Vintage Love Birds Wedding Card

Hello lovely readers,

Well as I write it is really important to tell you that it is 1.10am and sleep has foresaken me tonight.  Mr J is sound asleep, the mere sound of a little snuffling breaking the silence whilst I am sat here with my eyes propped open by matchsticks really to be honest with you incredibly tired and yet completely unable to join him in the land of nod.... Not ideal either as tomorrow morning I need to be up early for a demonstrations...

Still never one to waste productive time I thought I would blog a little card I made for Mr J's nephew and new wife's wedding.

I really knew where I was going with this when I started it - birdcages and lovebirds were definitely the icons I knew I wanted to use but it didn't end up the way I intended.... Though if I am completely honest with myself my designs rarely end up the way I first envisage them. The creative process takes over and before I know it a complete transformation has taken place.

This card was meant to be clean and simple (CAS for those who may not know the terminology) but I am finding that really my versions of clean and simple just seem to end up being my usual cluttered style, just with a little less clutter.  I think in all my attempts at following the CAS trend this is maybe the most clean and simple I have achieved and been happy with.  I've decided to to brand this particular and peculiarly "me" version Vintage Clean and Simple - a hybrid that is not quite clean and simple but draws on my love of all things pretty and charmingly old fashioned.

This card incorporates loads of my favourite Docrafts basics - kraft and textured card (simple but rustic ally charming), book print papers, adhesive gems, ribbon bows, dye inks and mini alpha stickers.  Combined with my favourite (amongst many) Tim Holtz bird cage die, Brenda Walton embossing folder and memorybox peaceful bird die (cut from the top and underside of the textured card so that the bird couple face each other) I have to confess to being just a teency weency bit pleased with this design (being my own fiercest critic this is indeed an unusual admission).

This project is also featuring in the September issue of Die Cut Crazy - the international digi mag on whose DT I sit with some other talented ladies.  It is a monthly magazine concentrating on everything that you can acheive with a die cutting machine be it manual or electronic and is packed full of inspirational goodies from designers across the globe. To find out how you can get your mitts on the latest copy and back issues do hop over and visit http://bit.ly/W0RGhe

Well, as it is now 1.40 am and I really do have to be at work early tomorrow so must endeavour to get some shut eye... Maybe I will try counting sheep.... 1.. 2..3..4......... Zzzzzzzz

Wishing you all a very crafty weekend..

Night night 

Hugs

Becky

Xx

Classic Christmas Cherubs!!!!

Try saying that quickly - a wee bit of a tongue twister I can tell you (and yes I have sat here whilst deciding on the title of this post doing just that! Those of you who know me off the page will probably not be at all surprised by this) ;0)

Well I realise it really has been a bit of a while since we last spoke but I have to confess to being a tad bit busy.... Somewhere at the beginning of August I had a holiday (seems a long way off now), my craft room has now been turned over, cleared out, revamped and re-organised (have to admit to getting a little bit caught up in and excited about all the gorgeous inks, stamps, dies and various other crafting clutter that I had forgotten I had so this took maybe a little longer than expected oops) and last week I was all caught up in one of my favourite parts of my job (designing and filming "in the studio" for docrafts tv with Katy & Rob - such a gigglesome day!)  Add In a few demos in my spare time and I hope that you will forgive me in not being in touch sooner.  

I  do promise though that in amongst this I have been gathering lots of ideas for future posts - projects, techniques, behind the scenes, favourite stash - I have a little note book at home in which I been jotting down all the ideas... I've even got Mr J heading up into the loft to hunt down the proper tripod so I can set up better pictures for steps using my camera and remote control... It's all new to me but will certainly be great fun learning how to acheive better results....

Anyway before I go off on a tangent I have been demonstrating the past weekend with all the new gorgeous Docrafts Papermania ranges.  It's no secret that I am a lover of all things vintage and I love the bygone feel and collage style of the Victorian Christmas collection.  The images remind me of Victorian "scraps" when I was a little girl.  I used to cut them out to stick inside my scrapbook (you know the big ones - bigger than me if I remember rightly- that were made from sugar paper and filled with drawings and paper and magazine cuttings) or to adorn the front of exercise books and boxes as gifts for my mom and nans. 

As not just a cardmaker but also an altered artist, home decor designer and mixed media lover I love how I can chop into the gorgeous ephemera and pull out beautiful artwork, icons and decorations to decorate all my festive projects... Every time you inspect the papers and die cut packs I can promise you you will find something new to delight in and you will find a purpose for every inch of this collection. Not a scrap will go to waste.

Today I'm sharing this cheeky cherub festive card I made at my demonstration on Sunday.  It isn't evident on the main picture but a tiny spritz and flick of Artiste Gold Spritz ink really adds a touch of magic to the collage style background paper - it only needs a hint of the pearlescent pigment and don't forget to let the paper dry thoroughly before attaching it to your projects.  

