Something Different Saturday...

Happy Saturday,


There are 2  something different's today as I thought I'd show 2 of the projects I made for Julia Watts wedding show with spellbinders earlier this week.  I loved making the gift box from Becca Feeken  in the gloss card and decorating it, it looks complex but once I got the knack it was quite simple, great for making wedding or party favours!

All you do is cut the two main dies twice and simply stick it together.  There is a box that closes inside to keep the favours safe!

Next I made an R.S.V.P. card using the Classic Elegance Tall Pocket die from Spellbinders.  The great thing on this one is that the front die folds round to make a pocket that holds the invitation or card.

I decorated the front using a black organza bow and finished with one of the heart charms from the Craft Consortium Always and Forever embellishment range.  The one I have used is a heart shaped pearl surrounded by Diamante.  I used stick on Diamante on the front pocket to echo this.

As you can see for this picture the card at the front is removable sop that you can add the event details or make the RSVP card for guests to return to you.


Bothe different form standard cards or projects and hopefully some ideas for those summer weddings, parties and events!

Enjoy...

Especially for Sali...

Happy Friday,

Today's card is wasn't made especially for my Friend Sali however as I was making it I just thought wow this is so up Sali's street I hope I'm right!

I stared this one by using a background that I grabbed form my Demo bits box.  I made this one at the NEC using metal tape over the card and embossing it with the Rose Blooms embossing folder.  I then ran over the top with a permanent ink and, after drying,m I gently rubbed with a dry wet wipe to give this antique silver look to the background.  This was such a dramatic look I needed something strong to balance it.  I thought red and black and the brand new Exquisite Poppies die from Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions would be perfect for this.

Therefore the next thing I made up was a spray of the poppies, I cut these with Ruby foundation card and rubbed jet black archival ink, using a mini smoothie, over the edges of the petals to give some depth.  I added centres in black, again cut with fries in the set, and a pearl in the centre. All in all I made up 5 poppies of various sizes using three as the main element and another 2 to the top.  I cut the new Olive Branch foliage in black and arranged the poppies, along with a double sided red satin bow, on top.








I then cut the layers of the Geneva die in red and vintage silver and offset these with a silver frame.  I then cut a panel form the background using the centre outline die from the set and from mounted this above.  I then arranged the poppies and bow etc over this.

I then stamped the sentiment, from my pierced flags clear stamp set onto ruby card and cut it with the matching pierced flags die.  I added layers of the silver and black and positioned this behind the flower spry.

A very dramatic card that I ma sure will split opinion but it doesn't do to have them all looking the same lol!

Enjoy...

Lilac Wedding...

Happy Thursday,

Julia Watts is continuing her One Day Special today with the wedding collection designed by Becca Feeken for Spellbinders so I thought I would show you another of the samples I made for her show.  for this card I mixed in the fabulous Classic Elegance paper pad designed by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.

I stared by cutting the swirl strip panel three times down a piece of wisteria foundation card.  I backed this with coconut white card which I covered in double sided adhesive sheet and spread diamond sprinkles over the exposed adhesive.  This gives a gentle sparkling look thats just perfect for these soft colours.

Next I cut the swallowtail pennants using die 1 and die 3 for different pieces of the paper from the paper pack.  I then used die 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 together to sit 2 fames form wisteria card and placed these over the patterned shapes.  I used the waste for the centre of the smaller frame to make the sentiment stamping the many congratulations form my lily of the valley elements clear stamp set in watering can archival ink.
















I foam mounted these to the middle left of the card adding the sentiment across the card.  I made a messy bow using seam binding and a lilac thin satin ribbon ( from my stash) finishing with an organza rose ( leftover form my mixed media show) however I placed the bow the opposite way round to normal so that it hangs as show and look more delicate.

I finished the card using cosmic Pearl PVA dimensional glue to create all the Pearlage on the card.

Julia's shows  are on today at 9am, 12pm, 4pm and last chance at 7pm.

Enjoy...

Julia's Wedding Shows...

