Emerald City Challenge Blog time again!

Hi Everyone,

I know I have been missing for a month but my grandson has been very poorly in hospital and crafting has been the last thing on my mind. He is getting much better again now so I am slowly getting my mojo back.

So here we are in December, it is my wedding anniversary today as well as a new monthly challenge over at Emerald City. The DT and I are having a great time looking at all your entries.

Seeing as it is December I have made a Santa wall hanging using Linda's ephemera which you can purchase on her web site.

I have made a few wall hangings lately for presents, I love them and they are so personal

I hope you have time to hop on over and enter the Emerald City Challenge or just visit and get yourselves some inspiration the entries are always fabulous

Take care

Gill xx

Little Kitties for my Emerald City November Challenge

Hi Everyone.

Its challenge time again over at Emerald City Craft challenge blog . We are getting lots of fabulous entries and it is so difficult picking the winners.

For my November design I have made a little wall hanging in an embroidery hoop for Linda herself as I know how much she loves her fur babies. I love Linda's ephemera and papers, they go together so well and are so versatile.

I added a little felt flower to the corner and some lace around the edge. The image is just so cute.

Why don't you have a go you never know you could be our next winner

Take care

Gill xx

A Vintage Wedding

Hi Everyone,

I have just had a lovely manic weekend with my gorgeous grandsons. We went to a spooky welly walk yesterday in aid of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and had lots of fun and laughs as well as getting just a bit wet.

So this week I have been busy making more Christmas decorations and some customer order cards. One of which has been a beautiful vintage wedding card that I can share with you tonight. I love making wedding cards and invitations and have a Facebook page for my wedding makes called Wedding Wishes so pop along sometime and have a look.

Back to the card, I love making cards with lots of layers and beautiful papers.

I have used lots of my stash on this that I have had such a long time, including lace, doilies and paper roses.

So tonight I am making a large A4 Christmas card for a special wife, watch this space and I will share as soon as I can.

Have a great week

Love

Gill x

A Handmade Christmas

Hi Everyone,

This year I have decided to have a change and make all my tree decorations. I have lots of bits and bobs and lots of ideas for decorations in nice neutral colours and I am sharing the first of them with you today.

This is the beginning, they are cardboard toilet roll holders that I flattened and made a bunting / flag shape by cutting an upside down V. I then painted them with bronze acrylic paint from The Works.

I added a mat of music paper and a fancy top boarder and finished off with some mini pine cones I picked from a friends garden a few weeks ago. 

I am really chuffed with the end result because I love to recycle and re-purpose. I have some lovely chunky logs from the same garden so once my hubby has cut them into discs I will get going on them as well. I also have some fabulous large pine cones from another friends garden so I am going to have a good look at Pinterest for some inspiration.

Have a great week

Love 

Gill xx

Emerald City Craft Challenge - October

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I haven't been around much, I have had a poorly hubby and mummy over the last couple of weeks so I have been concentrating on them..

I am even a day late showing you my DT work for Emerald City Craft challenge so a slapped wrist form me to me.

Here is a lovely gift bag made with the Madamoiselle Digi downloads from Linda Simpson Designs. Pop over and see Linda's website there are some fabulous items and downloads for sale.

Why not check out all the DT designs on the challenge blog and even enter one of your projects, as always it is Anything Goes

That's it from me short and sweet, I have a brand new great niece that I have to make some lovely bits for. I will share everything when its done

Take car and have a great weekend

Love

Gill xx

Scribbles

Hi Everyone,

I hope you have had a good week and had a chance to pop on over to the Emerald City Challenge Blog.

I have had a week of orders to make which I cannot share at the moment so I have decided to share a journal page I did a few weeks ago using Dina Wakley silhouetted women stamps. I love her art and was very excited to receive these stamps.

I am going to have another play with these this evening and make some nice contemporary cards with them.

Have a great week and I will be back soon

Love Gill xxx

September Challenge over on Emerald City Crafts UK

Hi Everyone,

The September Challenge has been launched over on Emerald City Craft challenge blog.

For my DT sample I have made a tag using the So Cute  papers and ephemera from Linda's fabulous range. They are all available on Linda Simpson Designs.

Why not pop over to the challenge and have a go you never know you could be a winner.

Have a great day

Love Gill xx

Christmas is coming ......

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I didn't manage my post last week it was a busy weekend followed by a week of an horrendous tooth infection, extraction and pain.

