Heavenly Crafts

I was given a chance to play with some of Tracie Stroud Designs' kits last week and look what I found in the store:

I love all those papers and the artsy effects ;)

All I did was print out some of the papers then cut them down to 4" by 4".  For the colouring pages, I opened a blank A4 file and then added guidelines at 4" and 8" horizontally and vertically to create four 4"  by 4" squares.  I dragged each colouring jpeg into one of the squares, resizing them to fit into the 4" by 4" space. then all I had to do was print and cut out each square:




I added a binder ring on one corner to hold the pages together. I then just printed some of the mandalas from the kit, adding a doily to one and a punched paper layer to the other as decoration for the front covers.  

These were so easy to make and would make a great children's colouring book for when travelling to help keep them occupied.  Mind you, this would probably be better with older children due to the more complex patterns!

Happy scrapping!

Well, I can't believe it is so long since I posted here.  I really do need to get my act together and post more often......

So what has been happening recently?  Well, life has, as per normal, been hectic and I never seem to have a spare minute.  Why can't there be more than 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week? I need more time to even begin to scratch the surface of my to do list!!!

Anyhow, yesterday afternoon was spent putting together a set of gift cards and a matching box....or rather six sets of gift cards and boxes! I was finishing off an article for The Hybrid Chick blog and this is what I ended up with:









Aren't those gorgeous cards? I used these items:









Believe you me, these are as gorgeous in real life as they look on the screen ;).

Full details are in The Hybrid Chick blog so why not pop along and see what else we get up to there?!!!!

As per usual, life has been busy around here as our eldest son was married last month and I made all the invitations, order of service cards, and the banner for the top table.  In fact, I was so busy making those, I ended up forgetting to make them a wedding card until the day we were due to leave for Yorkshire and we ended up leaving late as I was busy card making! 

Fortunately, the wedding was the next day, but it did end up all being a bit of a rush.  By the time we got to the hotel where we were stopping for the night, I was so tired I ended up shutting the boot of the car on my glasses.  since I was wearing them at the time, this resulted in me having a rather lovely graze that was luckily hidden by my glasses. One of the few occasions when I have been thankful I wear glasses, although if I didn't wear them, I probably wouldn't have ended up having them scrape all down my nose with disastrous results!

The wedding went well though and I am now officially a mother in law, but hopefully not a too terrifying one....

Now the wedding is over, this has meant that I can get creative with something other than night of navy and whisper white cardstock.  I was lucky enough to be able to play with the Heartsong collection from Snickerdoodle Designs at the weekend:

Isn't it just scrumptious?  I just love those birds, they are so cute! You can find the whole collection (and the papers, clusters, etc. are sold separately too ;) !!!) at The Digichick and it is definitely well worth a look.

Anyhow, I got carried away with this kit, as you will see in later posts, but started off making simple bookmarks:






I did use wordart from other designers too and again, details are on the hybrid chick blog.

These were so quick and easy to make and only took one sheet of photographic paper, less than two sheets of plain cardstock, and a little patterned paper and ribbon.  Full details of how I made these are on The Hybrid Chick blog.

Well, that is a short update from me as I now have to go run a payroll (I do lead such an exciting life ;) ).  I am going to try to post more regularly, just don't hold your breath though as time has a nasty habit of running away with me as there just never seem to be enough hours in the day!

Happy scrapping!

Just a quick post to let you know I have actually been busy crafting (I should really have been working though ;) ), and have just finished an album made using the video tutorials from Angelwings 14100.

I was pleased with how it turned out.  It was made using a digital kit, Laughter is the Best Medicine by Kimeric Kreations,  which you can find at The Digichick store:




Full details of the completed album along with links to the video instructions can be found on the hybrid chick blog here.

Well, I'm off for a day's bookkeeping at a client's now, so hope you can get some time to craft today!

Well, I've been playing with digital templates again and I found some gorgeous box templates at The Digichick.  This is one I got my hands on the other day:

It is sooo easy to use and I combined it with some rose flowers that I have used before:


Neat, eh?

I used papers and journal tags from this digital kit:



And this is what I ended up with:



The large flower on the box was made using the Blossom Punch from Stampin' Up.  Full details of how I made these will be posted on the Hybrid Chick blog shortly so why not go take a look and let me know what you think?


Happy Scrapping!

Later today we are off to see our eldest son and his girlfriend as they have just moved into a new home after several weeks (it probably seemed liked years to my son!) of living with her parents.  So, in honour of their new home, this is the card I have made them both:

In actual fact, this card is slightly different form how I envisaged it, as originally, there was going to be no black matting around the city image.  However, when I stamped a message on the inside of the card, I ended up messing it up (I know, how embarrassing is that?!!!) so decided to just use the top half of the card on a new A6 card and layer it!

It probably looks better layered anyway, so it all turned out all right, and since our son does not as yet have internet connection, there is no chance of him seeing this card before we get there later today......unless he checks on his phone, of course, although I am sure he has better things to do than check what his mum is getting up to!

