Craft-A-Thon

Hi everyone :)

Back in June this year I started, along with the help of some other admins, a Facebook networking page for crafters called Craft-A-Thon.  It went down so well with so many crafters that on 1st August I launched a Craft Forum for everyone to come together and have somewhere where they can refer to for asking advice and things like that.

The forum covers help and advice for facebook pages, general help for your crafts business, finding and attending Craft Fairs and lots of other things too!!  For a one off standard fee of £4.99 for a year premium members can also benefit from monthly prize Give Aways, blog hops, be able to advertise their business and also gain potential business through the forum in the 'Handmade Requests' section.  Premium members can also sell any unwanted craft stash too!  There are lots of other benefits for premium members that can be found >>> here <<<.

Click on the banner below and head over to the forum and see what you think :)

Hope to see you over there!

Gemma x

21 Birthday Celebrations...

Hi all,

It's been a long time since I have blogged, but I am hoping that with the encouragement of the weekend blog hop at Craft A Thon - this will help me get back into it!!

This week my little sister turned 21 - somehow that just doesn't sound quite right!!!  I made her a 21st Birthday Card with a Me To You theme.... once I made it I realised it really wasn't her..... so then I went ahead and made these two....

This first card, I made for my mum to give to my sister...

Then this next card is the one I made for my sister off me.  It is a Gate fold card - not made many of these recently so it made a nice change :)

Well, I hope you have enjoyed looking at my creations this week :)

Thanks for stopping by,

Gem 

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Oh My..... It's been a long time!!

Hi everyone,

Wow!  I can't believe the last time I posted here was in April!  I really am going to make more of an effort to post more often... time just seems to run away!

Well I have recently been teaching myself to colour with Promarkers, I am still a total newbie, but I am told that practice is the key!!  Here are two cards I made today with some images I have coloured...

They are both images from Digi Stamp Boutique, I will be entering them into the Customer Competition that they have each month. I think I will be saving these for my upcoming craft fairs :)

Thanks for looking,

Gemma

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Just Gorjuss!

Hi everyone,

I have a couple of big Craft Fairs coming up at the end of the month, one at Highbury Hall in Birmingham and one at Gainsborough House Hotel in Kidderminster so I am now bus preparing and making more cards!

This weekend I decided to make some more 'Gorjuss' cards - I LOVE using this collection and so far this year they have been very popular at Craft Fairs!

I am currently using some new A5 Landscape cards, on both of these new makes I have used them the other way so that they are tall  cards.  Here they are...

I used this topper and paper from one of the smaller decoupage packs.  The topper I made in the Digital Designer and to embellish the card I have used some card candi, flat back pearls and some bakers twine.

Out of the two I think this last one is my favourite.  I have recently purchased this new 'weed' die and think it works really weel.  To further embellish the card I have used more card candi, flat back pearls and bakers twine.

I hope you like my new cards, thanks for stopping by :)

Gemma

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Another new Critter...

Hi everyone :)

Today, I have again been playing with my mini cricut and new cartridges!  As I am fish mad - I have a tropical fish tank and just love it (as I have some very special fish in there), I decided today I wanted to make some 'Under the Sea' themed cards!  As it happens, I only managed to make one, but never the less, I am still quite proud of it!

It is quite a fun and quirky card, quite suitable for children.  This is a 5x7 card so I cut everything out at 3.5 / 4 inches and as you can see I have used my Big Shot and different embossing folders to add a bit of texture and more 'quirkiness' to the card.  If you look at the picture below I have done some close ups so the embossing can be seen a bit better.

Well I hope you like my new creation.  I have really enjoyed getting on with my new machine and cartridges and can't wait to make more with my Create a Critter and Create a Critter 2 cartridges - it's just soooo many ideas I just don't know where to start!  Anyway, I will stop rambling for now!

Happy crafting,

Gemma

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I am back..... with some new cards!

Hi everyone,

I really cant not believe how long it has been since I last posted!!  With recent craft fairs and other things going on I have neglected my blog - but I am now back!!

I have also finally got around to making some cards with my Mini Cricut!  I LOVE them (now I have the hang of it) and think they make really great childrens cards!

Here are the two I have made so far...

This first one I have tried to make a little scene, I used blue intense glitter paper for the water, green ribbon for some grass and then some blue dotty paper as you can see.  I cut the frog and then put him through my Big Shot (the poor thing!) so now he is all bumpy!  I also used textured white card for the cloud so that has a nice feel to it as well.

This second card I used papers from the Me To You Valentines paper pack, and also cut a little branch for the Owl to sit on!

For both of these cards I used the Create a Critter 2 Cartridge - I love them and can't wait to make some more!

I would love to hear what you all think.

Happy crafting,

Gemma

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p.s - I have updated my craft fair pics tab at the top of my blog if you want to see my recent stalls :)

Can you be Creative AND tidy?!?!?

Hi everyone,

Firstly, sorry for my absence of late, things have been a bit mad life in general and also preparing for up coming craft fairs - you all know what it is like!!!

