Circle Flowers

Good morning and welcome to the blog today.

It's the weekend. I hope you have plans for a crafty one. 😉

I found a bit of time to play with one of my new Woodware stamps and my latest fave gelatos.

I found some other new stamps along the way so of course I had to add those to my stash.

The products I've used are Faber -Castell Gelatos; Woodware 'Circle Flowers' stamp; Viva Decor 'Grunge Backgrounds' (available from Cuddly Buddly at the ridiculous price of £3.99!!! ); Faber Castell PITT artist pen (black) and a fab stencil from the Crafter's Workshop called Mini Texturized. 

I prepared the background using an assortment of gelatos and used a baby wipe to blend the colours together. The grunge circles and the blue circles from the Viva Decor set were covered with gelato and lightly spritzed with water before stamping. I'm crazy about how they turned out. 😃 I used a baby wipe to remove sections of colour through the stencil to give the lighter circles. I then used the PITT pen to highlight some of the circles and echo the pattern in the flowers. 

I'm sure everyone knows these techniques but just in case you haven't come across them before I thought I would explain. I love the depth they create on a flat piece of card stock.

I've used watercolour card that I've painted with white gesso. I find the gelatos move better on a gessoed surface and are easier to blend. 

A close up of the main image

Close up of the tag.

The bubble edges were punched with an EK Success border and corner set of punches I've had since Adam was alive but I thought they suited the image and background very well. 

Thanks for popping by today.

Have a great weekend!

Snowy kisses

Good morning!

How excited am I? I was asked by the lovely Gayle of TeddyBo and TeddyBea fame to play with some of the images that you will find on the new TeddyBo release!

It's been so lovely to play with these little bear characters again - I've really missed them. :)

I've used TeddyBea 270 for my card today. Isn't she so cute! 

Digi image - TeddyBo - Snowy kisses under the mistletoe

Papers - First Edition - Silent Night

Sentiment - Craftwork Cards

Snowflakes - Spellbinder dies

EK Success large snowflake border punch

Iced Spruce distress ink

Cheesecloth

I've coloured the image with a mix of Prisma and Polychromos pencils and of course Promarkers

TeddyBea - Dark brown, Light Umber, Burnt Ochre Prismas

Snowman - Tea green, Ice Grey 5, 4, 2, 1 Berry Red, Pumpkin, Amber Promarkers

Bea's clothes - Ice Grey 4, 2, 1; Tea Green; Antique Pink, Baby Pink

Mistletoe - Holly, tea green

I've decorated the inside of the card to complement the front

A sideways view to show the layers

Don't forget to nip along and check out the new release images. 

Thank you for calling in today. Have a good one whatever your plans!

Pretty Posies Triple easel card

Good morning and welcome today. I've been having another play with some of my Hunkydory stash - this taster collection came free with the Hunkydory magazine issue 11. - three sheets of toppers and five sheets of  premium printed card stock - not bad for nothing. :)

I've made a triple easel card ( if you are in any doubt about how to do this nip over HERE for the tutorial).

The only thing I've used from my own stash is the purple and lavender card stock. I would love to have matted all the circles with the lavish rose foiled card stock but I didn't have quite enough left to do that. 

I cut the in between circles with my EK Success circle cutter - it worked a treat I'm glad to say. :)

A sideways view. I think it looks like a set of decorative china plates in a stand. :)

I took an overhead shot (get me!) to let you see the beautiful toppers in all their glory.

This is the card folded flat ready to go in it's envelope.

If nothing else these kits have provided me with hours of stress free fun and the quality of the materials is so good that I'm sure whoever receives them will enjoy them. (I hope!)

Thank you for calling in today. I hope you have a good one. We have the boys today so doubtless will be kept busy one way or another. Callum will be outdoors helping his grand dad wash the car or tidying the garden and Jude will be instructing me in the niceties of his latest computer game. Deep joy! He's far better at them than I will ever be. 

Take care and I'll see you soon.

Jules

Good morning. Welcome to the blog today. 

My card today features the lovely Jules from Saturated Canary. She's another of my favourites from Krista. :) I find it impossible to pick out one image that I like more than the others - love 'em all!

