Guest Blogger Wednesday

This week we have the lovely Kara as your guest blogger who not only brings you 1, not 2 but 3 wonderful projects for you to have a go at. So its over to Kare.

Hi, my name is Kara Milne. I have been paper crafting seriously for nearly 10 years, but before that I tried lots of different crafts. My passion was scrapbooking for many years but I now do a wider variety of paper crafts as I sometimes teach and demonstrate, and people like variety! My projects today have a bit of a story- I made a small Christmas decoration with paper cones a couple of weeks ago (its on my blog) and it came together so quickly I decided I had to experiment a bit more and see what else I could make with them. So here they are. My first project was using a polystyrene cone, this took a few attempts! You have to use smaller cones as you progress up the tree, I had a few dodgy looking try's at this! I started with 2 1/2 inch squares for 2 rows then 2 inch and finally 11/2 inch squares for near the top. You can use wet glue ( with a wee clip to hold it until its dry) or red tape for a uniformed closed looking cone, or staple the base of the cone and you get a looser look at the top- experiment as its just tiny pieces of paper you'll be using so its no great loss. I used stampin up 12x12 paper "be of good cheer". And I have heaps left for other projects, on the top is some cherry cobbler seam binding ribbon also from stampin up and a couple of jingle bells from my local craft shop. Once I started with the cones I was hooked- so here's project number 2 at a cost of nearly nothing! I used pages from an old paperback ( and I picked a really old one with yellow pages I bought at a jumble sale) and I just stapled these at the base, as it was book pages the cone was curled around more than the squares when I made them. I started with a piece of stiff cardboard or thin chipboard and traced round a dinner plate to get a circle, and put on my first layer of cones overhanging the edge ( lay them out first before you stick anything down, you want them side by side but not squished in, or have big gaps in between). I used a hot melt glue gun for speed in drying, but pva and patience works fine! The second and third rows were stuck in the dips between the bottom layers to give a staggered look. Once these were set, I stuck down some stampin up Scalloped tulle ribbon and some die cut snowflakes, and a vintage brad. Finally, just one more. Same idea, squares of paper, rolled into cones and stapled, only this time I used a polystyrene ring (about 25cm diameter) which cost just over a pound and I used 4 inch squares of double sided papers. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions you can always leave a comment on my blog,Kara's Crafty Corner, and I will try and answer them if I can. Thanks for looking Kara

And i am sure you will agree Kara's projects are just beautiful. And a big thankyou to Kara from all the team at CBN.

Guest Blogger Wednesday

Today we have another guest blogger post for you. So its over to Sam

My name is Sam Healey and I am 37 years old and live near Upton upon Severn with my husband Steve and a mad Irish setter called William and a lab cross called Oscar. I have a chronic health condition which has meant I have been unable to work for a while and so I started out by doing an Open University degree in Humanities and Classical Studies to keep my mind active and when this finished I was a little burned out study wise, so wanted a hobby to relax with and I somehow fell into card making and then all sorts of other crafts too, I love my sewing machine and I love knitting.

I love getting inky and I adore rubber stamping and the house is now bursting at the seams with stamps and papers LOL - so much so that we've had a small summer house built in the back garden as an extra little 'studio' for me to work in. I now have a small online craft business selling rubber stamps ands all sorts of paper craft products which I hope will eventually lead me back to the world of full independence and I am at the moment planning some workshops too once I find a suitable venue. ;o)

For you today I have made a card which reflects the move into Autumn (which is a bit odd considering we haven't really had much of a Summer). I inked a background with Distress Inks. I stamped the sentiment, from Creative Expressions, with Flitter Glu and then added Gilding Flake. I added the tree image underneath and heat embossed with Cosmic Shimmer powder in Viola Black Aurora. For the leaf embellishments I stamped onto acetate (with more stamps from Creative Expressions Autumn Foliage) and embossed again with powder. I then turned over and put Zig Two way glue on and waited for it to turn clear. Then I brushed Cosmic Shimmer Mica powders over the glue (using Autumnal colours). I then cut them out. I used a black card base with an acetate strip across the middle. I added the topper and then arranged a ribbon with the leaf embellishments around it. I finished by adding some faux stitching with a Sakura Gelly Roll silver pen. I hope you like it.

You can find more info on my BLOG. I also have a challenge BLOG if you fancy trying a new challenge.

