Too Much?!?

Happy Thursday,



I really have just one question for this one, is it too much??  I just can't make my mind up have I gone too far please let me know what you think!

I started by making the centre section I layered silver mirror card with cream card then added a double sided adhesive sheet over the top.  I then ran this piece through the GC this cut the adhesive sheet but didn't cut all the way through the card which meant I could remove the protective sheet on the adhesive allowing me to cover each section of the piece individually.








I peeled the cover off in sequence and used a selection of glitters and mica powders to colour each section.  Finally I removed the outline cover and used platinum mica over the while piece.  The silver mirror card gives a gold reflective base which shows the colours off well.

The remainder of the card is made to showcase the top piece however I have a feeling this is juts a little busy!








Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Calabria die set
Tied together embossing folder
Silver, Gold & burgundy cardstock
Mixed glitter & Mica powders
Patterned Tulle ribbon.


I keep looking at it and still not sure...

Enjoy...

It's a Sin!

Happy Tuesday,

Oh well in for a penny in for a pound as they say where I originally come from (South Yorkshire if anyone was wondering!) Since I bought three new die sets I had better get the most out of them! lol

Today's card is made using the Umbria die set, again from the Italian collection however this is made in a rarely used for me green.  I don't know why but this verdigris green just appealed to me when looking for a colour to showcase this die.











I started by letterpressing the Darice A4 embossing folder with sage green chalk ink then cutting the largest die from the set out from the centre to create the aperture.

Next I cut the largest die from the green card, i cut a circle from a sheet of cream card and mounted the green piece over the top.  Then I cut the centre die, which doesn't have an edge so gives a beautiful filigree effect, from green and mounted this over a sheet of cream into which I had cut a smaller circle.



The final circle die was cut and stamped with congratulations circle stamp then mounted behind the final aperture.  It is a little difficult to describe but this is a kind of tunnel card as each successively smaller die cut is mounted behind the larger one.


There are a few pearls and a little distress inking on the edges to give some definition.


Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Umbria die set
Darice Tumbling leaves embossing folder
Cream PMD cardstock
Green Lidl Cardstock.
Sage green distress ink
Circle stamp Crafters Companion Sentimentals

Hopefully you can get the idea from the pictures of how this one is constructed...

Enjoy...

I Don't do Green!

Happy Monday,


I've titled this post based on a conversation I had with Wendy a couple of weeks ago.  She said, when we were discussing summer cards and colours, you don't really do green or yellow do you?  That got me thinking I really don't do I?

Therefore I was determined to make a card in a nice soft apple green beloved by others but shunned by me.

I started with the green card which i embossed using the A4 Darice tumbling leaves embossing folder and lightly inked, to give some more definition, in moss green ink.  This is matted onto white then a forest green card.

I die cut the strip at the side using 2 of the dies from Spellbinders Bracket Borders 2, a filigree section and an edge.  I removed the edge die and inked through the filigree section with the moss green to give a softer edge.  The centre piece, used as a ribbon threader, is cut from spellbinders elegant labels four through which I threaded a soft and darker green ribbon.  This piece was foam mounted onto the die cut strip and a messy bow and hatpin added.

Finally I hand cut, and mounted to match, a banner and added the sentiment from Crafters Companion sentimentals range.

Does the green work for me, it's up to you to decide!

Enjoy...

Beige Home...

Happy Friday,

I had scheduled the posts for this week however I wasn't really happy with the posts so I have made replacements.  The original one for today may make an appearance in a couple of weeks when I am more confident in it! lol

Today's card is very simple and uses the new spellbinders Labels die (i forget which one sorry in a bit of a rush as this post is late!)

Simple square card with three sized apertures cut in.

Enjoy...

The Antidote...

Happy Tuesday,

Today I thought I would show an antidote to the Pink I showed yesterday lol!  Now I like pink as much as the next bloke which means not as much as other colours! lol

I love autumn shades, which I know is not everyone's taste, so today I have made a card in browns and beige's however I have lifted this with a little gold.  I'm hoping that the butterflies make up for the colour choice.

