Template ATC's

Just a quick post to say Hi to all and to share a template for the back of

Artist Trading Cards.

It is very simple design, but may save you a little bit of time.

Parisian Chalkboard

Hello, sorry it's taken a little while to get round to publishing
this step by step of my Parisian Chalkboard card, but it's
finally here as promised.

Items required:
Ultimate Pro
Craftwork Cards - Chalkboard Paper Pad & candi kit
Black Card 250gsm or more
Free Stamp set from Issue 151 of Cardmaking & Papercraft
Scissors
craft knife
Lacy Ribbon approx. 16 cm long
White embossing powder
embossing ink pad such a versa mark
embossing ball tool.
Heat Tool.

Step 1. Prepare black card into an A6 stepper using Crafters Companion Ultimate Pro Method. This was my first time cutting my own stepper card and I found the Crafters Companion method straight forward to follow.

Step 2. Select your chosen paper from Chalkboard Paper Pad, Cut to size of the front panel including bottom strip. Glue the Lacy Ribbon across paper apx 6 cm from the top edge, tucking under excess.

Step 3. Using free Stamp Set from issue 151 of Cardmaking & Papercraft. Stamp and heat emboss the Patisserie stamp in white embossing powder onto black card and also the fancy oval frame stamp. Cut out leaving a 2mm black border.

Step 4.       Stamp the fancy oval again, this time in a black ink onto pink or other co-ordinating paper, cut out the centre oval and then stamp the Bonjour in black ink into the centre of the oval you have just cut. Glue the Bonjour Oval onto the Fancy Frame.

Step 5.       Cut a 7 cm x 8.5 cm Matt on a co-ordinating card stock and mount the Patisserie Topper onto it.

Step 6.       Fix Paper Chalk paper with Lacy Ribbon onto the Stepper card.

Step 7.       Fuzzy cut some flowers paper cuttings, don't worry if some have straight edges as these can tuck under edge of stepper so are hidden. Shape flowers with embossing ball tool and glue to left panel. Glue Candi onto right hand panel. Cut out Peace Love square from paper pad.




cut out flowers from paper trimmings.

Step 8.       Position Toppers on front panel, fancy oval to front panel and also a decorative bow from the chalkboard kit. Add sentiment and a piece of your chosen paper to inside/back of card for an area to write.




Step 9.       Sit back with a Cuppa and wait for glue to dry or make an envelope to match.

Happy Crafting.

Day 1 of Stevia Challenge

Hi All

Today is day one of my Stevia Challenge.

I have decided to do a little test to see what the effects of the whopping 2 heaped teaspoons of sugar I usually load into my tea and coffee are having.

From today I am just making one change, using Stevia instead of sugar. I already use skimmed milk and am not changing anything else in my diet or exercise, so lets see if I start to shed some of this excess weight I seem to have put on now that my age has slid past the 40 mark.

Wish me luck.

Peruvian Lily Button Hole

 Hi all.

Today I was inspired by the beautiful bouquets of flowers my friend and sister sent me for my birthday, both contained Peruvian Lillies a gorgeous flower. 

Thinking they would make delightful button holes, I set about to make one.

Lucky for me I had recently purchased Tonic Studios Punch and Stamp Set, that included... Yes you've guessed it a Peruvian Lily... Yay!

First I used my Spectrum AQUA Sunflower to create a wash on watercolour card and punched the necessary shapes to make two lillies. I then used Ranger, Tim Holtz distress ink, abandoned coral and chestnut spectrum aqua to detail petals.

The next stage was to shape petals and leaves with a ball tool and assemble onto florist wire. The wire was then wrap in florist tape light green and I added a little foliage. Finally I Taped both lillies together to finish the button hole.

About me

Hi

My name is Dawn and I love all things crafty.  I've been a crafter from a kid as many of us are, learning to crochet with my best friend, learning to knit with Grandma and my mother taught me to sew outfits for my dolls as well as making Christmas decorations. I also used to spend hours drawing and especially loved pencil sketching.

I spent my teenage years with my head either in a sketch pad, some horror novel, Or I was playing with my colleagues at Huthwaite Prize Band, a Brass band I've been a member of since I was 12. My boyfriend Ray, later to be my husband shared a passion for Art, painting, model making and photography.

Like many of us, I found my professional jobs (Financial Accountant and Practice Manger for a GP surgery) left little time to engage in my hobbies, but my husband and I often talked of running our own craft and hobby shop.

This blog is the start of a journey to realise that dream. After a few sad years which lead to having to stop working professionally for awhile, we have learned lifes to short and to chase your dreams, before it's too late.  So we have started Artful Inspirations and entered the world of paper crafting and other crafts, personalised cards and stationery, we are the In house stationers for a Wedding boutique called Classy Creations (owned by my lovely sister Hannah), but the designer side of me and my two budding apprentices (my daughters) are bursting to go forward with the journey, with the support of my loving husband Alan hopefully we will succeed in deveoping our own designs, can't wait to get the website up and running to share some freebies, digi stamps etc.  with you and other crafty tips along the

way.

Take Care
God Bless

Dawn