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About Me

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Poole, Dorset, United Kingdom
Hi, my name is Donna. I'm married and I have two lovely daughters. I have been a papercraft addict for over 15 years and love trying new things!! and sharing them with others!! If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions for this blog then please feel free to email me at the address below - Thanks for visiting, Crafty hugs Donna xx

Contact Me

Please feel free to email me at - theartofpapercrafts@gmail.com

My Youtube channel is - TheArtofPapercrafts

Monday 31 August 2009

Cute Kids

Hi Everyone

I'm having so much fun at the moment actually crafting rather than spending my time surfing the web. I usually only make about 2-3 cards a week for pleasure and the rest of the time I'm crafting I 'play' but this past week I've made over a dozen cards! But it's not just that I'm actually producing projects but I'm finding that my ideas are flowing fast and furious, normally I'm a slow crafter and making a card can take me 4-5 hours moving things around, changing my mind, trying to decide what style I want to achieve but now things suddenly seem to be changing - I only had a couple of hours the other morning and somehow managed to make three cards and I had no idea what I wanted to make when I sat down to craft, I was so amazed when I realised that I'd done them in such a short space of time.

Today I wanted to show you some cards that I made for the chance to be a part of the Club Anya Design Team, I would love to be a part of their team but with such strong competition out there I will be amazed if I'm lucky enough to be chosen, but you never know, as least I can say that I tried.

I have always loved the images that are created by The Greeting Farm and I was so pleased when I discovered on their website that they now sell a few digital stamps as well as their actual rubber stamps, so of course I had to buy some! For this card I used one of those digi images called 50's sweetheart, I think this image is just so cute and I think that it could be used for quite a few occasions even though they are sweethearts. Once again I coloured the image with my Copic ciao markers, I used papers from a Hot off the Press Cardmakers pad and I cut the pink paper with my fiskars shapecutter and heart template, then I punched out some small circles with an X-cut punch to make a scallop edge around the heart and finally I used some satin ribbon from my stash.

As promised I've added a close up of our sweethearts.


This card is again one of the digital images from The Greeting Farm that I recently discovered, her name is Pretty Head Lili and I think she is adorable, when I 'had' to buy the digi stamps from TGF Lili was the first one that I knew I had to have, like the sweethearts I really feel she could be used for a lot of things - my daughters already have their eyes on her for birthdays. I coloured her again with my Copics and chose to use designer papers from a Provocraft Rob 'n' Bob paper pack. I finished the project with metal hardware from Making Memories and grosgrain ribbon from the Dovecraft Smirk range.

Here is my close up of Lili.

For my final card I have again used another digital image from The Greeting Farm, I have to be honest that I don't make men's cards all that often, if I sit down to craft then I'm usually drawn to girly etc - I think having two daughters might have something to do with it. Saying all that I just knew I needed to have this little boy especially with Football being such a huge sport in the UK (or should I say Soccer, as it's called in the USA), his name is Soccer Ian and again he is just so cute (yes everything is cute in my craft world!). Once again I used my Copic markers to colour him and then used papers from the Clare Curd paper pack produced by Papermania/Do-crafts and card from the Sam collection from the Making Memories Kids range. To finish the card I used a football sticker from the Papermania range that I attached to a large brad produced by Hot off the Press and added some ribbon from my stash to the reverse of the brad, finally I wrapped some yarn Darice around the cardstock.


Here is my close up of little Ian.

When I decide to use digital stamped images then I print them out on my Kodak Easy share Printer and then I always heat set the image just in case, although I have not had a problem with the ink smudging when using my copics or pencils and sansador (gamsol) I have only recently bought this printer and have yet to try any digital stamps with watercolours or water based markers but when I do I will let you know if they work okay. While talking about digital stamps don't forget that the 1st Sewn Together Challenge ends on Monday 31st, which of couse means that there will be a new challenging starting on Tuesday 1st and you will be able to find details and see all the Design Teams cards on the Sew Many Cards blog, while there why not check out the Freebie friday image for this week and finally Angela has just produced a new Thanksgiving image which is now available to purchase on the Dployed Designs site.

