Fab Friday Challenge

Well, lost the original post that I thought I'd saved for the Fab Friday Challenge - another grrrr from me. These are the cards for the challenge. The title was:

Objects of Desire

This has been inspired through my new Uni course, we have to choose objects which we are drawn to, and explain what it is that draws us to them - and take elements from them to use in our work.

For these ATC's I have used leaves, as one of my objects are trees - but couldn't squeeze a full one a card.

I have experimented by embedding my leaf within ultra thick embossing powder. I wanted to preserve the fantastic colours - not sure if this will work, have to see what happens in time to my creation. I would have liked a little more time to play as I'm not completely satisfied, but 100 things to do and never the time (as usual).

You can of course use whatever you fancy - it will be really interesting to see what your "object" is and how you use it, it has been so interesting at Uni seeing and hearing what they are drawn to and why.

Sorry the pictures are late!! (hope I can get them loaded this time - or else the computers for it!).

Fab Friday Challenge

Sorry, I have tried to post my Challenge but the stupid photo's will not load. I have tried it twice and now the button to upload photo's isn't working. Grrrr. So annoying, especially when I'm rushing around trying to leave the house for Uni. Stupid blog site.

Anyway, good news, my book has been listed in the awards given in Crafts Beautiful!! How exciting. Don't want to twist anyones arm BUT in order to vote you need to register on the Crafts Beautiful web site for their newsletter, and fill in all the enteries for the competition.

I'm chuft, and really suprised to be up there with the nominations.

Gosh, need to get a move on...
xxx

QVC Competition winners

Just a quick note to say I had a fab day today with the winners of the QVC ATC and card competitions. We had a laugh, and made some lovely cards (well, I didn't, I just sat and chatted).

Sorry again to Tina, who I made mime for a bit as I turned the microphone off by accident (whoops). Tina was very professional, not phased at all.

Great driving home, I need to take my camera, there are so many things going on. I'll call my collection "passing by", as they will all be taken from the car when I'm stuck in the traffic (I'm not getting out of the car - I'll get my camera nicked!!).

mmmmmmm.

Gosh, there was something else I was going to waffle about but I've forgotten! I'm sure it was very important.

Remembered! I've updated the flickr account recently, the link is on the right of the page. Have a look at all the wonderful ATC's traded by the club members. You can also leave your comments on the ATC's, so let us know what you think.

xxxx

The missing link....

Okay, I'll admit I haven't really discovered THE missing link, just found where I have saved my photo for the ATC challenge.

Uni was brilliant. So glad I have changed to part time instead of full time - not sure how I thought I would fit everything in.

We have access to various workshops, and our first introduction was to the plastic melting machines, woodwork machines, and the metal saws. We all made a little wooden boat, without the loss of any digets. We have been set our first project, which has my mind racing with idea's!! It feels great to be doing something completely different.

Fab Friday Challenge

Hey, noticed I'm early!! Hooray. Well I had to be, it's my first day at Uni tomorrow (oh heck, getting butterflies now), so for once I'm being organised.

This one is a little easy, and the title is

Something Stripey

For this ATC I cut a Christmas Tree from an Anna Griffin stripe paper, which I then used to mat and layer onto my card. I backed the tree onto white card so it would stand out, and wrote Merry Christmas down the side.

Little baubles decorate my tree, which I've attached to the card using silicone glue which allows me to tilt the bottom of the trees out creating movement.

Have a go at a stripey creation

xxxx

ATC or not to ATC.......

I recently did a really good demo and book signing at ESK in Eastbourne. It was great, Gaynor was lovely, everyone was lovely. I met some great crafters as well. Lovely.

The question came up, as it does ofter, why bother making ATC's.

Well, I think it depends on why you are a crafter. If you make cards for a hobby, pleasure, fun, creativity, the joy of being able to make something unique, then why not make ATC's.

If you craft to sell your cards, or as your job then ATC's may not appeal, but they might...

Thing is, when you make cards because your addicted to crafting (it is an addiction lets face it!), then eventually you run out of people to send your cards to - that's where ATC's come into their own. Not only do you have a fantastic outlet for your work, but you will get some brilliant artwork in return. Even if you make cards to sell, or it's your job, seeing other people's work can be inspiring on a no-go day (creativity wise).

I could babble about it for ages of course, and I may be preaching to the converted, but hey - it's a great thing to do if you don't already........
xxx

Bad Blogger!

