House of Cards Fifth Week Bonus Challenge

Happy Monday All!

Today being Monday yet still September means that there is a bonus week challenge over at House of Cards.  Each day the design team will be showing there own take on the following Inspiration photo...

















For this weeks challenge you need to create a card using this photo as inspiration.  You can choose any of the Standard Card styles we promote at House of Cards, Clean & Simple, Cute & Fun, Shabby & Chic and my specialisation Classic and Elegant.

The above card is my inspiration for this challenge, relatively simple looking but hopefully classic!

I started by embossing a piece of PMD linen card through the Tumbling Leaves A4 embossing folder by Darice, then cut the egg shaped aperture.  I rubbed Creative Expressions soft gold gilding wax over the embossing to mirror the gold stripes on the cloth in the inspiration picture.  Next I stamped and cut some simple Ivy leaves which I placed around the aperture.

Finally I gilded the cut out from the centre using Gold gilding flakes with a few silver ones thrown in for good measure.  I gently added a few flakes around the edge of the aperture as I felt this gave the impression of the leaves tumbling on the picture. The gilded panel was placed on the back of the inside card to show through.  A bow  and sentiment finish the piece.

It would be great to see a few of you take on this challenge, click here to see what the other design teams have come up with Today it is cute and fun inspiration!

Enjoy...

mea culpa!

Happy Mojo Sunday,


I have to say Mea Culpa as last week was supposed to be my turn to crash the stash on the Mojo.  For those of you new to be blog until August Wendy and I (next Door) have taken it in turns each Sunday to give the other a stash of craft goodies to make something out of to present on our blogs on Sunday.  We took the summer off however it was supposed to start last week and I, dutifully, supplied Wendy with the items pictured.  Wendy made and presented her project however I didn't realise that last week was my turn for the Hobbycutz design team so I didn't post it.  here is what I made, click HERE to see what Wendy came up with!






This is what I came up with but didn't post.  I made a Calendar, I know I know its September lol

The rose is made using some beautiful woven ribbon I bought from Christine Emberson on her Hope and Chances Blog.

This week was Wendy's turn and this is what I found on my windowsill on returning form rehearsals on Wednesday...












Below is what I made with these bits, I didn't use the Pearls and 40's signs apart from in the picture.  This was a very quick make however I love the background card so this may make another appearance!  Click here to see what Wendy came up with, with the same items.

Enjoy...

Its Saturday, A box...in a Box...

Happy different Saturday all!

Todays something different is a box (oh not again I hear you cry) however this is a box, in a box, with a paper en-john-erred project inside.

Firstly this is the outside box, very simple in White linen PMD cardstock with a ribbon and a tag made with the centre section from Spellbinders Enchanted Labels 28.  I have used this die throughout this project and to replicate it this is all you need (perhaps a heck of a lot of patience and some glue card craft knife etc.)!



This next picture shows what is inside the box.




This box was made as a christening card for my boss to give to some friends who are having the christening tomorrow.  Normally I wouldn't post this so near the date however they don't know about my blog or work so won't see it early.

My boss asked for a Christening card with a difference as she owns a Card and Gift shop she has seen every commercial card available.  This stumped me  for quite a while until I noticed that the centre die from Spellbinders Enchanted Labels 28 looked like the end board form a small bed or cot.  hence I started by making the cot bed!


This was made with 4 die cuts and some waste pieces of the cardstock.  I finished it with a blanket and pillow made from an old sheet of mine.




Once this was completed I felt I needed a nice acetate box to house it so I stared with the same die set and used four of the largest die cuts to cover a simple acetate box I made.

This was then wrapped in a congratulations ribbon and studded with stick on pearls.

Finally for the top I made a simple folded card that was stuck to the top allowing the sentiment and a place to actually write this card.

This was time consuming but hopefully worthwhile.  Enjoy...

Copper Christmas...

Happy Christmas Friday!

Todays offering is an usual mixture of copper, bronze and gold a different theme but a strong combination I think.  Here is my take on a subtler Christmas scheme.

