12 Days, Last Day...

Happy Friday,

Its the last day of the stamp giveaway remember just leave a comment telling me which is your favourite of today's cards to be i the draw!  I thought you might like ti see a couple of yesterdays show samples (and a demo piece) in more detail.

The first card is made using the Partridge in a pear tree stamp set, although it looks complex this is a simple card tout together.  I stared by stamping the main partridge square in jet black archival ink onto a square of coconut white foundation card in one corner.  Next I stamped three of the pears and one of the partridges (these come as separate elements in the stamp set) in jet black on rich red foundation card.  Next I fussy cut these out and foam mounted them on the partridge and hanging in the pear tree.


Next I added dots of white PVA pearl randomly over the whole piece to represent snow.  I tend a simple strip of the scarlet ribbon and red white bakers twine down the opposite side. I tied a knot in the two and added a large silver dazzler in the centre.


The second card was done as a demo on the first show yesterday, if you want to catch up with it then you can HERE on the create and craft website (shows are available to watch on catch up for 7 days)

This was made using the brand new Christmas mica watercolour palette form Cosmic Shimmer.  This sold out on the show however it will be back!

Enjoy...

Showtime...

Happy Thursday,

Don't forget I am launching my Christmas ranges today on Create and Craft at 9am and 2pm!  There are a couple of new products, such as the backgrounds and a new Christmas Watercolour palette.  The Mica watercolours are fad and, based on the last time I took these on C&C, should go quickly especially as the colours are fab!

I am showing 2 new cards today, both designed to be demonstrations so you will have to use in to see these I'm afraid.  I am, however still running the stamp draw so let me know which of today's cards you prefer to be in with a chance of winning a set and a background stamp.

 This first offering is made with a selection of my papers from the 12 days of Christmas paper pack as well as some of the Foundation card I have on the show ( I have put together a card pack that matches the colours perfectly.  I also used the sentimental bauble die from Sue Wilson's festive collection to make the 3D bauble shown.  This can be used for the front of a card or project or made into a 3D bauble or decoration for your home at Christmas.


The sentiment is form the Holly Tree elements stamps set and is stamped and embossed using silver shine embossing powder onto Rich Red foundation card.

This second card is made using the new Christmas watercolour mica palettes.  I used the beautiful green (again made to match the paper pack) to colour the tree.  I used the stitched hearts background stamp to make the background by stamping the image with perfect medium.  I then dusted over the top using Silver mica powder ( this comes in the silver set I have put together.  I have arranged 4 sets of Cosmic Shimmer products to make your Christmas projects easy.

Tune in for the demos and to see the samples!

Enjoy...x

Sue's on Create and Craft...

Happy Thursday,

Sue wilson is doing the One Day Wonder on Create and craft today at 4pm and 7pm (remember they are now on freeview channel 36 until late every day) so I thought I would give you a peak of the samples,  The first is one of the stamps to Die for that I designed for her for the Greek Collection that is featuring (along with loads of other stuff)

The first two are featuring the Kaefalonia die and the matching glazed tile which I stamped In perfect medium and heat embossed in Ture White detail embossing powder.  I added a few of the stunning cornflower die cuts to fame the stamped image (one of my faves as you can prob tell from the fact it's first!)

The remainder are samples showing dies form the show to whet your appetites!

Enjoy...

Day 6...

Happy Tuesday,

I'm starting to feel bad about these short posts I really hope you all don't think I'm just "phoning it in" lol

Today's card is hopefully giving you some sunny colours that will match the weather I hope you are all getting!  I have just checked and where I am on holiday the temperature is supposed to be over 45 degrees!

This is the last sample I made for Julia Watts and is again using the new collection form Couture Creations Whilst discussing Couture Creations I must say a quick Hi to Carol form Australia (which is where these dies come from) who should be home in Ox by now and brought me a beautiful paper based gift form there when she was over last month (I will be showing some creations with this later in the month)

Although it looks complex today's card is just a series of squares cut in the primrose card I had on my stamp shows in April and coconut white.  I let the die cuts do all the work on this one and just added some raw silk double sided satin ribbon around the back and a bow to balance (I know some will think this is a little large but it is a large 21 x 21 cm card!)

Enjoy...

Golden Gate Californian...

Happy Thursday,

Today's card is another demo piece form the US shows however I have used the stamp to die for as we'll as the shapes form the Californian collection for this, again small, card.

I started by stamping the Golden Gate Stamp to die for in perfect medium onto CE heat resistant acetate, I then embossed the piece with comic shimmer bright gold detail embossing powder.  Next I cut an aperture, in a piece of coconut white foundation card, using the largest die in the Basic frames set A form the Californian collection.  I mounted this over the acetate stupid piece and added a frame, cut in antique gold foundation card, made with the largest die in the decorative frames set and the largest die form the plain frames set.