I have managed to catch up on orders and cards I needed to make for family birthdays and I have started on Christmas. I have made a couple of DT projects for Emerald City Crafts UK so watch out for them on the challenge blog in November and December. I have also started the odd card so will show you one I love using the freebies and inspiration from this month Papercraft Essentials

The gnome stamps and die cuts are fabulous. I have made loads so will be adding to the collection of Christmas cards over the next few weeks,

As it is Bank Holiday Monday here in the UK I am having a PJ and craft day, I want to get some art journaling done as it is a while since I have done this. Whatever you are doing have a great day

Love

Gill xx

Alice in Wonderland ATC Set

Hi Everyone,

I hope you have had a lovely crafty week.

I have set myself a new Facebook Page up this week called Wedding Wishes. You will know how much I love organising weddings and creating all the stationery and decorations so I thought I would showcase them all and you never know if a bride to be likes what she see's I may have another direction to go in further down the line.

I said in my last blog that I was going to have a go at doing some ATC's and that is just what I did, It is my first attempt so let me know if I should carry on or give it up altogether!!!!

I created the backgrounds with mini inks from Papermania

The stamps are from Indigoblu

Not the best photo's I must admit but I hope you get the idea

I hope you all have a good week, I am off to do some planning for Wedding Wishes. Don't forget to pop a long and let me know what you think

Take Care

Love Gill xx

Claudia's kaartjes: Happy Holidays

Fabulous card I love all the layers. Thank you for entering in to Emerald City Crafts Challenge xxx

Man Cave

Hi Everyone,

I didn't get a chance to blog last week as we had a fab day out at Woodfest in Wales so this week I am showing you my design for Emerald City Crafts UK Challenge Blog. This month is challenge #2 and we are hoping for the fantastic response we had in challenge #1.

The challenge is always anything goes so I made a hanging welly boot for a man cave and gifted it to our Rick, Linda's husband, as he is an avid gardener.

I have used papers and ephemera from Emerald City Crafts and you can buy these on Linda Simpson Designs. The boot was on sale in Dunelm, I always pick up bits and bobs I can re-purpose especially when they are cheap.

So tonight I am going top have a go at making some ATC's (artist trading cards). I have never made them before so will share with you if they turn out well. I think I will go for an Alice in Wonderland theme.

Crafty Play Day

Hi Everyone,

Hope you have had a great week with lots of crafting.

I have had a crafty play date with my good friend Linda Simpson today and we had a great time making acrylic pour canvases and making backgrounds with Tim Holtz oxide inks.

My acrylic pour is still wet so I can't photograph it yet but I can share the journal pages I have made using the backgrounds

Linda very kindly bought me some Tim Holtz Dolls home from America so I have used some with Tim's ideology ephemera for this travel journal page

This one has Mike Deakin's latest downloads called Dream

And finally I just love the Dina Wakley Silhouetted Women. A little purchase I have made in the last week. I just know I am going to get loads of use out of these.

On leaving Linda's I have to pass Hobbycraft.......... well I say pass I never actually make it!!!

Made a little purchase or two or ten while I was there.

Have a fab week whatever you are doing, work for me tomorrow I'm afraid

Take care

Gill x

The Wedding

Hi Everyone,

Well it's all over, the wedding I have been mentioning for months and what a fabulous day it was.

We arrived at Trafford Hall in Mickle Trafford on Friday to set everything up and from then on everything went smoothly. We had a wonderful day at the wedding and the bride looked stunning as did her new hubby.

I promised I would share with you some photo's of my crafty makes and am made up I can now do that.

The theme was navy/rustic with a bit of bling

In this display there is one of 20 different chalk boards I made. The rest were up the drive to the venue

One of the table settings before the gypsophelia was put in the vases

The marquee all set up

Post box, guest book and two of the button holes

This is the table plan, I think this is my fave, I had a vision in my head and it turned out exactly as I wanted

This is a photo board. I used a silver framed mirror and added some gold Inka paste to the relief. I then added some burlap and handmade lace flowers.

I can't take credit for the alter, this was set up by a lovely wedding company called Sweet-pea and Ivy

Finally here are the bouquets I made

I think it is my dream to go into the wedding planning business I have loved every minute of this - what am I going to do with myself now???????

To finish off here is one of me and my hubby and the bride and groom

I'll leave you now.....I think I need to lie down ;-)

Take care and have a great week

Love Gill xx

Curious Cats

Hi Everyone,

I hope you have had a fab weekend, the sun has been shining and I have been shopping in the Works for a few bargains.

I want to share a card with Kevin's Gang cats from IndigoBlu stamps. I am not usually a cat person, I know a lot of you are, but these little fella's are so cute I couldn't resist.

I coloured the cats with Promarkers and cut them out. I then inked the background and stamped some foliage from IndigoBlu Victorian Garden stamps. I finished off with a little bee and the sentiment from Kevin's gang stamps.

