My Creative Spirit (Blog Archive)

morning all This layout is the second in a set of two that I made with the Couture collection.  I went of the blues for this one to set off the pic of my little lovelies wearing dinner suits for the first time.  They look so calm and relaxed in the photo but it was pandemonium before it was taken.  As usual they were late getting changed and with the clock ticking Harry who'd never worn a bow tie before was having problems with it, couldn't do his buttons up on his shirt and got all hot and flustered trying to tuck everything in.  Anyway, with jackets on they did stand together for 2 seconds for a quick pic before flying out the door. I love finding details in the papers and cutting them out to use as embellishments.  The bow above was tucked away at the side of the Fashion paper.  There are quite a few broaches through the collection.  Cut them out and add a few dots of platinum stickles and they look like they are made of marquisette. ...

Chatwall Farm, Lower Spode, Clun  I'm slowly scrap booking the old family photos I had of my Aunt a couple of years ago.  This is the farm in Clun, Shropshire where mum and her sisters moved to with my grandma during the 2nd world war to avoid the bombings in Birmingham.  They spent nearly seven years here, befriended a polish prisoner of war, Joseph who worked on the farm, and had great fun in the heavy snow of 1943 digging tunnels across the farmyard to let the pigs out.  The picture was taken in the 30's.  I used papers from the French Country collection to build up the page.  

Art Deco Picture Frame - Couture Collection Morning everyone, hope you enjoyed your weekend and feel ready to start a new week.  Today over on the Graphic 45 blog we're sharing projects made with the stunning Couture paper collection that were on the booth at CHA earlier this month.   Click here to go over and see Annettes altered 8 x 8 Matchbook box with a fabulous step by step tutorial, and more info on how my Art Deco picture frame (above) came together.  If you'd like to make one yourself theres a full tutorial to go with it too, and a new blog contest to enter.   Click below to watch the tutorial. The stamped image in the frame is from the Couture Stamp set 3 was coloured with Copic Ciao markers E41, E000, E18, B00 B010 BG000 and finished off with Platinum Stickles and black translucent Art Glitter.  Supplies Used 12 x 12 Fashion 8 x 8 Fashion off cuts of 12 x 12 Couture & Classy for inlay decoration Co...

I think this is the prettiest project I've altered to date and is a Jones DT project that I've altered for their stand at Stitches, the UK's Craft Trade Show, at the NEC, Birmingham next month.  It's the large Kaisercraft Off the Page Wishing Well, and at 2 feet tall would make a perfect centre piece for cards on the present table at a wedding reception.   I used the beautiful papers and collectables from the True Romance collection a little glitter and silk May Arts ribbon to complete the overall design. Thanks Sandra for all the goodies for this one.  Click here to go to Jones Crafts FB page  Heres a few more pics from different angles.  There was enough paper left over to make a matching post bound guest book to go with the well.   I've just got a few sets of wedding stationery to make before the show so best head off back to the craft room.  Thanks for calling by, enjoy your day and catch up again soon.

Now Boarding Layout - Kaisercraft   Morning everyone and happy Friday to you.  This months DT boxes arrived last week from Jones Crafts and were full of the new Now Boarding, Telegraph Road and the extended Base Coat collections being released by Kaisercraft in February, along with some of Kaisercrafts wooden embellishments  and oodles of buttons manufactured by Jones Crafts.  I've used the Now Boarding collection for this layout.  There's a history of going to the Olympics in the family. Grandad went to Mexico, Dad went to Munich and the boys got to go to London in 2012. Although they didn't have to travel far (about 100 miles) they boarded two trains, travelled the underground, and had a fun people packed ride on a bus. It was quite a journey to get to the Olympic stadium south of the Thames for the track day but well worth the early start to their day.  No suitcase or passport needed but they did grab their cameras to take loads of pi...

Altered Beach Hut - On the Beach G45   I've been messing about with some of the blank MDF products from Candy Box Crafts this week and altered this little beach hut with papers and cut outs from the new On the Beach collection by G45.  It's not a very big but took an age to finish.  The cutting out was the killer.  It started life like this  was painted in Inky Pool acrylic paint ( Paper Arsty ) covered in paper and stuck together.  The fence is a Molly Blooms stamp cut out in kraft card and the roof is made from wooden coffee stirrers coloured with vintage photo distress ink.  The beach is sesame seeds.  I was looking for cous cous but we're right out of it and we don t have a sand pit anymore to rifle!!  All the detail around the outside was cut out from 12 x 12 papers.  Oh and the crafty elf added the windbreak and. there's a ships wheel on the front door. Here's a few more pics Enjoy y...

Had a fab day today at Daisy's altering Candy Box Crafts Notelet Boxes.  Thanks Wendy & Jeff for getting everything ready for us, and thanks ladies for making the day really enjoyable.  Loved how you all added your own touches to your boxes too.  Here's a few pics. We've added some more dates to the diary for workshops at Daisy's.   Click here for details Thanks for stopping by.  Catch up again soon :-) C

Couture Tag - Graphic 45  I'm sure you've seen lots of pics and vids taken during CHA this week.  The Graphic 45 stand was as usual absolutely stunning, and full of gorgeous altered art showcasing the latest collections which hopefully should be here with us in the UK before the end of Feb, fingers crossed.  Kelly has been busy back at the office in Portland keeping everyone up to date with all the DT projects made for the show, and some from ning and Pinterest too as well as all the sneak peeks we've been treated too over the past couple of weeks.  Today there are some elegant tag ideas from Anne, Annette and myself for the Couture and Sweet Sentiment collections. To go take a peek just click here.  G45  Blog. You'll love them. If you love making tags we have packs of G45 large and regular tags (6 tags in each) back in the craft essentials section of our blogshop .  Just a reminder before I head off.  If you haven't left...

Art Deco Handbag Album Hi everyone, hope you're weeks going well.  Back in December I was browsing through some art deco  images from the 20's for inspiration for my CHA projects, and among the MacIntosh and Morris designs stunbled across some vintage handbags.  they were gorgeous, all beaded and glittered and really were the inspiration behind this project.  If you follow me you'll know I have a bit of a glitter addiction, and this was an ideal project to use some on.    If you'd like to see the album in full just click the video link below. To join the on line workshop and make one yourself click here to go over to our blog shop.  Just click the link to the on line workshop section. Art Deco On line workshop I know we're all waiting for the new collections from G45 to arrive this side of the pond having seen the sneak peeks over the last couple of weeks.  As DT members we received the papers back in December to ma...