Merry Christmas to You All!

I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and Thank You for all your lovely comments in 2012!!

I will leave you with a few of my handmade cards.

 

This card is for my Beautician, Hayley and all the staff.

 

 

This one is for my train buddy, Claire,

who has kept me busy with commissions all year.

 

 

I made a batch of these for friends

 

 

and a few of these.

I also made this one for my hairdresser, Craig.

 

 

Hoping 2013 is Happy & creative for you all.

love Paula.x

It's Beginning to......

 

look a lot like Christmas!!!

Mind you, I always put up my tree on 1st December.

I took a  holiday, day off work to get some jobs done.

Was expecting a parcel and needed to wrap some gifts.

I wrote a few last minute cards for some friends and also took some time to chill out.

 

I recently bought this cute little guy to sit on my mantlepiece.

 

and this gorgeous star to add to my tree.

 

 

I feel very festive now with only a few gifts left to wrap, a small selection

left to buy & just my very special cards, left to make.

Bliss! Bring on the hot chocolate :0)

I've Been Gone A While

 

I had forgotten all about my poor blog!!

Truth be told, as you can see from above, I've been busy creating and time is flying so fast.

I seem to either be at work, on the train going to & from work or in bed sleeping :(

Due to the dark days, I am limited to my creative time and hours to get photos of my work.

The two mask cards were comissioned by my train buddy, Claire.

The top card was for my sister & the bottom card, my workmate Katie's recent birthday.

Talking of trains, they have been running terribly due to localised flooding.

Hence why Im tired a lot!!! I needed some time out.

So, if I've not been to your blog, please do not take it personally.

I get very few hours during the week to myself and so I took a step back. 

 

 

Funky feet!!

 

This is my latest layout for my second 8"x8" album.

I bought these funky guys because I spent half of summer soaked. 

 decided Autumn & Winter would be more fun with these on my feet.

I got many admiring comments on their first outing!!

I got this layout completed at the weekend and then forgot to take a photo.

As it is dark by the time I reach home, I had to wait until today.

 

Materials List;

Pink cardstock - Papermania.

Patterned Papers; 7Gypsies/Basic Grey & Dovecraft

Title- Mixed stickers BG/Doodlebug

Life is - TH Stamp

Papermania Detailed dies

Floral Border stamp - Aladine (bought in France)

Pink Embroidery thrread DMC

silver eyelets & staples from stash

odds & ends of lace

Heart cut from packaging & coloured with alcohol inks

circular heart chipboard sticker - The Range

Pink Doily - Poundland

 

 

Happy Wedding Anniversary!

 

to my sister Tracy and husband Martin!

6 years ago today in the beautiful Langley Castle, Hexham.

I made this card relatively neutral as neither of them are romantics.

Materials Used;

Kraft Card Blank

Paper DCWV Mariposa

Happy - CI Stamp

Anniversary - TH Alpha Die - Typeset

St. Etienne Cathedral. Limoges

 

While in France, Tracy and I went into the nearest city, Limoges.

I had the opportunity to play tourist for the day.

There were many wonderful buildings & gardens.

We said we would not go home until we had been to the Cathedral.

It was a struggle to get the whole building into one photo,

it was so magnificent. We were so close, I had limited

space to step backwards.

The journalling says how we found the cathedral.

Materials;

Making Memories Great Escape - Map

Manilla tag & ledger page (own)

Handstamped ticket, Kanban

Ruler Washi Tape - free gift

Stickers - SC Extra Flashy

Alphas - AC Thickers Nutmeg

MM Tiny Alphas Brown ledger

Stamp - Voyage - CI

 

 

Birthdays!!

 This one was for my friend Marion.

Her birthday was the end of Sept.

I blew alcohol inks through a straw on die cut glossy card.

I also added silver mixative.

It looks better IRL.

Images; Papberbag Studio & ISC

 

 

This card is for my SSG (Scrap Shoppin' Girls) forum friend, Ang.

 It is her birthday today.

Happy Birthday, girl!!!

 

I made a scrap layout design & used a photo of the sea.

Ang is happiest when near water.

Materials, scraps of ColorConspiracy & MM Passport paper

Tag de-bossed with birds folder

inked with Salty Ocean DI & coloured over with white paint.

Stamp - free from CI

Photo is one my Dad took in Australia.

