Easter Cards

As Easter came and passed so fast and I was busy too with some cards. This is my first ever cards I done for Easter and honestly they are the best of my favourite cards I done so far. Easter reminds about birds chirping in their nests, the air starts to get a bit warm and the flowers starting to bloom. Usually I used to take my first swim at Easter like many others.  We also do have our traditional food for Easter like the "Figolla". It`s a sweet pastry cut in a character and filled with almond mixture and the top decorated with icing paste and on top of it an Easter egg.

Now let’s get back to the real subject as sweets are my biggest distraction. J  For these cards i tried to experiment as much as possible and I am quite satisfied. I always try to experiment and mess about in crafts.

Supplies List

• A4 card stock
• Dictionary and old book pages
• Perfect Pearls mist
• Embossing powder
• Charcoal pencil
• Distress ink pads
• Lace
• White gesso
• Mod podge
• Stamps
• Stencils
• Flowers
• Liquid pearls
• Sizzix Bigz Die - Caged Bird
• Sizzix Bigz Die - Tattered Florals
• Acrylic paints 

The leaves were cut free hand from an old dictionary book, sketched the edges and inside of the leaf  with a charcoal pencil.

The flower was made from and old book and water coloured and edges inked with brown distress ink.  Then glued all the petal layers 6 in all and misted on perfect pearls. When all dry, normally I use a heat gun to hurry up the process, added a button to the center of the flower.

For the background applied pieces of book pages then applied gesso and then the acrylic paints. For stamping I used distress ink pads and on some of the stamping applied embossing powder

For the largest flower I recycled a coffee cup heat protector J  as long I don’t get any free coffee no adverts in here… hehe 

Don’t be afraid to mess about with the paint brush as you can really create fabulous textures. I do have any art experience except a little bit of art lessons at school.  For the cage gave it a little of embossing powder. 

Wish you all  a great day whether the sun is shining or not ! J

Carmen xx

Symphaty Card

Good morning Sunshine’s!! The weekend is gone and another week is starting to roll over J

Although I do enjoy making cards, this was one of those cards that you don’t enjoy doing at all. It made me sad while also shocked, at the tragic loss of this young man. More over when this person is a relative of one of your closest work mates. May his soul rest in peace!

While doing this, had some time to ponder and reflect... that life is too short to worry about and waste… every second from our precious life is worth like a million years and every day is a new beginning. Do what you like doing; be with the ones you love, that bring joy and happiness into yours. Don’t waste time hating the people that move away from you. When things are meant to be, happen when you least expect them. Things always happen for a reason, even from the most negative situation something positive comes out. Love yourself and give love back... mostly to the ones that hurt you, even if they don’t even notice…   Always forgive as you like to be forgiven!!

Most of all be grateful for all the people you have in your life and everything that surrounds you…

I wanted to keep this card simple as possible and preferred to focus on the message. So I went for a verse from the bible.  Next to the wording stamped 2 sparrows and at the bottom I made a gate with some flowers on and the title of the card. For colour I preferred to stay on my usual soft tone.

Lots of love Carmen xx

Blessed are those who mourn, 

for they shall be comforted. 

Matthew 5:4

A Mother`s Frame

Another project I done for mother’s day was this  decorative frame.

For this project all you need is plenty of patience, good mood and some creativity in poetry or else search  the net J  It can be fun and original as much as you desire. Actually I enjoy doing this sort of memento frames as they can be very relaxing.

This one went for one special mother with a beautiful name Rose. A kind and bubbly person that type you would never get tiered staying around her. She is my dearest friend mother, Odette or else as I call her Det. She`s my virtual sister as we both don’t have any sisters, so we found the comfort of sisterhood in each other.  Only one thing separates us ... the miles between our homes, but still one phone call away as we do frequently catch up with everything that is going on in our lives. The most beautiful time we shared together was when the day for her to say "I Do" arrived, I had the pleasure to be her maid of honour J

Well I started the frame by attaching an A4 paper in the frame. In this case I prefered a blank paper so I would decorate it up myself. Next step I did was attached half of the page with the curtain lace fabric.
The other half I stamped it and covered with perfect pearls. In the middle attached in the middle the guipure lace.
After I had chosen the poem I prepared to print it out. Normally I prefer to use Albertsthal Typewriter in black.
Leave a good space between every verse, so you have enough space for cutting out.
 Once each verse is cut out, distress the edges, I prefer brown.
Then lay out the poem and leaving enough space for the arrangement.  Then I arranged the flowers to the desired pattern.
Finally attach the poem verses to the frame using sticky foam in the line you already set up.

Supplies list

• A4 ivory cardstock x2
• Resin flowers
• Paper flowers
• Silk flowers & leaves
• guipure lace
• Perfect pearls
• Rubber Stamps
• Fimo clay
• Craft mould
• Lace curtain fabric
• Double sided sticky foam

 At one corner arranged an assortment of silk and paper flowers.

For this cabochon I used Premol Sculpy Accents in pearl.  Worked the clay until it got soft and after I molded the clay into the silicon mould, took it out gently from the mould and baked it for around 25 minutes. Ohh!  by the way besides sometime in my life I burnt food as I got lost in something else, I just also learned to burn clay J  Haha ! Well as we all say with mistakes we learn!  When it was ready and done left it to cool and then I embellished it with some lace at the edges.

Priesthood... 50 years

It was quite a bit of worry when I was asked to do some cards for a priest, as it is not a subject we come across  frequently.  He was going to celebrate his 50^th anniversary. Thinking and thinking soon I came with an idea that the main subject has to be to be kept simple as possible. So the main focus had  to be the holy cross.

