The Other Side Of Me

Finally my Blogger account is working properly again. It's been really weird which is why I haven't been on here much lately. So at last I can show you the card for last month's card swap group. This has momentarily satisfied my addiction to hexagons!  The papers are October Afternoon, Thrift Shop.  What a great way to use up scraps.  This was for Michelle, who I know is pretty keen on hexagons herself.  Lots of other things going on here.  I am busy preparing for a fete at work on Saturday where I am selling some cards (hopefully!)  If I can do that once a year it'll be very worthwhile. I'm also gradually becoming addicted to art journaling, and have decided to start a new blog showing my creations here .  I've missed the diary style of my old blog so have decided to get more into it again.  Pop over and have a look if art journaling is your thing. Back soon, folks. Make sure you're all getting plenty of fluids in this heat...

You may recall me saying in a previous post that I have a thing about bicycles.  Well it's true, and sadly I can prove it!  Check this out:  I saw this card on Pinterest a while ago and immediately recognised the papers, as I have these.  They are Thrift Shop by October Afternoon.  I couldn't resist the opportunity to use some of them up, as I'm on a mission to use up as much dsp as possible this year.  The original card has stitching on the sections, but I felt this didn't really need it as I wanted to keep the focus on the stamped image.  I did like the touch of paper piecing the bike basket though, I've never done that before. I've stamped the bike in Basic Gray ink, just to make it slightly softer and coloured it with a grey Promarker.  I haven't used those for ages, I'd forgotten what fun they are. The cardstock is Very Vanilla, but I've gone over it with my Tim Holtz old paper distress ink. I've popped some black checked ribbon whi...

A friend of mine has asked me to make 2 cards, one for each of her grandchildren.  She tells me they're into fairies, which is so not my favourite thing!  But this is what I've made for the first one:  I actually really enjoyed making this in the end.  My friend said I could use lace, too, which I missed off in the end, preferring this dotty SU! ribbon instead.  The dsp is by October Afternoon and the green is Old Olive.  Here is a close up of the fairy: There's quite a mix of suppliers contributing to this card.  I've coloured the fairy with SU! markers in various pinks, Old Olive and I've used Promarkers for her skin and wings.  I was tempted to put some glitter on, but it never looks as good as I'd like so I decided not to this time.  I don't think it would fit in with the vintage look of the card.  The stamp, incidentally, was a freebie ages ago, which you may well also own.  They are actually a Christmas set, but...

I do love it when it's time to make a christening card, as I get to pull out this beautiful image from LOTV: The card is 5x7 and I've used a strip of Pretty In Pink cardstock down the left hand side, that's been put through my scallop punch.  The patterned paper is by October Afternoon, and blends perfectly with the pinks I've  used here.  I've backed the stamped image and the sentiment with Melon Mambo.  Altogether it's turned out to be a very harmonious card, with everything working well together.  I've used lots of pink Promarkers to colour the stained glass window in the background and the baby's dress, and I'm very pleased with the result. And now, bizaarely, I'm off to make a Christmas card or two (because you'd do that in January, wouldn't you?) And yes, I am waiting very patiently for a Stampin Up order, but because I am a sensible person, I am waiting for the Sale-a-bration to start, and the waiting is killing me! Have a gre...

Hi there!  I've had a strange week where I've not been very well at all.  You know you have those times where you make something when you're ill and look at it later and wonder, 'What was I thinking?!'  BUT having said that, I have made a card for my middle grandson's birthday later this month. The papers are by October Afternoon.  The giraffe is something I've had in my stash since I very first started cardmaking.  The length of him suits this card perfectly.   The wording and the FIVE are stamped with Marina Mist ink, but the true significance of this card, is that it's a gift card, look: This is made from a piece of double-sided paper 12"x6".  Score it at 3", 6" & 9" and fold along the score lines.  Make sure the middle one points towards you.  Lay it down and cut along the centre score line, but not right to the ends.  Stick down the three sides and cut out a semi-circle with a circle punch.  Your gift card fit...

I am a big fan of all things involving cake, so card making is no exception.  I decided it was time to pull out one of my favourite stamps for the card I made yesterday: Apologies for the photo quality as I'd put this card in a bag before realising I hadn't photographed it.  I can't take it out again without ruining the label on the back, so I had to take a picture in situ.  I had a bit of a saga with this card, as the paper I really wanted to use is by Papertrey Ink.  The whole paper pack only cost $8.  That would have been fine, but the delivery charge was $37!  That's a bit of a no-no, isn't it?  Even for me!  I really don't understand why shipping is so expensive, or why they don't get a distributor in the UK, as their papers and stamps would be very popular here.  Hey-ho!  So I started searching for another paper, and I'm delighted to say I found this paper from October Afternoon.  They never let me down, do they?...

