Silver Woodland...

Happy Saturday,

A quick could be Christmas card today using the inner die from the woodland scene die I have been using all week!

I stared by cutting the inner scene die into silver mirror card and embossed it in the die to give the crisp edge and movement on the edges of the tree.  I then foam mounted this over an embossed panel using the Crafts Too snow embossing folder with grey coredinations card.  I then sanded the embossed background which gives a lighter colour where sanded making the raised pattern stand out.


Next I cut a frame in black card and added strips of stick on crystals all around this ( to highlight the design and not to hide my wobbly cutting honest!  I added this onto a larger piece of the black with a strip of silver ribbon and a grey bow and hat pins.

This would make a good card for many occasions from sympathy to a men's card to even Christmas!


Enjoy...

Its all new!...

Happy Friday,

Well I thought it was time I shared some of the new projects I have been making with my lovely new Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions dies!  I haven't made a major purchase in ages (Honest!!)  so I went for quite a few as I love them all but 24 die sets in one order is too much (maybe if I spread them over a while, no John be sensible one or two a month now!) lol

Today's card is the first I made using the first die out of the packaging which is the Austrian Collection Innsbruck die.  Everyone knows my love of ovals and this fit the bill perfectly.

I made the first piece in white using all the filigree sections of the die, set omitting the cutting edges, in white card stock which I then embossed using a Crafters Companion Rose plaid embossing folder.  I then mounted this on a sheet of colour core card stock embossed with the same folder and sanded.  It is a little difficult to see this in the picture but it adds a lovely texture to the finished card.

I looked at this finished top piece and I felt it was just a little plain so I took out the border die from the Austrian collection and cut 4 of these in the same card stock and sanded them to texture the pattern.  I mounted these over a square frame I hand cut at 21 x 21cm.  I then foam mounted this over the centrepiece and it just seemed to frame the piece perfectly, if a little pinky!

The sentiment tag, stamped in chalk ink and embossed with Creative Expressions detail clear embossing powder, is cut from the oval in same set and foam mounted onto the tag cut from the core card.

A complex design and, perhaps, a little bright, but effective.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Innsbruck Die
Sue Wilson Austrian Borders Die set
Crafters Companion Rose Trellis Embossing folder
Sentiment Stamp form Stash
Coral Core'Dinations card stock
White 300gsm Foundation Card
Pearls from Spain

Enjoy...

A Pink Mask...

Happy Monday,

It seems ages since I started messing  about with masks and this card came from one of the techniques I tried using one.  This whole card is based on the centre panel which Is embossed with a coral coloured translucent embossing powder from Creative Expressions that was part of a set I bought a couple of years ago and as usual put away and didn't use!

I inked through the mask with a pink pigment ink then heat embossed the piece using the coral powder.  The remainder of the card is made to showcase the inked and embossed panel.

I cut a double section of the French Harmony background die form spellbinders in a white smooth card and inked through and round the die in the same ink as the panel.  I mounted this onto a sheet of deep coral card and added it to a large 18 x 18cm card blank.


The centre piece is made by mounting the panel on a sheet of the same coral card as the background mat and foam mounted this over a piece of coral core'dinations cardstock, more coral and foam mounted this onto the finished background card.












The sentiment is mounted over a banner made from a scrap of the embossed mask piece and stamped onto a white die cut from Spellbinders Tranquil Moments.  Finally, I hear you all cry, is an oval cut from the core'dinations using an oval from spellbinders elegant ovals and made into a frame using spellbinders classic ovals small.




Ingredients:
Mask (can't tell you which one as it's packed however it is mentioned a couple of weeks ago)
Spellbinders French Harmony Background Die
Spellbinders Elegant Ovals
Spellbinders Tranquil Moments
Spellbinders Classic Ovals small
Creative Expressions Pearlised embossing powder coral
Core'dinations cardstock.

A complex card however worth the effort I feel!

Enjoy...

Half a Year Gone?!?...

Happy Monday,


I cant believe that half a year has nearly gone, is today really the last day of June I'd better get thinking about Christmas!?! lol

Today is another of my cards made from the dies I bought and admitting to sinning with last Sunday lol  This is the Sue Wilson Italian Collection Tuscany die.  When I received this the very first thought in my mind was how lovely the detail would look cut and sanded in Core'dinations card stock. I know that not everyone is a fan of this card however when simply cut and sanded it can look so effective!





