Design Team Inspiration Monday

Heres the latest from the design team :D

Ger

Supplies Used-

Docrafts Creativity Club Download

Docrafts Embossing Folder

Docrafts Heart Die

Docrafts Rubber Stamp 

Docrafts Pearls

Geraldine M

 

Supplies:

Hero Arts Doily Stamp

Sentiment: Simon Says Stamp June Card Kit

Distress Ink Dusty Concord

Neenah White Cardstock, Core'dinations Cardstock

Pearls

Ang

Supplies:

Boofle Decoupage

Gold Mirror card

Snowflakes Embossing folder

Boofle A4 Paper paper pack

Papermania Gold gliterations

Anitas Gems

Kaz

Supplies

Pink crafter companion card

 Topper sheet from Docrafts

Spellbinder dies

Flowers from wild orchid crafts.

Ribbon 

Pop up Christmas card tutorial

Hi This is my first Tutorial for the Crafty Bloggers Network 

I have seen this shape card on a few blogs lately so here is my take on it.

o

Supplies 

12x12 card stock mine is  from The Christmas glitter stack from DCWV

Spellbinders dies

Clear stamps from Papermainia

Promakers

Ribbon

Glitter, Gems & Card candy

Cut your 12x12 card down to 6x12,

then score at 1.5",3",4.5",7.5",9",and 10.5"

When folded it should look like this.

With the other piece of 12x6 card stock cut a rectangle 5x7"

I used a large spellbinders die but can bee done by hand.

Then tape you 5x7" rectangle and stick it to the bottom of the12x6".

Now add the ribbon this goes between the 1st & 2nd fold.

Then stick the 2 ends together.

It should now stand up like this,

you can now add your image and embellishments, your card will fold flat for posting. 

Crafty Hugs

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.

D T Inspiration Monday 17th September

Good morning to all you followers and new people out there in blogland, this week we have some cards from a few of our wonderful design team for your inspiration.

Ger

Docrafts Card Kit Topper

Boofle Rubber Stamp Snowflakes

Tulip Christmas Papers

Docrafts Christmas Twine

EK Snowflake Punch

Kaz

Supplies

Spellbinders dies

Promarkers

Fancy Pants papers

Polkadoodle stamp

Ribbon & card candy 

Celebrity Guest Blogger Wednesday with Sara Davies

This week we have the pleasure of getting to know a little more about the owner of our sponsor company this month: Sara Davies from Crafters Companion answered some of our questions:

How long have you been crafting?
Since i was very young – I didn’t start cardmaking until I was in my late teens, but I did a lot of baking, cross stitch, candle-making and other papercraft stuff with my mum when I was a kid, and the crafting element clearly stayed with me!

What is your favourite product line?
I would say this, but our ultimate pro – i just love that it’s everything a paper crafter needs in a handy little laptop-size suitcase! I honestly couldn’t manage without it, and can say hand on heart i use it multiple times in every project is do!

What do you watch/listen to when you're creating?
I have to have absolute silence! I get totally immersed in what im doing – especially if im doing something like colouring in! If it’s something I don’t have to concentrate on much, then I can sit with Create & Craft on in the background.

What is your favorite color combination to use on your cards?
Well as everyone knows, purple is my favourite colour, so most of my cards tend to include that somewhere! But i do like turquoise as well.

When creating a project, do you plan it out or go with the flow?
I’m a big planner! I have to have everything thought through before I start, then i don’t actually stick everything down until I’m 100% happy with how it looks!

What type of adhesive do you use?
Different ones for different things – if I’m doing quick demo’s then our super strong tape pen is super, I use the collall glues a lot – the all purpose for matting and layering, then the 3D glue gel for decoupage or embellishments, and if it’s a large area, I do like a spray adhesive

What is your favorite kind of cardstock?
For colour in my projects, it has to be core’dinations, because you can do so much with it. If it’s a nice strong card for a base card, the Centura Pearl is awesome and has a fab sheen to it.

About how many projects do you create in a month?
Lots and lots – i’m really lucky in that i get to craft for a living!

Design Team Inspiration Monday 10th September

Its Monday again and this morning we have some more cards from our Design team girls for your inspiration:

Ang

Supplies:

Scraps of paper from Uniko Studios Freebie
Spellbinders Parisien Accents

Woodware Stamps: Salutations

Karen

Supplies

Cream and purple card

Marianne DieLR0236

Memento Lulu Lavender Ink

Wild Orchid Flowers

Hero Arts message stamp

Sarah

  

Supplies 

Vanilla Cardstock 

Stampin Up Paisley Print designer series paper 

Stampin Up Seam binding ribbon 

Stampin Up Bakers twine 

Stampin Up Perfect Pairs sentiment stamps

Black Stazon 

Foam pads

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

Challenge # 3 September

Well it's time for our third challenge :D thank you to everyone who entered our 2nd one, once again it has been a tough job to decide the winners, especially as we had to pick 2 of you!

The Cullen Crafts prize goes to:

Number 8: Suzie McFloozy

please email us at craftybn@gmail.com to claim your prize.

The Sassy Studio digis go to:

Number 3. Cathy

 

  Please email Sara to claim your prize (click the link)

And our top 3 chosen by the design team are:

  17. Shari 

  23. Sarah  

  24. Nat 

Congratulations girls, please feel free to grab the top 3 badge on the right to display on your blogs

Challenge Number 3

Now onto our challenge for this month which is sponsored by the lovely Sara at Crafters Companion (who will be our guest blogger this month :-) )

Sara has made this wonderful card:

Supplies:

Centura Pearl Cardstock for Base Card 

Coredinations Contemporary Christmas

Paper - SWALK CD1

Image and Sentiment Stamp -  A Little Bird

Coloured with Spectrum Noir Pens

Darice Border Embossing Folder and Flowers from stash

and the prize is most of the supplies she used to make it.