Supplies List

• A4 card stock
• Embellishments
• Skeleton leaves
• Distress inkpads
• Flowers
• Sizzix Bigz Die - Ornate Crosses
• Perfect pearls
• Stamps - Various 
• Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders  - Blossom, Circles, Leaves & Diamonds Set 

For this one the back ground used an embossing folder and the edges were hand cut roughly and distressed at the edges. The cross was bought some time ago on eBay, as i do not have many die cuts.

For this card  the background was stamped and perfect pearls were used over, to give it that copper look. For the cross the Sizzix ornate crosses die cut was used

  

Beaded Headwear

Good afternoon!! Hope your day is beautiful. Mine is a good one, filled up with many happy thoughts.  J I try to make the best of everything, even when life tries to grinds me a bit down. While I was having coffee this morning, I was wondering what am going to share next with you. As summer approaches, weddings do start too. Mostly many Maltese prefer to get married between May and October but the most popular months are May /June when it’s not too cold or too hot. So I have decided to share these two bridal headwear pieces I done in the past couple of years.

The first one in the picture consists a lot of twisted wire and in between at random space a crystal bead. You need to make plenty of these strands also at different lengths. When you’re done start grouping them in bunches and also add some feathers. Make 3 of these. When ready join like a branch and adjust the strands in form of a spikey flower. Make sure that you will cover the stems neatly in wire.  When all is done you can also attach a hair comb.

Result is pretty awesome, especially when light falls on the crystals and the feathers give it that bouncy soft effect with every movement.

For the second one actually gold wire was used with plenty of twisting.  Crystals and pearl beads were used and given it the form of a vine. You don’t need to be such expertise to do this; I would say more patience is needed.

Beautiful Mothers

Happy Mother`s Day to all the Beautiful Mothers in the world, especially to those who are doing a sacrifices for their children, to those who went thru hell and back, to those who in some way act as a mother even to a pet, and to those who don’t have children as in some way they have that motherly instinct deep inside, to those that are expecting a child, and most of all I would like to say...  Thank you for my loving son Nico, I feel so blessed and  special...  Thank you for those people that act as a mother in some way in my life... Thank you for those that look at me as a mother.

Have a beautiful Special day beautiful Mothers xx

No matter what happens in life and where his paths may lead him... he will always remain the little one, with a big heart! 

 

Mother`s Day Card

Morning J Rise and shine my dears. As mother day approaches we all start to worry up to make that special day as they are. Mothers are the lecturers of every future generation. Being a mother, a single parent as well to a 19 year old teen is no easy job. We just learn plenty from life and it’s the best university someone can learn, some real good lessons. Nico is not only a son, but also my biggest friend and also I am his best friend too. In this home we decide together, talk, argue over the silliest things, cry and laugh together, and most of all forgive each other. He is my best critic in every way J

Yes I do love being a mother in my busy life and ways. I just have the best son in the whole world !

Today’s project was a mother’s day card with my favourite subject sewing. For the background paper I choose a theme that has a connection with sewing by prima paper. On the background stamped with a calligraphy stamp and dragon fly. Then fixed the dress maker form, next to the printing of the sewing machine

Supplies List

• A4 ivory card stock
• Dictionary pages
• Distress inks
• Buttons 
• Lace made from twine cord
• Stamps by Visible Image
• Prima paper - Life Time collection
• Seam binding ribbon
• Fimo clay bow

Once I had everything set on the left hand side layers on some lace made from twine cord, layered a bow with a mother of pearl button on top of the middle flower and decorated the rest. At the left side of the back ground cut dictionary papers in form of a leaf, distressed them and formed a flower. At the edges made an outline to give it more form and continued the rest of stamping to fill the page more up.

I dressed up the dummy in a ruffled skirt. For the skirt effect I cut out strips of paper, distressed them and rolled the edges and let the curls fall out freely.  Papers of various lengths were layered on each out so that when the paper curls out will look like ruffles. 

A Craft Club..

I dedicate this little space to a special person Sharon Camilleri  JIt was during a trip to Sicily with fellow crafters that Sharon came up with the idea of forming a craft club.  As soon as she pulled it out everyone agreed including me as this was something in the back shelves of my mind. She already got plenty experience in crafts and also on TV programs, besides owning a craft shop (The Craft Cupboard). We knew that there was going to be a good response, as people die for craft clubs. On the island we have a big lack of them although now many fairs are being organized and set up with many handcrafted things.

So if you live on the island or visiting for a holiday and love crafts...  why don’t you come and join other crafters like you . Sharing  new  ideas while having a cup of coffee would be fun. We believe in building bridges for new friendships and getting together as our main objective J

Meetings are going to be held once a month,  it’s not a burden with everyone’s busy life. Your presence is welcome, especially your gifted talents.
Our 1st meeting is going to be held on the 23^rd of May at The Craft Cupboard

For further assistance contact Sharon personally and am sure she will be gladly helpful.

 Hope to see ya there J

Carmen xx

Male Birthday Cards

Good Evening!! It`s International Scrapbook day today, how is your scrapping going? Well recently I had to do a set of men’s birthday cards. Sometimes it’s a bit of a headache what to do, as I like to go in by personal tastes. When it comes to women the choice of what to do, is more an open subject. Yet I still managed to make out these birthday cards with a touch.

Supplies List

• Prima papers - Romance Novel collection
• Distress ink pads
• Rubber stamps - Visible Image and Tim Holtz
• A4 card 
• Jewelry charms 
• Bronze chain
• Dictionary pages
• Tim Holtz - upon a time die cut
• Stickles
• Empty soda can

In the second card I used a lot of stamping. I do love stamping loads; actually it’s fun and you can play about with them in many different ways. Wish I had all the money in the world to buy as much stamps as i like. I never had an idea how many things you can create with stamping. Yes I am in love with stamping J

As you can notice on the right hand side I have recycled something... a soda can.