Is That Really Me?!

It's hard to believe we were ever this small but here is the evidence to prove it!  I think I was about 18 months old in this photo and probably still mastering the whole walking thing.  Slow learner!

I designed this digital page using Serif Craft Artist Professional (CA).  It is an awesome piece of software and a must-have for every crafter.  I started off with a layout from the Botanique - Bumper Digikit and to be honest, I didn't even mean to craft this but once I had started I couldn't stop until it was finished!  The colours were very different but the basic layout is the same.  I recoloured the elements to match the photo.  Looking at it now I think it could have done with some more shadowing.  The journalling was a little tricky.  I really struggle with writing about myself.  Thankfully the photo did most of the talking!  Enjoy the rest of your weekends everyone.

Happy crafting.
Rachel x

Get Ready Glasgow...

I'm coming!  Just booked my flight, accommodation and tickets for the Hobbycraft show at the SECC in March.  Can't wait!  Must save some pennies for all the lovely goodies I'm sure to find.  Just a shame the baggage allowance is only 20kg!  The last time I went to the Hobbycrafts show (in 2004 or maybe it was 2005!), my crafting left a lot to be desired.  I remember buying some lovely beads though and then just last year I did a jewellery making evening class.  The picture below is a set that I made using a purple and sparkle bead.
 

My Granny actually wore the set at my cousin's wedding in August.  It matched her outfit perfectly.  I've not been able to make much jewellery recently but I'm hoping to get some time next week.  We have an annual public holiday next Wednesday, after Up Helly Aa - I'll fill you all in on that next week!  Watch this space!

Happy Crafting.
Rachel x

Photo Inspiration Challenge

Another week and another great challenge at Fab'n'Funky Challenges.  We are having a Photo Inspiration Challenge and what a photo!

I absolutely love it!  So, on to my card, I took inspiration from the colours used in the photo and also the butterfly. 

I began by embossing the front of the card using my Cuttlebug and the Swiss Dots embossing folder.  I coloured the three rows to the left with Promarkers in Rose Pink, Canary and Grass.  The black die cut is from Spellbinders Butterfly Circles and was cut and embossed with my Grand Calibur.  I used the Stamping Up! Embosslits to cut the butterflies and then sanded them with my sanding block.  The coloured card was originally bought from Create and Craft TV and I have used it in many projects.

The sentiment was computer generated as I didn't have a stamp for this greeting.  I made this card for my friend Katie-Ann who is recovering from having her wisdom teeth removed.  Ouch!  She was really dreading it so I hope this cheers her up.  I cut the greeting with another of the Spellbinders Butterfly Circles dies.  This set is truly beautiful and if it is possible to have favourites this is definitely in my Top 3!

Happy Crafting,
Rachel x 

Two Little Birdies

It's that time of the week again - another great challenge from Fab'n'Funky Challenges.  For the challenge this week we are playing bingo! 

I went for the top line - Handmade embellishment, Digi Image and 2 different papers.  

I used a black, white and grey stripey paper from a selection designed by Anna Stemplewska.  The designer papers are very usable and I just couldn't resist so I bought one in every colour!  Of course I used my favourite silver mirri-paper to layer the computer generated sentiment and the base layer. 

The doily started off as plain white but I couloured it with my Promarkers in Cerise and Cyan to match the colourings on the digi image, which is from one of our Challenge Sponsors.  Check out their amazing designs here.  To make the concertina folds, I cut the doily in half and then folded from the centre out to each end.  I also coloured the tops of the hat pins with the same Promarker colours.  I used the Spellbinders Labels Four to cut out the digi image.

The flowers were made from die cuts.  I used my DoCrafts flower die which I won in July last year as part of the Creativity Club Prize Draw.  I made two large flowers and a small one but they were too big so I switched it to three small flowers.  To get the perfect colour match I actually coloured a piece of super smooth paper with the Promarkers and then cut four of each colour for the pink and blue flowers.   The middle flower is made from the stripey designer paper.

Hope you can join us this week for a game of bingo.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Anyone for a tissue?!

I can't believe it's time for the next Fab'n'Funky Challenge.  This year is going so fast already.  Huge thanks to everyone who visited my blog for the blog hop.  Totally blown away by all the lovely comments.  Think I'll need to use that embossing folder more often!  Check out the Fab'n'Funky Challenges website to see if you were one of our lucky winners. 

For this week's challenge the theme is:-

Recycle It or Even Them

I've decided to recycle something and to be honest I only bought these tissues because I wanted to use the packaging!  The boxes have a lovely pearlescent sheen to them.  However, the tissues left much to be desired and my nose did resemble Rudolph last week but I hope it paid off in my card.  I have kept it quite clean and simple and went for a long card this time instead of my usual square. 

Since they were on offer I went for the two differnt colour schemes.  I still have the silver one left over so watch this space!

I cut the side panel off first and distressed the edges with my craft knife.  I used a Quickie Glue Pen to make highlights to the circles and added My Craft Sudio glitter for sparkle.  The fairies were cut from the top of the tissue box using Spellbinders Labels Four Small.  I stamped the sentiment, which is from the Walk in Wonderland set from www.crafting.co.uk and then cut it out using a larger version of the same Spellbinders.  The glitter on the edge was added using the same technique as before.  The fairy die cuts are secured with foam pads but I used Pinflair Foto Glue for the purple base layer.  The sentiment is also attached with foam pads for extra dimension.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Blog Hop

Welcome to the 1st Fab'n'Funky Challenge for 2012 and to celebrate the start of New Year we are having a blog hop . . . well why not especially as Christmas and the New Year are now over and we all need a pick-me-up before the January Blues set in!

Okay . . . you should have hopped over from Alexis and collected her number, however if you have popped over to visit me just to say hi but now want to join in the fun, please pop back to the Fab'n'Funky Challenge Blog where all will be explained. Now, my number is 3, make a note of it because you will need my number and every other number on each DT blog at the very end of the blog hop. To collect your next number pop over to Ginny.

Don't forget to also enter this weeks challenge and the theme is  . . .

"Something New"

 

My "Something New" is this adorable stamp from Lili of the Valley.  I took ultimate advantage of their 10% off event in December and picked up quite a few new stamps.  I coloured the image with Promarkers, using Cerise, Amethyst and Cool Grey 4.  I cut out the image using the Spellbinders Labels Four Small. 

The silver mirri-paper was embossed with a Craft Concepts cupcake embossing folder.  Wishing I had an actual cupcake just now!  The pink and purple papers are from Create and Craft.  I have used them in several cards and think they are so versatile.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink but as I've had the set for so long I can't remember the brand.  They are definitely my go-to sentiments though.

Happy crafting.

Rachel x