Friday 30 July 2010

Ferro


Today I would like to share this card I made the other day using Ferro from Viva one product that I fell in love with after watching the fab Lin Brown from LB Crafts.
Actually, the piece that started this card off was the middle one, a left over from a Glimmer Mist project I had done for one of the magazines. Me being me, not liking to throw away anything I build this card around it. As it had gold shimmer it occur to me to use some gold Ferro which also has this mat shimmery look.



I had use it in other projects and liked it. But one of those days that I just have a play with products and techniques in my studio -as opposed as those days that I need to make a project- I decided to cover pieces of backing card (from crafts products) with Ferro to have them ready for future projects. It is really easy and you only will need as a tool a palette knife.

As the card I used is coated with plastic in one side, I realized that when the Ferro dries you can peel it off as long as you have applied a thick coat of it, as illustrated in the photo above. That comes handy when making cards as ferro is already a bit heavy so any weight you can take off the finish project will be welcomed.


I love the different shimmers in the card specially against the mattness of the natural cardstock. I was lucky enough to find in my cardstock stack a perfect match of blue pearlescent card, that punches beautifully with one of Martha Stewart edge punches, which adds the only element of pattern into the card. Finishing off the card, one message from the InCircles.

You can buy Ferro from LB Crafts and also from one of my local shops The Craft Barn.

Thursday 29 July 2010

A bit of Die cutting + Stamping =


My sort of card, simple but with details and pretty colors. I used for branch the same Sizzix Sizzlets set as the card of two days ago. the flowers were cut using an old Quickutz Die but you could of course use the ones that come with the set or any punch that comes in several sizes such as the Woodware ones.

Can you tell I love this color combo?

Wednesday 28 July 2010

Life in the garden


Our garden is full of caterpillars like this one. I was hoping that they are going to transform into beautiful butterflies. But after a bit of research I think they are the cinnabar moth.


In the meantime we are enjoying other types of moths and butterflies, bumble bees and honey bees.

Tuesday 27 July 2010

A bit late...


Today is the birthday of one of my dearest crafting friends. Her name is Julie and her surname Hickey. If you are a UK based crafter you must know her or at least of her!



And this is the card I sent her. Probably will get to her tomorrow, sorry!


For the message, I stamped first the Happy Circle from All Year Round, then I stamped using the same ink -Memento Desert Sand- the initial of Julie's name using a stamp from the Shadow Monograms set in the centre. On top I used a message from the Double Sayings set as it coordinates well with both the All Year Round and the Shadow Monograms.
I used a 1 3/8" punch first and then I layered it up on to a 1 1/2" punch out.

The blank card was made using of of my all time favorite card dies from Sizzix, the ornate card 2 die. The flowers and leaves are also from Sizzix, all available from The Glitter Pot.



And this is the inside.
By the way, have you been to The Glitter Pot's new shop? it is brilliant! I am specially impressed with the studio, so big, so much light!

I have put up the link to the website on the right hand side.


Monday 26 July 2010

Website

Still a lot of work to do over at my website but I wanted to explain a few things.

The first version I put up had a tutorial step by step section which hosted the tutorials that I had done in this blog about my stamps. Then I decided that I, as a browser, found much more efficient to have each tutorial in each stamp page, so I did.

Wasabi was extra sweet yesterday so I decided I would make in a little page so I can keep his best photos there.

Also, although this week I may be paying more attention to the website than the blog, rest assured that I intend to keep updating the blog as I have for last couple of years, almost daily. It will be still the best way to keep up with new updates about stamps and workshops.

So, bear with me while I sort the rest of small/big issues from the website.


Sunday 25 July 2010

Introducing...


www.paulapascual.com

This is what I was working on, my website. I love my blog, but I thought I also needed a proper website, so Thursday I called my father who is brilliant for things like that and he gave me some pointers. Omar helped me to upload it. But the website design is all mine. I feel that for once I have accomplished something.
There are many sections that need revising and design wise there are a few problems. I will be trying to fix them next week.

