Fat Book Pages

Well they got the weather right yesterday it was certainly hot here. Unfortunately they are now saying that was summer and it's all over and done with now. I'm still hopeful of a late Summer and a lovely September especially as I'm back off to Devon at the end of the month. I'm sure it's just a coincidence there's a craft show on in Exeter at the same time as I'm there!

I signed up for a cat and dog fat page swap ages ago and have been lacking in inspiration so keeping putting off making any pages. Well yesterday I decided enough was enough and I really needed to get on with them. I didn't have that much time but thought I should at least make a start. So I have managed to complete all the backs of the pages. I always try to make the backs interesting as well as the front although it's never decorated to the same extent. This time I made a really simple backing page on Photoshop including all my details within a paw print.

Here are the finished backs and I really hope to get around to the fronts soon!

Hope everyone is well

Claire

Another Birthday Card

Well the weather forecasters keep saying today is going to be a hot one but blink and you'll miss it as we're back to rain tomorrow. I've got my fingers crossed for today but it's not looking too promising here at the moment, hopefully it will brighten up. I hope everyone has some great weekend fun planned and you make the most of the weather.

I've made another birthday card for the birthday list on the CM&P Forum. I keep deciding I'm going to get myself really organised and make a load but as soon as I find the time to make any another birthday comes round and it's time to send it off. So no stockpile yet but I will get there in the end.

I've used my favourite theme of butterflies on the card and I really like the colours and the finished result. Here it is:


Hope you like it too.
Claire

Picnic was great

Well I had an absolutely lovely time today. It was great to see my friends who I hadn't seen in a while, I found out one is pregnant which is lovely and the others are all well and enjoying life.

The weather was fabulous, no sun but lovely and warm. The only slight problem was the toilets were out of order and there were no other ones close by so by the time I left I practically had to walk back to the car with my legs crossed - too much information I know but it is the truth ;-).

I meant to take my camera but completely forgot so there's no piccies to show you I'm afraid, maybe next time.

Post soon
Claire

Been baking again

I'm off out today for a picnic. I'm meeting up with some old work colleagues who I haven't seen in a few months. Lots of gossiping and catching up to be done. Regarding food, we are all taking something for ourselves and also a few things to share. I've decided to take a simple green salad for myself and have been baking today for my 'to share' dishes.

I decided to make things which were easily eaten i.e. no cutlery needed and not too sticky or messy, I've made:

• Chocolate whirly bread
• Cheese/garlic/tomato straws
• Millionaires shortcake

I haven't made bread in ages and really enjoyed kneading the dough and boy what a workout!! Here's the chocolate whirly bread, sorry the picture is a bit rubbish but I had to take it quickly before I succumbed and ate it ;-)

We're all meeting by the river, so I'm really hoping the rain stays away, the weather forecast is good but you just never know what's going to happen with the weather at the moment. I'm taking a jar of my home made jam for each of them as I think I've made enough to feed an army and I'll never get through it all!

I'm off to do my nails now so I'll catch up with you all tomorrow, hope you all have a good Friday. Claire

Blog Candy Alert

There's some blog candy up for grabs on Chrissy's blog, so pop on over and leave her a comment and you could be in with the chance of winning some great goodies. Don't forget to have a good look around her blog while you're there, there are some fantastic creations to see.

Claire

Another New Home Card

Hope everyone is well and the weather is good wherever you are.

I showed you a new home card I had made for a lady yesterday. Well her next door neighbour also wanted one for the girls. She told me to do whatever I wanted and there was no specific elements to include. I made another of my black, white and red cards which I am hooked on at the moment.

Here it is:

Post soon
Claire

New Home Card

I was asked to make a 'new home' card for a lady whose daughters are moving into their first flat together. She specified the wording on the front and asked for a picture of a house so that is exactly what I gave her. The picture of the three houses is decoupaged to give a bit more dimension and the card is white opalescent.

Post soon

Claire

2000 Visitors

WOW - I've just noticed I've now had more that 2000 visitors on my blog.

