Happy Birthday Aunty

One of my Aunties is turning another year older tomorrow and so I made a card to send up to her. I used my die-cutting machine to emboss the background card and used some paper flowers that I bought from Hobbycraft aaaaages ago and have been in a craft drawer for too long. (You can read about my gorgeous die cutting machine in this post.)

I printed the greeting onto white card and stuck it onto the embossed card. I used glue dots to attach the flowers. I really hope she likes it! It is quite simple but quite elegant I think. 

Happy Birthday future Mother in Law!

This month saw the birthday of my fiance's Mum and so I had two cards to make - one from us and one for my Parents to send up. Now, Cathy is a wizz in the kitchen and makes her own jams, chutneys and tablet. (Incase you don't know what that is, it is a bit like fudge. It is delicious! Find out more here.)

The first picture is the card my parents ordered. I put a mason jar topper on to represent Cathy's love of jam. The second picture is the card from my fiance and I. It is a long-standing joke!

I love when I can make really personal cards for people - it is really satisfying.

x

2 Engagements in 1 month!

There must be love in the air because recently not one of my friends but two popped the question!

The first were Chris and Jen. Chris got a job in Japan for a year and Jen flew out to be with him for a while. Chris proposed and Jen said yes!

The next couple to get engaged were Dawn and Pete. They have been together for 10 years and the morning after their anniversary (because the day of their anniversary was April Fool's Day!) Pete gave Dawn a beautiful vintage ring. 

Love is most definitely in the air!

My 100th post!!!

I cannot believe it! This post right here is my 100th post on Purrfect Papercraft! That's 100 posts worth of updates and photos of cards I have made and other randomness that occurs and calls itself my life :) It is a lot and yet it doesn't seem like enough. I am always banging on about making more time to post but I just never get around to doing it, and it is such a shame because I really enjoy it, even though I am not really sure many people see it.

So, for this magical post I thought I would post some photos of cards I have made recently.

First up we have Mother's Day - a day to celebrate mothers everywhere for all of their hard work and commitment.

All of the cards above were orders. Most of the cards I make these days are for customers, it's rare that I sit down and spend a large amount of time just making cards for the sheer pleasure of it. Most of these cards contain decoupage elements and 3D foam pads - I was clearly going through a phase!

Next are a batch of recent birthday orders - again, all for customers and not for stock. 

Again, all of these cards were personalised orders and all made their way into expectant homes. I enjoy making cards for people, especially when I know who they are intended for as I can make them that extra bit more personal. 

I wish I had planned something special for my 100th post but I am greatly in need of an update haha! x

Easter 2015

With Easter just around the corner I have been working on a small order of large Easter cards. They are all A5 in size and have an Easter verse printed inside. I love Easter, there's something about this time of year that is so refreshing and inspiring. This season is more my "New Year" than January!

The first card in this list is one of those rare cards I make every now and again which can be easily reproduced! I love that my cards are unique and one-offs but sometimes I do enjoy a bit of repetition :) 

So ... materials. I used cards from Hobbycraft, felt bunnies from Paperchase (which I bought a few years back and am not sure if they have them in again) washi tape, basic coloured card, Easter die-cut sentiments I bought from Hobbycraft but again I have had these a while, yellow silk ribbon and stamps. Yes ... stamps!! I think I am getting back into them again. I go through phases of using them. Sometimes it works really well, sometimes it is a disaster! 

Hope you all have lovely plans for the Easter break. I will be spending time with my family. x

New Printer!

Ok I am going to be honest from the start here and say I am way too excited about us finally buying our own printer! But in my defense it is a much needed piece of equipment in our flat. I rely on a printer a lot to print verses for the inserts of my cards and occasionally create my own embellishments and things. Also, Grant works from home from time to time so it really made sense for us to get one, instead of me having to pop over to my parents' every time I needed to print. I can also get back into making resources for teaching guilt free :)

Anyway it came yesterday and I think he may be as excited about it as I am as I got a snapchat from him when it was delivered haha!

Isn't it beautiful?!

Time to get to work! x

Project organisation

Today was the day! I finally bought myself a magnetic whiteboard (after spending so long looking at DIY notice boards!) and jazzed it up so I can get it hung in the spare room / office / studio and be far more organised in my craft life.

As you can see I have used washi tape to divide the board into 12 sections - one for each month. I have started to write down family birthdays and holidays so I don't need to rely so much on my memory. I've also slipped into the habit of letting time pass me by so I end up rushing last minute to get things done which I dislike. 

