December Review...

Happy New Years Eve!

Now todays review is a little difficult as I didn't show much new stuff in December!  Therefore I thought I would fill today with samples that haven't been shown instead let me know if there are any you like as these all missed the boat for some reason!


I hope you all have a wonderful 2015 and that all your troubles are behind you and you find nothing but kinds and joy in everything.

Much Love,

John xxx

November Review...

Happy Tuesday,

Hope you all ready for a new year starting in a couple of days?  I can't believe how quickly 2014 has gone nor how much has changed for me.


A demo card that didn't get shown!  I had mixed the products form one show and the dies from another so wasn't able to do this demo.  It looks a complex technique but really isn't.  Hopefully next year I can show something similar!

A simple white card that I did a demo of on C&C however I just love the simplicity and thought it deserved another outing!

Finally a card that I'm not sure got shown!  This was made for the design team for Creative Expressions however as it was project 5 and there were only 4 weeks in November I think this may have missed the boat (if i'm wrong please let me know)

The mixture of the black and the detail gold embossing  just thrilled me to be honest.  Not your traditional card however the partridge in a pear tree  in one of my fave christmas images.

Enjoy...

October Review...

Happy Monday,

I thought I would brighten up the period between Christmas and new year with a shot of the christmas flower arrangement I made for our kitchen table.  As everything I ma making at the moment is for future shows I can't feature anything new until the sneak peak for sundays shows on saturday.

Back to the review and we have, finally, made it  to October so only 2 days left!

First had to be one of my favourite christmas cards made with Sue's peace die and iced snow which has got to be this years product for me along with the rest of the glitter jewels collection!

I loved this technique of adding embossing powder to the reverse of an embossed card piece.  The depth is juts amazing.  I also found that the stamp looked so snowy and effective when simply embossed in cosmic Shimmer detail white embossing powder.

Finally the card I made upside down on Live TV!  Those of you who saw it hopefully got the gist of making it the right way up!


Enjoy...

September Review...

Happy Sunday,

Can you believe we have reached september already in the review of the year? this was a very busy month for me with my first demonstrations for Creative expressions as well as making samples for my TV debut which I had to keep secret (not easy for me!)

This card was loved bu loads of people however it was claimed by someone in Creative Expressions as her christmas card!  It was duly finished with a back and box and delivered to her a couple of weeks ago.

I have been asked to demo this triple stamping technique, one of Sue Wulsons famous techniques, everywhere I have down a demonstration.  I have planned a more spring like version using some special stamps for Create and Craft in early fabruary so will demo it live then.  keep and eye out as I love the stamps I will be using and have a very personal attachment to them! lol




Secondly is my card for the design team using Sue's new christmas dies (well new at the time lol)  This was used by Sue on her weekendder on Create and Craft which made me so proud!

I had to feature this card which Is another I made for Alexandra Palace big stamp and scrapbooking show.  This card I have seen copied in so many different colours which I take as a real compliment, this Christmas.  One of my colleagues on the Design Team for Creative Expressions even made a version of it in white and gold for a project worksheet so It must have proved popular!


Enjoy...

August Review...

Happy Saturday,

I can't believe its saturday already and we have reached June in the review of the year!

I had to start with this card I made using the Spellbinders die set that Sue Wilson designed a few years ago for them  I love this folded technique of making squares.

My first stamping project for Creative Expressions using the new Austrian and French collection dies form CE.

Finally a classic Spellbinders

Enjoy....

July Review...

Happy Boxing day,

Quick update on the Pork Pie, It came out lovely but couldn't get the Jelly in for love nor money so a great taste but lacking in jelly,  for a first attempt we were happy with it.  The winning pie was made by Mr Next Door's Mum and Dad, a monster pie that weighed in at over 5 pounds!

We had a wonderful Christmas Dinner and day finishing with playing card games till gone midnight, a traditional large family gathering even my mum was included.

Back to the review, only a few more months to go promise, then its back to the new creations again.  I have quite a few shows on Create and Craft pencilled in for Jan and Feb so lots of lovely new samples, products and techniques are on their way!

