A Fabulous Crafting Read

I was very fortunate to receive a copy of the latest book by Carole Matthews, called "Paper Hearts & Summer Kisses" from Carole herself! (Yes, I did a considerable dance around the kitchen in excitement as she is one of my favourite authors).

Christmas in our house has been very quiet this year, as Hubby has been working.  This has left me plenty of time to read, and read I have!  I finished "Paperhearts" today and absolutely loved it.

The book is based around a single Mum character called Christie, who works as a secretary in The City, spending hours each day commuting when she could be home being creative with paper, glue and glitter.  Christie is a papercrafter and longs to run her own on-line business.  By chance she spots a shout out for a designer for a new American company that makes crafting dies.  In the meantime, Finn, her only child has a spate of being ill with headaches which leads to a major operation.

I'm not going to say more on the storyline, as I don't want to spoil it, but if you like Carole's style of writing and are into papercrafting, this book is for you.

Christmas Thanks

It's Christams Eve and as we all slow down a little after all the charging about in the run up to this special time, I would like to take the opportunity to wish you a very Happy Christmas and to thank you for taking an interest in my little blog of makes.

See you on the other side...

Sam x

2016 Goodreads Reading Challenge

In a previous post, I mentioned the "Goodreads 2016 Reading Challenge"  For 2016 I set myself a challenge of reading 50 books.  Well I have exceeded the fifty by all expectations.  Today I finished book 65!

This evening, I will be curling up with book 66 by one of my favourite authors - Carole Matthews.  Her latest release is called "Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses".  I love her books as they have believable characters which for some reason I can relate to.

The new book from Carole Matthews is available in the shops now and can also be downloaded to read on the Kindle ap here

A New Craft Studio

Since June of this year, we have been having building work carried out at our house to create a craft studio to store my crafting goodies and provide a nice area for me to work in.  The room is  now complete and I am totally in love with it.  Here are a few images of it.

I've used Ikea Alex drawer units for below the work surface and Ikea Kallax unit turned on its side for storage below the windows.  I am fortunate to already have a Scrapbox work station (the one that looks like a wardrobe when closed), which works really well in this room.

Berry Berry Christmas Card

This is one of the Christmas cards I have made.  It's a "Penny Black" Stamp called "Berry Berry Christmas" (2514K).

I used pastels to colour the image in, set with hairspray.  I added some "Stickles" glitter for a bit of sparkle too.

Owl Congrats Card

I made this card for my Granddaughter.  She likes to receive mail but she is also chuffed with herself that she no longer needs nappies.

I'm not sure who made the owl stamp, but it's coloured with Promarkers and the die cut into a heart shape.  The background uses a Stampin' Up embossing folder called "Woodland".  The sentiment is by Papertrey Ink from their "Signature Greetings" set.

Tis The Season Christmas Card

This is a really simple little Christmas card which I think has quite a classy feel to it.  I've used two stamp sets, both by Stampin' Up.  Totally Trees and Peaceful Pines.

Here's a close up

Two Tags

I've been so busy making cards for various occassions, that I took time out to have a play with stamps and tags making these.

This tag used Tim Holtz "Stampers Anonymouse" stamps.

Congrats, You Did It Card

I made this card for friend who has just completed her first half marathon.This card uses Stampin' Up "Moroccan" Designer Paper.  The sentiment is by Papertrey Ink "Signature Greetings" set.

New Little Bundle Card

I've been working through my list of cards that I need to make.  This is the last one for November.

The elephant is a die cut from a Creative Expressions set called "New Arrival - Stuffed Animals".  Which sits on two Spellbinders circles.  The sentiment is by Papertrey Ink from their set called "Signature Greetings".

New Home Card (using scraps)

The daughter of our neighbour has been allocated a new home for her family so I quickly made a card for them.  As my crafting things are still all over the place, (due to relocating to the new room), I used off-cuts of paper to make this card.

Floral Boutique Birthday Card

Well I've been absent for a few days due to family commitments and the new craft studio.  Today I made this card for a member of my family who will be celebrating a land mark birthday in a couple of weeks.

I used Stampin' Up "Floral Boutique" paper and a self-adhesive gem stone letter "s" that I picked up in "The Range".  I also added a lot of sticky gems to the centre of the patterned paper design.

A Birthday Bunting Card

I made this quick little card yesterday, but didn't get round to uploading it here.

It has a Cuttlebug embossed trellis background.  The green knitted stitch area is a stamp that came free with "Creative Stamping Magazine".  The ribbon is from Stampin' up and the I suspect the sentiment came free with a magazine, but I can not remember for sure.

