Making stuff

Colour My Day ...

2011-05-27T21:28:00.000+01:00

So, I have been working on some new DIY wedding invitation designs and invariably when I speak to craft and stationery retailers they invariably want to see white and ivory - while these are "the classic" wedding invitation colours, I think that sometimes brides (and grooms) choose these time honoured neutrals because they are not quite sure were to start with colour.
I just love colour on a wedding day! Carry an idea all the way through from stationery - whether premade or DIY wedding invitations, to bridesmaids dresses, to the flower on the MOB's hat, on past the flowers, the church pew ends and into the reception, on the tables, on the cake, with the favours, toiletry baskets - make it a scheme, rather than a single colour and create a wow with layers of colour throughout the day to make an impact.

Pick a Colour!
Article one in a series of colour theory for brides.

Some people are simply overwhelmed by the array of colour choices. All too often it's safer to pick a colour and stick with it - but let's mix it up and add some colour to your wedding day palette.
So first off - think it through! Sit down and think about colours you like, the season you're getting married in, the colour theme in the dining room at the reception, team colours, anything that will influence your decisions.
Make a list of all the things that you will be having on your big day - invitations, flowers, bridesmaids dresses, napkins, favours etc. Then pick a colour scheme - so how do we do that?
This basic colour theory is used by every designer - whether you are making websites, revamping wardrobes or planning a wedding.
So let's start right at the beginning...The Color Wheel! The first color wheel has been attributed to Sir Isaac Newton, who in 1706 arranged red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet into a natural progression on a rotating disk. As the disk spins, the colors blur together so rapidly that the human eye sees white.

It is composed of your Primary Colors (Red, Yellow and Blue), your Secondary Colors (Green, orange and violet) and your Tertiary Colors which are a mix of a secondary and a primary (Red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet and red-violet).

You may have also heard the terms shade, tint, tone and value.

Tint - Color + White (Red+White=Pink thus pink is a tint of red)
Tone - Color + Grey (These make pastels)
Shade - Color + Black (Red+Black=Burgundy thus burgundy is a shade of red)
Value - How light or dark a color is.
Colors are also classified as to their "temperature".

Warm (or Aggressive) Colors are the yellows, oranges, and reds. These come towards the eye more (spatially) and are generally 'louder' than passive colors.
Cool (or Passive) Colors are the greens, blues, and violets. These recede from the eye more (spatially) and are generally 'quieter' than the aggressive colors.
There are 6 common color schemes:

MONOCHROMATIC - Monochromatic colors are all the hues (tints and shades) of a single color. The tints and shades add depth and highlights. Simply select one "portion" such as blue from the color wheel.

COMPLEMENTARY - Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are considered to be complementary colors (example: red and green). The high contrast of complementary colors creates a vibrant look.

ANALOGOUS -Analogous color schemes use colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. Analogous color schemes are often found in nature and are harmonious and pleasing to the eye. Choose one color to dominate, a second to support. The third color is used as an accent.

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY - The split-complementary color scheme is a variation of the complementary color scheme. In addition to the base color, it uses the two colors adjacent to its complement.

TRIADIC - A triadic color scheme uses colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel. Triadic color schemes tend to be quite vibrant, even if you use pale or unsaturated versions of your hues. To use a triadic harmony successfully, the colors should be carefully balanced - let one color dominate and use the two others for accent.

TETRADIC - The tetradic color scheme uses four colors arranged into two complementary pairs. It offers plenty of possibilities for variation and works best if you let one color be dominant.

Obviously this is a lot of information to remember but with practice you learn to team colours together and instinctively recognise which colours work and in time you follow these colour theories without even thinking about.
Colour is fun - I think too often people play it safe and stick with neutrals but a little splash of colour can really lift things from "nice" to "wow"!
So take your favourite colour scheme and see if you can make it really pop ...

let them eat cake

2011-05-16T15:33:00.000+01:00

This week's 3d challenge on papercraft planet is from the talented Adela and includes a gorgeous cake box template. Here's my take on the challenge - a chocolate and caramel confection topped with a fimo cupcake and one adorned with flowers and pearls. Even though I don't take part every week, I think the 3d challenge is my favourite - it makes me think outside the cardmaking box!

thanks for looking

Miss you Robot

2011-05-15T11:38:00.001+01:00

Some days you just have to play .... and yesterday I got out some fimo and had a play. I made an Aoife version and a Brianna version but already small hands have decapitated Brianna and pulled all of Aoife's hair off - so only this one has survived to face the camera ... so here he is my "miss you" robot ...

Decided he needed a little embellishing so I added some pearls and a little glint in his eye .... plus I stuck Brianna's errant head back on :-)

celebration cards and kits.

2011-05-06T18:41:00.000+01:00

Now I have my 5.5 by 7.5 inch die cut card boxes I'm making nothing but boxed cards this week - and these are 2 quick and easy cards that can be so easily customised for weddings, anniversaries and even communions (add the child's name and a chalice topper on a layered piece of mirrored card).
This card is available completed and personalised with printed insert from my ETSY shop or for cardmakers - a new option, as a kit.

Tilda writes a Letter

2011-04-27T21:30:00.000+01:00

This post is especially for Catherine, she stamped me these little Tildas on the proviso that she'd be watching my blog to see what had done with them and today I got some time to play. Shamefacedly admit it must be more than 6 months since I last touched a promarker - so I really enjoyed my colouring session, although my attempt at a bright Tilda in orange wasn't too successful, I've 3 cute cards all finished. I've had a real problem with cute lately, I was just fed up with it but I've tried to keep it simple and I just LOVE my 4 inch alphabet letters .... thanks for the lovely comments too, I will be a better blogger, I promise!
Sorry about the sideways pics - tried three times to get it straight and I give up!

Plush Pals flower card

2011-04-20T21:38:00.000+01:00

So, I was asked to make 6 - yep, 6 cards for the same wedding. By the time I hit number 6 I needed a fresh take on traditional wedding cards and I came up with this using the blue flower embellishment sheet from the Plush Pals cd-rom .... sometimes we need to dust off those old favourites and rework them .... I pinched the flower petals and layered with foam pads, added handcut flowers and a sentiment - and layered them into an oval aperture panel - then to make it into a keepsake, a navy blue box with the wedding details on top. Quick, easy (once I had the basic idea) and it was my friend's favourite - she kept it as the one to send for herself.

Clean and Simple Sunday Challenge

2011-04-12T00:48:00.000+01:00

My first time taking part in this challenge but it really suits my current cardmaking mood - I've gone back to basics - layers and clean lines, lots of squares and rectangles and simple embellishments. I think I've had my fill of over exaggerated embellishments, inks and lace for now - my exception has to be ribbon and buttons, don't think I will ever tire of those.

Both cards are hybrid cards and use backing papers and images from the Plush Pals dvd. I kept the same colour scheme and design for both but changed the sentiments and focal point on each card for a totally different look. I just love the flower embellishment sheets on the Plush Pals dvd, when layered up they make fabulous 3d flowers and I've another card using the rest of the flowers on the sheet tomorrow.

thanks for looking.

Papercraft Planet Sat Sketch Challenge

2011-04-12T00:44:00.000+01:00

Trying to play along with this challenge every week, I just loved this week's sketch - my kitchen was full of paper from a papercrafting frenzy at the weekend and this sketch made great use of the scraps.
Sketch challenge SK040911

I used the cat image from Plush Pals, some simple layering and some pale blue polka dot ribbon. Minimal embellishments of punched card circles and papermania mini buttons.
Thanks for looking.

Long last - I'm back!

2011-04-08T18:01:00.001+01:00

Would you believe it's April already? Decided it was time to give the old creativity a dust off and start making "more stuff "...
As a jump in point I decided to try a couple of challenges on Papercraft Planet - the sketch challenge from Susanna and last week's 3d challenge from Adela, as it just fitted in with something I wanted to try. So first up the sketch challenge
http://papercraftplanet.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/sk040211-300x300.jpg
and I have used the pirate card collection from the fantastic Boyz 2 Men papercrafting dvd rom from Ella's Design. I have to admit that I've been guilty of loving but not using this disc .... while impatiently waiting to see what her next offering will be! So it was time to play - my daughter is one of 3 girls in a class of 12 - so we have plenty upcoming boys birthday parties, so the Boyz to Men designs are just perfect for all your masculine card needs.
I made an easel card with the pirate map decoupage and distress inks, added the anchor covered with glossy accents and a brad and the Happy Birthday sentiment from the fishing card.

thought was the cutest template to make party treat boxes for a boys party. I used the boyz 2 men dvd rom from ellas designs to print both sides of the card, then overprinted the template and added the football topper from the same disc. Bit of ribbon and added glossy accents to the football.

So there you have my first blog post of 2011!

An Siopa Bui Christmas class sneak peek ...

2010-10-25T13:04:00.000+01:00

So this year my theme for An Siopa Bui's Christmas Extravagana is "things to make and mend" - I've got 2 lovely gift ideas of a sewing kit and a button box, both are pretty enough to keep on the mantlepiece, so you'll never have to hunt for a needle again! There's also a little matching easel card as well and the overall style has to be "eclectic chic!" - it's all lace and old books with polka dot ribbon, buttons and pins and a smattering of Hero Arts stamps ....

To whet your appetite a little peek at the button box - it's not the easiest thing to photograph and looks much much nicer in real life....Sunday 21st November - An Siopa Bui - come and play!

GBCE

2010-09-21T20:53:00.000+01:00

It's nearly here - the GBCE at The Athlone Springs Hotel starts Friday. And then on Arthur's Day - I'll be there with the brand new Boys2Men dvd rom from Ella's Design. Lisa has been a star and she and her husband have pulled out all the stops to ensure there will be an exclusive supply of these in Athlone. As the disc has not yet launched, no sneak peeks I'm afraid but you can be the first to see it on Saturday ..... One of the designs features in my Men's class on Sunday morning, with the Houghie board slant, so bring your boards!

Last class of the day is my sizzix class - there's new ways of looking at old dies and chocolate. What more do you want!

promarker giveaway

2010-09-18T22:16:00.000+01:00

It always makes me feel warm n fuzzy to find new cardmakers on this island of Ireland and with great delight I discovered A Passion for Cards today.
Even better still she draws her own images, sells them as digi stamps and also in glorious clear polymer and the absolute clincher? She has a Promarker giveaway! A girl can never ever have enough Promarkers - unless you own them all (and if you do - you can give them to me.... please)
Have a look and enjoy.....
P.S I am searching for a recent photo of Pat Van den Hauwe, the ex Wales defender. He lives in South Africa now and the only interviews I can find are radio ones - so no pics there then! Help me please .....

Mami Doodles challenge 10

2010-09-18T16:57:00.000+01:00

Determined not to miss the deadline on this one, here's my entry for Mami Doodles challenge 10 Boy's card with red . This one was for a Mario fan - obviously.

Mami Doodles challenge

2010-09-18T16:42:00.000+01:00

I did this little card for the Mami Doodles challenge last week but have not had chance to post, however Elisa has already set a new challenge so I'm late but that's not all my fault - the original deadline was the 19th. Anyhow - here it is using Elisa's free flower image.

