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.
Showing posts with label #inspire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #inspire. Show all posts

Sunday, 28 June 2020

E is for Extremely Tricky!

So, we're at the start of another 2 week challenge. And of course we are now at E/F. Same as before - you can make anything you want and use anything you want from your stash - providing at least one thing starts with an E or an F.

I like to take each letter individually and see what I can dig out from my stash, but I have to admit that E was a tricky letter for me. That said, I finally found my inspiration and managed to create my project for this week's inspiration - and Easel card with an Envelobox.


One of the things I found most tricky was trying to find colours. Originally, I was against using Emerald, but in the end I dug through my ink pad collection to see if I could find any inspiration for colours starting with E. And this is what I found - Emerald and Elderberry - Green and Purple - and I actually quite liked it. To be fair, I didn't use the ink pads (except for the sentiment) but it gave me a starting point.


I really wanted to use my e-Brush - an airbrush brought out by Craftwell about 5 years ago that works with Spectrum Noir pens. So I then had to colour match with my pens. I used JG3 (Emerald/Green) and LV2 (Elderberry/Purple). While I was looking through, I also picked out a couple of lighter colours to go with them - LG1 (a pale green) and CR2 (a light pink).

I had a piece of Mylar into which I cut a circle (easier to do if you have multimedia type dies). I used scrap paper to mask off the area around. I started with the LG1 and sprayed the bottom part of the circle, and then CR2 to do the top.

   

I then used a stencil over the top. This one is a mini stencil by Imagination Crafts that was in a Crafter's Inspiration Magazine. It's a double so I wasn't too worried about it being coloured by the ink. And to be fair, it will still work in the same way. So, over the top of the circle and stencil, I sprayed JG3 and LV2.

  

And the result was really quite lovely. 


I also airbrushed a piece of card using the lighter colours to use as a background.


This topper was then used on an easel card. This was cut using Crafter's Companion Circle Easel card die set. The purple mat was Embossed with an old embossing folder from Crafter's Companion - Embossalcious Everday 6x6 Floral Frenzy. The green fancy mat was cut from Core'dinations using the dies that came with the Easel card set.

 
 
For the envelobox, I followed the instructions for a 5.5" x 5.5" card, so started with a 9" square, and scored at G and levels 1 and 2 on each side.

  

 

I decorated the top of the box in the same way as the easel card. I also added some extra mats and layers, and (although not a lot shows) I found a piece of card in my old demo stash that was inked in the right colours (quite by accident) - I am presuming it would have been with Spectrum Noir Harmony Water Reactive Ink in Plum Pudding and Holly Leaf. I used an Edge'able (Jardin) to cut in either side. it just peeks out below the circle.

  

So there it is - my Emerald and Elderberry circle Easel card with Envelobox, with E-Brushed topper,  Embossing and Edge'ables - and a few pearls for Embellishments!!

 


Happy crafting!
Cxxx

Friday, 18 May 2018

To the Happy Couple

A very good friend of mine is today marrying a lovely man and starting a new life together. I made this card for them using a Kanban Love and Marriage. 
I used patterned card and paper from my stash to matt and layer with pink card onto the base. The patterned background piece was cut from the pink card using Crafter's Companion Die'sire A6 Daisy Dreams Create a Card die. 

The Kanban topper sits on top of that, and the card is finished with lace, a lace bow, and a Hobby House sparkler.

Cxx

Saturday, 12 May 2018

Applique Card - Flowers

Was feeling adventurous with this one. I wanted to do some sewing and be able to use it to create a card. I started by ironing on Heat & Bond Lite Adhesive (which is sewable) to pieces of fabric from my scrap box, then used Crafter's Companion Die'sire Spring Flowers Mixed Media dies to cut out the shapes.
These were ironed onto a piece of white cotton and sewn with my sewing machine. This was placed on a piece of patterned fabric, and with thin wadding and interfacing underneath. I used decorative stitches on my sewing machine to quilt them together. 

I used red tape to attach this to an 8x8 card base, and cut a circular aperture with Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Circle in a piece of Kanban British Birds card, to provide a frame and cover the edges of the material.

Finally, I finished off with ribbon and paper roses.

Cxxxx

Tuesday, 8 May 2018

Birthday Boutique

This teenager's birthday card was made using Hunkydory's Birthday Boutique topper and card set.
I kept it simple, and matted the card onto silver mirror card, which I also used for the letters and numbers, cut with Diamond Press Block Alpha dies. The bow is from Baker's twine. 

Cxxx

Thursday, 5 April 2018

A Blast From The Past

It's been a while since I came on here - seems I say that a lot. And I'm not promising to blog regularly. But, I have been sorting out photos and pinning a lot. And I came across some old Paint Fusion photos - quite apt as Sheena is on Hochanda on Friday with Paint Fusion. Can't believe it's about 7 years ago that these first came out!!

These are just a few of my photos. I remember loving Paint Fusion and made so many gifts for friends with all the different flowers as they came out.
 

 

 


Really looking forward to seeing a fresh twist on it. 

Take care
Cxxxx

Wednesday, 19 April 2017

A little bit of gold!!

Afternoon!! Wow - it's been a while since I've posted!! Lots happening and time just gets away!! But, tonight on Hochanda, Crafter's Companion will be on with a gorgeous Centura Pearl Metallics One Day Special.

I used three of the colours from the Precious Golds collection along with the gorgeous Beatrice Die'sire Create a Card to create the layers on this Ivory box. A few pearls, some ribbon and paper roses completed the look.
I also made a twisted easel card using another of the golds with some Snow White Hint of Gold, and again used the Beatrice Create a Card die. The sentiment is Classiques Only Words, and I used the Essentials Flowers for all Occasions 3.  
Be sure to tune in at 8pm tonight to see the full collection and all the amazing samples from the team.
Cxxxx


Tuesday, 21 March 2017

Inspirational Foiling

Morning! Did you catch the 7am show with Fiona demonstrating the fabulous foils. Here's another of my creations - a little wall hanging. I used elements from the Opulent Flourishes pack of transfers with Rose Gold Foil. 
The base is cream mountboard - left over from Sheena's Paint Fusion collection, and I used a bit of Pebeo King Gold gilding wax on the edges.

Fiona has one more show today at 11am - tune in for more inspiration from the team.

Cxx