I'm still here!!

Good grief where does time go? It's been 7 months since I last blogged. Somewhere during that time my cardmaking mojo seems to have vanished, the last card I made was for Lola's 2nd birthday and guess what I haven't even made a single Christmas card either!! 
Even though the ole cardmaking mojo is awol, I have been having a go at something else and it's all thanks to my wonderfully talented friend Tracey Drage-Baillie. I have been messing around with beads and I'm actually enjoying myself, even though in the beginning my mantra was "I am not getting into beads!" ha ha ha I can tell you that no matter how much I repeated my mantra it didn't work and I have enough beads now to open a small shop!


I have been making bag/key charms, earrings, necklaces, bracelets and recently stumbled across Macrame. 

 

The top one is made using black cord with metal beads, the middle one is black leather thong with purple crystal rondelles and the last one is made using green cotton thong and 12 beautiful green Swarovski beads, all three bracelets have a sliding knot that will adjust to most wrist sizes. 


Hope you like them as much as I enjoyed making them. Thanks for popping by and I'll try not to leave my next post as long. Bye for now xx

Happy Birthday Jayne xxx

Hi there everyone, well I'm finally back again!! It was my friend Jayne's birthday last Thursday, I knew how much she liked my other Napkin Card, so much so the cheeky bugger left me a comment on the one I have in a photo album on Facebook. I had said to my mum that I wasn't in any rush to made one of these again but when I knew my buddy was wanting one for her birthday, how could I not make one for her. I knew how much she would appreciate one and how much she would treasure it.

So here it is.

Jayne is an amazing person and is an inspiration to me. We became friends through work a few years ago, when I worked in Normanton and even though we both no longer work there, we have remained the best of friends. Not long after I was transferred to Leeds, Jayne was diagnosed with MS, then not long after that I was diagnosed with the breast cancer and no matter what Jayne was going through she was always there for me. She is a fantastic friend and I am honoured to have her for my friend.

So last week was her birthday, her and her daughter Amelia where raising money for MS by holding a "Cake Break". I've never heard of a cake break before but it's where you make loads of cakes and biscuits and people pay for a cuppa and cake. So naturally Jayne and Amelia invited me but with what happened in August last year I've not travelled any distance on my own. So for me to go it would mean getting a train to Leeds then another train to Normanton but I had to go as I knew how much it would mean to Jayne if I went. So I managed to keep it a secret from her, it was wonderful to see the look on her face when she opened the door to me, even if she nearly wet her pants laughing at me when I told her I ended up in Wakefield and had to get a bus from there to Normanton!! I bet she's still having a sly giggle about it!!!

Here's what I used

Image - Tilda with hearts coloured with Copics.

Papers - Magnolia

Flowers - Are a mixture of Magnolia and Joanna Sheen.

Martha Stewart Punch around the corner.

Bling and everything else from stash.

Verse was printed out on Safmat from Letraset.

I'm entering into the following challenges.

