Wednesday, 18 May 2016

Iridescent Watercolour Card

Hi crafters

Today's card features one of the Cosmic Shimmer Iridescent Watercolour Paint Palettes, plus stamp sets from JustRite.

The large feather design, from the Whisper of Wings clear stamp set was stamped four times in an oval shape, onto white card, using a clear perfect medium pad. Cosmic Shimmer detail white embossing powder was then added and heat set.



Stripes of different colours from Set 10 of the Watercolour Palette sets (Decadent and Precious Metals), were brushed over the feathers. 

I chose to use the six Decadent colours, which coordinate with other Cosmic Shimmer items in Phill Martin's decadent colour range.


The white embossing powder repelled the paint, leaving the feather images still showing clearly against the colourful background.


Six small pieces of white card were painted using the same Decadent colours of Watercolour Paints and, when dry, the flowers and leaf designs were stamped onto them, using the JustRite Multi-Step Butterflies and Flowers clear stamp set. 

The matching die set from JustRite was used for speed, but these shapes would be quite easy to cut out by hand as well. 



The flowers and leaves were arranged, as shown, and then finished off with some small black Dazzlers in the flower centres.

The Shopping List is below but should you have any questions please ask. It would be lovely if you want to leave a comment. Your feedback is much appreciated.

Friday, 13 May 2016

WIN!

Hi crafters

Creative Expressions have a giveaway on their Facebook page this weekend.


I decorated these calico bags using some of the brand new Fabric Paints from Cosmic Shimmer, together with the Poppies Mask from That Special Touch.

If you would like to enter the competition to win these, follow this link

Good luck everyone!

Wednesday, 4 May 2016

Sweetheart Flower Birthday Card

Hi crafters

An oval easel card today, to wish someone a Happy Birthday!





The Shopping List is below but should you have any questions please ask. It would be lovely if you want to leave a comment. Your feedback is much appreciated.


Please click this link to see what the other members of the Creative Expressions Design Team have been creating.

Craft Consortium:
Wild Rose Collection Paper Pad

Cosmic Shimmer:
Ranger:

Monday, 18 April 2016

Ally Pally Make 'n' Takes

Hi crafters

Something different today! A look at what we got up to on the Creative Expressions Make 'n' Take stand, at Ally Pally last weekend.


We were using the new Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Polishes with MDF.


We used a variety of MDF pieces, including door hangers and oval plaques.


Any of the colours of Gilding Polish were available to use and it was great to see all of the variations.


The cute little MDF shapes came from the In The Garden Accessory Bag.


The MDF pieces really come to life when you stamp them with the co-ordinating stamps from Lisa Horton's In The Garden clear stamp set. Some of the stamps from this set were also used to decorate the backgrounds. We also used some of the really useful clear Tile Stamps to add interest to some of the MDF.

The Shopping List is below but should you have any questions please ask. It would be lovely if you want to leave a comment. Your feedback is much appreciated.

Please click this link to see what the other members of the Creative Expressions Design Team have been creating.

Wednesday, 30 March 2016

Just For You

Hi crafters

A duck egg blue stepper card today, using a variety of craft dies designed by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.




The Shopping List is below but should you have any questions please ask. It would be lovely if you want to leave a comment. Your feedback is much appreciated.

Wednesday, 23 March 2016

Pop Up Bouquet

Hi crafters

This week I have a Pop Up Card for you. 


A lot of hospital wards don't permit fresh flowers on their wards, due to concerns over spreading germs, so I decided to make a Pop Up Bouquet for a very special Auntie, who is unfortunately in hospital at the moment. 

This style of card is very easy to make from a sheet of A4 card (*** photo instructions now added below ***) and will fold flat so that you can put it in an envelope. 



The Shopping List is below but should you have any questions please ask. It would be lovely if you want to leave a comment. Your feedback is much appreciated.


Please click this link to see what the other members of the Creative Expressions Design Team have been creating.


Craft Consortium:
Rhinestone embellishments


Ranger:
Jet Black Archival Ink Pad



*** Instructions, as requested:




Score a piece of A4 landscape card, at 7cm, 14cm, 21cm & 28cm. (I have used a heavy pencil line just so you can see these in the photo). 

Decide how tall you would like your pop up box to be and trim a piece off if required. (I wanted my box to be 18cm tall, so chopped off approx 3cm).

You then need to score your remaining card in half, portrait direction, but DO NOT SCORE the first 7cm (this area will become the back of your box).


Cut where shown in purple ink, as well as the area you have decided to trim away.



