My Creative Spirit (Blog Archive)

Hi bloggers 12 x 12 Bohemian Bazaar Layout of Annie xx Surprise surprise we've got rain again here in the UK,  but to cheer up those of you who are missing the sunshine Graphic 45 are featuring some fun in the sun layouts by Dt members Alberto Juarez, Maria Cole, Romey Veul and myself over on their blog today. Click the link to go take a look and be inspired to capture that special memory yourself in true Graphic 45 style.  www.g45papers.typepad.com My layout features my amazing little sis and combines all the colours in the Bohemian Bazaar collection in lots of different ways.  Making a 3 dimensional feature of the flowers and leaves was a fun way to bring the layout to life and easy to create using layers of foam tape. Happy paper crafting everyone :-) C

Halloween Party Drink Holder - Steampunk Spells  Hi every one  This project was totally inspired by the fabulous Nigel May , after last weeks C & C shows.  If your a G45er you 'll recognise the paper collection but for those of you who're its the totally spookilicious SteamPunk Spells one of Graphic 45 Mid Season launches this year. To order the on line workshop for this project just click here to visit our shop and then click the on line workshop section. It's all going on in this project.  I pulled out all the stops and in true eclectic G45 style came up with this amazing design for a party drinks holder.  The holder is made out of 2mm chipboard and black card strips.  After painting it all black I started the decoration with 12 x 12 papers on the handle  and blinged up both sides with Aged Silver embossing enamel and Bronzed Mica flakes by Stampendous.  I've used 12 x 12, 8 x 8 and patterned and solids, pockets, tags, banners from the collection

French Country Time for Tea - Graphic 45  There's more creative crafting over on the G45 blog today featuring French Country altered art by the Design Team.  Click here to go over to the blog and see Olga Struk's French Country Business Card Hodler, Miranda Edney's gorgeous French Country altered boxes and instructions on how my tea set came together.   Click here to watch the project video   If you're at CHA this week i hope you're enjoying yourself.  Don't forget to call by the Graphic 45 booth to see the latest collections brought to life in stunning ways to be creative by Diane and her workshop team and the international design team. Happy Crafting everyone

Margaret and Annie in Scrapbook Magic Auntie Annie and Harry in Scrapbook Magic  Not so sunny today here in Cornwall, so we all headed off to Cadgwith to see friends but had to take a little detour on the way to  Mullion Meadows , and call by to see Margaret in her  fabulous crafters paradise of a shop  -  Scrapbook Magic . Definitely worth a visit if your holidaying down this way over the summer and in need of a crafty fix :-) You can have lunch in the cafe, view the gorgeous Trenance chocolates being made and maybe try and buy a few and browse in the other shops on site too.  After a lovely lunch we headed off to Cadgwith, a beautiful old fishing village for a cuppa and cake with Peggy & Sarah............... my lovely son and sister  :- the fishing boats in the cove at Cadgwith

Steampunk Spells Altered Book Cover  Here's my first altered project made from an MDF hinged book and the new Steampunk Spells papers by Graphic 45.  It's well travelled and recently went up to see Tom and Susan in Stockton on Tees, it was nearly booknapped by the lovely Mr Splodgeaway for the top shelf in Susans shop.   I used black acrylic pain and a glimmer mist on the base of the book, and Kaisercraft Teracotta paint on the door plate and key hole.  When it had dried  I dry brushed the pieces with black acrylic paint and then sealed them with Matte Medium.  I'm still thinking about making something to go inside :-) For more info on how I put it together just click the link below to the project video Click here to see the v ideo Happy crafting everyone

Boardwalk - Artistic Outpost I took some white card, a few inks and other bits and came up with this vintage on the boardwalk card . For step by step instructions click the link below to the Ali-Craft blog. On the Boardwalk Post   Ali has lot's more Artistic Outpost stamp sets on sale in her shop.  Click the link below to see all Ali-Craft.co.uk Happy crafting:-)

Ladies Diary Pocket Memory Book - Graphic 45  Well summer has finally arrived here in the UK.  Its hot and guess what were all complaining lol!!!!  how British :-)   Anyway, if you love the Ladies Diary Paper Collection by Graphic 45 take a look at the project ideas by Diane Shady and myself over on the Graphic 45 blog today.   There's more sneak peeks of the gorgous 12 Days of Christmas collection and projects from Dianes workshop and the winners of the latest "you've got to be in it to win it" prize draw will be announced.  Theres loads going on so just click the link below to go take a look.  Go to the Graphic 45 blog Happy crafting everyone and enjoy the sunshine :-)

When I originally started my crafty hobby some years back I made layouts of the boys to capture all my favourite moments of them and now have an album for each of them but stopped making 12 x 12 pages when I came across the crafting community on you Tube and turned my hand to making albums and memory books.   After sorting through all the photos on my laptop recently I found some I though I'd like to make into pages again and heres a couple of them tat featured on the Paper Crafters Library blog a couple of weeks ago.  .The first is of the boys (and me) when they were 9 and 4.  Why do boys always feel the urge to pull a face just when the camera goes click!!  the photo really captures their characters and I love it to bits.  I used Cor'dinations for the back ground and Bohemian Bazaar papers by G45 for the detail along with a few of the gorgeous Petaloo flowers that cam in our G45 DT boxes.  Bohemian Bazaar 12 x 12 layout  The second layout is a real fav

Hi everyone Just a quick shout out to let you know we've now agreed the dates for a fabulous pre Christmas Graphic 45 weekend retreat.  We'll be making a gorgeous vintage 12 Days of Christmas Memeory Book in true Graphic 45 style following one of my unique album designs. the workshop will be packed with techniques for you to use again and again in your projects.  I haven't had a stroke of the papers yet but the girls over at Graphic 45 in Portland have confirmed that our Design Team papers are on their way over the Atlantic as I type :-)  I've added some sneak peek pics below so you can see what we'll be working with.  Now for the retreat details:  Graphic 45 pre Christmas workshop with the Crafty Elf and Clare Date :  Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd November 2013 Venue:  To be confirmed but will be in the Kenilworth/Warwick area: Crafting Times:  will be from 10 - 4.30 both days and you'll have the option to craft in the evening too