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who takes the time to visit and leave comments, it's lovely to know people are looking at your blog and are interested enough in what you're producing to come back again.

Thanks again

Claire

Making Jam

Hi all, just a quick post to let you know I've not fallen off the edge of the Earth!!

I spent most of the bank holiday weekend out and about so very little time for crafting. Yesterday I collected a huge box of blackberries from a local park and this morning I made some seedless blackberry and apple jam. I'm just waiting for it to cool down enough to open a jar and have a sample.

Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend and the good weather.

Post soon
Claire

Birthday Treats

It's a friends little boys birthday today. He is now four and I thought a card with an added treat would be nice.

I've made another Thomas the Tank Engine front:

But the surprise is inside, when you flap the front down, inside are some gingerbread trains I baked earlier. The card is held closed with a little piece of velcro. It's the first time I've tried anything like this and I'm quite pleased with the end result, think I'll have to make a few more of them for other little one's birthdays, although I think I'll just put a little pack of Cadbury's Buttons or other such sweet in rather than making lots of biscuits each time!

Post soon

Claire

Happy Birthday Dad

I'm feeling much better today although still not back to 100%. It helps that the sun is out and it's been a lovely day rather than the miserable rain and clouds we've had here for the past week.

Today is my fathers birthday, so happy birthday Dad. Here is the card I made for him, he loves steam trains and builds scale models of trains and traction engines so most of his cards always feature one somewhere on them:

Post soon
Claire

Not felt up to anything

Sorry for my absence for the last few days I've been feeling awful. Woke up with a terrible headache on Tuesday which developed through the morning into a full blown migraine. I thankfully only get migraines very rarely, about twice a year but that's enough. I've spent most of the last couple of days in bed and haven't even turned the computer on or done any crafting at all.

I'm still feeling a bit under the weather but I hope to get back to normal today. I've got orders for some new home cards which need to be completed soon, (only got the orders on Tuesday), so I'd better complete and deliver them at some point.

Hoping everyone else is well and having some good weather.

Post soon
Claire

Magic Box

I made a magic box yesterday. Much the same as an exploding box but I used the tutorial which can be found on the magic box site. It is an amazing site with some wonderful inspiring boxes, well worth a look.

I followed the tutorial which was very well explained. For once I actually had the stamp which I was meant to use so I managed to make it as close to the original as possible although I still changed a few bits, such as the butterflies, which may have been a mistake! My box is not quite what I was hoping for. I think the butterflies I have used are too small.

Even though I had the dimensions it still surprised me how small the finished box was but I think it is a lovely size especially for putting a little gift in and giving it for a birthday. I think jewellery in here would be perfect.

Here is the finished box closed:

As you open it the butterflies spring out and bobble about!

This has certainly inspired me and I will be trying another box before long, perhaps the next one will be a little larger.

Huge thanks to Elaine for putting the tutorial on her site and for creating such inspiring boxes.

Claire

Photographic light box

I have been wanting to get a light box for my card and atc photography for ages. I did a search on the internet a while back and came across a site which said you could make a perfectly adequate light box for under £5. I'd seen light boxes on ebay for between £40 and £100 so I thought - what the hey I may as well give it a go.

Well to say the box is basic is an understatement but I'll try anything once! Well I spent a bit of time gathering up all the bits and pieces I needed and then set to work. The light box is basically just a cardboard box with sections cut out and tissue paper stuck over.

Once I had made the box I experimented with different lighting angles and different lights until I got the result I wanted. Here's my extremely high-tech light box:

I would have previously taken a photograph of a card or atc with it laying down on my cutting mat which is never a great angle and not the nicest background. I was also reliant on either a desk light or the sun to light the picture. As we've not had that much sun this year it was mostly the job of the desk light which often meant changing the colours and white balance of the picture. I've not modified the following pictures in any way, not even tweaked them a bit!

Here's a new card I've made taken in my light box, (I wouldn't normally take a white card on a white background):

The background is interchangeable and I've made white, black, gold and blue so I think I have most eventualities covered! Here's the same photo with a black background - what a difference it makes.