I started by stamping a plain piece of card with a Do'crafts background stamp with Copper embossing powder.  I foam mounted this behind a die cut window using the large die from The Spellbinders just swingin' die (I am determined to use this as much as possible as it's not a very flexible die).  I double mounted this on beige and cream cardstock wrapping a beige ribbon around before mounting this on an A4 folded card which I embossed with my new Crafts Too embossing folder (I couldn't keep borrowing Wendy's A5 version of this!)

I stamped the two sentiments, again Do'crafts, with the same embossing powder as well as some snowflakes stamped with the same set.



To decorate this I cut various snowflake die I have with cream and copper glitter card (I have too many snowflake dies to list Spellbinders, Marianne etc..)  These were placed in random places with foam pads and finished with a matching gem or pearl!

Finally a bow, it wouldn't be one of my cards with out a bow, and another snowflake to hide the know.  Hopefully this may give you a new colour scheme for you Christmas Selection this year. 

Enjoy...

LavenderFiligree Squares

Happy Thursday,

Isn't it funny how sometimes you have a go to die, I know I'm terrible for this and the gold elements corner seems to have been sitting on my desk or in my GC all week.  I got this die out to make the box for Saturday's post and it feels like I've cut it 100 times.  Todays card is the result of one of these plays!

I started by folding a piece of PMD cream linen card in half and cutting it into a square.  I placed the die in the corner and cut it.  Next I rotated the die into the other corner and again cut it.  This created a lovely frame for the main element.

The main element is a double cut in lavender card mounted onto a square of the same cream cardstock.  I mounted a cream die cut from Spellbinders Gold Labels four which I inked the die before I cut it .  Finally some random flourishes form the same gold elements set, a couple of die cut asters and a sentiment stamped in detail white embossing powder.  The sentiment is from Whimsy stamps and was cut with the matching die from them.

Finally some pearl dots from creative expressions stickles.  Simple but I love the colours!

Enjoy...

My Class Project...

Happy Wednesday!



Hopefully both Wendy and I are showing the flowers we made at the craft class we attended last week, Wendy did a tutorial on these yesterday if you want to make one.  This was my first attempt and when I got home I made this card to, hopefully, show it off!

Here is the first flower I made using die cuts from Tim Holtz tattered floral die for Sizzix.  I have shown it with some foliage cut from spellbinders foliage die which I inked in the die with my new favourite brilliance peacock ink pad.











Once I had cut the foliage I used the negative to create the background paper by using this as a stencil on a sheet of plain cream PMD cardstock.  Using the same ink blended the colours and as this inkpad contains 3 shades it's very easy to blend the colours.




The corners are cut from Spellbinders enchanted labels four.  The blue panel was created by rubbing the ink pad over an embossing folder before running a sheet of blue card through my GC.

This picture shows the effect of this inking technique.

Enjoy...

Tuesday Tutorial Filigree Notecard Box

Happy Tuesday!

Today is the tutorial for the notecard box I made in this post on Saturday.  As per usual I have made a couple of different versions of this to show the flexibility of this die and the box.

The  only die used for this one is the corner from Spellbinders Gold Elements one.  This has got to be one of the most flexible dies I have although I have used it a lot in the past there are a few more examples waiting in the wings!

Firstly this box is made using two sheets of A4 paper I have used PMD Kraft card in this tutorial however it can be made separately in contrasting card (this is helpful if your machine will not take an A4 sheet of paper).


Measure out your A4 card to 18cm x 18cm and score down at 2cm then 16cm and across the bottom at 2cm and 4cm.  Next on the front lightly mark a square at 4cm from each side and the top and 6cm from the bottom.  It is this square that is to be cut, carefully place the die in the first corner of the square and run through you die cutting machine to cut.  Next match the die up to complete the square.

If you have this right your piece should look like this picture.  Cut up to the square surrounding the die cut square and remove the square at the bottom.  Again the piece should look like the picture.