Papertake Weekly - Bloom & Grow

ABC - Unusual Fold

Crafts 4 Eternity - Flower, Ribbon & Bling

Thanks for looking xx

Special Friends

Ever wondered to yourself "Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut!" that's just how I've been feeling since I came up with the idea of doing a charity craft day to raise funds for the Little Feet creche that is at our community centre. My dad is the treasurer for the community centre, my dad and the ladies that run the creche have held various events like prize bingo, a jumble sale and a car boot, all to raise funds for Little Feet. What made me decide to do something to help was after the poor turn out at the jumble sale, Mum & I got a phone call from dad asking us if we would have a walk up because no-one had turned up, needless to say mum & I weren't too happy at having to go as we were having some crafty time and you know what it's like when us girls just want to craft lol. So anyhow when we got back to our craft room I had a chat with mum and decided to try and raise some money for the creche but where to start??
So I had a chat with my wonderful friends Janet (ClarkyJ) and her mum, we sat down and came up with the idea of a charity craft day. I had a good ole sort out of the surplus craft stash I had. Last week I paid a long overdue visit to The Stampman to see Jill and Ian, they are really lovely people you're always made to feel sooo welcome, when we got there we got a lovely surprise because Janet (ClarkyJ) & Michelle (Midnight Crafter) were both there. While we were having a good old natter Janet mentioned to Jill that I was doing this thing for the crech and guess what Jill did! Gave me loads of decoupage and I really do mean LOADS!! So Jill I can't thank you enough for your kindness I trully appreciate your help.
Since the craft day was decided I have been worrying if I had enough craft stuff to make all the kits up that is needed but why did I worry because on Monday (9th) I spend the day with Janet & her mum and we managed to make up, wait for it.....over 100 kits and there's still stuff left over!! So all I need to get now is some foam pads etc.
I've not even had to advertise it because when I met up with Cllr Karen McIntyre who is the Community Development Officer at the community centre, there was a group of ladies there and they are all coming, a couple of Janets crafty friends are also coming, so all in all I have about 15 people coming!! I'll also be doing a little tutorial on colouring with Promarkers and Copics.

I always enjoy my time with Janet, she is one talented lady and her ideas for things always amaze me. I also received a little something on Monday from the totally talented Michelle (Midnight Crafter), do you want to see?

Isn't it beautiful! You can find out what Michelle used to create this mini masterpiece on her blog here.
So thank you to my special friends Janet, Margaret, Michelle and Mr & Mrs Stampman, for all you do for me and for all the support you have all given me, especially since I was diagnosed. I love you all dearly and I'm trully blessed to have you all in my life xx

Emerald Faerie has blog candy!!

Isn't that fantastic candy!! I love my Copic Ciao's but would sooo love some Sketch.

The conditions of entry are quite simple & easy to follow-:

1. Become a follower
2. Leave a comment
3. Grab the candy button for your blog & link it back to her blog

Pop on over to Deb's blog and have a peek at her cute Emerald Faeries, you will simply fall in love with them. You can visit her blog HERE

For My Brother

It's my brother's birthday today, I had no idea what to do for his card and then I remembered about a stamp my friend Heidi had sent me, thank you Heidi you're a lifesaver! You can visit her fab blog HERE.
So this is the card I've made for my lil brov. Couldn't use a Magnolia because he think's they're strange looking even though I've explained why they don't have noses or mouths. I think he'll like this one though.

Here's what I used:
Stamp - Lilli of the Valley (thanks Heidi) and is coloured with Copics
Papers - Hampstead by Papermania.
Sentiment - Craftwork Cards.
Ribbon, bling and boat charm from my stash.

I'm entering this into:
Try It On Tuesday - Something old, something new. My something old is the ribbon and boat charm, they're that old I can't remember where I bought them, the something new is the LotV stamp that lovely Heidi sent me.
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes.
Divas By Design - Anything Goes.

Welcome Baby

Well look at me, I'm ahead for once! I've made this ready for when my friends baby son say's "Hello World". The only thing is he isn't due for another couple of months, I sooo can't wait to send this to my friend because I know she will be over the moon with it. Do you want to see??

Isn't the little white heart just perfect for this card? If you would like some of these or fab lace and ribbons, as well as other brilliant crafty goodies, pop on over to Lovin' Ink. Top quality goodies at great prices.

Here's it is with the ribbon undone

and here it is unfolded.

So all I have to do now is sit and wait for baby, then I'm going to add his name, dob, weight etc inside using the fab Safmat. I might even bling the inside up a little bit more but will add the babies details first.