Free Download again ....

2010-09-08T22:14:00.000+01:00

So File Factory was not a good choice for file sharing, so I have tried again using Scribd - and it looks good. So fingers crossed, you can get it HERE
And in case you din't know what I am talking about - here's the card - again ...

mami doodles - Madeline bakes a cake

2010-09-04T10:58:00.002+01:00

It's been a while since I did a Mami Doodles but I just adore Madeline bakes a cake. Even her name makes me want a cup of PG Tips and just one little almondy delight ...
I made another book card, added lots of glitter and some pretty baby blue ribbon, a few off flowers ,big pearl brad and a tiny little silver spoon.
The author of the verse is unknown to me and I collected it in my poem file many moons ago. "I have a little recipe that isn't hard to make but you must always start it as soon as you awake. Take a big mixing bowl and fill it with a smile, Mix a cup of sunshine and good deeds to last a while; Add a pinch of thoughtfulness and care - but don't bake it in the oven, just spread it everywhere."

Who was your tv crush and did they age well?

2010-09-02T19:18:00.001+01:00

So I'm watching reeling in the years - 1985 and it's scary to remember it all soooo well. In 1985 I loved Michael Praed, thought he was so damn gorgeous. It would have been a toss up between him and the Everton defender Pat Van den Hauwe, so it set me wondering what they looked like now ....

Oh well. I wont even start on my bizarre Robbie Coltrane obsession ....
And I found a recipe for sloe chocolate truffles and sloe chutney but you use the leftover sloes from the gin making - so I guess it's time to plan ahead and get these going for truffles next year!
I'd love to try something with the rose hips that are just looking so divine in the hedgerows - I know there is rose hip syrup but all the recipes have HUGE amounts of sugar, perhaps I could experiment with half sugar and half splenda ....

Lots of stuff

2010-09-02T10:58:00.000+01:00

The weather is gorgeous and everytime I go outside I'm reminded that the season's changing. There are apples and a crop of damsons in the orchard and the hedges are filled with blackberries and sloes. There seems to be a glut of sloes and I plan to scour the net for a new sloe gin recipe - just something with a bit of a twist. I also remember making a yummy plum and blackberry "slump" one year topped with lemon dumplings and mascarpone cheese - so I need to find that one as well. Any suggestions for damsons other than jam would be very welcome too.
I'm still busy putting together cards and projects to show at GBCE, Athlone and I am itching to get to An Siopa Bui to see the new sizzix yummies - expect to see them in my class.
And a card? I've got one to share for the current ABC challenge - C is for charms.I made this originally for the GBCE but I've decided to share it as a freebie.
So for you all - a vintage Christmas card. It's a single sheet printable pdf sheet (it's all about paper saving in my designs this year!)
It's a book shaped card, similar to a bookatrix and sits on top of a five inch easel card. You need to score down the centre of each page and then gently curve each section around a small cylinder (tube of glue, small spray can etc) add glitter to the page edges and attach to the centre of the easel with redline tape.
I used a piece of grosgrain to make bookmark for the centre and added my new gold snowflake charm and a large gold brad. Finish with some flowers.

I couldn't get the file to upload with 4 shared, so I have opened a File Factory account and you can download the PDF HERE

1000 sheets blog candy - EDITED thanks Kate

2010-08-24T23:26:00.001+01:00

I found a super cute cardmaker while blog hopping - Sandi di Falco http://oneofakindcreations-bysandi.blogspot.com/2010/08/1000-sheets-blog-candy.html - she's one prolific cardmaker and talented lady - I'd love to digi colour like that.
Anyhow she is giving away a 1000 sheets of paper blog candy - so go have a look and if you win, please share!!! I want the top sheet at least .... good luck

Actually she isn't - she was linking the candy, I just didn't realise ....

Here's the real link candy and it's more than paper - there's stamps as well. Woo hooo.

Thanks Kate for letting me know.

New Stuff

2010-08-23T22:07:00.000+01:00

It's the countdown to the GBCE Athlone - woo hooo. Want info - SEE HERE
I am there Saturday and teaching Sunday. I have 2 classes - for the guys using the Houghie board first thing Sunday and then a Sizzix masterclass at 2pm, but I'll be demoing and mooching around all day Saturday - so say hello if you drop by my table.
I'll have yummy bits n bobs, some made by me printables, new Plush Pals ideas and the WORLD PREVIEW of the next design dvd rom from Ella's Designs - BOYS to MEN. Lots of fab cards for those non flowery types in our lives. And lots of spotty ribbon - I got tired of looking for it, so I'm bringing enough for everyone at knockdown prices!
I also updated my class tabs - with new design classes for anyone wanting to learn how to make your own design files for cardmaking using either Microsoft Publisher or the free Open Office software. Please contact me for more details.
Need a peek?

Folded frame - see previous post for tutorial

2010-08-14T21:02:00.000+01:00

So here's my finished frame - not totally yet, I'll tweek the embellishing a bit more but you could be waiting a week for me to get there! The finished frame is approx 17cm by 16cm and I made a single lid covering from a sheet of cardstock 212mm by 202mm scored at 2cm on all sides.
I cut an aperture from the lid using my X Cut circle cutter template and shape cutter and I will layer some acetate inside but it makes for terrible glare in photos, so I left it out for your viewing pleasure!
thanks for looking and hope you try it too.

folded frame on the Houghie board - as promised....

2010-08-14T15:49:00.000+01:00

Here's a quick how to tutorial to for the folded frame made on the Houghie board. I promised to do it afteret my demo at An Siopa Bui, hope it makes sense - this is one of those things that is easier than it seems - you just have to make one and you'll soon get the idea. Once you get the hang of them it is easy to alter the frame size with different card and different sized "slats" ( the basic idea to remember is 8 equal slats and additional for turnovers).
But first -
Place an A4 sheet on the Houghie board landscape. Score at 1cm and then make 4 more scorelines every 2cm.
So we score at 1 cm, 3cm, 5cm, 7cm and 9cm.
Turn the sheet 180 degrees and repeat these scorelines on the other side.

Next turn the sheet 90 degrees so that is in the portrait position and score at 2cm, 4cm all the way down the sheet top to bottom.
Score at 6cm, 8cm and 9cm but this time only score through the centre portion of the card - not through the existing scorelines (see photo)
Turn sheet 180 degrees and repeat on other side.

Next using the guide below cut along the 2 green lines as shown using a craft knife and cut away the solid green areas (I'd recommend printing this picture to fit an A4 sheet, it will make a handy reference guide and a to scale visual for when you are making your frames)

Fold all the scorelines and fold in tabs.

To construct your frame - fold and stick the 2 short sides first using double sided tape along the edges. I then use redline tape on the flaps - carefully tuck in and then stick the 2 longer sides of the frame.

Cut a sheet of cardstock to make a back for your frame and add a hanging loop if required then adhere to frame back.
Decorate frame as you wish!
I'll be back later with pics of my decorated frame .... (I've not finished yet!)

summer baby decor and sassafrass make it count

2010-08-03T23:06:00.001+01:00

My latest work in progress is this cute window dangly for a new baby, The centre is a removable fridge magnet frame, which I'll put a photo of the baby into and there's another photo and birth details on the reverse. The box has a Papermania acetate lid and big pink bow to secure.
So I have been waiting for the catalyst to get me scrapping again and I think I might have found it.
I've just bought DD1's school books - we are going uniform shopping tomorrow, my baby is so grown up - and just in time Sassafrass has released a fab range called "Count Me In" - so many school themed papers are very staid and traditional, I love the fresh colours and I love orange and green shades for scrapping and the flag style stickers are just simply divine - I can see me doing a mock first day photo shoot so that I can get these early!

EEK have you seen the new Sassafrass vintage brooch/flowers and all the ton of flower loveliness?

2010-07-30T21:06:00.000+01:00

You did. Are you swooning too? You didn't? Well - loookee here - sassafrass new yummy stuff

And just in case you need a peek - here's the gorgeous vintage brooches, these are my fave.
You can use them on cards, pages, handbags, keyrings, necklaces, dangle them from your car mirror, put them around a vanity mirror, on picture frames (can you tell I'm loving these?) - these are far too good for even me to hide in my stash. Although I might just keep some in my bedroom - so I can keep an eye on them and unlike the real thing, they wont make me sneeze!

Plush Pals -not just for babies!

2010-07-30T16:02:00.000+01:00

Given my penchant for baby makes using my Plush Pals dvd, you'd be forgiven for thinking that was all it could do. Truth is, I like making baby stuff but this disc will go far beyond baby cards. I've done some simple flower cards - all I did was insert a backing paper into my document and then inserted a flower on top. I then flood filled the flower with white to create a flower shaped "hole" in the backing paper. I printed this off , folded and cut into a square card.
Next I used the ready to print flower embellishment sheet, I cut out the flowers and look how different you can make the flower look just by pinching the tips of the petals together. You can then play with flower layers and positioning to create different looks - if you add distress inks, you get a softer more aged look, glitter adds a lot of sparkle - perfect with white card.
Something I'll be playing around with some more, the basic elements would make a lovely 3d frame too.
I also want to say I really appreciate people who take time to leave comments, I know how busy life is but I have had switch to moderation mode as I am fed up of deleting irrelevant and gobble-de-gook comments.

hougie board demo

2010-07-29T13:36:00.000+01:00

Friday 7th August and I'll be in Spiddal, to give a Houghie board demonstration - it's straight after the coffee morning and kicks off the Spiddal Summer Extravaganza weekend plus I've heard there will be some great 12 by 12 offers to be had and of course the Houghie.
I think it's a great piece of kit - I have mine for a while and to be honest, as first I wondered had I made an expensive mistake but now it's invaluable. I can follow tutorials in both metric and imperial, which saves so much time - compared to translating it over onto my blue board.
Once you start to play with the board, fancy box making becomes really easy, I use a pad of A3 paper from the 2 euro shop to practice on (I hate wasting my good card making mistakes) or A4 copy paper - I've started to keep these "try outs" so that I am not always starting from scratch and I find the visual much easier to work with than just written instructions.
I have about 20 boxes and cards to show so far, and a couple more to complete if I find the time, I also have to prep for 2 classes - my house is awash with paper trimmings, which are been scattered far and wide by 2 rambunctious kittens and two equally rambunctious children. I had to take a break to wade through the detritus in the girls bedroom, how can 2 little people make sooooo much mess?

Anyway, see you in Spiddal Friday 7th - there be cake for sure .... and cake boxes ....

acetate plush pals card

2010-07-21T20:10:00.000+01:00

I was asked to make this for a little baby boy - it uses some of the backing papers, the embellishment flower sheet and the blue teddy decoupage sheet from "Plush Pals". So once I had the sheets cut the card itself did not take too long - I find it great for commission cards as I have no thinking to do (believe me, that can take a LONG time!). Then I added a little matching vest as well, they cost so little to make and make such a personal little addition - there's a candle as well but I haven't finished the wrapping yet.
This is one of the cards that we'll be doing at the August 7th class in Kilcolgan - but using a different colour theme and character. (I know you like a preview Catherine!)

