Vintage Blue Friday...

Happy Friday,

Back to Vintage Friday and a rhapsody in blue today lol.  I thought I would like to make a card that allowed me to create a rose as I haven't really tried for a long time and I was hoping to get it right, you will have to let me know what you think?

I stared by cutting the Caribbean background into a piece of coconut white foundation card using just the outline and one level of detail form the die.  I then added this to a piece of double sided adhesive and added diamond snow in the corners and Blue large mica flakes in the centre panel as shown.

Next I framed this using the noble double pierced background dies cut in coconut white and blue dusk.  I foam mounted the frame over the piece and then added stick on crystals to all the points in the centre oval.


 I then debated what to put in the centre as I wanted to feature the rose so I stamped the poem / sentiment from my Vintage Rose clear stamp set ( these will be on the One Day Special on Hochanda on April the 11th and 12th) onto a piece of coconut white and cut it out using the stitched banners die set backing this with a larger flag in the blue dusk.

I added this over the centre oval and added a messy bow of wrinkled edge ribbon in white and a hat pin form the Sue Wilson stick pin elements set.

I then added the rose on the centre over 2 of the rose leaves cut form the Christmas Rose set shaded with blue sky colour cloud blending ink.  The rose was made form various layers of coconut white petals / flowers cut form the Camellia complete petals set.  I shaded this with more of the sky blue colour cloud and added diamond snow to add some sparkle!

It would be great to hear what you think and whether I got the rose right?!?


Enjoy...

Blue Thursday?!?...

Happy Thursday,

I know its a day early for Blue but I couldn't resist this periwinkle card from the POD shows with Sue Wilson.  I think its the wide borders that appeal to me, one thing I usually say to people when I am demoing is the I like to frame my cards which is why they have so many layers.  I do feel that when you make a card you are making a piece of Art and as such you should frame it!  Speaking of demoing I will be updating my list of demo's as I have booked another range in independent craft shops and in the Strikes garden centres.  This weekend I will be in Astray Meadow Congleton, click HERE for details, at the Strikes garden centre demonstrating techniques in die cutting using the new range of Sue Wilson's dies for Creative Expressions.

Back to today's card and I wanted to try the technique that Julia Watts demonstrated on her Craft Clinic show last month however it doesn't show well on this card!  I used the letterpress technique with the embossing folder using perfect medium.  I then brushed pearl mica powder into the deboss areas to give a pearl sheen to the debased area.  I then added PVA pearls in cosmic pearl colour to highlight the flourishes on the embossing folder.

To make the topper I die cut the the St Kitts die set from the Caribbean Collection.  I used the largest and next sized outline die to cut a frame in the periwinkle.  I then used the same dies to make a frame using a piece of coconut white card that has a sheet of double sided adhesive attached to it.  I then die cut the filigree section in the set from the Blue frame and attached this to the adhesive frame.  I then brushed the same mica powder into the gaps so that the filigree has the same sheen.

I then cut the centre section of the die set in the periwinkle and white and layered them to make the centre section, I then rotated this and offset it as shown.

For the sentiment I cut 2 of the medium tags in the pierced tags set one in blue and one in white.  I stamped the sentiment, from my daisy chains clear stamp set, in black archival.  I then offset the blue tag behind (with foam tape) tied them with a thin strip of bluebird creative expressions ribbon and added it coming from the corner of the topper.

To finish I tied a double bow of the matching bluebird wide double sided satin ribbon and added a strip, for balance, along the embossed piece.  I filled one of the dazzler settings with summer blue PVA to give a mother of pearl finish.  to layer the card I added a couple of mats of Vintage gold foundation card which just balances the brass on the dazzler setting so that it doesn't stand out too much!






Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft dies by Sue Wilson
Caribbean St Kitts
Pierced tags
Coconut White, Periwinkle & vintage gold foundation card
Pearl PVA & Mica (cosmic Shimmer)
Blue bird double sided satin ribbon set

Enjoy...

P.S. yesterdays post has been update with the ingredients!

Demoing Again?...

Happy Saturday,

Once again today and tomorrow I am on my Happy Travels around the UK and one of my first forays into the south!  I will be at The Glitter Pot in Burgess Hill demoing the Amazing new Dies from Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.  I have been busy beavering away since their release yesterday to make samples and come up with some interesting demos using them.  So if you want to see my take on these then its worth popping down and saying Hi!




