Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Birthdays and Weddings, Personalised Cards

We've quite a few Birthdays close to each other in out family.
After my sister-in-laws birthday 
we have Steve's mums birthday....


The card is simple enough and made using hot pink foil,
some embossed card attached to hot pink card,
a couple of hot pink butterflies (I did try hearts but they didn't look right) and a few sparkling diamantes.

Plain and simple but effective.

To see more of my posts on Greeting Cards

If you make cards yourself.... I hope you find some inspiration.
If you wuld like me to make a crad for you... get in touch by clicking the CONTACT ME button :-)
I love the Personalised Blessing/Wishing Tree drawing 
that I designed for Wedding Invitations

For this weeks post, on my Wedding Blog.
I thought I would show you 
how different the design can look depending on the 'Format' of your card.

Firstly.... here it is on a square card.....

Alternatively you may like the DL
 (Long and this) format better....
(Ruth and Lee also wanted butterflies)

Unfortunately the design is large,
so doesn't lend itself to 
single sided Postcard Invites,
but it can be printed and personalised on the front
with all your Wedding details on the back.


For this design and many more,
go to our website:

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

FUN FRIDAY - How to make a hand made birthday card, step-by-step

I wrote this for my MAKERS and SHAKERS Blog....
but wanted to share it with 
my readers on The Creative Spirit,
so here it is.......

'HOW TO' MAKE A BIRTHDAY CARD
STEP-BY-STEP

It's my sister-in-laws birthday today.... 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FLORA!

If you are a card maker, there's always 
an element of guilt if you actually BUY a card! 

I feel that it's a cop out and would only do it
 in extreme circumstances!
This time, I wanted a challenge,
something a little bit different
than I had done before. 

So for those of you who are interested,
here's how I made it.

First off, using a fine line permanent pen (o.8)
I drew some flower doodle, outlines... 


Then using water-based brush pens,
coloured them in and blended with water.


Then I scanned them and added
a few more......


Then I cut each one out....

Here's my collection.....


Then I printed out the card front....


And foiled it with a lovely HOT PINK!
(If you haven't got a foil machine, print in colour instead)



I decided it was too white...
so scraped on some pastel chalk....



And blended it in with some old towelling 



Then used fixative.... 
so Flora didn't get filthy when handling it!


The pastel colours suited the card much better!

With some of the flowers I added foam pads to the back
to give the card some dimension....

You may be able to see it better here...


Oh... then I added some little diamantes,
for a little bit of sparkle! 



Doesn't that look better?




Still.... it lacked a certain something....


Ahhhh.... a little bit of HOT PINK ribbon!

It's always nice to make cards for friends and family. Very often clients don't get to see your full repertoire
so your chance to go a little wild is stifled.
But if anyone is interested and would like one of these made for someone special... I have a few of these flowers left (I printed double.... just in case it went wrong!) I'd be happy to make them one. Email me at: inspiredbyscript@yahoo.co.uk

Monday, July 09, 2012

Glastonbury.... no better place....to spend Summer Solstice!

Summer Solstice, 2012 
and there was only one place to be......

Glastonbury is my spiritual home!


Of course we wore our brightest togs....
Me with my rainbow socks....



And Steve with his bright red shoes....
The Purple Kipling Bag is mine of course :-)



We arrived to stunning blue skies.....


And were met with a tiny Pixie door,
leading to our home for the week....
Betsy Cottage


We had booked on-line, but just 'KNEW' this was exactly the kind of place we were looking for when we read:
Steeped in history, this Grade II medieval sandstone cottage is fantastically quirky, and can accommodate up to four people, in one bedroom..
Dating back to the 16th century, this medieval cottage has had a variety of incarnations in its life, including once being a poor house, kitchen and even a jail. Now, however, the cottage offers a unique opportunity to holiday in wonderfully quirky surroundings, including a double bedroom with four poster bed and free-standing copper bath, and a Victorian range in the sitting room, which also has a sofa bed. There are ancient beams throughout, as well as exposed stone walls and flagstone floors. Guests have shared use of a small courtyard garden. The famous town of Glastonbury is a few miles away, and the whole area around the cottage is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, making this character cottage a wonderful relaxing retreat.



We walked into the living room and joy of joys....

All that was missing was the broomstick by the fire! 

The kitchen was delightful....
but somehow the fridge looked out of place. 
Other than that you would have thought 
we had stepped back in time!



And this is what greeted us 
as we walked up the stairs 
and into the bedroom........


A King sized, four posted bed,
with memory foam mattress! 

Not even the jg hanging by the side of the bath
was enough to put us off...


And the copper bath soon filled up
with lovely 'Lush' bubbles...
and was large enough to swim in.....



The writing had been left on the wall.....


On more than one occasion!.... 



We spent most of our time in the town...
but went for a day out to Longleat!