Fimo card accents

2010-07-16T12:40:00.000+01:00

I was in An Siopa Bui last week doing a Fimo demonstration for Staedtlar - the weather was a total washout but we had a fun day playing with this extremely versatile polymer clay.
I was primarily using Fimo soft - a great introduction to the medium, as the name implies it is softer and easily modelled than the classic (more suited to jewellery applications - although I have made beads, brooches etc using fimo soft). It comes in a huge array of colours which are then blendable so that you can create any colour imaginable and there are glitter and metallic options. For cardmakers, Fimo makes great accents and can be coloured and mixed with many of your other craft materials - I add ultra fine glitter, paint it with acrylic paint, blend on alcohol inks, colour with chalks, distress inks and pearl-ex. When I have finished a project I squash up all the bits and then make little flowers, I then colour them with gold and silver pearl-ex and add a bit of green promarker onto the leaves. Nothing is wasted.
Anyhow, here's a couple of quick cards using fimo embellishments - I'll post the rest of fimo creations soon.

digital papercrafting and a bit of distress

2010-07-14T23:41:00.000+01:00

Digi is Huge this year, I wonder what it has done to worldwide patterned paper sales - I've bought one measly 6 by 6 paper pack this year so far, partly because I have enough paper to fashion a full scale replica of the Eiffel tower should I ever be so inclined or so talented and mostly because there is a slew of digital papers available - even BG are selling digi files of their back catalogues. Brilliant news for anyone working on albums were you might want more than a couple of sheets of one design - all we need are huge quantities of good decent white cardstock and gallons of ink, which if you use original cartridges is priced more expensively than liquid gold.
But if you are buying patterned paper check out 3 bugs in a Rug - fresh and funky designs for both scrapbooks and cards. What CHA releases are you watching? I love Spellbinders Lacey Squares and the accucut scrapbook albums (oh wishlist - wishlist)

Anyhow, I am a digi fan but if you leave it at print and cut , it can look a bit flat - but add a bit of distress ink (or any ink for that matter) and some ribbon - I just don't get digi ribbon! And you're nearly there.

Polish off with some glitter (slowly coming around to it in little pinches...), ink a few flowers and overstamp for a bit of detail. And a flat sheet can come to life ....
This is a little preview for my 4 ways for distress class in August - trying to get ahead!

3d card for class

2010-07-13T13:25:00.000+01:00

So here's my last card for Saturday's workshop - it's a double pop up that all folds flat to fit a 150 mm square envelope. To be accurate the lion is a "prop up" rather than a pop up - and he's from the Plush Pals dvd, as is the sentiment and patterned paper. The lion has copper stickles on his mane - I had to be so patient waiting for it to dry and I want to make him a tassel tail but I can't find them at the minute (story of my life) and I'd love to try him in pink or blue for a new baby card - maybe later.... Other than that the stars are nestabilities, the card and metallic card DCWV and I added a bit of gold peel off and some odd buttons.

My first challenge for a long time - Bee Crafty - 3d challenge and check out the new bee in town - such a little cutie!

back in business .....

2010-07-11T22:45:00.001+01:00

So it's been a while since I blogged - basically I got too far behind in other things that cardmaking and blogging became a chore and I just had to stop to find a bit of balance.
Anyhow yesterday found me at An Siopa Bui doing a fimo demo for Staedlar, it absoloutely poured from the heavens, which kept some people away but I had thoroughly pleasant day modelling spiders, monsters and doughnuts with the young ones and showing some techniques and simple embellishment ideas with the regular cardmakers. Whilst three little girls went home with the sparkliest silver roses to bake in the oven - pearl-ex works miracles on discoloured fimo!
I'll post some pics of some of the stuff when I get chance, truth is everything is still in the car as I spent today organising cards for my little Limerick class next week. We are doing advanced Plush Pal cards and here's a peek at two of them - a little cat in a canopy card and a big lamb with hexagonal gift box. Did you notice I used peel offs? Twice! I can't believe it - mainly I had to use them because my scallop border punch broke, boo hoo - 4 springs and plastic is all I have left ....

There's a pop up card to join this trio too, I just haven't made it up yet. If anyone is interested, I do have space for one more to join our workshop (possibly 2) - I supply all the kit and pieces, you bring your basic crafting kit - this class is suitable for all levels of crafter. Saturday 17th July 11am to 3pm and costs €20. E-mail boxercreations@gmail.com if interested or find me on Facebook if you know how! (I'm new to it and don't know anything...)

An Siopa Bui Class News with sneak peeks

2010-05-20T17:41:00.003+01:00

My next An Siopa Bui class in now only just over a week away and I'll be busy with my class kits next week. Kerry has really set me a challenge and I'm cramming in 5 totally unque and new projects in over the course of the whole day.
Sunday 30th May starts 10.30am and we'll be there til it's done!
The day has 2 quite distinctive halves with the morning session being dominated with Tim Holtz distress inks - I love, love, love Rusty Hinge from the new range but there will be a choice of colours for you to find your favourite.
The morning kicks off with a 6 inch square clock. Richard made the blanks for these and I have to say, made a super spanking job of them - they have a lovely bevelled edge and the clock is well set into the square ( I couldn't get it apart for love nor money!). Super smooth surface takes the ink really well and you can the layer the colour up and then overstamp like a dream. Adorned with Sizzix die cuts using more distress and smooch it up with some spray inks and of course there's some pearls and flowers, there's always flowers ..... and a bit of embossing - and oodles of creative freedom to make your own thing.... then we "flow" into an inky distress card with more die cuts, more ink and flowers with yummy Tim Holtz adages.
At this point you might be thirsty - so there might be time for tea and a biccy, just one mind....
While we have the ink out we'll lash into the new sixxiz cut and score dies - I can't wait to see this one - a nifty ATC/business card holder and cut from chipboard with clear embossing means it will be strong enough to cope with the rigours of handbag life!
Do you want your lunch now? Ok - go on, be quick.....
A different direction with a desktop box and 4 cute little cards then a really cute giftbox and card from the divinely lovely and cute Plush Pals dvd.
Now is that enough for you or are you staying for more.....

Bee Crafty - new challenge

2010-05-17T12:56:00.003+01:00

Hurray Bee Crafty extended their challenge or I'd have missed the deadline - I made the stuff but never found time to post it.
I've used the oh so nifty plush pals dvd and my fave editing option Publisher to customise my box top and make the little t shirt transfer thingies (my vocabulary is shot today - what's the word I want?).
As well as being packed with ready to print cards, decoupage and projects there is also a folder containing the files in jpeg and png format, so the options are truly endless.
The T-shirt transfers are a really cute and cheap way to customise baby and kids gifts - I cut mine down to A5 size which then easily fits 2 fairly large motifs - yay, that's the word! So at €7.99 for 10 A4 sheets, that's a lot of customising for not a lot of dosh.
The box top is simply printed and then I decoupaged some of the letters and added a bit of glmour dust for sparkle - the flower is from MME decoupage pad with distress inks to alter. There is room in the box for another little gift but I haven't made that yet, so watch this space for more soon!!!
A few more challenges for this little box and vest - digidoodleshopsbest.blogspot.com ribbon challenge
RES Q challenge - my kiwi green cat!
Pixie Dust Studio Challenge Cut it out.

Paperplay challenges - brown and ....

2010-05-15T21:05:00.002+01:00

A quick post - I was distracting myself from the fact that I need to sit and tie 160 bows..... so I did my Paperplay entry for this week with a digi background and then overlaid the Mami Doodles image. Matted onto gold and then a brown cardbase, with 3 heart pearl "danglies" using acetate strips and a piece of brown and aqua patterned ribbon across the bottom of the card. Super quick - so is it back to the bows? Hmmmm. No not tonight.

Just a quick Mami Doodles

2010-05-13T23:38:00.004+01:00

Elisa's latest release is the super cute girl with balloons - I'm not sure if Elisa found time to christen her, so for purposes of my post I am going to call her Skye.... except she is quite grounded on my ca rd. The card and flower are all MME with some little rose ribbons to embellish. I coloured with promrkers with and cut her out nesties - I desperately need new cutting plates they are starting to leave marks on my card....breakfast but they just want to get involved, so 2 ruined invites and 3 spilled juice later I gave up....
I've a cute Plush Pals make to share when I get time and some cute tiny button cards - an siopa bui had a myriad of gorgeous buttons to choose from and thanks to dd trying to eat a block of Fimo soft, I am now getting to grips with this lovely clay - although my first efforts crumbled away, I made them too thin - so now it's chunky cakes and flowers. I need to find my pearl-ex so that I can add some sparkle to them. I'll let you have a peek at my efforts soon.

New Mami Doodles "Love Tree"

2010-05-11T20:05:00.001+01:00

I have 160 wedding invitations and a deadline of Sunday which are seriously eating up all my spare time. I even went to vist a friend for dinner with gold mats and names to mount on them, thankfully I can talk, eat and manage double sided tape at the same time and my friend is a good, understanding one!
I still sneaked a few minutes (ok an hour) to play with Elisa's new image love tree. I adore this image, it has to be my favourite so far - and it will be a great go to image for engagements, weddings and anniversaries. I added the digi circle and flowers myself - I'd love to learn more digi techniques, I find it saves time when using digi images to add some of your details before printing. I made a double sided white box with lid - I love double sided boxes, they have a much more professional finish to them and used polka navy card from an siopa bui, with hexagonal nesties and a big navy satin bow (although I then had a total forgetful moment and used squares and circles on the card! duh). Made a little 4 inch easel card all using DCWV metal stack and coloured the image with promarkers, finished with a bit of bling and scalloped DCWV metal stacks card again. So this is my Paperplay entry for this week.
tfl and I'll be back with a big post full of cards once I get the invitations finished....

Mami Doodles Best friends

2010-05-03T17:19:00.002+01:00

These 2 little girls are best friends and perfect for this week's Res Q challenge, which wants "fancy folds". I coloured the image with promarkers and used a spring card as my base. Keeping up with my use stash resolution, the flowers are oddments layered together - the larger one is a red scalloped nestabilities circle, a Daisy D die cut and a Prima pearl centre, the second is Daisy D die cut with a button. And I added some Sizzix wedding foliage cut from green card.