A Just Because Card

For this card I blended some Panpastels, starting with lighter shades in the centre ranging to the red shades on the edge.  I then set them with hairspray.

Using a Hobbycraft clear stamp of the bird in cage, I stamped the image using StazOn.  I then stamped the same image on a post-it note and cut out the image retaining some of the stick side, I used it to mask the original image of the birdcage.  

I then used a Tim Holtz, Stampers Anonymous stamp for the rays at the base of the cage. The birds above the cage are from "Bee Crafty" Winged Things set.  The sentiment to the right hand side is from a Stampin' Up set called "Vertical Greetings".

Blowing My Own Trumpet - I've been published!

Today I am blowing my own trumpet and patting myself on the back as one of the cards I made back in August has been published in a crafting magazine.

I actually submitted the card to another magazine, but it didn't appear so I didn't think any more about it.  My friend messaged me earlier this week to say she had seen my name and card in Issue 36 of Creative Stamping Magazine (which must be a sister mag to the one I had sent it to).  This week has been a mission to locate the magazine as it's not easy to find a newsagent who stocks the mag.  Needless to say, I am feeling pretty proud of myself.

Noel Christmas Card

This Christmas card was quite quick to put together.  It comprises of a Sizzix Sizzlit die for the word Noel and the holly shapes.  I used a Stampin' Up "Cable Knit" embossing folder for the white background and a Cuttlebug dot embossing folder on the word Noel.

Frostyville Peace Tag

The base of this tag was embossed using a Cuttlebug snowflake embossing file.  I then inked the higher areas around the edges.

I then roughly tore a strip of cardstock in a similar shade to expose the inner white core on the edges.  I then stamped this section with a snowflake design using a Brilliance Ink Pad "Platinum Planet" shade.

Next I die cut a Memorybox Frostyville Border (style 98146) and cut it to size sticking it to the base of the tag.

In my scrap bits box I found a Stampin' up "Swirly Scribbles" wreath which tied in with the colour scheme so I stuck that to the middle area.  Using a Stampin' up "Christmas Greetings" die for the word "Peace" I cut and positioned this over the top of the wreath.

Also in the bottom of my oddments box I found some pre punched snowflakes in white, so I added these to the wreath area.

The tag was finished off with self adhesive gems and ribbon.

A Touch of Nature Card

The coloured background was achieved by blending Panpastels.  I then used Stampin' Up "A Touch Of Nature" stamps to firstly stamp the central flower and then stamp the foliage around it.  

I then die the stamped image into a circle.  Next I used a Spellbinder scalloped edge circle and cut it in black cardstock.  I glued the stamped image on top of this.

The sentiment is from Rubbadubbadoo magnetic set, which I stamped using black Stazon ink.

Grandaughter 3rd Birthday Card

Our Grandaughter Willow, will be celebrating her third birthday in ten days, so I made this little card for her.

The doll image is part of an old Hero Arts stamp set that I've had for some years and is coloured with Promarkers.  The balloons were die cuts (sorry I don't recall the manufacturer).  The no.3 was cut using a Sizzix die.  The sentiment is from the Rubbadubbadoo Stick & Stamp collection, where you can make up your own greeting.  These are magnetic and a set that I've had for years.  The scalloped edge of the sentiment is created using a Spellbinder die.  The white background has been embossed with a small daisy design, which I think is Cuttlebug.

and close up

Just A Note Card

I needed to make a quick card for an elderly aunt who has been under the weather of late, so used the Stampin' up "Flourish Thinlits" dies to create this card.  

The sentiment is from the Stampin' Up "Flourishing Phrases" stamp set, I used a Brillance ink pad in the "Thyme" shade. 

I added some self adhesive pearl gems for interest.

Thank You For Your Generosity Tag

Playing with the Stampin' Up "Paisleys & Posies" stamp set, for this tag I opted to use the circular designs rather than the paisley.  I stamped the circles in Memento "Rich Cocoa" colour.  Colouring in areas with a Promarker in a "Gold" shade.

I then used a Papertrey Ink sentiment from their "Signature Greetings" set and die cut a scalloped edge oval shape using a Spellbinder die.

The circular designs and the colourway I have chosen remind me of some kitchen tiles from the 70's.

Happy Halloween

I am ready for any Trick or Treaters.  I've put some decorations up outside, a pumpkin wreath is hanging on the door and my goodie bags are packed and ready to give out.