Happy Wednesday,

Julia Watts launches the One Day Special tonight on Hochanda with the wedding collection designed by Becca Feeken for Spellbinders.  I love Meccas work so I made some samples for the show for Julia .

As you can see I kind of went to town and made a sample pack for a whole wedding ( well Almost lol)I love the classic look of these in the gloss black and bright white foundation card.  I thought I would focus of the largest card and hopefully the most flexible today!

I stared this range by making the main invitation using the gloss black and the Spellbinders Filigree side pocket die.  I used the separate filigree section to cut into the gate fold piece of the card.

When opened the the invitation is visible at the back however there are 2 side pockets with the RSVP and evening invitation slid in.


















This is quite a complex card to look at but quite easy to make if you tune into the shows I am sure Julia will take you around all the parts and show in her demos how these dies work.

Debt forget to tune it at 8pm this evening either online at www.hochanda.com or on sky or Freesat.  Hochanda will be back on freeview on the 3rd may!

Enjoy...

More Pixies...

Happy Tuesday,

I seem to have gone on a little bit of a Pixie Powder kick at the moment!  I seem to have made so many backgrounds when demoing this I can't seem to stop making them into cards!  This is one I made for the recent demo at Samuel Taylors in Leeds.

Maggie in Lilac...

Happy Monday,

Another card today using a real mix of cosmic shimmer products and dies, this was so much fun to do!

I stared by making the Pixie Powder background using watercolour card I sprayed the card with water and gently dropped the Powders onto the surface, I used Purple Violet and Midnight Blue, I then sprayed more water onto it until all the colours burst out leaving an intense coloured background with Mica Highlights.  The thing I love about the Pixie Powders is the intensity of the colours as well as the fine Mica powder which leaves a beautiful shine.  I dried the sheet off ready for the next stage.












With this piece I cut the outline die form the Maggie frame and tag set and mounted the detail die cut in white over this.  Next I stamped the sentiment from my Lily of the Valley everyday sentiments set in jet black archival ink onto a scarp of the background.  I attached this to the centre of the Maggie die cut and surrounded it with pearls.












For the flowers I cut the complete petals dies from the Sweetheart flowers form more of the background paper.  I added the open petals cut in bright white on top, I then cut into the centre of each petal and then pinched the petals to make these spiky flowers.  I layers them up to make 2 separate flowers adding a stick on pearl in the centre of each.

For the background I embossed spice of bright white card with the Provencal lace A4 embossing folder.  I letterpressed the paper using perfect medium and then dusted graceful Lilac mica powder over the surface to make the soft shine on the backing.  Next I cut a long panel of bright white and cut the inside die form the New Zealand noble border down each side.

I added pearls strips across the top and bottom of this piece and made the card up as shown.

Enjoy...

Pixie Polish...

Happy Sunday,

A real mix of products and techniques for this weeks Creative Expressions blog inspiration this week.  I used the pixie Powders as well as the metallic gilding polish to make this background which even I admit is bright for me!

I made up a pixie powder background on watercolour card using Sun Yellow and Scarlet Mist.  Julia Watts has shot a you tube video on Pixie Powder techniques which should be on the Creative Expressions you tube channel soon.

I then embossed the piece using the eternal Ivy A4 embossing folder and gently rubbed over the embossed surface using Pearl Lustre metallic gilding polish.

I made up the flowers and the Maggie frames and tags die using bright white and the pixie powder background paper and added frames and yellow seam binding.

A quick post more detail on this technique tomorrow...

Enjoy...

Mixed Media...

Happy Saturday,

Well once again this is something very different for me I thought It would be nice to show the different stages of making the mixed media piece I made last Sunday on Hochanda.  I have also added some shots at the end of the other pieces I made on the show ( as I did promise I would show these when on air)  I know quite a few of you couldn't watch the show however as I'm sure you have heard by now Hochanda is retiring to Freeview early on the 3rd May.  The heat thing for me is that I have the first show as I am launching the One Day Special the evening before which means that I will be doing the 9am show for the return!