Ive made the picture of the main piece quite large so that you can, hopefully, see the detail in the embossed stamping on the acetate as well as the iced snow behind the stamping.

The backing is a piece of CE double sided adhesive film that I added to a mat of vintage gold and sugared with iced snow.  I then foam mounted the centrepiece over this.

The centre of this card is made with a die cut from the smallest die in the Beverly Hills set stuck over the acetate and finished with an 8mm stick on pearl.

The bow, made using Sue's Classic bow die, is stamped with the Floral Bow stamp in true white detail embossing folder stamped onto vintage gold.  I made up both the loops you get in the set and the finishing ribbon 'tails' and added it to the bottom of the Beverly hills die cut.

To finish the card I added some small, 3mm, stick on pearls around the frame and mounted the whole piece on a couple of layers, layered with foam tape of course, of the white and gold.

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft dies by Sue Wilson
Californian Collection
Basic Frames set A
Decorative Frames set B
Beverly Hills die set
Classic bow
Stamps to Die for
Golden gate & Floral Bow
Cosmic Shimmer detail embossing powder, true white & bright gold
vintage gold & coconut white foundations card

Enjoy...

Greetings from the U.S of A ...

Happy Monday,

I don't eat today's title to be misleading I am not in America however today's card is one of the demo pieces I made for the shows I did on Create and craft U.S last weekend.  I was lucky enough to showcase Sue's dies form the first 2 releases so got to make and demonstrate my favourite dies form the collections.  I started, as those of you who have followed me for a while will know, with my favourite die from the first release the Californian background.

 If you scroll through my earlier pants form last year you will see so many designs made with this background!

Therefore for my first demo I had to use this one and to meet the Americans Love of smaller cards I limited myself to making one that was no bigger than A5 (approx 5"x7").

I started by die cutting the background using a piece of vellum which cuts like a dream, i studded it with 5mm stick on pearls in white and mounted it in  ahead cut frame made form cobalt and coconut white foundation card.  Next I used the Californian collection basic frames (set A) to cut a succession of frame sin the centre of pics of card alternating between white and blue for each size.  I foam mounted these going down in size and from mounted the fame and background above the apertures.  This is a different way to use a background I suppose as a foreground!

I added a few layers of the white and blue to make the card however I wrapped blue and white seam binding around the farm before adding it to the card.  I tied a double bow and added a pale blue dazzler to the centre before adding my sentiment panel.

It make the sentiment panel I stamps the sentiment, form an old just rite set, in cobalt archival ink and die cut it with the smallest die in the frames set.  I shade the piece in the die using broken china distress ink and my favourite smoothie!  I mounted this one a die cut in the cobalt form the decorate frames (set B) added a pearl and foam mounted this onto the centre of the card.

A relatively simple card however I like the way that the background is the foreground however cut in vellum all the work behind is still visible.





Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft dies by Sue Wilson
Californian collection Frames (set A)
Decorative Frames (set B)
Cobalt and Coconut white foundation card
White Vellum
Stick on pearls, 5mm white
Blue & white seam binding
Blue mixed dazzler pack.

Enjoy...

Stamp Away...

Happy Tuesday!,

Today is the day of my shows on Create and Craft launching my second release of stamps so if you are around (or have taken a day off to compliment yesterdays Bank Holiday lol) tune in at 8am and 3pm.

Today I am showing the main element form the Cherry Blossom set stamped and embossed in true white detail embossing powder set against a square made from the New York collection background.  I know I have featured this card before so there will be a boss post around lunchtime with shots form the show samples so check back!

I have loads of demo's prepared and quite a few feature the Cherry blossom set as I find it so versatile with, once again, all the elements included in the set to allow you to put together your own designs.


Enjoy...

Another Chance...

Happy Sunday,

Don't forget I am here at The Glitter Pot in burgess Hill again today so theres another chance to pop and say hi!  I met some lovely people yesterday and hopefully gave some help and advice as I know I picked up some great tips for the others demonstrating (there are 6 of us hard at it at any one time!)

I had a great time meeting some of my lovely blog family as well as so many new people and picking their brains for ideas!

Today is a quick pots using one of my new stamp sets as a preview for my shows on Create and Craft this coming Tuesday.  I have used my Flower Hearts Elements stamp set and detail silver embossing powder on lilac card.

A simple card for simple, stamping, Sunday!

Enjoy...

Something Different Saturday...

Happy Saturday,

Today will find me demonstrating in Blackpool, somewhere I remember which much fondness from being a kid! lol  I will be in the Strikes Garden Centre in Thornton-Clevleys, for more information and the address click HERE.  It would be great if you are in the vicinity if you popped in and said hi! Also I wanted to correct my thank form yesterday, Mrs Duck was my glamorous assistant and was so helpful I can't believe I didn't say thank you publicly!

