Monthly Archives: May 2012

 Today we are doing something a bit different for us, and sponsoring an event that celebrates The Best Of British! If you click on the link (the flashing flag above!) you will be able to see heaps of great projects that have been posted over the last 12 days – and if you leave your name- you can win a prize. Leave your name after each days post and you have a chance of winning a prize every day!!

Make sure you leave your name on day 12 to win the prize we have donated!

We were asked to design some projects for day 12 and include some gorgeous ribbon by Crafty Ribbons.

So here are our four projects designed by the team at A Maze of Memories!

 First we have a lovely triple easl card made by Susanne. The British are famous for drinking tea and-we all seem to do that a lot in the craft room so you might recognise the red teapot! 

 Susanne has used an inexpensive clear stamp set from Kars, a sentiment from Personal Impressions, and ribbons and buttons from  Crafty Ribbons.

Here is a close up.  Well done Susanne - I love your card and your design!

Next up we have a small double canvas wall hanging created by Carolyn. Carolyn has used the new bazzill thin text paper for the background on the canvas, and as usual, has used plenty of distress inks.

What is more English than our love of gardening – and of course the red rose of England!

Carolyn has cleverly cut the ribbon up to create bunting, and also used if for leaves for her roses!

The rose stamp is one of my favourites from Hero Arts. Carolyn has made a red rose and butterfly from shrink plastic using a Creative Expressions stamp set.

Those beautiful roses have been made using using the text paper and the Tim Holtz Tattered Pine Cone die. They have been coloured red with distress ink. Great work Carolyn!

Next up we have my contribution. I really enjoyed our recent workshop at A Maze of Memories with Clare Rowland earlier this month when Claire visited us for a Designer Demo-Day.  I decided to do a variation on the card that Clare designed for our afternoon master class!

As a nation we always have something in common to talk about – so my theme was the weather! And of course it is raining!

Molly Blooms stamps are designed and manufactured in England, and I also used patterned paper and gems from Woodware – one of my favourite British companies who distribute great craft products.

Here is my card open. I hand drew the clouds, and then embossed them with the Divine swirls embossing folder. The lovely ribbons are again from Crafty Ribbons.

I coloured Molly, George and the little ducks with Promarkers. Although I knew Copic pens are very popular I chose to stock Promarkers at the craft centre two years ago as Letraset are a British company – and the pens are manufactured in the UK.

Letraset have sponsored day 9 of the Best of British event so leave your name on that day and you could win a set of 12 Flex markers!

 I added glossy accents to the wellies to make them look wet!

 Those wellie wearing ducks are so cute!

And finally I asked Jenny to create a  Scrapbook page. This layout celebrates our brave troops who serve our country, and sadly sometimes pay the highest price to preserve our freedoms.

This colourful event took place in our local town Thame, Oxfordshire earlier this month, and was really enjoyed by everyone, especially the children. Jenny’s journaling tells the story:

Jenny has made fantastic rosettes with the ribbon and buttons! A brilliant layout Jenny.

My thanks to Susanne, Carolyn and Jenny for designing these projects for me to share. I think they have all done a great job.

So please don’t forget to click on the flashing flag above and leave your name. It would be wonderful if some of our local crafters won a prize…

If you are not sure how to leave your name follow these simple steps:

Scroll down until you reach the numbered list of names. It reads “please join us here…”

Look for the blue button underneath. It has a smiling face of a frog on it! Click on it.

A new box comes up. Do’nt worry if you don’t have a URL (blog). You don’t need one. Just type in your name, and your email address. Click on the blue button that says “Submit Link”

 It will automatically add you to the list, and your name will be entered into the draw.

Good luck!

Although Lindsay Mason was unable to be with us today lots of you enjoyed working with her Build A Scene stamps at our two workshops. This first set of sample cards were made by Carolyn. The images have been stamped, and coloured, with distress inks.

Here is a close up of one of the sample cards. Am embossed card front with a window works well to showcase little stamped images like these.

Here is a variation using a lovely butterfly embossing folder. I didn’t ink up the top of the bulrushes, so that I could doodle little flowers on instead.

Here is another variation using two images. I have used the Harbour clear stamp set from Hobby Arts which will mix well with Lindsay’s set.

Here is another variation. A flowery embossing folder with a miniature flower scene:

We made a second card by stamping and masking to create a large focal image. The tags are also from a new clear sentiments set by Lindsay.

You can create all-sorts of scenes. The “wavy lines” in the set can be waves, rocks or clouds for example!

…and here is another one…

…and yet another one!

The third card we made was a accordion folding design which was very popular. Here are my four sample cards closed:

Here are two of them open:

Here is another one:

And this great variation was made by Julie Staves using the Hobby Arts Coastal Wildlife clear stamps set.

Finally two cards made by Lindsay herself. This was going to be the make ‘n take card. (sorry about my shadow in the picture!)

And finally here is another card made by Lindsay using the set we used today plus a nice set with definations of relatives. I like the sun and gentle colouring.

Thanks to everyone who came today, and I hope the sample cards will give everyone lots of ideas!