Simple Gemini Sunday...

Happy Sunday,

Well its the last of the Gemini Dies today and its the turn of the Phoenix today.  This is deceptively simple die with some beautiful debased areas that make a die cut piece simply sing.  Now as I have mad more complex cards with the other Gemini dies I have made a more complex one with this one however I will post that next week as it needs time to dry and it is simple Sunday.  I ahem also been playing with one of my favourites the Lyra die so you will see more of that one over the coming weeks I promise.

back to today a simple A4 grey card scored and folded in half with the border piece form the Eternal Rings striplet cut down the right hand died.  I have then cut the Phoenix die using both edges to make a single piece in the same grey.  I mounted this on a piece of blush card embossed with the Daisy Tiers A4 embossing folder onto the inside of the card so that the die cut is visible through the window.  A simple sentiment and a strip of pink ribbon from my stash and a simple, but hopefully effective card is made in minutes.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson's Gemini Collection Phoenix die
Eternal Rings Striplet die
Blush & Grey foundation Card
Creative Expressions A4 embossing folder Daisy Tiers 
Ribbon from stash.


Enjoy...

Something Different Saturday...

Happy Saturday,

Now I haven't forgotten that there is one more Gemini die to showcase and I have used that one for my something simple card for tomorrow.  However today is the first time I can show how I played with the new Floral Striplet from Sue's new range.  As per usual I have made a box, today is a candle box and a small bonus of a glass tea light holder to handy on a tree. (as suggested by Mr Next Door)

This is a very simple project I simply scored a piece of A4 card stock at 5.5cm intervals which gives 5 panels and a small strip to adhere the sides together.  I then cut the centre panel from the striplet into each panel inking through the die with Worn Lipstick distress Ink.

Once cut I scored the piece at the bottom and top at 2cm which created flaps to add a hand cut hexagon on the bottom as the base, I also add a smaller hexagon inside the box to stabilise the base.




The second box shown here is made in the same manner however I didn't ink this one and I added strips of velum inside the box so that the light (I used a battery powered tea light).. To decorate this box I cut some of the Camilla flowers full petals in Blush Foundation card and the same sizes in the Camilla open petals in the same Milk card.  I finished these using Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA glue dots.


The small hanging light is even simpler.  I cut the striplet using the inside and the border to make a strip.  I inked through this and simply, using spray glue, added this around a small glass jar.  I tried a thing pink ribbon, from my stash, as a handle then wrapped ribbon around the top finished with a simple hand tied (unusual for me I know) bow.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Floral Meadow Striplet
Camila Open & Closed petals die
Milk Foundation Card
Worn Lipstick Distress Ink
Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA

Enjoy...

Christmas Gemini...

Happy Friday,

I thought it was time to reintroduce Christmas Friday, I know most people have made their Christmas Cards already however this may give some ideas for next year or if you are like me, a last minute panic make!  AS its Gemini Week then today's card had to feature another of this amazingly useful die sets and today's is Ursa, a delicate die with again 2 separate cutting edges.  Today I have used the edge and centre panel on the edge at the bottom of the card.  This makes a stable card as the design is symmetrical!

I started by die cutting Sue's new Scandinavian background along with the Ursa centre panel and the matching edge die that I felt best matched the pattern of the background die in coconut white foundation card.  I then cut a piece or rich red using just the edge die to make a mat.  I placed the cut panel against the cut red piece and used my rule to cut a border around the piece.  Next I folded a white A3 piece of card in half, placed the front piece on the folded card leaving a border and placed the edge die, using Scotch removable tape, at the bottom edge again leaving a border.







All I then needed to do was run the card through the Grand Calibur which, because it is a thin die, cut both pieces in one pass (I didn't stick the top panel on till it was cut!)  I then added a hand cut banner stamped with the sentiment from Creative Expressions and a poinsettia made using the same method as the other day, along with some red and white bakers twine wrapped around the piece.





Finally to add a little more bling and to show the beauty of the filigree background die I added Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA glue dotted on each piece where it seemed to go.  I love the background dies as there always seems to be a natural place to put a pearl, PVA Pearl or gem.

Ingredients:

Sue Wilson's dies

Gemini Collection - Ursa

Scandinavian Collection - Background

Mosaic Poinsettia

Creative Expressions Christmas Sentiments

Rich Red & Coconut white foundation card

Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA

Enjoy...

Back to Gemini...