Card base - Kraft card stock from Forget Me Not (Belfast)

Watercolour paper from a pad I bought at Eason's stationers ages ago

Dies - Scandinavian heart / swirls - Marianne Designs

Flower - Die Namics Blueprints die #3

Tags - Heartfelt Creations Flowerpot die set

Sentiment - Heartfelt Creations new All Season's Sentiments block stamp HCPC 3544 I bought mine at Sunrise Crafts - great service and very good prices.

Pearls/ lace from stash 

EK Success open scallop punch

I've coloured the image with Promarkers and kept it very soft

Hair - Caramel, sandstone, daffodil bloom

Bow and clothes - Tan, dusky pink, almond

Kitten - Ice Grey 1, 3, 5

A sideways view to show the dimension

I can't help feeling that it looks as though I dropped the elements on it from a great height and just stuck them where they fell. I didn't of course, but I'm not entirely happy with the outcome. :(

Never mind tomorrow is another day and perhaps my mojo will rejoin me at some stage.

I hope you are enjoying your week end. Take care and I'll see you soon.

I just couldn't resist!

Happy mid week greetings and welcome to the blog today.

I'm so glad Gwen will be too busy getting organised for her big holiday that she won't have time to check out my blog today. We both spotted the Christmas Carnival mag from Molly Bloom's creator Claire when we were out shopping a couple of weeks ago. At that point I was definitely not 'doing' Christmas but I love the wonderful colours in this collection and when hubby was in town the other day doing a bit of shopping, I detoured him to Forget Me Not and got a copy of the mag.

It came with papers, a sheet of stamps, buttons, ribbon and twine and was full of gorgeous projects. I unashamedly 'cased' a few and here is one today.

Now admittedly Clare's project had a set of drawers and a different image and embellies but it's as near as I could get it.

How lovely to let someone else do the thinking!

Everything except the three small buttons, sentiment and mat and the snowflake border 

is from the magazine. The open scallop punch is an EK Success one and the shaped mat behind Molly is a die from Go Kreate.

The edges of all the mats have been inked with vintage photo distress ink. I usually use brushed corduroy but couldn't put my hand on it and I must say I am delighted with the lovely tone of the vintage photo. It's my latest BFF!!

The Kraft card stock is from Forget Me Not (my 'local' craft shop). 

The image is one of the stamps from the mag and is coloured with Spectrum Noir pens.

Skin - FS 1 - TN 1, 2 - PP 3

Wings - TN 1, 2

Dress DG 1, 2, 4

Hair, blouse and underskirt - GB 1, 4, 8, 10

Heart - CR 11 - DR 3, 7

I just wish I had loads more of these papers. They are double-sided so it's a really hard decision which side to choose!

I have another wee Molly Bloom to show you soon.

Looks like I'm 'doing' Christmas after all!!

Have a great day.

It's Launch day!

Well here we are and it's time for the launch of the Winter Paintbox Poppets. I'm sure you have enjoyed visiting the DT blogs for inspiration - they really are the most delightful images. Today also sees the big reveal over on the Crafter's Companion blog. If you took part in the blog hop on Monday and left a comment you are in with a chance to win this beautiful CD. Don't forget to check!

Today I have this gorgeous stamp set to show you - The Goose Girl

Card stock - Centura Pearl, Core'dinations 'Vintage'

Sentiment - from stamp sheet

Ribbon and seam binding from stash

Spellbinders scallop square die

Cuttlebug embossing folder

EK Success border punch

Faded jeans distress ink

Image coloured with Spectrum Noir pens

Skin - FS 2, 3 - Tn 2 - PP 3

Boots - EB 3 - TN 6

Hair - Tn 1, 2, 6

Coat - TB 3, 4, 5, 7

Petticoats - BGR 1, 2 - Blender pen

Foliage - DG  3 - CR 11

Staff - EB 3- TN 6 - DR 3, 7 - CG 2 - GB 8

My second card is from the Card Companion section of the CD. I've used matching backing papers from the CD.

 

The sentiment banner has been cut with a fish tail die from Die-Namics

The buttons have been glazed with Glossy Accents.

I've added glitter to the snow and tree bough to complete the card. These are great if you have to make lots of cards in a hurry - especially at Christmas time when there are generally so many to prepare. :)

Thank you for calling in this week. It's been a pleasure to showcase this beautiful CD and accompanying stamps.

I've a Saturated Canary for you tomorrow - I've been experimenting!
See you then!

It's launch day!

