To make this card – which again is a really simple one for those moments when you want to print-it-pronto and craft it quickly – all you will need to print is:

One sheet from the Card Companions section of the CD-Rom

Other materials needed are:

Pink cardstock

6 inch x 6 inch card blank

Here are the steps to make the card:

1. Mat and layer the pink card onto the base 6×6 card

2. Cut out the elements from the Card Companions and layer the patterned paper base onto the cardstock

3. Attach the card topper using foam pads – 1mm ones should be ample although you can add more for extra height

4. Stick the ‘Someone Special’ sentiment onto the side of the card topper

5. Embellish with a paper bow to finish

I love the Card Companions that are on the CD-Rom as they have everything I need, all on one sheet, to make and complete a card – plus there are always some extra elements left over to use on my next craft project.

I hope that certain Someone Special loves their card!

Stay A-May-Zing!

Nigel x

One of the first records I ever bought was by five time Grammy winner, Donna. The wondrously thumping hands-in-the-air joy that was I Feel Love. Unlike any other tune that went before it or indeed has come since, I have great memories of playing the song continuously and knowing that it would be a tune that I would never tire of. Hypnotic, captivating, rhythmic to the max…it had it all, a fact that even I as a young nipper was able to recognise. It was only once I started to reach my teens and experienced the trauma of a school disco (where you had to end the night locking lips with someone or face the wrath of your classmates the next day) that I realised  just how sexy that tune was too. It oozes lust. It still has the magic to whisk me to the nearest dance floor now if I hear it in played in a club and even if it comes on the radio it is one of those evergreens that will always make me dance like nobody’s watching no matter where I am. That and other Summer classics like MacArthur Park (I always asked why someone left the cake out in the rain), Love’s Unkind and Hot Stuff were tunes that turned me into the disco bunny I will always be. Play it loud and proud. The bones may be older but the heart and the mind still strut their funky stuff  under the glittery joy of a disco ball.

The ultimate Donna Summer tune for me will definitely be the collaboration she performed with the wonderful Barbra Streisand, No More Tears (Enough Is Enough). With a build-up that softly strokes you into submission before belting you around the head with its delicious disco decibels as the beat kicks in, it will always be one of the best tunes of all time. A tale of heartache wrapped up in the heftiest slab of hi-energy, rich, deep dark disco. A classic case of  ’a man did me wrong but I’m still going to belt the words out at the top of my lungs to prove that I’m all woman and can deal with anything’. Energy doesn’t get any higher, girl power gets no stronger. I will always remember my good friends Terry and Michael singing it at a karaoke party I went to a few years back. It must have been in the 90s but I remember it like it was yesterday. Unadulterated speaker-shaking pleasure. When sung well that song is a stonker, no matter what the sex.

Over the last few years there have been quite a few of my musical heroes who have sadly passed away, leaving a legacy of memory-making tunes behind them. Whitney’s dance-floor filler I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) and the anthemic One Moment In Time were tunes that saw me through my A Levels, my college years and into my first job. The purr-fectly devilish and delicious Eartha Kitt may have warbled most of her classic tunes – C’est Si Bon and Just An Old Fashioned Girl – long before I was even the merest twinkle in my mother’s eye but her distinctive disco years and classic camp-attack creations like Where Is My Man? and Cha Cha Heels brought Eartha to a whole new audience. The pay-off for many of us, including me, was that I was then introduced to her former life as one of the most unique cabaret stars ever. Nobody delivered vocals that were garnished with more relish. Her Christmas classic, Santa Baby, is still my ultimate festive treat.

I could go on for ages about the singers who are no longer with us who have shaped my life in some form. The beehived glory of Dusty Springfield, the ultra-strong vocals of Kathy Kirby, the pitch perfect tones of Karen Carpenter. All unique, all fabulous, all departed. Today Donna Summer joined their ranks in the Heavenly Hall of Fame. That is some celestial choir up there…ladies, may your talents live on for a lifetime. They will, thanks to their tunes - to quote another disco classic, they’ll be ‘Stayin’ Alive’ for forever.

I thought it was about time we catered for the guys when it comes to making cards with All Kinds Of Everything from the A-May-Zing range. Whether it’s your father, brother, partner, godson, nephew, grandson or ‘old man’ – us guys can be pretty hard to cater for when it comes to making a fabulous card that doesn’t just have the generic watercolour steam train or tool kit on the front. Not that they’re a bad thing – far from it – I just wanted to make cards for the guys that are a little more funky!

Here is a really simple card which should put a smile on any male’s face – no matter what age he is – and with the London Olympics not that far into the future, I thought somthing sporty might be good.