On reflection this week seems to be developing into ribbon week, today I have simply added a strip of ribbon to lift the brown and no bow!

The main focus of this card is the tonic butterfly die borrowed from Wendy next door.




I started by embossing a new crafters companion alphabet folder in the brown cardstock and rubbing gold pigment ink over the top.

The next layer is a gold mounted rectangle embossed in the same folder but not highlighted with the ink.  I inked the butterfly die cut with gingerbread chalk ink but it just doesn't show on the picture!

Hopefully the red background brightens this card.

Enjoy...

A wallet of smiles...

Happy Thursday,

Todays card is a money or gift voucher wallet, made in simple cream and pale blue and using up mainly scraps of card and pre cut die cuts.

I started by folding a piece of A4 cardstock (PMD Cream Hammered) into three the die cutting the scalloped edge using Spellbinders Scalloped Borders one.  I laid a scrap of pale blue card behind to show through the filigree sections.



Next I embossed the whole piece using a Darice tumbling leaves folder then simply added the topper in the middle on a sheet of cream card edged in blue.

I embossed a scrap of pale blue cardstock the same way and added this inside before sticking down the flap (2 cm fold)

Hopefully you can get the idea of this from the pictures!

Enjoy...

House of Cards Fifth Week Bonus Challenge

Happy Monday All!

Today being Monday yet still September means that there is a bonus week challenge over at House of Cards.  Each day the design team will be showing there own take on the following Inspiration photo...

















For this weeks challenge you need to create a card using this photo as inspiration.  You can choose any of the Standard Card styles we promote at House of Cards, Clean & Simple, Cute & Fun, Shabby & Chic and my specialisation Classic and Elegant.

The above card is my inspiration for this challenge, relatively simple looking but hopefully classic!

I started by embossing a piece of PMD linen card through the Tumbling Leaves A4 embossing folder by Darice, then cut the egg shaped aperture.  I rubbed Creative Expressions soft gold gilding wax over the embossing to mirror the gold stripes on the cloth in the inspiration picture.  Next I stamped and cut some simple Ivy leaves which I placed around the aperture.

Finally I gilded the cut out from the centre using Gold gilding flakes with a few silver ones thrown in for good measure.  I gently added a few flakes around the edge of the aperture as I felt this gave the impression of the leaves tumbling on the picture. The gilded panel was placed on the back of the inside card to show through.  A bow  and sentiment finish the piece.

It would be great to see a few of you take on this challenge, click here to see what the other design teams have come up with Today it is cute and fun inspiration!

Enjoy...

The Power of Blog!

Good Morning Crafty Friends,

Firstly thanx for your comments yesterday I certainly split opinions on this one!  I can see now why I didn't post it, sorry the link didn't work click HERE to see the card I actually posted! (Honest it works this time!)  For Maggie P, and anyone else who asked, when I say PMD card I am referring to Paper Mill Direct.  I sent a plee out amongst my readers and followers a few months ago for a supplier of card that would send to me here in Spain for a reasonable cost and PMD was the clear winner.

Todays card was made with a specific friend in mind, thankfully I asked Mr Next Door to choose one for her and this is the one he chose.  I'm not saying who it's for she will know when she receives it! lol

This is a quite simple card to make, firstly I ran a sheet of milk chocolate coloured card and ran the whole sheet through a Darice Embossing folder and gently rubbed Creative Expressions Pearl Moon Gilding wax over the raised sections.  This was folded into an A4 Card and I cut three of the centre panel dies from Spellbinders Radiant Rectangles to create 3 windows or apertures through to the inside back.  The die cuts from these apertures were then placed on the inside back of the card on top of a piece of rich brown card.  The picture shows what I mean here, hopefully!

