Digi Galore's Birthday

Happy Birthday to You,

Happy Birthday to You,

Happy Birthday Dear Digi Galore!

Happy Birthday to You!

I'm on the DT at Digi Galore and as we're having a birthday blog hop at Digi Galore Challenges I thought I'd invite you all along :D I've been luckily enough to be on the Design Team right from the start and can honestly say its been a pleasure to be part of such a great team :D It's hard to believe a year has gone past already!

To celebrate our birthday we've arranged an amazing Blog Hop with the whole of the DT involved. 

Pop by to Digi Galore to start the Hop. We've got amazing sponsors and some incredible prizes so come along & join in. 

This is the list for the Blog Hop 

Digi Galore

Erin

Kelly

Shell

Trish

Kelly M

Lucy  - that's me!

Lisa

Louise

Laura

So now onto the cards I made. Unfortunately 2 of the DT members are ill at the moment (Get Well Trudie & Sandra) So I had 4 digis to play with!!! All from amazing artists. So here they are:

Sponsor: The Stamping Chef
Digi: Howdy Baby

I love The Stamping Chef's Cheeky Saucy Ladies

The Sentiment is from Ginger's House I use her free sentiments regularly - they add so much to a card.

Sponsor: Bugaboo

Digi: Happy Birthday to Ewe Trio

The fun easel card was cut on my Cougar using the Doily Easel Cut File from Birds Cards

I made the sentiment myself by adapting the Happy Birthday to Ewe one that came with the digi.

Sponsor: Digital Delights

Digi - Singing Sally and Tiered Cake

Sentiment - from Create with TLC

Promarkers used:

Skin - Coral, Sunkissed Pink, Blush, Pastel Pink Cheeks

Hair - Tulip Yellow, Sunflower, Gold

Dress, Shoes, Roses & Sentiment - Cerise, Shocking Pink*, Vermillion*

Underskirt - Rose Pink

Cake - Tan, Caramel

Lush Green, Pine

Sponsor - Beansie Doodles

Digi - Musical Amanda

I'm pleased with this as I managed to master a few things I can't normally manage - Lace, Embellishments & Patterned Paper :D

I made the sentiment myself

The Paper is from the Fancy Pant's Beach Babe 6x6 stack

I used these Promarkers:

Skin - Coral, Sunkissed Pink, Blush,  Pastel Pink Cheeks

Hair - Cocoa, Henna, Chestnut, Walnut

Dress, Shoes & Earphones - Salmon Pink, 

Well there you go - that's the end of my contribution. I've had loads of fun playing & hope you enjoyed it too.

I'd love to hear what you think so please leave me a message before you hope in to Lisa 

Don't forget to pop back to Digi Galore to enter - the theme is Anything Goes and the prizes are AMAZING!!!!

A Hougie Envelope (Tutorial)

I'm a huge fan of my Hougie Board & use it or many things from simple card folding to more complicated project folds. I'm even lucky enough to be on the Hougie Design Team :D One thing I regularly use my Hougie board to make envelopes for cards so I thought I'd make this tutorial to show how I do it. I've started to make 15 cm square cards & don't have any envelopes so it's great to be able to make my own.

It's really easy to do - all you need is 2 sheets of A4 paper & some washi/ paper tape. If you don't have the washi tape you could use strips of patterned paper.

Place your paper on your Hougie and place your card centrally on the paper. Choose the next groove out on either side of the card & score all the way down the length of the paper. Do the Hougie trick.

Turn the card & paper 90 degrees and butt into the corner of the Hougie. Score on the groove below the bottom of the card. Do the Hougie Trick.

Trim the paper so it looks like this

Fold & the basis of the envelope is ready. 

Attach the second sheet of A4 to the top edge of the base with washi tape.

Trim it to give the desired size overlap & cut the edges at an angle.

Fold & Stick the flaps. Use Washi tape to cover the side & bottom edges of the envelope so all the edges match.

If you have envelope glue you can use that on the flaps. Alternatively use a small strip of washi tape.

Nice & easy & you can make envelopes any size you want. 