First up, here are the sheets you will need to print out from the CD-Rom:

Sports bag 3D topper sheet

Sentiment sheet

Border sheet

Backing paper sheet

Other items you will need to get going are:

Green cardstock

A5 card blank

Foam pads

Step 1: Mat and layer a piece of patterned paper onto the green cardstock and attach to your card.

Step 2: Attach a border strip to the patterned paper

Step 3: Cut out the layers for your 3D topper and then build up the image using foam pads (I’ve tried to keep the design as simple as possible to make creating layers as easy as it can be) and attach it to you card.

Step 4: Finally add a decorative sentiment to finish.

Here’s a tip for you all – When building up your 3D topper sheet with foam pads – before attaching the foam pads to each layer put a slick of glue from a glue stick onto each foam pad. This will allow you to move your layer if it needs repositioning and line it up perfectly before committing to stick!

Hopefully the man of your dreams – whether he is your significant other or your cheeky grandson will absolutely love this card. I know I do.

A-May-Zing ‘All Kinds Of Everything’, available exclusively through Create And Craft Tv, Sky 671/Freeview 36/Freesat 813.

The idea of the cruise was to spend four days bobbing along on the ocean waves (and boy, did they bob!) as we headed for Amsterdam and then onto Hamburg, matted and layered with big chunks of crafting as we went along. It’s the first time the channel has ever attempted something like this and I can definitely say by the tme we docked back at Hull at the end of the voyage everybody seemed to have smiles on their faces and a suitcase jammed full of freebie cardstock and all things crafty.

We were joined on the cruise by some wonderful crafting guests from the channel, who were all there to provide brilliant workshops – Sue Wilson was Spellbinding, Sheena Douglass Paint Fusioning, Debbi Moore taught us how to make gazillions of cards, Sarah Millsop created some incredibly beautiful jewellery, Sheila Halliwell was DoCrafting, Dawn Wheeler was the Krafty Kanban Kandy, Christine Bell got Pinflairing and Leonie and I were ‘nautical and nice’ with Hunkydory. It was a fabulous combo. As well as crafting for hours each day and then putting on some extra workshops as well to cater for all, I have to tell you that all of those ladies can dance – they were throwing some seriously cool moves! My word – I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dancefloor look so craftily delicious. Creative, crafty and cracking on the dancefloor – who could ask for more! (On a personal level – I loved the lady who said I ‘danced like all of the Village People’ – it made my day – thank you!)

That was one of the great things about the cruise for me – the sense of fun – everywhere you went people seemed to be smiling and laughing. There are always a few teething problems with anything new but it was wonderful to see a group of people who all loved crafting, all loved giggling and all loved having fun. We were all in it together and there was a real feeling of crafty camaraderie. I will have the image of everybody on the dancefloor shimmying from one side of the ship to the other embossed on my brain for forever. We didn’t plan to dance from one side to the other (actually it was more like running to be honest!), but the rocking of the ship gave us no choice – we were literally ski-daddling everywhere. And when you have the likes of sailors Millsop, Moore, Halliwell, Bell (“Pinflair those!!!”) and Wheeler up there with you it was doubly funny. If anyone knows the man who filmed it all, please tell him to put the clip on You Tube – I would love to see it again and relive the memories!

The stops in Amsterdam and Hamburg may have been short, but it was great for people to see places that maybe they hadn’t had the chance to visit before. Loads of people seemed to come back with cards, fridge magnets and crafty ideas from all sorts of shops (especially in Amsterdam – you can imagine!). Many people chose to stay on the ship to craft during the excursion hours. I have to say that Leonie and I laughed and laughed our way through all of the classes. By the end of it, there was wine, cuddly meerkats, cries of ‘no crack in our crease’ (that’s Adorable Scorable cardstock for you!), an adopted grandma and a room full of grins which reached from starboard to port. If that makes no sense, then I suppose you had to be there! Go Team Craft – you were all a-may-zing!!!

I would like to say thank you to everyone who came along and made this inaugural cruise such a blast. I keep staring at my sailor’s hat and my dickie (that’s my bow-tie of course – it was so nice to get suited and booted for formal night) and not wanting to put them away. They remind me of what an absolute delight the weekend was. I may still have been swaying a good 36 hours after disembarking the ship, but I’m already staring at the calendar and counting down the days until next year. One request though – maybe we should make it a week next time…! All aboard the HMS Craft! Now, I’m just going to slip my hat back on and pretend I’m back on the open water…..’it’s fun to stay at the Y M C A….’