In other news, lets enjoy that Contador has won his third Tour de France.


Friday 23 July 2010


When I popped in Tesco today the last thing in mind was crafts magazines. Yet, I was drawn to the section. And this is what I saw, Crafts Beautiful top right corner.

To see the photo I took of Dawn on the cover of a printed magazine = huge confidence boost. The thing is, I actually needed it today.

Busy, busy, busy

Lately I have been working in a few projects that are taking a lot of time. So I don't have much free time for blogging. Hopefully next week I will be back to normal.

Wednesday 21 July 2010

Wednesday Storage Ideas



Today I would like to share how I store my inkpads. While I consider me a papercrafter rather than a stamper, stamping is one of my staples of my crafting, something that I use almost for every card I make. For that reason it was important to me that my inks are available very near my work area, so having them over my work desk seemed like the perfect position.


I use two 40 cassette holders side by side. Old cassettes have a similar width as standard ink pads, however they are hard to come by, the fab Caz found those. In the one on the right, I removed the partition for the cassettes so instead of 40 it holds 60 ink pads as long as you put them narrow side in or they are Ranger size (3"). Above the cassette holders, I have an acrylic unit that holds the smaller size circle punches -another of my crafting basics- and above that I have other ink pads that I rarely use. If they are out of sight, they are out of mind, so I have them there so I can still use them if I need to, although they are much harder for me to get them as I am only 5' 1".


Since I favor smaller ink pads these days, great value and less storage space, I decided on getting four Muji acrylic drawers, two of them are the old version which feature three drawers and the other two are the newer ones that have 2 drawers but deeper. Honestly, I prefer the older ones as they hold 1/3 rd more ink pads.


All my Brilliance dew drops ink pads are in one drawer.


VersaMagic Dew Drops and Fluid Chalk ink Cats Eye pads share two drawers divided by color.


My cube Stampin Up inks are also in two drawers by colour shade. Some Cats Eye pads that would not fit in their correspondent drawer are in this one.


Memento ink pads have a drawer all for themselves too.
The top drawers hold Perfect Pearls and similar mica powder products, something that I use quite often.

It does work quite well for me!

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Anniversary Card


So, to celebrate the eight years of being married I made Omar a simple card. Since we both love Japan with passion, I decided to look through my collection of Chiyogami papers. I call it a collection because I very rarely use any of it, as far as I am concerned, it is the most gorgeous type of paper on Earth. But, of course, making a card for Omar is special, so I don't mind going into the collection and use a bit of the beautiful papers.


The number in the middle is from the Shadow Monograms set, all numbers fit inside the centre. The sentiments are from All Year Round, I stamped the circle and the number using Memento Pear Tart ink and then on top the Anniversary using Black Versafine ink.


And since you all posted lovely comments for our photos, I thought I would share this one that we took yesterday just before going for dinner. We made a bit of an effort and we went to The Dinning Room in Reigate. The food was good, except for my starter which made wish I had asked for the scallops. Serious menu envy! Main course was delicious, and desert was even better. And, by the way, Omar got me some flowers, my favorite velvety red roses.

Monday 19 July 2010

8 years today!


Yes, it's been already 8 years since we got married.
Happy Anniversary Omar!


Sunday 18 July 2010



More left over cards, even the fabric message is a left over. Once that I put the message I regret it, I thought it would be so much nicer with one of my own stamps, but the label is very high tack so I would have ruined the card by taking it off.

Saturday 17 July 2010

Blog Candy Alert


A couple of weeks ago at the QVC Customer Event I got introduced to the Silkies from Imagination Crafts. I was really impressed by them. I just found out that there is a Blog Candy until the 23rd of July on their blog. Click here for the blog entry and just follow the instructions to qualify.

Friday 16 July 2010

Not sure


Today I am not sure of this card. I know that when it really comes to it, I like unusual cards and sometimes I push too hard towards the unusual. And I am unsure about this one card.


