I made a card!

Ha nothing new there then, Zoe, you may say, but to be honest I've struggled over the last few days to actually finish a project. Oh I've done lots of colouring, mainly hair and skin, but haven't produced a single thing. Until yesterday.  I realised my problem - I've always coloured with no plan, no colour scheme so I've ended up with a miss-mash of random images without anything suitable. So I stopped, I mean my colouring was getting better but I wasn't creating projects!

Okay, so I chose my papers first - a simple idea really - then I coloured my image to match, and hey presto, an image to use that worked!








I must admit I'm thrilled with this - I wanted to use this Smashy Curls image from Saturated Canary but wanted to choose more muted tones. So I raided my new Bo Bunny Gabrielle paper pad and chose these papers. I created a card that was just a little bit bigger than 6x6 so that the paper could be layered straight on, after some inking of edge. Then I covered a tag with matching paper, and inked again with Frayed Burlap and Peacock Feathers Distress inks. A while ago I created some backgrounds using H2O's on Centura pearl card, I found I had a small piece that was perfect size and colour to mount my image onto. I also added tissue tape to the corners and inked. The image was coloured using a mix of Copics, Promarkers and Flexmarkers. I used the same colours of Distress inks to catch the edge of the image so that she blended with it all. All of my embellishments - tickets and flowers were inked the same too.

I've been playing with different colour combos for hair and skin, many ended up in the bin - far too orange or yellow for my liking - but this look I like. I used Antique white & light fawn Flexmarkers, with sun kissed pink Promarker, I took my time to really work with these to blend them. I added a touch of Tea Rose Flexmarker to the cheeks and lips too. I'm particularly proud of the hair - my best effort yet I think - I wanted a blonde-brown colouring with different tones through it. So I worked with Ivory & Cocoa Promarkers & Brick Beige and Champagne Copics. Again taking my time to work them softly blending each area at a time.

So there - my first make in a few days - and do you know I'm pretty darned pleased with it!

Take care Zo xx

Hello! This week you find a very excited and rather proud Zoe, but more about that in a mo!

Of course, you want to see the desk - that's why you're here, but have a look for something special ...........

Did you see?  No, it's not all the new goodies, though they are rather exciting and I'm desperate to find the time to play, it's the digi stamp that's the best bit, here's a closer look -

Happy Monday everyone -  and it's a particularly happy day for me as it's my birthday! I'm the grand old age of ...........37! Birthdays don't bother me, I'm like a big kid really.

Anyway today sees the launch of another Crafty Boots Challenge and this time the theme is 'Good Luck' as chosen by the lovely Sara.

I decided to use my Craft Artist Pro to create the base card, using backgrounds and embellishments from Digi-kits that I have, I added the text in the programme as well as creating the inside greeting.  Despite the 3D look, the only thing that isn't printed flat is the Saturated Canary image which I coloured to match the base card and then stuck onto the printed card.  I wanted to show how it's possible to put digital crafting with colouring of your own hand.





The inside - the 'Good Luck' sentiment and the greeting inside are done so that this card could be used for exams, starting a new job, going to uni, any occasion where you would want to wish someone well.

Anyway I look forward to seeing your creations!

I'm off to indulge in some birthday cake! Take care Zo xx

Hello everyone - well it's taken me most of the day to make this card, but do you know what, I'm rather pleased with it!

It's another pretty card from me, well I think so anyway. I've chosen another Saturated Canary image for this card and then I realised it would be good for their latest challenge too, details HERE.

The card -

Morning all!

Am going to do this bit first this week as I nearly always forget until the end - this WOYWW is the baby of Julia - The Stamping Ground so pop over and see why I'm always flaunting my desk on a Wednesday!

Right the desk -



This is a card I made yesterday that was left on my desk to dry overnight. To be honest I was only practising with this image, it's a new one for me from Saturated Canary and I wanted to practice colouring with bold colours and trying to create a ink-effect around the edge, but in the end I loved the result so I put her on a card!