There were plenty of signs warning us about the monkeys!
And we could have avoided them.... 
But we didn't listen (no change there then!)

This guy was definitely the look out!
He let 3 cars go past, before (I'm sure I heard him!)
he whistled to his mates to come 
and strip the trim off the car room!

Flapping my t-shirt at the sun roof window did not help!

However.... we got away lightly!
 Not like the Merc driver who lost his back quarter light!
One even had the cheek to hitch a ride all the way to the gates as we beat a hasty retreat!

To be honest, I was less freaked out 
in the Lion enclosure and 
felt safer there than with the monkeys! 
In Glastonbury itself we visited lots of old friends.... 
and made some new ones too! 

This is Pan (My name fr him) and his 'Pet bird Mr Corvus.
Rescued as a fledgling, the bird chose him not the other way round. My friend Kath over at Hillside House,  kindly let me use this picture as the most horrible cafe owner told him to 

(in her words)
 "Shift that disgustingly, filthy, bird 
away from my tables, before I call the Police"

I'm not even going to repeat 
the conversation after that,
but would like to say,
that I, in the same circumstances, 
would NOT have kept my cool, 
and all credit to the lad for doing so! 


We also manage to visit his glass suppliers.....we twice actually, as his stocks are getting low and he needs to make more for his website

Where he spent a small fortune..... 
thanks to me, who actively encouraged him!...
And this is what £500 in glass looks like!

 (But Steve..... the colours were so pretty!!!!)

And then we were invited to the Opening Night of
The Glastonbury Art Collective, Exhibition......

And stayed till dark... as we met and chatted
 to so many wonderful people

And that's where Steve...... met James......


James creates the most wonderful pieces of
Twisted Wire Jewellery, 

And he and Steve are going to be working in collaboration
to create some new and exciting pieces...
but I'll let Steve tell you more about this as things develop


We had the most wonderfully, romantic and busy week. 
We made many new contacts, drank far too much coffee and spent far too much time acting like 'real' artists...

I cry when I arrive,
and I cry when I leave.

The place just lets me shed some built up stress
and puts things right back into perspective.

The people are great,
they support each others creative endeavours.

The understand that by working together,
there is plenty to go round!

I love the place,
I love the people
and I love the way that time seems to stand still there....
no-one rushes and everything gets done.

There's no need to stress about anything!
It's called The Glastonbury Experience!

Saturday, July 07, 2012

Light blue touchpaper and stand well back!

Excuse me..... but I am about to rant!
and the rant is all to do with this post.
Darlington Borough Council you stink!


VERY SAD to see that the Art Centre in Darlington has now closed. Many happy memories of starting my first teaching job here way back in 1988. Attended many workshop, ran courses and went to many concerts here to. The place was very special to me and in the days when I taught there, was the hub of many Folk Festivals, Beer Festivals, Art Exhibitions.... oh and so much more.
Now Darlington and the wider catchment area which it served, has been closed.... because Darlington Borough Council want to spend their money on more 'useful' projects!
As always the Arts just DON'T COUNT under this damn government!
Perhaps if you hadn't done numerous refits on the cafe area D.B.C. you would have had MORe money to run the place!
I remember when the Centre was open from 8am - 11.30pm. The cafe and bar were opened and served all day too! Whatever happened to that? It has been under the threat of closure for years. Youth groups, art groups and singing and musical workshops have gone a long time ago. Proof that the Council really never gave a ****!

I am one of the very few fortunate people to have been all round that building.... I had a long guided tour many years ago and it's never left me. Sadly, not many saw the fantastic studio spaces upstairs and the amazing rooms and architecture... it's a tragedy that Darlington Borough Council spent so little money on it's upkeep over the years! D.B.C. you disgust me!

Like forking out for those ridiculously stupid looking water fountainy thinks which looked more like somewhere to park your bike, were TOTALLY out of character with such an old building and were a complete and absolute waste of money as..... THEY NEVER WORKED!!!  And I mean the water didn't flow out of them!  


Once again, this bunch of asse'oles, that profess to be 'Working for us!' make decisions that affect a large group of the population and once again it's the Arts that gets it in the next.... while Banks (god love them) get bailed out, time and time again.

Oh.... but I see the flea pit of a theatre is staying open!

 RANT OVER!

P.S. There are so many things I could tell you about this place and so many reasons why it should stay open.... but at the moment I am far too angry and the words would just come out all wrong.

Better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than open it and remove all doubt!

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Makers and Shakers: Selling Your Art, Selling Your Craft - In the begi...

Just posting a link to my Makers and Shakers new blog post. Selling your art, selling your craft....

Makers and Shakers: Selling Your Art, Selling Your Craft - In the begi...: Hi Makers and Shakers, I'm assuming that by coming to this blog you are thinking of selling your work. Of course, others may come who ar...

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