Hello everyone, I hope you're having a good start to your week.  It's glorious sunshine here, so I'm going to make the most of it. I have been busy crafting though.  This is what I made yesterday: I got the idea from Kimber McGray's book, '175 Fresh Card Ideas'.  I love every card in there!  The card she made was much smaller than this, though.  This is my first go with pins, which you can see stuck in the ribbon at the top.  The ducks on here are so cute. Recipe: Card Stock: So Saffron from SU Papers: October Afternoon - Ducks In A Row Pins: Wild Orchid Crafts My local craft shop is closing down, which I think is terrible, but they've got 30% off at the moment.  What is a girl to do?  Obviously I had to have a bit of a spree, and bought the ribbon for this card, amongst other things.  I've also just had a delivery of Stampin Up! goodies, but I think that will be it now until after Christmas.  Time to make the most of what I've got, ...

Continuing my love affair with kraft card, this is what I made yesterday: I love the clean, simple look of this kind of card. I love red with kraft card. Hope you like it! Recipe: stamps: freebie from Pink Petticoat in a magazine ink: Memento black Papers: October Afternoon Thrift Shop (again!) Embellies: 3 gems from Wild Orchid Crafts P.S. After reading Linda's comment below, I have decided to pluck up the courage to enter this card at the Less Is More Challenge .  It is my all-time favourite challenge.  I follow it faithfully, but have never had the nerve to enter it, but as their aim is to get to 1000 entries this time I think I'll put mine in.  Obviously most of their cards are white, but I've had a look and a few of them are coloured this time, so I may as well have a go, don't you think? Thanks for dropping by today.  Jane

It is my eldest daughter's birthday at the end of this month, and my grandson's just before that, so I thought I'd better get a move on.  I hate being caught out at the last minute. I've finally sourced some Kraft card and I am in love with it.  I knew I would be.  You know you see pics in magazines and blogs and think, 'I could make that, if only I had...'  Well, here's my first ever play with it:  My daughter's obviously going to be 30, hence the numbers in brown Memento ink.  I've rounded off the corners, which I'm doing on most of my cards these days, I've noticed.  The papers are October Afternoon (Thrift Shop) and I've cut the sentiment out with my Sizzix die.  You can't see it very well, so here's a close-up: Kraft card is very rough and ready compared to normal card (they don't tell you that in magazines, do they?) but it's beautiful stuff to work with. It goes very well with red cardstock and papers. You can c...

I have finished my first scrapbook with pictures of Barnaby.  I so enjoyed making this: This photo was taken last December of Barnaby and Zak in the snow.  Alll these papers are by October Afternoon and they have a really vintage feel.  I felt like my grandmother when I was cutting these up!  How sad is that?  I made the little pocket for the tag, which has loads of words regarding memories, including the quote that I used at the bottom which says, 'God gave us memories that we might have roses in December.'  I've distressed it with ink and used my distressing tool round the edges.  This little gadget is my new best friend.  I've called it 'Love In A Cold Climate' for obvious reasons, but also because that's the title of the book I was reading at the time of making this, plus the colour scheme matched the colour of the book.  Surreal.  Lots going on here, but I really like it.  I'm going to be doing a lot of scrapbooking over the ...

As you know, I spent a bit of cash at the exhibition on Saturday, and today I've made a card using one of the stamps I've bought.  It's by Lili of The Valley and I liked it as soon as it came out a few months ago.  This is how I've used it: I've used the sketch from Sunday Sketch and Stamp  which I really enjoyed.  I actually coloured the stamp last night.  Usually I look at papers, Promarkers and the stamp all at the same time, to make sure there is some co-ordination going on, but it is such an unusual stamp that I decided just to colour it how I saw it in real life (but there's always the question, grey mouse or brown mouse?!) and then this morning I looked through my papers based on the colours I used.  This is just one sheet from my free Craftwork Cards vintage papers set, and the circular piece cut out from a sheet of October Afternoon Thriftshop paper.  Everything else is just a basic red card, but I love the colour scheme of blue and red toget...

Last September I saw some card designs in a magazine and smiled to myself and turned the page.  As if I was ever going to make those!  Just totally not my style.  Now, ten months later, I've flicked through the magazine again and realised that I actually have the papers and could make the card, (if I wanted to, if I didn't have anything better to do) so I decided to have a go yesterday, and here is the result: I don't really do vintage or retro or anything like that,  but when you've got this in your hand, there's something wonderful about it.  I may have to make another one.  The papers are from a range by October Afternoon called The Thrift Shop.  They're very varied, but I've used a lot of them. It just goes to show you shouldn't ever throw anything away, or dismiss a project thinking that you'll never have a go at it (even the dreaded quilling, I suppose!)  I've cut all my articles out of the magazines and filed them as individual proj...

I am in love. Don't panic - I am in love with a set of stamps! I know I probably shouldn't say this, but I'm really not keen on the Magnolia stamps.  They just seem a bit odd because the children don't have mouths.  It's almost like a 'children should be seen and not heard,' sort of thing going on. And then I discovered these Molly Bloom stamps, and I have fallen hook, line and sinker.  I'm not really a 'cute child' person, preferring teddies and puppies, but I find these characters irresistible.  Please give a warm welcome to Molly and George. I saw the idea for this card in Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine but it took absolutely ages to source the scalloped card and the papers (October Afternoon).  They must be incredibly popular as they've sold out twice! Now maybe you can help me out here.  I cut out the little photo corners myself, which is fine, but I know you can buy a photo corner punch (Martha Stewart for a start) but no ma...