Something Different Saturday Box!

Happy Saturday,

Welcome to year two of something different Saturday.  I thought I should kick off the new projects with, what else, a box.  My favourite die of the moment, if you haven't guessed, is the Sue Wilson Californian collection Background die.  I love taking dies and seeing what I can build with them, the joy of this die is that It has no edge so you can make the design as big as you want.



The above shot was made on the beach and although there is a specific reason why I photographed it on the beach you will have to wait until June 24th to find out why!

I am really short on time tonight so let me know if you want more of this one lol

To answer a question from Thursday the sentiment stamp used for Mrs Ducks card is from the sentimentals range form Crafters Companion, click HERE to view the product!

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...

Emergency Birthday!

Happy Friday,

Now Today's card is made especially for a good friend who had a birthday yesterday!  Now I know I am the worst at remembering birthdays, anniversaries etc and rely on my mum to remind me however I am sure I didn't know it was Mrs Ducks Birthday yesterday.

So a card for Mrs D, well it had to be bright and contain the striplet, it had to say something right but it also had to be my style.  Hopefully this fits the bill! pun intended!! lol

 A quick pots as written late on Wednesday night so hopefully it is self explanatory!

Happy Belated Birthday Mrs D,

Enjoy...

Blue, Turquise & Glitter ?!?

Happy Wednesday,

After yesterdays use of the mask and all the questions I received I thought I should post another mask made card however today's card I made using a different mask and technique!

To answer the questions form yesterday:

The mask I used was from memory Box and is called Texture Flourish I bought it at the local craft shop here in Spain but I've found it online click HERE to see the mask!





Secondly I simply stamped versamark all over the mask its self using a scrap piece of card under it and placed a piece of white cardstock on top.  This was then ran through the Grand Calibur using the grey plate, the tan embossing mat then the card and mask with the sandwich finished with the pink plate.  Once this was run through the machine I added the embossing powder then heat embossed , from the top, the piece.

Back to today this card is also made using a mask however I checked this one and it is Leaf Swirl from imagination crafts available HERE.

This card is made using the mask and a clear holographic paste, all I did was secure the mask then, using a spatula, spread the paste over the mask.  Once dried it gives the most beautiful opalescent finish adding a greenish tint to the navy.

I made two of the panels, one for the back and one to hand cut for the layers.  These were cut and mounted in a thin white mat.




The centre piece was cut using the edge of the spellbinders elegant ovals.  Next I cut a frame using the same die in navy and a whole piece in the white.  I inked the white piece whilst in the die and stamped the sweet memories (DoCrafts) stamp.






The ribbon is a turquoise velvet ribbon form lasst Christmas's collection form DoCrafts.

Hopefully a few questions answered.

Enjoy...

Bright and Red?

Happy Tuesday,

Still trying to carry on with a ladies theme however this is a little bright but i guess not everything has to be pink!

This card started by covering the mask I was playing with last week with Versamark and running it through my GC with the embossing plates to transfer the ink and get a raised design.  Of course I added a piece of white card as well!  I then added red metallic embossing powder and heat set the piece.  This gives a lovely stark red and white raised pattern with a really shiny finish (a little hard to see on the pictures I know!)

I mounted this onto a thin red mat, then a white die cut piece cut at each end with Spellbinders Bracket borders 2 die which I inked in red whilst in the die.  This is then simply mounted, with foam tape, onto increasing mats of red and white to focus  the eye on the main panel.

The centre piece is cut using two different sets of Spellbinders making the card use three different sets in total, extravagant I know but i did get them for a good price by pre-ordering in January!  The back piece is Belly Band one, inked in the die, the next piece is the middle die from tranquil moments.  The fdinal piece is the smallest in the set, again inked and stamped with the sentiment.

A strip of ribbon and a few pearls and finished, a card that literally shines (it's the metallic embossing honest!)


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...

Something Different Review...

Here are a few of my favourite projects from the last year of something different.  If you wast to look over all of them just click on the Something Different Saturday tag at the bottom of this post and it will take you to all of them!

Firstly a couple of old ones, this is one of the first items I made inspired by another blogger.  I did however make my own version!

Click HERE to see the original post.

This is one of the first boxes I made using a spellbinders die it was a bigger version of their bracket edged box.  This picture is the one made for the tutorial which, I have to be honest, I prefer.

For the original Post Click HERE

Another spellbinders die box however this one was made to hold some small jars of my homemade Caramelised Onion Relish.
For the original post click HERE










Next is something very different stamping, not a die cut in sight.  AS I said in the accompanying post Stamping was what got me into paper craft in the first place and i still love playing with Inks so here is a selection of stamped projects I made last October...



To view the original post click HERE

Next a couple of shots, these were my first attempts at boxes made from Spellbinders Gold elements one corner die.  I made a set of cards and then showed thee different boxes to hold them (talk about giving myself a lot of work!)

For the original post click HERE











I loved the simple stamped and die cut cards I made for this one with the combination of the spotty paper and the stark black backing and ink.


















Finally my Easter Egg box from this year.  I made this using Sue Wilson's Californian Collection background die which I know I have used loads however it is so versatile (as I write this I am looking at a new card I am making using this die I just cant seem to put it away!)

To view the original post click HERE

There is still more new Saturdays to come and I promise I'll try to make less in brown and beige in the next 12 months! lol

John x

Last Mens Card

Happy Friday,

Hurrah I hear you all shout today is the last of men's card week and yet this is the first one I made.  Now I have to apologise for the poor photography on this one as it was made for a friend of my Mums and I had half an hour one morning to take the pictures so its natural light at 7am!