It's great that this is whiteboard because I can easily change information on it. It was also a good excuse to but Sharpie dry erase pens! And because it is magnetic I can pin notes and other things to the board. Grant bought me the cutest stationary set from Paperchase for my birthday and there were two gorgeous magnets in it which I haven't been able to use yet, so as soon as I am ready to start properly using my board those magnets will be making an appearance.

This was only a small project, but I thoroughly enjoyed it all the same!

How do you keep yourself organised?

New Business cards

Today I took delivery of my brand new business cards and I am ridiculously excited about them! I looked around online to see how much different companies charged and what exactly you got for your money. I also decided to move away from the design of my very first cards and go for something a bit more "grown up" and classic. They are also the same colour as my blog now so everything matches :)

My old cards looked like this. Lots of cats, being a crazy cat lady and all >'.'< I think this card was pre-designed by the company I used and I just added my details, most of which were ready to be updated anyway!

And above are my beautiful new cards! This time I included some photographs of cards I have made and I tried to get a range of occasions on there. I have added all of my social media contacts too so people can see how easy it is to find me. Need a refresher on that information? Here goes:

Website:

www.purrfectpapercraft.jigsy.com

Facebook:

Purrfect Papercraft

Twitter:

@Purrfectpaper

Instagram:

Purrfectpapercraft

#purrfectpapercraft

Email:

purrfect-papercraft@hotmail.co.uk

Looking forward to hearing from you soon ^-^

x

Valentines Day prep

It's only January and I already have two orders for Valentine's Day cards! Last year was the busiest and most exciting year for Purrfect Papercraft and it's looking like 2015 is going to be just as busy and just as much fun :) I can't tell you how thrilled I am about that!

Anyway, I have made two lovely pink-themed cards and thought I'd take a moment to blog about them.

The first card I made was my first attempt at using my new alphabet die in my new die-cutting machine! Oh man am I besotted with that machine or what?! Best thing to ever grace my craft room :D I used a Tattered Lace embossing folder to add roses to the corner and a sticker which was part of a set I think I bought in Hobbycraft years ago. Makes me feel good when I get to use up supplies which have been lingering about for a while waiting for the perfect project to come along.

This next card was made using paper doilies I bought a while ago in Hobbycraft but they no longer stock them. I've just had a quick browse on the internet and can't even find the company! Mysterious! There are lots of different brands which produce their own anyway and you can buy dies to make your own if you have a die-cutting machine. I used a locks and keys die and some of the letters which were cut when I used the die for my first card to write "heart". The alphabet stickers were from Hobbycraft a while ago - again it was nice having a suitable project to use them :)

Both background papers came from K & Company 12" x 12" paper pads.

I am looking forward to making lots more pretty, love-filled cards! If you want to inquire about an order then comment below or email me at purrfect-papercraft@hotmail.co.uk.

New year, new crafting tools.

FIRST POST OF 2015!!! Woooooo :) 

I was very lucky this year and after much research and asking around and writing a list, I got my first ever die cutting machine for Christmas! I was so excited to get started using it! I went out and used my Christmas money to by dies and embossing folders and started to experiment. (Well, I started, then I panicked thinking I wasn't using it right so I watched a few tutorials and then I went all out cutting hundreds of shapes!)

Has anyone else got this machine? I love the colours of mine :) And the shapes and embossing are so crisp and clean. So glad I cleaned out my craft space! 

Got me workin' day & night.

Last night my other half had some work to do, so I set about tidying our flat and wrapping presents and then I joined him at the dining table to make some gift tags and an extra Christmas card - probably my last of the year! 

It worked quite well us both working together. It was nice working while having company, usually when I'm crafting I craft alone! And yes - I made way more mess and took up way more space than he did! 

Love is in the air.

In a recent crafting spree I made the first engagement card I have made in years! It's a simple design but I really like it. I've even managed to source some square cellophane bags that fit so I can package all my cards securely - hoorah!

I like the craft cards as a base, I think they make a nice background. I just bought some kraft Christmas papers which which will be making their way onto cards in the very near future. Watch this space!

PS - This card is available in my shop. Don't forget I am all about one-offs so when it's gone, it's gone!

x

Big news!!

So yesterday I went on a very exciting mission to begin something very exciting at Purrfect Papercraft! I went into town and I took a selection of 10 birthday cards and 10 Christmas cards and I sold them to the owner of a shop called Upside Down Presents at 61 Side. :D I can't even put into words how excited I feel about having my cards in a local shop, or how strange it feels knowing someone else will be selling them to people I will never meet!

Hopefully this will be the beginning of something amazing :)

Christmas is starting early this year.

