Remind me never to......... AND photograph of my new Grandson

Seth Taylor

Isn't he just the cutest little thing... large eyes like his "Grandma" (puffs up like a peacock, all proud like)!!

and ...

Remind me NEVER to play in my HTML on my blog again.

HTML and 'moi' do not see eye to eye....

HTML and I need to do a revise of who is boss!  LOL

I need a coffee, and a brain break now...

Hope those reading are having a laugh, I am laughing too.

Exciting News - Helmar Design Team

 

I am so thrilled to announce, that I am about to embark on a sticky ride of bliss, having been accepted into the Helmar Design Team!  WOOT WOOT!

Helmar have the most amazing adhesives, glues and craft related products and I'm so looking forwards to working with this wonderful product!

 The New Helmar Design Team consists of 19 full time designers, 5 guest artists, and 1 sketch artist.

Jamie Cripps

Jennifer Evans

Martha Richardson

Julie Tucker-Wolek

Cheryl Boglioli

Grace Lauer

Susan Weckesser

Carisa Zglobicki

Cindy Royal

JJ Sobey

Vicky Alberto

Melanie Forbes

Rae Cooper

Michelle Wallace

Amy Lynne Lassiter

Liz Chidester

Jen Erickson

Beck Beattie

Sandie Edwards

Lydell Quin- Our Helmar Challenge and Sketch Artist

Erin Morehouse - Our May Guest Designer

Lisa Wilkinson - Our June Guest Designer

Katie Nolan-Denhan - Our July Guest Designer

Kate Vickers -Our August Guest Designer

Cheryl Walker - Our September Guest Designer

Erika Taylor- Design Team Coordinator

Also Jessica Morales will be doing some amazing videos for us on a regular basis and we wanted to give her a shout out too.

Come join in the Facebook page, so as not to miss out on any of the 'news'...

and visit the Helmar Blog, for some inspiration, videos and lots of upcoming 'new' ventures!

Luxury Layers - Vintage Card - Cardmaking Online

My creation for Cardmaking Online highlights the use of Luxury Card Layers, which are a fantastic product for those who do not have a Bigshot or other die-cutting machine.  Of course they are available in a range of shapes, sizes, and designs.  I must say I was impressed with the quality, with each of the designs I purchased, and I just adore the way the cut-out pattern actually becomes part of the edge of the card. You can see all the varies types available "HERE".

Do visit the Cardmaking Online Blog to see the other DT members projects - vastly different from my own style.  I adore the beading and stitching, looks amazing.

Supplies

ColorCore A4 Cardstock

- Amaryllis 

- Cloudburst

- Buttercup

- Leapfrog

StudioLight Romantic Pictures 1

Luxury Card Layers M5816

Marianne Design Creatables LR0110

Joy! Crafts 9mm Organza Ribbon Pack

Kars Adhesive Jewells 'Transparent Pink'

Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Double Sided Adhesive

Foam Squares

Tim Holtz Distress Ink "Victorian Velvet"

Replica Music Box - Imaginarium Designs

I immediately knew when I spied the ‘Dress’ (IDS0007) and ‘Window with Latice’ (IDS0016) in my Imaginarium Designs chipboard box, that I wanted to create a replica, music box. I aged all the chipboard pieces in a process which includes Gesso, Creative Inspiration Paints, distress ink and crackle medium. 

To get the ‘Four Circles Border’ (IDB0003) piece to bend around the base, I sprayed the piece lightly with water so that the chipboard would be more pliable - then carefully manipulated the border to where I wanted it to go. This was held in place with rubber bands till dry, and adhered using glue dots. Often, I will place my ‘wet’ chipboard pieces into the oven on a very low heat if I am too impatient – just remember if you are going to use this process too that the heat is ‘low’!

I love the beauty of the chipboard pieces done in this particular aging process, it really does look 'aged'...to see close up, click on actual photograph.

 Decorating was a lot of fun, adding acetate into the window to form glass, and adding further acetate to create a 'view' of branches and birds.  The flowers are the new release by Prima Marketing and the colours seemed to have matched perfectly.  Tiny little gold charm butterflies adorn 'here and there', and the necklace was created using the most tiniest of beads.  

