Could Spring be on its way?

The snowdrops seem to think so, as they are all making an appearance.

Tutorials

From time to time I will add tutorials to this page for various crafts. I will be creating a video soon to show how easy it is to create a string of bunting from one of my Instant Download Bunting sheets in my shop.
To get this page started here is a video I created quite a while ago showing how to create a Never Ending Card

WOW! really cannot believe that it has been so long since I last blogged....

I have been busy though, I finished college last year and now have a HND in Visual Communication. I was offered a place at Abertay University to do a Degree, but unfortunately had to turn this down as I was moving back to Aberdeenshire. I am still hoping to gain my Degree somehow.

I'm loving living back in the countryside, but not loving the snow that we have at the moment. I have been busy designing papers that can be instantly downloaded from my shop, I have also added a few more instant download bunting designs. I have lots of ideas bouncing about in my head so there will be more being added to my shop soon. The latest  items to be added to my shop were Little Pastel Paper Packs, these are 12" x 12" papers which are ideal for digi scrapping, but can also be printed off on A4 paper to be used in scrapbooking, card making and other papercrafts. Pop over to my shop for a wee peek

I am aiming to be a better blogger and blog at least once a week, not always about my shop though, as I live in a beautiful part of Scotland and I love to take my camera out so be prepared for some photos of what I see when I'm out and about. Also the odd post about any other creative work I do, which can be graphic design, mixed media art, art journalling and cooking.

until the next blog entry.....bye for now :)

I've entered a competition....

... to design a Christmas Tea Towel for Pedlars. I love all the stuff in Pedlars so it would be great if I won as I would get £500 to spend on some lovely things. The winning design will also be made and sold by Pedlars. The winner also retains the copyright and will receive a percentage of all sales and a percentage to a charity of their choice. My charity would have to be the Meningitis Research Fondation, so I will be keeping my fingers crossed.

This is my design, if you like my design please vote for it here, just find my name click beside it then go to bottom of page and click vote.

Thanks in advance to anyone who votes for my design.

I'm getting better at this regular blogging, long may it last

Deborah :)

We have a winner......

.......the 200th sale has been made in my shop by Heidi Urshan.
Congratulations Heidi :)
Heidi had purchased some of my Vintage Jubilee Union Jack downloads to use for her daughters birthday party. So in keeping with the theme she decided to choose the Vintage Jubilee Union Jack ATC/ACEO background download as her freebie. I hope everyone has a brilliant time at the party. This was Heidi's first purchase from Etsy and she was very surprised to have won a FREEBIE.

I think I will have another FREE GIVEAWAY when my sales reach 300..... it feels good to surprise someone with a FREEBIE :) so as of today my sales are 202 so just 98 more sales till FREEBIE time again.

Thanks to all my customers and everyone who views the items in my shop and hits the Like button.

will blog again soon

GIVEAWAY

I've been a bad blogger again!...
I always seem so busy doing this and that I forget to find time to blog here :( I hadn't realised that its been so long.
I have updated my College blog with my college work and a little about some creative work I have done over the holidays, which you can find here. Back to college next week so that blog will be getting updated more regular again.

The main reason I decided to blog today is I have almost had 200 sales in my Etsy Shop, only 2 more sales to go. So I thought as a way to celebrate I would have a FREE GIVEAWAY for the 200th order.  The person who places the 200th order will be emailed and will be able to choose any Instant Download from my shop. So go on pop over to Ainjewelz you might be the one who gets your hands on a FREEBIE. 

I have also added a few new designs to my shop over the holidays, one of these being an Ice Lolly/Ice-Cream design paper pack and collage sheet

This is a page from my art journal created using the Harlequin papers I designed (which are available as a download from my shop) and the woman was painted using gesso, watercolour and fine liners.

bye for noo :)

I'm such a bad....

....blogger!

I can't believe it has been so long since I last blogged here. I'm still crafting and I still have my shop Crafting Ainjewelz on Etsy. I've been busy with college work and have 2 new blogs associated with that which are DeborahDey and my Art & Design Project which I have to complete by May 21st.  Submission days for all subjects are getting ever nearer, but the only one I worry about is 3D Modelling & Animation, this is not my kind of thing, but I'm sticking at it. I also have a new website called Pixel61 where I have my online portfolio.

