Welcome back to
Top Talent Thursday.
It is always a thrill to present a crafter who is new to the blog world, and has an amazing talent. Our Top Talent this week has been chosen on two separate occasions as our winner, the first was in '
The photo Challenge' and the second
'Lets be Royal' so it is surprising to learn that she has only been blogging for 7 weeks!
It is with utmost pleasure that I present to you this Thursday all the way from Ireland, a lady who will amaze you with what she has created, and how you will marvel at her work, as it is truly awe-inspiring.
So please welcome our Guest designer and Top Talent for this week;
Our Double Winner:
Nicola - Paper Profusion
First let us learn a little bit about her.
1. Where do you live?
I live in Dublin, Ireland in a picturesque Georgian district about 15 minutes walk from the main centre of the city. My home overlooks a lovely part of Dublin’s Grand Canal with its tree-lined towpaths. Many
tourists who have visited Dublin would likely have passed near my home
on one or other of the various city tour vehicles or on foot.
2. Describe a real life experience that inspired you artistically.
I’ve
grown up with my Mum constantly crafting, be it sewing, knitting,
cross-stitching, embroidering ... the list is endless. Many years ago,
Mum made a padded Christmas Tree as a home decoration for our family
home. Then as a surprise for my siblings and I, presented us with
replicas for each of our homes. When I hang up Mum’s hand-crafted
Christmas Tree each year, its lovely to know that my Mum and siblings
are all sharing this same tradition.
So,
it is my Mum’s hand-crafted Christmas Tree that has inspired me to make
this project for your wonderful show-piece today. Thank-you to Our
Creative Corner for initiating my project as I now have two crafted
Christmas Trees that I will always treasure.
3. If you were to create a slogan for your life, what would it be?
My
slogan would be ‘Actions speak louder than words’. People are sometimes
divided into ‘those who do’ and ‘those who say’. All too often people
say they will do something but fail to deliver. I hope that I can be
regarded as a ‘doer’ i.e. someone who delivers what I had
promised. The older I get the more I can see that what is more
meaningful and better remembered is an actual deed, especially when it
is a good one.
4. What techniques or routine do you employ to inspire yourself?
I’m
a very visual person, so I can find inspiration in anything at all that
I look at. The trick is to be open enough to see it! In recent years
I’ve attended some workshops in Dublin’s National Print Museum e.g.
hand-crafting paper from pulp and making paper with silk fibres. I’ve
also attended night-classes that gave an introduction to a wide variety
of crafts e.g. painting on silk, stained glass making, beading,
decoupage and other themes. It’s surprising how these different crafts
have somehow found their way into my card making. I find visiting other
paper crafting blogs highly inspirational and educational. Other online
avenues e.g. YouTube and Pinterest are also great sources for ideas and learning tools. I
only started my own card-making blog just over 7 weeks ago, so I’m
really still quite a newbie. In terms of card-making I can honestly say
that I have learned as much during those 7 weeks as I have over the
previous 2 or so years that I have been card-making. Having an actual
blog and wishing to enter challenges has focussed me greatly on paying
much more attention to other’s creations and the techniques and products
that they have employed. I would thoroughly recommend blogging itself
as a great way to get inspired and learn, as well as to meet so many
others who share your love of paper crafting and thus spur you on.
(I agree 100%.)
5. What other hobbies or talents do you have that you'd like to share with us?
I
have travelled extensively in the past – this engaged one of my
greatest interests i.e. photography (especially wildlife photography) as
well as the wonder of travel and globetrotting itself. I’m becoming
increasingly interested in meditation and its benefits. I also enjoy
walking and hatha yoga.
6. What color of glitter do you feel accentuates your clothing best?
I
think I will play it safe and choose a ‘beige’ shade of glitter. This
would be neutral and go with all seasons and perhaps be more sensible as
the years pass by!
(Sensible... where do I find that?)
7. What is your favorite holiday/event to make crafts for?
Definitely Christmas. For
me, it’s a time of year that is filled with so many happy memories
although it also brings sadness in remembering those we have lost. A few
years ago, when I made my first Christmas cards, someone told me that
they had put away my card with their Christmas decorations and that the
card would be re-displayed every year. I was delighted at the thought of
this. Christmas is also the occasion when you can bling away to your
heart’s content and yet it won’t look overly tacky! I love to get my
bling on!
(My favourite too.)
************
Now sit back and feast your eyes on this astonishing Christmas tree Nicole has made, the work involved is staggering.
Top
Cherub
Night before Christmas.
Blue Birds
Three Wise Men
Angel with Horn.
Santa.
Green Angel
Santa Boot.
Dove of Peace.
Pot.
Now you will understand why she won Two Challenges with us!
I have not posted up all the pics; you will have to pop over to her Blog and see the rest and learn how she made this creation.
Thank you Nicola, for being our 'Thursday's Top Talent' and sharing such wonderful inspiration with us!
If you want the chance to be part of Top Talent Thursday on Our Creative Corner, then just join in our current Challenge here, you still have some time to participate.
Smiles:)
Sue
"The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it."
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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