It was fun raiding my stash of lace, and I intend on raiding it again soon!  Amazing what you can create with a bit of imagination.....

For further inspiration, pop into the Imaginarium Designs Ning Site - keep up with what is happening, new product releases, challenges, give-aways, etc.,  AND, drop into the Imaginarium Designs Blog to see what gorgeous projects the design team have created.  

To see the full range and purchase Imaginarium Designs chipboard, please visit 'Seriously Scrapbooking',  you can find the chipboard area "HERE".

Products Used:

Imaginarium Designs: ‘Dress’ (IDS0007), ‘Window with Latice’ (IDS0016), ‘Four Circles Border’ (IDB0003)

Paint: Jo Sonja Gesso, Texture Paste. Creative Inspiration Paint ‘ Winter White’, ‘Gold’, ‘Antique Gold’ and ‘Beige’

Ranger: Glossy Accents, Distress Crackle Paint ‘Rock Candy’, Distress Ink ‘Walnut Stain’

Kaisercraft: Acetate Shapes ‘13th Hour’, and ‘Four Corners’ Acetate Sheet

Craft: Old Ribbon Reel, Tulle, Fancy Ribbon, Butterfly Charms, Mini Adhesive Pearls, Pearl Beads, Beading Thread, Braid, Guipure Lace and Bow

Paper/Cardstock: White Bazill Cardstock,

Prima Marketing: Roses ‘Laraine River Rock’

Dies: Cheery Lynn Designs Dimensional Leaves Small, Italian Flourish, and Olive Branches

Adhesives: Memory Book -Glue Dots, X-Press It Double Sided Adhesive Tape, Magic Mount ‘Black’

Tattered Angels: Glimmer Mist ‘Gold'

‘Dress’ (IDS0007)

‘Window with Latice’ (IDS0016)

‘Four Circles Border’ (IDB0003)

I'm a Grandma!!

Just had to share my news!  I become a Grandmother today, to a beautiful baby boy (Seth Taylor) born 6 weeks early..... to my eldest son, Sean and his partner Krista, in Melbourne.  He's currently in Neonatal Unit, and is doing wonderfully!

So excited!!!

Pretty In Pink Card - Creative Inspiration Paints

Hi Everyone,

I have had a fantastic week in painting up a wonderful array of gorgeous silk ribbons, using Creative Inspiration Paints!  I have tried to capture the glimmer of the paints in my photographs, and hopefully they show enough. I am so pleased with how the silk ribbon turned out and urge anyone who loves playing with colouring their own embellishments, to give it a try. I applied TuTu Pink paint to the ribbon.

The image on my card creation for Creative Inspiration Paints is from Sweet Stamps. This particular stamp is called 'Watercan Girl'.  It is a beautiful image and even though I am not a stamper and only 'learning' the art of colouring, I am pleased with how it turned out.

In the above photograph, I tried to capture the shimmer of the image after applying Creative Inspiration Paints.  The below photograph is a close up of all the gorgeous shimmer!

Call on over to the Creative Inspiration Design Team Blog for further inspiration, and the latest challenge information.  Do enter for your chance to win some Creative Inspiration Paints!

Creative Inspiration Paints Used:

TuTu Pink - Ribbon

Blush

Sage

Chocolate
Autumn Wheat
Winter Frost

Fuchsia

Other Products:

Cheery Lynn Design Dies

Martha Stewart Corner Punch

Bazzill Cardstock

Silk Ribbon

White Gel Pen

Vintage Inspired Card - Cardmaking Online

This week I have created a 'Vintage Inspired' Card, using products from Cardmaking Online. The base of the card consists of the Cheery Lynn Designs, Italian Flourish. This die-cut is so detailed and very intricate..  The leaves were cut from the Marianne Designs Creatables (LR0133), and the flower and buds from the Marianne Designs Creatables (LR0145).  Instructions on how to create this particular flower are on the back of the LR0145 packaging!

The flower buds were created using the smallest of the flower die-cuts from the LR0145 die set.  All I did to create was cut from the outside of the die-cut to the centre and roll up, and then added a stamen to the centre of each flower bud.

The butterfly is from the Embossing Folder 'Flutterby' - simply emboss a piece of cardstock, ink slightly to raised surface and carefully cut out.     