All I did to create this card was cut all three of the dies in the set in one go with a sheet of lilac core'dinations card.  I then sanded each piece, including the wastes that the dies were cut from.  I then mounted these, with foam tape, between layers of cream card using the waste piece as a background.






 I then ran a strip of deep purple ribbon , not as dark as it looks in real life, across and under the layers and added a piece of lilac tulle, a purple bow, a couple of hatpins and a jewelled heart to add some balance.

This was then mounted onto a hand cut 18 x 18 cm lilac card blank and finished.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Tuscany Die
Lilac Core'dinations Card
Ribbon etc from stash







I have added a close up of the embossing and sanding to show the beautiful detail on this die.

Updates...
Quite a few of my wonderful blog friends have asked for a few updates on packing etc so here goes.  I have now fully packed and have only left out the barest of craft essentials that are needed to keep me crafting in a small way.  I will be taking these with me in the car as we are driving back to the UK however the date has slipped and is now leaving around the 19th July.  The reason for the change is that Mr Next Doors work trip to america was moved and so he needs more work time before he can fly out to do the drive with me!  The boxes will be travelling back next week or so and there is about 4 square meters (which is more than it sounds especially as more than half of it is craft stuff!)
Christmas - I have made some early Christmas projects which will go live the week of the move, similar to the Christmas in August I ran last week, hopefully for those who asked, this will give time to get started on some Christmas projects.
Pearls - Yes sorry Val i did buy all the available stick on pearls in the local Chinese!  I also bought a few reels of ribbon as well!

Enjoy...

Bright Monday Morning

Happy Monday,

Today's card is actually brighter in the pictures than it is in real life, I'm sure you have all noted how the colours we see on different devices are different colours!  The pink card I showed last week came out red for most people!  Today's card is a little like that in that it is, honest, subtler in real life.

I started by embossing a sheet of dark red card with the spellbinders Elite M-Bossabilities folder twice matching up the pattern before embossing the next piece.  In this manner I was able run the piece through the folder four times covering the whole piece without any gaps.  The centre panel is one whole piece of the folder which gives you a good idea of the size!  Next I rubbed the embossed surfaces with creative expressions golden light gilding wax.




The centre panel is made by die cutting two of the centre dies from spellbinders heirloom legacy  and then cuting a circle from the centre of each. I then layered the two die cuts, rotated to show the pattern, over each other and rotated with a circle cut from the Sue Wilson striplet placed behind.  The sentiment is stamped in detail white embossing powder and on a hand cut flag.



Ingredients:
 Spellbinders Elite M-Bossabilities folder
Spellbinders Heirloom Legacy die
Sue Wilson striplet die
Liquid Pearls gold
Crafters Companion sentimentals stamp
Creative expressions golden light gilding wax
Creative Expressions details white embossing powder.
Core'dinations paprika cardstock

Bright and an unusual colour choice for me but somehow it works!

Enjoy...

Deja View...

Happy Friday,


On Monday I posted a card titled Ladies Day and as expected it split opinion I promised to try a version of this card without the ribbon and bow so here it is.

Click HERE to see the original post and card.

I decided to use the same base materials however I changed them round a little by making the paprika colour (the name core'dinations gave this card stock not mine!) to the front and the off white to the back.

I die cut the front piece using the Sue Williams Californian Collection background die ( I Know I know I keep using this and I'm afraid there is more to come!)  I die cut the core'dinations and embossed it before sanding off the top layer.  I then cut a plain oval form the very centre, the design really helps to select the centre on this one.  I then cut a matching frame using 2 oval dies which I embossed and sanded before sticking over the aperture.

I cut a smaller oval from the off white card, a smaller oval again from the coredinations and lined them all up with foam mounting tape.  The sentiment, from Waltzing Mouse, is stamped in the centre of another sheet of the off white card and each layer was cut on the edge to make each layer a little larger.  I finked the front off by adding liquid pearls to the points on the background die, one of the things I love in this die ios that there are palces to place pearls, perfect for a pearlaholic like me!

To finish I simply added a felt flower (sorry Mrs D!) made using spellbinders bauble blossoms and 2 of the faux quilled foliage die cuts (double sorry Mrs D!) from Sue Wilson.  This should, hopefully, give a different look than Monday.  Let me know which you prefer?!?

Enjoy...

Ladies Day!