Happy Thursday,


As yesterday was my day for the Creative Expressions DT Blog then I had to skip the Gemini week however it's back today.  Today's card is stole! well not exactly stolen but I was lucky enough to to allowed to Hinder Julia Watts at CE Towers in a workshop today's card is based almost solely on one of the cared the lovely ladies made in the Workshop.  The card has not appeared on Julia's blog as yet however click HERE to see what she has posted for us all today.

I stared by using the centre piece from the Gemini die set Orion i cut this twice facing each other (I am trying this week to show all the different ways these fantastic new idea of dies can be used) without using either of the edge dies.  As with all of the Gemini range of dies you get a separate cutting edge for each side which cuts a different pattern.  Once cut I used Sue Wilson's fire and Ice technique to decorate it.  I added a piece of double sided adhesive sheet to the front of the die cut.  Next using a mixture of gilding flakes at the bottom of my gilding box (I tend to use my gilding flakes in a 12 x 12 clear box I keep a pot of the scraps from the different gilds I do)  this sort of filigree design with small, detailed die cuts, is a really good way to use up the little bits left over.

Next I turned the piece over, removed the other side of the sheet and covered the whole piece with Iced Snow.  To make up the card I mounted this piece onto a larger may of the same coconut white card.  I made the centre decoration using the new Camilla die open petals I cut 2 of three different sizes and made these into three separate flowers.  I added these on the front with a piece of Creative Expressions white Tulle cut and tied to a bow style to the middle of the decorated panel.

To make the final card I embossed a larger mat of coconut white using the Honeycomb Haven A4 embossing folder and rubbed Pearl Moon gilding wax over the raised area.  Once dry I polished the gilding wax with a dry baby wipe (another of Julia's tips) its really important to do this like polishing shoes the wax needs to be shin up!





This card does have a really different finish to Julia's however it is based solely on her design so I can claim no plaudits for the techniques, inspiration or finish of this card which I think would be perfect for and anniversary.

Ingredients:

Sue Wilson's Dies

Gemini Collection - Orion

Camilla Flowers open petals

Mixed CE Gilding Flakes

Iced Snow

Creative Expressions A4 Honeycomb Haven embossing Folder

Pearl Moon gilding wax

Stick on pearls

Enjoy...

Creative Christmas Wednesday...

Happy Wednesday,



Its time for the DT entry for this week for Creative Expressions and the last design for Christmas, well for the Design Team anyway! lol

As the last card I have made with a Christmas Theme it had to be, of course, Christmas Trees!  I started this card by making the background in the same method as last week however I worked in the reverse of the dark sky technique  by masking off a portion of the foreground using cut pieces of copier paper.  I worked the darkest shade of distress ink from the bottom mask up the page.  Next I did the same with the mid shade finishing with the lights shade.






To make the look of snow at the top I flicked drops of water over the piece and blotted off the excess.  This technique works by removing some of the colour allowing the white or lighter shade to shine through.  I finished background by using the lightest shade over the foreground using again pieces of copier paper cut randomly as masks to make a snowy landscape.

Next I die cut three of the 2014 Sue Wilson Christmas tree dies in silver and 2 shades of blue and stuck them to the background.  I then added a sheet of double sided adhesive all over and added diamond Sparkles to give a snowy element.


The background card is simply a piece of coconut white card embossed through the Creative Expressions A4 snowflake lattice embossing folder and inked with the chipped sapphire distress Ink.  A few layers of matching white and vintage gold card complete the base.  I added a few spellbinders die cut snowflakes which I highlighted with Cosmic Shimmer aqua twinkles and a sentiment embossed in cosmic shimmer detail silver embossing powder.

Click over to the Creative Expressions blog to see what other treasures are showing and to find stockists of the products I have used if you want to replicate it!

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson's Christmas Tree Die
Creative Expressions A4 Snowflake lattice embossing folder
Distress Inks Chipped Sapphire, Broken China & Tumbled Glass
Creative Expressions Christmas Sentiments Stamp Set

Enjoy...

Gemini 2...

Happy Tuesday,



Today is day 2 of my Gemini week and today I am showcasing a Christmas Card made using the Gemini Die Carina.  I used the die to make a edge this time.  The beauty of the gemini range is that either side can be used to create an edged card.  I die cut the other edge die Carina die on the edge of an A4 sheet of coconut white card, to do this I used the centre panel and the edge die from the right hand side.

