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...

Simple Sunday...

Happy Sunday,

Now when I am moving and trying to pack etc the daftest thing I could do is come up with a new feature therefore that's exactly what I have done!  I thought it might be  a nice idea, especially as the number of new crafters that are following and commenting on my work, that I make Simple Sunday.


The idea is, and today's is the first creation in this theme, that the Sunday offering will be a simpler affair that uses only one die, stamp or project and is something that is easy to follow and copy.

Today's offering is therefore made with just one die from the Sue Wilson Umbria die.  I have used the circular filigree section here to cut an aperture in a sheet of white card and foam mounted over a piece of a beautiful blue colour card.











There are a few stick on pearls added and the simple sentiment stamped across the bottom.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Umbria Die
White & Blue PMD Cardstock
DoCrafts Love Notes Stamp
Pearls.

Clean and simple and, hopefully, easy to copy.

Enjoy...

Something Different Saturday..a Box!

Happy Saturday,



As promised on Monday today's something different is made using the Sue Wilson Spanish Collection Background die.  This time I have used it as a box lid by die cutting and inking 2 of the die cuts and rotating them to create an equal square box lid.

I have already, I can hear the gasps, shot the video for this one and it is just below.  I made this box the day before I shot my new round of videos and thought I should add this one so that if anyone wants to make a similar one they don't have to wait for the usual count of weeks until I tell you how to make it!

I have called this one a chocolate box as firstly the gingerbread chalk ink along with the chocolate brown card made me think of chocolate but also because I am intending to use this to hold some of my hand made chocolates as a thank you gifts to friends here in Spain before I leave!

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Spanish Collection Background Die
White Hammered PMD cardstock
Chocolate Brown PMD cardstock
Gingerbread Chalk Ink

Let me know what you think of the project and the video, I know I need to get more professional however I am hoping to shoot these better once I return to the UK.

Enjoy...

Back to the Wilson...

Happy Friday,


After posting a run of projects made a few weeks ago I have to ask how do the professionals do it I really want to show what I have made almost as soon as it is done not wait six weeks lol.  I thought I show something that I made last weekend.  As most of you hopefully remember I admitted sinning again on Sunday well today's card is made with another of my sinful dies!



I bought three sets as I couldn't decide between the three beautiful circular dies in the Italian collection! Naughty I know!









I simply cut each of the sections in the die in alternate pink and cream card and layered them between pink and cream squares.  OK I embossed the squares to add a little more interest and threw in my usual ribbon, bows and pearls!

The centre circle die cut I have inked in a mixture of purple and green ink to bring out the beautiful roses and foliage in the die.








Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Tuscany Die
Tied together A4 embossing folder
Ribbon etc from stash.
Purple & Green distress Ink

Enjoy...

Third Project

Happy Thursday,

Firstly I would like to thank all of you for the wonderful comments I have received regarding my published pieces.  Also thank you so much for the kind offers to get a copy for me, Val is going to the U.K. tomorrow for the weekend and is getting Wendy and I a copy!  Mr Next Door is currently in Washington for work so he's not able to get me one (not that he would be able to manage the idea of posting one without the office mail room!)

Also Thanx Michele and others I would love to do TV maybe one day,( unless any C&C producers are looking in then I'm free now! lol)

Today's card is the last project I made for  papercraft inspirations (milking it aren't I and its only a small article!)  It is for the August edition and, as it was summer I thought I should try a, slightly, brighter colour and chose yellow.

Now this card is a little bit of a die cutting marathon as I used quite a few dies, OK a lot of dies, and tons of foam tape.  There are over 6 different sets if spellbinders used for this card however in my defence I have collected them over a while and not all of them are new lol!

The base is a simple hand cut card base with a top fold however I die cut the edge of Spellbinders Bracket Borders 2 out across the top fold.



The reminder of the die cuts are simply layered on I simply cut the a different bracket top on each subsequent layer.

I hope you have enjoyed the projects I have made for the article, I know I could have sent some of my old ones but any excuse!

Ingredients:
Spellbinders Bracket Borders 2
Spellbinders Tranquil Moments
Spellbinders Labels 18
Spellbinders Belly Band one
Spellbinders Foliage die
Marianne Foliage die (for the flower)
Cream smooth PMD Cardstock
Scattered Straw distress ink.




Back to normal service tomorrow!

Enjoy...

Second Project...

Happy Wednesday,

Yesterday I announced that I had made a few projects for my stint as blog of the month for papercraft inspirations magazine.  Well today's project is the second I made and photo'd to, hopefully, be featured.  ( as it came out yesterday hopefully and I don't move back to the UK for a couple of weeks I have to wait for a copy!)

I simply love the Elegant Ovals as I am sure you can tell by the number of times I have used it recently!  The mixture of the soft blue and white is, to me anyway, a stunning combination.  I cut each of the panels separately and simply mound them onto a large card I made with 2 oval apertures cut out from the centres.