Anyway that's it from me today, for everyone in the UK enjoy your Bank Holiday Monday.

Crafty hugs Donna xx

Sunday 30 August 2009

Pretty Girls

Hi Everyone

I'm really trying to be good and post on here more often, so with that being said I decided to make use of the time I get to myself each day and actually craft rather than just read about it on the Internet. So from now on my free time is to be split equally between crafting and surfing.


Today I decided to use one of the beautiful Sarah Kay Designs produced by Stampavie, her name is My Sweet Lili. She is so beautiful, I just love her (well if I'm honest I love all the Sarah Kay Stamps!), I coloured her with my Copic Ciao markers and used papers from K & Company's Sparkly Sweet collection. I finished the card with prima flowers, gems and ribbon from my stash

Here is Lili in close up, I love her little bear - so cute!


For my second card I used one of the sweet images from Elisabeth Bells designs produced by Whiff of Joy - her name is Willow with Flower Basket and I believe she is from the Spring 2009 collection. Once again I coloured her with my copics and used papers from The Clare Curd Collection made by Papermania/Do-crafts. I finished the card with ribbon and buttons from my stash.
Here is a closer look at Willow - isn't she adorable. I love all Elisabeth Bell's designs and I am so glad that she now designs for other companies as well as Whiff of Joy (I believe she now designs for Susana's Custom Art And Card Design Belles 'n' Whistles Ladybug and Friends and formally Sugar Nellie ) so if you love her work like I do then check out all the fab companies that now sell her designs - warning though they are all really cute!

Anyway that's it for me today, it's now after 1am here in the UK so I think I should possibly get some sleep. 'Speak' to you all again soon

Crafty hugs Donna xx

Friday 28 August 2009

Your Next Stamp 1st Design Team Call

Hi Everyone

Today's cards are for my application to be a part of Your Next Stamps 1st Design Team. They sell really lovely stamps so why not stop by for a look you can find them HERE

So here are the cards I created for my application


For my first card I decided I would make a Christmas card as it is really time to start thinking about making them so that I don't have to rush them at the last minute. For the stamped image I chose Tilda with Hood and coloured with my Copic Ciao markers. I used some Diecuts with a View papers from a Christmas Stack that is sold in the UK and finished it off with some ribbon. flowers and pearls from my stash. The cardstock is also from a DCWV Mat Stack.



I thought in future I would try and add a close up of the image in my posts so here is Tilda for you.

For my second card I thought I would use one of the images from Sew Many Cards which you can find HERE this is Jaden with Cupcake and again I coloured the image with my Copic Ciao markers. For this card I used papers from a company called Papermania which are distributed by a UK company called Design Objectives (Do-crafts, if you visit their site HERE you can find a local retail outlet for them), the cardstock is from a Provocraft block and the buttons are from my button drawer. So this is my close up of Jaden.

Well these are my two entry projects, I really hope that Your Next Stamp likes them and that I am lucky enough to be chosen as one of their 1st ever Design Team members. If you are interested in applying too then the deadline is today and you can find all the details HERE

Thanks for stopping by my blog - all the comments I've received recently have been so kind, I really do appreciate them

Crafty hugs Donna xx

Tuesday 25 August 2009

Sewn Together DT Challenge #1

Hi everyone

Well the day has finally arrived for the first Sewn Together DT Challenge. I've already seen all my fellow team-mates creations and they are beautiful.

Our challenge for this first one was to create a project using our favorite image - easy enough right! I thought so at first until I then had to sit down and actually decide which one of all the cute images was actually my favorite and I have to say that choosing the image took ages, so I hope you like it.