I made it using a Hero Arts cling stamp background and a collage embossing folder from Tim Holtz for Sizzix, all materials available from The Glitter Pot. The ink is my new favorite silver ink pad: Silver StazOn, as I stamped the background on acetate as I wanted to have some part shiny and the rest mat.

I am feeling much better, thank you for all the comments.

Thursday 15 July 2010

Card for a guy


Still a bit disorganized this week, not only because of the celebrations but also because since Monday night I haven't feeling very well.
I love to make simple cards for men, and this is a good example. I used Tim Holtz On the edge die and the Bingo Embossing Folder for Sizzix. The bingo numbers are perfect to highlight the number of years.

Wednesday 14 July 2010

Cut and Dry Foam


Today I would like to share a little tip that I came up with last week. I use huge amounts Cut and Dry foam for some many different techniques and classes. After realizing that I like to have the same size of Cut and Dry foam pieces for my crafting. I hate wasting anything, that is why cutting the foam in to circles to fit door handles seems to me a very wasteful idea. I rather use every cm of the foam and to do that it is best to cut into straight lines.
So, last week I thought if as soon as I had a new piece of Cut and Dry I divided the area into 1 x 1 1/2" with a pencil, it would make it easier to cut it into little pieces that are exactly my preferred size when and where I needed them. So I have done that, and really, really works for me.

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Tag Book


Still pretty excited and happy about Spain winning the World Cup. Yesterday I made this little ribbon flower so that I can wear it on my shirt this week!
Thanks to everyone who posted comments regarding this success of my fellow spaniards. It really was amazing to see yesterday's celebrations and watching that sea of Spanish flags. For someone like me, who grew up in a time when people were ashamed of the flag and hardly saw anyone be proud of it, to see this is very very special.

Back to Crafting.


A technique tag book, well, is not a new idea by any means. But I always believe that recycling good ideas is key for a good crafter, as long as we don't take full credit for it. I learnt it from Tim Holtz, who taught us a few technique in tags at a trade event quite a few years back.


As you can see on the tag on the left, behind every tag there is a sticker with printed instructions. So, when last week I had a few days that I needed to play, you know, go to my studio and just explore different techniques that I have learnt form some of my favorite crafters and some techniques that I came up with.


Some of the tags. It really is refreshing to have some time to just play, and not have the pressure of having to do a particular card or project!

Monday 12 July 2010


Excuse my absence, I am off to celebrate!

(Here, in England in my home, unfortunately I could not be in Spain.)

Sunday 11 July 2010

Cricut


The fact that I don't post enough cards that feature the Cricut is by not an indication of how much I appreciate the machine. I actually adore it, but I am usually very busy doing cards for classes and demos that I don't usually have the time or space on my table to get the Cricut out -I use mostly the Expressions. But when I do, I have such fun time.


One of the little details I like is to cut three times the same element and then space it using foam pads. That will give a different effect, more like a decoupage sticker.

The cartridge I used is Going Places.

Saturday 10 July 2010

Rich look


I will be the first to admit that this richer look is not one of my signature looks. But there were bits and pieces that I had left over on my desk, I decided to make a card using them.


The butterflies are from Dawn's collection, Amore. The papers are old SEI. I think still looks a bit odd that I did not put three butterflies, but I run out of the smaller size!

Friday 9 July 2010

Questions and Answers

Thanks for the lovely comments yesterday about my studio. Truth be told, I know I am one of the luckiest crafters in the whole world. I have got a very large room all for my self with good light. But it is my job and where I mostly spent my days, so it makes sense to have one of the best rooms in the house used for where most hours are spent. It is pretty full of stuff, my mum always jokes and says Horror Vacui, a latin expression that is applied when a period from Art History is decoratively very busy, so busy that there is a fear of the emptiness. Well, I do not have fear of emptiness, rather than I must use every single inch of space to store my stuff properly.

Do you take your card photos in your studio? It looks like the light coming in from the windows is good?