Once mounted I threaded a strip of ribbon over and under the different layers  allowing me to float the centre pieces in the apertures.

The background in the inside of the card is a piece of white card letterpressed using a blue distress ink (sorry its a lovely piece and is hardly visible in this card)

I have to admit that this is a time consuming and complex card however the ideas can be adapted to any skill level however I know all of you could mange this one!

Ingredients:
Spellbinders Elegant Ovals 
Spellbinders Classic Ovals Small
White & Blue PMD cardstock
Crafters Companion Sentimentals stamp
Ribbon & Pearls from stash
Wendy's Hatpins


I gave this card to a really good friend in my theatre group as a thank you card after the last production I am happy to say she loved it (whew)

Enjoy...

Published!

Happy Tuesday,

I have some news to share today which I am sure you can guess based on the title lol.


 Today's announcement is that some of my work has been Published!  This is only a small article but it is, for me at least, a first!

 I was approached a couple of Weeks ago by Papercraft Inspirations as they asked to feature me as their Blog of the month.  Now this magazine, which hopefully a few of you are already subscribers I know I buy a copy when I am in the U.K.  is out today.  Please click on their website / blog to see, or to order the magazine HERE.



They asked for a few pictures of my projects, however being me I decided to make a few new ones!  Today's is the first card I made and should, hopefully, be featured in the magazine which is out today!

when trying to make a card to show my style I grabbed, what else but, the Sue Wilson Californian Background die which has been the feature of so many projects since I bought it.  As the magazine is the summer edition I decided to take a few shots on the beach so these few were taken on the edge of the local beach.

 The card is made in teal and white and, although its hard to see in the pictures I cut three squares of the full pattern.  Viewed from the side you can see that each panel is the same size I simply cut a reducing aperture in each panel using one square from the front square to centre on the back, just visible through the final aperture.  Cutting a square with the die means overlapping and cutting twice I know I have covered this in a previous post so flick back for a better description!



The leaves are the Sue Wilson Faux Quilled leaves which I cut quite a few times in white and arranged in different levels around differing corners.


The roses are cut with an old die in felt and rolled to create the rose.


Finally I added a couple of Wendy's beautiful hatpins in the same colours and finished.


I can't say how chuffed I was to be asked and be given the opportunity to display my work to a (hopefully) wider audience.

Enjoy...

Spanish Lace...

Happy Monday,

As I am sure you all know by now I love the Spanish collection dies from Sue Wilson and I have used these in so many different projects (in fact Saturday's something different project uses this die) Well as my favourite is the background die I keep looking at what I have made with it.  When I was looking at a card the other day I noticed how much the border reminded me of Spanish lace.  Therefore I thought I would try cutting the border off to see what lacy thing I could come up with.

As you can see By cutting the die in black and inking through it in white chalk ink I got a beautiful lacy pattern.  I then cut the border out and cut across each corner and then rejoined these sections to make 2 square borders of the lace effect.

The remainder of this card is very simple, I wanted the die and inking to be the focus of this one.  Therefore the centre is just a square cut from the centre of the die which I have inked using the corners of the die as a mask.  A simple pearls set the whole centre piece off.  A very simple 2 layer card for me but, I feel , very effective and reminiscent of the lace that the older Spanish ladies in my village still make on their knees in the winter!

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Spanish Collection Background Die
White and Black PMD cardstock
White Chalk Ink

Enjoy...

Sinning on Sunday...

Happy Sunday,

A few weeks ago I admitted that I had sinned and purchased a new Sue Wilson die, well I am sorry to say on a Sunday as well that I have sinned a third time!  I suppose that Sunday is the best day to admit this if I am looking for retribution, guess that's up to you guys to decide based on the first creation with one of the new SW dies I have bought.

I have loved the Italian collection Calabria Die ever since I first saw Sue cut this and use glitter behind it as a stained glass window.  A few more outings on her blog and I just had to add it to my, ever growing, collection.  Today's card is one that I envisioned at the point of ordering.

As I am sure you know by now I love making 3D projects and cards that have unusual folds and moving parts.  This cared seems to meet all three of these requirements.  I have tried so many ways to describe how I made this card with increasing confusion every edit.  Suffice to say that the card is cut from one solid piece of card and that the circular flaps at the front are not added afterwards!  The three centre panels are attached at the centre with a brad and that's kind of it!

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Calabria Die
White & Black PMD Cardstock
I hope you will all forgive me for sinning again!

Enjoy...

It's a repeat...

Happy Saturday,

Whilst today is something different Saturday I thought It may be different to repeat a project as I have, finally, filmed the tutorial for the box for this one! As per usual I have made a different version for the tut so this is different. I have also added some new flowers made from satin ribbon and an idea I found in a quilting book.

