Seems Like A Nice Young Man

This is a card I made for a young lady, for her 13th birthday and potty about Zac Effron. 

I decided that thirteen was old enough to be able to cope with a glimpse of belly button, and the slight suggestion that this young man was a trifle hot and may possibly have to take his shirt off!

The image was half inched from Google images.  It was mat and layered first on gold mirror card, then a K & Co retro style paper, and finally gold again, on a white A5 size card.

The red swirls were cut on my quickutz silhouette and the hearts made with assorted punches. Scattered clear gems were used to finish the effect.

I prefer the card without the text, as it could be used as a picture after the birthday, but it was returned to me to have daughter bit added on.  Swings and roundabouts!

Up the Wolves

As I come from Wolverhampton it stands to reason that I am asked to make cards for Wolves Supporters …..

I Never Know What I Am Going To Be Asked For………

I never know what I am going to be asked to make next, but this was fun. 

My sister-in-law asked me to make a card for a young man who was off to University, which included some money for him to use in an emergency.

I used a Sizzix shaker box for the money holder and folded a £10 note carefully, so that the Queen’s face was clearly visible.  To add a bit of humour I added googly eyes to the plastic front of the box and “diamonds” on Her Majesty’s crown and earrings.

The inside of the card continues with the words “Please feel free to trash this card.  Good Luck at Uni”

Something Very Different For Me … Glass bead Bracelets

I don’t usually make jewellery, but when I saw the long multicoloured  beads I just had to have them. I just love the colours in them, I don’t have many beads but what I had just go so well together I am thrilled with the result.

Card for Hannah’s 18th Birthday

This card was a nightmare to get a good picture of because the gold card reflected the light. hence the dodgy colour!

It was made for my sister-in-laws, best friends, daughter’s 18th Birthday.

The numbers, letters and leaf flourishes were cut on my Quickutz Silhouette, the flowers are punchies and for the centre of the flowers I have used small pearls. I have put three layers into the flowers and then “fluffed” them up to add dimension and texture.

A Wedding Card

This is a wedding card I made recently for a friend.  I love looking at Digi Scrapping sites but have used the images in my cards rather than in a scrapbook.

The newspaper is a template I made and have used it for all sorts of occasions.  A lot of people ask me to make a card that includes personal details and a newspaper format is just perfect for that.

Using the template, I have selected colours to suit the occasion, added the details given to me and then pasted  the bride and groom and glasses from a digi set from Graphics ©Scrappin Doodles  http://www.scrappindoodles.com/. 

I print another copy of the bride and groom and the “exclusive” panel, cutting them out to use as a very basic “decoupage” layer using sticky pads to hold in place.

To complete the card, I add iridescent micro glitter to the glasses and Anita's 3D Clear Gloss finish on the eyes, bow tie and flowers for an extra 3D effect.

Assessorize and Paperchase Stickers

One of my favourite sources for small "puffy" stickers is, unbelievably, Assessorize, the clothes/accessories shop. I stumbled upon them on a stand in the children's area and have been a huge fan ever since. They are small and ideal for making toppers.

They are quite cheap, about £1.75 per pack, and I can usually get five to six toppers from one pack. They have several different sets at various times of the year, but be warned, get them when you see them, because once they are gone, they are gone!

My sister is on "special watch" for their Christmas stickers. Last year they were fabulous, (see Sizzix Christmas Matchbook), cute santas, reindeer, penguins, trees. I can't wait to see what they come up with this year. The cards I made with them just flew!

Paperchase, the stationary shop, also do brilliant stickers, about the same size as Assessorize but tend to be a bit cheaper. The cake topper above is made using Paperchase stickers, but I haven't got any pictures of their packets. Again they are seasonal and well worth looking for.

Sizzix Christmas Matchbook - Using Sizzix Originals Matchbook Cover & Inserts - 38 - 1128

This is a "crafty" experiment, it follows a post from a couple of days ago. It's a bit of nonsense really, but was fun to make.

I've used the Sizzix Matchbook die again, but this time I've embellished it with some Christmas Assessorize stickers left over from last year.

It's cute, and I think it would be good in one of those Advent calendars that you put small gifts in

or as a place card on the festive table.

Another Place, Crosby Beach, Liverpool, 26th August 2009

Crosby Beach, Liverpool, is a magical place.

There are 100 cast-iron, life-size figures spread out along three kilometers of the foreshore, stretching almost one kilometre out to sea.

I left two wish bracelets on statues 88 and 91,  I don't suppose they will withstand the weather and the sea conditions for too long but I made my wishes and if they are found by other visitors, the wishes will pass on to them .........

Zutter Mini Bind-It-All Scrapbook.

This is a mini book I have just made for a friend at work, whose daughter is going to study in Argentina for the next twelve months.

She gave me a list of her daughter's interests, including her love of swimming and running, eating fruit and veg, all things Spanish and reading. She also asked me to include a message about only being a phone call away and how much her family loved her, which I have included on the last two pages.

I have used my trusty Zutter Bind It All to make this album, the pages are 4 x 4 ins and the cover a fraction larger. On three of the pages I have added a little tag with small, individual pictures of Imogen's family, with a little charm attached.