 

Do you ever sketch an idea, select the materials you want to use, then promptly forget all about it?

Well that is what happened to this piece of art!!

As usual, the finished piece has no resemblance to the idea in my head,

but for once, I'm glad because it turned out better.

I made a background first using wrinkle free distress.

I cut tiles from chipboard & glued pieces of b/ground on.

While it was all  drying, I stamped the PB Studio gate stamp onto acetate.

I used this image to line up where I would need to stamp the PA House.

I built up the layers & held them altogether with the staple in the home definition.

I sneaked a bit if glue under there too.

The holes punched at the bottom also help to keep it together.

Materials Used;

Distress inks; Antique Linen/Faded Jeans

Vintage Photo/Aged Mahogany

Stamps: Paperbag Studio & PaperArtsy.

Roof coloured with A Linen & V. Photo.

Home - TH Die Typeset.

Jump Rings

I like the effect of the house behind the gate.

I added a bit of extra colour with cotton buds to the house image.

Quick Minimal Card

 

I needed to whip up a quick card to send with a CD of French holiday photos, to my sister.

I know she likes minimal and time was short, so I came up with this.

I masked off a central square & stamped my Hero Arts French Writing stamp.

I added a TH Swirl die cut with the Big Shot over the top.

Butterfly is two Memory Box dies.

I used a papermania mini postcard stamp.

Inks, Timber Brown & Teal Blue Staz On.

She loved it!!  

First Page of Album Two!

 

I have completed 12 layouts for the first album & decided to stop at page 12 so that they can be bound suitably.

I plan to add tabs to each page that will will be bound with the BIA.

The fisrt page of album Two, is an old photo which was actually given to me as I fell in love with it. I love the sea, but can't swim!

I had been in a similar place but typically had no camera in hand!

That happened to me in France recently.

I was sat by the frog pond watching patiently for them to come back out into the sun & two gorgeous butterflies came to sun themselves on the bank. I was furious that I had no camera with me because I never saw them again :(

 

Materials List:

Papers - ColorConspiracy - texturise

Making Memories - Passport (scraps from SC kit)

Journal card, Voyage,Handle with care - ColorConspiracy

Map Flower - Prima

Transport form - SC I think?

Brad - Abbey Road, My Minds Eye

Artisan Tape - Pink Paislee

Stamps - French Co. Aladine

Wedding Card

 

Claire, one of my train buddies, has yet again commissioned me to create a card for her. This time it was a card to give to her sister when she got married last Saturday 22nd September.

I was quite excited when she gave me the design brief as all the colours were the same as my own sister's wedding back in 2006. I practically had a design in my head before I even got hold of a pencil to sketch an idea!!

I promised myself that I would learn to do something new this year & I decided to have a go at chiffon flowers.They always look classy.

I must admit I tried several techniques before I settled on the one I loved most. I die cut the petals using my Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die & then gently heated the edges over a tea light to give them the curled look. I was very lucky to find just the right shades of chiffon in our local Poundland too!!!

Other Materials Used;

Papermania Scalloped White Card Blank

Tim Holtz Bird cage Die

Tim Holtz Tag & Bookplate Die

Bird - Stamped on paper - Kanban Stamps

Tim Holtz Heart Die

Tim Holtz Stamps - Stuff to Say

Studio G small swirl stamp

Colorbox Chocolate ink

E. Flat back Pearls - Prima

Papers - sarabooks ivory collection - HOTP

The pearls stitched into the flower centre were given to me by Claire.

I also made a keepsake box so her sister has somewhere to put it after her big day using french vanilla bazzill cardstock & filled it with tissue.

Inside the card I place patterened vellum & a paer insert stamped.

I'm quite proud of this one!

 

A Spooky Little Tag!

 

I just fancied a little fun the other evening & made this tag.

 I stamped the Tim Holtz words onto a tag shape & then

I coloured the background with Spiced Marmalade & Rusty Hinge distress inks.

Once dry I embossed it with the Tim Holtz Woodgrain Texture Fade folder.

I over inked the raised edges using Brushed Corduroy & matted the tag onto black.

I drew round my grungeboard skull onto white card & coloured Black Soot.

I stitched a black button with orange thread & glued it onto the skull & added a wobbly eye.