This is a trifold card made using a single sheet of slate grey A4 card stock.  I started by cutting the three panels in black using Spellbinders Rectangles set B which I stamped using the Waltzing Mouse My Kind of Guy set in white embossing for the first and gold pigment ink for the next two.

The gold ink does not show well on the picture but in real life it shines (slightly)

The effect of the pinstripe is made by scoring the card at 1/2cm intervals then using a silver gel pen down each ridge.  This gives a nice pinstripe effect I was trying to make the card stock look like suit fabric.

The sentiment is made using the same DoCrafts stamp from Wednesday this time in detail white embossing powder.  I made this into a banner and attached it with a large button, again to match the suit 'feel'.

I made a simple box with a detachable lid for the card I was trying to get the look of an old fashioned cigarette case however I think I needed more time on this one.

Hopefully I have given everyone some inspiration for the men this week.

Enjoy...

Back to the Navy...

Happy Thursday,

I seem to be getting carried away with the dark blue this week I feel like the Village People (In the Navy etc) lol


This card started with the stamped image.  This paisley stamp is a really old one from Graphicus which I bought second hand on eBay.  I am always scanning eBay for bargain dies and stamps and sometimes find that when one person is tired of a die I can get a new, old, die at a great price.

The image is stamped with Versamark onto Navy card and then embossed in detail white embossing powder.  I fussy cut this out then based the remainder of the card around it.

The backing paper is one sheet of double sided card from First Edition Neroli pack with a reverse design on each side.  I cut two different sized square and using the alternate side mounted these with a thin mat of Navy.  I added in a square of the white again edged in the Navy card and foam mounted these to a large 21cm x 21cm hand cut card blank (i used PMD A3 white hammered for the blank)





The top decoration is made using Spellbinders Labels 38which I cut a piece of the pattern using the 2 largest die to make a frame.  I edged this, by hand, in Navy card and added a frame cut from the next 2 sizes in white which I inked in navy whilst in the dies.

There is then a strip of white and navy cut with Spellbinders bracket borders one.  I added these pieces at different levels and orientations, with a strip of navy grosgrain ribbon of course, across the card front.

I wanted to show that die cut pieces are not just for Christmas and ladies cards but used right they can be effective whilst still keeping relative simplicity for a man card.  I even managed to add a pearl!

Enjoy...

Male Feathers...

Happy Wednesday,


Whilst there is more navy blue and also a little grey and black to come this week I thought I should show a different shade today (mainly so everything doesn't look the same shade!)

Today's card is again relatively simple.  I started by Die cutting Spellbinders Peacock fathers however I inked the dies first to give a die cut letterpress look.

Now whilst it looks like I placed these back in the piece I die cut them from I didn't.  The piece they are cut from has a ring of colour around the edge so I cleaned off the dies and cut them from a new square of cream hammered card carefully placing them at an equal distance.

This piece is then mounted onto matching burgundy card.  The whole piece is them foam mounted onto a larger card blank onto which I added a cream mat and corners cut using the corner die from Spellbinders A2 filigree delight die in three corners.


The sentiment is an old DoCrafts stamp which is edged in the burgundy and foam mounted in the remaining corner over a strip of thread.

Hopefully an idea you can take forward for lots of projects not just for men!

Enjoy...

Mans week day 2...

Happy Tuesday,

Still rolling with the men's cards today's is again in blue however it is a little more subdued that yesterdays colour fest!

This is made really simply with a mask which is a product I have not tried before so this is my first attempt.  I stuck the mask down then simply inked through it.  I tried to use a few layers at the top and get lighter as it moves down to give a graduated colour running to the white at the bottom.  For a first attempt I really liked the look and will be playing more with masks as I get hold of more (note to self stop buying new stuff)










I hand cut the piece that I coloured with the mask and simply mounted it on Navy card then foam mounted this onto a larger mat of white before adding to a hand cut card blank.








The centre section is die cut in navy from Spellbinders Tranquil moments and the sentiment panel is spellbinders labels 28.  I inked the piece in the die and stamped three separate words from the waltzing mouse My Kind Of Guy stamp set along with a bowler hat that comes with this set .



















The tag is made in the same manner however I used Spellbinders Labels 38 for the tag and the I say Old Bean (which I Love) from the same set.










Simple yet striking,  Enjoy...

It's a Man Week..

Happy Monday!

Recently there have been so many comments about whether a particular card would make a good men's card that it got me thinking.  I posted a card I had made specifically with guys in mind last week however I thought it would be good to make a selection of cards that are made specifically for the guys.

Now as Fathers day is juts around the corner (well we have started selling Fathers Day stuff at work!)  so today's card is a fathers day card made in a traditional British colours of red, white and blue.

This would be a great card for Americans as well I guess it just needs a few stars ( I can hear stars and stripes forever playing in the back of my mind)


The card base is a 20 x 20 cm square the colour is added with different width strips of red, white and blue card added with foam pads at different levels across the front.

Hopefully these next two pictures will show the different levels of the card.


I added strips of matching ribbon across the front with a strip flowing down the front behind the focal element.

The focal element is Spellbinders Grate works die cut in red, mounted onto Blue and finally white card.  This is foam mounted above the ribbon to hide the knots at an angle with a pearl in the middle.

Finally A hand cut banner tag with the Happy Fathers Day sentiment which could be changed for Happy Birthday or any other sentiment.

One for the guys I hope you all get some inspiration and , as always,


Enjoy...