Inspiring friends

Hello crafty folks! 

I spent yesterday afternoon with my very good friend Sheila, who has kindly offered to fix the zip on one of my summer skirts (maybe she has got over her previous trauma, that’s a relief) because it’s edges are frayed, (how do you even fray a zip?)

In the last few days she has made a lovely card for a friend using Santoro papers and stamps. Sheila admits, she doesn’t usually make cards, (she sews and creates jewellery) but she wanted a special card and said she felt inspired by what I have been up to. I felt honoured when she told me she had been studying how I layer up and layout a card and it encouraged her to get crafting too.  It was nice to hear and I think that is the wonderful thing about being creative, sharing the knowledge with others, exchanging ideas and learning something new.

Sheila also created a small wallet on the front to hold a piece of jewellery she wanted to give as a gift.

 I thought this was a fab idea! 

So, keen to know how I get some of the effects on my cards, I showed her several embossing techniques with embossing powders.  I revealed how to create a shabby chic/speckled look on a wooden butterfly, how to add texture to sentiments and taught her about the different types of powders available. I can officially announce that I have spread the virus, it is far too late to save her now, she is thoroughly contaminated with the papercrafting bug!  Opps..

That, was just the start of it, I think I finished her off completely when I demonstrated how my die machine and dies work, (manual wind, I dream of having an electronic machine one day.)  That’s well and truly done it, she wants one now and all the things you can get to go with it. I forgot to tell her she might as well wave goodbye to her money..lol.. (but at least she’ll be able to make nice cards, on the plus side.)

I’m trying to think of an analogy to describe what it is like to use dies for the first time. I suppose it’s like going from candle light to electricity, it’s WOW!  The world is so much bigger and brighter. Dies, in a nutshell, widen your horizons and that is only a good thing,  and, in Shelia’s own words,  “I’m hooked.”

The other wonderful thing about this whole experience is that whilst explaining the various types of dies to her, I actually came up with a new idea for a card design. It emerged in an instant when looking at a die another way.  Serendipity! I shall be posting more about this later!

You see, that is what is great about crafting, it is a continually evolving process, leading you down unexpected paths and there are sometimes pleasant surprises!

So keep crafting lovely peeps! Who knows what you will discover?

Adele

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