Happy Monday,

After last weeks men's card fest I thought it was time to have a selection of definitely Ladies cards.  Now I am not a fan of pink as it rarely seems to work for me however after yesterdays Hobbycutz DT card I got a little more confident.  I thought, however, that I should stick to some favourites so I got out this years hottest die (in my collection anyway) the Sue Wilson Californian Collection Background Die!

I started by cutting and embossing the background from the centre of a piece of off white smooth card.  I then cut the border around the die to 2cm wide and using an oval die cut the exact centre out.  To make the frame i used 2 differing sizes of oval die and cut a smooth flat frame adhering it over the aperture.







Next I cut a smaller oval aperture into a sheet of pink core'dinations cardstock and sanded the edges before mounting the front piece over this aperture.  The edges were then cut to leave a half centimetre border which again I sanded.


The final layer was made by firstly stamping the sentiment in the centre of a piece of blush pink card which I foam mounted behind the top piece and cut to size.  The resulting piece was the stuck to a blush pink, hand cut, card blank (A4) onto which I had matted a piece of the same off white card.

The decoration (I know the bow will split opinion) is made using the SW faux quilled leaves die cut alternately form the white and pink coredinations card and randomly mounted around the aperture and sentiment panel.

The Big Bow is made using white seam binding which I inked a die based ink pad to match.

No flower just a couple of hatpins and done.  I will try this card in a different colour without the bow in a few days time and, hopefully, let you see the difference,

For now,

Enjoy...

Hobbycutz Sunday

Happy Sunday,

Today's card is my inspiration for the hobbycutz Design Team and this weeks challenge is Vintage.  Now there was a time when I loved distressing however I seem to have moved away from this so far that this was a real struggle for me.  I started by choosing the papers first which is not my usual modus operandi however I feel it worked on this occasion.


I chose a blush pink, a darker shade of core'dinations cardstock and an off white and started building!

I started by die cutting 3 of the ovals from spellbinders new oval set in the three colours, then distressed them and added the beautiful wooden laser cuts from Hobbycutz, click HERE to visit the shop.

The background for this one is quite interesting I have continued my exploration of masks with two techniques ion this card.  The first square is made by embossing the mask onto the core'dinations cardstock and sending the resulting piece.  The larger background is made by simply inkling through the die and repeating the pattern

This weeks theme is Vintage so if you fancy winning some beautiful laser cuts of your own click HERE to enter the challenge or to see what the rest of the Design Team have come up with, probably more vintage than me but I gave it a go!

Enjoy...

Your Card Tuesday

Happy Tuesday,

Firstly I wanted mention that my Mum loved the gift I made her for mothers day which I featured on Sunday.  Although I was working most of the day I was able to take off a couple of hours to treat her to lunch (and some flowers)  I hope everyone had a great day!

Whilst we were eating I showed my mum some of the comments and asked her to choose the number for this weeks card.  I asked her to choose a number between one and twelve which were the comments for that day she chose number four which was Lydia Jordan.  Therefore todays card is for Lydia, Lydia doesn't have a blog so I cant direct you to that however I can say that Lydia leaves some beautiful, encouraging comments that I love to receive.




 Now todays card for Lydia is an usual colour combination of beige, cream and green however it hopefully works.  I started by embossing a sand coloured piece of CoreDinations cardstock with a spellbinders folder (can't remember which one) and sanding it.  I then cut a frame in the same card using Spellbinders Elegant labels 28, along with the tag in the centre.




To offset the haevy sand colour I cut a frame in the other die in the set in plain cream cardstock and layered it all up with a strip of ribbon, again to give some relief.

I hope you all, and especially Lydia, like the card.  As usual if you send me your address to Lockers@live.co.uk I will post it out to you.

P.S.  Leslie did you receive your card? If not I will happily send another as it has been a while now!

Enjoy...

Feeling Peachy?!?

Happy Tuesday!



This week, so far, seems like a pastel week because today's' card is another pastel this time peach.  Now as one of my lovely commentators said last time I posted peach (Can't remember who I am crap at names) its nice to see a different colour I hope you like this one.

This card is made with the same Core'dinations paper as my last peachy effort.  This time I embossed and sanded the backing before framing it and mounting it onto a sheet of white cardstock.  The central element is all cut with a Spellbinders Gold elements die ( i forget which one!) die, as this is a gold elements die I added gold ink to the raised areas before cutting.  This makes the debossed areas stand out and adds a lovely shine to the card.




