Hello lovelies so first we just want to say that we are taking holidays next week so there will be no #eal posting just for one week and then we will be back!!

Back to today and we have another fun #ealfridayfeaturing and we are sharing the talents of Sandie Dunne using our fun #ealcraftyquestionnaire. This is a way for us to see the works of some amazing crafters and get a little peep into their crafty world.....so now over to Sandie.....



1. When did you start crafting?

I first started crafting when was introduced to scrapbooking in 2006. Many over-filled albums later I put the 12 x12 layouts aside  to concentrate on making mini albums as I was running out of space to store the 12 x 12 albums. Then I joined Blogger, was overwhelmed by all of the inspiration and talent out there, and in 2008 I bought my first rubber stamp and some distress inks.. and the rest is history, as they say.

2. What made you start crafting?

Friends who scrapbooked! I made some very good friends in the States and they introduced me to the world of hoarding papers and ribbons! lol. I learned so much from them as this type of scrapbooking wasn't widely known about, or practiced, here at the time. They also sent me loads of supplies, which weren't available here either.

3. Where can we see your makes?

You can see my work on my blog - http:sandieshores.blogspot.com I am horrible at keeping up with Splitcoast Stampers or any other online gallery, I'd much rather be creating than posting photos :)

4. Do you have an online store for your makes?

Well.. yes. I opened an Etsy store a few years ago and I didn't really do much with it until recently. I gave it a new name, Paper Cove Keepsakes, and a makeover.  I think I spend too much time making things and I never have enough time to list them, but I am slowly building up the inventory.  You can find it here - https://www.etsy.com/ie/shop/PaperCoveKeepsakes

5. Favourite embellishments?

Flowers and pearls. No contest. I love love love my pearls. I bulk buy and just in case I run out, I have pearl pens in many colours. Wild Orchid Crafts and I am Roses are my favourite stores for flowers. I don't use as many paper flowers on my makes as I used to; I have an ever growing Die collection and I like to cut my own flowers.


6. Craft tools you can't live without?

1.My Cuttlebug. I also have the Big Shot and the Grand Calibur, but my Cuttlebug has pride of place on my desk. Small enough to leave out and it does everything I need it to do.
2. Westcott Titanium Scissors - I've had it for years and it still cuts like new. It's quite small so it's perfect for fussy cutting.

7. Favourite craft companies?

I used to be a huge Basic Grey fan, and I adore My Mind's Eye, but right now Graphic45, Prima and Kaisercraft definitely have the edge. If I were to pick one, it would have to be Graphic 45.

8. Who is you main crafting inspiration?

Can I have make a list? There is a whole list of people I am inspired by daily.
Mini Albums - Stephanie Miller. Not only does she oooooze talent, she also has a bubbly personality and her excitement is infectious through her videos. "Have a happy scrappy time"
Mixed Media - Gabriella Pollaco. I could watch her create art all day long. YouTubing while I should have been cleaning, lol.
Copic Markers - Miss KerryJ, again on YouTube. She does AMAZING work with copics. .
Scrapbook Layouts - Marta Lapkowska. I am so very lucky to be on the Cardz 'n' Scrapz design team with her. Her layouts incorporate a lot of mixed media and I love her style. A newbie to YouTube but definitely worth checking out.
Card Making - This one may suprise you. There are quite a few designers who inspire me but the first one who sprang to mind is Alice Wertz. She's typically a CAS cardmaker and that isn't really my style, but she just makes everything work. Her cards are stunning and they make me want to create CAS cards.

9. Favourite season or holiday to craft for?

Halloween and Christmas! I love making albums, cards, gift boxes/bags and tags. We don't celebrate Halloween like other countries so I have a HUGE box of Halloween supplies if anyone wants them, lol.

10. Favourite project you have made?

I have 2 and they are very recent.
1. A mini album using Graphic 45 An Eerie Tale papers. Love it so much!
2. Altered papier maché letters I designed for a swap. I just love how they came together ( I really wanted to keep them!)



11. Favourite type of project to make?

As long as I'm making something I am happy. My favourite project is the one I'm working on at that time. I have really been enjoying mixed media lately, and working with all of those fabulous products.

12. Projects you are currently working on?

As I'm taking some time out, to bring the little ones away before they go back to school, I am currently working production line style to get ahead of design team work and custom orders.  Today I made 4 cards and, right now, I am working on 2 cards for the new La-La Land Crafts Kit Club. I am also working on my first magazine commission *nervously excited*  which will be published in November.

13. Any particular project or style of project on your to do list?

The one style I cannot master is Shabby Chic/Vintage. It defeats me every time. It's on my to-do list.. if I ever get the time.