I am so chuffed I now have a fantastic light box which cost me absolutely nothing as I had all the bits I needed.

If anyone would be interested in detailed instructions on how to make a lightbox for absolutely nothing please leave a comment and I'll add a tutorial to my blog.

Claire

Yet Another Birthday Card

Hi all, another nice day here today, the weather forecast says we're going to have a wet Sunday and also rain next week so I've been making the most of it. I went for a walk this morning, posted some letters at the post office on my way and discovered a few new public footpaths which I'd never come across before on my way back. All in all I think I walked about 5 miles so hopefully the scales will be kind to me when I weigh myself tomorrow morning!

This time the cards not black and white! I saw a card similar to this on the internet a while back and have had the idea in my head ever since so I thought it was about time to do something about it! I decided to make mine blue and have used papers from a DCWV Paper Stack. The first picture shows the finished card all sealed with a ribbon and ready to go.

The second picture is the inside of the card.

I think I'll use this as another birthday list card, not sure who for yet though!

Post soon
Claire

Another Birthday Card

Here's another card I've finished which will be sent to someone on the CM&P Birthday List. It's another black and white with red card. It looks a bit like all the elements don't quite line up but it is just the photo - I've just checked!!!



Hope you like it.
Claire

Blog candy

There's some great candy up for grabs over at Jean's blog to celebrate her birthday. All you need to do is leave her a comment and don't forget to have a look at all her fantastic creations while you're there.

Claire

A Birthday Card

It's a lovely day here today, lots of sun and no rain although there have been quite a few grey clouds rolling over recently.

I've finally finished a card! I started this one a couple of days ago and is for someone on the CM&P Forum Birthday List. I have got really hooked on black and white cards and love adding a little bit of colour to make them stand out. I've hand drawn the silver bits on the flower, middle strip and corners. The backing paper I designed myself, you can't really see that much of it but it's a paisley design, made on Photoshop. I really love everything you can do with this program and I think I'm only barely scratching the surface of it's capabilities.

Post soon

Claire

Apologies for not posting for the last couple of days. I made a decision a while back that I would try to post on here every day - well I managed it while I was on holiday by scheduling but as soon as I'm back and sat in front of the computer it's all gone wrong!

I haven't done much crafting for a while and as a result I've got loads of ideas buzzing around in my head but I'm finding it difficult to finish each project before wanting to start another. So I have got about 8 cards all at various stages of completion and a few other bits and pieces too.

When I was a child my Mother always used to nag me about finishing one thing before starting another, I guess things don't change that much as you grow up!

I am NOT going to start anything else until I've finished everything I'm making so as soon as I have anything completed I'll show you.

Post soon
Claire

My crafty purchases

As I said yesterday I did manage to fit some shopping time into my time in Devon. I've been sorting out all the new bits and pieces and thought I'd share it with you. I bought:

• Assorted eyelets
• Assorted brads
• Peel-offs
• 12x12 card
• Opalescent card blanks
• Corner punches
• X cut shape cutters
• A Big Bite machine, which I think I'm going to have great fun playing with!

I didn't actually think I'd bought that much but now it's all laid out together it looks like loads. All I need now is for some crafty inspiration to hit me right between the eyes!

Claire

Answering Questions

Thank you again for all the lovely comments you have left on my blog, here are some of my responses and the answers to the questions which have been asked while I was away.

On the post 'Another Birthday Card', (25/7/08), Lazykay asked where I get the flowers from which I've been using recently on my cards. The answer is I make them - they are cut out using the Sizzix, the die is called flowers, daisies and is a thick cut die. I always cut two the same size, stick the first one down and then stick the second one on top having rotated it slightly so the petals don't align. I have been using buttons as the centre of the flowers recently but I have also used large brads in the past.

On the post 'Some Jewellery', (27/7/08), Lazykay asked if I had a jig to make the rings. The answer to that one is no. I use a piece of metal rod to shape the ring but the swirls and decorations and made entirely by hand with no template etc.

