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Wednesday 30 March 2016

More Than Words Mini Challenge

Hi all,

Super quick post today!
Here's my entry for the More Than Words mini challenge this month. This month's word to use is 'Happy'.
(I know it's a Facebook thing but I wanted to share with my blog followers, so. If you want to enter, make sure you go to the More Than Words facebook page. The closing date is tomorrow the 31st.)
I wasn't going to bother entering as I have no chance (I don't with the main challenge either but I like to take their challenges as inspiration..) but I saw this little bee die in my folder, so I figured I'd make something with it.

It's way too simple to win, but I like it anyway. :)

Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx

Tuesday 29 March 2016

Me & My Mommy layout



Hi all,

I have a nice summery layout to share today.
I took the selfie with my mum last summer. I think we were going for a walk to the shops or the park and we had matching tops on so I took the picture. 
I've some pictures I printed to scrap but never got round to it, and this was one of them. When I got this paper as part of the surprise box I ordered from Hey Little Magpie, it was a perfect match!


I also used the new mini dies by Xcut and they're really good! I like generic things as they can be used on any project. There's also bits from the Jan/Feb Quirky Kit on here - the PL card, the flowers and the white and gold tags.

Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx


Saturday 26 March 2016

50th Birthday Card

Hi all,

I'm back to share a card I've made for my dad's 50th birthday.
To celebrate he took us to London for a few nights and we got back yesterday.
Anyway...
Men's cards are notoriously difficult to make...
So I made something simple using the Geometric Mono collection from docrafts. I love pre-printed cards.


Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx

Monday 21 March 2016

Wagamama Layout

Hi everyone,

I've a new layout to share today.

I was in TKMaxx a few weeks ago and I found a pack of My Mind's Eye Jubilee products - papers, chipboard stickers, badges etc... couldn't resist it!
I always make a point of using products at least once before putting them in with my regular stash... that way I don't have drawers full of unopened packets to forget about.

I used an Instagram shot of what I had when we most recently went to Wagamama. We go there a lot... on this particular occasion it was one of those nights when we finished uni at 6pm (ewww) and we fancied a treat. On a date night, Nathan normally pays but this was outside out usual 'quota' so we went splits. Whenever we go I always order pork ramen but this time I wanted a change so I had the ginger chicken udon and it was delicious! :)

Here's my layout:


If I have something behind my picture I always cut it down the middle and stick either side of the picture so then there's more of it visible, like with the clear frame and the red square border.


Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx 

Saturday 19 March 2016

Orange Is My Least Favourite Colour

Hi all,

A new layout to share today (and a little challenge too if you feel like playing along!)
I was originally going for a brown theme, but I wanted a pop of colour in there...
For some reason I chose orange. I hate orange!
My challenge to you is to use your least favourite colour in a project. Link me to what you make!

Once I'd picked orange the next challenge was to find other elements in my stash the same colour. I found buttons and gems and glittery borders, and I added some yellow in there to balance the orange.




Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

Wednesday 16 March 2016

Stash Update!

Hi all,

Just a quick post today, to share the newest additions to my stash.

The first is from The Range. Docrafts have new products out and though a lot is a bit same-y or not my cup of tea, I couldn't resist the adhesive tiles or gold triangles, or the mini dies. The dies are a really good price and they're quite general so useful for any kind of project. Then I got some mini cards, just to experiment with stamping a bit more. I'm not that great at making cards so hopefully the smaller scale will be a little less daunting for me plus I can try out different techniques. Finally a box with small compartments in to store smaller embellishments in. It's a bit rubbish though, the inserts that slide in are too wide so really difficult to get into the slots, some don't reach the bottom so anything really small will slip underneath, which is quite annoying....


Next, The Works have some really nice things in at the moment. Lots of plain bits that you can cover in paints or inks or paper. My favourites are the little plaques that are covered with tree bark, they'd be perfect for a nature themed project. My favourite thing about The Works is that their products are so similar to the bigger companies we're so familiar with, but they are so cheap that there's none of that guilt that comes with spending £5 on a pack of embellishments are pretty much everything is a pound or less.