A couple of weeks ago me, Buzz (dog) and James (sat nav) headed north for the weekend to see my pals and had a great relaxing time. I miss the hills, the forests, the fresh air and the slower pace of life. Didn't get many photos though as my batteries went flat. I did however manage to snap a few Highland coos before my batteries died on me. I love Highland coos :)

Hoping to have more time to craft and blog during the summer holidays and fit another trip up north in too. I must remember to charge my batteries and take my charger with me so I can get more photos!

I'm on a roll.....

...... been busy doing college stuff and another wee make over and look ..... its another wee blog post :)
This time the make over was on the toy box where I keep my grandkids toys. It has served us well as a cheap pine chest that can also be used as an extra coffee table or seating, but it was time to freshen it up. A quick lick of Duck Egg Blue paint, a branch and 3 birds cut from scrapbook paper, a bird each for Kian, Kailub and Ellie-Louise. A light sanding to distress it slightly and a couple of coats of acrylic varnish and voila! I think it looks so much better now, just hope my grandkids like it

Thanks for popping by

Until next time......whenever that may be.....bye :)

since my last post a........

...... lot has happened. I no longer live in a croft in the beautiful countryside of Aberdeenshire, I have moved back to Fife to be nearer my family. I have also started back at college where I'm studying Computer Arts and Digital Design, some of my college creations can be seen here on my Flickr page. I've also bought my very first car and am slowly getting used to driving it.

Settling into my house and got some decorating to do to make it feel like my home, but loving being back in Fife. I am bored of my old pine furniture and being a skint student can't afford new stuff so I have started on a big make over. So far my old pine hi-fi cupboard has been beautified and my old coffee table. The cupboard has been painted in Duck Egg Blue and slightly distressed, then behind the glass is a collage I created on a piece of cardboard box. The handles have clock faces on them which I printed off then stuck to the old pine handles and gave them a couple of coats of varnish.

The coffee table was a car boot buy about 20 years ago and cost £5 and it has had a few makeovers in its time. It's legs have been given a new coat of paint and lightly distressed and the top now has a large piece of torn old ordnance survey map on it, which cost me 70p from Ebay.

I tore the map just smaller than the table top and glued it down with pva glue. The were a few bubbles and the folds of the map didn't lie completly flat, so once it was dry I gently rubbed it with fine sandpaper which gave it some worn areas and helped the torn edges blend into the table top. A couple of coats of acrylic varnish and now when I sit and have a coffee I can see where I used to live and all the places I used to visit.

I'm on the look out now for a cheap pine dresser to give the shabby chic treatment to, as I sadly had to leave my dresser behind when I moved. I've seen a couple but they just weren't what I'm looking for, the right one will come my way eventually.
I have also added a few more printable digital downloads to my online shop the latest of which is a Vintage Stars and Stripes Bunting for Thanks Giving and Tag Sheet. The wording on the bunting can be changed, just contact me.

hopefully I will be blogging more frequent again soon lol 

The sun came out for .......

....... my visit to Fife to see my family and friends.  I enjoyed catching up with everyone, just wish I could of stayed longer than the 2 days. Two days just isn't enough time to see everyone I love and I really found it hard to leave. It seems so much longer than the 10 days since I came back. I miss everyone so much, but hope to get back to Fife as soon as possible.

I've began to realise that all my artwork is starting to look really dark and depressing, but most creations aren't planned they just evolve, so is this what my inner self is feeling?

This is "Hope is the Anchor of our Souls"

and "Lost"

So on my return from Fife I thought I need to create something a little more cheerful. My inspiration was my beautiful little grandaughter Ellie-Louise and positive thoughts for the future. "Follow your Dreams" is a mixed media canvas and the quote reads: "Reach high, for the stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal." ~ Pamela Vaull Starr. I look at this canvas and still think there is something missing, so you never know I might add to it in time.

"Follow your Dreams" 

Having another clearout, really need to get rid of stuff that I just dont need or use and get organised. I found this altered matchbox, I created this few years ago and it will definetly not be getting thrown out. I've never altered anything for a long time, I will have to try and find some time to get back into Altered Art.

My little shop on Etsy has been doing very well over the last month, I must thank the Queen for having her Diamond Jubilee Celebrations as my top sellers have been ready-made bunting and my download Bunting Craft Sheets......So a very big thank you Queen Elizabeth.....
I have some new designs in the pipeline and these will be in my shop very soon :)

thanks for popping by :)