having a mandi moment

Having a blast with Tilda!!

I really do have the best job in the world!! My boss gets cross if I DON'T do my hobby all day :)

I bought some new rubber stamps at the NEC show a couple of weeks ago and I'm just loving coloring in these sweet little images.

I use pro markers to color the images and various patterned papers, punches and flowers to embellish the card.

Amendment to last post

Thanks to Karen Brown for pointing out that the last post had a measurement error in the "you will need" section. Good to know someone is awake :D
It should read two pieces 2.5" x 3". Sorry for any confusion.
There's a reason my blog is called "Having a Mandi Moment"!!!

Squash Flat Panorama Card

You will need :
12"x12" card-stock
Patterned paper
Embellishments
Scoring board and tool
Usual tool kit

How it's made:
Take the piece of 12"x12" card-stock and cut out the following pieces
1 x 6"x6"
1 x 4"x4"
2 x 2.5"x2.5"
4 x 2"x4"

Take the piece of 6"x6" card-stock and cut a piece of patterned paper slightly smaller and adhere to one side. Turn the card over and measure half way along the bottom edge and cut up just over 2". Put this card to one side.

Take the two 2.5"x3" pieces and cut patterned paper slightly smaller and adhere to the fronts. Put these pieces to one side. Repeat with the 4"x4" piece.

Take the four 2"x4" pieces and score at 1" and 3" on all pieces to create tabs. Slide two of the tabbed pieces into the slot on the 6"x6" card and adhere to the back of the card. Now take the tensing two pieces and adhere to the tabs that are now protruding from the front of the 6"x6" card. Squash these flat to create a diamond shape and adhere the 4"x4" square to the remaining tabs.

Now adhere the 2.5"x3" pieces to the tabs that are showing each side of the 4"x4" piece.

Now....decorate!!

Hopefully you have been able to understand these instructions and will enjoy making variations of this card.

Funky folded cards

I am having a blast making these cascade cards.  So long as you have two pieces of card the same size you really can make these any size to suit your needs.

Here are a few that I've been making

 This is a BIG card!!  I used two pieces of A2 card (17"x 22" is the USA equivalent)  The papers are from the cupcake range made by DO Crafts and the 3 dimensional teddies are also from a DO Craft pack.  The cupcakes, lettering, and scalloped arches are from the Cricut and the butterflies are a paper punch.

 

This card is half the size of the one above.  This was made using two pieces of A4 card (8 1/2" x 11") 
This is even smaller!!  Half the size again of the one above. This was made using two pieces of A5 card.

"That's all very well, Mandi, but how do you make them" I hear you say. Well, here we go!!

I will be giving you both editorial and pictorial guidance on how to make these cards.

Okay....you will need

1 x A4 card cut in half to give you two A5 pieces (for this I will be using a piece each of blue and pink to help you), a pencil, a ruler and either a craft knife or a paper trimmer.

1. Take your pieces of card and score each one in half. Now draw pencil lines on each section at the halfway mark

 

2. On one piece, mark the half way point up the left hand edge and draw a line from there to the top right corner of the piece, then cut this section off.  Repeat with the second piece, only this time using the right hand side.

 

3. Now take the left hand piece and measure up the pencil line on each section to the half way point.  Make a mark and then cut up from the base to the mark.  Repeat with the right hand piece, but cut DOWN from the top.  If you don't do this the two cards can't slot together!!

 

4. Now take the two pieces and place them side by side with the widest sections touching.  Take the left hand piece and drop it down onto the right hand piece allowing the slots to interlock.

 

5.  Now that you know how to make it, you can take it apart and start to decorate your card.

 

This card can be made with ANY size of card stock provided that they are both the same size to start with. 

Have fun!!

March winds and April showers

Someone ought to tell Mother Nature that as we had no March winds, we don't deserve the April showers!!As I write this I am listening to the weather forecast and it looks like the rain is disappearing for a couple of days.....yay!!!

