More Stamping Shows...

Happy Thursday,

If you were able to join me last night for the ,launch of the One Day Special on Hochanda I hope you enjoyed looking through the samples from my Language of Flowers collection as much as I did.  I know I have far too many samples but I have just loved working with these stamps!

I'm back today with shows at 9am, 12pm, 4pm and Final Call at 7pm.  I thought I would share a few more samples today if that ok!

these showcase the Honeysuckle and the Daisy as well as the circle sentiments which I have found so useful!

Enjoy...

Gold Spellbinders...

Happy Friday,

I hope you all don't mind but the shows this week mean that I haven't been able to finish the Vintage Friday for this week However I will post this on Sunday instead!

I thought I would share 2 more samples from this weeks Spellbinders shows starting with this card which was the last demo on last nights show so if you want to see how this one was made simply click on rewind for 7pm Thursday!

I used the Spellbinders Stripe swirl panel to make this the background and main panel is made using this die simply repeated for the background and used with the outline die for the main element.

The centrepiece is made up from the Lacework buttons and the d-lite heart die that was on the show.

The second card is made using the same panel this time cut into a gate fold card with the dot matrix embossing folder and baked peach colour cloud on the insert.  I used the medallion 6 D-lite die for the closure along with more of the lacework buttons.







Ingredients:
Spellbinders Swirl stripe panel
Spellbinders Lacework buttons
Spellbinders Medallion 6

Enjoy...

Saturday Colouring...

Happy Saturday,

I hope a few of you caught the launch of the Takeover Weekend on Hochanda last night!  Remember that the Creative Expressions team will continue taking over Hochanda all weekend till 8pm tomorrow night!

Back to today and another colouring Saturday, I choses one of my old stamp sets Tulips for this weeks card and a simple make where the image does all of the work.














I stamped the image in black onto Bright Whiote foundation card and coloured the image using Graphmaster pens in red ( sorry forgot to write the colours on the back Ill remember next week)  and I used as per Lisa Hortons training orange 23 over the top to make the reds shine.  I coloured the leaves using 2 shades of the green and a yellow and ran the warm grey 2 all around the edge of the flowers and frame.


I stamped the sentiment from the same stamp set into the ribbon and coloured it with warm grey 2, 4 and 6 however the shading on this hasn't worked as well as I would of wanted but thats part of learning!

To finish the card I cut the image out using the Sue Wilson double pierced background rectangle dies and col,lured around it using rose colour cloud blending ink and a smoothie.

I embossed a smaller piece of white card using the A4 vine embossing folder and coloured this with more of the colour cloud.  A few mats of black and red and I added the panels to a 7" x 7" white card blank.


If you are up early join me on Hochanda at 8am for a special Configurations offer show or at 9am for the One Day Special!


Enjoy...

In the pink...

Happy Thursday,

Another sample from this weeks shows with Couture Creations today and something lighter than yesterday and in pink!

I stared by cutting the wedding rose die three times in coconut white foundation card I shaded through the die with basil leaf colour cloud blending ink then coloured the rose using scarlet woman colour cloud.  I adde d a little more of the green and grouped the three together with a satin bow too make a bouquet.

I cut the scallop edge die four times using 2 placed together and adhered to velum for the backing of the
roses.  I shaded the reveres on this with more of the scarlet woman colour cloud and added this over a panel of embossed card.  I used the remaining 2 die cuts as closures over the edges of the card.

A few layers of raspberry and coconut white foundation card and a  couple of 8mm white pearls and finished.

Again a little different for me but I like the effect.

Enjoy...

Blue Monday...

Happy Monday,

As I have such a fondness for Blue I thought it might make sense to have the occasional Blue Monday featuring a card with my favourite colours.

Todays card is also a snake peak for my shows next Tuesday on Hochanda where I will be premiering the recent die release from Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.  Todays card uses some of the dies I have on the show.

I stated by cutting the Indian Ocean collection border strip across the bottom of a piece of icicle pearl foundation card.  I then used the outline die to cut just the bottom edge ( I will be demoing this technique on the shows next week)  Next I matted this onto a piece off cobalt foundation card again using the outline die to cut the shape.  Next I added a couple of strips of self adhesive pearls and mounted the panel onto an embossed background made using the pinpoint cross stitch embossing folder ( really one of my faves especially with the art deco Indian Ocean range)


I cut the Mauritius die in colblt using dies 1, 2 and 3 in  the set in cobalt and backed with more of the icicle pearl card studding 3mm white pearls where they seemed to fit.

I made up a spare of cape daises by cutting them in cobalt card and softening the edges and adding shading using a mini smoothie and white clouds colour cloud blending ink ( this works really well for toning down colour and making things look more realistic)

I used the smaller centre die twice in the middle of each flower and added white microbeads in the very middle.  Don't you just love the way these give a realistic centre! I added these to a bow made of tulle and leaves cut with the laced edged foliage die.

