Crafter's Block

Some of the recent projects I have been creating for clients have got me thinking about themes for papercrafting projects in general. Card making or scrapbooking usually have some sort of theme associated with the project, whether it be a birthday card for a male relative who's 94 or a scrapbook page of little baby joe aged 2 months. Each have a very different focus with varying levels of difficulty.

I find cards for men the hardest of all papercrafting projects, especially teenage boys and I think that is fairly common within this industry. Also sympathy cards are a difficult area to tackle, as however much I try it's always difficult to find just the right words for such events.

Again, within scrapbooking, layouts with elderly relatives and men or boys are the harder layouts to create in my opinion, but the task is becoming easier with many ranges of papers and embellishments being geared towards the masculine themes.

So this led me to think are all us crafters hitting a 'crafter's-block' for similar subjects?
I want to hear your top five - your easiest themes to work on and your hardest themes. This can relate to any craft! Let me know your opinions - please leave your comments.

For your Valentine?

In my second of the series of cards for Valentines day try creating this contemporary card for your loved one this year.

Alternatively, visit my shop HERE and purchase this one, but hurry there is only the one unique card available!

Instructions:

1. Attach lengths of dotty red satin ribbon across the card, along the opening edge and 4.5cm up from the opening edge.
2. Attach three satin padded hearts (available from craft stores) between the ribbons and evenly spaced, using glue dots. Add a red heart gem stone to the centre of each for extra sparkle.
3. Position a patterned piece of cardstock above in the centre. Place mini adhesive stars each side in vertical lines of three.
4. Finish by using a rub-on greeting or sentiment in the centre of the patterned layer.

I would welcome your comments and look forward to seeing your results, please email me a photo of your finished card.

Blog Updates

As the popularity of my blog increases, I thought I should point out that if you wish to receive notifications of when my blog is updated, please click on the link at the foot of this page that says 'Posts (Atom)'. Follow the 'on screen' instructions stating how you would like to receive live feeds and click 'subscribe now'. There's no excuse to miss another posting!

Check back next week for more Valentines projects in my series of 'how to' instructional projects.

Challenging Crafting

Hey everyone - just a quick reminder...don't forget if you want to take part in my fun challenge (see posting from Friday 18th January 2008) this closes at the end of January, so you only have a few days left.

The challenge is for bright and bold crafting creations. Please email me your photos and a selection of the best will appear on here for all to see soon.

Have fun...I look forward to seeing your creations!

Masquerade

I've been busy adding a few extra items to my Etsy shop listings. Please take a moment to have a look. My latest special card designs are popular with the 3D handcast, hand-painted Venetian mask. Click here to view. My theatre-going friends like to receive these.

• Design Copyrighted Jep 2008.
Please do not copy my design or republish this picture without my permission. Thank you!

Wickedly Chic

What a lovely surprise! It's made my day.
WickedlyChic.com is featuring my earrings on their website this week.

www.wickedlychic.com is the hottest website for shoppers seeking advice and product recommendations from the world of unique design and fashion. The site averages 600-750 visitors per day searching for the latest trends and individual chic items. My pink earrings feature in today's 'Daily Ditties' section and can be seen here.

Love is All Around!

Thanks to everyone who is voting on my blog poll (scroll down to the left to continue voting) and it appears it's projects that you want to see here on Creative Crafter UK.

With just over three weeks left until Valentines day, it's the beginning of a series of card making projects with loved ones in mind. I will post a variety of cards here, which you are welcome to make for your Valentines this year, however all I ask is that any projects (or text) here is for personal use only. (See copyright message to the right.)

So to start, we have a pretty, simple little card called 'All Yours'.

Instructions:
1. Cover an A6 card with patterned paper, carefully aligning the pattern to your chosen areas on the face of your card.

2. Apply a length of ribbon horizontally across the top with double sided tape.

3. Cut or punch a heart from white cardstock and add rub on words, here I have used 'All Yours Always' but you could choose your own greeting.

4. Cut or punch a lilac card circle (slightly larger than the heart size.) Layer the heart and circle up with craft foam pads and attach to the card with craft foam pads; positioned as if the heart and circle are hanging from the ribbon.