Mami Doodles DT challenge 2 - use ribbons

2010-04-30T16:18:00.004+01:00

How cheeky is this little snail, peeking from behind his flower checking the coast is clear before scoffing my lettuce.
I coloured my images using the fill tool in Photofiltre, makes for speedy creations. I painted a terracotta pot cream using acrylic paint and as it is for indoor use only added some ribbon around the top. The pot pick is a wooden skewer, with the image layered with nestabilities, accented with a Daisy D decoupage flower and wooden ladybird (my current obsession) and I got the lettuce with rootball in Lidl for €1.29 - a novel alternative to the usual houseplant gift, the recipient can eat it (if escargot doesn't get there first!)
While looking for inspiration I found the snail poem and I just thought it was brilliant - the wall hanging is given dimension by decoupaging the snails and using foam pads to raise the flowers.
Finally, the flowerpot card is made using DCWV glitter flowers that I have had forever and usually give to the kids to make cards with. I curled the layers with the edge of my scissors and layered with foam pads. Handcut the leaves and made flower centres with a punch and adhesive pearl. Ribbon on the flowerpot and silver toadstool (just got these - you'll be seeing more!)and I used escargot as an embellishment, I covered his shell with diamond glaze and it looks quite dimensional IRL.
Digital Tuesday wants anything but a card so check twice!

new stuff

2010-04-27T14:39:00.003+01:00

First off, I can hopefully start to get back into my blog habit - I was caught up in preparing and organising for the Galway mini extravaganza last weekend and I had a great time. Thanks to Kerry and Nora for organising it - plus everyone who came, taught, bought and demo'ed I enjoyed every minute.
Lots of happy crafters got to see and buy the Plush Pals dvd, although if you missed the weekend then a few copies went back to an siopa bui, Spiddal with Kerry and Kim. I never stoppped the whole weekend and by the time I got to go shopping, the new Tim Holtz dies had sold out - so I'm first reserve when the new stock arrives! I adore the off the page bracket and the tattered flowers, plus I have to get a couple of the embossing folders and there is a perfectly divine hanging sign that has my name all over it.
I had a few of the brackets from white cardstock to demo them and I carefully packed them up and brought them home to play with - after a few months of cutesy cute, I need a break and so I've decided it's all about the ink this week. I got out my distress ink pads and had a play - this week's paperplay challenge is no patterned paper, so it fits in nicely. Stamps are from Darkroom Door and flowers are Tim Holtz tattered flowers by Sizzix and the bracket is also Sizzix.
This week raise the bar wants your fave colour and I'm going through a red phase, while papertake wants you to try something new, which all distress and stamps is a new direction for me.

the countdown begins!

2010-04-19T23:05:00.003+01:00

Well, I have my bags packed with samples, glitter and pearls and a box of brand new "Plush Pals" dvds ready for the big launch at The Westwood Hotel, Galway City on Saturday. I just have to finish my class prep off as well and I'll be ready to go. Although I am not sure it will all fit into my little corsa... who needs to see out the back window? Surely transporting paper is more important... beware on the roundabouts around 11am, it could be me!
Hope to see some friendly faces; old and new - give me a nudge if you're passing!

2010-04-18T14:30:00.003+01:00

I just seem to get time to actually post things at the moment - I made 4 challenge cards last week and never got to upload a single one.... so here's a set I made for Bee crafty downloads challenge, thankfully you get 2 weeks to enter and this time the theme is Weddings, engagement or wedding anniversary - I bought the cute images from the bee crafty shop at Artisan
and the set is basically made from lots and lots of layered Spellbinders nestabilities and shapeabilities.
I have ordered an engraved silver pocket watch for the groom - hence the "get me to the church on time" quote and for the bride a larger box filled with a white and blue garter, a borrowed tiara, a pandora bracelet and a silver sixpence. The matching card is an easel card.
I used navy as it is part of their wedding scheme - although I think the polks dots makes it all a little more fresh looking. Images coloured with promarkers, pastel blue, pastel green, ivory and pastel beige.
thanks for looking!

Mami Doodles colour challenge

2010-04-17T08:45:00.003+01:00

I' d already done my DT projects so here's my take on the colour challenge. It's my 1st attempt ar t shirt transfer and I made a bit of a pigs ear of it - so don't look too closely....
here's the challenge
I tried a t shirt transfer - it was my first try - don't look too closely, I made at least three errors! But I can't wait to try it again - off to find plain t's to try on later. Just an aside though, most t-shirt transfers are for white and light and coloured fabrics - you need a special one for dark fabrics. P.S - I used Aleene's "OK to Wash It!" fabric glue to attach the rose buds and of course the pearls, the image is coloured with Distress inks that I then heat set with the iron and then wash inside out on a cool wash to set. Hopefully nothing will fall off but it will need washing inside out to help protect the transfer.

Right that's it, enjoy the fine weather and your weekend.....

"Ohayou Midori" - it's my first Mami Doodles DT projects

2010-04-16T10:37:00.001+01:00

Hurray I finally get to share my first Mami Doodles DT projects. Midori is such a cute and fun character, she just bursts with life and in her three style ways, you have a myriad of design options.
I kept her bold in solid promarker colouring, and I kept a lot of green, in honour of her name (see Elisa's reveal at Mami Doodles for all the info and of course to buy this gorgeous set of digi stamps.
I really enjoyed working with Midori and made no less than 3 cards - the first is a boxed card with lots of layers and uses all My Mind's Eye papers and My minds Eye decoupage flowers (I love these flowers)- then I used all my leftovers to make the little patckwork style card.
Finally, my fave is the bold red and black card - the background is digi and the red satin ribbon reminded me of the big sashes on a kimono. Bold and bright colouring and I embellished with ribbon roses that have been in stash for years and years.
tfl and don't forget to checkout the fabulous creations from the rest of the Mami Doodles design team and Sabrina aka "Cook 22" - this month's guest designer at mami doodles
Isn't the weather great? I'm getting behind on my cards as I spend the days outside and I've been doing a brochure, voucher and biz card for a friend and it's taking forever (she keeps changing it!) but hopefully more posts next week.
I'm putting these cards forward for the following challenges -
http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com - cutie pie
the res q challengehttp: pastels and image that makes you smile
papercutz challenge anything goes!

Mami Doodles design team

2010-04-12T19:38:00.002+01:00

So I finally get to tell you today that Elisa of Mami Doodles asked me to be on her Design Team. How flippin delighted was I? The first release is out Thursday and until then here's a little peek.
I also get to share the Mami spotlight with some very talented crafters - drum roll and step forward please
Deidre
Jackie
Lily
Ling
Rachel
Do check out their blogs, there is such talent in this one small blogpost....
and a little sneak at something I've been playing with.... more Thursday!

Introducing plush pals again!

2010-04-10T11:14:00.003+01:00

This time with completed photos!
TODAY is the grand launch of "Plush Pals", an interactive papercrafting dvd made my oh so clever sister at Ella's Design. It's her first attempt at such a project and it's turned out simply fabulous - and that's not just my biased, the few sneak peeks have been extremely well received and I hope it is a roaring success for her.
She is at Crafts for U 2 Do, Dentons Lane, St.Helens, Merseyside all weekend, together with crafty duo Sylvia and Dianne (aka our mum and aunt) - this is the only place that the dvd is currently on sale.
Then Sat April 24th, I'll be launching the dvd at the Galway Spring Extravaganza in the Westwood Hotel, Galway City. I'll have lots of sample cards, ideas and I'll be doing a full demo of how to use the dvd - trust me it's simple!
In the meantime, here are a couple of cards to whet your appetite.... and I have even more exciting news next week........
So my cards today are for
Cute Card Thursday - mono mania with my blue cat card and hanger .
Bee Crafty Downloads - birthday with a digi - rabbit card and giftbox and cupcake holder and pick.
Digital Tuesday have blue and white plus one as this weeks challenge, so my cat is blue & white with grey.
Magical Crafts fortnightly challengewants animals.
and finally the res q challenge has a variety of puzzle answers for you to opt from and everything fits in!

Introducing Plush Pals!

2010-04-09T21:48:00.001+01:00

Tomorrow is the grand launch of "Plush Pals", an interactive papercrafting dvd made my oh so clever sister at Ella's Design. It's her first attempt at such a project and it's turned out simply fabulous - and that's not just my biased, the few sneak peeks have been extremely well received and I hope it is a roaring success for her.
She is at Crafts for U 2 Do, Dentons Lane, St.Helens, Merseyside all weekend, together with crafty duo Sylvia and Dianne (aka our mum and aunt) - this is the only place that the dvd is currently on sale.
Then Sat April 24th, I'll be launching the dvd at the Galway Spring Extravaganza in the Westwood Hotel, Galway City. I'll have lots of sample cards, ideas and I'll be doing a full demo of how to use the dvd - trust me it's simple!
In the meantime, here are a couple of cards to whet your appetite.... and I have even more exciting news next week........
So my cards today are for
Cute Card Thursday - mono mania with my blue cat card and hanger .
Bee Crafty Downloads - birthday with a digi - rabbit card and giftbox, I have made a cake holder as well but forgot to buy a cake to put in it - so you'll see that tomorrow!
Digital Tuesday have blue and white plus one as this weeks challenge, so my cat is blue & white with grey.
Magical Crafts fortnightly challengewants animals.
and finally one stop craft challenge wants paper piecing

In the Red!

2010-04-02T21:35:00.001+01:00

So I found two red themed challenges today - quite apt given the state of my bank account! I'm starting to struggle financially, oh the joys of being a single mum and hence the new "classes" button on my blog. I'll also be selling off some of my huge stash haul, just as soon as I photograph and price it but onto today's card.
The Recipe - layered nestabilities circles, Basic Grey Boxer paper, art deco multi punch, embossed flowers, ribbon rose buds, sizzix ticket,gold charm, red and brown cardstock, heart pin, fabric yo-yo.
Excuse me if it looks a bit a wonky but I had no paper trimmer, so I cut the background squares freehand and then layered the nestie shapes on top. On the top layer I glued a green fabric yo-yo (a gathered circle of fabric) - I find flowers glue to it easily and have more dimension than when glued to the card. I also had no red flowers or red roses, so I simply coloured white flowers and blue rosebuds with my poppy promarker.
So the ABC challenge is R is for Red and then the papercutz challenge is a rather odd one I think! Make a Spring card using red, green, brown and white only.

Karen's Doodles freebie & die cuts r us sketch

2010-04-01T10:14:00.004+01:00

You can snag this super cute Spring time girl free from Karen's Doodles when you join her Papercraft Planet group - the link is here.
I used the colour inspiration from this week's Karen Doodles UK challenge. It was a gorgeous green, pink and white confection and boy do I struggle with pink! I used this week's sketch from die cuts r us but my final card wasn't that pink - so I had another go! It's still not as girly as I'd like but it is perhaps closer....
On both the papers are Rob and Bob Studio and Sassafrass, the chipboard and brad - 3 bugs in a rug and flowers Prima. I ran a stitch along the length of the green ribbon to gather it up and of course there are pearls (there's always pearls!).
And a new challenge I've joined for fun challenges is letting you make anything. ;-)
tfl and a happy and peaceful Easter.

Easter and Mami Doodle

2010-03-30T09:26:00.003+01:00

A huge number of challenges wanted Easter cards this week and it's not a card I have made since primary school - so here's one using a Phindy's place image and a hand written sentiment (I kept forgetting to print one...)
Raise the bar this week wanted "something you dont usually do" and so both cards kind of qualify, in that I dont do Easter an I also have never used My Mind's Eye papers before. Hard to believe now I've seen them but this is a first (but not the last!)
My second card for the day is MME paper and decoupage flowers using a mami doodles image, I paper pieced her dress using some sassafrass paper samples I had the big pink bow is real cheapskate stuff - it came tie around a pair of pyjamas from Penneys....
So the res q challenge this week is eggs, eggs, eggs
paperplay challenge is Easter
raise the bar - something you don't normally do
I used the sketch at papertake weekly
dare u 2 digistamp is also Easter
daring cardmakers also has eggs as their theme.
and that's it. tfl.

another Mo and a few new challenges

2010-03-25T14:32:00.003Z

So I'm sneaking in a final entry for Mo's dream team guest design spot here for April. I've simply followed the sketch, I had coloured the image and couldn't decide what to do with her and somewhere along the line what started out as a black and white background transformed itself into something more grown up looking with pearly purples and red but hey ho it's all about experimenting... and the La La Land challenge wants homemade flowers.
Secondly is a card using a Karens Whimsy image - a new one for me and incorporating her weekly sketch challenge . Loved this image as soon as I saw it and had to track it down - there's a boy version as well. I originally tried her in pink but me and pink just don't get along well and she looked drab and flat when I'd finished, so I started again prompted by the Res Q challenge colour palette for this week with just a hint of the pink and I'm much happier with the end result.
The cute card Thursdaychallenge this week is dimension - so it's an easel card (what a suprise!)
crafty creations challenge this week is for babes.
phew.... back to the daily stuff..... tfl

Mo's sketch for the GD spot with a RESQ!