Finally a couple of stick pins a few layers of icicle and cobalt and finished.  very Blue but also very me!


Enjoy...

Winters child snowflakes...

Happy Wednesday,

I'm rushing to the airport today to pick up the wonderful Wendy as she's flying in from Spain to help out at the Crafting at Ally Pally show this weekend.  Therefore its a quick card today just some simple stamping and a quite interesting background technique.

I stated by making the background by adding the snow flurry mask to a piece of white foundation card.  I then spread polar white cosmic shimmer sparkle texture paste through this and let it dry ( about 2 hours to be sure).  Next I shaded around the piece using clear day colour cloud blending ink.  I shaded darker around the outside then lightened it as I got to the centre.  The sparkle texture paste resists the colour cloud blending ink and so shines in white!

Next I tend some bakers twine across the left hand side and added the stamped panel.  I cut an oval using the Geneva die set and stamped the stars ( from my Birthday seasons clear stamp set) in clear day colour cloud around the edges.  Next I stamped the poem from the same set in the centre.  I then over-stamped the stars and poem using Cobalt archival ink to give a shaded look.

Finally a few layers of coconut white and cobalt foundation card, a messy bow and a crystal charm from Craft Consortium in the centre and a couple of aqua stick pins.

Enjoy...

Simple Sunday...

Happy Sunday,

A simple card today that I demoed on Hochanda last week.  This is the monochrome version of the card I Posted earlier in the week.

















Click Here for the instructions from the other coloured version.  This card was made again using Colour Cloud bending ink however I used the Onyx Black, white clouds and Midnight clouds colours.

Enjoy...

Springs Child...

Happy Tuesday,

A simple die cut and stamped card for today featuring the Springs Child poem.

I created a set of frames using the Creative Expressions double pierced squares and set B. I used these to frame a piece of the Ivy Lace paper in soft Holly form my Christmas Shades paper pack ( I created this paper pad so that t could be used for Christmas or any time of the year)

Next I stamped the poem, from the Birthday Seasons clear stamp set, onto the backing from the pad which is shaded to look like you have used colour cloud in watering can Archival ink.

I cut 2 flags by hand using other pieces form the paper pad to match and shaded these with decadent bamboo colour cloud around the edges.

Next I cut the its and the herbs from the spellbinders herbs dies and shaded these with a smoothie and more of the colour cloud .

I made up the card as shown

Enjoy...

Shaded Trees...

Happy Monday,

Today I am demoing at Mountain Ash Crafts in Stourbridge so pop along if your around and need some entertaining on a Bank Holiday!

I thought I would share the original card That I was going to demo on my Hochanda shows last week.  However as we sold out of the colour clouds so quickly I changed the demo and thought it would be good to explain this one through instead.

I stared by shading a piece of coconut white foundation card in an ombre effect.  I used Natural Rosewood across the top.  Next I shaded from this to lighter using sunlit cedar.  Finally I shaded the final third of the card using Decadent Bamboo, this is a fabulous colour as it is brown or green depending on the light.

Next I embossed the piece using the silhouette tree pin point embossing folder.  I then ended lightly over the top to make the dots show in the original white.

Next I embossed a piece of dark roast coffee foundation card with the same folder. I then cut the embossed tree out using a pair of scissors ( this takes about 4 minutes so isn't as difficult as you would think)

I added the tree over the embossed panel using spray glue and added a stamped tag ( using the sentiment from the Autumn Wreath elements clear stamp set) and shaded around this using the colour cloud.

I stamped some of the leaves form the same set on card i had shaded with colour cloud and cut these out to form a focus around the tag.

Enjoy...

Autumns Child...

Happy Monday,

Well its sneak peek time this week and the launch of the Final set in my Birthday Year stamps I started in December, now don't worry I have an idea for next years set this time launching in November I think.  I love the way these have been able to collect over the year although I probably should have started each set a month later!

The stamps along with my Autumn range of stamps launch on Thursday night at 87pm exclusively on Hochanda as part of the Birthday week which is especially pertinent to me as I launched the very first One Day Special on there a year ago this weekend!

I have chosen a card showing the Autumn elements for todays post as I feel it really sums up the autumnal feel I was going for and is perfect for mens cards which always give us Crafters a hard time!

You may notice that the sentiment on this card is for Autumns child I have designed a new set that has a hand written poem for each season which should prove useful for this who sell their cards allowing a level of personalisation with a minimum 4 month shelf life.  There are poems nd sentiment for Spring, Summer, Autumn and winter!


Here on the back is the new background stamps, which I have to admit is a little different form my usual style however I love it its so flexible.


All the elements to make this card are available on the show and uses colour cloud and black archival ink for the stamping and colouring.


More details on the Autumns child set tomorrow!

Enjoy...

Keeping it simple...

