My First Post Ever

My first ever post. AAAHHHHHH!!!!

My name is Celina and I live in Waterford the 'Sunny South-east' of Ireland (which means it only rains 350 days of the year instead of 360 LOL)

If you had told me only a year ago that I would be making nice things that people would pay for,
using art techniques and all things crafty I would have laughed you out of the house!

I was even told at the tender age of 14 that I should concentrate on other school subjects such as science or English literature as I had no artistic talent or vision to speak of.  I must admit I agreed with them at the time.  I didn't like what she said, but she was right, I couldn't draw or paint anything except floors, walls and ceilings, Ha-Ha-Ha.

Fast forward umm.... a few years and I was pregnant with my second child. I was put on bed rest very early into the pregnancy and my husband and I had been warned that Alex would be born quite premature and to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Between our fears and our tears, I found something that day and it changed the course of my life!!!
Create and Craft TV.

Not sure what to get I saw a Spellbinders machine being advertised with some dies and thought wow that looks so cool!!

But I waited and watched a few more shows and thought it looks so easy and I got one on flexi-pay and waited for it to arrive.  By the time it did arrive I had bought lots of little things like paint, inks, embossing powder and well anything that looked remotely fun and easy to do.

Needless to say that what I first made was well.. crap! Until I came across a few blogs and then things got interesting.

Through trial and error I began to create and design things and cards that were at times really pretty and at other times masculine. 

So here I am terrified of showing what I can do when I don't know if anyone will like it. Then again I am doing this for myself so I really don't know how all this will turn out.

Here are a few pictures of what I have done so far and feel free to comment but don't be too hard on me and instead suggest how I can do things better.

This is just some of what I've done from last year and as I wish to improve (or evolve) I aim to show you something I have just done be it journaling, cards, mixed media or anything else I want to try and do.  I will show you as we go on this wonderfully crazy journey.  I will do it at least once a week and see how it goes.

I hope you like what I do and how I tell the story.
Thank you for reading, or skimming, or just looking at the pictures LOL!!

Celina

Goth Girl's Goth Birthday card

Hi Fellow Crafty Artists!!

It's a card today for my little show and tell.

I was commissioned to make this for a 12 year old goth birthday card for a girl!!  Let me tell you what a challenge it was to come up with something not too risque but embraced her inner creative spirit.

I loved this card making process.  I found  what I was looking for on KennyK downloads.  I love the selection of digistamps that they have and their Gothic Angelz are so cool!!  I downloaded a few of the collection and decided that the best and least risque was 'Kitty Catastrophe'.  
Although the stamp shows a bare midriff I coloured it with my Copic Markers and made it look like a complete top in purples and blacks and I coloured in the fishnet stockings into striped stockings. I loved the whole biker grunge gorgeous girl it turned out to be.

Clodagh hated pink and so to make her a little softer I coloured the hair in very dark blue/black and purple streaked hair. I highlighted what seemed like ribbons to me in Sakura black glitter pen to highlight them.

For the background I printed off some crafters companion CD rom a tartan pattern in purple and black and cut two Scalloped Rectangles from Spellbinders and punched and inserted eyelets all the way down on both sides and threaded black cord for a laced up effect.  I used Black Soot and with my Splodgeaway blending mat distressed the piece to make it a more used and grungy look to fit in with the digi-stamp. 

I embossed some centura pearl black card with the Spellbinders Reverence M-Bossabilaties folder and matt and layered it with Purple Centura Pearl Card and Black to finish. 
I cut out the Digi-stamp with Spellbinders Label 25 (I think?), and while it was in the die I distressed it around the edge with Distress Ink 'Dusty Concord'. When I Took it out of the die I noticed it was slightly smudged so I used a quick dry glue pen around the edge and applied black glitter to it.

I stamped a Creative Expressions Sentiment on black card with Versamark Frost ink pad and embossed with white powder from Cosmic Shimmer. I cut it out with Spellbinders Fleur de Lis and attached it the the upper right side. I applies 4 small Lavender Dazzlers. 

On the Right side of the card I applied the laced-up tartan and tied a bow with Kanban web mesh which I had died black and allowed to dry overnight. Do not try to use a heat gun to speed it up as it will burn and melt. Ilearned tha the hard way LOL!!

I put a matching Large Dazzler on top.  On the Left I affixed the Digistamp and voila! a card was made.  I love the way it turned out!!

Hugs
Celina XX

Altered Photo Frame Gift

Thank you Ms Caffrey!!!

My daughter started her summer holidays on Friday. Saoirse positively blossomed in her care and as we are told not to buy gifts, I made one instead LOL.

I must admit I was delighted with the results!!
But first let me tell you a little about Saoirse's amazing teacher who inspired me to create.  I don't know Miss Caffrey on a personal level as is right I think. Saoirse thought the Sun, moon and stars shone because of her.
She cares about the children in her care. She is patient, supportive and inventive in her different attempts to educate the girls to the best of her ability.  She worked with me and educated me in the best way to bring on her reading and writing and sums.  I felt like I was part of a team. Because of this Saoirse caught up with her classes in everything.  So much so that she got a certificate for being the best at writing.  Amazing.
Saoirse struggled because she got a teacher last year that was the antithesis Ms Caffrey.  I know that from now on I'll compare all of her subsequent teachers to her.

Ms Caffrey strikes me as someone who is feminine without being too girly, and elegant but strong and confident.  

I could work with that I thought, and as we are not allowed to buy gifts for the teacher, I'd make one instead.

This is what I came up with!!

I had a great time creating this. 

I pasted Kaisercraft cardstock to the whole frame and let it dry. Then using a Prima stencil I applied pearlesent past and let it dry.  

Once I liked the overall effect and then started on the focal points.  I used Spellbinders LF-013 Jewel Goddess dies to cut out 2 small and 2 large forms in Chipboard and Kaisercraft cardstock. I glued the layers together and once dry I cut out 1 small and 1 large double-sided adhesive sheets and then poured Creative Expressions Medium Glass Beads.

I inked up Prima resist flourishes in Ranger Stream inkpad and applied a metal flower and Dazzler on the larger Goddess and the smaller flourish and wooden butterfly from Prima and a crystal to finish.

Finally I added a lot of flowers and embellishments from Prima to the opposite corners and found the Bulb Trinket embellishments which best described Ms Caffrey in my mind Inspire and Love.

It is very easy to crush a child's spirit but a truly gifted teacher shows how to make her soul to soar with gentle but firm affirmations and encouragement. 

That's all for now.

Tell me what you think, if you can please.

Hugs

Celina xox