Wednesday 27 February 2013

Life isn't about finding yourself . . .

. . . it's about creating yourself



This card features one of the characters and a sentiment from the Creative Expressions "Steampunk Sirens" stamp set. The kraft papers are from Canvas Home Basics and the bow has been made using two colours of Amercian Seam Binding ribbon with a brown Dazzler.

Happy crafting!

Monday 25 February 2013

Yellow Tulips

Another card using one of my favourite stamp sets from Creative Expressions, "Floral Silhouette".



I coloured the tulips stamp with Distress Markers. The gold frame was die cut using the Spellbinders Resplendant Rectangles. 

Happy crafting!


Sunday 24 February 2013

A Pink Rose

Hope you are all enjoying the weekend. Here is today's card:-


The rose image is from the Creative Expressions stamp set "Floral Silhouette". I used Distress Markers to ink up the stamp. The embossed paper in the background was made using the Spellbinders M-Bossabilities folder "Whimsey". The butterfly is from the Creative Expressions stamp set "Meadow Flora" and, again, was inked up using Distress Markers. The Dazzlers are the Medium Square Dazzlers from Creative Expressions.

I am off to Stamperama today with some friends, so it should be a good day.

Happy Crafting!

Monday 18 February 2013

Bloomin' Great Day

Hello crafters - hope you are all well.

Today's card is a flower pot of blooms to hope you all "Have a Bloomin' Great Day!".


The blue background paper and the flower pot, have actually been cut from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Holiday Past Paper Stash pad. Although it contains some beautiful Christmas papers, there are also quite a few which can be used for any occasion. The Creative Expressions "Flourish" embossing folder has been used on the white card mat. The pretty pale blue crochet ribbon and the blue Dazzlers are also from Creative Expressions. The flowers and "stalks" have been cut from the Spellbinders Jewel Flowers & Flourishes die set.

Happy crafting!

Sunday 17 February 2013

Newsprint Rose

Today's blog post is a card which includes a newsprint rose. I wanted to try Sue Wilson's tutorial from her DVD but changed it slightly so that, rather than using a stamped image, I used a Spellbinders die cut shape.


I cut three Spellbinders Big Scalloped Circles, all the same size as each other. You can use any of the scalloped dies. The smaller ones will reduce the size of your finished rose. Likewise, the larger ones with give you a large rose, but for each rose you need three identical die cuts. 

The stamped flower that Sue uses has six petals. The scalloped circle has twelve scallops, so I used two scallops to each of the petals Sue used. I stamped the scalloped circles using the Creative Expressions Newsprint A6 background stamp in black ink, on both sides of the card. The first scalloped shape is cut from the point between two scallops, to the centre of the flower, just leaving a slit. This will be the base of the rose. You overlap the first two and last two scallops and glue in place. The edges are curled around a paintbrush handle. The second scalloped circle has a wedge cut out which is a sixth of the shape, so cut between two scallops to the centre (as before) and then move around two scallops and cut another slit to meet the centre point. Keep this tiny wedge as it will curl up to form the centre of your rose. The third scalloped circle has two wedges cut out as one piece, so the slit is made, as before, to the centre, and then count around the edge four scallops and cut towards the centre. This will give you two pieces, one is a third of the circle and the other is two-thirds of the circle. Join layers 2, 3 and 4, as in the base layer, by overlapping the edges and gluing, and then shaping the edges. Before compiling the layers of the rose, snip a piece off the bottom of each. This is easier to do if you lightly fold the shape, giving you a point at the bottom to snip off. Use plenty of the Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue inside each layer. Once the glue had set I inked the edges of the rose using the Peacock Flowers Distress Ink pad. If you are lucky enough to have Sue's DVD, it gives much more detailed instruction, but don't hesitate to ask if you have any queries.

The teal flower and the black flower have been rolled by cutting a spiral, free-hand, from a circle of teal card and a circle of black card. 

Other products used include the new Spellbinders 5 x 7 Detailed Scallop die set, a Couture Creations embossing folder called Dream (coming soon), flourishes cut from the Spellbinders D-Lites Fantastic Flourish die and a sentiment from the Creative Expressions stamp set called "Special Sentiments". 

If anyone would like more detail on any stage please leave a comment with your question. I will be more than happy to elaborate but thought this post was getting a bit long! 

