Dressmaking!

Hey all! 

A few weeks ago now I decided to take up sewing again and bought an issue of Love Sewing magazine. It came with a lovely pattern of a dress called Ruby. So today I decided to take myself on a little journey back down memory lane and start making the dress. I've not done dressmaking for over 3 years so bare with me. 

Here are my progress photos for you all.

After cutting out all my pieces I decided to go ahead and just make the top today. No need to go mad! 

This is what the top looks like when done.

Next installment of this shouldn't be too long! 

Emma P 

Just a short one! 12 tags of 2014

Hey everyone! 

I'm just popping on to show you all my latest tag for the 12 tags of 2014 with Tim Holtz. I was so inspired by this piece and it pushed me to use my tags to the best I can. Here is the finished tag! Wish me luck.

Emma P

Time to create!

Hey everyone! 

Soo what have I been doing? Well it starts off with tags (obviously) and this pretty little poppet was made for my dad when he was rather ill. Inspired by Tim Holtz.

The next two are cards. I don't know how these came about but I love these pieces from Docrafts. 

I'll just show you this too! Even though it's totally of topic. I've been getting myself into vintage clothing, but only just bought my first piece yesterday. Here is my new 80's shirt. It's gorgeous and only cost me £3.29. Bargain.

Emma P 

Xx

12 Tags of 2014- Entry

Hey everyone, 

So recently I've been looking into Tim Holtz products for my altered projects and stumbled across his blog. On there is a little competition called 12 tags of 2014. I thought I'd give it a go. Here is my version of his tag.

To make my tag I used exactly the same products as him (as much as I could anywho!) and used the dies I have in my stash. 

The bubbling on the butterflies was totally by accident! I used pin flair glaze and tried to dry it using a heat gun. Instead of glazing, it bubbled. It was a great new way of making an item distressed. 

Wish me luck! 

Emma P 

Just a little crafting

Hello everyone! 

I hope your enjoying the lovely weather we're having at the moment. We had a lovely storm here last night but I slept through it! Fork lightening too! 

I just thought I'd check In and show you my latest creativity spell. I recently made these 2 cards just because but I think they came out really well! My last photo is my commission update. What do you think? I think they are lovely. 

Hopefully see you all next week when I have shopping previews. I'm on holiday to Norfolk but I know I'll have pieces when I come home! 

See you then,

Emma p

The finished boxes!

Hey everyone, 

So I finished my boxes and I'm glad to say the girls loved them! I also loved them :) everyone who has seen these has told me they would do well so who knows, maybe they'd be on my etsy store soon! 

Beautiful little boxes. I'm hoping they can use them for the jewellery we have to wear at work. 

Emma p

Progress report!

Hey everyone! 

Sorry I've done it again. I've been so busy playing about with my new items that I haven't given you a progress report. However don't tell me off straight away as I took photos during the making process of my boxes. So here they are.

1) paint boxes bright red- use acrylic. 

2) stipple through a mask of desired design onto boxes. I used a free magazine mask and Sparkle medium from imagination crafts in candy floss and diamond. Beautiful pastes but hell to clean.

3) Then when all is dry, time to decorate. These lovely boxes are for some gorgeous girls of mine, so out came the flowers, butterflies and ribbons. I used silicon glue as this holds longer. 

Of corse when they are all dry, I'll pop the lids on and take a nice photo outside for you all. Popped on newspaper doesn't stand out very well! 

Also in my progress report is how my commission is going on. I recently got a commission for 150 wedding invitations in an ivory and claret red design. We figured the design out together and worked out a cost. Now is the making part! I've received the card and ribbon but waiting on the sliders at the moment. Last night I spent the evening cutting the ribbon to 20cm each. 150 of them! Today will be cutting the card to size once I have bought a gulliotine (it will be a life saver).

Have a lovely day everyone! 

Emma P 

I'm back!

