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Friday 21 August 2015

100 posts and counting...

Hello crafty peeps and welcome to my crafty corner! It's a very exciting day for me because not only is this post my 100th since I started up my blog last August but it's also my wonderful husband's birthday.

I wanted the 100th post to be a bit special and what could be more special then finally sharing my entry to the National Cardmaker of the Year 2015 competition (did I hear someone shout blog candy?!? Maybe when I have a few more subbies - post 150 perhaps? lol I don't mean more than 150 subbies btw, just for the 150th post assuming more people subscribe.) Anyway enough with the blog candy heckling - I can't really hear you *big grin*. - here are my three cards for the competition.

How could I resist making yet another box card *big grin*

Close up of the floating toppers
As you may have noticed, I adore the current trend for pop up box cards, whoever came up with it is a genius! I love the fact you can make the basic card blank using a single sheet of A4 card, it folds flat for easy/cheaper posting and it can be as simple or ornate as you want - basically how you decorate it is up to you and it's a great way to use those small toppers that you've had for years (though I tend to make my own). The first baby box card I made got such a positive response that I wanted to make another one but for a girl this time. The comp rules state that all cards submitted should be different but if I'm recalling it correctly, a significant number of the runners up cards had a theme to them, usually a paper collection had been used in all three cards or they had lots of similar die cuts so I wanted to have a sort of informal theme running through while sticking to the rules by each one being a stand alone entry. To try and achieve this aim, I decided to make cards for non adults i.e. a New Baby Girl, a young boy (ages 2 - 12 ish) and a card for a teenage girl.

Scruffy Little Kitten "Freddie" Dino Card

Close up of stamped topper and don't you just love the enamel dots!!

Inside of "Freddie" card, image stamped with London Fog Ink
My second card features the adorable "Freddie" stamped image from the Crafter's Companion range - Scruffy Little Kitten. At first I was a bit disturbed by the lack of noses on these follow up stamps to the very popular Scruffy Little Cat range (who all have noses btw), but I've grown to love these images especially Freddie. I don't own all the collection yet but have got all but two of the little boy images mainly because even though I have young nephews I don't own many little boy stamps. I think this image will appeal to young boys and the not so young as I'm sure many of them remember pretending to be a dinosaur at some point even if they didn't have such a splendid costume. I wouldn't be surprised if a few 'grown up' boys still do pretend lol.

Santoro's Simply Gorjuss "Dear Alice" In Wonderland inspired Central Step Card

Close up of "Dear Alice"

Close up of X Cut Pocket Watch Die cut element with foam roses

Close up of left hand panels with painted foam roses and mini playing cards

Close up of right hand panels with mini playing cards, pocket watch and painted roses

Close up of lower half of card with ruby and clear gem detail

the whole card (again!)
First of all please excuse the vast number of photos of this final card, it's my favourite and has a lot of detail to it. This year is the 150th anniversary of the publication of "Alice in Wonderland" and I really like Santoro's take on the book through their fairly recent Simply Gorjuss stamp release. I am a huge fan of these stamps and indeed I like the Mirabelle and Willow ranges too. If I'd owned the Willow range I would be sharing a totally different card because I was a bit worried that the Simply Gorjuss stamps are a bit childish for a teenager, however although the image has childish elements (the teddy for example) I don't think the over all feel to the card is childish. I made the central stepper card from an 8" x 8" card blank and I've given it a twist on the usual central stepper card. I've not seen one as big as this (I had to make a box to put it in) and I've never seen a stepper with the angled panels at the top before. That's not to say someone hasn't already come up with this variation I've just not seen it before. I'll be totally honest, I have a real problem making stepper cards no matter how carefully I measure, score and cut I can't seem to get the steps even. This variation is extremely easy to make and requires very little scoring and cutting. The cutting is the hardest part to do because due to the size of the card blank (16" long when opened flat), the trimmer blade had to go through two layers of card and the back piece is a little ragged. I didn't do it myself but it would be easy enough to just add backing papers to it like the front. I'm not going to go into any more detail about how this card was made because this post is already very long, but as I really enjoyed making it I'll probably be making a similar one at a later date and I will give the instructions on how to make it then (I'm sure you crafty peeps will probably be able to work it for yourself anyway).

Thank you for sticking with me and reading to the end of the post and thank you for making it worth my while to keep blogging. I've enjoyed writing and sharing every one of the 100 posts to date and look forward to sharing many more in the future. As always if you have any questions or comments please leave them in the usual places and until next time - keep crafting!

Love and crafty hugs,

Sarah xxxx

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Sarah xxx