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A very special card

11/11/2012

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Picture of a handmade birthday card created by my Cousin Lesley
Made by my 'Number One Cousin' - Lesley
Entry from 31 October:

I just have to share a very special card with you. A handmade birthday card made with love by my cousin Lesley – or ‘Number One Cousin Lesley’ as I fondly refer to her.

Lesley became unwell in December 2008 which progressed to her contracting encephalitis and we thought she was going to die.  She was unwell and in hospital first at the John Radcliff in Oxford, then in High Wycombe and lastly in Amersham for a very long time.

Little by little she improved enough to come home. The encephalitis has left Lesley suffering with seizures that can largely not be predicted and has caused memory and concentration problems too. Lesley has a cocktail of drugs to take each day to try and reduce the likelihood and severity of the seizures and has to have a carer with her 24-7.

Before Lesley became unwell she lived her life at a million miles and hour: she ran around after two children, helped on the school PTA, ran her own business, loved blasting about on her new motorbike and making time for family and friends. She was also a keen crafter and loved cross stitch, paper crafting and card making. I was fairly new to paper crafting at this time and we had plans to visit shows and have crafting days where we could share what we knew and encourage each other.

Her illness has meant that she can not do the things she used to and there are some things, such as riding a motorbike that are very likely going to be out of her reach forever – unless medical science comes up with a miracle new medication (our family have our fingers well and truly crossed on this front).

Twice a week Lesley goes to Headway in Bourne End which is a charity that helps people who have suffered brain trauma whether through illness such as Lesley, or through accidents. It helps them with exercises and activities to help memory as well as providing companionship.  At recent classes they have had a volunteer with crafting materials and Lesley has been putting these to good use.

Apparently it was very difficult for Lesley to find a picture with just me in to put on the card – I am the one who usually takes all the photos and my aunt had a difficult time tracking one down!

I LOVE THIS CARD and fully understand and appreciate the effort that Lesley went to in creating it - once a crafter always a crafter I say and think that Lesley is doing great!

We never know what tomorrow may bring and should embrace the life and opportunities that we have today – and give a helping hand to those who have had normal life taken from them through no fault of their own.

To end on a more cheery note, the photo below is of my brother, Lesley and me being silly at my parents house – something we do often and are very good at!

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Being silly is what we do best! (my dad's in the background too).
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How to Guide 3 and getting your adhesion strategy right

11/3/2012

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I've just loaded up a third 'How to Guide' that will guide you step-by-step to make the lovely 'Edwardian Beauty' card featured below this post.

One thing you soon learn with mixed media arting and crafting is that you have to get your 'adhesion strategy' just right or your fabulous creation will just fall to bits. When I first moved into this style of work I actually produced some 'test pictures' that were framed and hung on the wall in my kitchen over a radiator for a year - when nothing peeled or fell off I knew my adhesion strategy worked and then made another set of pictures for exhibition (I'm thinking of showing a couple of these 'test works' as part of my Bucks Open Studios offering in the Summer).

Adhering petticoat netting to paper is one those combinations that always proves to be a bit tricky on the glue front, well at least for me.  If the net can be stitched into place that is much easier, but when creating this card I couldn't face getting my sewing machine out for such a small line of stitching . . . now just think, if I had a bigger kitchen table I could have my sewing machine out all the time - imagine the 'adhesion' possibilities then - lol!
Hand made card featuring a picture of an Edwardian lady
Edwardian Beauty hand made card by Jacqueline Ford
Detail of part of card showing the gold ink stamped wings behind the Edwardian lady.
Detail showing the 'wings' hand stamped in gold ink on tracing paper.
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Crafty Friday

26/2/2012

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Last Friday was the first 'Craft Evening' of 2012 round at Steph's. We have a simple tried and tested formula that involves covering the kitchen table (and work surfaces) with more crafting stash than you think would be possible - and consuming our body weight in chocolate (well those of us with no self control do!)

Steph had been watching some demos from a new stamp company called IndigoBlu who produce 'quintessentially English rubber stamps' and gave us a demonstration on how to use a new product 'FlitterGlu'. You basically stamp an image using the glue and then you can rub gilding flakes over the image and voila - something spectacular appears!  It gave me lots of ideas about how I could incorporate this technique into my mixed media work so no guesses where I'm navigating over to once I have finsihed this post.

If you want to take a look yourself visit: http://www.indigoblu.com/

Tamsin showed us how to make rosette brooch out of pretty pink ribbon (as shown on her website) and Karen demonstrated her new super dooper die cutting machine. Steph then brought out her Christmas present - a Cricut machine (electronic die cutting machine) and we had fun watching how it works - a very clever bit of crafting kit.

I spent the evening mocking up some more cards ready for the Make and Take next Saturday so great fun was had by all. 
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This photo doesn't really show the full extent of the crafting stash in Steph's kitchen . . .
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Steph demonstrating the FlitterGlu and gilding products from IndigoBlu - look at the speed of her crafting!
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|Make a Masterpiece

14/2/2012

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After a bit of a 'blog famine' I find myself making two posts in one evening - it's a bit like buses, you don't have any news for ages and then you get two good bits to share at once.

On the 3 March 2012 Emerald Framing and Gallery are hosting another popular 'make and take' day where you can pop in and have a go at making something and then take your masterpiece home. A small charge is made to cover materials.

I've been invited to take part this time and will be there with a range of 'collage' inspired Mother's day cards for people to have a go at making (adults and children). This is something else that I haven't done before but am really looking forward to it!

There will also be the opportunity to do a small mosaic with Teresa Mills (I've attended one of her workshops and she's fab) and glass work with Julia Hayward.

The image and advert below are from Cath's website and if you click on this you will be redirected and can find out all the details.

If you want to give card making a go this is a great opportunity because all supplies and materials will be provided - who knows, it could be the start of your adventure with paper, scissors and glue?
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'Tis the season

16/12/2011

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My kitchen table and work surfaces turned in to a mini production line over the last week while I've been making my 2011 Xmas cards.  I haven't been making Xmas cards for very long and a sort of tradition has emerged of using a picture of my cats - suitable adorned (well as best you can a cat!).

This years' version was quite a simple make as I used the photo of Prom cat that you can see in the gallery as a 'starter for ten'.  What with the gold angel wings all he needed was a gold Stickles glitter glue halo and a bit of icicle Stickles glitter glue applied with a paint brush as sparkly snow to sit on!  How gorgeous does he look? 

The only problem is that Louis cat is sulking as he doesn't feature this year . . .
 
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    My name's Jacqueline and I invite you to join me on my adventure in mixed media 'arting and crafting'.

    I craft from my kitchen table at my home in Marlow-on-Thames in Buckinghamshire in England and want to use this blog to share my latest ideas and work.

    If something you have seen inspires you to have a go please do share the result with me.

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