2010-03-23T07:13:00.003Z

When I saw this week's RESQ challenge, I was just going to pass it up - pastel colours are just not my cup of anything but then I thought, heck, it's a challenge aint it? And so while it's almost the end of another month (eeek! I'll be spring cleaning in Autumn at this rate), that means there's another chance of a guest design spot at Mo's Dream Team - these girls are amazingly talented and I'd love to have a chance to have my work along side theirs for a month and so I've had a bash.
So it's Mo's sketch and a Res Q colour challenge with a few pearls and flowers for good measure (you can hardly see but I glued tiny seed pearls to her dress frill and top) and all the cardstock came from an siopa bui and the end result a fresh and spring feeling card from me.....
tfl.x

digi bug, ladybug, ladybird....

2010-03-21T20:31:00.002Z

So I'm still in digi bug mode - unfortunately all of our household is under a week long vomiting bug. So rather than the emjoyable, relaxed make a card Sunday I had planned, it was piles of icky sheets and laundry to deal with. So my cards today are super quick mostly digi ones.
First up is a Good Luck card - I used this week's PCP Saturday sketch and the image is my favourite Softpencil image, Michu is a Magician - it reminds me of the Miffy rabbit books we had in nursery school. This week's paperplay is to create a Good Luck card, while this week's Paper Cutz challenge wants one ribbon and three buttons. Yep done that. All I added apart from the challenge requirements was a single gem by the sentiment and a dash of glamour dust - after all it is magic....
Next up is a second one using the PCP sketch - using a set of free brushes I picked up long ago and a ladybird, just because I wanted to make one - he's freehand and then I layered his back with a clear domed sticker (I should have done this bit first as the sticker is smaller than the ladybird but hey ho.
Right enough skiving from me - it's back to the housework for me - have an unbelievable 4 bin bags of rubbish for the morning, plus bags for recycling and 2 for Chernobyl lorry and I'm still in a pig sty! So it's no cards (ok perhaps one or two) and all spring cleaning for me this week - the grub will emerge houseproud and organised...... hmmm, unlikely but the spiders look in need of some exercise.

New Baby Card

2010-03-17T22:38:00.003Z

Been putting this one on the long finger but finally found time to put it together this evening using the sketch from Friday Sketchers and the colour challenge - lilac and lemon over at Papertake weekly I then used a quote for the current ABC challenge Q is for Quotes and what do you know my card all but made itself.
Not a colour combo I'd ever choose myself (but very much my sister's cup of tea!)- so much so I had no lemon or lilac ribbon in my stash, hence the purple and the only 2 promarkers that vaguely resembled lilac and lemon had to suffice. Pearls as always from ZVA creative (will soon have a reason to order more and there is so much yummy stuff it will have to be a big enough to last order!)
I'd just got the yellow dots card at An Siopa Bui on Saturday and the flowers have been in my stash since I first discovered little flowers and had a buying frenzy from somewhere in the Phillipines years ago.
The shoes I picked up as a digi freebie from the Rusty Pickle digi blog I think.
tfl

Happy St.Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T10:14:00.003Z

A bit late with my posts this week - I had a really fun time at An Siopa Bui, Kerry's sister had made cupcakes that were absolutely divine - swirly pink ones and fudgey chocolate ones (I didn't taste these as greedy crafters scoffed them long before my tea break!) but can atest that the lemon cheese ones were truly scrumptious and the kids devoured the two "an bui" ones that came home with me.
Of course I was really there for die cutting not cake - I love the big cupcake hlder die from Sizzix (on my wish list) and not only will it make all your cupcakes look divine, if you turn it upside down and stick a scalloped circle on the bottom with foam pads, it makes a nifty eggcup holder or Easter egg container.... or put a little battery (no flames girls and boys!) operated tealight in the bottom and an artificial flower on top and you have an outdoor table light for the balmy summer evenings we'll be enjoying soon (honest we will).
You can see these ideas in real life at the upcoming Galway Craft event - I'll post the link once I have it. I'll be doing another die cut demo and I'm hoping I'll have my new Tim Holtz dies by then - oh I can't bear the wait!
Not a lot to show this week - I was doing a sample wedding set for someone - small pocket card, evening invitation and ceremony book and then a wedding card for a commission - no patterned paper here, I love just layered dies for a quick and elegant looking card. So this is for the dare U to digi stamp challenge
My cute little piggy card was a just for the heck of it card and it's for the paper play challenges this week - seeing double.
I made the green flowers from an old phone book for the raise the bar challenge "Go Green" - both green and recycled!
And Papercutz has made this weeks challenge super easy with an anything goes challenge.
And that's all folks - the girls have had a vomiting bug and so I hope they wont be literally wearing green today. Yuk. Enjoy parades, guinness and craic .....

Another bunch of cards

2010-03-09T23:06:00.004Z

I've decided to blog twice a week and incorporate a few cards (hopefully!) into each post rather than keep trying to post as soon as I have something made.
So tonight I played with my new mami doodles image - isn't she cute? Although I'm not too sure about the card, it took me a long time and I still feel it's not quite in balance but I do like the zippy red and green offset by the candy pinks - not a colour combo I could ever have chosen but it just kind of evolved. The rolled up flowers are similar to the ones Elisa highlighted on her other scrapping blog here, the paper is 7 gypsies and there is a cuttlebug panel in the circle aperture (this looks too stark and I should have added touch of peeled paint distress me thinks. I highlighted the girl's top and socks with seed pearls & I put flock on the cat, except you can't see it too well but he feels all velvety!And there's more pearls and a Tim Holtz adage tag to finish - these are so handy when I'm too lazy to print out a sentiment (a lot...).
So my mami doodle card is for friday sketchers used as my base sketch.
It's also for die cuts r us challenge 29 - flowers
And digital tuesday challenge - piercing.
Also dare u to digi stamp pearls challenge (I think a challenge for me would be a no pearls challenge - I love em).

Next up is a Mother's Day card using a Mo Manning image of dancing nuns - I just sdore this and I have been trying to think of other uses for it than the obvious Sisters. I paper pieced the central nun by printing the image onto a piece of Basic Grey Boxer collection paper. I then made my easel card using the same paper collection. I added distress ink to the edge of the image to soften it and die cut some grungeboard to make the large flower with one of my pearl brads in the centre.
I made this for the ABC challenge P is for Paper Piecing - which I like doing as you get 2 weeks to complete the challenge - think this is a perfect idea, especially as there are so many things to do in a week!

Lastly a quick "Love You" card for The Res Q challenge - use text on your card. More 7 gypsies paper bit of ribbon and a flower. Easy as that!
And I must add what was I thinking with the little girl card on my last post - tis a bit ghastly - the card design not the image....

2010-03-05T18:54:00.003Z

Couple of quick cards based on Susanna's Saturday sketch challenge on Paper Craft Planet and using my new Softpencil images that I WON - yipee, last week. I have whole file of these little cuties, so you'll be seeing more!
I also finished the Papertake weekly challenge which was bows, buttons. brads and bling and the Paperplay Challenges - this week it's just because cards, which these definitely are.
Coloured with Promarkers, rub ons from 3 bugs in a rug and decorated with odds and bobs.
tfl - and enjoy the weekend.....
Oh and I am doing a free demonstration at An Siopa Bui, Spiddal, Co Galway next Saturday 13th March. Kerry has asked me to go along and play with all things die cut for the day - so it's about getting more from your dies and embossing folders - not just for cards but ideas for gifts, fundraisers, boxes and whatever else I imagine up between now and then. So if I'm quite on the blog front this week, it's because I am sample making. So come along if you can - it's free and the views are fabulous and there's a marvellous cafe and crafty goodness, what more could a body want?!?

sassy studio sketch challenge Thursday

2010-03-02T21:47:00.003Z

I just love the Alice in Wonderland releases from Sassy Design Studio - my fave has to be Miss Hatter. I used their sketch as well to make a quick and easy card.
Papers are my very under used Basic Grey - it's one paper line that I have never been able to use very successfully. I'd buy them as soon as they were released and then shuffle them round for a few weeks and then put them away! But this is the year of the stash reduction and I think it turned out ok given my BG phobia.

One for Dad

2010-02-28T20:33:00.000Z

My daughter often helps daddy in the shed at the weekend - he's always tinkering with motorbikes and she always says she needs "a screwdriver, a wrench but no hammer!" - so this little image was perfect for a dad card.
Sorry for the rubbish photo but it's late and the light poor. Coloured with promarkers and then I added diamond glaze to the boot toes and tool handles. Edges inked with distress ink.

Experimental Alice grunge and oh suprise an easel card!

2010-02-28T08:57:00.000Z

I just found the cutest Alice in Wonderland inspired digis here at Sassy Studio designs - with there take on the upcoming movie, Alice in Sassyland. I spotted a fab Miss Hatter image on a card and had have her.... this led me to the Sassy Studio blog and this challenge.
"The Challenge:
So what is the challenge you ask...well this is the fun part..... It MUST be out of the box!
No standard cards allowed!
I want you to think outside the box I want you to do something that in you mind represents the whole idea of wonderland, something different and not normal and fun what you do is up to you. the only requirements are you must use and SSD image...any SSD image don't limit yourself only to just the sassyland release images consider ALL SSD images. And your project MUST be inspired by the film (what do I mean by that? like I said it must represent wonderland .... but I encourage you to also be inspired by the qualities Tim Burton brings to this film. I have found some wonderful images online to help inspire you"
I have to confess I misread it and thought it said no cards - not no ordinary cards and so I altered a clock... I followed the Burtonesque bit by painting my clock an orange that reminded me of the Depp photos as the Mad Hatter. I grunged up my bunny (when I tried to seal everything with decoupage medium, the inks ran and he ended up very grungey)and added bits and pieces that bring together cute, dark and bizarre which I imagine the film will be.
Maybe I should rename my blog I love easel cards.... here's another.
Again for the above challenge - It's a sorry it's late card, hence the white rabbit (he was a bugger to colour cos what do you do with a white rabbit? So I used a good shaking of glamour dust and diamond glaze on his glasses.)
I also printed a BIG hat - cropped the digi image of Miss Hatter from Sassy Studios to just leave the hat, inspired by the film to colour it Olive Green and then the Wonderland bit is that I would love to live in a world where it was acceptable, nay even normal to do your shopping in such a hat. I love big, extravagant and/or quirky hats but never have occasion to wear one; so a mad hatter world would suit me perfectly. I guess I could always internet shop in a mad hat and no one would comment...
I added some Tim Holtz tickets and purple ribbon for a creation I'd be happy to pop to the shops in.