Yes I do. Mostly. I have got really good light, but leaving in England and not being a productive person in the mornings means that by the time I get round to taking photos is dark, so not great photos more often than not.

Bon Voyage distress


Another distress card that I did for Cardmaking and Papercraft. I rather like this one. The tag is done by crumpling and inking and spraying a bit and the stamping with a very light colour ink.
The message is one of my Mix and Match sentiments and the Circle is from the Circle tags.


Thursday 8 July 2010

Studio - Raising the Table

Today I would like a bit of work, nothing major just raising the table, that Omar did on my studio. So I thought it would be nice to share it with you all. Yes, my studio is a mess more times than not, but it is an organized mess, I pretty much know where everything is.


The photo above is how the studio just before, although I already cleared the table. You can see the height of the table is a standard one, a good 10 cm lower than the kitchen trolley with the drawers near by.


The table is a dinning table that my parents got us a few years back for the dinning room that now is my studio. Here is just upside down ready to put the extra legs from Ikea, of course! All those boxes? QVC kits.


There are two great things about having raised the table 10cm. First, of course is that I get 10cm of extra storage underneath, and you know, any extra cm of space is welcome.


But the most important thing that I get is no pain on my back. You see, I usually work standing up, so bending over the regular height table that I had before made my back ache, not terribly but enough to make me think of a solution. Since I have raised it, my back is been pretty good.

Of course, I needed a new chair, one that was raised enough to work with the new height of the table.

Besides the no pain in the back part, the best thing about this new table? it only cost a fiver to raise the table.

Wednesday 7 July 2010


It seems that I have lost the original files of many photos I had taken of my cards, either lost or misplaced, which sounds better. That is why the watermark looks so huge, because the photo size is rather small, one of the small disadvantages of Aperture.

In the last few days I have had three very exciting deliveries, all for different projects including an article, some samples cards and a teaching project that I am really excited about, nothing extraordinary at all, but a bit different for me.

Feeling a bit better, but still need to sleep a lot, early evening I need a nap, as if I didn't sleep enough night time!!! And, no, it can not be called a Siesta as a siesta is pretty much immediately after lunch, around 3pm or so.

Tuesday 6 July 2010

Feeling sick again


More distressing cards that were feature a few issues backs in Cardmaking and Papercraft. I am feeling a bit under the weather today, so I am not feeling very chatty.
By the way, today is Craft TSV over at QVC, so tune in. I am not sure what is in the hours but I am sure it will be packed with products.

Monday 5 July 2010

Graphic and Distressed Look


I think I haven't shared this card yet, Really, I am trying to be more organized, but I seemed to fail with older cards.

Sunday 4 July 2010

Rafa



Little else to say, but Rafa has done it again, Wimbledon for the second time. And that also means that he is won the French and Wimbledon back to back twice, and that he has got now 8 Grand Slams. After the difficult time last year, he is come back big time. He really is an inspiration.

Vamos Rafa!

Beautiful Day


Sunny skies, lovely temperature, perfect day to enjoy outdoors with my husband.
But I would like to share this card, last in the series of Patchwork and Butterflies, that I made at the June Extravaganza at the Craft Barn. By the way, The Craft Barn is having another of the big weekend demos in September. It is worth making a planned visit for both days as it is so full of extraordinary demonstrators like Leandra from Paperartsy and Lin from LB Crafts.


Friday 2 July 2010

QVC event - part 2


Craig from QVC and Dawn demonstrating how to use distress inks and rubber stamps. Actually Craig did a very good job!


That is Judith from Woodware on the left and the one on the right, well, you should know her by know.

The ladies were very immerse in Lindsay Mason Make and Take.


These are some of the lovely backgrounds they created with distress inks.


That is Amy Shaw's make and Take for Personal Impressions using Martha Stewart Punches.


The lovely Heather was super excited to be there, and so were her little bears.


The Gorjuss Girls were there too.


And Inspire me too. Love the quality of their card and paper.


Rosemary was teaching how to make a lovely mini album using American Crafts products.


The Personal Impressions girls.

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