Blossoming Hearts...

Happy Thursday,

Another change of pace from yesterdays multi die cut card to something simpler today!  This card is based on the stamped and coloured image that has been sitting in my bits box for quite a while!

I stamped the blossoming heart stamp to die for with jet black archival ink onto a scrap piece of coconut white foundation card.  Next I coloured it in using some CS dazzle paints that give a great feeling of dimension as well as a little bit of shine to your coloured images.  The stamp has been drawn so hat the flowers fill the heart form the Heat of Hearts die perfectly as soon as I saw this stamp I knew Sue had come up with a winner!

Next I cut an aperture for the stamped image in Amethyst foundation card using the smallest plain heart in the set.  I then cut the larger plain heart in coconut white and cut this piece to a rectangle.  I foam mounted this above the amethyst layers and cut this layer with a thin border to make the focus point.

For the remainder of the card I simply embossed a larger rectangle of white using the quilted circles A4 pinpoint embossing folder and rubbed a little of Phill Martin's decadent Grape gilding wax over the raised are before shining it up with a dry wet wipe.

I added a few layers of the amethyst and coconut white as well a double bow made using the thin double sided sating ribbon form Creative Expressions in white and amethyst with an 8mm stick on pearl in the centre to hide the knot.

Ingredients:
Card Size: 18 x 21 cm
Colours: Amethyst & Coconut white
Dies: Double pierced rectangles, Heart of Hearts
Stamps: Blossoming Hearts stamps to die for
Cosmic Shimmer: Mixed Dazzle paints


Enjoy...

Red Hearts...

Happy Wednesday,

Another card made using the stunning new dies launched by Sue on Hochanda last weekend, this time the Heart of Heart and a different take on the Orange Blossom Flowers.

For this one I stared by die cutting the centre die of the hearts form baby pink foundation card.  I then added a heart behind this cut form double sided adhesive sheet which I attached to the back and covered the exposed adhesive with Rose Copper polished Silk glitter ( I've been using this loads recently)

I then cut the next plain heart from the set from coconut white and cut one of the Corvus Gemini die form the bottom.  I then cut the next heart die from baby pink card and cut another Corvus base however I made sure that this layer was higher than the white one.  I finished this with a pink square cut form the double pierced squares set B .

I added double sided tape around a slightly larger square and covered this with more of the polished silk glitter to create a mat for the piece.  a few layers of white and baby oink to make the finished card front.

To make the dots on the Corvus points i added cosmic pearl PVA glue and sprinkled polished silk glitter on these so that I got raised glitter pearls.

To finish the card I needed some flowers so it was back to the orange blossom set of dies however this time I simply cut 2 each of the smallest 5 flowers along with each of the smaller centres that come with the set.  This set has so many different flowers and includes the centres definitely a brilliant value set.  I cut the smaller flowers in the baby pink with centres in white, shaped them with my ball tool and mounted them 2 to a flower with a white centre.  I finished with a soft pink VA glue dot in the centre and arranged them around a priced flag.

For the flag I stamped the Happy Birthday sentiment onto white card and cut out one side of the medium flags.  I then reversed the die and cut the other end with the flag end hanging the remaining piece of the end of my machine to give a double flag.  I arranged the flowers around this once I had shed it around the bottom of the heart.

Ingredients:
Card Size: 20 x 20 cm
Colours: Baby Pink& Coconut white
Dies: Double pierced squares , Heart of Hearts, pierced Flags, orange Blossom complete petals, Corvus Gemini
Stamps: John Lockwood Pierced Flags clear stamps set
Cosmic Shimmer: Rose Copper polished Silk Glitter, Pale Pink PVA, Archival Ink Jet Black

Enjoy...

Something Simpler...

Happy Tuesday,

I thought you might all appreciate something simpler than yesterdays glitter fest!  I got the idea for this card from a Pinterest email I got where a card had been made with a pierced square in the centre.  I'm not very good at paper piercing ( or maybe I don't have the patience lol) but it got me thinking whether I could get the same look by just embossing one of Sue's double pierced squares from Creative Expressions.  Here's the result.









I started by cutting a square using the 3rd largest die from the double pierced squares.  next I added a smaller square in the centre and simply embossed this.  This meant that I got the impression of the line and the piercing however It didn't cut the square out.