I'm going to enter this into the following challenges -
Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - For a baby
By The Cute & Girly - Anything Goes
Papercutz Challenge - Anything Goes
Pear Tree Designs - Free For All
Crafts4Eternity - Anything Goes
Stamp Something - Something with wings
Stamp With Fun - Lace or Ribbon
Dream Valley Challenges - Flowers

For Mummy x

It's my brothers partners birthday tomorrow and can you guess who got the job of making a card for Lola to give to her mummy?? Yep me! Making cards for Neill and Ruth is always a job and a half, because shame on them they're not keen on Tilda! It's been a shock to the system for me because this is the second card running without Tilda on it, think I better call the doctor. I've been messing with painting with the Distress Inks and I've a bit to go yet but I'm kind of enjoying myself just messing.
The papers are Koishi by Basic Grey and inked the edges with Walnut Stain, the image is Rosey Posey by Lilli of the Valley, the sentiment is computer generated and printed onto the fab Safmat by Letraset, the heart that is with the flowers is another fab goodie from Lovin' Ink, finally the flowers, leaves and bling are from my stash.
Please if you get a spare moment or two pop on over to Lovin' Ink, Janet & Michelle have some wonderful products on sale, I highly recommend everything, check out the lace, leaves, ribbons, buttons, buckles, alterables and oh I could go on and on and on!! I LOVE LOVIN' INK!!
I'm entering this into Sketch Saturday

Napkin Card

I'm always amazed at the wonderful creations that can be found when blog hopping and I don't know how I stumbled across this one but I am soo pleased I did. This actually looks harder than what it is and believe it or not I think the folds are the easiest part of it all. This is my second "Napkin Card" I can't show the first one just yet as I've made it for a friend who is expecting a baby boy, I can't wait to send it to her but she's not due for another couple of months!
So let me show you my twist on the "Napkin Card"

It's a little bit different isn't it? Hope the Hen likes it.

Here's what I used -
Image - 20's Evie by Tickled Pink and coloured with Copics.
Backing Paper - Koishi by Basic Grey.
Martha Stewart punch- borrowed from Mummydear(ssshhhh)
Edges inked with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.
Flowers, bling and cardstock are from my stash.
The fab leaves - Lovin' Ink.
I did the wording using some Safmat by Letraset, that a friend sent me to try and I kind of think I'll be getting some to play with.

Thanks for looking.

To Jacci

Sorry I've not been around much again, can't believe it's been 9 days since my last post. I'm still full of cold and been feeling a bit sorry for myself the past few days but enough of me moaning, let me tell you what I've been up to today.
A few weeks ago my wonderful friend Janet invited me to a reunion party for a lady I use to work with at a respite centre for children with health problems and learning disabilities, at first I said "No" mainly because since how my health has been since last year I don't seem to go out as much, long story but for those who know me will fully understand. Anyhow as I've already mentioned I said no to start with but them Janets mum asked if I would go with Janets sister, who is my buddy, well that changed my mind.

So that's where I have been today, at my old work place with my wonderful buddy and my fab friend Janet. It was lovely seeing Jacci again and it was so much nicer having a reunion party instead of a retirement party for her. Jacci is a wonderful, beautiful, caring person, I've know Jacci since I was around 9 or 10 because my friend and I use to go and play with the children when the weather was lovely and if the children were playing out. Another beautiful thing is that I still see one of the children, well she's now a grown woman but she always remembers me and gives me a smile that would melt the hardest of hearts, when I see her it brings so many happy childhood memories back.

Even though I've known about Jacci's reunion party for a few weeks, guess what I did! I didn't realise until I got an email from Janet on Monday night that it was actually this Thursday and I still hadn't made Jacci's card! Had planned on starting it Tuesday but this cold had other plans and I ended up giving in to it and spent the rest of the day in bed. I tried to do some of it Tuesday evening but no matter what I did nothing was going the way I wanted it to, so I left it til yesterday and still the type of card I was trying to do wouldn't play properly, all the folds were right but it was when I was punching round the edges with one of mum's Martha Stewart punches, the blooming thing wouldn't match up properly!! After the 4th piece of A4 cardstock went to waste that was it then plan completly changed and at around 1.30am I was finally getting into bed, knowing the only thing that I had left to do was stick the insert inside and write it out.

