About Me

My photo
dudley, west midlands, United Kingdom
hi i'm Michelle, I am 39 years old. I'm married to matt, with 2 children. William 13 yrs old and Isobel aged 7. I started making cards in 2010 as a way to relax after suffering with postnatal depression. Unfortunately with working life and having our second child, Isobel. who has additional needs, my crafting got pushed to one side. Having recently renovated our new house I've been able to have my own crafty space again. I'm loving unboxing all my old supplies, and buying new of course. Its mainly card making I'm enjoying, but also had a little dabble in crochet and sewing over lockdown. I've decided to keep using my blog as a place to record all my makes, if only for myself. it was a real trip down memory lane when I found this again after 8 years!!! Of course id love to share my makes with others and learn from you all along the way.

Sunday 4 November 2012

LOTV - Birthday cake


A simple birthday card made for my sister Adele.
LOTV image coloured with speccies.

Saturday 3 November 2012

LOTV - fishing




Ingredients:
Main image & sentiment - Lotv stamp coloured with spectrum  noirs
spellbinders nestabilities
epiphany embelishments

Friday 2 November 2012

Moorhead!!!


A gorgeous Moorhead stamp from crafters companion coloured


ingredients
main image - moorhead stamp, coloured with speccies
backing paper - magazine freebie
sentiment - lotv
spellbinders nestabilities
ephiphany heart embellishment

Wednesday 31 October 2012

humphrey!!!


A gorgeous humphrey stamp from crafters companion.


Ingredients:
Image & sentiments - humprey stamp coloured in spectrum noirs & spellbinders nestabilities
Star border - marianne creatables
name - xcut alphabet die

Challenges:
crafters companion monthly challenge - Birthdays
ccmonthlychallenge.blogspot.com

Wednesday 24 October 2012

RIP Kitty

made for my sister who has sadly lost her little ginder cat, kitty after many years.



Ingredients
card base - cc boxer card, grand scalloped circle
main image - mulberry wood xmas cdrom, spellbinders circle & scalloped circle
tag and heart - cc diesire dies
insert - craft artist

Tuesday 23 October 2012

handmade candle

i made this using a sheena douglass transfer sheet. they arent really designed for candles, but i managed to make it work.

Monday 22 October 2012

craft artist projects!

A couple of birthday cards made primarily using craft artist.


william turns 4!!!!

My williams turned 4, and we had a little party (only 50+ kids, lol). i made the invitations and thankyou cards using my craft artist.


Sunday 21 October 2012

wedding bell's

A simple card made for a friends wedding day.




Ingredients:
main image - lotv stamped onto neenah card, coloured with spectrum noirs.
spellbinders squares.
card base - cc boxer card
backing paper, sentiment and insert - craft artist

jewellery making - like i need a new addiction!!!

Ive recently had a little dabble in jewellery making. i know i must be mad, hardly have enough time for my cards, lol. I really have enjoyed it though, and definately plan to make a few christmas gifts.

These are my makes:










Wednesday 29 August 2012

My very own craft room!!!!!!!!

My original crafty space was a small desk in my old kitchen diner. As you can see, it was very cramped and not very inspiring. Therefore one of my priorities of the new extension was to have my own little craft space, where i could shut myself away.



 With everything else going on, it has been a case of throw everything in my room, and organise it as i go along. My hubby has put me some fab shelves up, and its starting to come together!

Its still not the hugest space, so organisation is very important. I thought id share with you what ive done so far. hope you can get some storage ideas, and feel free to share your ideas with me.

Tuesday 28 August 2012

A new start!!!!!!!

As you may know we've had some major building work done on our house. We desperately needed more space, for family life and crafting, but love where we live. So decided to have an extension.
The work started in february, and is almost complete, apart from cosmetics.
 
 
Our original home was a small 2 bedroom house, with small lounge and kitchen/diner. We had a large unused area at the side, which has become the new extension.
Our new home has 4 bedrooms (one of which is now my craft room) and 2 bathrooms upstairs. The original lounge size is unchanged, the kitchen has become our new dining room. The extension has given us a garage, utility, wc and large open kitchen.

Monday 27 August 2012

IM BACK!!!!!!! with a White on White Xmas Humphrey!


Well its been a while since i last blogged. Weve been very busy having a large extension on our home, to include my own little craft room (pics to follow). Ive had very little space and time to craft in this time, so blogging has taken a back seat. but im back and feeling very crafty, so watch this space for lots of creations.

card recipe:
card base - CC boxer card cut with spellbinders grand labels
image -CC humprey christmas stamped onto neenah, coloured with spectrum noirs
sentiment - CC adorables stamp set
dies - spellbinders grand and standard labels, CC die'sire borders and tags, marianne creatables flourishes and poinietta flowers
other - coordinations card embossed with snowflakes folder. ribbon and glitter.

challenges:
secret crafter saturday challenge - white on white

Thursday 1 March 2012

humphrey baby!!!

Quick post this morning as got lots to do before starting my night shifts tonight. Hope you all have a lovely weekend.


Ingredients:
CC humphreys corner stamp - coloured with spectrum noirs
LOTV - sentiment stamps
tim holtz distree inks - tattered rose and broken china
spellbinders - standard circles and squares & heart circles and squares
cheery lynn - heart to heart doily
xcut die - nappy pins
ribbon from stash

Wednesday 29 February 2012

temporary craft room!

while we are having our building work done, ive moved my crafty stash upstairs. ive packed most of it away to the safety of the loft, but kept the essentials in our bedroom. So i can continue to craft while i wait for my new craft room to be built. However, my 'essentials' seem to be growing by the day, and its slowly taking over our bedroom, lol.
Thought id share the pic for work desk wedsnesday (never entered it before).
http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

LOTV white on white

Well, things have been very busy here, bulding work has finally started on our house extension. Its very exciting, big changes to our house, most importantly (lol), im going to have my very own craft room.
Anyway, this is a card i created today for the secret crafters saturday challenge, hope you like it.