Next I stamped the poem from my Winters Child clear stamp set for CE in black archival ink in the centre.  I then added 2 sparks of Ivy cut form card that I covered in CS colour Cloud inks and cut so that they looked more realistic with different sales running through them.






I then die cut several of the peony complete petals and shaded the edges using Indigo Mist colour cloud.  I then cut the dandelion clock dies and shaped them using a ball tool on a foam mat ( the same one I use for stamping)  I placed these in the centre of the flowers and added a pearl in the very middle to make the flowers.

Finally I added a thin layer of the Iris foundation card and a further layer using the largest square die and another thin layer of the iris.

A simple card but hopefully effective.

Ingredients:
Card Size: 19 x 19cm
Colours: Iris & Coconut white
Dies: Double pierced squares , Perfect Peony complete petals, trailing Ivy, Dandelion Clocks
Stamps: John Lockwood Winters Child clear stamps set
Cosmic Shimmer: Colour Cloud in Indigo Mist, Jade Forest, Sunlit Cedar, Fresh Grass





Also Don't fittest that Julia Watts and I will be working together on Saturday at her BIG SALE AND DEMO DAY!  Julia will have some fantastic prices on all crafty stash and she and I will be demoing all day.  Details below it would be great to see as many of you as possible there!



Enjoy...

Orange Blossom...

Happy Monday,

I hope those of you who were able to catch Sue's shows on Hochanda at the weekend enjoyed them!  I thought this week I would show some of the cards I have made using the dies that were the One Day Special.  I thought I would strait with my favourite flower stamps to die for ( I have been waiting , ever since I drew these for Sue, for these too come out so that I can use them!)

I stared this card by stamping the three largest stamps in the set using CS flake and Glitter glue, once it had gone off ( I always leave this glue at least 5 - 10 minutes to key to the card) I added bronze polished silk glitter which gives a stamped image that literally glitters ( its better in real life)   I then cut these out with the matching dies from the set , shaped them and placed a PVA pearl in the centre using Phill Martin's CS Frosted Mink.

Next I cut an aperture in a square of coconut white foundation card using die number 2 and three from the Grace Frames and Tags set.  I then cut the bottom of the square using the filigree section and one of the cutting edges form the Corvus Gemini die set.  P I placed this over a piece of card covered in double sided adhesive sheet.

I then covered the aperture in rose copper polished silk glitter.  I repeated this again with the bronze and again with the rose copper to make the Skirt on the card of the different colours and layers.  I added More of the frosted mink PVA on the layers and foam mounted all the layers together.

Next I cut the smallest of the pierced flags set. mounted it onto a scrap of Phill Martin's frosted Mink paper pack and stamped the sentiment form my Pierced flags clear stamp set for CE.  I mounted this under the aperture and let the flag flow over the top.

I arranged the three flowers around the aperture and then mounted the card onto layers of Phill's mink paper and coconut white to make the finished card.

Long instructions but I hope you got the gist in case you want to make something similar.


Ingredients:
Card Size: 21 x 21 cm
Colours: Frosted Mink, Coconut white
Dies: Double pierced squares , Grace, Orange Blossom complete petals
Stamps: John Lockwood Pierced Flags clear stamps set
Cosmic Shimmer: Polished Silk Glitter Rose Copper & Bronze, Frosted Mink PVA dimensional glue

Enjoy...

CE Sunday...

Happy Sunday,

Well welcome to my first CE Sunday!  My Design Team day for Creative expressions has moved to a Sunday so every Sunday during my term I will post a different inspiration project made using the products the team is supplied for the month.  For January we have been asked to pick our favourite Creative Expressions products form 2015's DT selection.  I have chosen to work with one of my favourite Dies form last year the Lisbon die set form the Portuguese collection along with the classic folder flower.

Today's card therefore is the first made using these products as well as a few other CE bits that have become firm favourites!

I stared by stamping the February's child sentiment from my Winters Child clear stamp set by CE in black archival in.  Next I cut this out using die no 3 from the Lisbon set.  I then shaded around the stamped image using Indigo Mist colour cloud blending ink which gives a beautiful blend as well as matching the Iris card perfectly.

Next I cut out a plain white mat and an iris mat using the same die.  I cut these in half which enabled me to mat these either side and add the layers of colour to frame the sentiment.