Well, I've been a busy bunny over the last few weeks.  Here are a few of the cards I have been making.  Most of these were made using digi stamps which have been coloured in Pro-Markers.  The ones with scalloped edges were made using the Cricut machine.  I stretched the ovals to fit the printed images on the Gypsy.

 
This one is made using Forever Young, Hello Kitty Font and a Martha Stewart border punch

  
These two cards were made using Base Camp for the monogram.  The elephant is from Zoobaloo and the Panda is from Create a Critter.

 
I had a lot of fun making this card.  It measures 8.25" x 11.5"  The end panel is perforated to be removed by the recipient and used as a bookmark.  The large leprechaun is from Simply Charmed and all the other characters are from Paper Doll Dress Up.  The lettering is from Sans Serif.

 
 
 
 
 
There are a few more in my gallery, so please feel free to have a look.   

Bye for now!!
 

Still here.....just!!

Wow, what a weird couple of weeks!! They say things happen on threes and that's just what's been happening around here.

First, my laptop died and needed new hard drive. It took me four hours just to reinstall the fonts!!
Then, my oven broke.....in spectacular style!! Element went, then inner pane of glass fell out followed by the door front falling off!! Now you might think I've been rough with it....but I can't cook, so I rarely use it.
Lastly, our boiler stopped working. Thankfully that's being repaired this morning.

It's now getting to "silly season" for wedding stationery so I may be missing in action for a couple of weeks. I'll try my best to upload some of my work though.

Hope you all have a great week :D

Why I love my Cricut

I'm sure there are people out there who don't understand how I can be so passionate about a cutting machine....but what can I tell you? I'm obsessed!!

Those great designers over at Provocraft will never cease to amaze me with the amount of fantastic designs they come up with for every new cartridge.  The Disney cartridges always cause a great flurry of enthusiasm amongst the majority of Cricut owners and the last one (Disney Classics) is no exception.  Whilst I am waiting for mine to arrive, my friend Dawn has lent me hers to have a play!! (thanks Dawn :D)

 
There are so many things I want to make with this cartridge, but here are the few that I made today

 

Jimini Cricket. This is a BIG card.  Jimini is 10" tall just to give you an idea of the scale.

 

Thumper. 

 

The biggest surprise for me was this cute owl clock

 
 Dinah the cat from Alice in Wonderland.  I made mine in the colours of my cat, Bobbi-Sox.  The sentiment inside reads "I missed your birthday"

Happy New Year

 
Happy New Year everyone!  With a New Year comes New Year's resolutions....and mine is to keep more up to date with my blog.

Mike and I headed to London for the new year.  WOW!!  the fireworks were something else.  We had a great view of the London Eye and Big Ben (I know, I know, Big Ben is the bell inside the clocktower!!)

  

 
I've still been busy with my Cricut machine and here are a few of the cards I have made in the last few months.

So, I will say cheerio for now.  Be sure to check back here next  Monday (17th).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

It's beginning to feel a little bit like Christmas!!

This is my first attempt at fairisle knitting....and I have to say I'm fairly pleased with the results. I'm thinking of trying my hand at some Icelandic knitting, just have to hunt down a pattern!!

I'm back!!

Well after being missing in action for longer than I can even think about....i'm back!!
Now that i'm able to update via my iPod there'll be no stopping me! I will, however, apologise in advance for predictive text !!

So, a brief update. I'm still working hard and crafting. We have taken on another shop next door to ours and made that our classroom leaving us space to extend the shop into our old classroom.

My step daughter and her husband made us grand parents in July. Lily-Miya Daisy Seckham was born on 10th July and weighed 7lb 11oz and is beautiful.

Mike and I are off on a cruise in just under five weeks time (not that I'm counting!!). We are sailing on the QM2 from Southampton to New York and then staying in NYC for a week.

I think that's about it for now. Should be able to update more frequently from now on......so, until the next time....bye bye!!