About Me

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Hi, I'm Pam and thank you for visiting my blog. I have been making cards for over 10 years and am an independent demonstrator for Creative Expressions. I am lucky enough to teach on cruise ships and also get the chance to demo at The Big Stamping and Scrapbooking Show at Alexander Palace. I run workshops for a local craft shop and if anyone would like details of the them please e-mail me at stephen.smith870@ntlworld.com I love to scrapbook but my all time favourite thing is to get messy with ink!

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Bear Hugs!

Good Morning All, it's Wednesday again and time for my DT piece for Creative Studios.

The very lovely Sam Poole has been busy designing again and has come up with some of the cutest animal stamps that I've ever seen!  Lucky me, got a whole set of them to play with!!

Today I've used Mr Bear.  I just fell in love with this one as soon as I saw it and I hope you will as well.



I thought it would make a fab card for a New Arrival (not that I'd mind getting a card with this bear on!)

I've put the full "how to" on the Creative Studios blog so head over there for details.

Sam has also made some projects using the stamps, they are from her Whimsical Animal Range.

Well, just a quick one today so until next time, have a happy, crafty week.

Tuesday 25 February 2014

A Project Worksheet.

Good Morning All.  Well, this is a bit different but as I've been asked to do a project worksheet for the decorated frame, I thought I'd put it on todays blogpost.

If you click on the link below, it'll take you to a printable sheet so that you'll be able to follow all the instructions a little more easily than referring back to the blog.

 
Here's a photo of the finished frame to remind you what it looks like!
 
Now onto todays project.  I've used the Vintage Sewing Stamp Set for this tag.
Start by covering a tag with a page from an old book.
Spritz all over with Cosmic Shimmer Vintage Mister in Tarnished Gold.  Spritz some CS Mister in Antique Rose in patches (use a heat gun to move the Antique Rose spray around).  Distress edges with Milled Lavender Distress Ink.
 
Stamp parts of the canvas stamp onto the tag with Black Archival Ink.  Stamp the ruler down the left edge with the same ink.  Paint around the edge of the tag with Black Acrylic Paint.
 
Spread Gold Pearl Texture Paste through the Buttons Mask over areas of the tag and set aside to dry.
Stamp onto a piece of Coconut White card, the dressmakers dummy, 3 cotton reels, some buttons and the sentiment.
Die cut the sentiment using Spellbinders Resplendent Rectangles and, with the die still in place, distress with Frayed Burlap Ink.  Cut out the other stamped images.
Paint the images with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink and Cosmic Shimmer Tarnished Gold and Antique Rose Misters.
Wrap some gold thread around one of the cotton reels.
 
Attach one of the cotton reels and the sentiment with 3d foam pads after gluing the other images into place with Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue.
Attach a piece of Teardrop Black Lace to the bottom of the card and a piece of Black Seam Binding to hang it with.
 
And there is the finished project.  I've had this stamp set for a while and it's become one of my favourites.  I can always seem to think of something else that I can do with it.  That's how I rate a stamp set that is good value for money!!
 
I'll be back tomorrow with a project for Sam Poole at Creative Studios so until then, have a happy, crafty day.

Wednesday 19 February 2014

A Bit of Springtime!

Good Morning All, I thought I'd bring a bit of Spring Sunshine to you today.  I've had enough of the rain!!

It's my turn to make a project for Sam Poole at Creative Studios so I've come up with this card using her new Doodle Corner Mask.  There's so much that you can do with this mask that I think it's going to be very useful!

Anyway, without further ado, here it is.....get your sunglasses on!


Well, I did warn you!

This is just a very quick posting today as I've put all of the "how to's" on the Creative Studios blog.

So until next time, have a happy crafty week!

Tuesday 18 February 2014

3d Bird House

Good Morning All and welcome to my Tuesday post for Creative Expressions.

I was lucky enough to be sent a 3d MDF Bird House to play with for this weeks project.  It's really easy to put together but as a tip, I marked the back of each piece!

Lay out the pieces and paint with 2 coats of Clam Shell Eco-Green Acrylic Paint.  Scrape a layer of White paint over the top and set aside to dry.

Cut hearts using the Spellbinder Heart Dies with Teresa Collins Paper.

Stamp the Woodgrain A6 Background stamp over all the Bird House pieces except for the roof using Coffee Archival Ink.  Distress the edges with Frayed Burlap Ink.



Put the Bird House together (it slots into place).  Glue the hearts into place on the roof upside down overlapping as you go.


Die cut 3 Scalloped Circles for the ridge of the roof and glue into place.  Add a Tim Holtz Idea-ology disc to the front centre of the roof.


Die cut a small heart and glue onto the front of the house.
Cut out the large bird from the Spellbinder Bird Sanctuary Die Set using Teresa Collins Paper.  With the die still in place, apply Frayed Burlap Distress Ink. Die cut the flower panel using the Spellbinder Flower Burst D-Lite Die with Black Cardstock.  Glue into place.


Using the Spellbinder Floral Flourishes  Dies, cut some swirls, glue into place.
Stamp the flower from the Couture Creations Dream Boat Collection onto Teresa Collins paper using Black Archival Ink.  Cut out and distress the edges with Frayed Burlap Ink.
Make up into 3d flowers and glue into place.
I've used Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear glue to attach everything to the bird house.  Hope you like it. 