Other than that it's the usual array of tools and sticky stuff.  I haven't been that productive of late, haven't managed to make that many finished projects. I'm struggling with my conditions (see the All about me page), I don't mind to admit, I rested all week last week so that I could make the last football game of the season on Saturday.

Bristol Rovers were away to Dagenham & Redbridge and I was determined to go. Even though I knew I would be bad afterwards, boy was I right about that, I could barely walk on Sunday, and am still not recovered from making that trip.

I'm so weak at present that I can't really stamp or play with much more than colouring or drawing. I have ways and means of holding the pens if they aren't that chunky, I've even been known to tape wads of kitchen towel around the barrels to make them easier to hold, I manage! I'd go mad if I couldn't do something creative.

Right that's mine, so now I'm off to see yours, but please forgive me if I don't manage to leave a comment this week, I will pop by though, doing the rounds of WOYWW really helps me to feel like I'm getting 'out & about' even if the reality is far from that!

It's scary to think that when we're back here next week I'll be another year older, I'll be 37 on Monday, I don't mind birthdays really, those who know me will say I'm a big kid really!

Take care Zo xx

Hope you're all well this Sunday afternoon?

I'm suffering after my little trip to Dagenham yesterday for football, but a good day out was had, even though we lost!

Just wanted to share my first Some Odd Girl card - I've recently discovered these fab digi's and couldn't resist this character. Any characters with glasses and books always grab me.

So here's the card -







Thanks for popping by, hope you like this character as much as I do!
Take care Zo xx

So today I'm sharing with you a start of a journey - recapturing memories and collating them so that in years to come others may look at them and see what memories I had. I've never been into Scrap-booking, didn't own a digital camera until maybe 2007 so all of my pictures, memories, are in boxes in the loft. It's only as I've got older that I've realised the need to do something with these pictures.

I've recently (like many customers of Create & Craft) got my hands on Serif Craft Artist software, my mind is positively exploding with things I want to do, like photo books of holidays and special times etc, but this has only fuelled my ideas for a more hands on approach.

A recent visit to Paperchase saw me buy my first album. It's ring-bound with black pages and has black and white union jacks on the front. My plan is to fill it with snapshots of memories, whereas the photo-books will hold the whole event, I want this album to show different memories, or have pages with my thoughts and feelings say about my mum and dad or my brother or my son. A mix of Scrap and Smash I suppose!

So here's my first double layout, capturing memories of one of the proudest days of my life, my Graduation -





I loved doing this, choosing the right photos and then the papers, a real sense of history in the making, as I hope in years to come further generations will be able to look at this album and get a sense of who we are/were. I'm really into family history too so hope this will make it easier for others further down the line to add to the branches of the tree!

Take care Zo xx

Morning - firstly can I thank all of you lovely people who pop by my blog, it really helps to cheer me up when things aren't so good with my conditions, and makes me smile, always a good way to forget about the pain!

Last week I shared my new wire coiling Gizmo, so many people asked where I got it from, did I make it etc, so today I thought I'd share with you where I got it from - Beader's Companion the link will take you straight to the Gizmo page so you can see for yourself!

Right today's desk -


 And this Christmas tag - last year I received a few Christmas tags from crafty friends and thought they were fab ideas to send, so I'm making some of my own this year!

Good morning, how are you all?

Well it's wet, grey and horrible here so I'm staying put in my craft room. Right today I want to share a hanging tag (yes I know, bit random!) that I made yesterday and I'd like to enter it into a challenge, what's going on with me this week, that's 3 challenges I've entered! GO me!

Ok so my hanging tag -






 Please email me Sheena with your address so that I can post you your candy, my email address is on my side bar. Thanks my lovely!

Hope you have a fab day, and that you don't get too wet! Am hoping the rain stops before our trip to the Dentist after school! Take care Zo xx

Happy Monday everyone - well today sees the start of another challenge over at Crafty Boots and this time the theme is Yellow, as chosen by the lovely Faye - so pop over and join us, I'd love to see what you come up with!