 The vintage image is from the StudioLight Romantic Pictures 1, pictured below!  Each of the images are gorgeous!

Supplies:

Kars Adhesive Jewells 'Transparent Pink'

StudioLight Romantic Pictures 1

Joy! Organza Ribbon Set - 9mm - 'Pastels'

Couture Creations 6mm Double-Sided Tape

Zig 2 Way Glue Pen

Le Suh 1.9mm Foam Pads

Embossing Mat

Embossing Tool

Big Shot Die Cutting Machine

Cardstock
Stamens
Hero Arts Clear Stamp Set 'Good Friends'

Sentiment Stamp
StayzOn Ink 'Black'
Distress Ink 'Victorian Velvet'
Distress Ink 'Walnut Stain'
Cheery Lynn Designs - Italian Flourish
Craft Concepts Embossing Folder 'Flutterby'
Marianne Designs Creatables (LR0145)
Marianne Designs Creatables (LR0133)
Helmar 450 Quick Dry Glue
 

For Someone Special - New Joanna Sheen Challenge

Today brings my first post for the Joanna Sheen Challenge Blog, and this fortnights challenge theme is "For Someone Special" - you can find all the challenge details 'HERE'.  There is a £15 Joanna Sheen gift voucher up for grabs for a random winner as well as a new Top 3 and new Guest Designer position, so be sure to enter!

For this particular challenge I used the most delightful 'House Mouse' rubber stamp set, called 'Get Well Soon - Sweet Kisses'.  Oh my, the little 'House Mouse' is so cute and all the fury friends involved in the whole series - you can see them all 'HERE'.  

I'm not a huge stamper, only dabbled a little in the colouring side - so this card has been a learning curb.  I used a mixture of colouring mediums including chalks, ProMarkers, and Distress Re-Inkers.  I hope with some experimenting, I will manage to get the shading 'much' better.

What a fun card to make though, and I loved every part of this challenge...please call on over to the Joanna Sheen Blog and check out the other DT members wonderful, inspiring cards, and do not forget the blog candy on offer each week!

Remember When - Album

A few weeks ago I completed this memory album, titled 'Remember When'.  A friend of mine, Vivienne creates the boxboard/chipboard albums.  There is quite a variety available, in varying sizes, different pages, shapes, etc - all VERY reasonably priced.   You can find Vivienne's blog 'HERE', and if you want to inquire into purchasing some of her albums, you can contact her via email which can be found on her blog profile.

The collection pack of papers I used to complete this album is called 'Nostalgia' by Ruby Rock It - purchased from Spotlight.  I used the Cheery Lynn Designs 'French Flair' Stacker Series to create photo-mounts, pockets, and journal areas throughout the album.

Page 1 and 2

Page 3 and 4

Page 5 and 6

Page 7 and 8

Page 9 and 10

Page 11 and 12

Page 13 and 14

Back  Cover

Ornate Tag Using Old Buttons - Scrap For Help

This months challenge theme for Scrap For Help is 'Buttons'.  I have collected old buttons for many years- with a fascination for all the older intricate details.  We don't see buttons like this anymore!

Scrap for Help is a community blog - promoting friendship and the use of recycled products around the globe.  Each month there is a challenge, with the theme's each being related to using something that is able to be recycled.  There are a number of wonderful sponsors who support in generous prizes, so please call on over and check the challenge out, grab some inspiration from the International design team members, and perhaps take the time to participate.

You can find all the current challenge details 'HERE'

 I adore vintage, so I created this tag with a vintage element, with the picture being the main focal point, and opulent button flowers, and roses to decorate.  The button flowers were created by making pinwheels from vintage lace.  All I did was gather the lace with a needle and thread and carefully sewed the ends together - forming the pinwheel.  A vintage button highlights the lace pinwheel.  So simple! 

 Products Used:

Antique/Vintage Buttons and Lace

I am Roses, Roses

Cheery Lynn Designs die 'Olive Branches'

Bazill Cardstock

Vintage Picture

Ranger - Distress Ink 'Walnut Stain'

Spellbinders Die - 'Labels Two'

Ribbon

MPress - Die 'Peaked Frame'