Hello everybody – here we are again, ready for some more top notch yet oh-so-simple crafting from my All Kinds Of Everything CD-Rom – the first in the A-May-Zing range. This card is all about one of the most popular things in the crafting world – butterflies! I love them and think that they make any card look ultra slick, highly feminine and gorgeously lavish. So here’s what you’ll need – hopefully you’ve got your CD-Rom at the ready and you’re all set to print out and play!

To make this card you will need to print off the following sheets:

One of the Butterflies Decoupage sheets – found, of course, in the decoupage section.

Next up, print off a co-ordinating Design Set Backing Paper

And finally, to add to the crafty mix, match it all up with a Coordinating Backing Paper of the same design

Other materials you will need to root out from your crafty stash are:

6 inch x 6 inch Card Blank

Green Cardstock

Yellow Ribbon

Yellow Card Candy

Here are a few quick and simple instructions on how to make the card. 

1. Print out the required sheets as above.

2. Cut out the decoupage elements and build up your picture using foam pads or 3D glue gel

3. Mat and layer the backing paper onto the cardstock.

4. Stick the ribbon across the cardstock and stick to your card blank.

5. Finally attach the decoupage picture to your card to finish.

One thing I love about this card is how easy the decoupage is to cut out. That’s the great thing for me about all of the A-May-Zing decoupage – the fact that it’s all such a breeze to cut out. I hope you like the card!

I must say thank you to everyone who has been so kind about the CD-Rom – my feet have hardly touched the ground since the launch night. I’ve been signing things for winners, answering all sorts of encouraging messages and e-mails and been opening up a mountain of post featuring cards you’ve made with the CD-Rom – so thank you one and all!!! Hopefully I will have more news very soon about the next exciting something in the A-May-Zing range. Until then, just like a butterfly – I’m flitting off! 

I’m not really sure what else I can say but this time last week I was worried about launching my first ever CD-Rom from the A-May-Zing range, All Kinds Of Everything, and now, a mere few days later I am walking around on cloud nine. We didn’t just sell out of the original first batch of exclusive CD-Roms on Create And Craft, we also sold out of the extra Extended Delivery Stock too. That’s two complete sell-outs in just four hour shows. To say I am amazed, thrilled, excited, grateful, as bouncy as Tigger and all of the above is an understatement. To have literally thousands of people picking up the phones or logging onto the Create And Craft Website to place their orders has been a huge dream come true for me. I am so pleased that you enjoyed seeing what was on the CD-Rom and I know that you are going to adore getting to grips with all of the crafty and colourful things featured on there.

I was wondering how I could say thanks to everyone – well, the easiest thing is to make a card of course….so here is my little ‘Thank You’ to each and every one of you. To Sara and Leann and the entire team at Crafter’s Companion, to all of the A-May-Zing Angels who made the most wondrous samples and to the entire Create And Craft production team who helped with the shows. The buzz of last week’s shows is something that will live in my crafty heart for many moons to come. So here’s my ‘Thank You’…and of course it’s an easy card made from the All Kinds Of Everything CD-Rom…

This is an 8×8 inch card and uses the following things from All Kind Of Everything.

One shaped topper printed at mid-szize

One backing paper

Alphabet letters to spell out ‘thank you’

The only other things I used were a piece of ribbon and some gems.

It couldn’t be simpler and only took about 10 minutes – which was handy seeing as I spent a lot of the weekend sleeping after the shows. I was totally pooped…but ecstatically so!

Now,  I must crack on with the next A-May-Zing product – something festive is coming your way….I can’t wait to see your creations that have been made with the CD too. So when you start crafting, why not post the photos on my new facebook page www.facebook.com/nigelmaycraft

love Nigel xx

The first one is a baby card for those moments when a bundle of joy pops into the world. It couldn’t be simpler – all I did was print out a sheet from the shaped card section of the CD-Rom and also one of the shaped topper sheets, which co-ordinate to perfection size-wise (although you can change the size of them all if need be!). The thing I love about the colour scheme on this card is that it’s totally neutral so it doesn’t matter if you don’t know whether the package of joy is to be a boy or a girl. The only extra thing I had to add to the card was a bit of ribbon to frill things up a bit.

What I love about the shaped cards and shaped toppers section is that everything fits together – all you need to do is cut it out and stick it down – it’s ideal when you want a card that you can ‘print-out pronto’, get cracking with and go from A to Z in just a matter of minutes.

The second card is an easel one and here’s what I did. First off I needed my list of ‘crafty ingredients’ all of which come from All Kinds Of Everything. To make this card you will need:

One sheet of image toppers

One backing paper sheet

One border sheet

Two embellishment sheets – one of buttons and bows and one of buckles.