The show where I demoed this is still available to watch on catch up simple click HERE to see the show

Start by painting a stretched canvas with Black Gesso all over.  next Place the mask chose, I have used the That Special Touch flower bed mask here, on the edge and spread clear texture paste through this to make the pattern.  Repeat this until the whole edge of the canvas is cited.  next simply add large glass microbeads over the texture paste, they will only stick where there is texture paste meaning that when dry all you will see is the pattern marked out in glass beads.

Next Add the mask back over the dry area and colour the centres using Marigold Cosmic Shimmer metals lustre paint.  next remove the mask and using 2 further shades of the paint ( I used Blue Topaz and Peacock feathers) paint freehand over the flowers tomato then look shiny and metallic.

Next Add a select n of mixed media or found pieces, I used ribbon roses, lace, metal corners and metal watch face embellishments ( all from Creative Expressions)  Next cover everything with a coat of the black gesso and either leave to dry or dry with your heat gun!

Finally once dry, add layers of the metallic lustre paints at random until you achieve the look you want.  For the side of the canvas I simply brushed various colours of the paints from the centre out finishing with a thin smoothing layer of the Chocolate Gold.

Some thing different and if this is your thing its worth watching the show on catch up while you can.  remember all Hochanda shows are available for a week on catch up!

Enjoy...

Gilding Maggie....

Happy Friday,

Today's card was made up form some of the buts I brought back from a recent demo!  When demonstrating I always try to show everyone what they would like and always start by asking what people want to see.  This approach usually leads to me bringing lots of pieces home.  Well Today's card is made form my demo bits box!

The background is my Daisy Daisy A6 background stamp stamped with Flake and Glitter glue then gilded using Silver Moon Gilding flakes.  I love the way this shines and reflects the light whilst still maintaining all the detail in the text.  I cut this panel and matted it with Bright White foundation card adding a larger mat and layer of lilac and white.

Next I grabbed one of the mad=giie frames and tags I had cut and added a stamped sentiment using my lily of the valley everyday sentiments set in grey ink. I cut this out using the centre die from the maggie set.  I had this piece because I demoed how to shaded a stamped image whilst in the die using colour cloud blending ink.  I then added a messy bow and some of the small peonies cur form the point cluster die set with a black pearl in the centre of each.

Finally I added  layer embossed with the Treasure Box A4 embossing folder that I had highlighted with the pearl lustre metallic gilding polish and a few layers of lilac and white.

A  mix of ingredients however a quick card as it used up  pieces form my box!

Enjoy...

Classic Elegance...

Happy Thursday,

Today's card is one I made to highlight Sue Wilson's stunning paper pad the Classic Elegance collection.  I was lucky enough to get a copy of the Pad at the trade show launch and this is the card I made to show this off.

I stared by cutting the wisteria coloured pattern into a 6 x 6 square.  Next I cut a panel from the centre.  I cut the outline die form the Melbourne die set form the centre of this square.  I then cut a larger mat of bright white card and cut the filigree section from the Melbourne set.  I then backed this with the reverse of the paper ( using the section cut form the main square)

Next I cut the centre die in the set with the filigree onto which I had stamped the sentiment and shaded around the die cut using violet haze colour cloud blending ink.  I then threaded thin raisin ribbon around this shape and added some white PVA dimensional pearl drops around this.

I cut some of the complete pearl sweetheart flowers form scraps of the patterned paper and made up the flowers using the open petals cut in white card.  I arranged these around the centre panel along with some of the lace edged leaves shaded with the colour cloud.

I finished the piece by adding layers of the patterned paper, coconut white and amethyst foundation card and decadent grape PVA dimensional glue pearl dots.

Hopefully you will agree this is a classic use of the elegance paper lol

Enjoy...

Designed for me...

Happy Wednesday,





Well I have to admit that this die form the new range by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions wasn't designed for me however I just like to think it was as its perfect for me and my crafting.  I have already made so many cards with this one however I wanted to show this card that was the first I made as it just jumped out a me!