Anyhow.... I have recently been trying out something new for me to sell alongside my cards at my Craft Fairs .  You may have seen this sort of style about ... however... for me it is something new and something I just wanted to try!!!  I have been practising all week and this is the first one I thought 'yea I think I can photograph that'!  Now.... I'd like to know what you think....

I know the writing isn't perfect yet - I am guessing that will come with more time and more practise!  I wanted the first one I made (first legible one!) for my craft room!  I have lots of ideas what I will be doing with them - all different shapes ad sizes - but firstly I just wanted to practice with a regular shape and size!

So what do you think???!?  I would love some honest feedback.

Until next time,

Happy Crafting,

Gemma

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The Big 50...

Hi everyone :)

I have made a card today, only one as I have a 10 hour shift ahead of me... eeek!!!  For once this card actually turned out more or less how I 'saw it in my head' if that makes sense!!

It is a card I have been thinking about for a couple of weeks so as I had a few hours in my craft room today I wanted to crack on with it!!  I have again dug out my 'Smirk' collection as the card needed a 'Fishing' theme, and I also wanted to make it quite 'funky' so I decided to go ahead and use smirk.

Here is the card... it is an 8" x 8" - one of my favourite card sizes to use.

For this I have used a couple of the papers from the 8x8 pack, the 'for him' lettering and some chipboard embellishments.  The big 50 I cut out on my mini cricut and I have also added some co-ordinating papermania gem stones.

Then open the card up...

... and you can see 'dad' fishing!!!  I thought this was a perfect paper to add inside as there is plenty of room to write a message on the blue sky area and it just finishes the card of!

I am quite proud of this make - so much so it may hurt a little to have it leave me lol!

Hope you are all having a good Tuesday...

Happy crafting,

Gemma

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I can see Spots...

ohhhhhh and not forgetting the stripes!!

Hi everyone - wow I am sooooo happy!!!

This evening I made 3 cards, listed them on my website and they all sold within 5 minutes!!  That has to be some sort of a record for me!!

I purchased the Papermania Spots and Stripes collection not so long ago, I adore the colours, they are so 'me' so I made a few cards with them this evening.  After clearing up my craft room this week as I had to close my craft supplies business (sob sob) I found some Forever Friends Spring Time Cardsyock stickers I forgot I had, which go perfectly well with this collection, so I was very chuffed with myself!!

Here are the cards that I came up with ...

As you can tell, yet again my gel pen has come out to play, but I figured it just gives the cards a nice 'edge' against the pastel colours.

I would love to hear what you think.  Just before purchasing the cards the lady sent me a message saying, 

"I'll go on and buy them now I want the other card you posted to. I have no reasons for them yet but I love them thank you x "

This message really did make me go 'awwwwwww' :)

I am entering these cards into the Docrafts Card Makers Challenge - Colour

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Crafting,

Gemma

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Trying something New...

Hi everyone :)

Thanks for stopping by... I hope you are having a good weekend.

For those of you who have followed my blog, you may remember a few weeks back I made some Hot Diggity Dog cards from a compendium I brought of Create and Craft (a bargain compendium I may add!!).

This weekend I have dug it back out again and have teamed it with some of the new Papermania Spots and Stripes collection from Docrafts.  So... the title of this post 'Trying something New'.... you may be thinking well what is 'New' about something that has been used before and just 'dug' back out?!?!?

Well I have had a go at using new layouts on the cards, new colour schemes (for me) and also tried to make them so they are appropriate for male and female cards. So here is what I came up with...

'Have Fun On Your Birthday'

Continuing with the 'new' theme I have in this post, this is the first time I have used bakers twine on a card and I must say I can feel it start to become a bit addictive!!

'Number 1 Friend - Happy Birthday'

I think out of the two, this second card is my favourite, mainly because of the layout and how I have (luckily) managed to find matching paper and ribbon and also gem stones.  On both of these cards the main images are the decoupaged stickers Docrafts call 'elements', on both I have backed them onto co-ordinating card.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my makes - thanks for stopping by :)

Happy Crafting all,

Gemma 

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Hap-bee Birthday!

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all well and keeping warm in this weather!

The other day I mentioned I had started using my Smirk kits I forgot I had and I had made a couple more cards that wasn't quite ready to be shown at the time, well I have now finished one and I think it is quite 'funky'!

Here we go....

It isn't quite clear from the picture but the image is decoupaged along with the two little bee's either side of it. As you can see, I have again teamed the colour with black card stock and also used my papermania gel pens  to add a little pattern to the paper.  Since taking the picture I have also used the gel pen to put the same pattern on the inside of the card to just 'jazz up' the bland paper.

Just a nice simple card I will be adding to my craft fair stock.

Thanks for stopping by and until next time.... happy crafting :)

Gemma

x

Black is the new...... well, Black!

Hi everyone :)

I hope you are all keeping well - thanks for stopping by!!

Well I found some old Smirk Kits I forgot I had, so I decided to make some small cards with them... some are not quite ready yet as they need sentiments added so hopefully be able to show you them in the next few days.