I have also had the pleasure of working with another new kit from one of the designers at The Studio.  this time is is with Alive Again by jusme digital, and oh, it is lovely:


I love those greens and greys together, really effective and there are some gorgeous papers in the kit too :).  Well, this kit just called out for a card box with matching cards and envelopes.  I saw a pizza box tutorial (which you can find HERE) a while ago and have been longing to use this.  I used a sheet of A4 cardstock and printed 4 different cards on this using elements from the kit (I actually included 7 of the cards in the box) and made matching envelopes using a printed kit paper.  This is the finished box:




And here it is with the cards and envelopes:


I duplex printed two different papers on card stock and then punched out the flowers using to create the flower on the top of the box.  The envelops were basically cut out to fit the card (just rectangles scores on both long sides at 0.5" and then in the middle to fit the card, and 1.5" from the scalloped edge.I used a scallop edge punch on one side of the paper before I cut and scored it.  I left the cards blank inside so they can be used for anything (apart, obviously, from the one that has "happy birthday" on the front!)

I love this kit and Christine's other kits are just as gorgeous so why not pop over to The Studio to take a look?  The Studio are also having Designer and Layout contests, both of which I am entering, although where I am going to find the time I really don't know....still, you have to do something other than number crunching all day, don't you?!!!!

Well, I'm off to take a look at the Designer contest now and the pack for our trip up north so have fun whatever you are doing this weekend!

Happy Scrapping!

Well, this is one of the projects I had every intention of completing whilst we were on holiday but without my scoring tool, I was completely lost!  So, this weekend was an ideal time to catch up and get this finished, so after a couple of evenings work, here it is.  

I was lucky enough to have the chance to work with the July Project 365 kit form Digilicious Designs and it is truly scrumptious:

The polka dot paper is gorgeous, and the tags are just perfect.  I really love this kit.  Mind you, I've said that about the earlier six months' worth too ;)!

Anyhow, this is what I came up with:


I made the cover from A4 cardstock and covered it with paper on the front but inside, I used kit papers printed on card for added strength as the cardstock was rather flimsy for a cover.  The scalloped edged paper was made using a Stampin' Up! punch and the lace was bought whilst on holiday in Wales.  I used two pieces of lace and placed them back to back so the edges overlapped to form a solid line.  



It looks rather effective, doesn't it?

I finished the cover off with washi tape at the top and bottom. I think this may be Tim Holtz tape but can't be sure - I really need to start keeping a proper record of exactly what is in my stash so I don't end up buying the same thing twice, which I have done before (and I know I am not the only one who does this!!!).  I nearly bought a Stampin' Up! die that I already have last week - now that would have been an expensive mistake ;).

The inside pages were cardstock covered with the printed kit papers and embellished using elements from the kit:




These Project 365 kits are really just made for making albums.  They are gorgeous and the great thing with them being digital, is you can print them out to any size you want so can make a large(ish) album like this one or a small one using wages envelopes for instance.  I just love the adaptability of digital kits!

Well, the next album I make I am going to try and remember to take photos in the process as I am keen for as many people as possible to try these out!

Well, a glass of red wine is calling out my name now, so I am off to answer the call.  And before you ask, I do only have the one glass (and no, it is not a pint glass ;) ).

Happy Scrapping!

Oh, the relief now that I have all clients' tax returns in and can finally catch up on my sleep and get the office organised!  January is always a hectic month with me working all hours (literally) and it is not unusual for me to be working until 3,am, 4 am or even 5 am most mornings.  So, as you can well imagine, the first couple of weeks in February are really slow work wise.  It is not that I don't have any work, far from it, it is just that I am too tired to even think about it!


So far this week, I have had a couple of client meetings but the main highlight of the week has been a trip to Ikea to buy a new shelving unit and a matching desk.   Hubbie very kindly built them both up for me and so I am now sitting here thinking about tidying and organising the office....only thinking, mind, because actually dong any of that would involve me:


a) thinking about what to put where; and
b) actually moving and doing something other than just sitting at my computer!


So, instead of actually clearing the decks ready for work, I have instead being playing, and this is what I have made:

These are so easy and straightforward to make.  All you need is a sheet of A6 cardstock scored at 3", 6", 6.75" and 7.5". Stamp on one side, add a calendar tag and voila, one desktop calendar ready to go!


Of course, I couldn't leave it there.  Stamping an image is all very well, and it does look good, but I thought that a flower would look even better..... so naturally, I had to experiment!   This is the first one I made, black card and a bright orange flower:




Isn't that flower gorgeous?  It looks so effective on the black card too :).  






So of course, I then had to have a go with different cardstock, and different flowers:






 The green gingham flower was made using a Woodware punch, and the orangey flower is actually a Tim Holtz/Sizzix tattered florals die.  I used plain white paper and then sprayed the die cut petals with Cosmic shimmer Mist (ancient copper).  


I am so pleased with the results (talk about modest, eh?!!!)!


Whilst January tends to be a very profitable month for me as clients call in to collect their accounts and tax returns (and pay me!), I just don't get chance to do any crafting at all, so as well as the calendars, I have also been playing around with loads of other things.


One kit I have been working with is All Wrapped Up by Snickerdoodle Designs






Well, I had originally intended to use the printables from this kit to make gift tags and jar wraps, but due to work commitments (why, oh why, is the tax return filing deadline in January?  It means most accountants barely have time to think about Christmas, let alone celebrate it) never had the chance to do this.  So then I thought I would use it for my son's birthday (which is in January) but yet again,. work got in the way of that idea.  So, whilst I know this is more of a Christmas kit, I am a great one for making the most use out of all supplies, digital and paper, so decided to use this kit to label the storage jars in the office: