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, 19 October 2018

Village Bauble

Over the past two days, I have been demonstrating load of gorgeous Imagination Crafts goodies at the Craft4Crafters show at the Bath and West Showground, and meeting lots of lovely crafters. There's still another day tomorrow, but I have had a lot of interest in one of the cards I have made, so I said I would blog the details so they can remember the steps.

It's a really simple card - but very effective. Apologies for the blurred photo - and the messy red water drops!

So, the first step was to lay the Village Bauble on watercolour card, then stipple through with black gesso and a stencil brush. 

Once this was dry, I laid the stencil back over, and lined it up. I then moved the stencil slightly. The idea is that the black gesso will create a drop shadow. Icy Snow Paste was then spread over the stencil creating this effect.

Once the paste was dry, I put the stencil back over and used a small stencil brush to apply Starlight Paints. I used Diamond on the berries and tree trunks, Pearl on the leaves, trees and roofs, Silver on the ribbon and buildings, and Black on the bottom of the bauble. Once again - apologies for the watery orange blob!! 

To create the card, I mounted it onto silver glitter card then black card.

As I said, a few simple steps for an effective card.

Take care, 
Cxxx

Wednesday, 10 October 2018

Vintage Mirror

Mandy-Jane is back on your screens in under an hour with more of the Imagination Crafts goodies. I spotted my mirror on display in the earlier show, so thought I should share it.

Back in the days of Sheena's Paint Fusion, I bought enough of those black Ikea mirrors to last me a lifetime! I still have a good half dozen in my box. So, I thought I would use one for another of my samples.
I didn't take many photos of this one - so no real step by step to show, but I can explain what I did.

I painted the whole mirror first with White Gesso, then again with Mediterranean Sky Starlight mixed with the gesso.

I then dry brushed some Silver Gold and Dark Orchid Starlights over the top to add a distressed, aged look. The little girl is from one of the A3 Rice Papers on the show, with Champagne Sparkle Medium stenciled over and some Versafine Vintage Sepia stamped around. I also added Magi-Cutz Flourishes and Artsy Stones.
Make sure you tune in at 4pm to see the show.
Cxxx

Journal Cover

Am back with another sample made for Mandy-Jane's shows today at 12pm and 4pm. This time I have taken one of the Journals and altered the back and front covers.
I forgot to take the step by step photos for this - but I can hopefully remember what I did. So, firstly, I remove the front and back cover by gently prying apart the binder. I did take photos of this so I would have a guide as to how to put them back on - but you don't need to see them.
The next step I did was to decide on the rice papers for the covers - these are the insides of both the front and back.
And these were for the front and back - although at the last minute I swapped them over! 

I mixed Bright Maroon Starlight paint with White Gesso, and painted both the inside and outside of both covers. I added the rice papers to each part.

For the inside, I used the Swirls stencils firstly with Black Starlight, and then with Platinum Texture Paste. 


For the outside, I used the Inky Script stencil with the Linen Shabby Chic Relief Paste. 

I finished by adding some Diamond Starlight Wax around the edges before returning the covers to the pages.
Cxxx

Monday, 8 October 2018

Butterfly and Keys

Another make for Mandy's shows on Wednesday on Hochanda.
No step by step pics for this one as I forgot to take them. But this is what I did.

I used Aqua and Sand Starlight paints across the middle of the canvas, making sure it was large enough so as not to be covered by the mask.

I then used the Butterfly and Keys mask over the top with Structure Paste.

In the top left and bottom right corners, I used Transparent Relief Paste through the Baby Bubbles stencil. In the top right and bottom left I added Artsy Stones with some of the Cogs and Flourishes Magi Cutz painted with the Starlights.

The whole canvas was edged with Aqua Starlight.

Back soon,
Cxxxx

Saturday, 6 October 2018

Little Red Beetle

Evening!! Am really proud to share with you my first sample for Imagination Crafts. The lovely Mandy-Jane Taylor will be on your screens on Wednesday 10th October at 12pm and 4pm with lots of gorgeous Imagination Crafts products.

I absolutely love this red beetle from one of the rice papers, and just had to team it up with the Magi-Cutz cogs.
I started with white gesso on the canvas which I had spritzed with water first to help it spread more easily.
After another spritz, I brushed some Misty Green Starlight paint around the edges. 
I then added some Pink Sorbet Starlight around where the car would go.
Next I used the Butterfly and Keys Mask with Red Mixed Media Spray. To avoid it spraying where I didn't want, I used some wax paper. Not sure I'd do that again as it left a very hard edge.
To make sure that the ink didn't move when I added other things, I spread a thin layer of Translucent Relief Paste over the top. When this was dry, I added the rice paper.
Using Smoky Gray Versafine, I added some texture to the edges of the canvas and the rice paper.
Sage Green Shabby Chic Relief Paste was added through the Baby Bubble Stencil.
The Magi-Cutz Cogs were painted with the Starlights and attached with Transparent Relief Paste. A few Artsy Stones were added and the little circles are punched from card painted with Misty Green Starlight, and sprayed with Red Mixed Media Spray.

Will have a few more samples to share over the next few days.

Cxxx

Friday, 28 September 2018

Silver Wedding

Over the summer, it was my sister and brother-in-law's silver wedding anniversary! I made them this boxed card using Kanban Love and Marriage toppers.
Purple is my sister's colour (I know - I had to wear the bridesmaid's dress!) so most of the cards I make for her are purple. The base of the card is made using one of the Crafter's Companion A3 double sided card packs - can't remember what the name of the pack is though.

I used the Kanban topper (perfect colour), and cut circles of purple, lilac, white and silver card using my Spellbinders Grand Decorative Circles 1. All finished off with a big bow!


I also made a matching box!! 

That's all for now. Back soon(ish).
Cxxx


Wednesday, 19 September 2018

Wooden Heart

Here's something that's really quick to make - and looks so effective. I picked up the wooden heart for a couple of pounds in The Range, and the letter tag in Hobbycraft for a quid.
I used Rice Paper 418 as it provided a nice background with no focal image.
I turned the paper over, drew around the heart and then used water to outline it, so I could tear the heart shape out. This was then stuck onto the heart. 
I covered the wooden letter tag with Rich Gold Starlight, using a stencil brush.
I applied Chocolate Shabby Chic Texture Paste through the Inky Script stencil.
And also added it to a paper rose.
Flat backed pearls were added to the tag.... 

... and the heart.
And finally the tag and the flower were attached to the heart. As I said, not overly complicated - but very effective. 

Cxxxx