5. Add three large co-ordinating gem stones just below the ribbon to finish.

This card could be created in a variety of colour schemes, using various patterned papers or different greetings.

If you enjoy making this card, I would be interested to see your results. Please add your comments or email me a snapshot of your finished card.

The Challenge Starts Here!

In light of some of the results from my poll (it's still not too late to vote - scroll down to the right of my blog), this is a new feature for me here at Creative Crafter UK and it's a challenge that's just for fun, but to get your creative minds thinking.

With these cold and dreary days of January, it's time to think about lifting our spirits and those lovely warm and bright days of summer. So my challenge to all crafters out there, whether it's card making, scrapbooking, jewellery making or any other craft, to make an item with the theme of bright and bold.

I have kicked off here, with my example of a quick make card using bright, bold, retro floral stickers layered into 3D effects and combined with border stickers and sparkly gem stones for strong contemporary results. I would love to see your bright and bold crafty creations!

This fun challenge is open until the end of this month, so please take a snapshot of your work and email to me HERE. I will post a selection of the best here on Creative Crafter UK for all to see. Have fun and happy crafting - I look forward to seeing your creations!

Join In!

Just wanted to remind you all to vote on my blog poll (see poll down the right side of my blog - you may have to scroll down.)

I want to keep my blog interesting for my reader(s) and would like to know what you would like to see on Creative Crafter UK, so please take a moment to register your votes. You can vote for as many options as you would like!

Thank you.

What Could You Not Live Without?

There are so many crafting tools that are invaluable as we create our unique handmade delights. Have you really thought about the items you are using. I know I would be completely lost without a few handy tools and gadgets in my crafting supplies. They have become essential pieces of kit.

What are your top 10 crafting tools that you could not live without?
Here's mine:
1. Paper Trimmer
2. Craft Knife
3. Cutting Mat
4. Scissors
5. Scalloped Edged Scissors
6. Tweezers - for handling small items like gem stones or flimsy stickers
7. Soft Eraser
8. Pricking Tool for pilot holes when inserting brads.
9. Eyelet Setter
10. Corner Rounding Punch

What's your top 10? Please email or leave comments, I'd love to hear yours.

Jewellery Crazy!

I am very much into my jewellery making at the moment and sit for hours in front of the television in my spare time making earrings - I almost have a pair for every day of the year now!

In fact, I now have too many - so I'm starting to list more on Etsy.com. I really like my latest design (click here).

A Contemporary Floral Birthday

I do hope you've all had a peek on my Etsy page (see posting below). I've been completely addicted to their forums for the past few days. Nevertheless, to get those creative juices flowing again, here is a simple card I have created with a feminine birthday in mind. I was particularly drawn to these shiny metal embellishments, which when layered make a great 3D flower.

My Tip of the Month: When you have a strong background pattern to your design, very little else is needed. My design makes use of bold text, a single unique embellishment and plain ribbons.

A Learning Curve

It's been quite a learning curve setting up my pages on Etsy - I trust you've visited by now? (If not, check it out by clicking HERE) I would welcome your comments.

I'm surprised how friendly people are on the forums and within minutes of posting a question on there I had 55 replies! Wow that's quite a community.

It's interesting to see which of my handmade items are popular and by the number of views it appears the butterfly earrings (pictured) and my dresses cards are the most popular.

Crafting can be lonely work, but something you can become entirely immersed in and therefore when designing with other people in mind it's often difficult to see projects from a new perspective. One needs to be seriously critical of ones own work before posting. But hopefully, if it's something I've designed that I like, someone else may like it too!

Great website

Hi, how is everyone? I cannot believe it's 2008 already - not that I've seen much of it so far, as I've been sick with flu.

However, I have found a fab website that might interest you. It's called Etsy.com and is very similar to Ebay, but a crafter's version of Ebay where you can sell you own handmade items or purchase fellow crafters items.

I've set up my own page on there, which you may like to take a look at. Visit http://CreativeCrafterUK.etsy.com

There's also a great forum on there and a very lively community of crafters - I'm very addicted!
See you at Etsy - please drop by to say hello over there! Hey, but before you go......remember to keep popping back here!

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Keep checking back to my blog for some exciting ideas and features in 2008!
Have a happy, healthy, successful and creative year.