Sew many cards are also giving you the opportnity to take part in this challenge - you have until August 31st to post a card on the Sew Many Cards blog using Mr Linky in This Post and the lucky winner will receive Three images of their choice from the Sewn Together Collection. So why not give it a go! If for some reason one of these cuties hasn't yet followed you home to your computer then you could always use one of the two current Freebie Friday images for your creation.

So now I suppose I should really show you what I decided on using



This little cutie is Tayla and I think she might have chosen the wrong size of hat to celebrate halloween - what do you think? As soon as I saw the Tayla images I had a feeling I would use her but I just didn't know which so I decided to go with this one as I think it's so sweet and I love seeing halloween creations but I don't usually get a chance to make halloween cards as here in the UK we don't really celebrate it. I coloured her with my Copic ciao markers, all the paper and card stock is from Diecuts with a View and I found a pumpkin button in my button drawer so I thought I would add that onto the project. I finally finished the card off with a border punch from woodward and ribbon/buttons from my stash. I hope you like her.


Here is a closer look at Tayla - I have finally managed to fix the blur - yippee

Anyway that is my first challenge project, please visit my other team-mates and take a look at their wonderful creations and don't forget to also stop by the Sew Many Cards Blog to check out all the goings on with these cute images and also give the challenge a go - you never know it could be you.

'Speak' to you again soon

Crafty hugs Donna xx

Sunday 23 August 2009

I found a Magnolia Blog Candy

Hi everyone

Just wanted to pass on details of a blog candy I found, Vivi is celebrating her first 100 posts by giving away 100 stamped Tilda images. You can find the details Here so be sure to visit Vivi and have a go at being the lucky winner

Once again sorry that there's no card today but I've been really busy, I do have quite a few 'in progress' cards but they are not completely assembled yet however I will have my first Sewn Together Challenge Card this week as the first challenge begins on the 25Th Aug so please remember to stop by the Sew Many Cards blog Here to check out the challenge and my fellow team members projects (please don't forget to visit their blogs to check what else they are up to) and while your at the Sew Many Cards blog why not check out the Freebie Friday image as well as all the cute images that Angela has for sale (if your anything like me you won't be able to resist them!).

Anyway that's it for this post, I hope everyone is having a good weekend. 'Speak' to you again soon

Crafty Hugs Donna xx

Tuesday 18 August 2009

I did it!

Oh my goodness, I can't believe it! I've been asked to be a member if the Sewn Together Design Team! I am so happy right now that I cannot put it into words.

If you get a chance please visit the Sew Many Cards site (http://digital.sewmanycards.com) and take a look at the cute images that they have. They are digi stamps and I just cannot wait to start working with them, I've looked at them all and I can honestly say that there isn't one that I don't like. Also every Friday they have a freebie image so make a note to visit there every week to see the freebie Friday image.

I would also like to say a huge congratulations to the other new team members, once I have all their blog address's I will add them to my side bar (I have some there already), so please take a minute to visit my new team mates. They are:-

Cheri
Deanette
Georgia
Jenn
Jennifer
Jeri
Julie
Kim
Mary
Sam
Sarabeth
Sheila
Stephanie
Trish
and Me

Well that's it for this post, sorry there's no card but I was too busy jumping around the room celebrating!

Crafty hugs Donna

Saturday 15 August 2009

Sewn Together Design Team Call

Hi everyone
Today I have five projects to show you that are part of my submission to be part of the Sewn Together Design Team. I'm really excited at the prospect of working with digital stamp images.


This first card was made using one of my favorite Tilda stamps from Magnolia called Tilda with Basket, she was stamped with Brilliance ink and then she has been coloured with Copic markers. The papers are from Hot off the Press and the card stock is from Making Memories



This is a close up of her



My next card is made using another one of the beautiful Tilda stamps from magnolia called Tilda with Sunflower, she was once again stamped with Brilliance ink and coloured with copic markers. The papers for this card are from Provocrafts Rob & Bob collection.


