Celebrity Guest Blogger - Nigel May

Today, we have the absolute pleasure of getting to know a little more about the wonderful Mr Nigel May!!!

Nigel is one of the most popular presenters on Create and Craft and Ideal World TV. He is also a very avid writer, crafter and all round nice person! Enjoy the read.....

Name -

NIGEL MAY

If you have a blog, what's the blog address..?

My blog is part of my website which is www.nigelmay.net - I love writing it and try to update it as often as possible.

How long have you been crafting?

My interest started when I first began to present programmes at Create And Craft - I thought it was fascinating to see what people were making. I have been dabbling with it at home for a few years now. Demos on telly still scare me though!

How did you start crafting?

Watching people who were regulars on Create And Craft inspired me to have a go. People like Leann, Sara, Stephanie, Leonie, Nancy, Hayley, Sue Smith...they all made me realise how much fun and how affordable the world of craft is. Plus it's so much more satisfying to make something rather than buying a card from the shops.

What is your favorite product line?

I think the Ultimate Pro is such a good product - it just makes sense doesn't it? No wonder it's been a huge hit worldwide - it does everything. I am really proud of the A-May-Zing range too - it was like being an expectant father when the first CD-Rom was launched into the crafting world. I was so thrilled when people started to tell me they liked it. It was a lot of hard work.

What do you watch/listen to when you're creating?

It'll either be Create And Craft on the telly in the background or I will be listening to something poppy - I am an 80s boy at heart so it will probably be something retro like Culture Club or Duran Duran from the 80s.. Or Grace Jones - I love her! I could listen to her all day.

What do you snack on while crafting?

I graze all day long! Crisps, biscuits, sandwiches, fruit bars...anything. I seem to be continually hungry. I should really weigh about 20 stone!

Any paper crafting pet peeves?

Trying to put a card together with an inquisitive pussy cat on the table is never a good idea. My cat, Diva, is rather fond of sitting on piles of card and paper while I'm trying to decide what to do with them.

What is your favorite colour combination to use on your cards?

I love greens and purples but to be honest I don't have a particular favourite colour scheme. I do love a black and white card though, I think they look really stylish. I had a black and white Christmas one year which looked lovely.

Do you distress everything, not at all or somewhere in between?

I'm an inbetweener. Depends on what the card is hoping to look like.

What is your favourite tool in your scrappy space?

Sticky pick up tool - hours of fun moving things around your desk top and placing things like rhinestones on cards is so much easier than ever before.

What is your favourite item in your scrappy space?

I have some retro papers featuring Saturday Night Fever style dance figures. I love them - not sure what to do with them yet - I keep saving them for a rainy day. I know the card I make with them has to be disco-tastic!

When creating a project, do you plan it out or go with the flow?

I do try to plan, but usually something will take me off on a tangent half way through and make me think about trying something else so the end result will usually be totally different to the original idea

What type of adhesive do you use?

Colall glue is excellent and I do love a tape pen for speed.

What is your favourite kind of cardstock?

Core'Dinations cardstock. Beautiful stuff. There's so much choice.

Do you enjoy stepping out of your zone when creating new projects?

More now than I used to - I'm trying to challenge myself as I go along.

About how many projects do you create in a month?

It really depends on what is going on with birthdays, launches, special events etc. Some months are really busy and other ones are quite laid back.

When is the best time for you to create?

I'm a morning person. I have to do things early in the day. I peak early.

What quality do you like and admire in others?

Determination to succeed and a happiness and consideration to those around them.. Life's too short to get nasty - what's the point?

Here is Nigel's card, made to give you inspiration for this months Challenge... Pink and Black. The card is made from Nigel's first crafting CD...

And here's the card in progress....

Items used:

A-May-Zing - All Kinds Of Everything CD

6 x 6 Card Blank

Black and Pink Cardstock

Martha Stewart Boarder Punch

Foam Pads or 3D Glue Gel

Instructions:

1. Print out the vase of flowers decoupage and two pink backing papers from the CD.

2. Mat one of the backing papers onto black cardstock and attach to the base of the card.

3. Mat a smaller piece of backing onto black cardstock and attach to the base card as in the photo.

4. Cut out all the layers of decoupage and mat the base layer first onto pick cardstock and then onto black.

5. Build up the layers of decoupage using foam pads or 3D glue gel.

6. Punch a boarder from the black cardstock and attach to the base layer.

7. Attach the decoupage image to the card base to finish.