Back to toady and time for something different and I thought you might like a close up of the box and card I made on Ideal World on Wednesday, if you want to see how this is made simply look on ideal world.tv for the catch up show.

I love making boxes for my cards and making card sets and this Noble die, the ornate pierced square noble, is brilliant for this as it can be used as I have here to make a box and also the cards that match.

I used the smallest square from the die set to make the cards with the centre filigree section as well as using this filigree section to make the box.  I then used the cornflower die, the largest 3 sizes, to make the sugared flowers.  I did this by adding a sheet of Creative Expressions double sided adhesive to a piece of the lilac foundation card before cutting the flowers.  I cut all of the flowers twice, removed the backing sheet and placed 2 of each size of flower off sett to make the flowers.

I then added a liberal sprinkling of Iced snow, this gives the flowers almost a crystallised look, though I wouldn't suggest eating them!  To add the the luxurious feel I added a couple of the splendid swirls cut in coconut white foundation card and some of the new coloured dazzlers, form the pinks set, as the centres of the flowers.

Hopefully you saw this made or can catch it on cat up!




Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Ornate Pierced Noble square set
Cornflowers
Splendid Swirls
CE double sided adhesive sheets
Lilac & Coconut white foundation card
Iced snow
Pink small dazzler set (there are 3 sizes in 4 colours in each set)

Enjoy...

More Demonstrating!

Happy Wednesday Afternoon!

I thought I would put out an additional post today just to highlight my last show on Ideal / Create and Craft and show another sample showing the products Sue has selected for her Pick of the Day.  I will be back on at 4pm!  I hope you have all enjoyed what you have seen so far, Sue has shown us some wonderful techniques and ideas again!


I thought you might like to see one of the cards I made using the pick Of the Day range, this one is from the greek collection and I have teamed it with the new Larger Mica Flakes in Myrtle green.  I love these flakes as its another way to make plain white card shine and have another texture.
See You Soon,

John x

How Many samples?...

Happy Tuesday,

Todays card is another for my many samples for the shows today and tomorrow with the Great Sie Wilson on Create and Craft.  They come form the pick of the day show which launches at 9pm tonight!  Tune in on Ideal world to take a look at the stunning samples and techniques Sue has for us all.  I will be guesting the 11pm hour so if you can stay up it would be great if you could email in so I know i'm not the only one up after bedtime!

Those of you who have me on their Facebook (Johnathan Lockwood if you want to friend me) will have seen a sneak peak of this card last Friday as I showed this at my demo days at Daisies jewels and crafts in Coventry.  This is my first go at a shaker card!  to find out how to make it then you will have to tine in as this is a demo piece I am hoping to do sometime over the 2 days.

The card colours I have used are available in one of the card packs we have on the show which contains my favourite set of Blues and aqua!

The sentiment is form my new Daffodil set which will be featured on Create and Craft on the 5th May.  These should also be available elsewhere I will let you know as soon as I do!?!

and to answer the question in the title I have counted and there are 60 samples so far!...

Enjoy...

Sneak Peak Monday...

Happy Monday,
I had a great weekend at daisies in Coventry, if you missed the demo weekend I have added a page to my blog listing where I am planned to be!  Just click on the Workshop and Demo day page above!

I thought it was time I stared to show some of the 50+ cards I have made for the Pick of the Day shows tomorrow on Create and Craft with Sue Wilson.  I feel really honoured to get to do some of the hours on Sue's shows so have probably made too many samples!  I have also prepped at least 12 demo's so there is a good choice I don't think Sue and I will get through them all somehow, especially as I know Sue has so many different things and demos to show us all!

Today's card is using my favourite from the Stamps to die for the current range the Glazed Tile stamp, I think its the repeating pattern that just cries out to be heat embossed and cut out with the matching Kefalonia Die from the Greek Collection.  I stared this card by stamping the image onto periwinkle foundation card and heat set it with true white detail embossing powder.  I then cut it out with the outline die form the Kefalonia set.  I then added a piece of the blue cut with the centre die from the set and added the sentiment, from my butterfly dreams set, stamped onto the Greek collection tag.

Next I cut the Greek border from the periwinkle and placed it onto wider strip of coconut white foundation card onto which I had put a strip pf Creative Expressions double sided adhesive sheet. I filled in the gap with the new large size of Mica Flakes in Midnight Blue which gives a stunning variation of shades and adds a really nice level of detail to the die cut rather than just a solid colour.


To make the card I embossed a piece of the white card using the scored lines 8x8 embossing folder however i cut this down to make a rectangular piece rather than the square.  I added the border and the stamped and die cut topper along with a seam binding bow.