Here is Jacci's card

Jacci was chuffed to bits with her card, she didn't have to say anything because the look on her face said it all. It's not the card I wanted to make but I think this one turned out ok. I even shocked my mum when she saw what papers I had used, cheeky woman nearly fell to the floor lol.

Before I tell you what I've used I would just like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Jacci for been so supportive and for all the encouragement she gave me whilst I was working at the respite centre, it will never be the same once you go and I totally agree with Janet when she said "It's the end of an era". 42 years is such a long time. I wish you well Jacci for the future and a few more people like you and this world would be a wonderful place. Love and hugs to you xxx

Right here's what I used.
Stamped Image and backing papers - Lots of Love Tilda  from the "You are so sweet" 2011 collection and can be purchased from Sir Stampalot.
Tilda is coloured with Copics.
Everything else is from my stash.

I'm entering this into -
Papertake Weekly - Truly Dimentional.
Create4fun - Sketch.

Also pop by my friend Janet's blog, she creates wonderful things and I'm sure you'll love them. Visit her blog HERE.

Good Friends!!

I have been wanting to show you this little project for just over three weeks now. I made a card  for my wonderful friend Kathy who lives in the US, then I decided to make her a little something extra. I was begining to think that kathy was never going to recieve her thinks but she told me yesterday that the mail man had finally been. Here's what I made her.

First of all is the card, I'm sorry it's not a very good photo. I think I could be a Lovin' Ink junkie, I just love Janet and Michelle's goodies, the lace and the heart ribbon slider are from Lovin' Ink. I used the lace that why round to look like a little picket fence, I think it works. The image is Tilda picking cherries and coloured with Promarkers. Everything else is from my stash.

This is the little something extra I made for Kathy!!

This is the first time I have made anything like this and I am kind of pleased with the end result. For those who know me, know that for me to say I'm pleased with something I've made is rare, as I always think what I made isn't as good as everyone else's.

So here's what I used.

Image - Sitting Tilda by Magnolia and coloured with Promarkers.

Flowers - Joanna Sheen and my stash.

Bling and papers from my stash.

The sentiment inside the frame is by East of India.

I can't think who the blank frame is by but I bought it from Samual Taylors and I think it cost something like £1.90! It has glass in the front and back, I had soooo much fun trying to stick Tilda on the inside without any glue showing, in the end I used a couple of pins and sticky tape.

So Kathy I am so pleased you loved your card and frame. Thanks for been a such a wonderful caring friend, just wish you didn't live so far away but I'll keep working on that magic spell!!

I'm going to enter these into-

By The Cute and Girly with the challenge of "Cute & Girly". Please pop over to By The Cute and Girly to see what the fab dt have created especially Lisa Jane as she always makes wonderful things!

Dragonfly Tilda.

Well here I am again! Not bad considering I feel lilke poop and while sitting here writing this I have a nice hot fresh lemon and Manuka honey drink, only trouble is I can't taste anything! I hope you liked my little Promarker tutorial and you found it helpful. Here is the card I made with the finished image.

I just love this lace from Lovin' Ink and I think it works well as a doily don't you think? I must admit it was tricky trying to stick it to the circle but I got there in the end. I gave this to mum for Mother's Day and she was chuffed to bits with it, she was shocked I'd used so much of the wonderful Lovin' Ink lace and the amount of flowers I'd used. I did own up and tell her that I raided her Joanna Sheen flower stash for two of the blue flowers ha ha ha, well I couldn't really ask her for them really could I??

The two white flowers are Magnolia flowers, the rest are from Joanna Sheen.
I know I keep going on about the lace and things available from Lovin' Ink but it is all brilliant, so go on pop on over there and treat yourselves!!
The image is "Dragonfly Tilda" by Magnolia and is coloured with Promarkers.
Bling is from my stash.
Inked the edges with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink.
Everything else is by Craftwork Cards.

I'm entering this card into
Papertake Weekly Challenge, who's challenge this week is "Anything Goes" with the added option on something new.
Allsorts Challenge, their challenge this week is "Bloomin' Blossoms".