Next cut a piece 18cm wide and 12cm deep and score across 2cm in from each side.  Place the die so that the centre point touches the end and each side touches where the fold is. Again use the picture as a guide!




Take the cut flap and trim around the die cut shape, then score at the top then 2cm down.  Cut a further piece that is 18cm x 14 cm and score 2cm in from each side.  Lay the pieces out as I have done in the picture this will show you how to attach the box together.

Attach the flap to the plain back piece then simply stick the side flaps together ( you will find that there are 2 on each side this is to strengthen the box)

fold up and glue the bottom, there is a piece that folds in at the back which again strengthens the bottom.  This next picture should help!

The cards to fit can be up to 13.5cm and it will take up to 14cm envelopes however it's best to leave it at 13.8cm maximum.

Below are the new examples I have made for this tutorial.  The first example has been made to the same measurements however I have cut out a square in the middle that is 10cm x 10cm and inserted a separate piece in a contrasting card. The flap is left plain on this one.

The second was simply made using a sheet of embossed card which I studded with Pearls and made the same, die cut, flap which I backed with the dark chocolate card. 

Wendy has a flower tutorial today based on the class we both attended last week.  If your feeling flowery then pop over.

Enjoy... 

 

pink heart

Happy Monday,

This is a seriously short post today as Really short on time,  I completely forgot that I hadn't blogged as spent all day in the craft room creating!!  Funny how the time runs away from you when you are doing something you love!

Todays card was made to feature the beautiful Embellishment sent to me by Ita.  Hopefully she is recovering as I believe she has been in hospital, this is made, Ita, to cheer you!

Enjoy...

Hobbycutz challenge 17

Happy Sunday!

Todays creation is my Design Team Inspiration for my second spot on Hobbycutz challenges.  This weeks theme is Black, White and one other colour.  As soon as I saw this I thought of the old, schoolyard, joke "What's black, white and red all over" (insert your favourite punch line!)

That said the only option therefore for my additional colour was of course red.

When I opened my package of laser cuts I had forgotten ordering the swirls I have placed at the top of my screen card.  I was unsure what do with them however as soon as I embossed them with white embossing powder they looked just like the delicate swirls found on the top of room dividers.  Therefore I built this creation around this idea.


The three panel screen is cut with Spellbinders Resplendent Rectabgles largest die, i cut six of these and doubled them up with foam tape, placing the ribbon hinges between these layers, so that there was some weight and that they would stand up!

When it came to decorating my screen I wanted to continue the swirl ideas so I inked a further three swirls, this time some foliage based ones, and used these as a flourishes.  These were placed on white panels, cut with Spellbinders Resplendent Rectangles die.  These were stamped using a floral set from Creative Expressions in black and red then mounted onto a black card die cut (the next size up in the set) before being foam mounted onto the screens.

Finally a paper rose, made for me by Wendy next door, in red was added to the flourishes and one complete, hopefully inspirational, Design Team project.

To enter the challenge click HERE, this weeks challenge is sponsored by  and The winner gets a voucher to use in store!  There is also a bonus prize for anyone using a Hobbycutz product of a £10 voucher!  So well worth entering, lets see your creations using Black, White and one other colour!

Enjoy...

Something Different Saturday

Happy Different Saturday!

Now whilst this is a box it is a set of note cards as well and the box and set is of a decent size!

The last few card box's I have made have been on the small size however this one is 14cm x 14cm and takes cards and envelopes up to 14cm.

The cards I have made to go inside are 13 x 13 with the envelopes at 13.5 x 13.5.







This shot shows the front and the flap in better detail.  Bothe the square of filigree at the front and the flap are made using the triangular die from Spellbinders Gold elements one set.

This creates a lovely window to see what is inside however for the tutorial I am planning a slightly different front.

I have included a close up picture as I personally really like the look of this!







The cards inside are simply made using a spotty paper form my local craft shop and an old Anna Griffin floral stamp.

The edge is another of Joanna Sheens signature dies which I cut after I adhered the paper to a square card blank (ready cut cards sold with the envelopes)

Finally the sentiment "Just a note" is stamped with a vintage notes stamp form Do'crafts.