I stamped the Stampotique Kitty on white card & coloured him (I always think of it as a he)

using Barn Door & Rusty Hinge. I glued on orange pompom trim (Fancy Pants)

The two white skulls are stamped (Inkadinkado Rock Star Set) onto white card

& cut very close to make them freaky & ghoulish!!

The spotty ribbon was free with my Ruby Gorjuss mug by Santoro, London.

A Layout & A Card

 

First up is a layout I completed just before I went to Newcastle. From Newcastle my sister & I flew out to France. It was a fabulous week of very hot sunshine. I spent my days sitting outside until lunch just enjoying the peace & quiet of the French way of life.

We stayed at the same Gite & it was home from home.

 

Next is a card I made my sister when I posted my cheque up to her for my half of the holiday.

The photo is significant to Tracy as it is the Gite.

 

 

Materials list for Layout No.12

Kraft Cardstock - Papermania Kraftstax

Patterned Paper;

Upsy Daisy Designs - Everlasting Beauty - dreamer

K&Co - Brown Wood

My Minds Eye - Hip & Luxurious - Lush Brown Floral

5 journal tags handmade from the above papers.

Clocks stamp - Papermania Urban Stamp(stamped 4 times)

Ticket - Kanban Stamps

Title;

"since" - Jenni Bowlin Reverse Black stickers

"this" - Jenni Bowlin Chalkboard Alpha Brown

"day" - Basic Grey - Porcelain Chip Alphas

numbers on tags - BG Procelain

Photo taken of me in February 2008 by Captured by Kirsty

I wanted this layout to document the good things that have happened

in the four years since this photo was taken.

I wanted to get as much hand writen journalling as possible onto the page.

Paper was given to me by my SSG Secret Santa.

 

The card was made using a Kraft card blank.

Paper BG June Bug - Picket Fence (reverse)

Stamp - Craft Individuals

Photo taken by me last year in France.

Layout No11 - Lets Go FLY

 

I have made this layout to document my very first flight!

It was my first holiday abroad since the age of 5.

I kept the page simple to show off the pictures & the stamped plane.

 

Cardstock - Bazzill Seasalt

Paper - Color Conspiracy - Texturise {1} doublesided

which i hand cut to made split chevron pieces.

Boarding Pass Journal Card - Color Conspiracy

Lets Go - Card - Color Conspiracy

this was cut into two to split above & below the photo of Limoges

Travel Stamps - Royal Langnickel

Fly - American Crafts Thickers Nutmeg

Spotty Brackets - Basic Grey June Bug

 

The paper & journal cards are French which I though fitting for a layout of my trip to France. While you are looking at this layout I will be back in France!! We flew out on 1st September back to Limoges Airport.

We are staying at the Gite in La Marchaderie again :0)

Layout 10 - The Avenue

 

This has uploaded the wrong way round!!

Having problems with the blog & it only works in html mode! 

 had forgotten it puts the one you want last at the top!!

 

 

This page is a real Autumn number! I have two favourite trees in our local park & this is tree number 2 which I have named The Avenue.

Background Paper - Crate Paper Static Collection - Gravity

Chevron Paper - Studio Calico - Great Scott

Envelope Handmade from Papermania KraftStax.

Other orange paper - My Mind's Eye - Abbey Road Lucky Me "Sisters" Forever rings.

Orange Embroidery Thread to stitch the pennants by hand.

Avenue stickers - Karen Foster Safari

American Crafts Chestnut rub ons

Tree stamp - CI209 Crafty Individuals

Stazon Timber Brown ink

Atmosphere Tag - found item (Primark scarf tag)

Yellow Arrow & Brad - American Crafts

Red Brad Boxer - Basic Grey

I originally made the envelope behind the main photo to house the journalling,

 then remembered I had a photo of the same tree pictured in the snow.

Layout 9 - Castle Venue

This was the place my sister got married.

It was a fabulous day & the place was beautiful.

 

Materials List: Paper - Papermania New Chelsea Green Capsule Collection

Frame - XCut die from Paperazzi Glitter Stax

Stamped Bird in Vine & butterflies - Kanban

Title - Studio G Alpha set & American Crafts Thickers - Rockabye

Glitter Blitters - Chelsea Green

Journal Card - Happy Days Papermania

Memories word - CI156 Word stamp - Crafty Individuals

 

I raised the word Castle on tiny square foam pads to lift it up.

