Christmas mass production

Bless my little darling, each October half term I roll out this years card design for him to put together in the form of Christmas cards for his 'mates'. Usually this is for class friends and family members only. We did one year, make them with my niece too, funnily enough, she's never been back for the October half term!!! Anyhow, Friday night was the time for this years makes and bless, now he's 7 his ability is far more capable than previous years. I printed some papers I had files for and then randomly cut triangles which I then gave to him. I made up one card with him watching and then left him to it. I know it's not a difficult design but making 25 at his age is very taxing but he did it! I found a stamp for the front, tried it in silver and gold but the green card blank was too dark so we settled on white and I think he did a fantastic job stamping them up. He's even stamped the inserts ready to glue in later! mmmmm, maybe I could enlist his help in future makes I plan.......

Quicky card

My close friends are having a spell of , not bad luck, more of a time when things are very demanding and fraught. I knew I wanted to send a card to them to say I was thinking of them - as they know I always do. I love this card, I loved making it, sometimes when you know where it is going it helps the love you put into it - does that make me sound like I'm starting to loose things, I know what I mean. One of the main challenges, not that it was a challenge, was the number of stamps I used!!!! 7 in total!!! I don't think I've used that many in a month, never mind one card! I love it and I know its new owners will love and appreciate it too. I hope someone 'upstairs' will lay off them for a while, they've more than had their turn!

'It's good to be alive' weather

A phrase coined by a close friend of mine and this picture was taken on one of those special days. I ADORE this photo, sometimes the gal does good when clicking away with the camera and this is one of those sometimes. The setting is one of our favourite dog walks in North Yorkshire, the child is mine!! The 'mood' in this photo makes my heart swell and I have a huge surge of love that rushes through me like a drug. I knew when I saw this photo that I had to scrap it and quickly, I also knew that there could be no journalling, no ribbons, buttons nor bows, this picture demanded ALL the attention, so I began by inking up some tissue paper, recycled from a shoe box I've been hoarding. I 'rolled' it onto glossy card stock with a kitchen roll (later to transformed into a scrapbook, the kitchen roll did good!) then, using one of the leaves we collected that day I spritzed my glimmer mists in 3 shades of Autumn, the leaf itself is now stunningly shimmery! As I couldn't use the said leaf, it is already in a state of decline and would disintegrate within days, laminating would spoil her beauty, so I printed and inked one from my files. I got out my friend Robbie the Robo and cut out the title once I had decided on one. I spritzed this with the shimmers too to tie it all together. Simplicity isn't always simple mind, and this LO wasn't as quick as it appears it should have been, but then the picture dictates plenty of love and care be taken, and it was.

Wow, busy October

Well I've had a busy month so far. I have a head full of things to complete before the Big Man arrives on 25th December along with all non-crafty things that come along with Christmas. Firstly, I am gutted that I was not organised enough to have enough to sell at Adam's school Christmas night next month. I am, however, going to be more organised, now I know I have a market and my 'makes' are actually liked by other people - who'd have thought eh? Certainly not me!

I made this ready for my gorgeous Niece's birthday next month. She is not a girly girl, but I'm sure she will forgive me indulging a 'tad', not to much, but a 'tad' girly here:-

I have left some room for some journalling - hahaha, this is a job for my sister - that should be funny!

This is made using kitchen roll tubes - 2 cut in half, great for shorter names ;) and hey, who'd have guessed I was capeable of making up 'verses' (using that term extremely loosely!) like these!!!

I really love the outcome of this book, it is certainly a new take on a card for me and one I can see me doing again and again for special people in my life :o)

Card of the century!

I was asked by a friend to make a card for her grandmother who was approaching 100! I can't see me making many cards for 100th birthday! Anyhow, when deciding what to do I thought the occasion deserved more than a bi-fold, tri-fold or any kind of 'fold' card and needed something a little more 'wow'. Then, after coming up with the exploding box - I've only made two before and they were for family - I wondered what to put on the tabs, I have no photos to help here. I came up with the idea of putting the news of the century on the tabs and being a pentagon I could use a decade per tab. Research for news took most of the time on this project. I recently bought some lovely Laura Ashley papers and ribbons and they seemed fitting for this box. I am totally besotted with all the Prima pearls and crystal swirls and one I had was just the right size for the lid on this. Loads of inking done here - I have the brown thumb of a crafter! I love this little box, I love the idea of the news stories and have updated my history at the same time! Hope my customer likes what I've made.