14. Favourite colours to use in projects?

Teal. I think most people who know me will have figured that out by now, and as most of the items I've received through swaps have featured teal I am pretty sure they have. ;)

15. Any funny crafting story to share?

Oh gosh.. not really. I guess the funniest story I have is when I bought new boots and, wearing them for the first time, they really hurt one foot. I brought them back and explained that it felt like there was a pebble inside one of them. They replaced the boots and I wore them home. Again, they hurt one foot. I brought them back the next day and I took a refund rather than trying a 3rd pair. That night, while sitting on the sofa, barefoot, I noticed there was a flatbacked pearl stuck to the side of my foot..... I can really recommend those pearls - they don't fall off, even in the shower! lol.



Thank you Sandie for completing our #ealcraftyquestionnaire, if you would like to do our questionnaire contact us!!

Emily & Aideen x

Aideens currents:

Hello lovelies today we have a fun share here on the blog-we are going to visit Swanky Jewels on Etsy! You can find Sues fabulous store HERE and this is the shop description:

The Story of Swanky Jewels

Hello lovelies...

We are beyond excited to be able to feature the lovely Be and her charming etsy shop: Mindful Productivity on the blog today. She has put together an absolutely wonderful and inspiring post, so please enjoy and be sure to have a peek in her shop!  So without further adieu … Be!

Hello all  ....  I’m delighted to share with you a #dayinthelife sort of post.  Well it’s not really about a day, more about how I got to this day – to this moment.

Tá mé Be and I run a design business called Mindful Productivity, and like many creative businesses these days, the beginnings of Mindful Productivity began waaaay way back when a I used to spend my days pondering the meaning of life and why everything was the way it was.  I also liked to make pretty things to give the ol’ brain a rest from time to time and found I liked being creative almost as much as my ponderings.  Later I gained an honours degree in Philosophy and Psychology then continued my studies and completed a diploma in Life Coaching.  Eventually I started my own practice where I really liked helping others find their way through the valleys and mountains of life. In 2010, whilst taking a year off, I discovered mindfulness meditation [or maybe it discovered me] and after some absolutely boringly long meditation sessions [read 10 minutes] I found my stride and felt that mindfulness was helping with many of the answers I’d always been seeking.  As the months passed  a feeling started and the need to do more creative things grew, I felt a pull to slow down more and pay attention to what each day offered.  To enjoy the present and all that came with it and not to be concerned so much with why it was, but rather to accept that it just was. #lightbulbAs 2011 rolled around I returned to Ireland and began to think that maybe it would be possible to carry on life coaching  in some way using both my creative and seeking sides ... and after a lot of tooing and froing and what ifs and should I, could I... Mindful Productivity was born!

Fast forward three years and here I am typing this from my first floor workshop here in Mayo in the west of Ireland on a surprisingly sunny morning.  I moved to this studio almost 18 months ago now – an upgrade from my back room - and share the building with another creative person, Lisa.   It’s a calm and inspiring space to work in with white floor boards and lots of beeswax candles, incense burning during the day and of course my own designs and work in progress around me.



I climb a multi coloured spiral staircase to get up here, which is sometimes nice and sometimes a bit tricky - especially when I’m moving bags and boxes downstairs!  Originally it was an old cobbler’s workshop so my favourite saying when things get a bit much is ‘cobblers!’  It’s a lovely feeling to think that there has always been something creative going on here and in some small way I’m carrying on with that energy.

My creative endeavours find me now designing calming and mindfully inspired cards as well as hand rolling pure beeswax candles. 



It’s always nice working on new designs and a humbling experience to see people reacting in a positive way to my words.  I’m also delighted to be stocked by some lovely retailers around Ireland as well as having an Etsy shop at etsy.com/mindfulproductivity






Each typographical card starts as either a hand lettered drawing or one of my original mindfully inspired phrases.  I like to combine both traditional and digital techniques as I work and scan my calligraphy then digitise it to add colours which enhance the words and designs.  My designs come from all the insights I have found in my own journey and I hope to have something resonate with others who are searching for calm and understanding in their own lives.




My mindfulness extends to the way I like to run my business as well.  I get all my cards printed at a local artisan printer here in Mayo and include 100% recycled paper envelopes with them.  I’ve just recently sourced some eco friendly biodegradable display bags for the cards too, which I am really happy about.  They do work out a bit more expensive, but I think it’s important for business to absorb those costs sometimes and this is one of those times.



Last year I began hand rolling beeswax candles to sell.  I was running a drop in meditation group at the time and was using a lot of candles in the studio and wanted to use something chemical free, natural and renewable.  So I made some to burn in the studio and everyone kept asking for them ... they said it was the love I rolled into them!  I do love rolling them ... it’s like an active meditation J om..
So that’s the story of how I began and what I’m now at ... there has been ups and downs, sideway travels and some hard grafts in there.  Not only for the business but also for my mindfulness routine – both can be a slog sometimes, though in the end it’s so worth it! J