And this is her close up



For this card I decided to use one of the stamps from my Stampavie collection, it's from their Rachelle Ann Miller line and is called Candy Time. This time I decided to colour the image with my Faber Castell pencils and blend with Sansador (Gamsol) on paper stumps. The papers for this one are again from Hot off the Press.



Here is the close up of Candy time



For my fourth card I choice a stamp from my Whiff of Joy collection from their Guardian Angel collection called Melinda with Muffin Basket. For a change I decided to colour her with watercolours for a different feel, when I use watercolours my style tends to be quite lose and free unlike when I use copics where I try to have everything super blended. The papers for this card are from Diecuts With A View.

This is a close up of her

For my final card I decided to again use a stamp from Whiff of Joy from their Medieval Collection called Princess Charlotte. To colour this image I went back to using my copic markers, my daughter loves this image so much and asked if I would colour her using her favorite copic marker colours (she is not happy at all that she is not allowed to use mums craft markers!) so the whole project was based around the colours she choose. The papers are again from Diecuts with a View,
And here is the close up of Charlotte

I really hope that Sewn Together like the cards that I have produced as I would so love to be a part of their team, to me their images are a perfect blend of two things that I love the most computer crafting and colouring stamped images. Fingers crossed that they do

Anyway thats all from me today, I'm off to play with the other images that I stamped out just in case. Take care

Crafty Hugs Donna xx

Wednesday 5 August 2009

Folded Oriental

Hi everyone, today I thought I'd show you some cards from the past when I worked within the craft industry. These cards were the second ever submission that I has accepted by Making Cards magazine. I was so thrilled to be chosen to be included in the issue but when I received a copy and discovered that my article had been used for the masterclass and was the cover project I was so amazed. When I came up with the projects I wasn't sure if they would like it because of them being oriental and the oriental phase hadn't really started then so having them accepted was enough for me.


This card actually came about because a friend had given me some washi paper and I decided to sit down and play with, trying all different ways of folding it. Then suddenly I came up with the folded kimono on the card and things went from there. The stamp is from a company called creative expressions and was stamped with stazon ink, then coloured with marvy le plume pens and finally covered with crystal lacquer.

This is the accompanying card for the project made using the same fold but using printed background papers. The stamped image is from a company called rubbadubbadoo and is from there stick & stamp oriental set. It was stamped with a dye based ink and then covered with crystal lacquer, once that was dry the image was bent in different directions to add a shattered glass effect.

Well I do hope you like these cards from my past, they will always be favorites of mine. I hope you are all keeping well and enjoying the summer as much as possible. If there is anything you would like to see on my blog then please feel free to let me know.

Take care, Crafty hugs Donna xx

Sunday 2 August 2009

Pretty in Porcelain

Hi everyone


What a week it's been, I don't want another one like that again! My girls have been at home all week due to the bad weather and I've been laid up with the migraine from hell which of course wasn't helped by two arguing board daughters, thankfully it seems to be starting to clear but I've thought that at least twice this week.

The samples I have for you today are from a new My Craft Studio disk set called Pretty in Porcelain, it is based on celebration plates and can also be used to make cards.


This is an example of one of the pre-embossed and diecut plates that can be purchased with the decoupage for the floral birthday set on the top. For this plate I changed the floral colour using the my craft studio software and then used my versamagic dew drops to colour the plate to match.
This is the matching card for the plate made from the printed matching papers and the centre was made using the bloc decoupage technique. I used the my craft studio software to make each layer of the image a different size so that they could be layered.

This plate is from the christening section of the disk and is made from scratch without using a diecut plate base. I printed out all the components and layered them onto a cut out cardstock circle. When all the layering was done I glued rhinestones all around the edge of the plate design.

Well I hope you like the designs from the disk set, I had fun playing with it as this concept was so different. I'm off to make use of the current peace & quiet in the house and rest my head for a bit.

Crafty hugs Donna xx




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