Enjoy...

Merry Christmas & June Review...

Marry Christmas to all my wonderful blog family!
I hope you all have the Christmas you want whether that be Loud or Quiet!




For the original post click HERE

Loved this bag made with the striplet from Creative Expressions 

Enjoy your Christmas day xxx

John x

May Review...

Happy Christmas Eve,

Today will find me making my first ever attempt at a home made pork pie as This is the Christmas challenge round at Mr Next Door's family for Christmas day!  I am hoping that next year it will be a handmade Christmas card challenge then I might be in with a chance lol.

Back to May's choice...

Another Californian background card which seemed to dominate this period, this time in my all time favourite of Ginger foundation card.

For the original post please cloak HERE

A creation in pink, a colour I clam to rarely use but during the review for these posts I've found loads!  This is quite useful as my January show on C&C is quite pink based, the show is now on the Sunday 4th at 12 and 3 so hopefully you can tune in!

To see the original post click HERE

Finally for May a card in blue, another favourite colour, from the men's card week I ran in may.  This was my first go at using a mask to create a background.  

for the original post click HERE

Enjoy...

April Review...

Happy Tuesday,

Well Christmas is getting nearer and its already time for the review of Aprils work.  These three selections for each month are my personal favourites form this year.


There is a pattern forming around the two background dies I bought form Sue's collection for Creative Expressions I'm afraid.  It's not that I didn't love any of the other projects or dies I purchased during the early part go this year its just that I loved these and the projects I created with them   Also I look upon these now as my audition pieces  as this is some of the work That Sue and the winder full creatives at Creative Expressions were looking at before I even knew they were interested in me or I in them!  This card was so fun to make and I know that Janice made a beautiful version of it so it must have been popular with you guys as well!
For the original post click HERE.  This link will take you to the tutorial for this card which is in a different colour way.







Next is my striplet made Easter Egg box.  I just love the way the pattern repeats and the flow of the butterflies around the for of the box!  For the original post Click HERE.










Finally the box I made to say a very sad farewell to my wonderful Friend Hazel who returned to the U.K.  I suspected at this stage that I would be following her but not so early or dramatically as we were, originally, thinking of my returning around now, not in the middle of July!  For the original post click HERE


Enjoy...

March Review...

Happy Monday,

Well can you believe it we have reached March's favourites already, I hope everyone is well up on their Christmas Preparation, yesterday I made my Frangipan mince pies, Bakewell tarts and chocolates so we are nearly ready! lol

I have to start with my Mother Day card as It was a new technique of cutting a die without the outside edge cutting.  I made a video on doing this so if you click onto my you tube channel you will find it!  To view the original post click HERE.

This was one of my most popular makes and again there is a video for this one if anyone wants to replicate it !

To view the original post click HERE

Finally for March It had to be another box and also using sue's wonderful Californian background die, again!  This one didn't prove popular out amongst my blog family however It will always be one of mine!

Click HERE for the original post.

Enjoy...

February 2014 Review...

Happy Sunday,

Its day 2 of the review of the year and we reach February!  Apart from the usual red and love related valentines stuff it seemed to be a month of different projects.

This was also the month that Creative Expressions launched their first range of dies designed by Sue Wilson.  I instantly loved the Californian background and rushed to buy it along with the Spanish background and a striplet or two! Click HERE to see the original post for this card.

Of course my next favourite has to be the other background die I bought from Sue's collection the Spanish background (of course this appealed to me because I was living in Spain at the time!)  Click HERE to see the original Post. 

I know the above colours are not to everyones taste and as it was Valentines day in Feb I thought I should add some red.  I made this pincushion box, made with a die cut heart box, as a gift and had to keep it for my hatpins and made another for the gift.  There is a tutorial for this one so click HERE for the tutorial.  To make the box into pincushion scroll through February as I'm sure I explain how to make the top it is, however, just padded with stuffing from an old pillow with fabric stretched over the top.

This box still has pride of place in my new craft studio and is used all the time.

