Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Quilters Birthday Card

Today is a dear friends birthday.
She is an amazing lady and an excellent quilter and seamstress.
When I saw this Tri-Boss embossing folder at Country Crafts earlier this year I had Pat in mind and am now delighted to be using it to make her birthday card.
I trimmed the embossed card and using my Perfect Layers ruler, cut a mat in pink and then cut a card base to suit. I wanted to keep it simple so used these lovely tapes I received as a freebie with an English magazine and a digi sentiment, mounted on a darker pink die cut. Added a couple of the very tiny pearls from Paola and voila, very simple and different.
I really like this folder and am sure it will be a popular one in my stash.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Baby Birthday Cards

I am so in love with the Sizzex 'Flip-It" dies! They make for quick and easy card making and are also very economical to use.

This card for a 1 year old, I cut out of lovely double sided card stock and coloured this lovely digi with Copic's. Of course I added a little Stickles for sparkle! You can never start too early, introducing 'all things shiny' to a little girl!

 This photograph shows how the card swivels. I wrote the message on the back of the swivel block.
This lovely pink version was for the sweet 'Miss T', whom I made the lovely wedding bear for, so she could be distracted during Neil and Carolyn's wedding last year. I can't believe Taylor is already 2 years old! 
I really love this die and it was an excellent investment. It is going to be a very popular 'go to' die in my arsenal! 

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Lattice Cards

These lovely cards were inspired by the very talented Ursula Uphof. She generously shares lots of her ideas with her fellow crafters and I am always grateful for her generosity.

The first card I made according to Ursula's instructions including the lovely flower made out of coffee filters - ingenious idea as the filter paper is so receptive to the colour washes. For my card, I added a colour insert that coordinated with the flower and added a few pearls for interest. Of course the leaf one of my favorite Marianne dies and the greeting ticket is from a fabulous set from Whimsy Stamps.


For the second card, I angled the lattice window for interest, placed the lattice strips a little closer together by using the spaces created by the window die cut. The leaves are also Marianne dies and the flower dies from PTI. The sentiment is a rubber block stamp from Stamp Africa that I have had for years.


I know that this is going to be a very popular 'go to' card as it can be made to suit almost every occasion.


Thank you Ursula for sharing so generously!



Friday, July 13, 2012

Window Gate Fold Card

I wanted a 'different' card for a friend for her birthday and came across a card on my 'travels' that I thought I could adapt to my needs. I try to keep my cards a standard size so this fits into a C6 envelope.


The front of the card was covered with a simple black and white check and the window was die cut using a 2-Die-4 die, Rectangle shape 10. 
I die cut the flower using a PTI Daisy die and the lovely delicate leaves are Marianne dies from Joan at Country Crafts.


 


The sentiment I have had for a very long time, and don't remember where it came from.
I stamped it onto black card stock, using Versamark Watermark ink pad and embossed it with white embossing powder.
Using a bigger size of the above mentioned die, I cut the sentiment out and then using bright pink card stock I traced around the die and cut it out with a craft knife. This gave me the narrow edge I wanted. They were attached and mounted onto the center of the inner card and a ribbon loop and tail was affixed underneath, for a bit of colour and interest.
A few 'blings' added to the front and inside of the card finished it off.


I really like this idea and will be using it again I am sure!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Blog Candy - Jean from Crafty Invdividuals.....

............ has this awesome candy up for grabs!
I could not resist trying my luck with this candy.....
Pop over to Jean's blog http://craftyindividualsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/nice-bit-of-blog-candy-for-you.html to get your name into the hat!!
Thanks for the opportunity Jean!





Wednesday, July 11, 2012

"Prim Poppy" Hostess Gift.


I sent this gift along with my Vintage Tag swap to Hayley, to say thank you for hosting the swap. Nothing like a slab of chocolate, beautifully presented, to show appreciation for a job well done!


I used the Memory Box Prim Poppy die and cut it out of black card stock. The folder cover was dry embossed using a Couture Creations "Waterfall" folder. I used it side on as I wanted some texture on the folder, but did not want it to detract from the simplicity of the stunning Poppy die. A black satin band and bow was slipped onto the folder to hold it closed.




The inside of the folder pocket was stamped with a Flourish that was given a bit of sparkle with Stickles and a Hero Arts stamp said it all.


This is my favorite 'go to' quick gift that is always well received - and enjoyed!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Vintage Tag Swap


 Last month I posted a sneak peek of a project I was working on. Now that the swap is completed, I can reveal my tag.
I had be best time creating these tags.
I took the #8 buff tag and swooshed it in Vintage Photo distress ink and water mix on my craft mat and let them dry. I then over stamped using a B-Line stamp - Netting, from Niki at Paperchain, using Walnut Stain distress ink pad. Next was the lace stamping. Using a set from Johanna Sheen, I masked as I stamped to get the layered look on the bottom half of the tag. White embossing powder was used and a Versamark Watermark stamp pad. The lace heart shape was stamped and embossed around the tag hole at the top. Then onto the die cutting. The branch at the back is a Memory Box die. The flowers were punched using the Olba punch set, also from Paperchain and the flowers were shaped with the embossing tool and tiny pearls from Paola were inserted. The cameo is a Marianne Die from Joan at Country Crafts. I die cut the patterned background out of a Nude colour board and using the Distress Marker, Picket Fence, coloured the embossed raised sections whilst still in the die, to create dimension. The inner of the cameo was edged with Vintage Photo and inserted, and the head cut out of white card, attached to the center. 
A piece of gauze was placed under the cameo and seam binding was tinted with Vintage Photo ink and attached to the top of the tag and a bow to the corsage at the bottom of the tag, with a hand made stick pin and paper flower finishing it off.


The photo on the right shows all the tags I received on a ring and it now has pride of place hanging in my craft room.


Stunning tags were made by all the participants and I know that I will be enjoying and learning from them all for a long time to come.


Thanks to all the participants for their stunning work and to Hayley for proposing and organising this amazing swap!





Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Daisy, Daisy....

Oh my, doesn't life get hectic! I can't believe how time flies! JULY already!
Well, I have been very busy knitting, but forgot to take photo's of all that I knitted and already have given away. The needles have been flying and I have been churning out scarf/shawlettes like crazy. Will make sure I post a photo of the one on the needles now.

Last month, I did make several cards that I have not yet blogged about. These two are some of them. I saw this idea on Pinterest, my new all consuming passion! I kind of worked it out myself and this is the result.

I used the big Retro flower punch on white card and drew a border around the edge and stamped happy birthday (Hero Arts I think) in the top corner. I backed the punched front with pretty card and placed a center into each flower and that was that! Simple, clean and easy. I love it and hope it inspires you too!



Till next time.... Hugz!