How did you get started?

Hi there,
Having read a blog post this evening, wherein the author discussed how she got started in crafting, I decided I'd share my story too.

Back in 2008 and following an illness where in I was out of work for a few weeks, I decided to get crafty again. I was always dabbling with something growing up, painting with acrylics, oils and pastels and I also enjoyed baking too. While surfing the net I came across a craft store based here in Ireland and popped into their forums, had a good look around and thought to myself that I'd like to try it out. It was approaching my 30th birthday and so I decided that I'd make some invitations to go out, rather than buy them. I really didn't know what I'd do and so posted on the forum looking for suggestions along with how to get started. I decided to make little purses where the invitation was a card placed inside it. The colours I used was purple and hot pink with silver buckles and ribbon for handles, very girlie. Everybody commented on how wonderful they looked.

This side of the summer is always busy for me with birthdays etc. and so I kind of took off from there. I remember making my sister's birthday card, popping on a cool photo of her, doing a few other things but not fully knowing what to do. I bought lots of embellishments along the way but wanted to do more. Then I came across a group called Kilcoole Crafting Club based in Wicklow, about an hour from home. I'd such great fun with those ladies, everyone made me feel welcome, let me try there toys and I attended many more workshops from there.

6 years later I'm still crafting. Where decoupage was my main style, I now mostly enjoy stamping, using Tim Holtz products, my Cuttlebug, using LOTV images and Martha Stewart products too. These are the items I simply can't live without. I don't have one particular style because I like many. I particularly love vintage and steampunk but try pretty much anything I can get my hands on.

How did you get started? I'd really love to know.

Challenge #94 - Father's Day or Wedding

Hi everyone,

It’s time for another challenge over on Pattie’s Creations Design Challenge. This month there are two themes to choose from, Father’s Day or Wedding. I’ve chosen wedding as it so happens that my wedding anniversary falls on the 15^th…12 years of wedded bliss!! Full details for Challenge #94 are found HERE.

Pattie has some amazing images to choose from, possibly the hardest part of being a DT member...I want to use them all!! Check out Pattie’s Creations Design Challenge blog HERE and Pattie’s Etsy shop HERE where you can purchase some or all of her amazing digi stamps.

The images that I chose to use are:

                                Wedding Bands With Bow

                                              Young Love

                               Wedding Champagne Glasses

And here’s a pic of me and hubby on our wedding day…12 years ago.

Some cards

Here are cards that I made for my friend...She's a very special person and while I've never met her in person, she lives in Canada and me, well I live in Ireland. I do hope that the opportunity presents itself some day and we get to meet. I've known her almost 4 years.

 

Mail Art

I took part in Candace's mail art swap over on Your Paper Pantry. The theme was butterflies and I just LOVE butterflies. Here's what I came up with.

Take a plain white envelope

Run some pink distress ink over the envelope, then dab on gold ink 

and finish with a dab of light gold metallic pain to give it a nice sheen...pearlised effect.

Then get your favourite butterfly stamps and let them fly across the envelope, back and front.

Est voila!!

Door Hanger

Here's a door hanger I made. When I saw the image of the plant pots, I knew I had the perfect stamp to go with it. So I decided to make a door hanger and pop it in my study. I made this at 3am this morning when I couldn't sleep.

Tooth Fairy Box

This week's design challenge was to make anything but a card. I decided to alter a box and use this adorable Fairy image. I made a Tooth Fairy box, I loved the image.

Busy busy...no time for crafting

Time goes by so fast. You've great plans to settle down and craft but then life gets in the way. Juggling work, college, home life, trips to London and an unexpected stint in hospital, there's been no time to craft and I WANT TO CRAFT!! This all in the last 2 weeks too.

When I started college I said that some of what I do would go on hold but never intended for crafting to stop. So today, resting my poor back...I've got 4 protruding disks causing awful pain and am on so many pain killers...I decided to browse Pinterest. I just love that site, it's great.

I've a few projects to work on like the my May Holiday Card Swap that I'm hosting over on Art & Images By Kym (you'll see the button below) - a pretty cool swap where in I list a number of unusual holidays around the world, then we make a card based on one and post it to our partner. I also have a DT challenge to make for Pattie's Creations Design Challenges. She has a seriously good Etsy shop where she sells her own digi images and there's an amazing selection to choose from. I'd recommend popping over and treating yourself. Then I've a special project to work on for my mum's 60th and I want to make some token gifts for some special friends. All this crafting on top of another assignment and some studying too. 

It's Easter Time

It's Easter time, a time for chocolate eggs and my favorite, chocolate mini eggs. This week Pattie is hosting an Easter them over on her Pattie's Creations Design Challenge. I fell in love with this image and just had to use it. I decide to make a duo, a card and altered ceramic holder...full of mini eggs...yummy!

To join in the fun and find out the rules, just click HERE. It will take you directly to Pattie's Creations Design Challenge blog and you'll find details of Pattie's Etsy shop over there too. She has some amazing digi stamps, so go on over to the shop and treat yourself. You wont be disappointed.

Easter Challenge Time

Here’s an Easter card that I made using Pattie’s fabulous image. To join in Challenge No. 90 – “EASTER” just click HERE. Remember, you must use a stamped image on your card.

Where's the time going?

Wow, it's been nearly a month since I last posted or did any crafting. I can't believe it. I started college on the 25th March and it's taken up a lot of my time. I can't believe though that so much time has passed since I last crafted and my blog looks so bare. I'm going to be working on something really special in the coming days so will be sure to pop images up. Oh, also folks on Friday, Pattie of Pattie's Creations Design Challenge will be posting a new challenge so be sure to check out her blog and enjoy the fun. You'll find her blog HERE