring Flowers Mixed Media dies. 


I used a little canvas and painted the edges dark blue, then added strips of white canvas from a roll to make the edge look neater. 


I cut the flowers out of denim (2 layers) and the canvas roll (3 layers). I also used Funky foam (1 layer).

The sentiment is from the Die'sire Sentimentals Nature set, stamped with Midnight Versacraft onto canvas roll.

Cxxx

Thursday 9 February 2017

Smitten Kitten

Today I have an 8x8 card made using Crafter's Companion Catitudes, using the first of the twin CDs for the image, sentiment, embellishments and one of the papers.


I also used the silver embossed musical paper from the 8x8 pad, and embossed a piece of black card with the matching embossing folder. I highlighted this with Pebeo silver gilding wax.

Cxxx


Wednesday 8 February 2017

Upright Stepper Card

I'm a bit later posting today, but better late than never!! So, this one is an upright stepper card - instructions on the Ulti Cards CD - using the Die'sire Bride and Groom Edge'able with some double sided printed A3 card from my stash. 


I also used the matt mirror card from the gold Luxury Cardstock pack. The letters are Diamond Press Block Alpha, and the champagne flutes are from Sara Signature Together Forever Collection.

Tuesday 7 February 2017

I want to ride my bicycle!!

Morning! Thought I would share another Diamond Press card. This one is using the "Bike" mini stamp and die set. 


It's quite a simple card, using papers from the May 2016 download from the website. I stamped the bike in Versafine Smoky Gray - onto white paper, the green paper from the download, and also onto Shrink Plastic.

I layered it up to create the effect of the bike being on the grass amongst the trees, and created an embellishment from the shrink plastic.

Enjoy your day!! 
Cxxx

Monday 6 February 2017

Multi Faceted Box!

Morning! Today's offering combines one of the fab projects from the Advanced Big Score DVD, with the gorgeous Ice Blue Luxury Card Pack and one of the amazing Die'sire Everyday Edge'ables - this one is Butterfly Love.


As I said, the base box was made following the instructions on the DVD, using a sheet of A3 double sided card from the Downton Abbey collection.


I used the mirror card from the Ic Blue Luxury Card pack to cut the Edge'ables, leaving a strip at the bottom to go along each side of the box. I backed this with the glitter card from the back, then more mirror card underneath. I created the topper in the same way. 

I finished off with a bow and lots of sparklers!

Cxx

Sunday 5 February 2017

Floral Lace Heart

Hello! Today I have a straightforward easel card, made using Crafter's Companion Die'sire Everyday Create a Card - Floral Lace Heart!


The base is made from Crafter's Companion White Linen card, and the matts and layers are the glitter and matt mirror card from the Silver Luxury Card pack. The red is from Papermill.


I used the Congratulations sentiment Create a Card die for the easel stopper, and decorate with pearls and a ribbon bow.

With Valentine's day coming up, this could easily be adapted to make a great Valentine's card!
Cxxx

Saturday 4 February 2017

World Cancer Day

Good morning! You may - or may not - know, that today (4th February) is World Cancer Day - time to raise awareness of this horrible disease that we need to keep fighting. It also happens to be the second anniversary of my Dad passing away from Cancer. It's strange, but oddly comforting,  that the two dates will always coincide!


You may also be aware, that the lovely Jen Fisher, one of my lovely friends from Crafter's Companion is on a campaign to get us all scrapbooking this year! So I decided that I would scrapbook a photo of my lovely Dad.

Her first video tutorial is available to view - just sign up for the 12 months of scrapbooking for free via the Crafter's Companion FB page - and be inspired.

I didn't have the kit with all the gorgeous English Country Garden stuff, so I have improvised and slightly adapted the layout to work with what I had left in the Downton Abbey 12x12 paper pad.


After watching the video, I worked out the layout below (although you will see from the end product I added another light strip in - to break up the blue). 


All these blue tones fit really well with the photo - and I chose to ink the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.


I then added in flowers cut with Sara Signature English Country Garden Lazy Daisy and Grand Floral. And the flourishes are from the Butterfly Lullaby Collection. 


I'm really happy with the result - and may well make all my pages for the year using photos of my Dad. I certainly have plenty to choose from!!

Enjoy your day!! 
Cxxx

Friday 3 February 2017

Everlasting Love

Morning!! Today I have a card made using Leonie Pujol's Everlasting Love, coloured with Spectrum Aqua Markers.  If you know the stamp, you will know that it only has two flowers, and I wanted three, so I used Pebeo Masking Gum to mask out the first stamp, and then inked up only the extra piece I wanted.


I then masked the third flower off so I could do the background - essentially a wet on wet technique. I did this on another piece of card, too, for an extra layer for the card.


I then built up the colour on the flowers. 


And, as always seems to happen, I forgot to take anymore photos!! So, I completed the flower, leaves and stems, and then matted and layered to complete the card. 


The main Spectrum Aqua colours I used were: Florals - Marigold, Jasmine, Sunflower, Bud Green, Leaf Green, Orchid, Heather.

Cxx

Thursday 2 February 2017

Elephant!!

Good morning!! I'm still trying to catch up with sharing cards I made last year - and this is one of them. I made it for my step-daughter for her birthday, just before she when to Thailand. Part of her trip included spending some time at a elephant sanctuary - so I thought this would be an appropriate image to use.



It is, of course, Sheena Douglass' Marching Elephants from her Taste of India collection. I coloured the image with my Spectrum Noir markers: Elephant - IG3, 4, 5, 7; Ground - IG1, 2; Cover - FS2, 3, 4 & GT1, 2, 3; Tusks - TN1, EB1,2. I added a little sparkle with Spectrum Noir Clear Overlay Sparkle pen. 



I then embossed teal card from Papermill with the co-ordinating folder, and then swiped Pebeo Silver gilding wax over the top. The papers are from two different pads from The Works: the peach from the Pretty Pastels, and the teal stripe from the Vintage Chic.



The sentiment is from Crafter's Inspiration 6, stamped with Memento Gray Flannel. I finished it off with ribbon and Hobby House flowers.

Cxxx

Wednesday 1 February 2017

Tropical Nectar

Morning!! Fiona is on again today with the Spectum Noir Illustrator pens. 


This tag is made using Sheena Douglass "A Little Bit Sketchy" Tropical Nectar stamp, coloured with:
Flower: Basics - Flame Red, Portrait - Cream, Hues - Gold 
Leaves/Stem: Tints - Pale Citrus, Hues - Pear Green

The sentiment is from Crafter's Inspiration 6, stamped with Versafine Onxy Black.

Enjoy your day!!
Cxxx