I am going to have a go at entering the following challenges this week

A Gem of a Challenge - Animals

Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes

All done but my pic has uploaded side on arrrggghhhh. Any tips on changing this in future let me know

Must go now more wedding stuff to make. Just one more week and I can share

Take care

Love Gill xx

Exiting Times - There's a new Challenge Blog in Town

Hi Everyone,

Today is the day that the Emerald City Crafts UK challenge blog starts so why not pop over and see the fabulous makes from the Design Team to give you some inspiration for your own entries.

The theme will always be anything goes so get your creative juices going and join in.

Here is my entry for the first challenge. Hope you like it, I obviously used Emerald City Crafts papers and ephemera to create this standing heart for your boudoir.

Talking of anything goes here are two cards I have made this week

I made this one using a Mo's Digital Pencil image....so cute don't you think

This one was for a colleague who was leaving, Can you tell he is into music?

Let me finish off with some links to the rest of Emerald City Crafts Design Team 

Linda's Crafty Piece of Heaven 

Grammy's Attic

Aussie Annie

Tinyrose's Craft Room

Ameera Crafts

Soooo let me know what you think of the challenge blog and of course leave me a message 

Take care

xxx

You know when you are getting on when........

Hi Everyone,

Remember when we went to parties that were for 18th, 21st, engagements and weddings? Now all we seem to go to is 60th, 65th, 70th etc, well that's what I have been doing the last couple of weekends. Having said that mind you, we still party as hard don't we. Problem is it takes just a bit longer to get over the party these days ;-)

So  in my last blog you saw the card I made for the 60th and this week here is the 65th card I have made

I made this card using papers and ephemera from Emerald City Crafts UK, I don't need to tell you how much I love these papers and ephemera and don't forget there is a new challenge blog starting in the next few weeks so I have linked you to it. Do get involved it will be lots of fun and always anything goes.

I am hoping to get much more crafting and art journalling in during the next few weeks I have been that busy concentrating on getting back to my healthy eating regime and a bit of Zumba I have neglected my art in the last few weeks.

Whatever you are doing have fun

Take Care

Gill xx

A Little Bit of Steampunkery

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all well and safe wherever you are tonight.

Tonight I am sharing a 60th Birthday card for one of our best friends. He loves cars and motorbikes and is a proper mans man so I wanted something with this in mind.

The image is a copyright free one from the Internet and the backing papers are Mike Deakin Art Steampunkery digi downloads. I printed a greeting and inked it with Tim Holtz distress ink in brushed corduroy and added a few die cut cogs that I have added rust paint to. The reason I used red card to mat the images was purely because Paul loves red.

Have a great week everyone

Take care

Gill xx

Art Journal Challenge - The Change

Hi Everyone,

I hope you had a good Bank Holiday even in the UK rain.

I promised I would share some journal Art that I have been doing with you this week. This challenge is another from Junk Journals Junkies and Mindful Art and the prompts this week were green, orange and purple and the words The Change. Well as ladies of a certain age know only too well about 'The Change' there was only one way I could go.

On water colour paper I used Brushos for the background colours with lots of water, There is also lots of texture in the background with old book pages, modelling paste and stencils that you can pick up on if you look closely.

I love journalling and think it is my new favourite thing to do..........then again I also love my card making, altered art and so on and so on................;-)

That's me for today

Take Care

Gill xx

An Exciting Announcemt

Hi Everyone,

Well I am back from Mexico after a fabulous holiday and have had a very up an down 10 days since.

Bad news first so I can finish on a high;

Back to work....... boooooooo

I came home to a to a very poorly little Dixie my miniature Yorkie and had to have him put to sleep two days later so that has been really upsetting for us all. We miss him greeting us when we come home and the place is so quiet.

Now for the great news;

As you know I have been designing for Emerald City Crafts UK for a couple of months now, well Linda has set up a Challenge Blog and she has also asked me to be on her challenge design team, Pop over and have a look at the rest of my design team colleagues and see the amazing crafts they make. You will find my badge in the side bar.
The first challenge will go live on the 7th of July and every first Friday of the month thereafter and it will always be anything goes. I really hope you join in because I can't wait to see all your fabulous makes.

Since I got back I have entered a few journalling challenges so will finish this post with one for you.

I entered this in a Facebook Challenge blog called Junk Journal Junkies and Mindful Art they have a new challenge every Monday in which you are given three colour and a hint word. In this case it was purple, orange and brown with the word music.

I am going to share a couple more pages with you this week so look out for them.

Have a great week all and take care

Gill xx

More New Papers and Ephemera

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick catch up today as I am busy packing for my holidays in Mexico.