I hand cut foliage from the paper & also raised it on foam pads.

Project Book 2012

This is another book I have recently made with my Bind It All.

I like to have a place to jot down what card I make for whom and commission pieces I design.

It is also nice to have a place to keep a track of art made to give away.

I like a bit of blank space to jot down any ideas if they come to me.

 I bought a card magazine and got these free Raspberry Road Designs papers and the Project Book was born.

I used my fabulous Marvy Tab Punch for the side page turners.

The squares on the left hand side are some of my fav Distress Ink mixes.

I love this orange paper and there was some green almost the same.

I used one of my Tim Holtz On The Edge dies,

"plaque/Postage" to add a bit of interest.

I loved the papers so much, I couldn't bear to throw it away.

The spot paper is gorgeous!!!

I used lined paper cut up from an A4 pad and some blank white card.

The whole book took just one afternoon.

I am so delighted with it, I will make a new one for next year too!!

I stamped the months on each page using Studio G mini stamps.

Alphabet on front cover Tim Holtz Chipblock.

Spiro circle - Papermania Xcut die.

Butterfly - Anitas 3D.

8x8 Album, Layout 8 - Fun

I had fun in Picasa making this fab border to go around layout number 8 of my 8x8 album, because the page is so graphic I thought the border would dd a great disply edge.

The photo is of my SSG - Scrap Shoppin' Girls friends at a get together we had back  in February 2008. We rented a farmhouse and spend the time scrapping, talking, eating & laughed a lot. Had a photo shoot with Kirsty Wiseman & afterwards, Kirsty stayed to scrap with us.

We had done a circle journal & gave each otehr their completed books at the start of the weekend. It was fabulous!

Materials used are;

Cardstock - Papermania Ledger

Papers - Cosmo Cricket, Nutmeg Clove & Studio Calico, Happy

Xcut Dies - stars, Papermania

Stamps -  Stars , Numbers,  (&) Ampersand , Labels - Studio Calico

Blue no.8 - Sassafrass chipboard

Journal Sticker - Jenni Bowlin

Title Stickers, Black Ledger - Jenni Bowlin

As usual, on my screen, this layout looks blurred!!!

Minibook for storing my Xcut Dies

This is a fun minibook I made  in an afternoon, one weekend in June, to store my Xcut dies in.

They come on magnetic sheets & I thought it would be a cool idea to glue funky scrapbook paper to some chipboard pages & then glue the magnetic sheets to them.

The pages then have a piece of double sided paper between each die set to prevent the magnets "sticking" together & I added funky tabs down the sides.

The bookplate on the cover is by TH and it is painted with some old nail varnish.

All bound with my Bind It All, which is quite tight as I do not have larger O Wires.

I love the elephant in the bottom corner.

The papers are some I have had in my stash for some time. They are all by Sassafrass & were all part of the Studio Calico Kits which I used to subscribe to.

Also some of the papers are from a scrapping friend Lisette, in Denmark.

I struggled to use the bold patterns on a layout but found them perfect for a minibook.

I love the tiny elephant on the funky floral sheet.

Mixed together the patterns really work to give an otherwise boring item the WOW factor.

Papers used are all double-sided collections and are called;

Sweet Marmalade; Sunshine Lollipop; Amplify

You might even spot a tiny clown on this funky floral sheet.

The tabs are created using a punch by McGill.

It sits on my shelf neatly and is ready to use whenever I need it.

Well worth an afternoons work & I would love more for my other dies.

Stampman Challenge - Celebrations

Here is my entry for the latest Stampman Challenge.

I'm a little late with this one because I have been away.

I went for a really long weekend to my sister's in Stamfordham, Northumberland. (Just outside Newcastle) I went up & back by train & we had a fabulous girly weekend. I took lots of photos along the way to use at some point.

This card is a commission for someone who has just given it to a friend for her 21st Birthday.

My brief was Vintage/Black & Gold/Lace/Roses/butterflies/Pearls.

I had to dye the lace with Antique Linen Distress ink to get the shade I wanted.

The paper is from Paper Cellar, I went with this for the gold & grey colour scheme black was too heavy. Bookplate & Bird Cage, TH die cuts, Butterflies, Memory Box. Bird - Papermania Stamp. Key & Lace, Ribbon Girl. Pearls & roses from my own stash along with the gems. I was extremely proud with how this one turned out.