As per I have planned a tutorial for Tuesday on this one should anyone fancy making a set!








Enjoy...

Christmas Friday

Happy Friday...

Todays card is inspired and created using products supplied by Mrs Duck.  She posted a beautiful Christmas card made with Gilding Flakes, see it here...

When I was in the UK I met with Mi Poyco Pato (my little duck in Spanish) and apart from hours of laughter she gave me some of the beautiful paper she made the card with.  I made this card using the same technique however I used Sheffield steel glitter flakes and Flitter glue all from Indigoblu.

I know this is unusual for me but there is not one die cut anywhere on this card!  Firstly I stamped the bauble images using the glue system and gilded them using the flakes.  Next the edge of the image has been dipped in the glue and then in the gilding flakes.  This is matted on black card which has a border of the gilding flakes, like a frame surrounding the image.  This was created by using a very thin double sided tape simply dipped in the flakes.

If anyone is thinking of trying the gilding technique I would strongly suggest getting a starter set or as Mrs Duck did use a stamp and bond embossing powder.

The stamp I used was last years home for Christmas range from Do'crafts.  A simple card but effective and easy(ish) to make as a batch card.

Enjoy...

Filigree Blue...

Happy Thursday,

As French said yesterday I seem to be making a lot of leaves cards at the moment.  I seem to get a spurt with one die, stamp or style and create quite a few creations on the same theme.

I thought, that said, it was time I made and posted a filigree card in a paler colour.

This card is a standard square made with a sheet of white hammered PMD cardstock.  I have matted a sheet of dotty paper over the top and then added my main element matted onto the same paper with a thin rim of white card to give some definition.

The main element is a double cut of Spellbinders A2 filigree delight die cut from white glitter card.

 Although it is hard to see in the picture the glitter card really brings out the detail and beauty of this die.  I have mounted these on top of each other to create a square shape.  The central panel is cut in the same dotty paper (from my stash so not sure where it's from) This is made with two die cuts using the central swirl from the same spellbinders set.  I have mounted these behind one of the ellipse shapes that are the waste from the glitter card die cuts.  Finally an ellipse mounted on top.  I edged all of these pieces with Distress ink in broken china even the glitter card!

The sentiment is stamped onto a cut from a random Spellbinders tags set I bought without packaging on EBay and is from Creative Expressions.

Finally a bow and spray of pearls, I tied the pearls around the bow, these come on a roll and are from my favourite Chino shop.

Hope you like the change of pace,
Enjoy...

Sneak Peaked !

Happy Wednesday!

Today I thought I should show what I showed a sneak peak of first thing Monday.  My Friend asked me for a card for her mother, she actually asked if I had one ready however her mum loves green I realised I rarely make cards in green so I needed to make a new one (any excuse eh!)

What I showed on Monday was actually the box the card, obviously, was hidden inside!



Here is a close up of the card and the flower.  This is made by twisting woven ribbon into a rose.

Enjoy...

Tree Tutorial

Happy Tuesday,

Today is the tutorial of the tree I made for Saturday, see the original here.  Usually I make another example for the tutorial however this time I took pictures as I went along.  I have started another tree however this is for a big happening in December (Any ideas guys!?!) so that will appear later!

All I've added to the original are some flowers!

















Firstly take a Polystyrene ball and cover it ink.  I used brilliance tricolour pad in peacock to give subtle shading.

Next cut a large selection of foliage leaves die cuts, I used Spellbinders foliage and cut 40 of these.  Next I shaded the leaves in the die using the same ink to give a different shading.

Next using a hot glue gun attach the leaves randomly over each other until the ball is covered.  Using a kebab skewer as the trunk s
'skewer the ball, I used a twig I found in a bag of potatoes (of all places) over the skewer to look more trunk like.

Finally the whole thing is stood in a decorated shot glass as a plant pot with air-drying clay.  This is time consuming but very simple and would make a lovely gift.

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...