Good morning. Hope you are ready for Nigel's launch today. I have a fairly full post today so I hope you don't mind me bombarding you with some of the really quick and easy cards I made from the CD. They are ideal images for that quick card that we all need to make from time to time, but especially at Christmas.

I'll not bore you with loads of detail so let's get started!

Image from one of the sheets on the CD. Glossy embellishments cut from one of the embellishment sheets and some glossy accents added. Lots of glitter too!

One of the shaped cards from the CD with matching shaped topper. These sets have all  you need to make a complete card. I've added some toning satin ribbon and glossy accents to the buttons and the little embellishment

I cut this card shape with my Sizzix Pro and added this jolly topper, some mirri card, ribbon and an ironworks motif from Spellbinder

One of the bright and cheerful decoupage options on the CD. I've used Crafter's Companion decoupage paper to print the image onto and it's so clear and bright! I've added some ribbon and a punched snowflake edge (EK Success punch)

This is one of the shaped toppers on the CD. I cut the card from Centura Pearl after printing the pattern onto it from CD 1 and then cut the corners with an inverted corner punch. I love the way the greeting is already there - saves so much time!

A wee card companion image with one layer of decoupage. The paper is from CD 1. I've just added some glitter and a punched snowflake and gems.

Another card companion. The backing paper is from CD 1 and I've added heart embellishments cut from one of the sheets on the CD and that all important glitter.

Phew! thank you for getting this far. I hope you have enjoyed these wee peeks. Don't forget to watch the show tonight at 9.00pm on Ideal World and get yours!

Birthday boy

Hi and welcome to the blog today. I've a D'Arcy image that is just fandabbydozey for a boy's card and is one of the new releases.

D'Arcy 011 'Boy zone'

Echo Park 'Little Boy' papers

EK Success border punch

LOTV sentiment

Basic Grey buttons

Linen thread from Stamping Up

Copics and Promarkers for colouring

I've decorated the inside with the remnants of the paper. It's pretty well almost finished and I loved that paper too. I might just have to go and buy the digi version so I can use it any time I like. :)

I made a little pocket for the sentiment from a circle nestie cut in half. No technology was spared in the making of it. LOL

Sentiment from LOTV. I got this far without a blurry pic. I always manage at least one!

Hope you enjoy this wee card today. Don't forget there are lots more scrummy images at D'Arcys Diaries - all of them simply gorgeous.

Have a good day and I'll see you soon!!

Paint fusion sneak peek 2 & 3

Hello and thank you for joining me today. I've a couple more wee peeks at the gorgeous Sheena Douglass 'Paint Fusion' CD to show you.

I was really drawn to the decoupage on this CD though I normally don't do much of that technique these beautiful flowers seemed to want to come 'off the page' and I couldn't resist it!

I've chosen these dainty violets and two matching backing papers from the CD. Isn't that top one just beautiful. It's typical of the lovely distressed feel that runs through the selection. 

This is a wee view of the depth of the decoupage. Just gorgeous.

I found this card hard to photograph because the top layer lifts up and flips over the back giving you a lovely large space to write your greeting. This is the back of the card. The other half of the 'flip-over' is decorated to match and the wings of the card open to give it stability. I've used Centura Pearl cardstock that gives an extra shimmer to the card. The wings are punched with an EK Success edge punch.

This is the other half of the flip-over which has the decoupage on the other side. I'm not describing it too well but I hope you get the idea. :)

Another view showing the wings on the card. The sentiment is from the CD, resized in Word and the lace is from my stash. 

Tutorial for this card can be found HERE.

Now onto the second card.

Another peep at the CD content. I've chosen a wonderful floral background paper, beautifully textured and distressed for you already. The tags are just two from the sheet of poppy tags that suit my preferred card size. I've printed them onto the Crafter's Companion 300gsm watercolour card that gives a lovely texture and prints beautifully as you can see.The other images on the sheet are much larger if you like making bigger cards. I've distressed the edges of the mats and inked the edges with brushed corduroy distress ink.

I've used one of the insert options on the CD for this card and printed it onto Centura Pearl paper. The sentiment is from the CD and I've resized it to suit. The lavish satin ribbon is from my stash.

This wee butterfly element is also from the CD. I've copied it and pasted it twice then cut it out to give it a bit of dimension and glazed it with Glossy Accents for that all important shine. :)

Don't forget that the DT samples will be shown throughout the week on Crafter's Companion blog and watch out for the launch on Friday 10th.