Right my card - 

Just a quick note to say that my blog candy which can be found HERE is approaching the end. It closes tomorrow night and I will get my boy to pull a name out on Tuesday 1st May. It's still not too late to enter!



Hope you're enjoying your weekend and not getting too wet where ever you are!

Take care Zo xx

Okay so it's not the best of titles, but it sums up what this card is for!

Wanted to post this card for you all and to enter it into 2 challenges.....yes go me, I've been slacking a bit in the "entering challenges department" but I saw the following challenges and knew I had to enter - right firstly the card -

Good afternoon - well the weather is a little better today, but I'm still staying in looking after my boy who has been poorly this week. No matter their age, they always need their mum's when ill, don't they?

Anyway I wanted to share a quick card I've just put together using a coloured topper from the Polkadoodles Sugar Plum Daisy CD-ROM.  I love these images and the pre-coloured ones are fab, though I have printed out huge amounts of the Digi stamps to colour for myself too.



This last picture shows my lovely (well I think it is!) handmade wired coil I made using my new wire Gizmo.  You'll be seeing lots more of these embellishments from now on!

As you can see I used a topper from the CD, the paper was from my stash, I then used 2 pieces of Coredinations which I embossed and punched and distressed. Most of it got distressed and inked actually! The sentiment ticket is also from the CD, I printed it on to cream card and then inked it with Peeled Paint to match. I added some buttons and that lush flower and there you go! Simple.

But so effective - I love this shabby but pretty look. How about you?

Take care Zo xx

Please ignore this, am testing to see if I can get it right! Zo xx

Morning!

Happy Wednesday everyone - I'm all excited, I've got a new toy to play with.

Best let you see it first -


See the metal handle thing-y screwed onto the blue wood piece?  Well it's a wire coiling Gizmo, if you haven't seen one before. Now I'm no jewellery maker........yet, but I was fascinated by this little device. You basically wind wire onto it to create coils, which then can be used for jewellery or embellishments.  I love this idea - buying embellishments that are different costs money so I thought 'make your own, Zoe!' For those eagle-eyed of you, my first (yes my first!) coil embellishment is right there on the desk............see it?

Okay here's a better look -


Go me........I even put beads on the end........am quite proud of myself!

So there you go, my desk with a new crafty toy.  I'm hoping over the next few weeks my own embellishments will get better and better and well, different! Right I'm off to make a coffee before nosing my way through the list again.  I usually manage to visit you all, and try my best to leave a comment, but if word verification is on, I'll attempt it once, but then give up I'm afraid, same with other pesky-puter-problems, if I can't comment easily, I don't spend ages trying, sorry!

I thank you all in advance, I'm looking forward to seeing what you're all up to once again and lastly..... big crafty hugs for anyone who leaves a comment <<<<HUGS>>>.

Oooh nearly forgot, if none of this makes sense pop over to Julia's place and see what it all means!

Take care Zo xx

Well not that old, but it sounded good as a title!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been leaving me comments recently, and to say hello to all my new followers and, of course, those of you who have been here all along. Don't forget my blog candy is still running, I shall pick a winner on 1st May, just click the picture on my side bar to see all the details.

For today, I thought I'd just show a few pics of some of the cards I've made over the last few days or so.










As much as I love stamping, inking and creating, there are times when you just need quick and simple cards to fill your supplies. What better than kits ready to go - the pink girlie cards are Kanban sets. And of course, you can't help but recognise 'The Snowman' cards, made using the kit from Crafter's Companion.  It was nice to just put these together knowing they'd look fab with me not having to think too much!

Thanks for looking and popping by.
Take care Zo xx

Eeek what a horrible day - it's grey, cold and wet, very wet!

Thankfully I haven't got to go anywhere, my boy is at home, not well, so I am on sympathetic mum duties!