For the main card I spears polar white texture paste through the Wavy Mask form that special touch and set it to dry overnight.  Once day I made a square frame for the card in coconut white foundation card using the Double Pierced squares set by Sue Wilson.  I then made a smaller square frame using the B set and foam mounted this over the white frame.  I then foam mounted this over the background and placed the stamped image in the centre.

I made a large 21 x 21 cm card back in iris foundation card and added some layers of white an iris before adding the framed piece on top.  To finish I made up one large and one small of the classic folder flowers in ivory wool felt and added these to the side with a messy bow of black jute twine and a couple of stick pins I made using Sue's sick pin elements.

Ingredients:
Card Size: 21 x 21 cm
Colours: Iris, Black and Coconut White
Dies: Lisbon Die set, Double pierced squares A & B
Stamps: John Lockwood Winters Child clear stamps set
Inks: Indigo Mist Colour Cloud Blending Ink, Jet Black Archival Ink

Please click HERE to see the other members of the Creative Design team have been creating!

Enjoy...

Something Different Saturday...

Happy Saturday,

I thought that it was high time I reinstated by Something Different Saturday where I showcase a project that is not strictly a card.  It may be a tag, a card set, an MDF piece or my favourite a Box!  so here is the first Something Different Saturday of 2016 and its a tag!  Now this page is designed to math the Box that I am beavering away on for next Saturday's post.






This is a simple project made as it is from layering onto a tag cut from the largest of Sue Wilson double pierced tags set for Creative Expressions.  I find this die so useful that it is held in my basics book as I get it out so often!!  This tag was embossed with the A4 star Swirls embossing folder to add a layer of texture.  I then rubbed Pearl Moon CS gilding was over the raised design and rubbed the excess off, and added a lovely shine, with a dry wet wipe.




I stamped the outline stitched stamps form my pierced flags clear stamp set and cut it out using the matching die designed by Sue Wilson.  Next I stamped the sentiment, appropriate for a Saturday I thought, in detail white CS embossing powder onto Wisteria foundation card and cut this out with the same large tag die form the set.  I foam mounted this sentiment flag over the plain stamped one slightly offset and foam mounted them both onto the right hand side of the page.




Next I stamped CE silver double sided satin ribbon with the camellia border stamp form my Camellia elements clear stamp set in black archival repeating the pattern to cover approx half a metre.  next I made a double bow with the stamped ribbon and used the remainder as a tie thought the top hole in the tag.  Finally I made up a coconut white Camellia flower us the Sue Wilson Camellia die set and finished it with a pearl in the centre.  I added this over the bow and placed it on the top left as shown.

A simple tag that could, if you like, make a card in itself !

Ingredients:
Card Size: Tag
Colours: Wisteria, Coconut White and Silver
Dies: Camellia Complete Petals, Pierced Flags, Pierced tags
Stamps: John Lockwood Mondays Child & Camellia Elements sets
Inks:  Jet Black Archival Ink, Perfect Medium & detail white embossing Powder (Cosmic Shimmer)

Enjoy...

Happy Fresh New Year...

Happy New Year!

I thought I would start the year with something that (hopefully) you will agree is fresh and bright!

I simply love the colours of the watercolour painting on this card and I thought the sentiment was perfect for my first post of the year and is dedicated to all my wonderful Blog family x

The main image is stamped and embossed is CS detail silver embossing powder and is from my Camellia elements clear stamp set.  I then coloured the image using the new CS perfect pastels mica watercolour palette.  I cut the stamped image out using one of Sue's pierced squares dies and mounted this onto a piece of sky blue foundation card.

Next to balance the painting on the main element I stamped the matching border stamp included in the set onto antique white CE double sided ribbon and coloured the image using the same watercolour paints.  The great thing about these is that the Mica that is in the paints means that the colour stays stable on the ribbon and still has that beautiful mica shine.

for the background I letterpressed a piece of coconut white card using perfect medium and the A4 star swirls embossing folder.  Once out of the folder i dusted opalescent mica powder over this which left a beautiful pearl shine on the background ( where the perfect medium was0 but leaving the crisp raised image in the plain card.  This is one that you may have to see in real life to see the letterpress shine!  I then ran a strip of the ribbon down this square that I had mounted onto a layer of the sky blue.  Next I foam mounted my image over this and added a tie of the ribbon at the bottom.I finished the card with a couple more layers of the sky blue and coconut white and finished



Finished Size : 21 x 21cm
A that remains is for me to wish you all a fabulous 2016!

John xxx