Happy crafting!

Saturday 16 February 2013

Tatty Button "Just Swingin'"

Apologies for being A.W.O.L. for a few days. We have been really busy getting ready for the Stitches Trade Show in Birmingham. Tomorrow will be my first visit to the show so I am really looking forward to that.

Today's blog post shows one of the new Spellbinders die sets, called Just Swingin'.



It is a really pretty die, which incorporates its own frame. I cut the image first in a dark brown colour and then cut a second image in a bright green card. I snipped the leaves sections from the brown tree and paper-pieced the green leaves in their place. The set comes with two dies to cut two lengths of rope, plus a seat die (which I cut in brown card) and a rubber tyre shape die. I used bakers twine instead of cutting the rope shapes. The character is Tatty Button from Creative Expressions. I stamped and coloured the image and then cut it out. It was a perfect fit for the seat of the swing. I layered these pieces onto a piece of white card, which I had lightly inked using Distress Ink pads and a piece of torn paper, to create a background of sky and rolling countrywide.

The base of the card was made from the same dark brown card (as used for the tree trunk and frame) and two co-ordinating pale blue papers from the Creative Expressions Foundations paper range. I edged the polka dot paper with a Spellbinders edgeabilities die, so that I could thread some blue and green American Seam Binding ribbon, adding a bow, with a pale blue frosted Dazzler in the centre.

The fence was cut from a piece of metallic pewter card, using the Spellbinders D-Lites die called Wrought Iron. 

The sentiment comes from the "Tatty's Text" stamp set in the Tatty Button range.

The card was completed by adding a couple of the metal corner embellishments from Creative Expressions.

I hope this project inspires you - it was great fun creating it.

Happy crafting!

Thursday 7 February 2013

Love tied in a ribbon

Today's blog post is a card made using a Couture Creations embossing folder called Encaustic (a strange name but a cute image).



The sentiment is from the Creative Expressions stamp set called "Celebrations" and has been framed using the Spellbinders Labels Twenty Two die set . The Butterfly comes from the Spellbinders Les Papillions die set (the first butterfly set).

The embossing was highlighted using a Salty Ocean Distress Ink pad and the two little birds were picked out with glitter. 


Tuesday 5 February 2013

Black and ivory papers

Just two colours used on today's card, black and ivory, and it's all about the papers.



I chose papers from Canvas Home Basics, called Black & Ivory Damask which is in a 12 x 12 sheet and a spotty design from one of their 6 x 6 paper pads. I die cut two scalloped circles from black card. The arrow banners from the Spellbinders Nautical Frames & Accents set were used for the sentiment. A "faux nestie" was created for each of the arrows, by drawing around the die itself onto some black card and then cutting these out by hand. 

I curved the arrows to add some interest.


Not easy to photograph but hopefully you get the idea.

The leaves flourish is another one of my favourite dies and comes from the Heartfelt Creations Belle Rose die set.

The sentiment comes from the Creative Expressions stamp set called "Warmest Wishes". I cut the stamp into two so that I could fit it onto the arrow banners.

The card was embellished using black self-adhesive pearls and some organza ribbon roses.


Back soon with another card.

Happy Crafting!

Sunday 3 February 2013

Not just for Christmas!

Today's card shows that "Christmas" designs don't have to be just for Christmas. I wonder how long it will take the Spellbinders fans to recognise which die set I have used for this cheery Birthday card?


This next picture gives you a better clue . . .


Have you got it yet? It's actually using five snowmen from the Frosty Forms die set, to make up the petals of a flower. I inked through the die to highlight the pretty decorative pattern. All of the little curly elements have also come from dies in this set, including using some of the waste parts which look like hearts.

The other shapes were die cut from the Spellbinders Exquisite Circles die set. 

The sentiment comes from the Creative Expressions stamp set called "Kind Thoughts".

If there is anything else you would like to know just leave me a comment and I will reply as soon as I can.


Friday 1 February 2013

Serene Butterflies

This card has been made using the Couture Creations embossing folder called "Serene". 


I lightly inked the raised embossed areas using a Shaded Lilac Distress Ink pad. I highlighted parts of the butterfly with some glitter and added the Crystal Stick Pins.

Another card to follow soon!