I stared this by cutting the shadow box stitched lattice background into periwinkle foundation card to make the first layer/.  next I cut the same lattice form coconut white foundation card, I then placed the die back into the cut area further along to extend the panel.  Next I offset the whole under the blue to create the argyle pattern shown.  Next I added a 3mm white pearl to the centre of each diamond lattice which, whilst time consuming, really highlights the beautiful stitch lines of the pattern.

Next I cut a coconut white stitched frame using the largest and smallest double stitched frames that come in the set and foam mounted this over the  lattice pattern.  I added a periwinkle backing layer and placed this onto an embossed layer, embossed with the Blossom Brocade A4 embossing folder, I highlighted the embossing with the Pearl Lustre metallic gilding polish ( this is so easy to use and quick really good if you have spent 10 minutes sticking on pearls lol)

I next cut the detail and outline dies from the Gillian frames and tags set and backed this with the periwinkle. I studded this with pearls and made up three of the elegant poppies in coconut white shaded with Clear Day Colour Cloud Blending ink.  I cut three centres and shaded these in the same way before adding these, with another pearl, in the centre of each flower and arranging these on the Gillian.

I stamped the sentiment in the colour cloud and cut it out with the medium sized pierced flags die.  I added some of the lace edged leaves a few layers of the periwinkle and coconut white and finished.

Enjoy...

New Sue...

Happy Tuesday,

Well it wouldn't be a new Sue Wilson die range launch if I didn't show some of the beautiful Stamps to die for that match.

I started with the new Sunny Nasturtium stamp to die for which matches the Antwerp die from the Belgian collection.  I stamped the image using perfect medium and heat embossed it with detail silver embossing powder from Cosmic Shimmer.  Next I coloured the flowers using my alcohol pens shading them by leaving the centres by leaving them white.  Next I used 2 shades of green to colour the leaves.  I then shaded around the edges and swirls using a light grey.

I had cut the centre of the stamped image and using the outside die form the Antwerp set i cut an aperture in a piece of periwinkle foundation card.  Next I cut a panel using the new double pierced background rectangles.  Whilst in the die I embossed the panel using the A4 embossing folder and highlighted the embossed area using the Pearl Lustre metallic gilding polish.


I added a strip of ribbon across the bottom and added a bow and pearls.  I added one of the new embellishments form the Always and forever collection from Craft Consortium.

For the background I cut one of the corners form the Belgian collection in coconut white card and added these to a layer behind the embossed panel.  I stamped the sentiment, from my primrose elements clear stamp set and shaded around this with clear day colour cloud blending ink.

A couple of layers of coconut white, periwinkle and deep blue finish the card.

More tomorrow,

Enjoy...

More Shows...

Happy Monday,


Just a quick note I have updated the next 2 months of Workshops and demos own the page above!


I hope you all enjoyed the shows yesterday on Hochanda and were able to tune in for them.  If not remember you can catch uno on any missed show on www.hochanda.com and clicking catch up, a full schedule is available on there.

Back to Today and here are a few more samples from the shows!  I will hopefully be demoing some of these today at 9am, 12pm, 4pm and last chance at 8pm.

Back tomorrow with my first card using the fabulous new collection of dies designed by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.

Deco Wallpaper...

Happy Sunday
,

Firstly thank you all for the wonderful support I received yesterday on my first altered art pieces.  I cant wait to try and get not too messy this afternoon at 5pm on Hochanda!

That said don't forget I am also launching the justrite stamps and dies One Day Special on Hochanda at 7pm as well, hopefully there will be time between shows to wash my hands and change!  Today's card is another of the demos I have prepped for the shows.  I really feel that this is very reminiscent of Victorian or early turn of the century ( I daren't say William Morris) wallpaper.

I used a collection of the stamps in the Lilies and butterflies clear stamp site along with Vintage labels 10 and the stitched oval and flourishes die set.  I also used a selection of the mini distress inks, that I have on the show, to do all the stamping with the new technique I learnt form Julia Watts of getting a soft shade on the stamps with these.

This will be demonstrated so tune in if you want more info on this and the triple stamping technique I used to make the card!

Remember you can catch Hochanda on Sky channel 663, Freest as well as online at www.hochanda.com.

Enjoy...