Review of the Year

Whilst the highlight of 2006 was receiving a Thank You letter from
Buckingham Palace, for the Birthday card I made Her Majesty the Queen,

the highlight of this year was meeting Tim Holtz and

watching him demonstrating his wonderful techniques for a few hours.

Very inspiring.

The low point was the loss of two friends from the crafting world.

The wonderful thing about who we all are and what we love to do,

apart from our memories, is that I have keepsakes from them both,

which will always hold a special place in my heart.

A few of my favourite things

As I am sure with most people, my favourites creations and techniques are those that have just been made or used. So for this review I have looked back over the whole year and tried to select a few of my favourite things.

Greeting Cards

A few of my favourite cards from this year.

Artist Trading Cards

These are 2½ by 3½ inches, either portrait or landscape. Those are the only rules. I have been making these for a couple of years now, although I have not made that many this year. These are my favourites.

Fat Book Pages

These are 4 inch by 4 inch square. Usually made from thick card or mountboard. They are decorated front and back. As you punch two holes down the left-hand side to make them into a book, this side should be left free from embellishments.

Inchies

These are 1 inch by 1 inch square. The basic rules are that each one must have an image and at least one word on it. Thereafter, there are no rules. I have loved making these this year. The size makes it a real challenge. Here are a few of my favourites.

Altered Art

There have been books made from old CD and cardboard drinks coasters, metal tin altered with alcohol inks, slide mailers and dominoes altered, but my favourites have been books made from leatherboard drinks coasters and a small chest made from match boxes.

What does 2008 hold?

I am determined to have a go at Scrapbooking.

To keep trying new techniques.

To continue to enjoy making my little works of art.

Gratitude

The challenge theme was "Gratitude" and I had to think long and hard about how to make this Artist Trading Card.


The base of the ATC is mountboard, covered in paper from Scissor Sisters (p-33 Sepia Script). The butterfly rubber stamp is by Elusive Images from Graphicus. I have also used Tim Holtz Distress Ink (walnut stain) and my clear stardust pen from Sakura.

The Last Noel

Finally the Christmas card for my better half. I have used Vintage Ornaments/Pine paper from Basic Grey's Fruitcake range.

Wooden letters are also covered in the paper, distressed and edge with my Krylon 18ct gold leafing pen. A small length of green organza ribbon is tied through the letter O.

The only other item used is my clear glitter Sakura Gelly Roll pen to highlight the snowflakes, ornaments and stars on the letters.

Christmas Message

The challenge was to make an Artist Trading Card with a Christmas Message but to have a secret message in it.

Here is the result and only a few close friends will find the message.

The base is mountboard covered with Basic Grey paper. The poem was composed and printed onto vellum.

A brad, some ribbon and edged with my gold leafing pen.

Merry Christmas

This is a set of leatherboard drink coasters made into a Christmas themed book.

The bottoms of the coasters were covered in Snowed In/Wintermint FRU-597 paper from Basic Grey’s Fruitcake range. I used my Crop-a-Dile to punch through four holes so that they could be tied together later with ribbons and fibres. I went round the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink (walnut stain).



I made two pockets on the middle pages to hold the tags. The two tags were cut from white card, covered front and back with the Basic Grey paper. I used a variety of stamps from Simple Expressions and Clever Cut.

A secret message is hidden on the last page.

The tops of the coasters were left as they were as they form the back of the pages.



Embellishments are ribbons and fibres, blue adhesive stones and my Clear glitter Sakura Gelly Roll pen.

Purple Christmas Take Two

Yes I known they look familiar, but I really liked the purple card, so I have made a batch for my crafting friends.

Additions to these cards are silver mirror card and silver peel offs. And look, no ribbon was harmed in the making of them.

Hope my dear friends like their cards. They have been a great source of inspiration and support this year, so "Thank you" from the very depths of my heart.

Little Daisy blue, didn't know what to do ...

The challenge was to make an Artist Trading Card on the theme of Nursery Rhymes, but no craft items were allowed. Only scissors and adhesive.

I decided to make a small Nursery Rhyme Book. When closed it is the same dimension as an ATC, 2½ by 3½ inches. There are fifteen well known Nursery Rhymes inside, together with illustrations.




My thanks to Clip Art and Land of Nursery Rhymes

Golden Wedding

The base is the word definition paper from Life's Journey Pansy collection by K & Company. I have drawn a black line around the Celebrate section and around the whole page.

This matches the black line around the image, which is from the Crafty Individuals Miniatures "People & Place" paper pad. The image is mounted onto gold mirror card.

The 50 embellishments are wooden numbers and have been covered in yellow paper and distressed. Additional words have been added from the base paper and a small piece of ribbon tied around the 0. The edges are finished using the 18ct Gold Krylon Leafing Pen.

Four heart shapes have been punched from gold and yellow paper. Finally gold organza ribbon is tied around the spine and tied in a bow.

Fly, Fly, Fly Away

Another Artist Trading Card, but using quilling, a technique that I have used only a few times before.

The base is mountboard, covered with patterned paper designed by Vanessa Arbuthnott for The English Paper Company.

One corner is covered with white mulberrry paper. The remaining sides edged with Tim Holtz Distress Ink (dusty concord).

The quilled shapes are added, together with silver wire for the butterflies antenna. A small dragonfly charm is added, attached by white organza ribbon secured through a purple eyelet on the back.