Ingredients:
 LOTV stamp - coloured with spectrum noirs (tim holtz - old paper to distress)
sentiment - LOTV stamp
CC centura pearl card embossed with cuttlebug folder
spellbinders - standard square, heart border squares, lacey circles, edgeabilities
cheery lynn doily hearts
marianne creatables die - trailing ivy
feather, jewels, rose and ribbon from stash


Challenges:
*secret crafters sat challenge - white on white

*rubys rainbow challenge - white + 1 other colour (i chose red)

Tuesday 21 February 2012

LOTV




Ingredients:
Lotv stamps -  neenah card - coloured with spectrum noirs
card base - cc boxer card
insert - craft artist
spellbinders - grand big scalloped circles, scalloped circles and standard squares, flourish (fancy tags)
marianne creatables - bird
flowers and ribbon from stash

just a bit of fun.....

I have made this card for my dad who loves fishing. I love making cards for my close friends and family, i just enjoy myself rather than worrying about it looking professional.
i enjoyed making this fun card, as i pictured my dad in his fishing gear, lol

Ingredients:
papermania stamp - mens collection
marianne creatables - tree, grass, fence and bird
sentiment - LOTV stamp (on spellbinders- labels 8)
paper and ribbons from stash

Friday 17 February 2012

Gorjus girls

I picked up some die cut sheets of the gorjus girls in a local craft shop and couldnt resist a play.







Ingredients:
gorjus girls die cut sheets
backing papers and inserts - serif craft artist
card base - cc boxer card
spellbinders grand dies - labels 1 and 11
centura pearl card - darks(brown)
ribbon from stash - tied on ultimate pro

swalk - nephew

I just love all the swalk images, but cant help have a real soft spot for this one, looks just like my little william in his new green wellies.

Ingredients
Swalk stamp - slugs and snails on neenah
spectrum noir pens
spellbinders standard and scalloped squares dies
spellbinders fancy tags 3
CC coordinations card - pastels
paper and ribbon from stash
card candi coloured with speccies
nephew stamp - LOTV sentiments

Challenges
crafters companion february challenge - anything goes

magnolia - just a note....

I havent blogged for a while (laptop trouble), so have a few cards to share, but just love this fresh, summery card ive made so decided to share it first. hope you like it.


Ingredients:
card base - cc boxer card - grand labels one
magnolia stamp - coloured with spectrum noirs
main frame - xcut die - blossom
backing papers - freebie paperstack from magazine
marianne creatables die - gate, bird, trailing ivy.
butterfly punch
ribbon, gems and flowers from stash
liquid pearls



Ingredients:
card base - as above
magnolia stamp - coloured with spectrum noirs
backing papers - freebie paperstack from magazine
sentiment frame - xcut die - blossom
sentiment stamp - magazine freebie
spellbinders - foliage
flowers from stash
liquid pearls

Wednesday 15 February 2012

fairyopolis winter birthday!




Ingredients:
CC centura pearl cardstock - brights
book a trix embossing board - CC embossing spray
xcut die - scalloped oval
xcut alphabet die - abracadabra
fairyopolis decoupage (fairyopolis card kit)
spellbinders - shapabilities blosson one & foliage
Box - ultimate pro and boxer board.
(decorated with elements from the fairyopolis kit)

i am entering this into the facebook group - im a crafters companion.

Friday 3 February 2012

house mouse - i love you!


Ingredients:
House mouse stamp
coloured with spectrum noirs
backing papers - from my stash from 'poundland'
heart set of dies - cheery lin
ribbon from stash, tied on ultimate pro

challenges:
house mouse challenge- a love blog hop

polka doodles - show us some love & use hearts

delicious doodles - all loved up

Wednesday 1 February 2012

pretty sweet digi


Ingredients:
polkadoodles pretty sweet digi stamp - coloured with spectrum noirs
backing papers and sentiment - pretty sweet mini collection cdrom
spellbinders big scalloped circles grand die and edgeabilities, scalloped. cheery lin heart die.
ribbon, flower, bow and feather from stash

challenges:
*polka doodles - sketch
*fab and funky challenge - use a digi

Saturday 28 January 2012

Love is in the air card!..............& new ribbon storage!


Ingredients:
sugar nellie stamp - pillow talk
coloured with spectrum noir pens
backing papers - strawberry kisses cdrom
matt/layered card - centura pearl (crafters companion)
card base - CC white boxer card, scored on ultimate pro.
sentiment - magazine freebie
ribbon - from my stash

Challenges
* Crafters companion - love is in the air

* the sugar bowl - sketch

*pollycraft monday challenge - warm it up

*the cutie pie challenge - favourite song (Jonh Paul Young - love is in the air)

*sectret crafter saturday challenge - ribbon


Now onto my ribbon storage......
Did you see my last post with my fab new marker pen storage? Well ive now organised my ribbons. I considered many different ways to store my ribbons, but as most of mine are odds and ends and not on reels, i decided this would be the best option.
 It may not look as tidy as having them on their reels, but its very user friendly. The ribbons are grouped in colours and i can easily see what i have, and how much is left. I can now find exactly what im looking for in seconds.

I brought a ribbon storage starter set from ebay, consisting of 30 plastic ribbon holders and a small metal ring. I thought id start with this and then add to it later., you can but larger plastic holders and rings from this range.
However i was browsing in my local homesense store (bit like tk maxx) and found this 'belt organiser'. It consisted of this metal hanger and large metal rings (identical to those in the ribbon storage system, but much cheaper). so i have combined the two and think it works brilliantly!!!