Hey everyone, 

You know at times In my life I remember why I started this blog and at the moment I can remember why. I create so many nice little creative bits that I want the world to see. Bring inspiration to everyone. 

So what have I been doing? I've got my self a full time job, creating cards until I drop and even creating more 3D times. Currently on my creative table: 2 decopatch boxes, cards and even a show card (which I really need to complete!). 

Here are a few of the lovely cards I've made recently, including a few commissions.

 

Enjoy everyone! I promise I will back with more 3D items and cards. 

Emma! 

Competition time!

Hey everyone! 

Sorry I've been AWOL! I've been trying to be fitter hence no time to post. But I assure you, I have been making some beauties and commissions have been coming in. 

However today I thought I would share this little competition from a favourite blogger of mine! I've followed Jenny since reading about her in Papercraft Inspirations Magazine, she always has gorgeous inspiration and amazing competitions!

 (http://jfroog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/candy-time.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:%20designByJenny%20(.Design%20by%20Jenny) this is her blog link! 

This is her current competition! 

All of these pieces are just like my latest style and colouring is so me at the moment! I hope I win this! I also recognise the sweet bag from the magazine. 

Good luck everyone! 

Emma P 

Mixed Entry and first coloured person!

Hey everyone! 

Today I'm going to be doing a mixed post again! Here is my entry to MojoMonday 340 and TheShabbyTeaRoom week 213. As soon as I saw the photo on Shabby Tea Room (http://theshabbytearoom.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/week-213-floral-fantasy.html) I knew that the MojoMonday sketch would work! Of course then I wanted to try out my new idea too! Here is the pictures we were given. 

Shabby Tea Room: 

MojoMonday:

Here is my little bit of colouring I wanted to add too.. 

The Shabby Tea Room wanted flowers, lace/ribbon and inspired by the photo. MojoMonday wanted the layout and it's a competition this week! So you may see more entries from me! 

I love this card so much! I hope everyone does too! It will be up on etsy soon.

Emma P 

Good Morning Oxfordshire

Good morning everyone! 

Today I'm feeling in a super happy mood because mr postman has just brought to my door a package I have been waiting for for nearly a week now. My Spectrum Noir pens! As some of you May or may not know, I've been trying to grow my collection and practise my colouring for quite a while now, but these pens were missing and to me they are quite important! 

I purchased the Greens and Pale Hues from Hobbycrafts.co.uk and as they were doing a 3 for 2 offer I received the Browns for free! This allows me to start colouring flowers and people properly! I hope this will improve my cards without my shabby vintage chic looks disappearing. My total collection looks like this so far...

I downloaded and printed this colour sheet from the Spectrum Noir website (SpectrumNoir.com) as it allows you to see which pens you still need to purchase. I'm close to buying all of my base colours now with only the extra packs to get, however these are quite far out of my budget at the moment. I also currently only have a few stamps to play with but have found some cute people digi stamps on etsy! 

I don't know whether I have spoken about this but I am also practising for the Spectrum Noir Accreditation Program at the moment. All the tests are online but pen buying comes first! 

See you all soon! 

Emma P 

MojoMonday 339

Hey everyone! 

It's time for me to start with my MojoMonday posts again, I kind of slipped off the rail with them there! 

Here is this weeks sketch. I loved the idea of using a thin card but I decided to use small instead! 

Here is my version of the card with (of course) Decopatch! My favourite thing ever! 

I hope you've enjoyed today's post everyone! Sorry it was quick! 

Emma P 

Morning everyone!

Hey all!

I'm sorry I've been away for a while! I decided it was time for some me time, but I'm back! I know I've got to do my second post about me, but I've decided today to show you one of my new ideas I'm trying! 

Currently I've been asked to make a few commissions, including one for my mother. Father and a motoerbike one! I'm going to show you the motorbike card today. Of course it features my new idea. 