I have featured this idea before so not much description, especially as there is a video tutorial on my videos page on making the hexagon frame.

The box tutorial is below and whilst this makes a lovely container for the frame it can be used for loads of other projects!

Let me know if you like the flowers and I'll work a tut for these too!  The good news is that I have shot a few videos in a row so there are more to come!



Enjoy...

A Little Navy...

Happy Friday,

How about a little navy for a Friday morning, cool, crisp and sharp (unlike the weather here which is hot, humid and sticky!)

Navy and white card cut in various layers with a great deal less foam tape than usual! I started by stamping the rococo frame from Indigoblu in details white embossing powder, cutting a simple oval in the centre and then fussy cutting round it.  The remainder of the card was built up to show off the beautiful detail of the stamped frame.




Now to answer a question that a few of you have asked this week I will continue as John Next door when I return to the U.K. next month.  The reason for the name, for those of you newer to the blog, is that Wendy lives next door ti me (Spanish Crafter click HERE to see her blog) had her blog first and referred to me as John Next Door as her partner is also called john!  When I started my blog my first followers came over from Wendy's blog so to them I was already known as John Next Door.



I like the brand and am working on a logo and trailer to go at the front of my video tutorials so no change!





Ingredients:
Spellbinders Valiant Honour Die
Spellbinders French Harmony Die
Indigo Blu Rococo Stamp
Detail White Embossing Powder
Crafters Companion Sentimentals Stamp
Navy & White PMD Cardstock


Enjoy...

A New Technique?!?

 Happy Thursday,

I'm not sure if this is a new technique but I can honestly say I haven't seen it anywhere as yet although I am sure someone has done it as its simple!  What I am wittering about is the embossed patchwork background.

This started as a play session where I pulled out three shades of blue card from Lidl and cut a load of squares (by hand may I add!)  I glued them together to make a patchwork piece however the edges kept peeking up.  I wondered what would happen if I ran the whole piece, whilst still wet, through my GC in an embossing folder.  I ran the piece through with the spellbinders folder and not only did it stick the pieces down but it merged the pieces into one merged solid piece and gives a lovely deep impression.






All I now needed to do was to find a way to display the piece.  I mounted this on a sheet of white card stock then created a large sheet of the patchwork for the back.  I didn't emboss this sheet however to make it stick i did run it through the GC with the tan mat and embossing plate which again stuck and merged the pieces.


The sentiment piece is made for the spellbinders labels 38 in the same colours.  The last die cut is inked in a matching distress ink with the sentiment stamped in the middle.








I hope this gives you ideas to try and if you have seen this technique before then sorry!

Ingredients:
Lidl Cardstock
Spellbinders Harlequin M-Bossabilities folder
Spellbinders labels 38
Blue Liquid Pearls
Waltzing Mouse sentiment stamp
Woven ribbon from Hope and Chances.


Enjoy...

White and Gold friend...

Happy Wednesday,

An effective simple coloured Friend card today that showcases the beautiful dies with a soft gold.  The centre piece in gold is a technique I have used on a Christmas card sample I have made however you will have to wait a few weeks until I show this fully (it's a little early yet for my Christmas stuff!)

Suffice to say Its really easy to do!
The background is the mask simply inked through using a soft gold pigment ink pad.  Then the foam mounted collection of elegant ovals with a gold embossed friend across the front.  There is a little gold cord tied in a bow behind the sentiment making a simple card.



ingredients:
Spellbinders elegant ovals
Sue Wilson Californian collection background die
gold mirror card
white PMD hammered card
DoCrafts Friend stamp (Love Notes)
Liquid Pearls
Creative Expressions micro Beads
Imagination Crafts Leaf Swirl mask








I love the simple elegance of the ovals when they are cut and embossed in white and layered with foam tape, the dots of gold liquid pearls really brings out the embossing.


Enjoy...

Striplet Mask...

Happy Tuesday,

Now before anyone starts this is supposed to be red lol!  No pink intended in this one.  A very simple card to make using the striplet mask I made for the post HERE last week.  This time I have simply inked through the mask this time to create a simple shaded background which I mounted on red the white and red to set the image off.


















The header is a simple foam mounted set of layers where I have inked through the die however the back die cut is from I set I borrowed from Wendy months ago and i found the cut and inked piece in my bits box so hopefully Wendy can let us know the name of the set.  The top two layers are from Spellbinders divine elegance again, like yesterday, rotated to create a different shape.








Ingredients:
Spellbinders (borrowed from Wendy Die)
Sue Wilson striplet die
spellbinders divine elegance die
red brick distress ink
White linen cards PMD
Red PMD card.
Ribbon from stash (tutorial for this bow is on my videos page)






A simple card which is quite easy to put together and would, again, suit any occasion.

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...