I have spent the last two evenings sitting in the middle of a crafty mess and using all of my new Christmas papers and embellishments and washi tapes - oh what fun I have had! All of these cards will be making their way to Upside Down Presents within the week and will be gracing their shelves along side some other wonderful products from local artists and crafters alike. Happy days :)

 SO ... if you are in the local area and you have a spare few minutes why not pop into the shop and have a little look at my cards and the other fun wares on sale. If you buy a Purrfect Papercraft card I'd love to get some feedback from you :)

x

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I've made a start with Christmas crafts and I have to tell you, it feels good! :) I've bought new supplies at a fair I attended a few weeks ago and I've made my first visit to Hobbycraft this season. I'm looking forward to spending many more evenings and weekends like this! 

Exciting new adventures

I've been caught up in a flurry of important and very exciting emails recently! Some of them to confirm my place at a local Christmas Fayre in a couple of weeks time, and some to start a brand new, slightly larger scale adventure. Want to hear about it? Oh OK then :)

I have always dreamed about selling my cards in a shop and one day being able to work part-time or even full-time on Purrfect Papercraft, instead of it just being a hobby when I have the time. One day I sent out a few emails to local shops, some which just sell cards, some which sell quirky gifts and pieces by local artists. One of the shops replied and we had a little back and forth about pricing and the shop's ethos. Anyway, I sent them a few photos of cards I have made and some information about myself and they were impressed and have made a deal with me!! Purrfect Papercraft is making its way into a real live shop! :) :) 

I've planned in some crafting time to make a few cards especially to take into Upside Down Presents and have all of my fingers and toes crossed that my cards sell and that Sean is happy to keep buying and selling :)

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Purple Bell Christmas Fair

Morning bloggers :)

I received a text from the lovely Gileng of Purple Bell Designs this morning telling me about this years Christmas fair and asking if I would like a stall. I'm excited! And since I have some free time today I am thinking about crafting. I usually wait until after Halloween to turn myself into the Christmas Fairy, but I should be smart about it and use any free time I manage to get.

Here's a look at my stall from the last time I sold at the Purple Bell fair

I've been to so many fairs since and come such a long way from then. I was just starting out and I was so excited to sell so many cards :)

xx

Happy 30th Birthday, Tracey!

This morning I had some free time on my hands so I finally got round to making a card for my friend who reaches the big 3-0 milestone next week! She's an avid baker and makes delicious cupcakes, so I thought I would use that as the theme for her card. I chose my main feature and built up around that.

The card itself and the pearl embellishments are Hobbycraft own brand. The yellow spotty paper is Dear Lizzy Neapolitan paper pad for American Crafts. All other pieces are from Party Day paper par by Crate Paper. This pad was really good value for money as there are sheets with all kinds of different pieces that can be cut out and used individually.

I'm really happy with how this card turned out. It's pretty and bright, and is grown up but still fun. I really hope she likes it.

xx

Deck the Halls!

IIIIIIIIIIIITTT'SSS CCCHHHHHRRRIIIIIIIIISSSTTTMMMAAASSSS!!!!!!!!!

Eeeek I am so excited!! Our decorations are up, the house smells of cinnamon and other delicious Christmas smells, and I have been beavering away at a few Christmas card orders for this festive season! I love getting totally and utterly wrapped up in the spirit of Christmas and making every part of every day as Christmassy as I possibly can! :D

So, here are some peeks at the cards I have made for some very special people this year;

Papers: Fuzzy Moon, Kanban, Smirk and Forever Friends

Cat stamp from Hobbycraft

Self-adhesive pearls and gems from Hobbycraft

Ribbons: Hobbycraft, Paul Whites, Smirk

Paper Flowers: Fuzzy Moon

Jingle bells : Bought from Ebay

What have you been creating this festive season? x

My Latest Designs

I have made good use of some of my time off and finally got my crafting table back out. It felt so good :) I got out all of my goodies that I haven't really used yet and set to work. I made quite a few cards and am planning another craft-a-thon in the next few days.

First, I used my 'Woodland Folk' papers and brads and I used a sentiment from a Popcorn the Bear stamp set. Then I moved onto my 'Bazoo' papers and flower embellishments. I wanted to match them up with my Kanban zoo animals stamps, I think I will do that on my next craft day! Finally I got out my rather plentiful supply of Tea House papers, stickers, brads and embellishments. I absolutely love this range! I've been keeping it for best which seems a bit silly now. Last but not least, I bought some toppers from Hobbycraft a while ago as they realy caught my eye and best of all - they were on offer!! This is such a sweet range. I used a topper of a woam in a bath full of bubbles on a card for my Mam as she is always in the bath!

I'm planning a special project at the moment too. It's hard for me to keep it under wraps I just want to talk about it all the time! I really hope it works out :)