I hope we have some visitors this year as we didn't have any last year!  :( 

Sending Good Thoughts Card

My good friend has been poorly the last week or so and it came to a head last night, so she is now waiting to be seen in A&E.  With her in mind I made this card.

This is one of the pre-prepared backgrounds from a couple of nights ago.  I used the Stampin' up Paisleys & Posies stamp set, stamped in Memento Ink "Grape Jelly".  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up "Perfect Pennants" and is stamped in the same colour.

I die cut the sentiment using the Stampin' up "Banner Framelits dies".  The green foliage was die cut using the Stampin' up "Botanical Builders" dies.

I didn't have flowers of the correct shade so I used Promarkers (Royal Purple, Amethyst & Orchid colours) to shade some cream coloured flowers.  I kept them together by using a small brad.

Trick or Treat Goodie Bags

Today I have finished off making the Trick or Treat goodie bags for children that call by our house tomorrow evening for Halloween.

In Home Bargains, I found packs of 10 paper bags with a grey and white dot design for just 69p per pack.  For the label, I used a Stampin' Up set called "Spooky Fun" for the pumpkin and sentiment.  Once stamped, I then used a Spellbinders oval die to cut the shape. I used two Promarkers for the orange colour of the pumpkins (Bright Orange and Amber).

Paisley & Posies Birthday Card (mint/grey)

While watching TV last night, I had a stamping session using Stampin' Up "Paisley & Posies" stamp set.  I now have lots of backgrounds in various colourways to draw upon for future projects.

For this card I used a Memento ink pad in "London Fog" shade for the background paisley design.  The sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink stamp set called "Stylish Sentiments: Birthday".  The two flowers are die cuts from the Stampin' Up framelits set called "Botanical Builders".

A Paisley & Posies Thank You Card

I've had the Stampin' up "Paisley & Posies" stamp set for some time and for some reason had never got round to using it.  Today I have played with it, making this card.

I used three colours of Memento Inks - Love Letter (Red), Peanut Butter (Beige) and Pastachio (Green).  I stamped in a random fashion using different shapes and colours to fill in the space.

The sentiment is from a Stampin' Up set called "One Big Meaning".  I die cut a scalloped edge oval shape to add a different dimension.

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman - The Book and The Movie

I read "The Light Between Oceans" by M. L. Stedman back in 2014 and loved it.  In fact I gave it a five star rating on Goodreads.  If you've not read the book yet, then it needs to be on your "To Be Read" list.

I was excited to see that this amazing book has been made into a movie (out from 1st November).  You can see the trailer for it by clicking on this link

Handmade With Love Tags

A friend of mine makes knitwear and sewing goods and sells them for charity, so I thought I would help her by making some tags to hang on the garments.

A Valentine Decoupage Card

I visited my local craft store today and noticed in the reduced to clear bin a set of Docrafts/Papermania decoupage papers.  I've never really tried this so for the sake of £1 I thought I would give it a go.  So while watching the final of The Great British Bake Off on TV this evening, I was playing with small pieces of pictures.

Here's a close up of the layering:

A dark shade of cardstock which matched the hearts on the image was used for the background.  I inked the edges and added some foxing marks to give it a more aged appearance.  I then mounted everything on a stone coloured background.

I can't imagine that i'll do more decoupage, it isn't really for me, but I enjoyed playing with it all the same.

The Eye Wreath Tag

This card is made up of odds and ends that were in my off-cuts box, so I decided to put them together into an eye wreath.  The sentiment is from a Paper Artsy set. other wise it's just segments of stamped faces and punched foliage on a Stampin' Up "Swirly Scribbles" die cut wreath.

Folded Paper Hearts Card

I woke early today and decided to get up and fiddle with paper.  I stamped a swirly scribble design across a piece of cardstock and then die cut heart shapes.  I then folded the hearts down the centre.

On each heart (the plain side), I then stamped a circle pattern so that there would be interest for the section that would be flat on the card.

I stuck a striped piece of patterned paper to a blank card and inked some of the edges in various shades of red/brown. I did the same with a small doily/coaster.  Sticking the coaster to the middle of the card.

I then positioned & glued the folded heart shapes into a flower design, adding a small metal embellishment to the middle of each circle pattern.

I stamped and die cut a butterfly using Papertrey Ink "Love Lives Here" stamp set and stuck it onto the card.  I then stamped a sentiment from Stampin' Up, Weather Together set.

From a practical aspect this card wouldn't really be suitable for posting unless it went into a box.  This technique of folded hearts would also work in a shadow box frame too.