Hello everyone!

Hi everyone and thank you for all those who have popped in to visit even though my blog was quite boring and dead recently.....I had a lot of things to deal with and thank God I am almost back to my normal routine now.
I hope you all have had a nice christmas and wish you all a Happy New Year.
Will be intersting to see what's new on the market in the year 2008 ,in the craft world. The latest gadget is the zutter bind it all thingy...unless there has been some other gadgets I am unaware of!!!!I mean, there are so many things out there and I do seem to always want them all. Im glad I cannot afford them as I do believe it can be very addictive and a whole house wont be enough for them all.

Now, you will see a clip I have made on Alcohol inks and acetate...I had a training at work on how to use Live webcam and movie making. The first thing that came to my mind was to make things like this to be able to record stuffs.I had a hard time uploading them and spent hours working around it and finally managed to see it live on you tube.Its not the best clip ever but I am proud of it. Hopefully I will make better ones in the near future(hopefully!).

This year will be quite a busy year for me, I have a lot of things planned but how much will get done, thats the question hey!

Anyway, do check on a weekly basis to see the Papercraft junkies weekly challenges, on Mondays.

Bye for now

PS: Special thank-you to Shhh(Sharon). I wont say much but thanks for your support:))

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who has emailed me asking me if I'm alright and why I don't blog anymore!It does make my day to know that some people do read my blog and do notice I'm not there:)

I have been very very busy and I have my inlaws staying over for couple of weeks, so time just flew by and I never got round to craft or to blog. Believe it or not but I have missed my craft as when I don't craft or do my ART, then I do miss something in my life terribly.

But I will be back soon.....Hopefully very very soon! So watch out this space and do pop in and leave your comments as it keeps me going.......!

I have been tagged!

Tagged by jay01620.... AND Shh-shh

The rules which you must abide by if you are tagged.
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs

7 Weird facts about myself
1. I am obsessed with loosing weight yet just cannot stop munching!
2. Whenever I wake up, I check if my husband is breathing, in case he isn't!
3. I am always worried that the microwave might blow up in my face, so when I do put something in it, I need to walk away as quick as I can.
4. I am petrified of cockroaches.
5. I rather bake than cook.
6. I cannot swim.
7. I like Winter

Autumn challenge

Its Monday again and challenge time again....Don't I just love it!If It wasnt for the challenge I think my blog would have been really neglected!

Find out more about this challenge on PCJ website. Here is my take for this one.

PCJ Challenge 9- Flowers

I am finally on the mend...I actually do feel better and back to 'Life'. I have missed last week's challenge over at PCJ but never mind, this week's challenge has been set by Durcan Designs which is:

This week is Durcan Designs (Tracy Durcan) turn to pick a subject - 'Flowers'

My take for this challenge is this one, hope you like it and it inspires you to have a go. Come and join us and dont forget , the best example get 15% discount code from the sister site online store craftycarrot.com

Feeling a bit poorly

I started with a sore throat and ended up with a cold which worsen day in day out and now Ive got flu! I couldnt do the weekly challenge for PCJ.Its such a shame as its such a fun challenge!!Do go over and have a browsy , who knows, maybe you would want to have a play!

Exploding box

I have made this exploding box for the PCJ challenge last week. I made it specially for my nephew which will be coming to this world by the grace of God this November. I will send it over as a gift and on each side of the card, pics of the family can be added...I havent added any pic since I think its only fair to add when the first pic of baby has been added.

I've been tagged!

Sharon has tagged me and it does help to talk a bit about myself which Im not very good at, so like Sharon said, whether you want it or not, here we go!

Four places I worked:

Girls only Secondary School in Mauritius as an Art Teacher
Boys only Secondary School in Mauritius as an Art Teacher
Learning Support Assistant in a secondary school in London
Librarian and Finance Assistant in a secondary school in London

Four places I have lived:
Mauritius (until about 19)
South Africa - Pietermaritzburg( 4 years for my tertiary studies)
London - Tottenham
London - Leyton

Four places I have visited on vacation:
Cape Town
Durban
India
Southend on Sea

Four favourite foods:
Cheese maccaroni
Salmon and baked potato
Soups( cream corn ones!)
Toasts and cheese(honestly)

Four places I would rather be right now:
Dubai- just wanted to visit it!
India- Just have to go back there as I have been there and its lorrvely!
Morocco
Turkey( my husband really wants to go there!)

Now I should get tagging, hhmmmm, who should I tag?
Okay...sorry to tag you peeps but I am interested to read about your four favourites!

Paula

Melissa

jay670120

Natalie

At last....First Design of Stamp set!!!

I can share the good news! I have my first design for Tanda Stamps . I am really glad about this and I do hope you crafters out there will like these stamps and create wonderful cards with it. Here are the stamps which will be on sale from Friday 21st of September . This is a sneak preview of them and I got to get them first...yoo hoo!

I would like to thank Tanda stamps (Alex and Andrew) for their support and help in realising this design sheet. It is a pleasure to have designed this for them. They are great to work with!

Here are a few samples of what I have made so far.....Watch out this space , there will be many many more. I cannot explain the feeling of seeing your own design in the form of rubber stamps and being able to create cards with them...Incredible feeling!

Have a purrfect day!

Its the time for a new challenge at PCJ. This week it was my turn to set the challenge. Quote:'This week is Tassy's turn to pick a subject - 'Black, White & Red'My challenge is called 'Black, White & Red' and I'd like you use in a project of your choice'

Don't forget, Each week the Design Team will choose the best uploaded picture and that person will receive a 15% discount code for our on-line store and sister site, CraftyCarrot.com (should an international crafter be selected, the cost of shipping will apply to the order. Also you must be registered separately with www.craftycarrot.com).

Have you ever given it a go at PCJ? Well why not try this challenge out? Its fun....if you want to see the other Design team's take for this challenge, have a look HERE.

I have used Hero Arts Dots stamp set to make the background of the card, using black and red ink.The stamp is from Pink Cat stamps which I really like and the wording also is from the Pink cat set. I have stamped the image three times so I could cut and layered part of the image, like the flower on the hat, the cat and scarf and mounted them with foam pad.

S for Sweetness

This is my take for the 5th papercraft junkies challenge which can be found HERE....Come and Play with us.

I have used Hero Arts Dots stamps for the background of the card, the smaller square has been done using alcholic inks. If you want to know more about this technique, scroll down as I have more info on them. The icecream is a stamped image from Stampendous. I finished off with Chipboad letter S, mini paper flower, some ribbons and the word sweetness from Hero Arts again. Hope you like it!

Adorable

This is another card I have made using one of the Retro Women Rubber sheet set. I just like these images.Very feminine...here I have used Basic Grey -Stella Ruby paper pad as part of the background. I like the stripey look .Now coming to the circle and scalloped edge, Im very into scalloped since its in...Crafting is a bit like fashion , isn't ?!!I dont have any scalloped punch but I had to get that scalloped look with this one as I had the image in my head. So I use my compas again to draw a circle, cut it out and stamped my image on it with black Whispers ink pad. I have coloured in partly with water colour red colouring pencil and used my water brush to go over it. Then I opened my compass a little bit wider and draw anoter circle ono Red Bazzil card and cut around it with Scalloped edge scissors. From my experience, the only thing you need to worry about is to make sure you are cutting on the line all the time so you dont get a crooked circle! And also, try to move your paper as you go along.Mount the image on the red card, add two eyelets on both sides and thread through you ribbon, in such a way ribbon will be hooked onto itself, then I have made sure ribbons are long enough to be attached at the back of the stripey paper.The other end, I have cut them just to add a bit of zing to it.

Needless to say , I had to use my 'adorable' word stamp from Hero Arts, mounted onto red bazzil card and cut with scalloped scissors. I thought if I put it in the middle it will look kind of bare on both sides..So I opted to put the word on the left, and to counter balance it with some basic grey paper, by cutting a piece of paper, then again into squares, add some black ribbon in the middle, I have glued the back of the squares and attached the ribbon at the back. And Finished off with some bling: Red studs!

Easy and I normally sketched my cards before I do them, but with this one , I had an image in my head and it just came together by itself.So have a play with this sketch if you like it, its pretty easy!

Look and feel your best...

I am feeling a bit tired as I have done quite a bit this weekend. There are two other cards I cannot show you until this monday, that is tomorrow and the other one, not until next Monday as they are specially made for the Papercraftjunkies Challenge. Anyway, I have made this card using Tanda Stamps Retro women rubber stamp sheet . I have firstly chalked over a piece of card with red chalk, then stamped my images using Whispers Black ink. With a water brush, I have used some Twinkling H2O, colour red, to go over the chalk (background). I have also highlited the body of the women with some Lumiere.You wont really see it in the picture. The word 'Look and feel your best ' is also from Tanda stamps.The striped background was achieved by cutting some papers from 'the paper Stack' in different width and glued them down. Before I forget, I have used some bradz to attached the elements together and finished off with some fibres.

Alcohol inks

This is the first time I am trying out Alcohol inks on glossy paper but I love them to bits. So you will need, Adirondack Alcohol inks, I bought a set of three and I got Wild plum, Stream and Butterscotch in it. I bought the Adirondack blending solution separately(Its a pity you dont get it free , LOL) I have used Butterscotch and wild plum in this one. I just dropped droplets of the colours sparingly all across the glossy paper. Then dropped the blending solution here and there and they will start mixing. If you want them to look like dots, be sure to drop them in such a way that they remain as close to a circle as possible, and when you are dropping the blending solution, drop them carefully in the same way in the middle of the alcohol ink. And then, just leave it, it does the work for you!

If you want to see which card I have made using this one as a background, come back on Monday night when I will post the Papercraftjunkies challenge!

In this one, I have dropped about 6 drops of Adirondack Alcohol ink in Wild plum then drop immediately the Alcohol blending solution on them, and see them spread, thats the part I like the most, amazing!When it is dried up, which doesn't take very long, I have stamped over with stazon using Stitched flower stamp from Hero ArtsHere I have used Adirondack Alcohol ink in Stream and Butterscotch. The alcohol blending solution gave that spreading effect.But here instead of dropping them and let them drop in a tight circle shapes, I have dropped streaks of them, moving my hands, having at times , lines , zig zag lines ect....

Here I have used Adirondack Alcohol Ink , colour: Stream and Adirondack Alcohol Ink, Mixatives in Silver. Same technique as above.So, I have used the Adirondack Alcohol blending solution as well.
Look at that..! It looks as if you are looking at the world from space...it does!!honest!

I just love this technique , I think it makes great background

This is a bigger version of the pic, just click on it!

These are three samples I have tried, this time using clear embossing ink and clear embossing powder on glossy paper. Just make sure you don't handle the glossy paper too much as your fingerprints might show, how do I know? well ask me!!:) Anyway, you can use a brayer to ink it but I haven't . I bought some cheap make up sponges from poundland and used them instead. I used Kaleidacolor, as your ink must be water-based, so it can glide nicely on your paper and to get the resist effect.

If you haven't tried this yet, try it, you will love it!

Who's our Family?

I haven't got the chance to blog regularly these days.Back to work and back to less crafting time.The Challenge on the Papercraftjunkies website for last week was :

I hope you can all join in with this challenge and find out who are our family?It maybe an interview with an older member? and record it via a LO , or record your family tree, or even start a journal with your findings about your family .... the theme is open to all interpritations, set by Melissa.

My take for this challenge was:
This is a personalised key holder I've made for my sister. She loved it!

Why don't you browse through the Step by step I have compiled to show you how this key holder ended up like this..!

All right then,

Step 1:

These are plain chip boards and they come with a key ring which opens up.

Step 2:

After I have chosen, two flower chipboards and a round one, I have decided to paint the circle one with Pink Acrylic Dabber. And this will be in the middle , since I was going to use only three chip board, the first and last will be the flower ones, but they will be covered up with patterned paper.

Step 3:

Here I have traced on the patterned paper using the flower chipboard and cut it out.Then I have used Tacky glue to spread on my plain chipboard.

Step 4, 5 and 6:

Once glued down , I turned it over and using the sharp edge of my cutting knife, I neatened the edges by cutting away excess paper. Using a filing board, I filed the edge of the chipboard and this gives it a very nice smooth finish and kind of blend the paper together with the board.And here's how they look when put together.This is a lot of fun!

Step 7, 8 and 9:

I have stamped one side of the board with FLourishes set 1 from Tanda Stamps .Then, I wanted to add a scalloped effect to the edge. I picked couple of papermania shapes (circles) in yellow and lime green, divide them in half using a pencil, then place it under the rim of the cirle where the middle line is, draw the curve, cut them along the curved line, and here we go, semi circled, scallopped effect edge.Complete the whole edge of the circle.

Step 10:

Glue the patterned paper over the board , file the edge as above, then use the acrylic dabber to finish off the egde to give it that neat finish.

Step 11 :

Finished off this side by adding a picture of Naz, my sister since the challenge was about family.

Step 12,13,14 and 15:

I have used a chipboard alphabet N , traced over some thick card, pain over with pink acrylic dabber.Then, I have inked it with clear embossing ink, sprinkled clear embossing powder as shown in the second pic.Dont get confused as its in a tray, and the circle with Naz pic is underneath the tray!Then, I heat embossed the letter N, repeated with letters N and Z, and two little brackets chipboard. A closed up of the letter N when it has heat embossed, a glossy finish.

Step 16:

I have stamped the other side of the circle board with some words. The little flower is stitched flower by Hero Arts and I have coloured it with Pink H2O, and trimmed to the edge.

Step 17,18 and 19:

Here I have used a compass to draw a circle, and a second circle in the middle. I cut through the circle in the middle with a sharp edge scissor then using my scallopped edge scissors I cut around to remove the inner circle...Hope you are still with me and I am still clear with my instructions.If not , I'm sorry and will try better next time!:)

Step 20:

As weird as it might sound, since I dont have a laminator, I bought the laminating sheets, from poundland, then a friend told me they could be set with iron set on low. So I gave it a try, risking this finished piece of work!!But guess wot, it works! Why did I laminate it?Because my sis will be carrying it as a keyholder in her handbag, and I wanted to protect it from rain and humidity!I didn't want it to be pretty only, but also functional.

And last step is to put them together in the key ring!

This is a much bigger pic of the project. I do hope you like it and try it , its easy and fun!


PS: I am sorry that all the pics didn't come out in the same colour! Im still learning how to use this camera of mine. Sometimes the light seems great, but the next pic will have this yellowish tone to it.Dunno why!