How I colour clothes using Promarkers

Seen as I shared with you how I coloured skin and hair using Promarkers, I thought I would move onto how I colour clothes with them too. I've used the same image, "Dragonfly Tilda".

So here we go, I'm going to start with Tilda's pants first and the colours I've chosen to use are Powder Blue, Denim Blue and China Blue. I think these three colours together have a lovely denim look.

Start by doing a base layer with Powder Blue.

Now add Denim Blue where you think the shade will be. Don't worry if you only add a little bit at first as you can always add more later if needed.

Same as before add the China Blue on the area's where you want shade. As you can see I've just added a thin line of China Blue on top of the Denim Blue, so that there is still some Denim Blue showing.

Back to the lightest colour, the Powder Blue, blend all three colours together.

Onto Tilda's top now and I'm going to do this pink and grey. So on two of the stripes and her hat I've added a base layer of Pale Pink.

Add Cocktail Pink where you think the shaded area's should be, don't forget her hat!

And back to Pale Pink to blend the two together.

I don't want the grey to be too dark so I'm using Cool Grey 1 as the base layer.

I've added Cool Grey 2 where the shaded area's are.

Then blended the two together using Cool Grey 1.

Still using Cool Grey 1 I've added some shade to her socks and gone around the edge of the image.

Using a white gel pen, I prefer to use my Pergamano white gel pen, add some little highlights. As you can see I've added the gel pen down the sides of Tilda's top, pants and added some dots to her cheeks.

Then all I had to do was cut her out and I also added some glitter to her wings.

I hope you find this helpful and remember I am by no means a professional, this is my way of using Promarkers. Thanks for looking.



How I colour skin and hair using Promarkers.

I have finally given in to requests to do a tutorial on how I colour with Promarkers. I was asked if I would do a video but there was no chance of me doing anything to do with YouTube. So I've done a little step by step for all of you that have asked, I hope you find it helpful but please remember I am by no means a professional, how I colour with Promarkers is my way and how I've learnt myself. Soooo here we go!!

The image I'm using is "Dragonfly Tilda" and for the skin I use Vanilla, Saffron and Pastel Pink.

Using Vanilla colour the whole skin area.

Now using Saffron, add shadow. As you can see from my photo, I've added Saffron around Tilda's face, under her chin and the bottom of her arms.

Little tip if when you use PM's and you find that you go over the edges, try not going right up to the edge and just dot the ink on. Also instead of working towards the inked edge try working away from it.

Onto the Cheeks. I like using Pastel Pink for Tilda's cheeks. They may look a little rosey at the moment but once you do the next step they will look fine.

And here is the final step. All you have to do is go over everything using Vanilla to blend all three colours together, I prefer using small circular movements. See how Tilda's cheeks have been toned down.

So now we'll move onto the next stage, colouring hair.

I was going to change to a different image beacause this one as you can see hasn't a lot of hair showing but decided just to stick with "Dragonfly Tilda" I'm sure we'll manage.

So for Tilda's hair I like to use Sandstone, Cinnamon and Cocoa.

Start by colouring the whole of the hair area by using Sandstone.

Now with the Cinnamon add shadow. here I've added shadow on the tips of her curls, where the hair strands are closer together, along the bottom of her fringe and where the hat is resting on her head, so that there's just a narrow but of Sandstone showing.

I've now added a little bit more shadow using Cocoa. Just dot Cocoa where you think her hair is going to look more dark due to the shadow. I don't think this photo really shows where I've added Cocoa up well enough but I've added it the tips of her curls and where her hat is resting.

Finally go back to Sandstone and blend all three colours together, this is what you should end up with.

So there you have it my first tutorial on Promarkers. Sue I hope you find this helpful and you'd better get the rest of those blooming colours now I've finally made a start on these for you!!

Please leave a comment and if you do use my tutorial please tell people where you got it from. I will be doing another tutorial, this time on how I colour clothes. Thanks for looking x