I did another 21st in similar colours a few months ago but the photos just didn't turn out very well at all as my camera was in one of its funny moods. It does need upgraded & hopefully that will be after Xmas. Our trip back to France comes first!!!!

Layout 7, Kia

This is the 7th layout for my 8"x8" mini album. I wanted a lovely cherry red page to mix in with the two beautiful greens & the woodgrain backgrounds I have used so far. Having just made 2 white pages in a row, I longed for some colour. This page features a photograph my sister took of her cat, Kia (whom I fondly call Kiki)

I wanted a layered look but didn't quite achieve the amount of layering in the way I had envisaged. Oh well better luck next time.

Below is a close up of the journal tag which is housed in a glassine envelope under the photo.

I had real fun creating my layered butterfly. One is die cut, the other stamped & cut out.

Materials used;

Bazzill Red Cardstock

Patterened Paper; Anna Griffin - Darcy/ October Afternoon Report card- Story Hour

Studio Calico Journal card (old one with 2009 on it so hidden in the layers)

Glassine Envelope - Internet

Tim Holtz die - Tag

Papermaina die cut frames

Memory Box Butterfly die

Butterfly Stamp - Innovative Stamp Creations (Friendship plate)

Papermaina Stamps - Around the World 2

Brad - Papermania

Title - Tim Holtz Die - Typeset.

Adirondack Inks; Raisin & Cranberry

Another 8"x8" layout, I'm on a roll!!

This next layout is designed around the mini frame stamp I received in a Studio Calico Kit, Cotillon in 2009. I have to be totally honest and say it was one of my most favourite of all the kits that I had during my subscription period.

My sister does work for her local Cats Protection League, she took in 5 feral kittens, 4 which were Tabby brothers & sister, the other just found along with them.

It was her job to tame them and then re home them!!

These photos were taken on a mobile phone and not very good quality, so they were well

suited to being printed small.

Cardstock is Swiss Dot. Border punches Doily Daisy & bracket.

Title, TH Chipblock. Stamps from a cat set.

Butterflies, Craft Individuals.

I don't know if other people have noticed, but the last half dozen pictures I have uploaded to blogger have been appaling quality. Yet, I am not using any different software or doing anything any different. so annoying!!

Stampman Challenge - Anything Goes/Summer Colours

I only just got an item made for the last challenge on the Stampman blog,

now the next challenge is up!!

It was a commission and can't be shared!

So, the next one is Anything Goes/Summer Colours.

I got my inspiration for this layout (page 5 in my 8"x8" album) from the advertisement below! Isn't it just amazing!!!

As soon as I saw it, I just knew it was perfect!!

Materials used:

Bazzill Cardstock - Avalanche

Heart die cut from Glossy Cardstock

Alcohol inks - Stream/Plum/Meadow/Butterscotch (blown through straw)

Ric Rac - Purple/Lime/Orange

Basic Grey Opaline Pearls - Purple/Teal/Pink/Yellow

Stamps - Tim Holtz Fairytale Frenzy

Flowers - Prima

Butterfly Die - Memory Box

Title -  Summer - Quickutz - Moxie

Title - french style - rub ons - Doodlebug

Photos I took in Piegut-Pluviers and Brantome, France 2011

Advertisement Courtesy of LG & Metro Newspaper!!

Happy Birthday, Tracy!

This is the birthday card I made for my sister's birthday today. It features a photo I took of Alnmouth Beach. We spent a beautiful couple of hours together here in April 2011.

My sister is a huge fan of minimal so I knew this design would really suit her.

I was inspired by this fabulous scrap layout on Pinterest. It ws the use of the compass on this page that lead me to the idea of the beach theme.

I loved the card so much I decided to make my third layout for my 8"x8" album to match.

Materials used;

Patterned Paper - Spots - Scenic Route Garden Grove - Joy Street

Patterned Paper - Script - Not sure, think 7Gypsies (from my scrap box)

Stamp - Dream/Discover/Destiny - Stampers Anonymous

Ink - Salty Ocean & Weathered Wood Distress Ink

Photo - taken by myself & the image on the card has had text typed onto it prior to printing

Compass - Travel Stamp Set

Silver Eyelets & String

Holes punched & backed with blue paper

Title - Tim Holtz Typeset Alphabet.