Enjoy...

Review of the Year...

Happy Saturday,

As my long term blog family know at Christmas I like to do my own version of the 12 days of Christmas, that is a review of the year!  As I post every day then since the first of january I have posted over 300 different cards and creations this is my chance to showcase some of my favourites form each month.  I have also been told that this is a great way for people who have recently stumbled onto my blog to see what has gone before.

The way this will work is that for the next 12 days I will highlight My 3 favourite projects from a specific month, starting today with Januray and...well I'm sure you understand the rest lol  There will be the odd new thing or different thing thrown in so keep your eyes peeled.

Back to today and january...

Autumn Reminder...

Happy Friday,

An autumnal card for today from the vaults, this was featured in Sues shows on Create and Craft back in October and I've checked the blog and can't find it on the blog.  The reason I am posting this one is that I just lover the shading on the stamped image, made completely with Distress Ink pads and cut and dry foam.  The idea of this one was to show that you don't have to be an expert colourist to use a stamped image.

I also wanted to show that I don't put a big bow on all my cards (just most of them lol)

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft die by Sue Wilson
French Background
French Collection Auvergne
Creative Expressions A4 embossing folder Checkerboard
Ginger, Black & Milk foundation Card
Distress Inks In Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade & Scattered Straw
Creative Expressions Grosgrain Ribbon Tan / Ivory

Enjoy...

A Special Card...

Happy Thursday,

I hope you have all got your Christmas Prep almost finished, we are running round maniacally here at casa Next Door as the time seems to have flown away again.  I am starting on prep for next years shows as well as some exciting new projects I will let you know about as we get into 2015!

A quick one today again I'm afraid as the studio is calling me lol (ignoring presents still to wrap, craft first lol)

Today's card is the one I made specially for a certain special lady and friend who has inspired me and done so much this year to bring me all the exciting opportunities so far, and planned into next.  It is always difficult to make a card for a fellow crafter especially one who is a proficient and good as the person this one was given to.


Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft dies by Sue Wilson
Ivy
Dainty Rectangular Frame
Christmas Sentiment from a set by Sam Poole
Creative Expressions A4 Embossing Folder Snowflake Lattice
Vintage Gold, Red & Coconut White Foundation card
Cosmic Shimmer detail white embossing powder
Distress ink in Forest Moss, Crushed Olive & Pine Needles

Enjoy...

Creative Wednesday The final 2014....

Happy Wednesday.

Today's card is my last DT card for this year for Creative Expressions as we take a break for the festive Period!  This month we were all working with the Chalk Board stamps and I thought that I would go slightly out of my comfort zone and do a distressed card for a change.  I found the playing with distress inks, pads and the resist technique really refreshing however I am well aware that this is not to every ones taste, let me know what you think?!?









I started by stamping the background stamp using perfect medium randomly around a square of coconut white foundation card.  I then embossed the piece with cosmic shimmer detail clear embossing powder and heat set it.

Next I used cut and dry foam to swirl different colours over the embossed pattern.  Once I was happy with the shades I polished the piece with a dry wet wipe which removes the colour form the embossed design.

Next I stamped the sentiment stamp with the same method onto another piece of card.  This time i added the distress ink then sprayed the whole piece with chestnut chalk mist.  Once again I polished off the colour from the design to make the sentiment shine through.

To finish the card I matted the pieces with brown and Kraft card and added them to a piece of Kraft card embossed with the A4 pinpoint embossing folder.  For the ribbon and bow I sprayed the chalk mist onto a piece of white seam binding and crumpled it up to give a graduated colouration.




I hope you like my foray into distressed cards, I may try again!

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Espresso Yourself single stamp
Creative Expressions sketchy utensils A6 background stamp
Distress Ink in Spiced Marmalade. Fired Brick and Walnut Stain
Cosmic Shimmer Chestnut mister
Creative Expressions A4 Pinpoint Embossing Folder Check board
White seam binding

Don't forget to pop over to the Creative Expressions blog and leave a comment!

Enjoy...