Sample making

A few weeks ago I was accepted as a sample maker by Arts & Crafts Direct, the company with which Stephanie Weightman of Create & Craft fame is associated.

My first samples were made last week and were seen on tv this morning. They were to showcase a set of die-cuts.
I used the plates with embossed rims as my main item, along with other pieces included in my sample pack and images from My Craft Studio Cd's as well as bits from my stash.

These 2 have acetate fronts

I love this made to celebrate a birth with ribbon and pearlescent backer.This uses vellum lace die-cuts and a metallic dragonfly embellishment..With the addition of spirelli and a metallic stickers. This last one simply features a die-cut frame backed with pearescent paper and a swirl image from a cd. I was very excited at seeing my cards on tv especially as I got my name mentioned as well!

Crafter's Companion #6

This time on Crafter's Companion challenge the sketch is from Anne.

I have used the ATC I made for the challenge on my previous post as a topper. I simply backed it with pink paper to make it stand out from the rest of the card.

The floral backing paper and decoupaged image are both from the Popcorn Bear Floral Cd. The pearlescent pink backing paper is from a paper pack also by Crafty Companions.

I added 3 self adhesive gems, a peel-off greeting and an organza bow.

I'm very pleased as I have managed to do a card each week for this challenge blog so far, hope I can continue.

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge

Over on the Tilda & Friends ATC challenge blog we have been asked to 'layer it up' meaning decoupage an ATC.

My image of Popcorn Bear holding a huge bunch of tulips has 4 layers and is taken from the Popcorn Floral Cd by Crafter's Companion. The backer is a matching paper taken from the same Cd.

Rosie-Dee's Challenge #52

This months theme of SHAPES continues with a recipe. So, we'd like to see 2 squares and a rectangle on your project this week please.

My card will be saved for my Brother-in-Laws birthday in November.

I used Stampin' Up cardstock in calendula which when scored on an A4 fold gives a shortfall card. The front edge was trimmed using a scalloped cutter and then inked with Cosmic Copper Brilliance inkpad.

The backing paper in a gold and cream criss cross design is from a Crafter's Companion pack, with a strip of the same being put just inside the card. It reminded me a football goal net.

The sentiment is a free download from My Craft Studio and the toppers from Teddies Friends cd by Peerless Designs.

A very apt card I think for a footie fan, Wolves in this case, which came together very quickly and easily.

Christening card

This is a card I made to celebrate the Christening of our 2 year old great niece at the weekend. The artwork is a free download from Rusty Alfrey designs and can be found here. Do take a look at this blog as there are some super designs.
I manipulated the image with a Photo program to get it the right colour and size (clever eh? It started out blue) It was then printed onto pearlescent paper and layered onto pink card.
The white card blank is A5 size and has been covered with a mat of pale pink card and white pearlescent paper the same as the topper. A double layer of different widths of pink organza ribbon have been attached across the corner of the larger matting and a pink organza bow on the corner of the topper. A simple peel-off sentiment completes the card.

2 of those!

I've spent the morning measuring and cutting to make these 2 notebooks. The 'hearts' one is a Thank You gift and the other is part of a Birthday gift for 5 year old.
I added a charm and ribbons to the adult one and lots of bright coloured pages for the childs.They were very quick and easy to make as the front covers are postcards from Ikea cut down to a 10x15 cm size with a backer and pages to fit, all bound with my BIA.
I've got to find a padded bag now to fit the thank you gift into then off to the Post Office.

My Birthday cards

These are all the lovely hand crafted cards I received for my birthday last Sunday.

Thank You so much to everyone who took the time to make a card for me, I really appreciate the effort put into them.I had to smile when I opened Keren's card as I had used the same image for her birthday which is just the day before mine. I hope none of you mind me displaying your cards for all to see but as most of you have blogs of your own I thought it ok to show your lovely creations on mine.

All of my presents from family and friends have been crafty ones so I am very lucky to have people who know my likes so well.

2 for 1

This week on Cute Card Thursday the subject is 'Back to School'

I made the toppers for these 2 cards yesterday and just finished them. They are for my 2 Grandaughters. The youngest starts 'proper' school on her 5th birthday next week and the eldest moves up to Junior school. The stamped image is from Paper Nation and has been coloured with Promarkers and cut using Nesties. The oval has been coloured on the edges with purple or red ink to match the backer which is from a pad I have had for ages, think it's a sizzix one. The other backer is card put through a Cuttlebug embossing folder, again with inked edges. The greeting is a silver peel-off.

Crafter's Companion #5

On the Crafter's Companion challenge blog this week we have been asked to use blue as the main colour while still following a sketch.
This is Tina's sketch for us to follow. This is my card using backing paper printed from the Cute Companions cd and a stamp from the Popcorn Bear Christmas collection.
Sleepy little Souffle has been stamped onto lemon card with Grey Versafine ink and coloured with watercolour pencils. The image and blue backer have been cut with tag shaped Nesties and layered up at an angle to each other.
The peel-off greeting is on an oval cut with Nesties. 5 small blue self adhesive gems finish off the card.

Teen Terrors!

Over on the Tilda and Friends ATC Challenge site the theme this week is Teen Terrors.

This is my contribution, the first time i've taken part as until I really looked at the site this morning didn't realise that the images didn't need to be Tildas.

The stamp is Oliver Cool from Lili of the Valley. The shirt is paper pieced and the rest of him is coloured with polychromos and sansodor. The shirt and backing papers are from the citrus pad by HOTP. The wording is made from peel-off letters.

Anniversary wishes

It was our 35th Wedding Anniversary earlier in the month, this is the card I made for Mick using Popcorn Bear Floral cd. I've printed the image onto cream pearlescent paper and decoupaged the layers with foam pads.

This is on a background of spotty vellum from Making Cards magazine which has been held in place at the corners with a touch of glue covered with a self adhesive pink gem.
The border is from the same cd and the greeting is a peel-off. All on an A5 cream card.

Mum's birthday

My Mum's birthday is today and this is the card I made for her using papers and my adaptation of an idea from the July issue of Making Cards magazine. All I added apart from the white card base was some pink card and silver mirror board for layering and some pink self adhesive gems.

Making Cards is the only magazine I regularly buy as the papers and vellums given free each month are such good quality and there are usually some super card ideas to go with them. I try to make at least 2 cards from each issue and as I do so come up with more ideas of my own. It is nice to have a starting point though to begin with.

Crafter's Companion #4

On the Crafter's Companion challenge blog this week Christine has provided the sketch which also asks for brads and some ribbon. I've used an image from Popcorn Floral cd again simply cut out and mounted up onto pale green card.
The card is ready embossed from DCWV and i've just edged it with purple ink as I have with the 2 backing pieces. I've used my still favourite combination of purple and green, with a touch of white and lemon in the flower and glittered brad. Purple brads are on the corners of the image topper and a silver greetings peel-off.

Faith

I've just printed out a few photos of Faith's baking session back in April to put in her scrapbook of things she does while she is with us.

I don't proclaim to be a 'scrapbooker' as many crafters would see it but it's my way of keeping together a few memories for Faith of when she is staying with us. She loves looking at her 'princess book' as she calls it.

I think these are my favourite pages.

Don't you just love the pout on this one though! It had to be saved for her to look back on.
She was a devil for finding and using lipstick when she was smaller - even Grandad got covered on one occasion.