I promised a couple more samples from Emerald City Crafts UK and here they are.

This card is for the true romantic and perfect for an anniversary card or just to tell your wife/husband/partner they are loved. I used some Tattered Lace die corners and little roses to compliment the colours in the papers

The ephemera and matching papers go together so well they help to take the stress out of card making because the minute you see them together the creative juices just start flowing with ideas So if you are having a bit of a mental block at the moment look no further than Linda's designs.

Doesn't this one make you go arrrrrrrrr. Look at that face on the little dog.

A few little embellishments and there you have it another birthday card ready to send.

So that's me for this week folks, I will see you when I get back from my hols.

Take Care

Gill xx

News Flash - There are new papers and Ephemera from Emerald City

Hi Everyone,

Today see's the latest in the Emerald City Crafts UK designs go on sale as digi downloads.

Have a look at Linda's You Tube to get a full description of the new ranges, So Cute and So Heavenly, they are absolutely gorgeous and you can buy them at affordable prices to print off again and again. The quality of the print is amazing as I only have an everyday printer and they have come out so crisp. This is the beauty of Linda's products, you don't just have to use the papers with the ephemera they are so lovely they can be used on all sorts of projects.

Here are a couple of samples I have made so far and will be sharing more with you in the next few days.

This is the first from the So Heavenly range. I up-cycled a baked bean tin by painting it pale pink and then wrapping one of the papers around the middle. Add a strip of ribbon round the top and bottom and rub some DecoArt metalic lustre around the rim and it is ready for the gorgeous angel ephemera and some flowers and butterflies. You can see I have put pencils and brushes in mine and it has given a lovely classy look to my craft area

Back to cards with this one. I have used the backing papers and also stenciled a heart. For the main image I have cut around the two angels  from the ephemera and stuck them using pinflair glue so they are standing off the paper. I then chopped down the sentiment to fit, matted with matching pink card and tucked it at a jaunty angle. 

This collection is perfect for romantic cards

Now to the So Cute, gorgeous vintage images with matching papers. This is a large tag using this beautiful little lady and matching papers. I finished off around all the edges with Tim Holtz distress ink (walnut stain, lacy punch for the edges and some flowers and leaves using more punches in my stash.

Keeping with So Cute how gorgeous is this baby. As soon as I printed it I thought new baby card. Although the papers and ephemera are quite vintage with a few stars I think this turned out quite modern.

So I hope you like this little sneak peak. Keep an eye out for more later in the week

Take care
Gill xx

Altered Art

Hi Everyone,

Work is so tiring at the moment I so wish I could retire and spend every hour crafting, but it's not to be so I have to craft when I have the energy and it certainly isn't after a 9 and a half hour day.

This week my lovey Aunty retired and I have altered  a wine bottle for her as part of her retirement present.

I have decoupaged the whole bottle with vintage newspaper and birds. I glued vintage string to the top and bottom and used flowers from the Works, leaves from a Joanna Sheen die and a butterfly punch. I have left the top open because I think a couple of silk flowers will look great in it. I made a tag saying Re-purposed with love.

I hope you like it and if you fancy having a go at this altered art you should it is great to see what can be made of something we normally throw away.

I hope you all have a great Bank Holiday weekend

Take care

Gill xx

It's Been Busy

Hi Everyone,

I haven't been around in a while, it's been a busy time primarily due to getting ready for our charity Alternative Grand National Ladies Day here in Liverpool. I do all the table decs, menu's, table numbers etc and when you have 150 ladies attending you have to make sure everything is perfect. Here are a couple of pics of the tables:

We went for a classy black and white theme this year. I decoupaged and decorated old shoes with flowers and butterflies. 

We need to start thinking of a theme for next year now so suggestions are welcome.

So what else has been keeping me busy? Lets have a look

This is just one of a few custom orders I have finished in the last month. We are on the blue side of Liverpool in this house but I am not averse to making a Liverpool FC card occasionally ;-) 

So whats next, I am making some more samples ready for the new collection of papers and ephemera from Emerald City Crafts UK. You will love them they are so sweet and different from the last collections so look out for them coming soon

So that's me for now I won't leave it so long next time 

Take care

Gill xx

Nostalgia Canvas

Hi Everyone,

Here I am again showing another creation using Emerald City Crafts UK Nostalgia papers and ephemera.

The images are just lovely some of which are from original family photo's so they truly are a one off.

This Canvas is of a lovely Gentleman and would look great on the wall of an office

All the paper you see is from Emerald City and the bits and bobs are from my stash. I distressed everything with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain distress ink

Hope you like what you see and don't forget to leave me a little comment and say hello

Take care

Love

Gill xx