Thanks for stopping by! 
Emily xx

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Summer Layout

Hi all,

I've made a layout using the free 'Country Life' papers from the March issue of docrafts Creativity magazine. I really like the watercolour effect of the papers. I bought some of the matching tiles too.
I took the picture last summer, from the edge of the supermarket car park on a trip to get ice cream!



To start with I stencilled some matte medium onto the page and painted over it with watercolours. The medium creates a resist.


Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx

Saturday 12 March 2016

Cards for Mum!

Hi all,

Just stopping by to share some cards I made for my mum's birthday, and Mother's Day which was the day after.

The first birthday card will be from me.
Mum knits garments for a store in town and even when she's not working she'll be knitting for herself.

To make this I looked through my file of older paper collections and picked out that something that matched the purples I had painted the wooden embellishments with.

The second is to be from my dad. :)

I had some decoupage left from a commission, plus some of the new Country Life papers from Docrafts so I used them for this card.

And lastly a Mother's Day card. Thankfully I only had to make this one this year because I had some female cards ready made so all I had to do was stick a 'Mum' sentiment on there somewhere!






Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx

Tuesday 8 March 2016

Mixed Media Layout Using Gelatos

Hi all,

I've been playing around with my Gelatos and made a layout using them and some pictures I took on a recent visit to The Deep.
If you haven't been or heard or it, The Deep is an aquarium or 'submarium' as they put it, in Hull.
It's a really cool building, here's a picture I took last time we went.
Basically when you go you get your ticket and it's valid for a whole year so you can go back whenever you want, which is great if you're bored and fancy a drive somewhere (as we often do!)
On our visit this time there were lots of school groups which is fine but slightly alarming when you're taking a picture of some fish, turn around to move on but find yourself surrounded by nine year olds nearly as tall as you! 

Anyway, here's my layout!
I only have the one set of gelatos (so far!), I bought a pack of metallic ones to experiment with and I love them!

With this layout I scribbled the purple, blue and green down the page, overlapping slightly. I then went over with a wash of water, pushing the gelatos across the page, working my way down. 
I placed blank embellishments on the layout to work out where they would be and then coloured them the same colour as the place they would sit on the page.

The circle border is a plain 'kraft' one by Studio Calico, the dots going up are just the middles from the circle border. I coloured them in before sticking down so it would be less messy.

Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx

Saturday 5 March 2016

Owl Decoupage Birthday Card & Gift Tag

Hi all

I'm back to share a card I made for the Docrafts Trade Catalogue and the March issue of Creativity Magazine. It's using Anita's foiled decoupage, and Country Life papers.
Amid all the disappointment I've had with DC lately, it's nice to see my name and work in their magazine.




I'm normally not a fan of the foiled decoupage sets but these woodland ones are really cute!

Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx

Tuesday 1 March 2016

More Than Words Challenge March 2016

Hi all,

Today I've been busy making my entry for the March 'More Than Words' challenge. You can find out more here . The challenge was only announced today but I was in need of some inspiration so I got going!

This month's word is 'Bliss' and the creative challenge is to use some gesso.


When I think of the word 'bliss' it takes me to sitting somewhere in the sun where it's quiet and peaceful. I took this picture at Cusworth Hall, a manor house a couple of miles outside Doncaster. There's a country park around it as well which is lovely to walk around. At the top of the hill where we were sitting next to the hall you can see into town and for miles around. After this I may have rolled down the hill when no one was looking and got mud on my dress and legs but it was worth it!
Here's my layout:

I had a square of map print vellum that worked well with my picture. It didn't stand out well so I used gesso on the area around where the vellum would sit so the background was toned down. (I made my own gesso using PVA glue, white acrylic paint and talcum powder. The talcum powder is scented so now my layout smells gorgeous! Haha). I also covered a chipboard flourish with gesso to match. The layout looked a bit bare on each side so I added buttons and skeleton leaves.

Thanks for stopping by, why not play along? I find this kind of challenge so inspiring!
Emily xx