Celebrity Guest Blogger with Ali Reeve

Today our guest blogger is the wonderful Ali Reeve, here is how she answered the questions we put to her:

If you have a blog, what's the blog address..?
clevercrafter.blogspot.co.uk

How long have you been crafting?
Since I could hold a pair of scissors!! But stamping and papercraft became a main passion in 2003

How did you start crafting?
I am an early years teacher by profession so it stemmed from doing projects with the kids, and then in 2003 I wanted to make my own wedding invitations so kind of got hooked then!

What is your favorite product line?
That special touch of mica masks!

What do you watch/listen to when you're creating?
Dan Gibson Solitude albums, Les Miserables or current favourite Lady Gaga Fame Monster (bit of a random one for me there, as I normally prefer more classical music when crafting!!)

What do you snack on while crafting?
I try and avoid snacking while crafting because I would end up crafting with my snack!!

Any paper crafting pet peeves?
Waste...

Share your favorite tip/trick with the readers.
Oh there is so much but I suppose it has to be don't be afraid to experiment...every day should contain the question I wonder what will happen if...? Oh and for tying tiny bows use a fork!!

What is your favorite color combination to use on your cards?
Browns, Creams and what I call natural greens.

Do you distress everything, not at all or somewhere in between?
Generally distress everything, I struggle with clean lines (hey I struggle with clean!!) but do occasionally do white on white cards and love the effect, but at the end of the day distressing hides a multitude of sins!!

What is your favorite tool in your scrappy space?
Big Shot

What is your favorite item in your scrappy space?
My dogs!!

When creating a project, do you plan it out or go with the flow?
Definitely go with the flow, I very rarely have a plan of what I want to do, and if I ever do they turn out to be my least favourite projects!!

What is your favorite kind of cardstock?
Kraft card and plain white coated that I can ink to however I like.

Do you enjoy stepping out of your zone when creating new projects?
I try to avoid having a zone, but I do love to experiment so yes I love to push my boundaries.

About how many projects do you create in a month?
I generally have to produce many samples and demo pieces so anything up to 100 cards is normal, unfortunately personal pieces never really happen.

When is the best time for you to create?
I will craft at any moment I can, so I have been crafting through the night, while making breakfast and often get ideas in bed, so really when the mood hits me I go!!

What quality do you like and admire in others?
Uniqueness and imagination, 

Here are 3 recent cards Ali has made:

Celebrity Guest Blogger - Nigel May

Today, we have the absolute pleasure of getting to know a little more about the wonderful Mr Nigel May!!!

Nigel is one of the most popular presenters on Create and Craft and Ideal World TV. He is also a very avid writer, crafter and all round nice person! Enjoy the read.....

Name -

NIGEL MAY

If you have a blog, what's the blog address..?

My blog is part of my website which is www.nigelmay.net - I love writing it and try to update it as often as possible.

How long have you been crafting?

My interest started when I first began to present programmes at Create And Craft - I thought it was fascinating to see what people were making. I have been dabbling with it at home for a few years now. Demos on telly still scare me though!

How did you start crafting?

Watching people who were regulars on Create And Craft inspired me to have a go. People like Leann, Sara, Stephanie, Leonie, Nancy, Hayley, Sue Smith...they all made me realise how much fun and how affordable the world of craft is. Plus it's so much more satisfying to make something rather than buying a card from the shops.

What is your favorite product line?

I think the Ultimate Pro is such a good product - it just makes sense doesn't it? No wonder it's been a huge hit worldwide - it does everything. I am really proud of the A-May-Zing range too - it was like being an expectant father when the first CD-Rom was launched into the crafting world. I was so thrilled when people started to tell me they liked it. It was a lot of hard work.

What do you watch/listen to when you're creating?

It'll either be Create And Craft on the telly in the background or I will be listening to something poppy - I am an 80s boy at heart so it will probably be something retro like Culture Club or Duran Duran from the 80s.. Or Grace Jones - I love her! I could listen to her all day.

What do you snack on while crafting?

I graze all day long! Crisps, biscuits, sandwiches, fruit bars...anything. I seem to be continually hungry. I should really weigh about 20 stone!

Any paper crafting pet peeves?

Trying to put a card together with an inquisitive pussy cat on the table is never a good idea. My cat, Diva, is rather fond of sitting on piles of card and paper while I'm trying to decide what to do with them.

What is your favorite colour combination to use on your cards?