This is the motorbike commission. I'm very proud of this card! For only having two days to make a card, I downloaded a Harley Davison from etsy (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/91028672/harley-panhead-digital-stamp?ref=favs_view_1) and coloured it in with my Spectrum Noir on 240gsm card. I think it came out perfectly! I've added a little ribbon and a Gorjuss background. 

Spectrum Noirs are my pens of choice at the moment because they are so easy to blend and there are so many basic colours. I'm just about to buy my essentials and browns range so I can colour in stamps featuring people and bears. 

Just another little update, there is a competition on my Facebook page at the moment to WIN six cute cards. 

Http://Facebook.com/BeautifulBeadsNow is my page, all you need to do is like the picture and share the photo. Just one week left! 

All the love! 

Emma P

A few questions-part 1

Hey everyone! 

Today I decided to do something a little different and answer a few questions about myself so you can all find out about the designer of CraftinEm. Unfortunately I'm a little poorly at the moment so I'll do my best to answer them. Seen as I've had no questions through yet (but still want to give you some idea of who I am), I'm going to answer the interview questions given to designers in a favourite magazine of mine. 

I do hope you enjoy! If you do have a question you want me to answer please pop it along onto my Facebook page (http://Facebook.com/BeautifulBeadsNow) or email me at (Beautifulbeadsnow@gmail.com). I'm hoping to soon change these http addresses to CraftinEm too so it doesn't confuse anyone! So onto the questions. 

Q: How long have you been a crafter for?

A: I've been crafting on and off for about 4 years. I started out in jewellery design and craft, then made my way slowly onto Papercraft after buying a magazine one day. 

Q: Tell us a bit about your design background? 

A: I took a college diploma in Art & Design as a student as I knew I wanted to be in that area but hadn't decided which design path to take. During that time I found I liked Jewellery, hence resulting in opening Beautiful Beads (which has now closed making way for CraftinEm) and taking a diploma in Creative Jewellery Design. I took the course for a year in London travelling down every Tuesday for a day lesson. The course had shown me it was harder to make it in jewellery than people imagined! The rest was history! 

Q: What's your favourite type of project to work on and why?

A: At the moment I like themed work. All my work has a girlie vintage theme to it, however when someone asks for a male fishing card (past commission), I took the challenge and ran with it! This is the finished card..

Q: What sort of materials do you like to work with? 

A: My favourite part of a card/paper item is patterned papers! There are so many different types, colours and patterns! Then my favourite embellishment has got to be flowers. I get through so many on my vintage designs. 

Q: Your top tips for someone starting out with card making? 

A: Always look in the magazines first for ideas! Let alone the ideas are amazing but the free gifts are what can build your stash to the ultimate best! Also if you haven't got a layout idea, search Pinterest (mine is CraftinEm) for sketches. The layouts are perfect, just follow the design and add your own papers and embellishments.

Q: Where do you get your inspiration from?

A: Mostly at the moment it seems to be from the papers themselves, seen as I tend to only buy vintage themed papers anyways. However I also do follow lots of card boards, cottage chic boards and vintage boards on Pinterest and follow vintage groups on Facebook (http://Facebook.com/BeautifulBeadsNow).

Q: What is your favourite card making technique?

A: For my cards themselves it has to be Decopatch! They make such a glamourous layered look in seconds! However I do also like stamping, inking and colouring, but I need to improve on these before I add them to my cards.

That concludes part one everyone! Sorry it was quite long with little pictures! I hope to add more into the next one! 

See you all soon!

Emma P 

The Shabby Tea Room- Week 210

Hey everyone! 

Let's have a shabby tea room post and guess what this week is! Random week! We have no limits, they haven't asked for anything except our creativity! I love this is idea however I do like the idea that we get given an item to put in the card- I mean this is why I do shabby tea room competition. 

This is the photo we were given.

(http://theshabbytearoom.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/week-210-anything-goes.html) 

I know this is a late card and I won't be able to enter it but I've done it anyways! 

(https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/183686510/handmade-decopatch-dressing-table-blank?)

Next week I will enter again! 

See you all soon!