Firstly I have made a simple Valentines card, and as the title of this post suggests, I am addicted to using black card stock at the moment.  This is what I came up with for the Valentines card...

Just a simple matt and layer card with a decoupaged image on the front.  I have also started putting small 'patterns' on my cards with my gel pens, being a bit brave doing it free hand.  You probably can't see it well on this one unless you click on the picture to make it larger, but I have put a pattern on the outer red layer.

Next up is the Birthday card I have made...

To any of you who know me, you will probably have guess I LOVED making this card - all pink and girly!!! Again I have teamed the pink with black card stock and used my black gel pen to add a pattern around the edge of the pink paper and around the edge of the main image - I just thought it adds a little more interest!  I have always stayed away from doing anything like this 'free hand' on my cards, but I think where its appropriate, it may creep in more and more in the future!

I have this week been confirmed in three craft fairs in March so I am very excited and working hard towards these.  One is at the very prestigious Chateau Impney in Droitwich Spa - I have been a couple of times, it is very grand so I am very excited about this!!  The others I am in are Coventry Transport Museum and Hatton Country World in Warwickshire!

Until next time,

Happy Crafting,

Gemma

xx

Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog...

Hi everyone :)

I want to show you today a couple of cards I have made with a bargain I got in the January sales!  I brought myself a Hot Diggity Dog compendium from Create and Craft - I do have the digital designer but as it was such a bargain I couldn't resist!  I especially like the little 'elements' (the 3D & mini decoupaged stickers).  

I have made a few cards from it so far but here are a couple I especially like and wanted to show you.

Both of the cards are 6" easel card, however I think this first one must be my favourite, I think it is because pink works really well with the brown, I do personally like this colour combination.  The sentiments are on frosted glitter card so are quite hard to see - the top one says 'Happy Birthday To You' and the one to the side of the image says 'Little Twinkle Toes'.  I really didn't want to add too much to this card as I thought it looks quite simple and elegant, so keeping this in mind I added some co-ordianted card candi and paper flowers.

 Here is my second card, suitable for both male or female I think.  Again I have teamed the green with brown textured card, I think the reason why brown works well is due 'Hot Diggity Dog' having brown in him.  The image at the top is decoupaged and I have raised the image of the frog at the bottom of the card too.  The small frogs at the bottom of the card I took from one of the 'elements' 3D stickers to finish the card off.

I am entering both of these cards into the following challenges - 

Emma's Crafty Challenge - Animal Theme Challenge

Docrafts - Make A Card using shapes

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my creations - I will surely be bringing you some more soon.

Happy crafting,

Gemma

x

A way to start the New Year - Party! Party! Strictly Party!

Hi all,

Well in my last (and first post on this blog) I told you I would show you some more of my Strictly Party cards I have made since having one of my others published in the Docrafts Creativity Magazine.  I decided to make some female Birthday cards they are all 8" x 8".

This is my first one - I used the image from the Ultimate Decoupage pack and added some of the 'blitters' around the image from my stash.  To add a bit more interest to the paper design I added some purple gems around the swirls.  I die cut the letters using an x-cut die in my big shot.

 The image on this Daughter Birthday card has three layers of decoupage and the pink square panel that it is on is embossed using a 'Happy Birthday' embossing folder..... if you click on the picture you will be able to see it better.  Again I die cut the letters on my Big Shot.

 Here is my final card to show you today.  Again I have used the 'Happy Birthday' embossing folder on the two purple square panels, which if you click on the picture you will see a little better.  The letters have been die cut again on the Big Shot.

I just adore the papers in this collection - I took some cards along to a few of my craft fairs last year and they all sold out, people made some really nice comments and said 'how unusual' the style is.  

Another thing I LOVE bout this collection is being able to team it with black cardstock, I LOVE black cardstock and there aren't usually many ways that I can use it as it just doesn't 'go'.  Just to warn you now ... there may be a few more posts relating to this collection from me!! He he!

I have entered these cards into the following challenges:

Forever Friends Monthly Challenge For January - Birthdays

Creative Moments Bloggers Network - Eboss It / Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by, 

Happy crafting,

Gemma

x

Out With the Old, In With the New...

Hi everyone,

Happy 2013!  Some of you may have been a follower on my 'old' blog, I realised I haven't posted on it in at least six months so I decided as it is New Year I wanted a new blog - so out with the old and in with the new!!  I hope you all like my new blog and that you will become a follower and enjoy browsing my posts from time to time.

The first thing I would like to show you on here is my very exciting news... some of you may have already seen this but as it is a new blog, I wanted to add this here.  Guess who made it into Tina's Talent Spot in the January 2013 DoCrafts Creativity magazine?!?!?!?!?

Yes!!! You did see that correct - it is me!!!  After seeing my strictly party card in the mag I have since dug out my Strictly Party stash and have been creating lots of cards.... I will show you all these over the next few days.

Thank you all for stopping by and happy crafting :)

Gemma

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