Vintage Friday...

Happy Friday,

It's Friday which means another new card made with Vintage dies and this week I've chosen the Belgian collection and just the Brussels die.  This card is made with just one die and one embossing folder ( if we exclude the flower lol)

I started by cutting the detail die twice in a 6" x 8" piece of ivory foundation card.  I backed this with velum and then periwinkle foundation card, this makes the colour softer and extends the shades available.  I then cut the die in full in ivory and backed this with velum before foam mounting it over periwinkle and placed it in the centre.

For the smaller die in the set I cut this three times in periwinkle and cut the shape in velum and ivory. I added the velum over the top and added ivory behind, again this softens the blue from the periwinkle.  I added these as shown adding the 2 side pieces under the main cut to look like a strip across the front.

I embossed a piece of velum using the A4 quilted flower embossing folder and spray glued this onto a piece of periwinkle before cutting to size and adding more mats and layers of the Ivory and Periwinkle.

Finally I added a hand made rose shaded with colour cloud blending ink and added this to a lace bow with thin stain ribbon and 3 hand made hat pins.

Enjoy...

More Nasturtiums...

Happy Thursday,

After yesterdays Nasturtium stamps along with the January's child I thought I would are a card today that shows the first appearance of the flower.  I used this first on a stamp to die for  designed for Sue Wilson.  I will have this stamp along with the matching die on my show Live form Ally Pally on Hochanda on the 17th September.

I used a collection of dies on this card and the background is made using my Kitchen Roll and pixie powder technique.  I coloured all of the card and paper using the Purple Violet, Midnight blue and Peacock green pixie powders.

I stamped the Sunny Nasturtium stamp to die for using Cosmic Shimmer ture white detail embossing powder and heat embossed it.  Next I cut the image out using the antwerp die and coloured the image using the pixie powders mixed with water to make a paint.

I cut the centre out of the image by hand ( fussy cut) and foam mounted this over the background.  I then made a set of fames using the double pierced ovals and background rectangles.  I used a further piece of the pixie powdered card behind the rectangular frame and framed the card with layers of french navy, black and white foundation card.

I made a bow of seam binding coloured with the same pixie powders and added a craft consortium embellishment in the centre with matching stick pins and metallic linx in silver.

A very rich and dark card that I know won't be to everyones taste but this could look so different in different colours!


Enjoy...

Thank you lily...

Happy Thursday,

Todays card is another one that looks complex but is relatively simple.  Just three colours a stamp and some gilding polish all the work is done by the dies and just 2 sets used on this card!


I started by making the panel at the pack by cutting the title gemini die just using one section and the cutting edge in bright white foundation card.  I rooted the die and cut the same pattern at the bottom.  Next I cut a larger black mat for the piece using just the matching outline die.  I mounted the white on the black and added 3mm what stick on pearls around the detail.

Next I made the main panel using just die number 1, 2 and 3 from the antwerp die set from the belgian collection.  I cut a solid back in white and stuck the blue filigreed panel on top.  Next I added back in die 3 from the set to cut the perfect centre to the panel.  I repeated this with another frame and rotated them together adding them together with faom tape.

I added strip of bluebird double sided satin ribbon across the white panel and aded the frames on top.

I stamped the thank you sentiment from my lily of the valley everyday sentiments set onto white card.  I cut it oust using one of the circle dies form the frames and tags collection although you could easily cut this by hand.  I mounted it offset on black circle and added it in the centre o the card with a messy bow made with white and bluebird ribbon.

I added the whole piece to an embossed panel, with the jacobean floral folder, in blue with pearl lustre metallic gilding polish over the top which picks out the embossed areas and alters the colour.


A few pearls in all 3 sizes ( 3mm, 5mm and 8mm) in white and some layers of blue, white and black to balance the stamping and finished.

Enjoy...

Pixies in Belgium...

Happy Wednesday,

The pixie powders have made another trip to Belgium this time popping up in the Belgium background.  This is a really easy card to make with an Art Deco look to it.

This is an easy card to make, I started by adding pixie powders in aqua lagoon and purple violet to wet watercolour card.  When dry I embossed it with the dotty daisy A4 embossing folder.  Next I used the Purple gilding polish to highlight the embossing

I then cut the Belgium background in black foundation card cut with a large border. I added the embossed panel.  Next I cut the centre out using the number 2 die in the set.  I then cut a black layer for this using die 2 and 3 and added this over the embossed panel.  I then cut the centre out using the final die in the set and matted this onto a piece of black cut form making the frame.

To make up the card I added the back panel to a white card blank then added the other layers simply rotating each panel.

Finally I added a knotted piece of seam binding that I coloured with the pixie powders ( i will be demoing this on my show on the 12th august!)

Enjoy...

Teal and Black...

Happy Tuesday,

Another sample form the shows a couple of weeks ago using the brilliant teal foundation card which I am always forgetting about! i love the way this works so well with the black and white a great way to revitalise black and white.

I stared by cutting the triple gemini die in order on teal, then the outline and detail in white with a black mat cut with just the outline.  Next I cut the first three dies in a piece of white and finished with the last outline in a further piece of teal.











I trimmed each piece of card making each piece slightly thinner to create the layers.

for the focal element I cut the bruges die in white and backed it with black.  next i layers up the detail dies in the set finishing with the stamped sentiment from my nasturtium everyday sentiments.