Step 1. Make up an easel card base

Step 2. Mat and layer your base onto Core’Dinations Cardstock and attach to your card.

Step 3. On the top half of the card cut a border to size and stick to your card.

Step 4. Attach an image from the topper sheet to the centre of your card.

Step 5. Cut out a buckle from the embellishment sheet and using a hole punch, punch out the holes (this gives a nice realistic look to the embellishment).

Step 6. Attach the buckle to the base of your card using foam pads as this will then work as your stopper and make your easel card stand up.

Step 7. Finally cut out a bow from the embellishment sheet and attach to your card.

Everything on the card is print-outable (is that a word?) from the CD-Rom. Short and sweet!

Talking of which, I must share this fabulous sample that was sent to me using elements from the CD-Rom. It’s a complete nursery – I love it! But I do think the photo of me on the wall is enough to scare any child into having nightmares! My thanks to Mandy – you can find more brilliance from her at http://www.facebook.com/craftylass

I hope you love my first A-May-Zing CD as much as I do. It’s available exclusively on Create And Craft as from 9pm on Thursday 19th April 2012. Freeview 36, Sky 671, Freesat 813 or online at www.createandcraft.tv

One of the things I am going to try to do with the launch of my A-May-Zing craft range is constantly bring you inspiration using the fabulous papers and design sets featured on my first ever CD-Rom, All Kinds Of Everything. It’s been such a pleasure compiling it and even more of a pleasure finally getting to use it. It’s like seeing your baby walk for the first time!

In the countdown to the shows I shall be posting simple projects that I have been able to put together (and afterwards too for anyone who buys it). Quick and easy ones when you need a card quicker than you can say ‘decoupage’. And seeing as I’m in love with my CD-Rom I thought using the LOVE section would be a great place to start. And why wait for a special occasion to send a bit of love – I reckon we should send some love each and every day, don’t you..?

To make this A5 card all you will need to print from All Kinds Of Everything are:

1. A sheet of LOVE decoupage

2. A sentiment from the LOVE section

3. Your choice of backing papers

4. A heart border

The only other things I’ve used are a Fiskars border punch for the scalloped edge and some wonderful Core’Dinations card stock for matting and layering. Plus an A5 card base and the ever faithful foam pads for giving the card a bit of definition and to raise the hearts up. This card also features one of my favourite backing papers on the CD, the multi-lingual LOVE sheet which has ‘I love you’ translations on it in lots of different languages. Might come in handy for some foreign trips! Always a good excuse to board a plane and call it ‘research’…

Including the cutting out the card only took about 20-25 minutes (after spending a good hour choosing what I wanted to print out naturally!) and was very simple – which is handy for a nifty novice like me. Hopefully you like it as much as I do.

For more inspiration, there are lots of cards being made by my team of  ”A-May-Zing Angels” (as I call them), the fabulous design team who are sharing this crafty adventure with me. And right now they’re running a competition. Anyone who leaves a comment about any of the A-May-Zing card samples on any of the design team websites will be entered into a draw to win a signed photo . To quote Bianca, one of the “Angels” ‘ ‘Now there is also a bit of candy up for grabs here as well!! A money can’t buy signed photo of Nigel, so to be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is leave a comment on any of my A-May-Zing posts and I will enter you into the draw (only 1 comment per post please) I will announce the winner the morning of launch day. The other design team members are also giving away so be sure to check out there blogs too :0).”

So if you fancy giving it a whirl please do!

Here are some of the A-May-Zing blogs:  http://taylormaidcards.blogspot.com/ http://louscardcreations.blogspot.co.uk/ http://crafty-moments.blogspot.co.uk/ http://foxglovecrafting.blogspot.com/ http://aliwatsoncreations.wordpress.com/ http://foxglovecrafting.blogspot.com/ http://jacqui47.blogspot.com/ http://lindasrainbowcraftingcabin.blogspot.co.uk/ http://www.secretcrafter.blogspot.co.uk/ http://anotherdayanothercard.blogspot.com/ www.angel4031.blogspot.co.uk http://mycraftblogumentary.blogspot.co.uk/ http://bee-crafty-b.blogspot.co.uk/   www.mariannescraftroom.blogspot.com

Til next time….I wish you All Kinds Of Everything, but especially love!

x N x

A-May-Zing “All Kinds Of Everything” launches the birthday week on Create And Craft TV at 9pm on Thursday 19th April. Fantastic offers and money saving guaranteed. Other shows planned, as I type, for 11pm on 19th April, 8am and 1pm on 20th April. Create And Craft TV Sky 671, Freeview (8am-6pm) 36, Freesat 813. Watch online anywhere in the world at www.createandcraft.tv