Lucy x

A Really Useful way to store you Promarkers

I've been looking for the prefect storage for my growing collection of Promarker Pens for a while now. I initially had them in a set of small drawers from Poundland but my collection soon outgrew them and I wanted a more organised way of storing them. A friend showed me this solution for Copics & I decided to adapt it for my Promarkers. This is the result:

Several people have asked me for instructions so here goes.

You will need:

1 - Koi Carp Filter Grid.
       - this comes in 16" x 27" sheets & can be found on Ebay

       - one sheet is enough to make one storage box (2 sheets gives enough for 3 storage
         boxes)
       - You can get it in either square or diamond cut. There's very little difference in how
          many pens you can house. I used the diamond cut.

2 - 9l Really Useful Box - this will hold the Promarkers nicely. If you want to put the lid on 

      to transport your Promarkers buy the 9XL Really Useful Box as this has a taller lid.

3 - Marker Pen 

4 - Snips from the tool box

5 - Stanley Knife

• Line the koi filter grid on top of your RUB & with a marker pen mark where you need to cut.

• Use your snips to cut the grid where you've marked. Remember it's better to cut it slightly too big then trim it down later rather than cut it too small.

• Use your stanley knife to trim it exactly to size. Check it as you go. I cut mine as a snug fit so it holds itself in place in the box without the need for fixings. If yours doesn't fit snuggly you could always use silicone or similar to hold it in place.

• Repeat to make the second layer of the grid making sure the holes in the grid match up to the holes in the first piece so the Promarkers will sit straight.

• Put the first layer of grid into the Really Useful Box & push it down until it's about 1 inch from the bottom. Make sure it's level.

• Add the second layer pushing it in about an inch from the top of the box.

• Add your Promarkers & you're good to go

The exact number of pens you can fit in will depend on where you cut the grid. On the first one I made I left the black edging attached which was nice and easy but I realised it took up an extra row that I could be filling with pens so when I remade it I cut the edging off & was also careful where I made the cuts on the top & bottom too. It's only a small difference but might be important to you. 

With the Black Edging attached                                                    Trimmed on all sides

I've created blank grids for both versions and a layout guide for the version without the black edges. 

You can download them from the links below, print them & colour them in so you have a reference guide.

Promarker Storage Layout

Blank Promarker Storage Layout

Blank Promarker Storage Layout (for grids with the black edging left on)

Hope you find it useful

Lucy x

Dylusions, Masks & Koi carp

Well now for something completely different. The amazing Sam came to stay with me on Sunday & we went to a crafty get together on Monday which was great fun. She did a demonstration of how to make the glorious tags she makes. Now I'm normally a tidy crafter so this was a bit of a step out of my comfort zone to say the least but wow was it fun! I'll show you the ones I made with her at a different time as now I want to share the ones I made today.

The techniques Sam showed us included spraying with Dylusions, using Masks, using Distress Paints and many many others. Luckily enough my own Dylusions arrived yesterday so I am now able to play. Aren't they pretty! I'm in love already!

Sam had showed us some beautiful techniques with masks and as I don't have any of my own I decided to make some on my trusty Cougar. I had some A4 plastic zipper wallets from Asda in the house & cutting the edge off gave me a nice piece of plastic to work with. It cut beautifully and at only 55p per folder it's a bargain price and I will get 4 masks from it.

Here are the results - this one is Birds Cards Background 1

This fish scales one came out slightly wrong as my cutter stood itself down part way though the cut, but I actually really like the effect so it was a happy accident.

I used tags & sprayed Midnight Blue and Calypso Teal Dylusions through the gaps in the mask. The one on the right has cosmic shimmer spray applied as well.

I also experimented with spraying the whole tag with Midnight Blue & Calypso Teal. I then applied the mask & sprayed cosmic shimmer water thorough the gaps before removing the mask & blotting the tag with some kitchen towel. This removed a bit of the ink from the sprayed areas making them lighter.

The tag on the right was made by taking the sprayed side of the mask & applying it to a plain tag.