I then turned the A4 sheet into a trifold card with the edge folding over.  Next I embossed  another piece of the card using the Creative Expressions A4 Swirling holly embossing folder and rubbed it all over with Pearl Moon gilding wax.  I set the waxed piece aside to dry and die cut the edge using just the edge die from the Carina set.

Once dry I buffed up the gilding wax, using a dry baby wipe (Thanx for the tip Julia) which gives the piece a stunning shine.  The pearl moon gilding wax has the ability to take a plain piece of cardstock and create a pearlised finish and gives a richer look that any pearlised card. 

The remainder of the card is relatively simple I used another piece of the gilded and embossed sheet on the inside flap of the card for balance.  The benefit of the Gemini dies is that you can cut the two edges separately, this has allowed me to match each cut side to the design, no hand cutting required.

I finished the card with a strip of seam binding in ice white with a hand tied bow. The poinsettia is cut form Sue Wilson's mosaic poinsettia die, sprayed with spray glue and covered in glitter jewels glacier ice. finished with a pearl.

 Ingredients:
Sue Wilson's Gemini Die Carina
Mosaic Poinsettia die
coconut white foundation card
Pearl Moon gilding wax
Glitter Jewels Glacier Ice




Enjoy...

Gemini Week..

Happy Monday,

I hope you all had a lovely weekend it's back to Monday I'm afraid !  I thought it would be fun this week, Monday to Friday at least, to make a card challenge for myself.  I love the new Gemini dies form Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions and thought it would be fun to make a card for each day this week using one of the five from the new range each day.  I love these dies as they are beautiful designs that can make loads of different looks simply by altering the dies used form each set.

The gemini range has a filigree or detailed centre panel then a different, separate, cutting edge for each side meaning that you can create 6 different borders or shaped edge for the edge of your cards from each set.

Mondays offering is Lyra which I have used on this card as a matted layer to highlight the centre piece.  I cut a piece of Rich Plum foundation card using the centre panel and the border edge, embossed it and simply cut the piece to match a square 18cm x 18cm that I cut in Milk card and embossed using the Creative Expression A4 rambling blooms embossing folder.  This gives a lovely juxtaposition between the colours and textures.







The centre panel is made using the new New York Collection Union Square die set.  I simply cut each of the dies in the set in Rich Plum and again in Milk and, alternating the colours, foam mounted them.  A simple CE sentiment in the middle and a striking monochrome card appears.







Ingredients:
Sue Wilson's Dies
New York Union Square
Gemini collection Lyra
Creative Expression A4 Rambling Blooms embossing Folder
Rich Plum & Milk foundation Card


Another Gemini Tomorrow,

Enjoy...

Simple Sunday...

Happy Sunday,

WE all had a fab time yesterday at Daisies in Coventry and the ladies came up with some beautiful variants on the workshop card!  Unfortunately I can't seem to get the pictures off my iPhone and onto blogger at the moment so will try to post later in the week!

Back to today and a simple offering using the new Floral Meadow striplet form Sue Wilson for Creative expressions.  I love the way that a simple cut of this die, cut solely with the striplet and not the cutting edge, coloured can be so effective.

I started by cutting the striplet in coconut white card down one side and whilst still in the die I used peacock feathers distress Ink to colour the piece.  Next I cut the outside edge die in a piece of spearmint foundation card and foam mounted this over the top.





Next I drew around the outside edge of the border die and cut the aperture out with my scalpel this time in coconut white.  This gave me a set of reverse mats which I foam mounted together for dimension.

I then sprayed a piece of white seam binding with Phil Martin's new Graceful Mint Ink spray to match the colour.  The new Cosmic Shimmer Mint range is a perfect match for the Spearmint foundation card and is a beautiful shade of green, a colour I rarely use.  I placed a strip of the ribbon behind the die cit and made a small bow with an off cut.

Finally I stamped the sentiment, form the Creative Expressions everyday set in black archival and added the bow to highlight it.

A simple card that really shows off, in my opinion, the beauty of the detailed striplet die cut.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson's Floral Meadow Striplet die
Peacock Feathers DI
Coconut White & Spearmint Foundation Card
White seam binding
Cosmic Shimmer Graceful Mint Ink Mist Spray


Enjoy...

Quick Box Saturday,

Happy Saturday,

Just a quick one today as I forgot to schedule and its getting late when I am typing this!  I have a workshop and demo day tomorrow so really need to finish the prep and go to bed lol.