I have also made a box with a tag to complete the gift using my box maker (bought from e-bay, I couldn't be without it, what a brilliant invention!)

Sizzix Mini Matchbook Album - Using Matchbook Cover & Inserts 38-1128

I have had the Sizzix Matchbook die for ages, but have not used it until today. For a first effort I am quite chuffed. (Please excuse my nail bitten finger, it's there only to illustrate how small the matchbook is. I shall have to get a false nail to stick on for any similar pictures in the future!)

The album is made up of four pages, on the first three I have put a mat and layered picture and embellished it with little hearts and faux stitching. The last page is embellished in the same way but I have handwriiten "We Love You"The album is kept together with two mini brads and the cover decorated with two punched hearts.

Recently, I bought a Bandai Super Badge It badge maker on e-bay for about £10 and then, would you believe it, found another smaller version at a carboot a few weeks later, for which I paid the princely sum of 10p, because the lady didn't want to take it home again!

Its a brillaint piece of crafting kit, (not just a kids toy), easy to use, with endless crafting possibilities, but here's the sad bit ........ Bandai have discontinued it! Badge refills are still available from their website, but when these sell out, that's it! Needless to say I have amassed a small stock.

A Birthday Card with a Difference

My Brother-In-Law is doing his Masters Degree in Art and I wanted to make him a birthday card this year that was a little bit different, this is the result!

I got the tiny easel and canvas from The Range in Telford a couple of weeks ago. A pack of two easels or canvases were £1.99 each, which I thought was a bargain.

All I have had to add, apart from the writing, is the palette embellishment, which was part of a pack of 3D stickers I've had for ages.

How To Make An Itsy Bitsy Advent Calendar.

I have been asked for some instructions on how to make my little Advent Calendars. I am hoping that the pictures will do most of the work, please bear with me, I'll try my best and hope I get everything in the right order .........

First, design your numbers. I used A4 page setting in Publisher and 2 Peas font "Typo" (download from http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/), font size 16 for December and font size 65 for the number. Each square measures approx. 4.5cm x 4 cm. I managed to get all 25 on one sheet. Cut numbers out.To make the body of the calendar, cut a piece of card (I used dark blue leather effect) approx. 9cm long x 6.5cm wide. Add two wavy strips of white glitter card along the bottom . Put a length of ribbon on top of the "snow", leaving enough to stick behind the card to give a neater finish. Add a bow to the main ribbon by threading a smaller piece underneath and making a single knot. Mat and layer on silver card.

Cut a co-ordinating piece of card approx 5cm x 5cm and mat and layer on silver card and stick onto the snow scene.

Decorate a mini bulldog clip with co-ordinating ribbons and secure the numbers in its grip. Carefully attach the clip to the calendar body.

Add an embellishment to one side of the calendar, I used a "Dress It Up" snowman button. As a finishing touch add several clusters of three dots on the sky area in white pen.

Finally stick a magnet on the back. And voila!!!

Christmas Is Coming ..... Mini Advent Calendar

Here are a couple of pictures of my latest project, itsy bitsy Advent Calendars. I know.... I know, it's too early to be thinking about Christmas, but the idea sort of snook into my head, and I just had to start making.

I used oddments of blue, silver and white glitter card that were too small to use on anything else, East of India gingham ribbon and some Dress It Up snowman buttons I got at a bargain price off E-Bay from a seller in America.

Once I put the design together they didn't take that long to make, but I hated cutting out 25 sets of numbers, next time I might try to print and cut them on my Silhouette Cutter.

I have stuck a magnet on the back so that they can be put on a fridge etc.

Looking at my box you can see that I am not the tidiest of crafters and I still have a few to finish off, but then I have plenty of time ...... ho ho ho!

A Special Australian Engagement Card

I make a lot of cards to order. This has come about by my leaving a box of general cards in the various school staffrooms where I have worked, and then someone coming up to me asking if would make them a "special" card but a bit bigger! From there it has become word of mouth, people show others the card I have made for them and I get asked again, a ripple effect.

I now have lots of "regulars" who send me long lists several months in advance that I can work through. I ask for a name, age, and interests and try to tailor my design around that, making it as personal to that person as I can. Sometimes what I make is not always too my taste, but as long as the giver and reciplicant are happy, I can only be happy too.

This is one of my favourite cards. It was made as an order for Mel, a lovely, lovely girl I used to work with. Her friends had got engaged in Australia and this is what I came up with.

I went on Google and found an outline map of Australia which I cut and pasted and then formatted to burgundy. The font is 2 Peas High Tide, the ribbon is from East of India and the hearts punched from matching paper, all matted on gold with faux stitching in burgundy round the edges.

I hear that it is now framed and hanging on a wall is Aus!

Wecome to My Craft Room

This is my Craft Room, I really appreciate how lucky I am to have such a lovely room to work in, surrounded by my "treasures" and craft materials and tools.

My desk is L shaped and this is the view facing the wall. The picture of the pebbles is one of mine, taken on a beach in Wales when I had my first digital camera.

As you can see I have a thing for stones and wings!

And this is the view from the desk I work from.