Thanks to Sam from all the CBN DT. I am sure you will agree that Sams card is just perfect for the season.

Guest Blogger Wednesday with......

This week we have the loverly Elaine as your guest blogger. So its over to Elaine

Hello Everyone, my name is Elaine and I love Butterflies and Crafting! Thank you for the Crafty Bloggers Network team for giving me this opportunity to join them as a Guest Blogger.

I have always been artistic, I used to paint with acrylics and enjoyed art at school. However I came to crafting in a different way. My Grandma passed away and she used to make cards, so I inherited her stash. I was looking for a new hobby one day and I came across the box I had inherited and began making cards. I often think it was a gift from my Grandma watching over me because I really love crafting, and I know she would have been very proud to see my creations.

I am known for my love of Butterflies, I raise them most years as well and share photos of the process on my blog alongside my creations, and often Butterflies feature in my crafts often too.

I began my blog, Craft My Life in September 2010 and it was the best thing I have ever done with my crafts, I feel it has challenged my crafting to improve and evolve and I have moved into all sorts of crafts from it, where before I mainly focused on cards. I have been blessed to have featured on Design Teams, and as Guest Designer to a few places too. I have also had my work featured on upcycled.co.uk and in various craft magazines which is a huge honour.

I have recently began my own challenge on my blog, My All Crafts Challenge, to showcase the wonderful creations around in blogland. Its a challenge which focuses on non cards or scrapbooking projects because I quite often alter items and make other things which don't fit in the usual challenges and I wanted to offer a place to show off these creations. I encourage the crafters that get involved to visit other crafters entries and make new friends!

My style is different-one of my friends recently told me she always knows when I have made a card because I have a distinct style, which I find hard to explain myself. One of my main goals though is to showcase the papers and image I have without crowding them.

In the card I have made for this post, I have used one of my favourite themes, a Monochromatic card. I used a Stampin' Up stamp which I stamped in blue ink to match my Papermania Burleigh Blue papers and embellishments. I then cut around it with a nestie and embossed it. I chose my papers and made one as a main panel underneath my image, which I then matted on Cardstock. I used the stripe paper as my base, and used another patterned paper as my border then placed the panel on top. Lastly I added Papermania ribbon and a matching bow, and three Card Candy in the opposite corner.

Thank you so much for reading this and please pop by my blog, and enter my challenge if you would like, I would love to visit you and get to know some new talented crafty friends! Elaine-xxx-

Thanks Elaine for taking part in our GDT section. And if you would like to appear on the blog as a GDT please email me at slcarrington@btinternet.com and i will fit you in the schedule. Sarah

Guest Blogger Wednesday with.......

This week on CBN we have the lovely Alison Lister as our guest blogger. So its over to Alison

 

Hi everyone my name is Alison, I have just turned the big 40, I have two beautiful daughters and 5 rescued cats. And would like to say thank you for the great opportunity of being a Guest Blogger for the Crafty Bloggers Network. So some more info about me. 

I have been crafting all my life in one way or another, be it cross stitching, card making, drawing or making stuffed animals to name but a few, but I did not get into card making full time so to speak until 2006 when I got married and moved in with my in-laws. While we lived there I had my own little caravan down the garden for all my craft goodies so needless to say I spent A LOT of time down there happily crafting away lol. However, in 2009 I left the in-laws (and the hubby lol) and moved back to my home town of Barnsley, and for a few months I did not do any crafting but this was due to all my goodies still being in boxes until I was asked to do a commissioned card for a friend, so I made it my mission to create a crafty corner in my bedroom and get all the goodies out of storage, since then I have not looked back and enjoy crafting as much as I can. Sadly I did have to take a break for a few months because as well as being a full time mum I am also a full time student and my course work needed to be completed, However now that I have finished the Access to HE Diploma course I have a few months free to craft before I start University in September in which I will be for-filling my dream of becoming a qualified counselling therapist. I know that this is going to be a challenge and that I won't have as much free time as I would like to craft but the end result will be worth it. My card-marking style varies depending what mood I am in or what I have been asked to make, and I have had some strange requests which I am sure all crafter's have, but I have loved the challenges and luckily for me what I have created has been well received and loved. 