The text on the 'Scrapbook Pages' post, (30/7/08) reads:

1st page, (Daddy):

Walk a little slower,
Said a child so small,
I'm following in your footsteps,
And don't want to fall,
Sometimes your steps are very fast,
Sometimes they're hard to see,
So walk a little slower daddy,
For you are leading me.

2nd page, (Mummy):

A mother's love is like a circle,
It has no beginning and no ending,
It keeps going around and around ever expanding,
Touching everyone who comes in contact with it,
Engulfing them like the morning's mist,
Warming them like the noontime sun,
And covering them like a blanket of evening stars,
A mother's love is like a circle,
It has no beginning and no ending.

Thank you again for all the comments.

Claire

Hi all

Just a quick note to say I'm back and itching to get crafting again. I normally take some crafty bits and pieces with me when I go away but I decided that I'd be too busy this time so didn't. I was right - no time for crafting, but I certainly missed it. I had a good time though, managed to fit a few hours of relaxation time in between the work. The weather the first few days was lovely - bright sunshine and hot but then unfortunatekly the rain put in an appearance and didn't really leave again! I did manage to do a few walks on Dartmoor in between showers, which I love, although they were not as long as I would have liked.

Apologies for the lack of posts for the past couple of days for some reason the posts I had scheduled didn't appear but at least that means there's more to show you later.

Thank you to all who have visited and read my blog while I was away. I know I've had quite a few comments left for me and some of them were questions so I'll go through them now and answer the questions in another post soon. Then I'm going to go blog hopping and see what I've missed while away.

Thank you Lazykay for all the lovely comments you leave on my blog. I really appreciate it and it's lovely to read what others think of your creations.

Post soon
Claire

My First Stitched Card

This is the first stitched card I ever made. I used a metal design template and I like the effect although with hindsight I think it would have looked better in a different colour. Even though I haven't made many stitched cards I do like the effect and would love to try some more when I have time.


Claire

Sympathy Card

Here's a card I made a while ago. I found this quite difficult as I obviously needed to get the feel of the card just right. I thought the autumnul colours were appropriate and I liked the poem which I found on the internet.


It reads:
May time bring fond memories in place of present sorrows. thinking of you in this difficult time.



Claire

A Disaster

I made this card for my Mother but unfortunately at the last moment disaster struck. I used a lovely flower vellum as the backing paper, triple mounted peel offs and then hand coloured them. I put the waterfall together and all was going well until I was sticking it to the front of the card and it fell out of my hand and stuck firm. Needles to say it was not straight and with a backing paper that had rows of flowers there was no way I could get away with it! I couldn't get it off to straighten it so the card was put in the bottom of a drawer and has sat there ever since. I thought I'd show it to you though because I still like the elements of the card and everyone has little disasters now and then. Some of them are happy ones and you like the effect you create even though you didn't mean to and some are just plain disasters!

Claire

Butterfly ATC's

I made these atc's for a swap on the CM&P Forum a few months ago. I love pictures of butterflies and using them on atc's although I hate them in real life. I find them fascinating but I have a completely irrational fear of silent fluttery things - I've even worse with moths!

I think these are among some of my favourite atc's and in some ways I even regret sending them into the swap as I would have liked to have kept them for myself, maybe I'll make some more one day. I received some fantastic atc's from other people in the swap so I am very glad I did send them!

Claire

Anniversary Card

I have made an anniversary card. It is much the same as a birthday card I showed you a while back but I loved the design and the colours so much that I thought I'd use the idea and show you all again!


Happy Blogging
Claire

New Grandparents

There seems to be lots of baby girls being born at the moment and here's another card, but this time it's for the new Grandparents. I've used my little bunny rabbit stamp again and water colours to add some colour to the image. I also found a piece of ribbon which says 'It's a girl' on it. I have to say I think this card is a bit 'pink', I know it's for a baby girl and therefore should traditionally be but I just think maybe it's a bit of a pink overload! Anyway the person I made it for was happy so that's good!


Claire