 A simple necklace box made using the New Sue Wilson New York collection dies.  All i did was score a 5cm edged box with a 6cm square top in white card and die cut the centre die form the Herald square die.  I then die cut the centre die fRom Madison Square and set this underneath so that the whole aperture was see through.  The two centre panels both match beautifully so its hard to se the join!






Ingredients:
Sue Wilson's Dies
New York Herald Square
New York Madison Square
White foundation card (coconut)
Wine seam binding.

Enjoy...

Update, If you sent me an email yesterday using the email address I listed sorry I haven't replied I typed my address wrong!  Understandable Ive only had that email address for 10 years! lol  Its hold be..
Lockers@live.co.uk, so please resend and feel free to email any questions to me, as stated I am not able to reply directly to questions asked i comments. x

New Workshop...

Happy Friday,

Thanx for the supportive comments yesterday the day, my first public workshop, went great I really loved doing it and hopefully the girls who attended enjoyed it too!  I have to say we were chatting away so much that the 2 hour session became nearly three! lol

Today's card is the First of my next Workshops as well as being the card I am demoing at Daisies For more details on the worship and demo's on Saturday click HERE. The next workshop day at CE towers will be on Thursday the 27th January and is part of a series of three during the day.  The full details along with the other 2 projects will be sent out by email form CE Towers later next week however I thought you might enjoy a sneak peak of the first.  To receive the details of Mine and the other talented people that hold workshops with Creative Expressions simply email Tracey@creative-expressions.uk.com and ask to be added to the mailing list.  If the current locations are too far then email me and I will see what I can do!
Jewels and Crafts on Saturday.

As today's card is a workshop card there is just a list of ingredients I'm afraid!

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson's Dies
New York Herald Square
Scandinavian Collection Background
Stamps to die for Delicate Deco 
Creative Expressions A4 Embossing Folder Knotted Trellis
Cosmic Shimmer Products - all Graceful Mint by Phil Martin
PVA Pearl Glue
Gilding Wax
Ink Mist
Detail White Embossing Powder.


Also could I please ask that if you have any specific questions for me that you email me either using the email me link above or on Lockers@love.co.uk  I am rarely able to respond to questions asked in comments and I hate to not be able to answer!

Enjoy...

Something New...

Happy Thursday,

As Sue Wilson has revealed all of her beautiful new range of dies and I am at CE Towers today leading a workshop with them I thought I could show you another card I have made using the new release.  However this time it is the New York collection.  For this card I used the Herald Square die which I found really amusing as, until last week, I had no idea there was a square in New York called that, I went there last week and the detail of this die really matches the beauty of the area especially as it is the lead on to my favourite store Macy's!





The card is quite simple in Antique gold and ginger utilising the stunning matching stamp to die for from the new range.

The ivy die is made using a technique of Sue's that I will be demonstrating today and I will do a video on this one once my current run or workshops is over!  I am also doing this workshop, along with a demo, at aisles Jewels and crafts in Bedworth near Coventry on Saturday so pop along if you are in the area.  The card I am demoing will be shown tomorrow along with more details of the day!







As per usual for me there is a little gilding as well as some embossed stamping.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson's Herald Square & Ivy die sets
Creative Expressions Delicate Deco Square stamp to die for
Cosmic Shimmer Gold pearl lustre embossing powder
Antique Gold & Ginger foundation card
Distress inks forest Moss, Crushed Olive and Pine Needles


Enjoy...

Creative Wednesday Back in the U.K.!

Happy Wednesday,

Firstly We are now home so I have been able to have a day playing with the new Sue Wilson Die collection, don't you just love them?!?  Also we had a fabulous time on Holiday as any of you who clicked over to facebook may have seen.  Too much shopping and relaxing was enjoyed and we even managed to get some sunbathing in!

Back to today it's my turn for the CE design Team again, don't the weeks seem to fly, and as it seems whilst we have been away Christmas has arrived everywhere so todays card seems appropriate!

I really hope you can see the effects of the background inking on this one as I loved this technique!

I started by stamping random snowflakes from Phil Martins set starting with the larger snowflakes at the top reducing to smaller as it got to the bottom.  I stamped the snowflakes using perfect medium then embossed them with detail clear embossing powder.  This gave me a resist so that I could rub distress ink from the top of the piece to the bottom.  I used three colours starting with milled lavender I then added broken china starting with lots of ink at the top and letting it fade towards the bottom.  Next I added chipped sapphire again making sure that the most ink deposited at the top.  To even out the shades I dragged a final layer of the milled lavender from the top, this gives the lovely sheen and blends the colours together.  Hopefully you are getting the view of a heavy snow filled sky!