Back to today and I thought It might be fun to show one of the techniques I get asked for the most Sue Wilson's Fire and Ice.  When I demo in a store I always like to ask those attending what they want to see rather than just showing what I like!  This box was made a couple of weeks ago when I was at Daisies Jewels and Crafts in Coventry.  I used the fire and ice technique using Mulled Wine gilding flakes and Iced Snow (of course lol) over the Caribbean Collection background die.  For the stage, made with the tank you expressions die, I just used the Gilding flakes to give a comparison.  Hopefully you can see the difference between using just the fire and when you tone it with the ice!

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Caribbean Background
Thank you Expressions die
Coconut White foundation card
Mulled Wine gilding flakes
Iced Snow
Double Sided adhesive Sheets
White Seam binding

Enjoy...

Twisted Lilac...

Happy Thursday,

Just a quick message to all those wonderful Bloggers and followers who have asked about my stamp range.  The too talented Julia Watts has opened an online shop and is stocking them as well as a small stock of the Daisy Corner set form my first designs.  Julia is offering 10% off until the 4th May so give her a visit by clicking HERE.

I have called this card and post Twisted Lilac because I have used Sue's wonderful weaving dies however when framing the piece to make the card I have twisted the design so that the weave goes diagonally and not straight.

I stared by die cutting 2 each of the classic and striped weaving dies 2 classic in white and 2 striped in lilac foundation card.  IO then wove them together using the small strips from the striped set stuck over the individual pieces form the classic die.  This gives a different look and also allows you to make a different pattern.  I have been playing with these dies and have found that by altering the colours you can make paper versions of different fabrics (i am working on a Tartan for reveal next week I hope!)

To make the frame I die cut the Caribbean background using just the largest piece from the set (some of the more detailed background have been made in parts so that you can get maximum detail and flexibility) in coconut white foundation card.  Whilst in the die I cut the oval out using my craft knife by running it along the edge of the die.  This gives me the detailed frame with an oval aperture cut form the centre.  I trimmed around the piercing on the edge of the background die.  I mounted this onto a piece of the lilac card and again trimmed away the goal in the centre using my knife.  I always think it is fun to look at what else you can do with your ides and I often use some the the no cutting edges as a guide for cutting either by drawing around them or using them as a template to cut with my scalpel.

Next I added this frame of the woven pattern twisting the pattern so that I runs diagonally cutting off the excess around the edges.  I then simply added a couple of mats and layers of the coconut white and lilac  to frame this.

It make the sentiment panel I simply used the middle die from the pierced flags die set which doesn't have a cutting line of the straight edge and turned to die to cut a double ended flag.  I added some of the new CE self adhesive pearl strips in white however i cut between the 2 lines on the strip and added one strip to each side.  I then die cut the best wishes die in lilac card onto which I had added a piece of double sided adhesive sheet and sugared the finished cut with Iced snow.  To finish the card I added a piece of the lilac embossed with the CE A4 embossing folder fine finials onto which I rubbed enchanted gold gilding wax.  I then, as always, added a few layers of the same colours to frame the piece and finish the card.

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Weaving dies Classic and Striped
Caribbean background
Pierced Flags
Best Wishes expressions die
CE A4 embossing folder Fine Finials
Cosmic Shimmer enchanted gold gilding wax
Lilac & coconut white foundation card
Iced show

Enjoy...

Sunday Stamping Double...

Happy Sunday,

back to some nice stamping today and here I have featured one of the new Stamps to Die For form Creative expressions.  I was lucky enough to draw this stamp for Sue and as a die cutter the ability to stamp and image that fit exactly the dies is fantastic, I can merger both my loves, stamping and die cutting!

This image is called Cabbage Rose and is designed to fit in the outline die form the St Lucia die set meaning you can use it for apertures that can frame the image, as I have done in the first card.  Alternative you can use the die to cut your stamped image to mount it on the top of a card as I have in the second card or cut the image out for it to be mounted.

For this first card I have stamped the image in archival back ink then heat em,bossed it with detail clear embossing powder.  I then coloured the image using the new Mica Iridescent watercolour palettes using the carnival set.  I then cut and parterre using the outline die from the St Lucia die set in ruby red and foam mounted this over the top.  The reminder of the card is made using the same ruby foundation card, back foundation card and the border and corner, cut in the black, form the Greek Island set.

The second card is made in the alternate method I stamped the image, using just the Archival black ink directly onto ruby foundation card.  I then cut the image out and added Creative Expressions clear varnish Lacquer to give a raised effect.

I made the rest of the card by embossing another piece of the ruby with the A4 wild roses embossing folder.  I then rubbed midnight gilding wax over the surface and buffed it off with a dry wet wipe to soften the black and make it shine!