To finish the front I simply added a strip of cream ribbon and a simple bow behind which I tucked 2 die cuts from the Joanna Sheen Signature range.  The apertures had acetate placed behind them to give a finished look.

To complete the inside I stamped, using versamark and gold embossing powder, the word friend from Do'crafts Love Letters. This was foam mounted and a further Ivy Flourish tucked behind and on top.



I have called this blog post The power of Blog as this card is intended for a friend I have made through my blogging, someone who is enthusiastic, honest,  critical and above all kind!

Enjoy...

Sweet Memories

Hello Lovely people!

Sorry for yesterdays quick post however I am hoping todays post will make up for it! 

Unusually for me there is a story to this one.  The chef at the bar I work in asked why I kept getting emails on my phone.  I explained about  my wonderful commenters and my blog and so had to show him that days post which was Patricia's shoes. He was impressed which I take as a great compliment as I rarely tell anyone about my Blog let alone show them! Steve asked if I would make an anniversary card for his partner Carol, however it mustn't say Wedding Anniversary!  I decided on the sentiment Sweet Memories as I thought this was perfect for the time they have spent together so far.  Hence this card was born.

The sentiment is actually on the tag of the box as I made this to have the writing on it by making a fold over tag.  There is space on the reverse of the card but the inside can't be written on.

The card base is a piece of PMD cream card folded in  half and cut to 14.5cm x 14.5cm to make a square top fold.  I then cut a square aperture out, by hand, 2cm in on each side and placed a piece of gold mirror board, embossed with Darice Tumbling leaves, on the back inside of the card.


The top is a cream die cut of Spellbinders Trellis die mounted over the aperture with a hand cut gold mirror card frame foam mounted above.  The centre element is made using a Laser Cut from Hobbycutz which I coloured using Creative Expressions Gilding wax's (travel purchase) in Pearl Moon, Patina and autumn gold.

I used an offcut of the tumbling leaves embossed mirror card for the centre and hand cut the leaves out to use behind a paper rose (another purchase) which I gently coloured with the patina coloured wax. 

Finally a heart shaped laser cut coloured with the Autumn Gold creative expressions gilding wax.  Sorry if this sounds over complicated!

Finally I threw a simple box together to house it and tied with a ribbon.  The tag is made with the side offcut from the main card cut down to 9cm long with simple stamping using a new set from Do'crafts love letters I think.

I am happy to report that Steve loved it and me and Mr Next Door have just enjoyed his steak and ale pie, plum Crumble and fudge Brownie in return lol.  Enjoy....We Did!

Home Sweet Home

Good Morning Lovely Blog Friends,

As you can guess by the title I'm Home in sunny Spain, bag is all unpacked craft stash laid out on bed and ideas flooding through the mind!  Strange as it may seem I've not really played with much yet as working Sunday Night however I did want to use the new Laser Cuts I received from Hobbycutz straight away.

This card was made using totally new ingredients and features the laser cuts perfectly.  I wanted to create a card to say thank you to all of you for the wonderfully caring and supportive comments and messages my mum and I received last Sunday.  Last night, when she was finally home and alone my Mum read through the memorial and messages which was very bitter sweet for her.  She wanted me to pass on how genuinely touched she was by everyone.  Therefore the sentiment 'Thanks for your Kindness' from Waltzing Mouse.

The card base is 18cm x 18cm with a piece of a new DCWV Serenity paper stack mounted onto gold mirror card.  Next I added a foam mounted strip of the same card, over a strip of cream ribbon, with a foam mounted piece of gold embossed with a new A4 Darise folder called tumbling leaves.  I then tucked three MDF laser cuts, from Hobbycutz, between each layer.  The die cuts can be coloured, embossed with powders, glittered etc. however I love the natural colour of these!








Finally a bow (new ribbon) the sentiment stamped onto mirror card with detail white embossing powder, and a heart shaped laser cut.

Simple but I feel effective!

Enjoy...