Mo's sketch challenge and a Mami doodle

2010-02-26T00:16:00.005Z

Mo's design team blog has a sketch challenge finishing today - so I'm just sneaking this in just about on time...
Papers are from Memory Box Co, the tape was a Xmas cracker gift, the image is of course by Mo Manning. The flower is another scrumpled delight and the ribbon from the market. Brads are three bugs in a rug and the pearls were pink, I coloured them with an orange promarker.
It's past bedtime so I better call a night, or rather a morning.
Do something fun today - we picnicked in the park today in 5 degree weather.... kids just don't seem to notice the cold.
Back again to add a bit more to this post - another Mami doodle, this time in pastel hues, I'm using a lot of blue lately but I'm desperately short of pens suitable for hair colour so her hair's a bit flat looking - I tried layering colours but she looked like a DIY hair colour disaster so it was cocoa all over after that.
I've incorporated the following challenges to make this card -
raise the bar - threes "groupings of 3"
cute card thursday - Ribbontastic
resq challenge - use something digi (the image)

Layered flower box

2010-02-25T17:30:00.006Z

Having a play with the gorgeous "scrumpled" flowers using nesties and circle punches - they are so fun and easy, all you need is the above some thin paper, a brad (I used some ancient cloud paper and some pearly insert paper) and a 3 year old child to do the scrumperling.. her word, not mine. And she scrumpled up a storm, there's plenty left over for her Easter baskets. I inked the flower edges with a bit of distress ink and just gave them a little tweak and they were done. Gorgeous. So I made a box with an acetate aperture and layered the flower inside - to keep it from damage and the box opens up to reveal a Mother's day gift (but that bit isn't quite finished). I added a Magnolia image from a swap last year - it was stamped on the back of some linen card with dye ink, so it didn't colour that great but it's ok....
So this is for the following challenges -
paperplay - something for a Mother
passion for promarkers - buttons and bows - last week!!
Magical Craft Challenge - something for mum
oh la la - acetate

New Mami Doodles girl with fairy wings

2010-02-22T23:32:00.004Z

I just got this very cute little girl in my inbox - with her fairy wings and gorgeous dress she is all ready for a party. I coloured her with promarkers and then decoupaged the wings, covered with glamour dust and I edged her dress with tiny pearls. She is simply layered onto nestabilities ovals. The sentiment was printed onto cardstock in dark brown and I also stamped dark chocolate swirls from Autumn leaves, then embellished with more pearls. This is a long card and needs a legal envelope - it also needed a good length of ribbon, sometimes I can tie a bow first time, sometimes I can't... tonightI couldn't. So it's a half bow attached with large pearl brads. Red pearlescent heart finishes the ensemble.
I used the colour combo at The Play Date Cafe and it's also for cupcake craft challenge "Friends" challenge this week.
And you can find the fabulous Mami doodles here

PCP Adela's Saturday Sketch challenge

2010-02-21T16:00:00.002Z

Thanks to everyone who has taken time leave me a comment, it's greatly appreciated and I love peeking at your blogs too. Your kind words spur me on to keep "Making Stuff".
First time trying this sketch challenge - I love Adela's 3d work and bought some of her templates last year, so I was chuffed when she left little ole me a comment on my recent craft efforts.
Anyhow - I have made this little Mo Manning card for a special birthday and I think she is gorgeous. Her pose is one I see very often with my eldest daughter - I think that's why Mo's images have such appeal, you look at them and can relate it someone you know. I purposely angled the panel on the easel cards, just for the heck of it to make it look a bit different. I love lime green and red (who said red and green should ne'er be seen?!?)together, the lime flowers are Prima, the ribbon cheap and the stitching fake!
The second one is for the same sketch this time using a little heifer from soft pencil, animal collection. A really simple card with nestabilities frame and cuttlebug embossing, satin ribbon, die cut flower and scrabble sticker letters. The devil is in the detail and while the card was quick and simple, I added glamour dust to the heifer, curled her ears forward and diamond glaze to her nose. Studded the frame with pink pearls and the embossing at card base with tiny seed pearls, which I repeated on the i and ! in the sentiment.
And finally - this week's pencisoft blog challenge is "anything but a card" - so i made a picture frame using 3 layers of black coated chipboard, cut with a Sizzix originals die - frame 2. I sandwiched acetate between 2 layers to make the front - then inserted the picture and attached the final layer. I used a photo turn attached with a brad to hold the back piece in place.
On the front, i used die cut foam flowers - I heated them slightly, as they cool they will curl to give some dimension, secured with brads and attached with diamond glaze. Dog and cat images printed in dark brown on textured card, coloured with promarkers and covered with diamond glaze.
That's all for this cold and sunny Sunday - there's logs to bring in, laundry to put out and children to feed .... I'd rather be crafting....
tfl

new baby card and nappy cake

2010-02-19T20:10:00.001Z

Sometimes you have to knock a card out in double quick time and that was the case with this one - I managed to do the card in under half an hour and the nappy cake took about the same, although I had the nappies already rolled - it just needed assembling.
The card features a digi pic from Eline Pelkinhof, I bought it from daisie.comlast year, simply layered with nestabilities and a gingham bow. You can also get these images in black and white for colouring from squigglefly My lovely pearl swirls (down to my last quarter of a pack - boohoo)and pearl brad from ZVA creative, prima hydrangea flowers and scalloped punch edge.
The nappy cake just has some euro shop bits and pieces, a little knitted cardi, a blanket and some baby wash inside it - with the nappies on a BOGOF offer, it all cost less than €20. Could not get a decent picture of it, I think they look better in real life than in a photo.

first anniversary card - raise the bar 6.

2010-02-18T21:35:00.001Z

I'm not a big fan of box making but every so often I feel a card deserves a box and this one did, an envelope would have just squashed it flat. I made the square box using my diamond card craft folding board ( my second crafters companion one snapped, as did the first - seriously thinking of getting a Scor Pal - just can't decide between metric and imperial). I layered 2 panels embossed with swiss dots and then made a layered topper using various Spellbinders dies. The card is, suprise, suprise an easel card. Simple printed sentiment with layered nestabilities and patterned paper edged with Prima flowers and chiffon ribbon. The easel "ledge" is Fiskars threading water border punch with silver peel off.
Raise the Bar challenge 6 (see link on blog list) - is stamper no stamping. An easy
one for me as I often have no stamping on my cards!

A whole bunch of challenges.

2010-02-18T15:43:00.002Z

First off I've been a member of the PCP3d Tuesday group for ages but while I have used the projects ages after this is the first time I've made the challenge on time. It's Adele's little flower pot treat box - and I've teamed it with Mo's digital pencil challenge blog I had a go at the monthly challenge - a sketch that I found really difficult - my first attempt looked like I had made it in the dark and then added glitter (that good!). So I went back to basics, there's a slight deviation - the sketch had a row of 3 embellies in one corner - one of mine has moved to make it all balance. Forgive my impudence! I was also trying "quick colouring", I haven't time to be spending all night on one image like I had been doing. And I'm happy enough with the results. These are also for this week's cute card Thursday which is metal mania - I've added little silver tutu.
The flower pot has a matching pick using Mo's image - the box is smaller than I though and I put maltesers in for the photo but I'll be adding a mini muffin with frosting when I actually give it and the card for my friend's birthday later in the month.
Secondly, is the Sarah Kay card using Sandie's sketch at this week's Paperplay and again a large metal brad makes it eligble for Cute card Thursday
This card is a ten minute colour using promarkers, the paper left over from yesterday's card and lots of layered yummies from my embellishment box.
tfl

Crafty angels week 22 - fantastic flowers and ABC one paper challenge

2010-02-17T13:12:00.003Z

Following challenges means that I am using lots of old stash as I start to think about what I have to make the challenge. Crafty Angels this week wanted flowers - so I broke open some fairly new Prima roses and mixed them with some really old flower buds and leaves. All the card came out of my recycling box (it's headed for the local community group eventually) and the paper is some 7 gypsies that has been in my stash for several years at least.
Layered nestabilities make the frame with a printed sentiment embellished with a few pink pearls.
I'm going to try this again with a stamped image for Mother's Day I think....

have a great day whatever you get up to....

baby on the way

2010-02-16T21:29:00.001Z

A long card today - pregnancy congratulation card using Lil Davis chipboard letters, sweet pea from Primsy doodle designs and paper by Sassafrass - I really like the colour combination, I was thinking 70s formica kitchens. I used diamond glaze on the peas and they really look glassy and very dimensional. To go with it, I made 4 sock cupcakes, added a baby vest and packaged them in a cupcake box. Nestabilities circle for the label with red velvet bow.

Moving along with the times challenge

2010-02-14T21:53:00.002Z

My first time trying this challenge - it was a sketch and theme cute companions not the Jayne Nesterenko ones but your own favourite cute stamps. I had two goes - once following the sketch to the letter and then on the second I rotated it 180 degrees. I also used the same image just coloured it with different colour themes each time. Once with my "natural" colour group - the ones I feel happy with and then again, this time using colours I wouldn't normally use in my colouring. Can you tell which is which???
I'm not telling - see if you can guess.
Need more colouring practise but I am gaining knowledge and it's all about practise, I love to colour, even if it's not great - it's a welcome distraction at the end of a day with 2 demanding toddlers.

bind it all gifts

2010-02-13T18:58:00.000Z

A couple of makes using my Bind -it-All, I really do not use this gadget enough to do it justice. The calendar uses a digital template and went into sister's birthday parcel and the button book is for a birthday gift. It's kind of shabby looking and inside has card and acetate pockets with the cards of buttons stored inside. There is also a wheel of pearl headed pins in the back and some needles in the front. The inside cover has an old dressmakers pattern printed on it and I've added the recepients name to the page.
I've resolved to try and make more gifts this year - I have 2 boxes full of things I have hoarded for altering, so it's time to start using them.

paperplay and friday sketchers plus Paper Cutz

2010-02-13T10:20:00.005Z

Wow, this is organised for me - 2 challenges in one card. I look at blogs where girls are entering one card into a dozen various challenges, I just never remember to combine more than one... maybe next week I should try a three challengeli card!
So Paperplay asked for a special Birthday card and I've made a diamante monogram card using the sketch from Friday Sketchers, which I turned around to fit my design.
It's quite dimensional in real life - lots of Spellbinders layers mounted on foam pads and just a tiny bit of stamping under the diamante letter using Tattered Rose distress and I've used more of my delicious pearl brads, I'm down to the last dozen so I'll go into conservation mode with them very soon!
This weeks Paper cutz challenge was to make a card for a teen, so mine is for a young teen - using a Mo Manning digi image. Coloured with Pro markers - do you see the little pink dots on the blanket and in her hair? They were tiny seed pearls that I painstakingly glued on and then - doh! I ran it through the Big Kick to cut the square out and squished them all flat. Oh well better luck next time.