It’s called All Kinds Of Everything because it features a little bit of something for every occasion (except Christmas, but watch this space, I already have something festive and fabulous lined up for later in 2012!) and is jam-packed with 12 full design sets for every level of crafter. I have been working on the compilation and design of the CD for well over a year now and it’s always been a huge ambition of mine to bring together a massive collection of irresistable images that will brighten up any crafter’s day! I wanted everything to be useful and usable, bright and colourful, cheerful and cheeky and easy to get on with – just like me I hope! Above all though I wanted to put the FUN into FUN-ctionality as it needed to be simple to get great results from…sorry, make that A-May-Zing results!!!

Since I started working at Create And Craft many crafty moons ago now, I have constantly been inspired and amazed and delighted by the many fabulous people I get to play with and learn from. I thought it was about time I passed a little bit of that experience on too. The entire range will be perfect for every level of crafter but especially for those who are looking to ‘confidence build’ their ability. And as someone who has learnt all of my crafting knowledge through my ‘work’ (it’s never work – always play!) on the UK’s number one crafting channel, I couldn’t be happier about A-May-Zing. I really hope you will love the contents – decoupage sheets, co-ordinating backing papers, alphabets, borders, sentiments, funky image toppers, 3D topper sheets for extra dimension, quick card companions, shaped cards, shaped toppers – a whole bonanza of crafting beauties!

I have been lucky enough to have been able to source some fantastic original artwork which I truly hope you will all love. As soon as I discovered it I knew it would make for some eye-popping crafty masterpieces that would brighten up any occasion. And when I showed it to the wonderful Sara and Leann at Crafter’s Companion they were quicker than quick to ask f they could produce the range for me. Naturally I said yes as the CC CD-Roms have always been faves of mine as they are so easy to use and fitted in with what I wanted to achieve with the range. It was then that the journey really began!!!

First up was a journey to Crafter’s Companion HQ to discuss branding with the team. I have always been quite picky about how the CD-Rom and the range to follow should look and the ‘brand’ team at CC worked alongside me to come up with some fantastic ideas. We worked closely at every stage of the process and made sure that it was what I imagined in my happiest crafty dreams. I think the end result is funky, retro, cool and very very exciting! Then it was time for a photo shoot to come up with images for the covers and the CDs. Notice how I’m all retro and monochrome on the cover so you can’t see my wrinkles!!! Result!

Over the last few months I have been beavering away compiling lots of cards for the shows – making some myself as they are nice and easy and also seeing some fantastic results from the A-May-Zing design team. I am so proud of each and every one of them and I can’t wait for you to see the results and get going yourself. The range of cards, boxes, bags and crafty creations that have been made have surpassed even my most jaw-droppingly high expectations. They are magnificent.

I feel like an expectant father about the entire range and I hope you love the first product, All Kinds Of Everything. I am so proud of it. My journey so far at Create And Craft has been indeed an ‘amazing’ one and I’d love each and every one of you to join me and dive into my massive selection of designs. Ready for those moments when you need to ‘print it pronto’ and craft it quickly, or take things nice and slow, All Kinds Of Everything is just the beginning of an A-May-Zing voyage of discovery. Come join myself and Sara on the 19th April at 9pm on the wonderful Create And Craft. I am so proud to be part of the Crafter’s Companion team and to be bringing it to you exclusively on the best crafting channel in the crafti-verse, Create And Craft TV.

A-May-Zing “All Kinds Of Everything” launches the birthday week on Create And Craft TV at 9pm on Thursday 19th April. Fantastic offers and money saving guaranteed. Other shows planned, as I type, for 11pm on 19th April, 8am and 1pm on 20th April. Create And Craft TV Sky 671, Freeview (8am-6pm) 36, Freesat 813. Watch online anywhere in the world at www.createandcraft.tv

For more samples from the fabulous A-May-Zing team you can head to the following blogs:

http://lindasrainbowcraftingcabin.blogspot.co.uk/

http://aliwatsoncreations.wordpress.com/

www.angel4031.blogspot.co.uk

www.mariannescraftroom.blogspot.com

http://bee-crafty-b.blogspot.co.uk/

http://louscardcreations.blogspot.co.uk

http://lynseys-place.blogspot.co.uk/

http://jacqui47.blogspot.com/

http://crafty-moments.blogspot.co.uk/

http://foxglovecrafting.blogspot.com/

http://taylormaidcards.blogspot.com/

More to come soon…. also lots of samples appear on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nigel.may

or at Twitter on https://twitter.com/#!/Nigel_May

N x