About Me

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Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
I have been crafting since May 2008, when in desperation to find an unusual birthday card for my Mum, I gave up looking in the shops and decided to have a go at making my own. I soon realised that crafting is addictive and I haven't brought a card since. In 2011 I completed my certificate in papercrafting as a result of the work I did as part of the course I started entering challenges on line and in magazines. I applied for design teams and also started making samples for Ooh La La Creations for their shows on Create and Craft. I have now completed my Diploma in professional crafting and most recently been runner up in the Papercrafter of the Year 2013 a competition run by Papercraft essentials magazine, I don't have a particular style I like to use elements from lots of styles and techniques, although I do love all things vintage. In 2014 I started to move more towards scrapbooking to take care of the huge family archive of photographs that were stored in my attic. I have continued cardmaking and Scrapbooking through 2015 and 2016 but have also become interested in off the page projects. I hope to be able focus on these in the future.

Sunday 23 June 2013

Fun in the sun - I wish

Well the good old English weather has thrown a curve ball following a few days of basking in gloriour sunshine it is now cold wet and windy in Liverpool.

I decided to shut out the bad weather and make a card reflecting long hot summer days.


I found this pretty image on a royalty free vintage images site via a google search and just loved it. I printed it 3 times and then decoupaged the girls adding glitter to the hair bows on the final layer. 

Whilst that was drying I set about creating my backing paper I used a piece of pale blue parchment that I usually use for inserts and went through my stash of rubber stamps to find seashells and similar stamps. I ended up with starfish a seahorse and several different shapes and sizes of seashell. I then stamped the images randomly over the parchment using Ranger distress ink  in Broken China and Stormy sky.

I allowed the paper to dry for about half an hour before working with it. I selected an area I was happy with and cut a piece to fit a 6x6 card blank the edges were then distressed before it was stuck to pale pink card and trimmed to leave a very narrow border.

I wrapped a piece of cream lace and blue seam binding around the left hand panel and stuck it to the card blank.

I then placed a piece of plastic netting over the whole card blank. I picked this up on a local beach it was the packaging off some beach toys that had been carelessly discarded by the owners of said toys, who were long gone by the time I was walking along the shoreline. I initially picked it up to prevent it becoming a hazard to the local sea-bird population, but as soon as I had hold of it I knew I could use it in my stash as I do with the fruit nets from the local supermarket so it was put in the beach combing bag and taken home and washed in warm soapy water to be reused.

Having placed the net I added a doily over the bottom right and a beach hut image that I had paper pieced from scraps of the blue parchment paper and some peach parchment that I also use for inserts. i then added the image and the sentiment which was stamped using brown dye based ink on to a piece of the parchment which I tore to give a shabby chic effect to go with the image.

I added the image and then added some coils of hemp 'rope' which I made by coiling a piece of string from my stash onto card circles that I had coated in wet glue. I had a small piece of string left over so tied a reef knot or my approximation of it and stuck this just under the sentiment.


To finish off I arranged some sea shells collected from a local beach, popping a little pearl into one of the shells. I added a seam biding bow and three little pearls to the top right hand corner. So this is my take on summer days and I will be entering it into the following challenges.

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Outside the box use something that would not normally be used for crafting - white plastic net 
http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - recipe - Image, Rhinestones or pearls, ribbon, sentiment 
http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Vintage or shabby chic


18 comments:

  1. This is gorgeous! I love this image, and your embellishments are wonderful. What a gorgeous vintage style card! Thanks for sharing with us at the Craft-Room Challenge this fortnight.

    Maria x

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  2. Adorable card! Love the handmade flowers and the seashell. Thanks for joining at One Stop Craft Challenge: For a Friend
    Hugs
    Dewi

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  3. Stunning card! love the image, and all of the added embellishments. Thank you for joining the TTCRD challenge and good luck.

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  4. thank you so much for joining us for our very first challenge at the Hobby House
    Hugs Kate xx

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  5. Love those bathing belles Ali and the whole complimentary composition of your card,

    Thanks so much for joining in at Allsorts this week.

    B x

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  6. Beautiful creation. Love the vintage look and the tiny bit of bling you added. Thanks for joining our "Here comes Sumer" challenge this week at Craft-Room.

    Hugs from Finland,
    Eemeli {GDT}

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  7. A wonderful card, thank you for joining us at Craft Room Challenge.
    xxx Hazel.

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  8. Super summer card! Thanks for joining us over at Little Scrap Pieces! DT Member Carri~Abusybee

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  9. Beautiful, love them bathing suits. Thanks for joining us at The Perfect Sentiment.

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  10. This is so pretty, I just love the subtle colors and the beachy look
    Thank you for joining us at Little Scrap pieces.
    LSP--DT member
    DIANA L.
    dianamlarson.blogspot.com

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  11. Fab creation, thanks for joining Allsorts challenge, good luck.
    Happy crafting
    Tracy x

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  12. Such a beautiful card. Hope it brought on summer weather. Thanks for sharing it with us at the Sister Act Card Challenge this week>
    Cathy x

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  13. Beautiful vintage inspired card! Thanks so much for joining the lsp challenge this week. Karen

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  14. Hi,
    Just popping over to Congrat you on being the winner over at Allsorts :) I wanted to come & see your design, which btw is wonderful. I love the colours you have used & the vintage look. Thank you so much for sharing. Hugz, Lisa.

    P.S Would love for you to come, visit & like :) Join my blog prompt challenge to get featured on my blog &/or enter for my design giveaway on Facebook.

    Dreamtime Designs: www.etsy.com/shop/DreamtimeDesigns
    Blog: http://dreamtimedesigns.blogspot.com.au
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/DreamtimeDesigns - Free Giveaway
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DreamtimeDsigns
    Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/LisaWDesigns

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  15. A beautiful vintage card

    Thankyou for joining us at Sparkles Monthly Challenges for our Steampunk or Vintage Challenge.


    Good luck in the draw!

    Ang x

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  16. love the bit of sparkle on your card!!!thanks for joining us at Pile it on Vintage or Shabby Chic Challenge - We have started a new challenge today hope to see you join again :)

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  17. What a gorgeous card you have made. Thank you for taking part in the Aud Sentiments Challenge this fortnight and I wish you the best of luck in the draw. Best wishes, Kym (Aud Sentiments Design Team Member) xxx

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  18. Gorgeous card, love the image and the detail in the embellishing is all lovely. Thanks for joining us this month at Sparkles Monthly.
    Kim xXx

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