Creative Process Blog Hop

Deborah Nolan a very talented, funny and sweet crafter kindly invited me to participate in the Creative Process Blog Hop, a perpetual hop that highlights card makers and provides a look at how they do what they do and why they do it. If you haven’t already visited Deborah’s blog you can find it here. Not only will you get to see lots of wonderful projects, but I guarantee you’ll enjoy giggles along the way with Deborah’s great sense of humour and way with words. Deborah also organises the fun Card Chain Challenge - if you'd like to join in on the current challenge you can find it here.

Everyone who takes part in the hop is given the same set questions. Here are my answers to those questions:

What am I working on now?

The shorter answer would probably be what am I not working on now?! At the moment I’m mainly working on making items, to donate to an animal rescue centre and a special school for children, which will be sold at craft fairs in late November.

I’ll be making lots of cards with dogs, hoping they will sell well and am using Lawn Fawn’s cute Critters at the Dog Park set (love Lawn Fawn’s generous angel policy). I just wish when I ordered the set from Simon Says Stamp that I also ordered the matching die set! Anyway I’ve made a little start on all the stamping and cutting:)

I’m also making fabric brooches and lavender sachets. I’ve wanted to make lavender sachets for a while and bought some lavender for our garden this year specifically for that purpose. My sister gave me bunches and bunches of lavender from her garden and now that it’s dried out, I’m ready to get cracking on making some sachets. This is just a test piece using upholstery fabric, distress inks and Memory Box stencils my friend Linda sent me – thanks again, Linda.

Earlier in the year my older son made a steampunk airship for one of his art projects in school. A couple of old watches were left over and since he doesn’t want them, I’m grabbing them to make a necklace and something else (I’m not quite sure what yet!). I just love the look of the old watch gears, the more modern watch innards aren’t a patch on them as you can see from this photo.

How does my work differ from others in my genre?

Oh now this is a difficult one! I definitely don’t think I have a particularly distinctive style but I like trying to come up with different ideas. Although I can’t pinpoint how my work differs from others, I feel that everyone’s work differs from others, as can be seen through the wide range of ideas and completely different interpretations of themes that people come up with for challenges or even under time pressure in scrambles.

Why do I create what I do?

Why do I create? Well it’s like an itch I have to scratch, and the itch is only satisfied when I finally get to make whatever ideas I have swirling around in my head. My hubby is similar, but in his case it’s writing music, so he totally understands why I sometimes drop everything to get whatever it is out of my system. Why do I create what I do? As far back as I can remember (and we’re talking a lot of years;) )I’ve always enjoyed crafts and there was always a supply of crafty bits and pieces at home for us to play with. I’ve tried out many crafts over the years but cardmaking has become a firm favourite for a number a reasons, including the wonderful friends I’ve made through cardmaking, how relaxing the whole process is, the fun of putting together something from scratch, the endless number of techniques (and goodies!) that are out there and as someone who couldn’t draw to save her life (or win at Pictionary!) I love having lovely (and recognisable) images to colour and put on my projects. I have to admit that I still have some UFOs from my quilting days, so it is great to have taken up a hobby in which I have no unfinished objects hanging around the place!

How does my creative process work?

Lol another good one that made me think! Well I suppose when I’m making something I usually have a particular family member or friend in mind. So I think about what they might like colour and style wise. Sometimes I know straight off what I’m going to make and other times I haven’t a clue. Even when I know exactly what I want to do, I’d say 80% of the time the idea evolves as I make my card/project. When I’m in my haven’t a clue phase I usually pull out some stamps, embossing folders, inks and dies and mess with my supplies until I’m happy with what I’ve come up with.

I rarely create at night unless I need to make something in a hurry or else if I’m just cutting out bits and pieces or colouring. I much prefer to work early in the morning or during the day – it’s just a pity that thing called work can get in the way a bit for those timings!

Who am I tagging for the next round of the Creative Blog Hop?

I’m tagging a wonderful friend I’ve made through cardmaking – Trinh Arrieta. Not only is Trinh one of the sweetest people I know but she never ceases to amaze me with the fabulous and creative projects she makes. I’ve lost track of the amount of times I’ve said “wow” when I’ve visited her blog or received one of her brilliant cards. If you haven’t already seen Trinh’s blog you’ll find it here and next Monday she’ll be posting about her creative process – I know that will be a treat for sure!

Thanks for visiting today and well done for making it through my rather long winded post!

Trick or Treat Shaker

I finally had a little time to stamp earlier today and I thought it would be fun to join in on Lawnscaping's Critters Galore Challenge.

For my critter I decided to use the bat from Lawn Fawn's cute Trick or Treat set and made a Halloween shaker card. Sorry my photo isn't great - I always find it hard to avoid getting reflections on the acetate layer on shaker cards!

I embossed the sentiment on a piece of green card and die cut the label shape. To make the shaker I added some lovely green sequins my friend Trinh (thanks again, Trinh) sent me and an embossed Waltzingmouse Stamps image (Very Vintage labels No. 10) which I cut out and used as my frame. The Lawn Fawn bat was cut out and coloured with ProMarkers and I couldn't resist adding a couple of googly eyes before perching him on top of the shaker. To finish I just added a strip of lace to the side of the card.



Stamps - Trick or Treat (Lawn Fawn) & Very Vintage labels No. 10 (Waltzingmouse Stamps)

The last time I made a shaker I had a problem with the little bits inside the shaker sticking to the sides of the foam pads but I saw a tip somewhere which suggested rubbing talc or flour on the sticky parts before assembling the shaker. It really seems to have worked well but I'd love to hear if any of you have any other suggestions as it took a while to get rid of all the traces of flour!

Trick or Treat

I know it might be a bit early to be making Halloween bits and pieces but when I was out shopping earlier I noticed that some Christmas items are already creeping onto the shelves, so maybe I'm not too early for Halloween after all!

Anyway there are a couple of challenges I wanted to play along with - Teri's Fabulous Friday Challenge over at Moxie Fab World and Simon Says Stamp's Stamp It Challenge

The photo above is the one to be used for inspiration for the Moxie Fab World Challenge. It inspired me to make a garland, use yellow, orange and black, and also to use chevrons and triangles. For the Simon Says Stamp Challenge you have to stamp - lol I love nothing better:)

So first up is the little garland. I die cut circles from plain paper and patterned paper. On the orange ones I stamped Hero Arts' Tiny Flags using spiced marmalade distress ink and on the black circle I embossed the Lawn Fawn sentiment from the Trick or Treat set.



Stamps - Trick or Treat (Lawn Fawn) & Tiny Flags (Hero Arts)

The cute candy corns which are from the same set were stamped, coloured with ProMarkers and covered with glossy accents.



Next up are a couple of cupcake toppers, again using the same dies and stamps. At Halloween they will be stuck in cupcakes that are spookier than the mini chocolate chip ones I have here:)



Stamp set - Trick or Treat (Lawn Fawn)

Well since Halloween wouldn't be Halloween without treats, I had to make up a little bag of treats and a tag.




Stamps - A Little (Hero Arts) & Trick or Treat (Lawn Fawn)

The tag was embossed and pieced and I again added candy corns that had been coloured and glossed. I used baker's twine from a Halloween assortment pack from Doodlebug Design. Only a little over eight weeks to Halloween now but I think these treats might be eaten a little before then;)