I'll be back tomorrow with a DT project for Sam Poole at Creative Studios.  Until then, have a happy, crafty time!

Wednesday 12 February 2014

Funky Valentine's Day Card

Good Morning All and a happy Wednesday.

Today's post is a card I've made for the Creative Studios Design Team blog.

For once, I haven't touched a stamp or any ink...a miracle!

Sam Poole sent me such gorgeous papers that I really couldn't get them messy!  They're from a designer called Teresa Collins and these are papers from her Memorabilia 12x12 range.


I've put a full "how to" on the Creative Studios blog listing all the papers I've used.  Just head for the link on the right that says Sam Poole.

Hope you like it, sometimes less is more!

Christine B...please e-mail me your address so I can get the blog candy off to you!

Until next time....have a fun and crafty week.

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Baroque Frame

Good Morning All and a Happy Tuesday!  Today is my turn to design a project fro Creative Expressions and I thought I'd show you a gift idea that might be great for Mother's Day or possibly, an anniversary.

Start by covering the Pronty MDF Baroque Square Photo Frame with Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby Paper.



Apply Flake and Glitter Glue to the A6 Fern Background Stamp and without using an acrylic block, randomly stamp over the frame.  Apply Cosmic Shimmer Silver Moon Gilding Flakes.


Paint the backing board with White Eco-Green Acrylic Paint as well as the edges of the front frame and the aperture.

Die cut 2 Spellbinder Circles, 1 from the patterned paper and a smaller one from Coconut White Cardstock.  Stamp the sentiment from the Artsy Floral A5 stamp set onto the white card using Black Archival Ink and heat emboss with Cosmic Shimmer Clear Powder.

Place the frame over the back board and mark where the aperture will sit.  Place the Leaves Mask over the circle and dab through with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.

Glue the sentiment into place.  Glue the frame to the backing board.

Die cut leaves from the Spellbinder Foliage set and, with the die still in place, ink through with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.

Stamp the flower from the Studio 490 Accents for Art stamp set onto Coconut White Cardstock with Black Archival Ink.
Cut the flowers out and distress the edges with the Tumbled Glass Ink.  Make the flowers 3d (there are a lot of tutorials already on blogs....Sue Wilson has a brilliant one on the Particraft blog).

Using the Melt Pot, melt some Cosmic Shimmer UTEE and dip the flowers.

Arrange the leaves and flowers and glue into place on the frame.

I really enjoyed making this, I love to do altered art and the Pronty MDF shapes from Creative Expressions are brilliant to work with.
Everything I've used today is available from Creative Expressions and you can find your nearest retailer by visiting their website.  Hope you like the project!

The winner of the blog candy is Christine B.  Please e-mail your address and I'll get it in the post to you.

Many thanks for visiting and leaving comments.
I'll be back tomorrow with a project for Creative Studios so until then, have a happy, craft time and stay dry!!

Wednesday 5 February 2014

Creative Studios DT Post

Good Morning All, just a quick one today.

It's my turn to design for the Creative Studios Team today and I've come up with a little wall plaque using Sam's gorgeous Doodle Flowers and Butterflies Stamp sets.


As usual, I've posted a full step by step (with photos) on the Creative Studios Website.  I have a link on the right...just click on Sam Poole and it will take you there, then click on design team.

As the winner of the blog candy hasn't claimed the prize I'm going to re-draw a winner.  So to be in with a chance, just leave a comment under this post and I'll pick someone from there.

I'll leave you with a picture of Table Mountain in Cape Town.  I can't believe that we were there on Saturday and now we're back in the cold and wet!


So until next time, have a happy, crafty week!

Tuesday 4 February 2014

New Stamps!!

Good Morning All and a very happy Tuesday! 

Today I'll be showcasing one of the gorgeous new A6 Background stamps from Creative Expressions.  This one is the Feather Swirl.

To make todays card, start by stamping the background stamp twice onto Dark Roast Coffee Cardstock sing Perfect Medium Ink.  Heat emboss with Cosmic Shimmer Bright Gold Metallic Powder.  Trim to size. 

Matt and layer onto Coconut White and Dark Roast Coffe cardstock.

Stamp the sentiment from the Doodle Butterfly stamp set onto Coconut White card using Perfect Medium and heat emboss as before.  Die cut using the Large Scalloped Circle Spellbinder Dies.  Stamp small sections of the background stamp onto the circle and heat emboss.  Swipe the Perfect Medium Ink around the edge and heat emboss as well.
Matt and layer onto a scalloped circle cut from the Dark Roast Coffee Card.

Die cut Parisian Accents 3 times using Tim Holtz paper.  Stamp over the top of the die cuts with the background stamp and heat emboss. 

 Scrunch the 3 die cuts and glue together to form a flower.  Add a Light Brown Dazzler to the centre and glue into place on the card.


Die Cut 2 corners from the Parisian Accents set using Coconut White Cardstock and glue onto the card using Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue.
Add 2 Creative Expressions Metal Leaves to the side of the flower and 2 pearls to the corner accents to finish.



I've also included a close up shot of the flower with the leaves as they didn't really show on the main picture.  More to do with my photography than how the card really looks!

Everything I've used today is available from Creative Expressions.  To find your nearest stockist, visit their website and you'll find a store locater.

Well that's it for today.  I'll be back tomorrow with a design for the Creative Studios team so until then, have a wonderful crafty time!