Today I want to share some Zentangles with you. I recently rediscovered this wonderful form of doodling, after spying some fantastic creations while snooping the WOYWW desks. Anyway I bought a rather inexpensive art journal and started. My first creation was more about learning to 'doodle' in certain ways and creating forms. From then on I embraced this intricate (mine seem to be intricate and complex designs!) creation and went with whatever felt right. My first proper piece was formed around our initials (Z for Zoe & K for Keagan). It was on my desk the other week during WOYWW but now it's framed and on the wall -


I didn't want to keep it in the book I wanted to be able to see it, so I got it framed properly (my dad is an artist so I have a framer at hand!) and now I can see it every day, and I'm proud of it, it took a long time but it's special to me.

Some of my Zentangles will remain in that book, but others felt too creative to leave there. I drew a circular 'Zen-doodle' which I rather liked, so I took it out and cut it in half. I then backed it onto black card before mounting the 2 halves onto 2 cards.

See what you think? -





I kept the card simple - I felt the designs were detailed enough without over embellishing them. I'm really pleased with how they turned out, it's something different and I think these cards are unisex, and form a different style to many of my other creations. I will definitely be doing this more often!

Anyway take care,
Zo xx

Hope this is a happy sunny Saturday for you all!

Well I've got my radio on, Rovers are away today, so I'm listening and will be shouting at the radio over the next few hours I suspect!

Today I want to share with you a rather self indulging make. When I was born (mid 70's) Zoe was a fairly unusual name around here. Though obviously it's become more common over the years.  One of the problems my parents had was that they weren't able to buy me things with my name on. As a mum now, I have the same problem (I know, I caused it!), my son is called Keagan, and I've never come across anything with his name on either.

This has an impact on my crafting as I do like to make things with our names on, so yesterday I set about making this hanging for my kitchen.

Good evening everyone - I wanted to share with you the card I made for fellow Crafty Boots DT lovely lady, Gabrielle's birthday. I'm sorry I'm late (well for me, am usually in bed by now!) but I've been out for the day. My lovely friend Debs took me (though I helped navigate using the list! ) down to Weston-Super-Mare, about just under an hour away, to the Dunelm shop. Fab place, and many homely bargains were bought. A few crafty bits did sneak their way in to my basket too!

Anyway, Gabrielle's card, which I know I can share with you as it arrived safely!


Now I know Gabrielle loves all things inky so I made sure I used some! The paper is from my Papermania book-print pad, I inked the edges with Walnut Stain distress ink, and then stamped the flourish stamp and embossed with gold WOW powder. The dress form is a Basically Bare product which I inked and painted with H2O's and then stamped and embossed again with the gold. Once it was all dry, I embossed it in a folder by running it through my Cuttlebug. The lace was white, but again I inked it and then added the ribbon. I inked the sentiment too, and finally splattered some water on to the whole card to create.......well splodges! I really enjoyed making this card, and am pleased with the effect!

So Happy birthday Gabrielle!

Take care Zo xx

Hello everyone!

Well it's time again to show you my desk, if you don't know why then pop over to Chez Julia's to find out.

Short & sweet (just like me!) this week, the desk -

Took this before the light went yesterday evening, I tend to set things up and leave them ready for the following day (also means they're ready if I can't sleep during the night!).  You can see (right) Kanban toppers, (middle) sheets of digi stamps which are Krista's (Saturated Canary) wonderful artwork and then (left) tubs of Pro/Flexmarkers & Copics. Yes, I do store them in what was liquid washing tablet boxes! Smells nice when I open the lid. I often change my colouring medium, switching between my Spectrum Noirs to my Pro/Flexmarkers & Copics or even water colour pens/pencils. Depends on my mood you see.

A new addition to the button collection has emerged following another visit to the local Haberdashery -

Sporting the wonderful WOYWW badge is the new jar of orange buttons!

Right that's me, I'm off to make a coffee and start my weekly snoop through the list. Thanks to everyone who pops by and a huge crafty hug to those that take the time to comment too. Take care Zo xx

Good morning (ooh yeah it still is, I had to check though!)