Finally I added a piece of the matching satin ribbon and a bow made with the narrow ribbon that comes in the set.  I added a couple of hat pins and a dazzler setting which I had filled with the clear lacquer.

A dramatic colour scheme and I know not everyone will like the Ruby and Black but its nice to see some brightness sometimes!


Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Caribbean Collection St Lucia
Stamps to Die for cabbage Rose
Creative Expressions A4 embossing folders Wild Roses
Ruby Red & Black foundation card
Midnight gilding wax
CE Clear Varnish Lacquer
CE Satin Ribbon pack Scarlet

Enjoy...

Sunday Stamping...

Happy Sunday,

It was brilliant to meet so many people yesterday at Daisies don't forget we are doing it all over again today!  Today's card is a simple stamped card perfect for a lazy sunday which I won't be having this week either!

I stated by stamping the rose trellis triplet stamp successively down a sheet of pink card from my stash with perfect medium.  I them dusted pearlescent mica powder across the stamped area.  Perfect medium makes the mica adhere to the stamped image and on a deep shade gives a beautiful shine as well as looking like a watermark.  I cut this piece into a panel and added it to a 18x18cm square of coconut white foundation card which I had matted onto vintage silver foundation card (I am kind of running a pink, white and silver theme this week as we all do when we get crafting!)


Next I stamped the rose bud from the rose bud elements stamp set on to the pink and heat set it with cosmic shimmer detail silver embossing powder adding a sentiment from the same set.  I then cut it out using the centre die from the Sue Wilson Caribbean collection background die.  I matted it onto a piece of silver foundation card and hand cut a border around it.

To make the medallion I die cut a piece of vintage silver foundation card and drew around the outside of the die as this die is an inset and doesn't cut around it.  It is then easy to cut the shape using a pair of scissors.  I then added this to a pice of the pink card and cut the pink card along the line of the silver. Finally I added PVA pearls around the frame, this die gives you a little circle to place the glue dots on which means you can't get them in the wrong place! A simple 21x21cm card blank with a layer of coconut white just finishes the piece.

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Caribbean collection Background
Creative Expressions Clear Stamps - Rosebud Elements by me! 
Cosmic Shimmer detail silver embossing powder
Cosmic Shimmer Deep Rose PVA Pearls
Vintage silver foundation card
Pink card from my stash!

Enjoy...

Another Box?...

Happy Thursday,

I thought after the positive comments I received on Monday and Tuesdays post it would be nice to show you the box I made in the demo last saturday that uses the fire and Ice technique.  I have to admit I love how the fire and Ice (Sue Wilson's technique) shines and sometimes hate to cover it and use it as just a background therefore I showed on this project how to make this into a simple box that packs a punch (IMHO that is!)





I ran through the technique for this on Monday and I know Sue has a video on this on her you tube channel, click on Sue blog link on the right panel of this page to have a look!

Ingredients:
Coconut White foundation card
Harvest Moon Gilding Flakes
Iced Snow
CE Double sided adhesive sheets
CE Craft Dies by Sue Wilson - Caribbean collection background

Enjoy...

Saturday Stamping...

Happy Saturday,

Its Saturday again and this week finds me demonstrating in another Garden centre this time in Carlisle, if you are near to Houghton Hall garden centre in Carlisle then pop in and say Hi I'm here all day form 10 until 4pm.  If you want to see the venue click HERE I will be showing loads of techniques using the brand new craft die range from Creative expressions designed by Sue Wilson.  I will also be showing some stamping using the new Cabbage Rose Stamp to Die for which Matches the St Lucia die in he new release.

Today's card is therefore made using one of my favourites form the stamps to die for the Cabbage rose design along with the Caribbean collection die set.  I started by stamping the image onto milk foundation card using Black archival ink  Next I coloured the image using Distress markers and stamped the sentiment (more news on the sentiment next week as It is a little sneak peak as it comes from a brand new range I am very pleased with!)  I then cut the image using the largest die in the st Lucia set and hand cut the centre around the foliage.

For the background I cut the Caribbean background die using just the largest die in the set in Blush foundation card.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre and foam mounted the stamped image above.  I finished the card with layers of coconut and blush (sounds like an eyeshadow palette doesn't it?!?) which had been embossed with the CE A4 embossing folder rambling blossoms.

Finally I added a strip of white seam binding and a messy bow and done.  Just some simple stamping and colouring can be presented into a pretty card.

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies for Sue Wilson
Caribbean background
St Lucia
Stamps to Die for Cabbage Rose
CE A4 embossing folder rambling Blossoms
Coconut White and Blush foundation card
White seam binding

Hopefully I will see or have seen some of you today in Carlisle!

Enjoy...