This tag was made using Crushed Grape & Cherry Pie Dylusions, placing the other mask over the tag & spraying with water, then dabbing with a piece of kitchen towel.

I like all of the effects & am so pleased I an make my own masks

I had a think for a while about how to complete my tag - this is what I came up with:

I've stamped & embossed a swirl from the Inkadinkado set Dot Flourishes and embossed it with green and holographic embossing powders to make the pond plant.

The sentiment 'I am here for you' is from the Stampin' Up hostess set Occasional Sayings

The Koi are amazing rubber stamps from Designs By Ryn I stamped them, sprayed them with Dylusions, then cut them out & embossed them with clear embossing powder to make them look even more realistic.

I hope you like them. I've had a great time playing & am looking forward to making more. Thanks for the inspiration & tutoring Sam x

Lucy x

Hi from Lucy

Hi Everyone, I'm Lucy. 

I've been crafting all of my life in one form or another & love being creative and seeing what I can come up with. I've explored all sorts of different crafts over the years. My current addiction to card making started 12 years ago when I discovered the Do Crafts goody bags at our local craft shop. Since then the love of papercrafting has grown and grown (as has my collection of crafty stash!)

I love making individual & personalised gifts and cards for people. Almost everything I make is tailored to the person who's receiving it, but I enjoy playing too. I'm lucky to be on several Design Teams at the moment (more by luck than judgement) The Digi Galore Challenge Blog , the Hougie DT, and Aly's Crafty Challenges. and I love sharing my creations with people on my blog loopylass2010.blogspot

I explore all sorts of crafts but my current favourites are

• Digi Stamps - I love how flexible they are & that they don't take any storage space
• 
  
• My Promakers - I tried my first set of pens over 2 years ago and have gradually built up my collection. I've followed the YouTube Tutorials given by the very talented Kimberley Brown & have found my colouring has improved greatly. I love being able to bring black & white images to life with a few pens.
• 
  
• My Cougar Cutting Machine - I started with a Craft Robo and upgraded to my Cougar 2 years ago. It's amazing machine and I love being able to design anything I can imagine and cut it from anything up to 2mm thick card. I can also use pens in it to draw, engrave metal or acrylic, emboss leather and many many things I've not even tried yet

I have M.E. so my creativity varies with my energy levels but I'll be checking in here regularly.

I'm looking forward to being part of this blog with the other incredibly talented members - it's going to be fun & there should be a good mix of different ideas and different styles. Hope you all enjoy it

Lucy x

 

It is done!

It's done. I have chosen the group of ladies who you will hopefully be getting to know soon! There were so many interested, I have even lined up a few guest bloggers to come in the future! I have decided, however that should the right person come along, someone very special, I would keep some spaces open. Because obviously we want as much activity as possible! For now though, without further ado, I introduce you to the team!

First of all, we have ADELE who's work and ability to join together many beautifully different pieces into one creation caught my eye immediately and I know that she will bring a lot of inspiration to us all. 

Then there is the lovely LUCY. You could not find a nicer person and there isn't enough that can be said about her really. She takes everything in stride and is not afraid to just go for it when it comes to her crafting and she ends up with something amazing! We could all use that kind of attitude, don't you think??

Then we have JAY, who's enthusiasm for this experiment is what caught my attention as I really wanted someone who would give it a good go and want to achieve the same as me. I haven't yet had the pleasure to see much of her crafts (though I did see some lovely jewellery she has made) I look forward to seeing it all right along side you!

Last but not least, we have BEVERLEY.  Beverley has her own shop and from what I've seen of her projects she will be a major asset to our team. I can't wait to get to know her better. If you want to have a browse, you can find her shop HERE. Buy me something. Ok, I'm just kidding! 

But really, if you want to buy me something I won't object!!! Haha! 

Stay tuned for each of them to introduce themselves with their own words coming up soon. I, for one, can't wait to find out a little more about my new friends.

I hope our future followers (whoever you may be) find something new here, something inspiring, and the feeling of friendship from our little group.

Off to bed now, to be ready for what tomorrow will bring. Goodnight!

~Sam.~