I'm supposed to be writing an article, but haven't even opened the page yet, too many distractions. Anyway today I want to share with you a canvas, I've made it to go into my son's bedroom. We're having a bit of a house makeover this year. We've lived here for 11 years so many rooms need updating and Keagan's room is top of the list!

He's chosen a neutral colour scheme of creams and browns but wants to add splashes of colour.  I think he'll end up choosing flashes of colour like blue & red to accent the room. He's got a wicked new duvet set which is a scene from London, with the London Eye, Big Ben etc on it. 2012 is certainly providing some fun and funky home décor furnishings. Perfect for a teen room.

I wanted to make something unusual, different, something none of his friends would have so I made this -





Once more the leftovers from my altered book were used to make the background. I just ripped and stuck! Then I used my new key mask to ink through to create the key effect. I smooshed, yeah that's how I can describe it, faded jeans and vintage photo distress inks in different areas before adding the large tag. I coloured it with the faded jeans first before embossing with the Cuttlebug key folder. I added buttons, die cut swirls and the ticket and peg. The weathered clock die cut was inked with a combination of the 2 colours. I used a brad to join the handles which I set at 6 and 10 to reflect Keagan's birthday! To finish off I inked and added some canvas resist pieces and splattered some water over it all!

As much as I love it, the real test was when Keagan saw it. Thankfully he liked it too and thought it was cool. Phew!

Take care and enjoy the rest of the day. Zo xx

Happy Monday to you all,

Well we're enjoying the last day of the Easter Holidays here as my boy doesn't go back to school until tomorrow.

Today sees the start of another Crafty Boots challenge which you can find Right here this time the theme is No Girls Allowed as chosen by the lovely Emma - so let's see your creations and remember no girls!

My DT project is a first for me, as I've never made anything like this before, but I have to say I'm really pleased with it and am planning on making a girl version too.

It's a wall hanging using the Paintbox Poppets CD-ROM. I've taken the framed card elements to create 3 boy framed pictures, which I've then laid a piece of ribbon across the back of all three and stuck down  before then fixing Centura Pearl card to the back of each picture to sandwich the ribbon to create the hanging.





Each picture is finished off with card candy, and complementing ribbon.  I think this could be hung in a playroom as well as a bedroom, anywhere really, I've got this one hanging on the door handle in my craft room at present as I'm so pleased with it, I didn't want to put it away just yet!

Thanks for popping by, hope you like my project and I hope to see your creations over at Crafty Boots.

Take care Zo xx

A Sunday afternoon post, not something I always do.

For ages I've admired the tags that people make, and often gain inspiration from many of my crafty friends.  I've always made cards and other papercrafting projects and have not really got into making tags.  But recently I've started to feel a little left out as I've seen some wonderful creations appear tag-based. So I thought I better get in on the act too!

My first 'real' tag is now peering at me, inspiring me to make some more. So I thought I'd share it with you all, instead of keeping it to myself.



I had no plan, no theme, I just wanted to create and play with some of the new things I have. I still have lots of torn pages from my altered book, so I've been using them to create bases for projects.  The die cuts - cog, flourish and tattered flowers (Thanks Stephanie-Emma!) were used as masks over the torn pages. I just inked over them to leave........well..... un-inked areas, so simple but I love it!

I've also just bought the canvas resist pieces from the Crafter's Companion website and wasn't sure what or how to use them so again I just played, and was surprised at how textual and fab they are.  I kept the same colour - vintage photo - distress ink as I knew everything would match that way, but played with the textures and finishes.

The cog and flourish were sprayed with Spray & Shine to give them a glossy finish to the rest.  In my local discount store they sell  little bags of things which is where I bought the bag of small pegs, perfect for attaching tickets etc.  Talking of which, I chose 'story' because I had the typed pages and it just seemed right at the time.

So come on, be honest, what do you think?

Take care Zo xx