I added a bow and strip of ice blue seam binding down one edge.  Using Sue Wilson's snow die I cut a piece of silver card and spray glued the piece before adding Iced Snow.  Finally I added some dots of Aqua Twinkles.

The whole piece was added to a card base made with the snowflake lattice A4 embossing folder and layers of cobalt blue and vintage silver card.

Click over to the Creative Expressions blog to see what the rest of the team has come up with and to see further reveals of Sue's new Die Release!

Ingredients:
Phil Martin Snowflake stamps
Distress Ink in Chipped Saphire, Milled Lavender & Broken China
Cosmic Shimmer Detail Clear embossing Powder
Sue Wilson's Let it Snow Die
Iced Snow 
A4 Snowflake Lattice embossing folder

Enjoy...

Final Scheduled Post... & Workshop News!

Happy Tuesday,

Well today should see us all back and hopefully tanned and refreshed!  So this should be the last of the shorter, scheduled, posts!

I've saved another of my faves from the shows a couple of weeks ago for today!

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson's Dies
Delicate Daisies Full Petals
Delicate Daisies Open petals
Fern Trio
Couture Creations Grand Weave Embossing folder
Milk and Duck Egg foundation card
Light Blue seam binding

The other brilliant bit of news is now that the new release of Sue's dies is finally here I can release the pictures of the projects I am making in the workshop I am holding at Creative Expressions in Kettering on Thursday!  There are a few places left if you want to get a chance to either do a workshop with Me or your first chance to get to play with Sue New Release dies.

The workshop is 2 hours long (at least if not longer the way I can chat) and costs £20, places can be booked through Tracey at Creative Expressions on 01536 481778 during office hours.  In the workshop you will make both the card and the box using the Scandinavian collection, Gilding Flakes, Distress Ink, Gilding Wax and my favourite Vintage Gold card!  You will also get to use the new Ivy die which is one of my favourites from the new launch.

I will also be holding a full workshop day with three different projects on January 27th I will release pictures of those projects next week and you will be able to either attend the morning, afternoon or all day session.  Details to follow.

Enjoy...

Golden Plum The Sequel...

Happy Monday,

Another example of gilding flakes with Sparkle texture paste over the top using a That Special Touch mask.  However I cut the panel into a rectangular shape to make a tall card rather than a square that I seem to have been doing too much recently!

Ingredients:
That Special Touch Delicate Mask
Sunlight Sparkle Gilding Flakes 
Rich Plum Sparkel Texture Paste (All from Creative Expressions cosmic Shimmer range)
Sue Wilsons dies
Delicate Daisies Open Petals
Austrian Collection Borders, Tags and Corners
Austrian Collection Background (centre die for the sentiment)
Couture Creations Foliage die

Enjoy...

simple, simple Sunday...

Happy Sunday,

Todays card is very simple although it may not look it!  I simply embossed the Couture Creations A4 embossing folder Borders Tags and backgrounds in Blush card.  I then split the background in 2 and added them on either side of an A4 piece of card folded into a gatefold.

I added a tag stamped and cut from the same embossing folder and added some of the delicate daisies in pink and white.  Finally I inked the whole piece with Fired Brick distress ink and finished.  Looks complicated but it's really simple!

Ingredients:
Couture Creations A4 Background, tags and borders embossing folder.
Sue Wilson Delicate Daisies die set
Fired Brick Distress Ink

Enjoy...

Back to Beige...

Happy Saturday,

Another quickie I'm afraid sorry I will be back to normal in a week or so but as I may have mentioned The current posts are all scheduled.  I'm also back to my favourite combination of beiges and browns.

Ingredients:
Milk, Chestnut and Sand Foundation Card
Sue Wilson's Italian Decorative Frames (sorry a bit of a die du jour at the moment)
Couture Creations Embossing Folder
Brown Seam Binding

Enjoy...

Using Scrap...

Happy Friday,

Once again I am using the scrap form making one card for the next.  This was the result of cutting the delicate Daisies from coconut white card.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson's Delicate Daisies Die set
Creative Expressions A4 Daisy Tiers embossing Folder
Pearls and seam binding.

Enjoy...