You will be left with a small overhanging flap, which you use to glue your box into a square shape. Fold down the three scored sides. 

Using some of the scrap pieces you have cut away so far, cut two thin strips of card, 9cm long, scoring at 1cm at each end. Fold in the scored ends so that you have a very wide u shape, then glue these strips across the opening of the box, spacing them out evenly, to give yourself something to attach your decorations to. If you attach any decorations, such as flowers, to thin strips of acetate, and then glue these acetate strips to the cardboard struts across your box, it will look like the flowers have burst out of the box

Have fun decorating your box! 

Wednesday, 16 March 2016

Dandelion Shades


Hi crafters

Here is an easel card using the Dandelion Mini Striplet stamp.




The Shopping List is below but should you have any questions please ask. It would be lovely if you want to leave a comment. Your feedback is much appreciated.


Please click this link to see what the other members of the Creative Expressions Design Team have been creating.

Creative Expressions:
Dandelion Mini Striplet 
Dazzler embellishments
Bright White Card
Pierced Flags die set
Butterfly Embossing Folder
Cosmic Shimmer:
Ranger:
Cobalt Archival Ink Pad

Wednesday, 2 March 2016

Happy Birthday to You

Hi crafters

A colourful Birthday card today.




No decorative papers used - just back to basic card, ink and stamps!



This week I chose another of the Cosmic Shimmer colours chosen by Phill Martin to use. I found the Chic Aubergine Colour Cloud blending ink matched the colours of card I used. I stamped the background using the Colour Cloud and also inked through the die around the sentiment and on the leaves. 



The Shopping List is below but should you have any questions please ask. It would be lovely if you want to leave a comment. Your feedback is much appreciated.

Sunday, 28 February 2016

An inspiring day yesterday!

Hi crafters!

Just wanted to share with you something I did on my day off yesterday, at a truly inspiring workshop, at Daisy's Jewels & Crafts in Coventry.

The workshop was held by the fabulous mixed media artist and designer, Finnabair, from Poland. 



I will be back with my Creative Expressions Design Team project, in my usual Wednesday slot, later this week! 

Have a good week.

Tracey x

Wednesday, 24 February 2016

News from the Trade Show at the NEC

Hi crafters

Something a bit different today, a sneak peak from the ICHA Stitches Trade Show, at the NEC in Birmingham.

Creative Expressions launched lots of fabulous new products this week, for our trade customers to stock.

This card was made using some really cute new clear stamps. They also have matching MDF shapes available but, as soon as I saw these, they were shouting out to me to be used with "fabric". I know I promised I wouldn't use the Wild Rose paper pad again this week, but so many of you seem to like it and it is perfect for this design.




A fairly clean and simple design but so much you can do with these stamps and MDF (both designed by Lisa Horton for Creative Expressions). 

The Shopping List is below but should you have any questions please ask. It would be lovely if you want to leave a comment. Your feedback is much appreciated.


Please click this link to see what the other members of the Creative Expressions Design Team have been creating.

Creative Expressions:
NEW Stitched Birds Clear Stamp Set (CEC757) - coming soon!
NEW Mini Stencil - Bubble (CEMSBUBBLE) - coming soon!
Wild Roses Embossing Folder
Bright White Card

Wednesday, 17 February 2016

May your day be like you - wonderful & special

Hi crafters

A more elaborate card today.



I wanted to see how else I could shape the petals made from the Orange Blossom - Complete Petals die set. The Wild Rose paper pad from Craft Consortium was still on my craft desk (I promise to step away from this beautiful paper pad next time), so I used two designs from this, together with some white card.



The Frosty Blossom colour palette from Cosmic Shimmer (chosen by Phill Martin) matched these papers really well, so I used some of the Colour Cloud Blending Ink and also the Twinkles Glue.




The Shopping List is below but should you have any questions please ask. It would be lovely if you want to leave a comment. Your feedback is much appreciated.

Wednesday, 10 February 2016

A Birthday Gift Bag

Hi crafters

Here is a brown paper bag which has been decorated for a Birthday gift.


I am still in love with this new Wild Rose paper pad from Craft Consortium, so don't want to waste any scraps if I can help it.


The flowers were made using the Orange Blossom Complete Petal and the Orange Blossom Open Petal die sets. 


A couple of tags were die cut using the Pierced Tags die set and the Pierced Tag Sentiments stamp set.


A couple of flags were added and some pearls to trim the bag.


The Shopping List is below but should you have any questions please ask. It would be lovely if you want to leave a comment. Your feedback is much appreciated.