Emma P 

Crafty uploads!

Hey all! 

I've got a busy day ahead of me today! Yes it's my day off full time work but back at home it means craft time! As of 8:59am (GMT) this morning I have already uploaded one beautiful card to my etsy and Facebook and have taken photos of my new uploads too! I'm on a roll! 

This is the card I uploaded earlier. 

(https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/183322281/handmade-pink-lace-girls-dress-and?) 

Here are the two I'm uploading later. I may just craft some more first! I've also got a MojoMonday post to do today too! All hands on deck today! 

(https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/183331235/handmade-decopatch-bags-and-hearts-cream)

To be uploaded

Don't forget everyone, see a Mother's Day card you like on my etsy, why not pop in the discount code and you'll get 25% off that beauty! Quote "MOT25" at the checkout. This finishes on the 24/3/14 so get it while you can! 

Have a good day! 

Emma P 

25% off Mothers Day Sale!

Hey everyone, 

Do you fancy a cheeky little saving on a card for Mother's Day? Why not pop on over to my etsy (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CraftinEm) and whilst at the checkout pop in the code "MOT25" to save yourself 25% off your Mother's Day cards! Just like this one.. 

The offer ends on the 24th of March and you have to spend £4 for the offer to apply! 

Hope to see you all soon!

Emma P 

Mothers Day Sale

Hey everyone! 

Today's post will only be short, just want to let you all know that as of Wednesday I will be having a sale on my etsy page (and promoted on my Facebook page) for my Mother's Day cards. I will reduce the cards by 25% and delivery will be speedy as always. That means you will have the awesome cards for a saving! 

Here are my links and a few pictures to remind you! 

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CraftinEm

Facebook: http://Facebook.com/BeautifulBeadsNow

Twitter: @BeautifulBeads1

 

Much loves all!

Emma P

The Shabby Tea Room- week #206

Hey all!

Just a little entry post this evening as I've got a majorly bad headache. I decided to make my shabby tea room entry without a sketch today and I loved how it came out. This is the picture we were given.

Link: http://theshabbytearoom.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/week-209-spring-is-near.html

We needed to make a card featuring baby blue, spring flowers and birds. Of course my designs being the way they are, it was perfect for me! I created this simple, yet elegant card.

Etsy: to be added soon.

Emma P

MojoMonday 336 AND news :)

Hey everyone! 

I hope you've had an amazing week, sorry I've not been around much! I've been here, there and everywhere. First I'll tell you all my news! As you all know I've been try to see if I have a place in the crafting market and it seems I do! I've sold my first card on etsy and it's just been sent off to its new owner today! I've never been happier! I was dancing around the room and even ran down to my parents! Since then I have sold another, both Mother's Day cards.

Now I've made you all happy and warm inside, who would like to see a card? Here's the MojoMonday sketch we had this week, I knew what I would do as soon as I saw it! 

I had a lovely circle card topper from HunkyDory Crafts that was perfect for this card! So of course with Mothers Day coming up, another Mother's Day card was created. Include ribbon, twine and flowers and there you go! Here it is.

Etsy link: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/182528851/handmade-circle-flower-and-butterfly?

Enjoy your day all!

Emma P

3D works- gift bags

Hey all, 

This is my second post for today! Just another quick one showcasing a little 3D gift bag I made from a papercraft magazine I collect. It goes with a shoe 3D card made by Jenny (http://jfroog.blogspot.co.uk), i will be making the shoe card soon too. However I changed the basics of the design but kept the colour (purple). Here's my git bag.

I don't understand why the lighting gave the bag black edges, but it does show the bag size quite well. It fits a small bag of sweets inside. I already have a recipient in mind for this, a lovely lady who is leaving my work place soon. She will love this. My bag is decorated with gems, flowers, rub one, ribbon and paper. The tag is a personal message to my lovely colleague, very best wishes. 

Pop around soon for more 3D work of mine, I'm enjoying it more and more! 

Emma P