Sorry, I've been a bad blogger recently. With being at QVC yesterday I completely forgot to do my challenge (tut tut), to be honest I got confused what day I was on (almost didn't go to work - could have sworn it was Saturday!).

Dawn and JJ came to visit us on Wednesday, had a really nice day showing them round Canterbury (and eating, cream tea - mmmmmm). My dad and my step mum are visiting this weekend, so didn't get chance to catch up.

Thought I'd better pop on to let you all know what I'm up to - with the promise that next week I'm going to improve my blogging and tell you all about a charity thing I'm doing.
xx

Not today..

am I going to load pics of my lovely Birthday cards, sorry, but has taken yonks to load the photo's for this weeks challenge - what's going on!!! Very annoying. I'll do it next week though.

I hope I will see some of you at the weekend. I am with Lindsay Mason and Michelle Saxon (just to name drop) at ESK in Eastbourne. I've printed off my directions and made a few ATC's ready to trade, so feel kinda organised (even ironed my trousers).

I have also organised dates for my first workshops in an age. The first ones will be in Dawn's new and posh studio (looking forward to it, not done a workshop there yet). I'm doing a ATC meet and greet in the morning, so a perfect time for people to come and trade, see other people's ATC collections, and I will bring ATC's that I have received - so plenty of idea's to be had. In the afternoon I'm doing an ATC card workshop, with techniques which are perfect for cardmaking as well of course. Got plenty of idea's, so now it's putting it all together.

On the Sunday I will be doing a card making workshop, again with techniques you can use for your ATC's!

Once I start Uni and get my term dates, I will be able to plan my workshops down South as well, to be held in Greenwich and Canterbury. All these plans......gulp.

I'll keep everyone posted.
xxxx

Fab Friday Challenge

Phew, found the camera battery charger (it was in a safe place, not an obvious one though I'm afraid, under my stand-up mirror!!). Anyhow, I've managed to take photo's of this weeks challenge, which is:

Fibres and Fings

I've used Angelina fibres, mixed with felt and wire. You can use any type of fibres, in anyway - so have fun cutting up your old jeans, or stamping on a serviette.

For my ATC this week I used yellow, green and gold angelina fibres, just a thin layer, then added some dark green felt some of which I left quite thick. I folded over my angelina fibres so they trapped the felt, and then covered the sheet and went over quickly with the iron (always better to do a quick iron then you can check if the fibres have bonded. If you over-iron the fibres will loose some of their sheen). The felt, as it does not bond with the angelina, will be trapped, but not flatten, therefore producing an uneven and textured finish. I folded the sheet in to make a rectangle (of sorts), ironing the folds to bond the fibres.

Once I was happy with the shape I cut my ATC from a wire sheet. I ironed a sheet of angelina to the back of the wire, with the rectangle on the other side. Some of the fibres bonded, but to secure the rectangle properly I wrapped a few strands of the angelina from back to front, and ironed to bond.

I then cut a heart from a tighter knitted wire sheet, and pocked to holes in the top which I threaded a thin wire length through. I covered the heart with Versamark ink then covered with ultra thick embossing powder, three layers of clear then sprinkled a gold then a green Opulent Opals embossing powder and melted. As the heart is made of wire the powder goes through to the back, so both sides look really pretty (good for making Christmas Decorations). Keep adding powder and melting until you are happy with the look.

Using the wire lengths, tie the heart to the metal sheet, allowing it to stay raised. I then picked up the word "friend" from a piece of newspaper using the UTEE, and melting this to the corner of my ATC with a gentle heat gun, so not to burn the angelina fibres.

I hope you like it, if you have any queries drop me a line. Look forward to seeing your ATC's.

xxxxx
Leonie

Happy Birthday to me!!

Thank you to everyone who sent me a card. I had a lovely journey on the train home on Tuesday, opening all my cards. I wanted to show off to everyone on the train how many I'd got!! (I didn't though, promise). I also had a lovely Birthday. Kathryn, Andrew, Micheal, Nicky and me went out for the evening and had a tipple or two, then Sunday we went to the beach, which was lovely.

I wanted to take a photo of all my cards up around the house but I've put the battery charger for the camera in a really safe place. It's driving me nuts, haven't got a clue where the obvious, easy, under my nose, safe place is. And it's Nicky's camera, with a completely flat battery, so unusable!! Oops. What am I........answers on a post card (hand decorated of course).

Looks like tomorrows challenge will have to be scanned.

Whoohoooy, Nicky's just come back from the chippy, it's such a good local chippy (how lethal is that). Better go or he'll scoff the lot.......
xxxx