Helen Shaw ........Nelly's Crafty Card Attack http://heshaw.blogspot.com/
Helen's blog is inspiring. I particularly love her 'Magnolia Stamps' Collection's, which you can find by scrolling down to the labels bar on the right hand side.
I have had the pleasure of chatting to Helen through Facebook, Twitter and our blogs too. A truly kind person, she helped me to install Photoshop when I was struggling to sort it out. This lady has a lot of patience! LOL
Helen is on the design team for Glitter Geeks http://glittergeeks.blogspot.com/
and has also won numerous blog challenges.
To quote Helen from her blog 'I hope to share with you my passion for stamp collections and card making samples. I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I love to share my card attack moment's with you .....!'
Believe me, I know once you have all hopped over to 'Nelly's Crafty Card Attack' you will be following her, to see what future creation's she comes up with. You can see from the quality and designs of her work she has a passion for what she does. Helen kindly took the time to answer some crafty question's I put to her.
What do you love about the crafting community?
Ooooh where do I start with that question?....OK, the beginning. Two years ago I did'nt know there was a craft community. I did'nt even know how to make a card! In a very dark place in my life and my head in a bit of a muddle, I walked into a craft shop on my way to a hospital appointment. There, I met the most wonderful guy! That was just the beginning. I soon became aware that there are so many friend's to be made, crafter's that want to share with everyone so many things...craft experience, life's journey's, smiles and tears. You can communicate with all on every level (yes crafter's tweet lol) and above all (for me) it's a whole new family! Your never alone in times of need!.....and yeah I met my best friend...but won't say too much on that, he may read this and I don't want his head getting any bigger! LOL
Name one of your favourite technique's and why you like doing it?
Oh there are so many technique's I love, but my favourite has to be stamping and working with colour. Water colouring with distress inks and promarkers are my all time favourite's to date! My art teacher despaired at me in school and would'nt take me on for my GCSE's. I smile every time I stamp and colour in ...by the way Mrs Larden check my blog, and apologies will be accepted lol.
Your on the Design Team for Glitter Geeks, where do you get some of your inspiration from?
Yes, I am on the Glitter Geeks http://glittergeeks.blogspot.com/p/our-design-team.html Design Team. A new position and quite exciting and daunting at the same time!
Where do I get my inspiration from? That's quite difficult to answer. I'm the type of person that think's creatively naturally. For example, I won't just make an apple pie. I have to add something different to the recipe to change it if that makes sense. So, if I see something on TV, or when I'm blog hopping, or even at craft groups, I try to think what I can add to change it. I'm not a confident crafter though, who is if we are honest? So, I tend to share my ideas with my friends too.....so watch out NJ I may just set you to test case something soon! LOL
What are your top 5 craft item's you can't do without?
Stamps, promarkers, cardstock, glass matt and knife and ....oh yeah, thats five lol.
And finally Helen, what crafty tip would you pass onto other crafter's?
My biggest tip.....give everything a go and never give up. Don't ever say you cannot do something! If at first you don't succeed turn it into a bookmark and try again! Two years on I have some wonderful bookmarks. Finally can I say a 'Big Public Thank You' to every crafter reading this! Without the crafting community I would not be the person I am today....and especially to my best friend who has held my hand and walked beside me in my journey.......
Love you all...XXX
After reading Helen's answer's I think you will all agree with me when I say what a lovely person she truly is and I for one have loved reading about how she became a crafter and what inspires her! As Helen said, crafting can get you through lot's of highs and lows in life, and also try everything. As my lovely Dad would have said to me if he were still here,
'Tich there is no such word as can't'
I hope you will visit my lovely friend Helen and her gorgeous blog. It really is worth hopping over! http://heshaw.blogspot.com/
Finally, Helen a massive thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my guest this month for my 'Favourite Blog Of The Month'.......and also for sharing your kindness and creativity with us all.
Thank you also to my fellow blogger's and crafter's for taking the time to follow and read my blog too, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy bringing my ideas and chatter and favourite's to you all,
Have fun and happy crafting,
Lots of love NJ XXX