I love greens and purples but to be honest I don't have a particular favourite colour scheme. I do love a black and white card though, I think they look really stylish. I had a black and white Christmas one year which looked lovely.

Do you distress everything, not at all or somewhere in between?

I'm an inbetweener. Depends on what the card is hoping to look like.

What is your favourite tool in your scrappy space?

Sticky pick up tool - hours of fun moving things around your desk top and placing things like rhinestones on cards is so much easier than ever before.

What is your favourite item in your scrappy space?

I have some retro papers featuring Saturday Night Fever style dance figures. I love them - not sure what to do with them yet - I keep saving them for a rainy day. I know the card I make with them has to be disco-tastic!

When creating a project, do you plan it out or go with the flow?

I do try to plan, but usually something will take me off on a tangent half way through and make me think about trying something else so the end result will usually be totally different to the original idea

What type of adhesive do you use?

Colall glue is excellent and I do love a tape pen for speed.

What is your favourite kind of cardstock?

Core'Dinations cardstock. Beautiful stuff. There's so much choice.

Do you enjoy stepping out of your zone when creating new projects?

More now than I used to - I'm trying to challenge myself as I go along.

About how many projects do you create in a month?

It really depends on what is going on with birthdays, launches, special events etc. Some months are really busy and other ones are quite laid back.

When is the best time for you to create?

I'm a morning person. I have to do things early in the day. I peak early.

What quality do you like and admire in others?

Determination to succeed and a happiness and consideration to those around them.. Life's too short to get nasty - what's the point?

Here is Nigel's card, made to give you inspiration for this months Challenge... Pink and Black. The card is made from Nigel's first crafting CD...

And here's the card in progress....

Items used:

A-May-Zing - All Kinds Of Everything CD

6 x 6 Card Blank

Black and Pink Cardstock

Martha Stewart Boarder Punch

Foam Pads or 3D Glue Gel

Instructions:

1. Print out the vase of flowers decoupage and two pink backing papers from the CD.

2. Mat one of the backing papers onto black cardstock and attach to the base of the card.

3. Mat a smaller piece of backing onto black cardstock and attach to the base card as in the photo.

4. Cut out all the layers of decoupage and mat the base layer first onto pick cardstock and then onto black.

5. Build up the layers of decoupage using foam pads or 3D glue gel.

6. Punch a boarder from the black cardstock and attach to the base layer.

7. Attach the decoupage image to the card base to finish.

Celebrity Guest Blogger Wednesday........

........This week we have the wonderful Kim Reygate joinging us as our Celebrity Guest Blogger



How long have you been crafting? - I have always loved sewing,
knitting, crochet, tapestry and patchwork but didn't get into
cardmaking until 1995. I met Maggie Wright at a craft show in London 
who introduced me to Rubber Stamping, and the rest, as they say, is 
history. My goodness it sure doesn't seem like 17 years ago!! 

How did you start crafting? - My Grandma and Auntie taught me all my
needlecrafting skills but I thought that to be Creative you had to be
able to draw like my Mum, something that I definitely can't do.
Stamping allows me that creativity. 

What is your favorite product line? - I love all things stamping and
heat embossing and there are just too many wonderful companies out
there whose products I get to play with on a regular basis to narrow it
down to one specific thing. 

What do you watch/listen to when you're creating? - I have to have the
TV on when I am working and I am addicted to American Dramas in
particular things like CSI, Bones, NCIS and Criminal Minds. In fact
there are just too many to list. My sky box is always full lol.

What do you snack on while crafting? - There is always a cup of coffee
on the go but I try not to snack too much, all this card making is
playing havoc with my waistline anyway. Well that and getting older :O) 

Any paper crafting pet peeves? - I do hate having to tidy up in 
between projects but apart from that I can't think of anything, 
although I am sure that there will be something I think of as soon as 
this goes live. 

Share your favorite tip/trick with the readers. - Never be afraid to 
play. At the end of the day it is just a little bit of ink, paper and 
time. 

What is your favorite color combination to use on your cards? - I love 
Black and white and pale blue or pink with brown, but I don't think 
that I have a real favourite that I use all of the time. Most of the 
time it depends on what stamps I am using or who the card is being made 
for. Thats why I like the challenges, they make me try out new things. 
 
Do you distress everything, not at all or somewhere in between? - i 
couldn't be without my Distress ink pads, but i think I'm somewhere in 
between when it comes to real distressing. 
 
What is your favorite tool in your scrappy space? - I couldn't live 
without my Guillotine or Score it Board. 