Phindy's place challenge

2010-02-12T18:42:00.002Z

Love digi images at the minute and I got this one at Phindy's Place on Papercraft Planet. Her challenge was "Love with a humourous sentiment and a cut out" - so here's my effort.
Coloured with promarkers and then I used diamond glaze sprinkled with Glamour dust to highlight the strawberries and then used glue and glamour dust for the filling.
The card is a scalloped nestabilities circle and the sentiment has Prima say it in pearls accents.

Photo Easel Cards

2010-02-11T18:07:00.000Z

I love easel cards. They have a real wow factor on the mantlepiece and I also love photo cards, so combining the two was a no brainer. One was a comission for a baby card and candle, although I wrapped the candle before I thought of the photo, so you can't really see it. The card uses my star nesties for the first time and they are just fabulous - I love all Spellbinders dies, I haven't dared to look and see what they released at CHA, I still "need" too many of the previous ones to add any more!
The others are for the girls second cousin and also for nana - all quick and simple just patterned paper and a bit of bling.

just in time.... paperplay love notes

2010-02-10T20:16:00.002Z

for the Paperplay challenge this week - love notes. Yet another Mo image - it's a tribute to my dog, I loved that mutt. I've also tried a new colour combo, I'd never normally think of black, white, red and purple but it's good to try new things.
The bling is a link from a bracelet I picked up in Penneys for 50c, there's about ten on it - so far cheaper than any embellies I could buy.

crafty angels week 21 - what's your colour?

2010-02-09T21:27:00.003Z

Wow! I had two girls in bed before 8.45pm and then not a peep until 6am when the little pea wanted a bottle and then tilly showed up for a hug around 7.40am. There was one little shout in the night but nothing compared to the five hour tirade that dd kept up the first night of the own bed rule! So I got to play and here's an entry for the Crafty Angels challenge.
The digi image was a freebie from Mo's digital pencil group at PCP - there are other freebies to collect too, there'll be more of my efforts with them soon.
So my fave colour changes all the time but at present dd has an aqua top that really suits her, so that's a fave at the moment.
Image is coloured with promarkers, I've used tiny seed pearls and glamour dust in the sky for extra sparkle. Layered with nestabilities, the paper is 3 bugs, the ticket is Tim's and the flowers I got in a candy and no idea where they are from but they are loverleee.
It's amazing what I can do when I get a couple of hours, to heck with the housework - it's my time!

RESQ31 challenge&raise the bar 5

2010-02-09T19:15:00.001Z

So here's the brief for RESQ 31 - an inventory check up.
- Go through your stamps....pull out ones that haven't seen ink in a while and give them a try!
- Also, you could try to use up some scraps but even better is using a sheet of patterned paper you have been hoarding for a while! Go ahead and use it already!
Raise the bar wants a stamp you would never part with - and this little Gruffie is so cute and so easy to colour and just so cute, I'd never ever part with him.
So I have hoarded my 3 bugs papers for too long, the stamp hadn't seen ink in 12 months and I was keeping my last packet of pearl swirls purely because it was my last pack and I'm loathe to have none in my stash. They are ZVA creative and similar to the Prima ones but in my opinion even more yummy, they also make the brads, which are a whopping half inch and just gorgeous. Again it was a fear of running out that kept them in my stash boxes instead of on my cards.
The card itself is a bit OTT - combining 2 of my favourite cards - the folded frame and the easel card. Inside the frame I used the Spellbinders Fleur de Lis pendant die (another under used favourite)topped with a Stampabilities "Gruffie" and finished with some embossed paper flowers. The ledge for the easel has the fleur de lis accent stuck on with foam pads and there's lots of pearls everywhere.

New Year - New thinking....

2010-02-08T18:43:00.005Z

Ok so I know it's almost mid February but it's not that late into the Chinese new Year, so that's the one I'm going with this year. 2009 was up and down, the start of 2010 has been pretty awful - so I'm making this the start of my year....
I have seperated from my partner after over a decade, I just hope we can try and keep things civil for the sake of the girls but it's strange. I feel a bit like a balloon that has been cut from its anchor - I'm bobbing along but I need to get my life in order, try to organise some kind of income, the maintenance wont even cover rent. I do feel positive though and I've been getting early (or least earlier) nights, reading, tidying and generally getting things done. The girls are hard work and I relish bedtime! I am trying to get them to sleep alone, I have spoiled them on that front - it was not uncommon for 5am to come around and I had not been to bed, just gone from one to the other feeding, reading, singing trying to stop them from crying... so now it's a new regime and once they are fed, warm, safe and clean then they need to learn to comfort themselves and sleep through. It means very broken nights at the moment but hopefully things will resolve and it will be a change for the better.
I also lost my dog. I was heart broken - he was my pseudo child for a number of years and then such a good dog to have around the girls, I really miss him; although I have no interest in replacing him for a long time yet.
I've made a few cards over the weekend, not felt like crafting for a while so it was good to get some mojo back!
The baby boy "Julien" card is a digi card - I find them quick and easy when I'm stuck for an idea. I layered the card in Publisher and then printed two copies,one for the base and then one to add some decoupage. Bit of ribbon and bling, then to make the card extra special I made a matching box.
The other card was for my baby sister, who turned 16 this week - where has the last decade gone? It's an easel card but the top layer is a square card which lifts up to reveal a distressed photo of the girls. I've had the scrabble tiles for ages and I've vowed to use them - this is the year of stash liquidation! The rub on is 3 bugs and the paper Sassafrass.

Reluctant Cardmaker meets reluctant stamper!

2009-12-14T23:10:00.002Z

I've known the talented Elisa for a couple of years via the forum at www.craft supplies.ie and she is one talented lady - her blog always inspires me and one day I will do digi! She claims to be a "reluctant cardmaker" but just check out this cute digi stamp that appeared in my inbox yesterday - I had vowed to use ink at least once a week and well digi images are almost stamping and I did use my Tim Holtz distress inks on the card base.
Card is made from ivory linen and then inked with Weathered Wood and Peeling Paint, the gorgeous swirl is part of one from ZVA creative - I buy the large swirls and snip them apart, so I get 3 or 4 cards from one. The button came off my daughters outgrown and too worn to pass on trousers and the ribbon is a bargain bin find from long ago. The digi image is by Elisa and I added the sentiment before I printed it off, coloured with promarkers and I added glamour dust to the wings.
Sorry for the poor photos but I only seem to get chance to do stuff in the wee hours.

folded frame picture tutorial

2009-12-09T13:47:00.002Z

Hope it makes sense!
here

paperplay - no red or green

2009-12-08T00:28:00.002Z

So Elisa's challenge was to use no red or green in a Christmas project - looking at my last few posts you can see a trend emerging - I love, love, love these little folded frames and they are so much quicker than a Christmas card - I think my nearest and dearest might get them instead of a card this year...
So this time I downsized and started with a 7inch and a 6 inch square of scrapbooking paper from Cherry Arte and Memory Box Co - when folded you get these really cute sized frames - perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree (except I haven't bought mine yet, it's top of tomorrows must do list). Tied with ribbon and little button detail with some confetti snowflakes that I use every year and yet they never show signs of running out. I added a bit of glamour dust to the photo for extra sparkle.
tfl

first time using promarkers and Caardvaark challenge

2009-12-04T12:39:00.004Z

And it shows! I didn't have the complementary colours - only one in each colour group but I like the way they colour, although did have some bleed with the pens on the paper. The image is a digi one, based on a photo of my dd - since she was born, she has been my golden haired child and that explains the rather violent yellow hair - Gold is the only yellow I have at present - hurry on Santa!!! Her dress is Berry Red and Ruby, shoes, Olive green and her face is blush, satin and pastel pink.
Anyhow, I resisted my urge to bin the lot and cut and mounted her with nestabilities labels 1 and inked the edges with old paper and peeled paint Tim Holtz distress inks.
The frame is a folded sheet of 12 by 12 secured with brads, the edges of the frame are drawn together and held with a length of white satin ribbon. Sentiment and snowflake from Papermania elements range. This weeks Caardvaark challenge is to use a digi image.

Paperplay challenge - read all about it.

2009-11-24T12:54:00.002Z

So I've put all I need to do on the long finger so that I could try this week's paperplay challenge. The theme was "read all about it" - immediately I thought of the 1897 Sun editorial - Indeed Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. I wanted a modern version and found this wordle on the very article, so I printed it off twice and layered one part over the other with foam pads. As I was making this my dd1 broke her necklace and so I snaffled the beads and glued them along the edge of the layered panel- handcut holly and the flower and label have been on the kitchen counter for a month at least

Started my Christmas cards .... finally

2009-11-23T22:57:00.004Z

For a cardmaker I really hate making cards for events! New Year cards - never, Easter - I really don't do them - I love real live rabbits but cutey, flopsy ones leave me cold - Halloween? Nah. Christmas, now those I do under sufferance - cos it's expected of me and I just can't get away with bought cards. In fact my family would be more insulted with a bought card than no card at all.
This year I'm doing cards for the kids, personalised with their name and inside a letter from Santa - I've got the parents to dish the dirt, so they'll believe that Santa is indeed omnipotent!
Anyhow I made a start on the cards ..... digi designed with a second or third layer decoupaged on top and then the bits you can't really see - glitter, stickles and glossy accents, then a few bits and bobs to finish.
all that said - I do love making cards but I like quirky - I think we should have happy haircut cards, your dog is seven card - stuff that's fun to do - plumber arrived on time congrats card, anything that is creative rather than necessary.

Creative Christmas CD and free downloads

2009-11-15T23:21:00.002Z

Yet again it has been a while since I blogged - been busy with the Crazy Crafts blog plus I have been doing a few free demos for the ICA's in the area and the active retirement groups, when you only get a few hours to yourself a week it means that you have to let other things slide (like this blog) but I have put together a Creative Christmas CD - crammed with easy peasy printable Christmas cards, all in pdf form - just press open and print! All with decoupage layers and free printable elements available at www.maryandbendy.blogspot.com
..... watch here for more free printables ..... the cd has 70 printable cards, 30 backing papers and more ... here's a peek at them ...
if you want one - send me a mail - for the next 5 days they are just €10

OK I'll post the pics when I find them...
but in the meantime I made this today

Amazin blog Candy from Jak

2009-10-04T22:02:00.002+01:00

Jak, designer of all those "flippin things" has one flippin mad and is giving away an amazing blog candy
look here and good luck!
and it's Sharon's birthday and so she has some fab candy too here I have been lusting after some pro markers so fingers crossed!

anniversary card

2009-09-25T23:25:00.003+01:00

A last minute card as usual - so it's quite simple. A lot of Spellbinders dies - I seem to be using them a lot lately, labels nine and locket, some cuttlebug embossing and prima hydrangeas, club green ribbon and a few diamantes. Can't believe it has been a year since their wedding, dd2 will be one very soon - I missed the craftzone weekend last year as it clashed with the wedding but I have my car packed ready to head off to Athlone in the morning - yipeeee! It is crammed with stash, I couldn't decide what to bring - I must remember to pack a change of clothes!
So here's to a weekend of crafting yumminess and shopping delight.