Therefore the card that I have made for this challenge is a one of the kind as it was also made for a close family friends daughter who turned 18 and who is a huge Adam Lambert fan. How I achieved it was by downloading the photo's, I then printed them on to high gloss photo paper, I cut one out in a heart shape with my spellbinders wizard, I also added black and silver ribbon along with card candy and peel off's then added them all to purple pearlescent card stock and finished it off with flower and hearts. I also added a verse on the inside. Needless to say she was over the moon with it and stated it was the best card she had ever received.

I do have a blog where you can find more of my creations. You can find it HERE. It is sadly neglected due to my college commitments so has not been updated in a while, however it is on my 'to do list' lol therefore I would love it if you could drop by and say hi and I will return the favour. Anyway I think I have rambled on enough now so I will sign off ........ Would like to just say Happy crafting everyone and thanks again for allowing me this opportunity. Take care and blessings to all. Ali xx

Once again Alison, thanks for taking the time to join in with CBN, from all of the team.

Crafty Bloggers Network Guest Blogger.......

Hi everyone, I was lucky enough to be asked to do a
guest spot on the  http://craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.co.uk/, so
here it is.

I'm a stay at home mum of two children , Daniel 11 and Hannah who is 9.
Life in our house can be quite stressful at times, and not a lot of
sleep either. Daniel was diagnosed at 3 years old as being severely
Autistic. He goes to a special needs school which is really good.
Hannah also has some of the traits, so you can imagine the stress at
our house, hence one of the reasons I got into crafting.

I've always enjoyed making things since I was young, at one stage I
made beanbag frogs for friends ! .I got into cardmaking maybe 6 or 7
years ago when I decided to make all our own Christmas cards and
basically it's gone from there. Crafting for me is a way to relax and
forget the stresses of the day, also I love being able to make cards
for friends and family and see the enjoyment on their face when they
see it's handmade.

Recently I have also been decorating wooden letters for kids names,
mine both have some and for Christmas I made 7 sets for nieces and
nephews.

I have also decided to try and sell them and have had a stall at some
craft fairs. Trial and error but we'll see how it goes.

In April I was also lucky enough to be picked for the UK design Team
for http://kanbancrafts.com/which I am really enjoying doing, and have
made some great friends within the team.



I started my blog http://craftyfran.blogspot.co.uk/in March of this
year and through that and Facebook and the groups on there I have made
loads of friends.



As to my style of cards, I'm not sure I have a particular style, I just
enjoy using anything and will give most things a go.



This month's challenge is "Anything Goes" so here is my card . I love
these stamps and thought I'd go for a red theme as they are Christmassy
stamps.

Thanks, and happy crafting

Fran xxx

Guest Blogger Wednesday With.......

........Linda Simpson :D

A couple of weeks ago Geraldine and Jo over at Crafty Blogger's Network put a call out asking if anyone would like to do a guest spot on their challenge blog and I was asked if I would do the first guest spot. Of course I said yes! Their plan is for a guest bloggers each month, crafters like you and me.

http://lindasimpsoncraftypieceofheaven.blogspot.co.uk/

I have been crafting nearly all my life like most of you. I have knitted, crocheted, embroidered, cross stitched which led me into paper crafting. I don't have one particular style of crafting as I very much enjoy mixing different techniques. The first time I saw my cards on Create and Craft was for My Craft Studio, for one of their Parchment CD's which was for Pick of the Week. I can't explain how I felt when I saw my cards. I was grinning like a cheshire cat! I designed for them for a few years which of course was CD crafting and I wanted learn more techniques in the world of crafting.

 I met Kay Rutter when she did a workshop near my home in Warrington and we became very friendly which resulted in me helping her at shows in the North and I do the NEC too. I design for Hougie Crafts, Kraftyhands, Jem's Designs, HobbyFun, Oyster Stamps, Ali-Craft which are UK based and I design also for 2 blogs Scrapbook Stamp Society which is American and Cards Galore based here in the UK.

 I started my blog last year on 24 February and my style of cards has changed again. I love to do CD work but if I was told to make a card now I would immediately go for my stamps and inkpads to make a card. Since starting my blog I have "met and chatted" to many crafters and made lots of new friends from all over the world. I am so surprised how quickly my followers have grown too.

 I suppose I have an eclectic style of crafting. 'I love paint fusion and love to use this in my cards too. This leads me on nicely to show you my card which I have made for the challenge this time is "Anything Goes"

Thanx Linda for being our 1st Crafty Bloggers Network Guest Blogger we think you work is amazing and loved having you join us :D