The central sentiment is an oval die cut, inked and stamped with the Whimsey stamp sentient a quote from one of my favourite authors look closely to find out who lol)

I have foam mounted this onto two of the centre dies from Spellbinders A2 filigree delight which adds some interest to the panel.  Finally I added a few pearls and a simple bow made with organza ribbon sent to me by Mrs Duck!


Enjoy...

Something Borrowed...

Happy Thursday!

One of the major benefits of living next door to a crafter is the ability to borrow, todays card is made with a die I borrowed form Wendy next door.  Now she purchased this die when I was with her in the local craft shop however she spotted it first denying me the chance to purchase, since then I had forgotten it however when we again went to our local craft shop last week I remembered it and asked to borrow it.  This card is made using the borrowed die and some Core´dinations cardstock I bought whilst I was there.

I started by cutting, embossing and sanding the central panel using the aforementioned Sizzix iron gate die.  I mounted this onto a sheet of acetate and hand cut a cream frame so that the central piece appeared to be floating.

The sentiment panel is cut using Spellbinders fancy tags one which again I cut, embossed and sanded however I layered these in the centre usingf foam tape for dimension.  I managed to find a matching ribbon in my burgeoning collection and tied this down the side with a double bow (hand tied Mrs Duck!!) This was finished with a Hobbycutz lasercut butterfly and the everpresent pearl.

Not my usual Colours but I actually like it, me Peach what has 2014 come to!!

Enjoy...

Something Different Saturday

Happy Difference!

Something Different Saturday is Back (I hear groans from around the country "Not MORE Box's!" lol)  I'm afraid paper engineering is my favorite paper-crafting so I'm afraid its back to the 3D and box after box!





As you can see today's creation is a candle box, only for electronic candles or ones that are not to be lit may I add.  This is made with Spellbinders expandable pattern die and acetate.  The lid, next picture, is removable and is made as a separate piece using a Fan die from Tonic.

The piece is made using Core'dinations card-stock which has been cut, embossed and sanded to give an impression of carved wood.


Low on description hopefully highish  on style!

Enjoy...

House of Cards September

Afternoon Guys,

Can you believe its time for the Classic and Elegant September challenge over at House of Cards already? 

This months challenge is a colour palette and inspiration you must use at least three colours on your card to enter it.  Here is my Design Team inspiration for this weeks colour palette challenge.

I have chosen three colours, a lavender, a purple and a soft terracotta to which I added a darker terracotta to balance things out.  I would love it if some of you entered this week, below is the palette, remember this needs to be a Classic and Elegant style (still not sure if that title is right for my musings but that's what I'm told!)



For my card I ran four sheets of Core'dinations cardstock in the appropriate colours through the Darice tumbling leaves embossing folder and then sanded off the top layer.  Next I cut these into 2" squares and made a patchwork background.  The corners I studded with pearls and I simply ran two matching pieces of satin ribbon down the side.

The card is finished with a simple sentiment from Whimsy stamps encouraging us all to delight in the little things.


Now its your turn, click here to view the other design team inspiration and to join in this week's challenge!

Enjoy...

Tuesday Tutorial Box's

Hi All,

From all the comments on this box I guess I have used a very unpopular die!  I have to agree that I regret buying this one as well!  I have truly run out of ideas. I did decide, before retiring this die, to post the tutorial because as Heather suggested you could use lots of dies as the front piece!

The measurements are: 10cm x 4cm x10cm x 4cm by 1cm.  Score a piece of A4 Core'dinations paper at each of the points mentioned above.  Next score 4cm from the top of each long side and place the die in one of the larger panels!  see picture






Once die cut (you may have to fold the card to fit it into your die cutting machine) then decide whether you want a square top or a folded bag top.


For a folded bag type score each of the side 4cm panels in the middle at 2cm.  Otherwise fold both of the 4cm scores from the top edges and cut away, as seen in the picture) the 4 corners.






Use a piece of acetate, on the reverse, to stick to the die cut to seal the box and stick together!

For folded top stick the sides and bottom leaving the top which you fold by pinching in the sides at the 2cm score lines.  This gives you a look like a gift bag, simply punch holes and add handles!

For the fold lid box fold down the top flaps and chose your fastening.  I used a bard with a piece of ribbon attached so that I could tie this to a piece attached to the back.

It would be great to see these made with lots of different dies.  Enjoy...