Paperplay - tag it! and papertake - fake it! challenge

2009-09-20T12:53:00.003+01:00

I combined 2 challenges for this card - the paperplay use a tag challenge and the papertake fake it challenge (faux stitches and paper button).
The overall design looks a bit wonky but truth be told, I'm too busy to redo it. The other baby card is slightly more successful I think.
Anyhow's it all Pay per box card from different eras, cuttlebug embossing, prima hydrangeas and odds n ends from my charm box - the feet I made a long time ago from sculpey, they are really cute and a great any use baby embellishment.

cupcake socks

2009-09-20T00:50:00.005+01:00

These are my favourite ever gift for a mum to be. The original idea came from the ultra talented Lauren Meader - I just expanded on the number of "buns" and used 2 different sizes of sock.
Each bun is made up one pair of baby socks - size 0-2.5 for the topping and one single ladies sock size 4-7 for the bun base. So my finished box has 6 pairs of baby socks and 3 pairs of socks for mum.
They were pretty tricky to get a picture of and I think they look much cuter in real life.
Lauren has a brilliant video showing how to make the socks - you can find it here Her cupcakes look really full compared to mine but I think that is because she uses different sizes of sock...

no patterned paper

2009-09-15T19:39:00.002+01:00

This week's paperplay challenge - set by Kate, is to make a project using no patterned paper. Here's my take on it - I've been meaning to try these bowls for a long time and finally (with a bit of help, made enough strips to construct a soup bowl sized dish and mini flower pot).
Can you tell they are made from the Sunday Times magazine? A real recycling recession busting craft project and while you can't eat your dinner out of them, they will withstand a damp cloth and so I use mine for MM's or peanuts. Basically it is folded sheets of magazine paper with the ends glued down then you stick all the strips together with sellotape and roll into a "snail". Tape the ends down and carefully lift the edges up, bringing up the middle just as if you where making a clay pot. I painted them with black acrylic paint and then sealed with 2 coats of PVA and water glaze.
The flower is a Spellbinders die with swiss dot embossing and brad centre stuck to an inked kebab stick . Chipboard is three bugs and charm from E-bay.
And I've finally nailed by Nestabilities class for Athlone - I have far too many projects for the time frame but they'll be there for inspiration.

I am making stuff really,

2009-09-03T02:19:00.005+01:00

Just it all seems to be work in progress or is for my GBCE class - I'm revising my ideas every week, but have to make a decision this weekend as to what I am doing. At present have enough for a 7 hour class! So have to whittle it down to a manageable 3 projects - all I'll say is it's Christmas Time and there are no cards...
Here's a baby rattle I made using only Spellbinder dies - nestabilities for the base and the bottom, pendant die for the the rattle (and there's a little shaker made from 2 small circles of card edged with foam tape and filled with rice in the middle, so it really rattles!)
I also decorated bth sides of the card to make it more like a real rattle, I've seen quite a few cards recently that are decorated inside and on the reverse and while it's a lot of work, I think the results can be stunning - I barely have time to finish a front and I confess I hate putting inserts in cards, but I do try and make the effort and usually add a verse or quote as well.
I did my GBCE profile as well here, near the bottom with the dorky photo and I had intended to add an "odd fact" about myself but forgot - so, here it is - I had my tongue pierced 16 years ago by a guy who had practiced on pig skin and jaffa oranges...

Paper Play - Back to School

2009-08-29T02:08:00.002+01:00

Ok, so mine is more finished school than back to school but it's for a guy who's going to be a teacher - so it is back to school in a sense....
"Spring fold" card - embossed with Cuttlebug herringbone folder, it adds gorgeous texture, The tassel came off Marina's cushions (she gave them to me, I didn't go round with my scissors and surreptitiously castrate her scatter cushions). Scroll is a scrap of paper and red ribbon, sticker letter on nestability circle.

paperplay challenge, procrastinating and new rubber

2009-08-25T23:25:00.002+01:00

So I should be making 140 wedding invitations but I've run out of little sparkly crystals - I know I have them somewhere but they are eluding me and so rather than face the tedium of insert printing I thought I'd blog instead.
Here's my this weeks paperplay challenge - set by Mandy, she gave us a sketch to work with and I thought I'd use it to show a preview of the new rubber stamp line that crazy crafts will be showcasing. Don't you think Alana is just the cutest and she's homegrown Irish to boot. The card has a nestabilities aperture inset with a cuttlebug panel, the new Morrocan folder - and wow, the new folders are fabulous - all the embossing is so deep and crisp, I'm using them on everything.
The paper is old Sassafrass "In Stitches" and the borders are by - oops I forgot, possibly very old sassafrass now I think about it.
tfl

My poor neglected blog

2009-08-23T01:15:00.002+01:00

I'm struggling to find the time to do all I want. Things that get made are last minute and gone, so never see a camera - while other things are piling up - not least 140 wedding invitations for mid week, eek!
The potatoes are being dug and I'm replacing them with purple kale and some green cabbage - I admit I am no gardener but I love going out and then bringing in something we can eat. Other than my spasmodic efforts the slugs, snails and nettles are welcome to the rest of the space, I just invade the wilderness now and again but so far this year we have had radish, lettuce, sorrel, potatoes,carrots, peas, beetroot,runner beans,onions and blackcurrants - the cauliflower and courgettes were a disaster but still it's not too bad for the first attempt by a city girl.
A little flower card I did in the week - the greeting is in the text on the leaves - I thought it was cute. Card base by petaloo.

CRAZY CRAFTS, Ennis are looking for a DESIGN TEAM!

2009-08-20T03:02:00.002+01:00

Mary and Bendy at the Ennis based craft store, Crazy Crafts are looking for a design team - I have to say I am over the flippin moon that they have asked me to be part of that team already. They are looking for 4 talented crafters who can each bring their unique style and design to the fore to create beautiful cards, layouts and projects. The requirements are simple - you have to love to craft! Entries are being accepted from any part of the globe, even interglactically - so get the entries rolling in and make it hard for them to choose.
The chosen team members get free craft goodies - Mary and Bendy are currently working hard to bring a brand new line of rubber stamps to Ireland but that's all the info I have for now. Both Bendy and Mary will be at the GBCE in Athlone along with the shop. So if you are interested click the link on the right and you'll find all the info you need on their blog.
later,

cheeky cow

2009-08-13T02:52:00.002+01:00

Just a bit late with this weeks paperplay - didn't think I'd get it done at all but I had another train to do and they wanted a cow in the carriage, so I did a quick cow card. Not a lot to say other than - I really must go to bed or I'll meet everyone coming back in the other direction!

baby pram

2009-07-29T11:01:00.002+01:00

I'm really enjoying shapes at the moment and I'm half way through a couple of other things but I made this last night, after seemingly hours of trying to get baby to bed. She is a little minx and I think I need Jo Frost to teach me how to get her in a bedtime routine - I react emotionally and too quickly to her crying and so she has me totally sussed now - somedays I don't mind and she only takes half an hour to feed and get to sleep, other nights(and always when I have things to do!), it can take over 2 hours and by the end of it I'm drained.
Anyhow, I cobbled together this little pram using the same build as you go technique as the train (honestly it is easy - I can never find a ruler so there's no measuring or stuff). I started with the a box for a base and then drew around a bowl to make a circle, I cut each circle in half and then folded and glued it together to make - A SEMI CIRCLE! Difficult stuff huh? I took a strip of card wider than the base and cut tabs along both sides then using double sided tape stuck it along each side of the curved part of the semi-circles to make the hood. This was then taped to the base. Nestabiliites made layered wheels and I added a jewel brad to the centre and I curved strips of card over a apray can to make the handles.A little cardboard coverlet with some lace went inside and I lined the hood and covered the exposed tabs with pink gingham card. A bit of embellishing and I was done, just as well as it was way past bedtime - I'm going to rework the handles, I tried using a wooden piece with beads but it was too heavy and I never like the look of the wire ones. The finished pram is just the right size to tuck 3 pairs of newborn socks into or perhaps a baby mini album, if you have time for more creating!
tfl and enjoy the rest of the week.

treating myself

2009-07-26T09:49:00.000+01:00

To my first proper day off since Brie was born, she is nearly 10 months now and what with breastfeeding and letting her sleep in my bed (can't get her out of it now though!), I think it's time for a bit of me time. So I booked my class today at the An Siopa Bui Extravaganza next weekend - I'm doing advanced cards with Philomena Sullivan and then a Flowersoft class with Helen and I can't wait. It's practice for the main event - The Great Big Craft Event in Athlone at the end of September, I'm teaching a two hour class using the new Spellbinders dies and nestabilities - my dies should arrive tomorrow, fingers crossed - DHL has them at their depot....all I need is time to play.
Quick anniverary card with the sizzix pop up platform inside, forgot to take a pic of that bit though. duh.

Do I like a challenge?

2009-07-25T01:00:00.004+01:00

Well I do and I have the best of intentions but then real life catches up and lately the only cards have been sample invites that take all my time and energy, then come to nothing. I've had nothing left over for "fun" makes.
But by some miracle both my children went to bed by half eight last night and I made this little train with cards. It's a First birthday card for twins - I made congratultaions cards for them last year, they were very premature and I can remember worrying about suitable wording in the circumstances but now they are two bright nearly toddlers and their Aunt, Marie, wanted a special card.
I didn't use a template, I just tried a prototype (the one with A on the front) and then put it together as I went along. It's literally a series of boxes or part boxes for the basic shape and then nestabilities circles for the wheels, cylinder ends and buffers. I made little boxes for carriages and each carriage has a simple monogram card - one for each boy. To package it I made a 2 inch deep box base with 2 card loops that went over the front and back, then wrapped cellophane over the whole thing.I've left it open at the back, as I thought it would be nice to add chocolate buttons or something into the back of the train.
It was a really fun make - dd wants one (of course) - it's her birhtday next month and time permitting my aim is to try a purple one (her fave colour) with Dora the Explorer in the train and Boots and entourage as passengers in the carriages... watch this space.

wild west wedding

2009-07-15T00:24:00.003+01:00

Tis been a long time since I blogged but I have been keeping my blog eye on everything! With CHA in the US I have been too busy drooling over peoples creations and making yet more wish lists to actually make anything.
Our friends are getting married in November and are having a wild west themed wedding - Yeeeehaaaa! So here's my first attempt at their wedding invitation - it needs tweaking, I've added real rivets but still think it needs a bit more dimension. The white background is for the photo and not part of the invitation - it's just on a brown mat.

salad days

2009-07-02T10:25:00.002+01:00

Not a card to be seen lately - busy trying to keep the slugs at bay - I had an attempt at growing veg this year. The spuds are doing magnificently and I'm waiting patiently for a crop of white floury potatoes but my peas befell the cows from the field next door, they broke through and seemingly bored with grass took the top of my pea patch but there is still a nice crop coming on.
And so to why I have shown you my lunch - this is my first from my garden dinner. The salad leaves, scallion, beetroot and garden mint are all grown by me - the tomato came from a friend's greenhouse and had that gorgeous, warm smell that a tomato should have.
I thought it looked so bright and colourful, I could make it into a card!