What is your favorite item in your scrappy space?

When creating a project, do you plan it out or go with the flow? - I 
could no more tell you what a project is going to look like when I 
first sit down to start it than I could fly to the moon. A project just 
evolves. Sometimes I will just start by going through my box of papers 
to find things that will go with the stamped piece that I have created.

What type of adhesive do you use? - I must get through a roll of double 
sided tape and a tube of Silicon every couple of weeks!! 
 
What is your favorite kind of cardstock? - Bazzil cardstock has to be 
my favourite although I use 300 gram white card as the base for most of 
my cards and then add coloured card and papers to the front making my 
coloured card go much further. Mind you if I lived to be 103 I don't 
suppose I could use all of the stuff that I own, it doesn't stop me 
buying it though. I need, I want, I have to have :O) 
 
Do you enjoy stepping out of your zone when creating new projects? - I 
do love a challenge. I guess i still stay in my comfort zone to a 
degree but it's good to try ideas and colour combos that I wouldn't 
usually choose. I still tend to stick to cards though, I'm not so good 
at coming up with ideas for other things, thats what places like 
Splitcoast Stampers and all of the challenge blogs out there are for. 
 
About how many projects do you create in a month? - I guess that I sit 
and craft most days after work. It is my way to wind down. I've never 
counted how many things I make in a month, a lot will depend on whether 
or not I have samples for the TV to make. I make samples for Barbara 
(Clarity Stamps), Jenny (Hobby Art) and Sue (Imagination Crafts) as 
well as teaching twice a month and then there are several friends who 
get me to make all of their special cards, so sometimes it feels like I 
don't do anything else but go to work and then come home and craft. 
It's a hard life but some one has to do it lol. 
 
When is the best time for you to create? - I work full time and so 
weekends are definitely a good time for me to catch up with things. I 
also try and do something most evenings.





Kim has made such a beautiful card for this weeks post i'm sure you'll all agree :D

Celebrity Guest Blogger Wednesday

Welcome to another new feature to the Crafty Bloggers Network Blog or Celebrity Guest Blogger Post!!

In between us showcasing our wonderful group members we are thrilled to also be able to bring you a little peek into the world of the wonderful celebrity crafters we all know & love out there in the craft business :D

First up we have the fantastic Kirsty Wiseman who as so kindly answered a selection of our questions to give us a peek into her fab crafty life <3

How long have you been crafting?
since I was 6 years old. Mum bought me a "things to make" kit and Ive been hooked ever since. Although, professionally, Ive been crafting since 2004

How did you start crafting?
Well, since that first kit in 1977 but I seem to come into my own because my parents didn't have much money when I was growing up. I had to make clothes for my Sindy doll using tissue paper and fabric scraps. I LOVED IT!


What is your favorite product line?
It has always been Basic Grey


What do you watch/listen to when you're creating?
I can't watch tv and craft unless its a sewing or knitting project. So I tend to listen to iTunes on shuffle. Im very much into The Script after Danny was reborn on The Voice


What do you snack on while crafting?
Mainly a cuppa and a bicky


Any paper crafting pet peeves?
Tidying up after inking - ugh

Share your favorite tip/trick with the readers.
My fat bow cheat - link is here:

What is your favorite color combination to use on your cards?
Oh gosh, I dont think I have one but I tend to reach for oranges and greens

Do you distress everything, not at all or somewhere in between?
As and when but often I like a clean finish


What is your favorite tool in your scrappy space?
My Tonic Studio Tim Holtz scissors


What is your favorite item in your scrappy space?
I have a tool spinny carousel thingy. LOVE IT.

When creating a project, do you plan it out or go with the flow?
I have a wee idea in my head as a seed but it usually grows into something beyond that. I let colour and texture run wild.


What type of adhesive do you use?
I love my ATG gun.

What is your favorite kind of cardstock?
Bazzill - it just has a beautiful quality about it

Do you enjoy stepping out of your zone when creating new projects?
I do! I have a lot of supplies and thinking of new ways to use them is an added bonus.


About how many projects do you create in a month?
Recently I have been pretty lame as I have been concentrating on other areas of my working life. But usually its between 10 and 15 a month....maybe more

When is the best time for you to create?
Always when the people in my house are asleep. No interruptions for starters but knowing they are all safe and cosy is a free reign to relax and unwind.

Thank You Kirsty :D

 If you'd like to check out more on Kirsty please visit her wonderful blog HERE