The challenge is Purple, thats it, so it can be anything you like, card, scrapbook layout, ATC or altered project, or anything else you can think of just so long as it is or has purple in it.

Here are the design team's projects for you:

Ang

Supplies:

Docrafts Thankyou stamp and die

Spellbinders Labels 28

Honey Blossom Sprig die from Memory Box

Divine swirls embossing folder

Dusty Concord distress ink

Card, gems and ribbon.

Ger

Supplies:

Docrafts Textured Card stock

Country Cottage Rocking Horse Die

Spellbinder Die

Sizzix Embossing Folder

Flower Punches

Sarah

 

Supplies:
Bazzil Basics 12 x 12 Cardstock: Purple & Lilac Kaiser Craft Pattern Paper: Magic Happens Kaiser Craft Rubons: Magic Happens Paper Roses Tilda Winter birds diecuts Stampin Up Bigshot embossing folder: Manhattan flower

Karen

Supplies:

Saturared  Canary image Canary Love

Promarkers

Cheery Lynn corner die

Cuttlebug embossing folder

backing paper dovecraft

gliter,ribbon,flowers, & gems.

Caz

Supplies:
Fizzy Moon Birthday Wishes Decoupage & Paper Pad
Craftwork Cards Sentiment
Pink stitched Grosgrain ribbon

We are extending the Design team call for the month of September:

Please add your challenge entry below (If you are interested in becoming part of our design team please include the initials DT after your name)

Better Late than Never!

We have finally managed to track down the pictures for the top 3 winners from last month so without further ado I give you.....

Number 6: Lou

Number 131: Liz

Number 472: Arabella

We are really sorry that it took us so long to find the entries, it shouldn't happen again as we have updated our system of logging them.

Please feel free to grab the Top 3 badge from the right hand side to display on your blog girls and well done to you all.

Design Team Shout

Design Team Shout

We are looking for 4 dedicated crafters, you can be a scrapbooker, card makers, altered artist ect who loves to work as part of a team .

You will be expected to meet post commitments, work with sponsors, leave comments on our wonderful entrants cards and be an active member in Crafty Blogger Network Facebook group & have fun crafting that it!!!

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.

Design Team Inspiration Monday Week 3

Hope you are all having a great Bank Holiday Monday and are not getting to wet.

Here is what the Design team have come up with this week.

Sarah

Supplies

Brown coordinations cards stock, vintage Rusty Pickle patterned paper, various Green patterned paper (scraps), SU build a bloom stamp, SU Petite pairs sentiment stamps, Black stazon, Cream organza ribbon, SU Framlits dies, foam pads.

Kaz

Supplies

Bugaboo Digi Image Fabulous At 40

Promarkers

Glitter, Gems,& Ribbon

Red card core'dinations.

 Ang

Supplies:
DoCrafts Wellington Ultimate decoupage pack
Card Candi

Dont forget the DT Call ends on the 31st August

Kaz

XxX

Crafty Bloggers Network Guest blogger

This week we have a new guest blogger for you (slightly late due to technical issues), Jane Songhurst. So its over to Jane.....

Hello everyone, my name is Jane, I'm 52yrs old & am Mum to 4 wonderful sons, who have made me grandmother to 10 amazing & beautiful grandchildren. I live with my unruly Bichon Frise Ozzie aka The Hoolligan. Thank you to the Crafty Bloggers Network Girls for giving me this opportunity to be a Guest Blogger.

The card I have made for you is quite simple because most of my stash is packed away ready for my house move in about 4 weeks time. So please bare with me!

 I started crafting back in 1999 when I was disability retired from working in the care industry with the onset of Ankylosing Spondylosis & the work became to heavy for me. I started to collect craft materials with the view in mind of making cards, I still have the very 1st rubber stamp I bought, it's an Anita's wooden backed stamp if a starfish. I also at that time bought a mountain of pre made embellishments, ribbon, card & pretty paper, but didn't have a clue what to do with it all & it just sat there for a 12 months.

Then in 2000 I went to visit my sister in Australia & while in one of the huge shopping malls, I went in to look at one of the big craft stores & they were doing a demonstration for scrapbooking, I loved what I saw & purchased a 12x12 album & stack of papers ect.to bring home. That is where it all began, everything fell into place & I did nothing but scrapbook for many years, then I started attending a small local craft group & there was a lady there that made her own cards & they were fabulous, I also discovered a new era in die cuts had arrived, no longer were they the funny little everyday items like hearts, little people to dress or a fairy that I didn't have a clue how to use, they were patterns & shapes that you could build up & use with your rubber stamps. It was a whole new world evolving before my eyes & before I knew it I was addicted to cardmaking as well & I loved making them,while still enjoying my scrapbooking.

How would I describe my style? Eclectic I think, rarely 2 things the same & rarely turn out like the picture in my head at the start, whether it's a scrapbook layout or a card they just seem to evolve as I am working on it. They do always seem to be fairly clean lines, I love the look of the busy cards that some people make, but whenever I try busy, it just looks messy so I keep them simple.

I run 3 successful craft groups on Facebook known as The Craft Cupboard groups & recently started a spin off challenge blog called The Cupboard Trilogy  I also have my own blog called Doodles & Scraps of Me! 

The card I have made for you today which I haven't added a sentiment to yet, this is quite common for me because I tend to add a greeting later when I know who the card will be going too & what the occasion will be. I have used 3 half sheets of my favourite brand of Bazzill Basics card stock ~ Melon, Chiffon & Frosted, my Marianne Design Die ~ Anja's Quadrate Set, the piece of orange organza ribbon & the embellishment are from my tote. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this & I look forward to visiting your blogs soon Jane x