I finished with layers of teal black and an embossed layer of white.  I added black stick on pearls at the edges and used a couple of strips of teal and black seam binding to balance the bow.

enjoy...

Sweet Summer Flowers...

Happy Tuesday,

I thought that after such a nice day yesterday weather wise and as an antidote to the Christmas cards over the weekend I would show a card today using the Sweet Summer stamp to die for that matches the Belgian collection Antwerp die by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.  Hopefully the bright yellow and soft blue will invoke sunny clear blue days to come this month!

I stared this card by stamping the sweet summer stamp in watering can archival ink.  I then coloured the flowers and foliage using my watercolour pencils shading the flowers with different shades of yellow then going over the tip to blend these using my water brush.  I coloured the leaves in 2 shades of green but didn't water cover these to give mire definition.  Next I painted around the flowers using a soft blue which I shaded by adding the colour to a scrap piece of card and picked top the colour with the water brush to give a softer feel.  Finally I ran all around the border with a darker blue.

Next  cut the stamp to with the Antwerp die to make the frame and inserted a primrose foundation card centre cut with the centre section of the same die. adding a sentiment using the smallest pierced flags die.  I hand cut the matts on the flag and attached this under the frame and shaped this over the front.

Finally I added a panel embossed with the real checker board em,bossing panel which I embossed whilst the card was in the double pierced backgrounds rectangle die so that I maintained the piercing around the edge.  A few layers of blue and primrose and a bow and finished.

A light summery card for, Hopefully, a light summery day!

Enjoy...

Pixies in Brussels...

Happy Monday,

I had a great day yesterday tidying the craft cave which is one of the ways I like to relax lol Hopefully todays blog post is back to normal I don't know what happened yesterday but I believe it looked really strange!

Today's card is one I started at the demo day at Sew Simple in Norwich last weekend  I loved the look of this so much I decided to finish it at home.

This card is perfect to show the versatility and different techniques you can use with the Cosmic Simmer Pixie Powders.  I stared by lightly spraying a sheet of watercolour dead with water then added Purple Violet and Midnight Blue pixie powders over this.  Next I sprayed the hole sheet to make the colours burst and run.  I then added a sheet of velum over the top and took a print off, this spreads the colours between the 2 sheets giving extra value!

Once dry I embossed the velum sheet using the daisy dots embossing folder and brought out the pattern using Cosmic Shimmer pearl luster gilding polish over the top.  I used a small part of this for the centre panel of the card.

Next I cut the layers in the Belgium collection background in black foundation card and layered this over the watercolour card.  I then used the Equisite Poppies die to cut the petals from the remains coloured card however I layers them as shown to make the flowers look like iris's rather than poppies.  For the bow I mopped up the residue water and pixie powder with a piece of white string ribbon and when dry made a matching bow.

Finally the flowers were arranged around the card and I added a few layers of cobalt blue and black to frame the work.

A little bright for me but I love the colours and shine on this one,.

Enjoy...

Workshop Sunday...

Happy Sunday,

I'm still here in sunny Norwich at sew simple today we are doing a workshop of die cutting and Pixie Powders. I thought I would show a card I made just using the Belgian background and Peacock green and midnight blue oasis powders.  I love the simplicity of this card and the colours and shine you get from the Pixie Powders!

I have added a few pictures of this one as its so simple there isn't really need for instructions ( or am i being lazy as its getting late and I'm on hotel WiFi? lol

enjoy...

Something Different Saturday...

Happy Saturday,

Well its back to reality today as I am demoing at one of my favourite places Sew Simple in Norwich. I will also be running a series of workshops there on Sunday so pop in and say hi today or see if you can fit in tomorrow ( I belle its fully booked but you never know)

I thought Today I would show you one of the cards I will be demoing  using Sue Wilson's fabulous new range of dies as well as the Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powders and Gilding polishes.  This one uses nay absolute favourite the Stitched lattice background form the Shadow Box collection.


I stared by cutting the lattice in black foundation card I then cut the same die in rich red and I extended the pattern by putting the die back into the cut further along ( this is a favourite trick of mine that I always try to demo)

I offset the back trellis over the red and foam mounted this above.  I then cut a frame for the trellis using the smallest and largest stitched frames that come with the set and placed this above.

Next I cut a series of the equate poppies in watercolour card and soaked them in water.  I then shot Red Lava and midnight pixie powders over thesis to give the varied colours in the petals making the poppies, in my opinion, more realistic.  I made up the poppies and added a 3mm black pearl in the centre of each before arranging these with the olive branch die cut in Brunswick green foundation card.

To make the bow I soaked American seam binding in blue white with all the pixie powders that were left on my craft sheet.  This ,makes a shaded ribbon that matches as well as helping with clean up!

I made up some smaller poppies and placed these at the opposite corn to frame the lattice.

Finally I stamped the sentiment, from my Tulip elements clear stamp set ( this set is currently on offer on www.juliawattscrafts.co.uk) onto coconut white foundation card.  I then used the Belgium collection tags cut in red and black to cut this out and frame the sentiment.  I placed this in the centre , with mounting cushion of course) and added a couple more pearls.

A dramatic card but full of loads of techniques which always makes for an interesting demonstration.

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...