Wednesday 22 June 2016

June crafting

Hi everyone

Really sorry I have not posted anything in ages. Work has got me tied up but its the end of the year now and most of my students have gone for the summer. Which means I am free to do me time :-)

So Ladies and Gents where should I start....
 
This month I have made the following cards.
 
 
 
A friend of mine at work is getting married next month. Using the Serif CraftArtist 2 software for this cute wedding couple bear. I also copied and past the main image so I can decoupage and give actual depth to the card. 
 
 
Same software, I created this card for my Aunt's birthday. I loved the frame of musical notes. I also copied and pasted the ballerina so I can add my personal decoupage to the card.
 
 
 
Don't get me wrong, I do love digital crafting. It's so much fun making your own topper and backing papers to make a card.
 
But where is the fun if your not using scissor and making shape with paper. 
 
 
Father's Day
 
This was fun. I used a Crafters Companion Die'sire Create a Card Accordion Die, to make a fathers day card. Then I die cut sheets of free papers I collect from magazines that where male related to put either side.

Stamping a frame to add dad in the middle. I lost the instructions to connect them but figured it out in the end.

 

 
 
ha ha ha
 
for my Minions card now I might do a special on this on next week as I loved making it and want to go into detail how I did this backing paper.
 
 
so a few months ago (Feels longer) me and my mother in law went to the ally pally craft fair in London. We saw a demonstration on a product called Brusho. It looked like so much fun I bought a pack. and its been sitting in my stash ever since.
 
My sister in law loves minions and I could not think how I was going to do a card then it hit me. Brusho.... The colours was amazing it was exactly what I was looking for pick out the main colours of the minion characters as the backing paper them add a group shot of them as the topper.
 
The other half thought I lost the plot till it dried up and had a trim and it looks so cool now that its come together.

 
the last card I have done this month is an anniversary card.
 
I made it for no reason at all. in fact I made quite a few of these because I had time in my schedule of not working.
 
So I have added this on folksy for a cheap deal £2.50 and very proud that I made them. I love this card because its all cute and lovey dovey. 
 
 
 
 
so yes that's what I have done this month. College is coming to a close and we are at the wrapping up stage. I have lots of project of crafting and cant wait to show you guys.  I promise I will write a piece about brusho I am so excited to explain what I did and the techniques that are best for me and my card making very very soon. 

Wednesday 16 March 2016

Funny Story

So I got home Monday evening planing to write my blog to show case all the cards I made last week when... My lovely husband looks at me with his sad eyes an said to me. "I cant find my phone" 


 
He tracked it down through GPS and we can see that its traveling to Cambridge. If anyone picked up his phone and saw the bunch of miss calls from one person to then find out its on silent. Long story short I have spent 2 and half hours going to Cambridge and back with hubby dearest to get his phone back. I cant thanks the team over there as a member of staff found it answered the 8th time I called and looked after it till we got there.

I have a nice hot cup of tea at 9.30pm and I am really excited to tell you all what I have done last week and where I am now with all my cards for the period of March.



Leaving Cards

I had quite a few people leave work this month that I have been very busy trying to make lovely cards for people I know and I am going to miss now that they are gone.

So I will start at the top.

A good friend of mine has moved to Cornwall to be closer to her family.

 

A colleague at work was retiring this month so I made a lovely fishing card for him with loads of jokes to entertain his grand kids with now that he will be at home more.


I just finished this card last Thursday I am very proud of this one. So my Friend Liz who I have know for 7 years now at work is leaving us for pastures new. I have no doubt that I will see her again through night outs etc but we always had a laugh and supported each other in different roles we have gone through over the years. So I really wanted to make a special card for her, and here it is. She has not seen it yet but I have asked everyone she has worked with for funny stories and picture I can put inside to remember the good and ad times while she has been working with us.


 


I hope you all like what I have done last week. Have a lovely evening. I am off to bake a cake for work now.

Mel xx

Sunday 13 March 2016

How I've Grown

Hi All 

Hope you are all well? 

Strange yet interesting thing happened yesterday. I was scrolling through my old cards that I have taken pictures of and noticed my crafting has changed and become better with age. 

I started making cards back in 2008. It was my mother in law who introduced me to crafting really. She has her own craft space and made cards before I knew her and she let me go in there to make cards for family.

I started to get the bug and got a few things by myself and borrowed bit from her room if I could not find what I was looking for.  

Looking at my history, my first card I made was for mothers day's in March 2008 so here it is. 

My first card ever back in 2008
I did laugh at my self as it shows that I knew nothing about crafting and in crafting terms such a child at the start.

8 years later and this is what I have my mother in law and my mum for mothers day.

Mothers Day Card 2016

My Jewelry has had the same experience.








I made all these when I was in class for making custom jewelry in 2008.

Now a days I watch a lot of videos and read what others are making. But when I do make pieces they look like this. 






Self evaluation...

I have grown up in my crafting and I am so proud with myself as 8 years ago I did not believe in myself and getting praise for my work still shocks me. 

I have been very busy this week and I cant wait to show you all in the next few days. 

enjoy your Sunday. 

Mel xx

Friday 19 February 2016

Mothers Day Presents

Evening all

Hope everyone is ok?

This week I have been working on mothers day stuff. My cards are drying so I will upload them soon. But what I wanted to show you today is something I saw on a website Beads Direct. This video inspired me to make something extra for my mum.

In the video it went on to say there is a kit you can work with but I have so many beads in my craft room I just got the bits and used what I had.

So here it is my complete bag charm for my mum, I hope you like it.

 
 
 
 
I made 2 of them. 1 in Pink the other Purple. Both have the same charm at the end.
 
Each took me 30 mins to make. Once I got the hang of making the loops for each bead I got quicker making them.
 
I also found it easier to make the beads and set out which each chain was going to hold then I stared to build on to it.
 
It was so much fun.
 
Well its Friday night and Mr Selfridge has started. See you guys soon. 

Friday 5 February 2016

Birthday Cards

Hi All

If you saw my post yesterday I was talking about how I started to improve on my digital crafting using CraftArtist 2 software by Serif.

After I had a play following the steps on the mother's day theam I started to have a go for this months birthday cards.

My first one was for my Aunty Maureen. I have gone with the same design as my magazine.

The design from Serif Software
Final card


My second was for my Mum. This time I went with flowers.Now you card see it but I have added glitter glue on the flowers. 

                                 


My final card was for my Dad. I used the Roald Dahl collection to make this.

 




















So I hope you guys like these. I know my family will. Next month I think I will do more jewelry pieces and print our my mother's day cards. 


Have a lovely weekend and happy crafting. 

Thursday 4 February 2016

Latest card creations

Evening all 

I do hope everyone is well?

I know its been a while since I posted anything but after the Christmas break I have been busy at work that I have not managed to create anything for me to share. 

However this week, Its been nothing but crafting with was very nice. I cant wait to show you guys. 

I was reading my latest Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine and saw an articular on how to use CraftArtist 2 software. I have had this on my laptop for ages when I needed it for the Roald Dahl CD-Roms but I couldn't understand how to use the elements to make a lovely card so I just used it for basic toppers. 

sorry waffling on again... the Magazine it was well presented an I was able to follow the easy steps and made a digital card with shadows and tags. I was very proud of myself.




I might change it a bit, but I was very happy to have these steps to help me along the way. 

I have not printed the card yet but when I do I will share it.

I have done a few more but have not taken pictures as waiting for some of the embellishments I have stuck on to dry.