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.

Friday 18 May 2012

Boys and girls come out to play

May and June are always busy for me when it comes to family and friends celebrations and high on the list are two of our three grandchildren who celebrate their birthdays in June. So Having a little spare time a few nights ago I came up with these two cards for their birthdays.




Damien is the eldest and he is very much a boy's boy. He is currently into pirates so this seemed the perfect theme for his birthday card. I also know that he loves cards with lots of 3D detailing so I decided to raid my husband's work box to liberate a sheet of sandpaper to incorporate into my design. I also found some great sheer fabric whilst in Ikea it is meant to be used to screen windows in the summer to stop unwanted bugs coming in, but cut into wavy strips and layered up in alternate colours it makes for a great 'sea'.


I used a foil stamped image from Hunky Dory which I coloured using Spectrum Noir markers, and the cloud paper was some I had in my stash.

I started by sticking the cloud paper to a white card background that would fit the front of a A5 card blank and then wrapped the bottom half of the card with the strips of fabric, sticking the ends down on the back of the panel for neatness. I then cut a large 'island' from sand paper and stuck it to the bottom of the panel, The image was stuck to the card so that the bottom edge was tucked underneath the top most 'wave'. Then I went to town with a sticker sheet I had in my stash. The two palm trees in the foreground were stuck to white card and cut out before being stuck to the card with glue gel. To really add to the 3D effect I stuck more layers of sand paper onto the 'island' to make sand dunes and added the treasure box which is overflowing with bits of old jewellery chain and some bright red stick on crystals. I added 2 smaller treasure boxes a jolly roger and some coins again from the sticker sheet and stuck to white card and cut out. The finishing touches were a couple of parrots, the foam sun, and a message in a bottle floating in the waves.


I am entering Damien's Card into the following challenge
http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - use fabric on your card 

Now as much as Damien is a boy's boy, Chloe Ann is definitely a girl's girl. She is positively a little lady and loves pink. So a theme of fairies was perfect for her card. Being lucky enough to be on the Ooh La La creations design team I was able to use their most recent 'Fairies and Blooms' CD for the lovely image and backing papers.



I mounted the image on a piece of holographic mirri card and trimmed it to leave a really narrow border. I used the  rest of the Mirri board to make the card front, working with it as a panel to fit an A5 card front so any edges could be neatly tucked behind. I had some lovely hearts stars and beads in a clear mink and lilac acrylic from a project several years ago (I never throw anything out) and these were threaded onto silver thread to make the hanging charms. I cut a piece of the backing papers from the CD to slightly smaller than the mirri card and punched the edge using a Martha Stewart lace edge punch this was then stuck to the mirri card and the basket weave edging added. I wrapped the panel with the left over silver thread from the beading and then wrapped a piece of pink polka dot ribbon round the  panel before sticking it to the card front. I attached the hanging beads using a blob of glue gel and positioned a punched butterfly over the glue so that the ends of the  threads formed its feelers. Three paper flowers and another butterfly along with a ribbon bow were added to the bottom corner of the image to balance the card visually. The final touches were a spot of stickles on the fairy's wings and tiny pure white pearls made using pearl paint.

All that remains is for me to package them up and send them off to Mummy ready to be presented to Damien and Chloe Ann on their Birthdays. 

I am entering Chloe Ann's card into the following challenge
http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - lets hear it for the girls 

7 comments:

  1. super cards, they both look fab, thanks for playing along with our challenge at CRAFTY CATZ x carol

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  2. Such beautiful cards! The weaving is a gorgeous touch to your girly card!
    Thank you for playing along with us this week at Fab'n'Funky!

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  3. Great cards...Thanks for joining us at Fab'n'Funky this week.
    Wendy xx

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  4. Lovely cards, especially like the pirate one, the chest with gems is so cute.
    Shirley xx

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  5. Lovely card and thanks for sharing at CRAFTY CATZ with our Girlie Time Challenge

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  6. Fabulous cards! I love your creativity with your pirate card in using items around the house. Love the girly one too. So pretty and great background.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving your sweet comment.

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  7. Fabulous card! I love your attention to detail

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