If you love this stunning collection too hop over and watch the video we have for you in the Docrafts TV archive where we make a detailed decorative Christmas gift planner. Apparently my West Midlands accent comes to the fore a little when I get excited and I do tend to get excited when I'm crafting so do try to ignore that ;0) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4vOsZi0mJc&list=PLV8HQP-elCNgVmoOBYYdOdSuR8E930rYl

I would love to know what you think of these projects and I hope they inspire you to have a go at similar projects yourself.

I'll be back soon with more gossip from my little world soon

Until then look after yourself and tatty bye for now

Becky

xxx

Don't you love some crafting freebies????

So tell me how a whole week has gone by without a blog post then.... I really don't know but it has been a very busy week in between.  I've been working hard on new projects for the September issue of Creativity magazine, preparing for an important new project coming up in a few months and wondering where all that warm weather came from.  Phew it's been rather balmy - but I'm not going to complain. The flowers in my garden are loving it and the first few tomatoes which haven't been ravaged by some disease are starting to ripen.  I have a thing about tomatoes - forget fruit I can eat punnet after punnet of juicy, sweet vine ripened tomatoes. I've always loved them - for some people it's strawberries but for me it's tomatoes... Though I do admit that they don't go so well with a Victoria sponge or clotted cream... ;0)

Anyway, enough of my witterings, all I say is it has been a busy week and there I go getting completely side tracked with thoughts of summer fruits.... Mr J would tell you I am easily distracted...

So let's get back to the topic of crafting freebies.... I think most people are like me when they are choosing their magazines and they have a good nosey to see if there is something enticing they would like to have a play with lurking on the front cover... Which was why I was so over the moon when the July issue of Creativity came out.  What gorgeous goodness there was for me waiting inside the packaging - papers, glitter glue and stamps... Oh my how happy this little bunny was!!!

Firstly, the papers are from the wonderfully vintage botanicals range - in my eyes perfection itself!!! 

The craft planet glitter glue is the bees knees. With chips just a little bit chunkier than normal glitter glues it has a lovely vintage feel too it (I've used it so many times this month to add a hint of sparkle to the flowers on those papers) and the tubes have an ultra fine tip perfect for precision application... To be perfectly honest I had never used it before these arrived and I am very impressed - it will have a permanent place in my demonstration kit from now on!

Then finally there are the stamps. 

Hmmmmmm it's no secret that stamps and inks are a true passion of mine.  I have more than I care to admit too - of all types... Of both... You know those things in life that us hard core crafters have "little problems" with??? These are two of mine.  

If you look closely you'll no doubt have noticed that they are Christmas stamps.... I know some of you out there would be happy for me to talk Santa and elves 365 days a a year but for those who aren't my apologies for the "c" word but I hope you will excuse me when you see the project I have to share with you.

I've made this project many times this month and it really is so easy.  All it needs is white 300gsm card,  a little water colour (in marker or paint form), spritz inks, dye inks, your free stamps and the few added embellishments you see on the project itself.  It's so easy to create with the minimum of fuss and the maximum effect. You see this is the joy of stamps... You can start with very little and create your own masterpieces.

So go and pick up your own copy of the July Creativity Magazine whilst stocks last!

Take care and happy crafting - I  would love to know what you make with your free gifts :0) 

Becky

xxx

Die Cut Crazy!!!!

Gooooood Evening everyone!!!

Well before I settle down with a few good crafting magazines on this warm, balmy evening I wanted to share with you a project I REALLY enjoyed making. 

Today the lovely Katy Godbeer and camera, video and all things filming expert Rob Smith - oh yes and me! - have been recording four brand new episodes of Creativity tv. Have to say it was a tad warm under those lights!!!! ;0)  I thought I'd write a post for you about what we get up to behind the scenes sometime soon.... I don't know if you are like me but I do like a look behind the curtain sometimes.... I think I have inherited the nosey gene from somewhere in my family! 

Anyway, I've been a bit of a die-cutting and embossing queen today which brought the project I'm sharing tonight to mind.... 

Last month I was accepted onto a DT for a fledgling digi mag aimed at all things die-cutting and embossing, whether you use a manual or electronic machine. "Die cut crazy" has a fabulous international design team and in the July issue - this project features in this issue - there are all manner of fabulous designs, with so many different styles and techniques on view!!!

The project I am sharing is inspired by a rather flamboyant character who used to provide regular entertainment on our Saturday night tv schedule here in the UK when I was younger.... I wonder if you can guess who?

This seriously simple design uses the little spectacle die found in the Xcut Suit Card Die Set. Add a little (or a lot of) bling and the required greeting (love those little Papermania alphas) and there you go, a design which for me is thoroughly nostalgic, retro and complete and utter fun. 

Hope you like this one and do drop by and get the latest edition of "Die Cut Crazy" to see what we have all been up to. Tomorrow I'll be designing my project ready for the August issue - can't wait to see what all the other talented designers have created! 

There's quite a nice little breeze here now so I'm off to enjoy some light crafty reading.

Have a lovely evening a and I will catch you very soon

Lots of love

Becky

xx