A few layers of the blue and white and the card is finished.  Hopefully you can get the idea of cutting down the embossing folder from this picture.  I really like the way that the scored lines seem to point to the centre panel at the top, focusing the eye on the sentiment!

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Greek collection Corner, Border & Tag set
Kefalonia set
Butterfly dreams stamp set by me
Cosmic Shimmer True white detail embossing powder
Cosmic Shimmer Midnight Mica Flakes
Periwinkle and Coconut white foundation card
Seam Binding.

Enjoy...

What more decoupage?...

Happy Wednesday,

Well its more samples from todays shows featuring some lovely papers from Craft Consortium, storage items and MDF bits!

I thought it might be fun today to show you our kitchen table!  Now this may be strange but the reason is that the other Sunday Mr ND decided that wouldn't the table look nice if he decoupaged it with  the Blue Dots decoupage paper from Craft consortium.  I decided it was a great idea as long as I didn't have to do it!  Therefore MR ND did it all by himself!

I thought It would be fun to show the techniques used especially as for once I was able total the pics but not do the work!

The table was a round high gloss table to start with.  The psheets of the Craft Consortium blue dots paper was torn into random sized pieces.

Next Mr ND painted an area of the table with Cosmic Shimmer glossy Glue, Seal and glaze.  Then he added the torn pieces to the glued area and coated them in a layer of the glaze.  To make the random pattern the pieces were simply added randomly sealing over each pice as added.

Ays can see form this pic the table was covered rather quickly with this method, in fact it was all finished in just under an hour!


Finally he added pieces around the edges and simply sanded off the excess which ives a really south finish on the edges.

Wallowed it to dry for an hour then added another layer of the glue, seal and glaze.  This has meant that we have wiped and polished it and no marks!!!

I did say last time I did a show with these papers that it is very addictive, the table was not enough and soon a tray was covered to match.  I gave up when he started asking for vases and anything else he could cover!

Hopefully some of you can tine in today at either 10am or 1pm on Create and craft and I will demo the techniques used as well as show you a whole range of these papers there are some amazing designs perfect for covering any items.

Enjoy...

Monday Giveaway!

Happy Monday,

Today's giveaway features my all time favourite Sentiment which is why I had to have a large version of it in my first release of stamps!  This sentiment is taken from the Lotus frames and sentiments elements set from Creative Expressions.  Here I have tied it with Spellbinders Labels 42 and Labels 42 decorative elements.  These spellbinders dies are the ones I had on the show for my stamp release which is why they have been featured a lot recently.  I am feverishly working away with Sue's dies for something in April,  so there will be some (for that read quite a lot) of these featured later in the month.

Back to today's card, I started by stamping the sentiment, which as I said is one of my personal faves as it is really true, in black archival onto coconut white card and cutting it out with labels 42.  Next I inked through the dies using stormy sky distress ink.  Next I cut another label the same size and inked this one in black soot, very lightly, to give a contrast and make the sentiment 'pop'. I then cut 2 of the largest dies in the decorative accents in aqua foundation card and matted the 4 die cut together rotating them 90' each time within foam tape.





To make the card up I made a card blank at 21x21cm in aqua and added a few layers of White and aqua making each layer 1/2 a cm smaller each time.  I ran a square of the coconut white card through the quilted flower embossing folder and added this.

To finish the central element I made a square mat at 16.5x16.5cm in aqua and added a 16x16cm panel.  I then  tied a strip of zircon seam binding around it twice and added the sentiment panel on the top. Finally I added a messy bow, which is made in a similar manner as my double bow which is featured on my video tutorials page, a pearl spray and small pearl embellishment to finish.

If you would like to win this card simply comment, either on my blog or by email and I will randomly select a winner.  The winner of last weeks card was sent in by email and was Christine, if you would like to email me on lockers@live.co.uk with your address I will send this out to you.  I have also managed to but a set of my stamps for the giveaway so they will be posted out today!

Finally I will be back on your screens on Wednesday at 10 and 2 it would be great if you could tune in.  I will be featuring the return of the Craft storage items and yes the glue stand will be back in stock!  also there are some new packs of the stunning decoupage papers as well as some new combinations and smaller sets.  I will also be featuring some of my stamp sets so there is a chance for you see some more of these!!

Enjoy...

Wish me luck...

Happy Saturday,

Well today is the launch of my stamp sets on Create and craft, it would be great if you could tune in I've got some great demo's lined up (well I think so I hope you do too!)  I thought I would just do a review of the main panels in the sets  today as its getting late (Im writing this on Friday night) as I'm waiting for some PVA pearls to dry then Im done!

Todays shows are on at 10am and 4pm so its an early start!

More tomorrow,

Enjoy...