THE CREATIVE BLOG HOP

Hi my name is Jenny Lawrence, and welcome to my part in TCBH.
This was an idea of a person who's name has fallen by the wayside, so I can't tell you who started it, but I think it's a grand way to get to know one another.
This could be a rather long post so if you would like to get yourself a cup of your fav tipple to enjoy as you read this.

I have always crafted in some sort of way, either by knitting, sewing, embroidery, crocheting, 
glass painting, making my own motifs to go on 
clothes, decorating tops with fabric paints, and
of course baking, my brother in law said I made the best Christmas cake ever, as I used to give 
 him half of a Christmas cake every year.
I used to make my own clothes when I was younger, but not anymore.
My mother was a fantastic needle person, and so was my grandmother on my father's side of the family.
My mother would make mine, and my sisters 
clothes when we were children, and also my
grandmother would machine embroider motifs
on them for us.
 Here is a picture of a fancy dress my mother
made me for the coronation in the early fifties.

 I am in the 
center of the 
picture, and I
was a coronation
cake for a fancy
dress ball.
My middle sister
is on the left of
me, and the person in the right
was a stranger who came 2nd in the competition.
I won the competition and this photo was
taken by the local Argus.
 My mother printed the Westminster Abbey on 
the blouse I had on.
 No mean feat in those days, the little coronation 
coach on the front is worth a fortune now, and I wish I knew what happened to mine.
 I also remember one dress that was gold in
 colour, and had fairies embroidered on it.
Not an easy task in the fifties, as there were no
personal embroidery machines at that time.
My grandmother was an invisible mender at a 
Dry Cleaners, and taught me how to mend that way.
So craft was always in my back ground.
My 2 sisters also craft , and make jewellery,
and my eldest of the 2 can draw beautifully, as
could my mother, but sadly I didn't inherit that
wonderful talent.

I started paper crafting about 13 years ago, and I started by cutting out old cards and using the
cut out items to make my first attempts at cards.
So then my love of paper crafting really took off.
Now I didn't decide to make cards on my own, 
as my disabled niece made cards, and I got the
card making bug from her.

I started my blog just over 2 years ago, after commenting on other peoples blogs. 
I have a dear blog friend in Linda Burrows of Creative Harmony blog, who used to show my
cards on her blog.
Sadly Linda hasn't blogged for over a year due
 to health problems.
I do hope she gets better soon, and we all see her 
around blog land again in the near future.
So with Linda's encouragement I started my
 own blog, and I am so happy I did, as I have
 made many blog friends all over the world.
  
 ((( WARNING PICTURES OF A MESSY
                    CRAFT ROOM )))
 

 Here is my desk,
and messy crafty
stash all around.
My EBosser is
to the right on 
top of a freezer.
My GC on table
in front.

This is some of
my hap hazard
storage.
I seriously need
a tidy up. lol.
I live in a 2
bedroom
bungalow so I
am lucky enough to have my own small craft room.

 Now to my questions I have to answer.
1) What am I working on?
ANS.
I am working on 2 different cards at the moment.
Both totally different.
I don't usually do this I usually work on 1 at a time, but the ideas are not gelling quite as I would like them too.
2) How does my work differ from others in my genre?
ANS.
I am not sure if my work differs that much from others in my genre.
Except I like to make the inside of the card look as good as the outside or nearly so.
I also carry this on with the top of boxes I create for special cards.
3) Why do I do what I do ?
ANS.
I do what I do because I love to create something that will make the recipient very happy to receive, 
and I love the challenge of trying to improve my craft skills.
4) How does my creative process work ?
ANS.
I get inspiration from everything about me, such as colour matches, and maybe a design, I have seen on a piece of material, or a picture shape that sort of thing.
I never have a clear picture of what I am going to create, it just comes to me as I am crafting.
I love to rearrange my dies to make unusual shapes in my crafting.

Now I would like to introduce you to my tagees.
First we have SARAH WILLS of 
http://mallowscrafts.blogspot.co.uk/ 
Please pay her a visit as she makes beautiful
creations, and not just cards.

 Sarah wants me to say she was having a bad hair day when this was
photo was taken.
 I am so flattered that Jenny enjoys my creations enough to tag me so that I can join in The Creative Blog Hop.
I craft for fun, and am honoured to be part of four fabulous design teams.
I simply love "grown up" colouring in, and find it a perfect balance to my outdoor life.
Just as important are the wonderful like minded friends I have made along the way!!

Next I have KATH SCHOLEFIELD of.
http://myplainandsimple.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09
Please pay her a visit, as she make some
wonderful cards.
I haven't got a photo of Kath.
My name is Kathleen Scholefield, mainly 
called Kath, as Kathleen makes me feel like 
I am in trouble, but my Dad didn't like me
being called Kath, if we wanted you to be 
Kath we would have christened you Kath, a 
good telling off there.
I have been quite shocked to realize that I have
actually been making hand made cards since
2000, more about that later.
I started my blog in March 2010 after I had
retired.
I had no idea how to carry on, but with help
from my sister and lovely friend, and both of 
them are no longer blogging now, I managed
to struggle through.
I called my blog PLAIN and SIMPLE, because
that is what I am most comfortable with as, I
am really a bit of a stick in the mud, terrified 
of trying new methods.
Like most crafters I have gone through stages
of embroidery, dressmaking, and knitting, but
my first love is music and I was a member of
the Meatloaf fan club, for quite a few years, 
and if Bat out of Hell is not played at my 
funeral there will be a lot of disappointed 
people.