Happy Sunday,

Day 2 in Darlington and a simple card for today just using the borders and flourishes set of clear stamps from my Christmas range.

I stamped the seasons Greating stamp around a frame made using the double pierced squares dies.  I shaded the edges using basil leafy colour cloud bending ink.  Next I stamped the solid ivy flourish corner around all four corners of a square cut with the double pierced squares.  Next I stamped the open ivy corner over the top to define the lines and make it look like I had coloured them in by hand.  I shaded around the square and added this to the card blank.

I stamped the star wreath form my elegant reindeer set in the Green gold sparkle embossing powder. I mounted the stamped frame over this and added t to the card blank.

Hopefully a simple quick card perfect for you batch cards!






IMPORTANT NOTE I have had loads of emails regarding the sticky and other embossing powders I have used I only use Cosmic Shimmer embossing powders so all instructions are for the use of these, different embossing powders (especially Sticky or bonding powders form other companies may work differently and I have no experience of them)

enjoy...

Christmas Friday...

Happy Friday,

I thought i'd blogged this card however i think i popped it on Facebook!  I have to admit that whilst this was originally designed as a Christmas card I would send it all year.

I stare by stamping the scripted rose background stamp using crimson kiss colour cloud I then shaded the stamped image to give the cloudy effect.  I cut this and mounted it onto a piece of white then antique gold foundation card.

For the wreath I sprayed water onto  piece of watercolour card and added candy pink and rich gold pixie powder and allowed it to spread creating the beautiful marbled pattern. Next I stamped the medium and smallest roses from my Christmas rose elements clear set.  I then cut these out with the matching dies and shed them on my stamping mat with a ball tool.

Next I cut the rose leaves from the same die set in antique gold card.  I arranged the leaves around a circle cut with the double pierced dies and arranged the roses over the spaces.


I simply mounted the wreath, with from tape, over the stamped background. I added cosmic shimmer dries clear glue in the centre of each rose and added gold microbeads.





I added a bow made form reversible pink satin ribbon and gold twine from my stash with a couple of Tim Holtz Christmas muse tokens on the end of each of the gold twine bow.


To make up the card I embossed a panel of white card with the star swirls embossing folder and shaded it lightly with more of the crimson kiss colour cloud.  A few layers of white and gold and finished.

Enjoy...

Christmas Sentiments for all...

Happy Saturday,

Before I get onto today's sneak peak I thought I should mention that I will be on stand P07 Today and tomorrow at Crafting Live at Doncaster racecourse!  I have a card on my Facebook today showing one of the demos I swill be doing with the Pixie Powders.














Back to today's sneak peak and today's set is designed to meet all the requirements we have at Christmas for our batch cards. The set is called Poinsettia Christmas Wishes and has frames ( that fit with the Greek die shape from Sue Wilson designs for Creative Expressions.

 A lovely lady at rainbow ribbons in Solihull asked if I could do a small  dad and Mum sentiment and that got me thinking there are so many relatives and combinations that just mum and dad wouldn't do. therefore I made a flexible set that covers all the relatives as well as their partners.  This means that you can make any relative and partner flexible or what and much needed these days.

I thought the best way to show this set was the set of 6 pillow boxes ( and its usual to make a box on Saturday) and the matching tags which would make, in my opinion anyway, perfect table payments and favour boxes for the Christmas table.











The boxes are, of course, made using 6 of the papers form my Christmas shades paper pack in the six colours.  I have also shaded each box using the matching colour cloud which are Crimson Kiss, Lemon Meringue, Basil Leaf, Plum Cobbler, Frosted Sky & Decadent Denim.  AS you all know I like to match my colours to existing cosmic shimmer products wherever possible as it makes it easier for all of us!

Enjoy...

One Day Special Win & Bonus...

Happy Wednesday,




I'm launching the One Day Special tonight at 8pm on Hochanda ( Freeview Channel 39, Sky 663 and online at www.hochanda.com) so I thought I would do a bonus post today and show 2 cards form tonight's shows let me know which one you prefer and I will demo it on the show!  Both Cards today are primarily made with just Bright White foundation card.

The first card is made  using Colour Cloud blending ink with a couple of different techniques that I will demo.  The rest of the card is made using the Australian background die and the stunning Maggie frames and tags dies ( got to be one of my favourites from this collection I just love the swirls and the dot details around the frame.  I also added a spray of the Sweetheart flowers and used the rose blooms embossing folder.

The second card is made using the Metallic Gilding polishes ( I will have the whole 12 on the show early warning these sold out in record time last time I had just 6 on!)  This card is again made using the same flowers and embossing folder 9 hows that for a variety of uses?!?) as well as bright white foundation card.

I have added a few more pictures so don't forget to tell me which card you prefer I will choose one comment at random and they will receive the demoed card!

See you at 8pm, Enjoy...