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...

Its not blue...

Happy Tuesday,

I've been on my travels again this weekend visiting the lovely Crafty Knits in Chorley as well as spending a day in the brilliant Craft Barn in Redhill I meant a wonderful bunch of people in both locations and had a great weekend!


I'm sorry to ask this again but is it too dark? lol  I made this card after the dark one from last week (I do tend to make cards in series using the same range of colours as you may be able to tell form my Blue fetish!)

I cut and embossed the Greek Island collection background in taupe card and inked over the embossing with shabby shutters distress ink and a smoothie (which are back in stock yay!)  I then used Vintage photo on the trellis to give some definition and foam mounted the piece over a mat of the taupe card.

I edged the piece with more of the vintage photo then layered it with a piece of Brunswick green foundation card that I embossed with the A4 rambling blossoms embossing folder from CE.

Next I cut one of the Greek island collection borders in the green and ran it down the left hand side.  Next I cut the Best Wishes expressions die in the green and the taupe and using spray glue, offset them with the taupe on top so that a shadow is given around the words.  I mounted this onto a shaded piece of taupe cut with one of the shapes in the Greek island collection and finished.

The question is again is this a little dark, this is the last of my current shaded dark cards and I really want to know if I should start another series? lol

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Greek Island collection background
Border corner and tag set
Rhodes die set
best Wishes expressions die
Distress ink in Shabby shutters and vintage photo
Brunswick green and taupe foundation card

Enjoy...

Tied in a knot...

Happy Monday,

Today's card is blue and white again however a different technique as I have used the frames I made using the dies in the Rhodes die set form the Greek Island collection.  Again it was a demo card so I really hope you managed to catch the show as this is easy to show but hard to explain!

I made frames using the largest and next outline die form the Rhodes set 4 times twice in blue and twice in white. I then added the filigree section that fits within the frames and cut this once in blue and once in white.  I layer them together to make 2 frames that are mirror images with one white on blue and one blue on white?!?

next I made a cut in one of the frames (hidden by the ribbon and bow) and twisted the frames together to give this knot look where they appear to be tied over and under each other (this is the difficult bit to explain!)  I then threaded a piece of the bluebird satin ribbon through this knot and added a large bow, tied in the same ribbon, a blue dazzler and a couple of stick pins ~I made to match using Sue's stick pin elements.

To make up the card I made a set of layers in embossed card plain card and Pearl corners.  I shared the embossing with summer blue gilding wax to match and polished it off using a dry wet wipe.

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft dies by Sue Wilson
Greek island collection Rhodes
CE Embossing folders 
Scored lines 8x8"
sparkle square 5 x 7" 
Summer blue gilding wax
Bluebird stain ribbon pack
Blue dazzler & stick pins from CE

Enjoy...

Blue Friday...

Happy Friday,

I know there has been a lot of blue this week but I couldn't let Friday pass without showing another blue card.  This is another of the demo cards I did however this was for the Pick of the Day show on Ideal World and Create and craft as few weeks ago.  I thought I had posted this one but I guess not as I can't find it lol  If you have spotted it before please let me know!

I stared by die cutting the classic weaving die out of coconut white foundation card however this time I placed the die back on the card further along to extend the lines.  The great beauty of this die is that it doesn't have a cutting edge at the bottom so by slotting the die back into the cut lines further on you can make the strips as long as you need.

Next I cut 2 sets of the classic die in periwinkle blue card and simple wove the 2 colours together to make this longer panel of the weaving.  I hand cut an aperture in a square (18x18cm) of coconut white card then embossed it with the A4 fine finials embossing folder.  I simply rubbed enchanted gold gilding wax over the raised are and polished it off with a dry wet wipe.

It make the centre element I cut a piece of periwinkle using the santorini die I used the largest and the filigree section to cut this then cut a piece of the white using just the largest die to make a mat.  I cut the next outline down in the set in coconut white and stamped the sentiment, form my cherry blossom stamp set, in the centre

I made a cut on each side of the piece and threaded a length of bluebird satin ribbon through like a buckle and foam mounted this onto the front.

To finish the card I added PVA pearls using the summer blue cosmic shimmer and added a few mats of the blue and white to make a 21 x 21cm card finished size.

I also used this technique of extending the weaving for tomorrows project and the great news is it isn't in blue! lol

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft dies by Sue Wilson 
Greek Island collection Santorini
Classic Weaving die
Periwinkle & coconut white foundation card
Cosmic Shimmer summer blue PVA
bluebird satin ribbon pack
Enchanted gold gilding wax

Enjoy...

A little dark?!?...

Happy Tuesday,


Well today's question is is this a little dark?  I really enjoyed getting my, limited. grungy side out for this card as well as some stamping with one of my favourite stamps.  I have had this stamp for years and was one of my first purchases form Creative Expressions the text background stamp.

I started by stamping the text stamp. in black archival ink, three times twice in a row down a piece of coconut white foundation card and once as a single panel.  Next I cut these out, by hand!, and inked the edges using vintage photo distress ink to age the pieces.  I mounted both of these onto thin matts of black card so that the black stamping was balanced and framed.  Next I die cut the Greek Island collection border form chestnut foundation card and added it over a piece of black seem binding I had tied on the edge of each panel.





For the centre panel I cut a piece of the border down however I added some of the leaves behind the panel just popping out.  I then die cut the Enjoy expressions die form black card and mounted this along the bottom edge.

TO make up the card I embossed a piece of card using the A4 knotted trellis embossing folder and again distressed it using the vintage photo distress ink.  I again mounted this onto back card and added it to a large piece of card (sorry I didn't measure this one however its got to be just short of A4 card!)

To add balance die cut the corner form the Greek island collection and added this in the bottom corner.

Let me know what you think is this too dark and distress for me?

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Greek Island Corner, border and Tags
Enjoy Expressions die
A6 text background unmounted stamp by Creative Expressions

Enjoy...

Greece in Lilac...

Happy Thursday,

I thought I should lighten things up and give a proper description for this card.  I had tried to put a link on yesterday to the demo of the card I made to the C&C America site but sorry it just didn't work!

I started with lilac foundation card and the Santorini die from the Greek Island collection.  I cut cot the first piece using the outside and inside die form the set and used the filigree section as well to make the detailed frame.  Next I cut a plain mat using the outside die in coconut white card  I then stuck the frame over the top and placed the next detailed filigree die in the space (by adding the frame first it allows you to place the next die in the exact place.  I die cut this and then added the sentiment, stamped on lilac card and cut with the centre die, with foam tape on top.

Next I foam mounted the piece over a mat again cut with the outline die in lilac however I mounted this with 2 layers of foam tape for extra depth adding a strip of orchid ribbon between the layers.





I embossed a piece of coconut card using the fine finials embossing folder and rubbed enchanted gold gilding wax over the raised area.  I buffed off the wax with a dry wet wipe to shine upon the piece.  I made a frame using a piece of lilac and white card and floated the centre piece over the aperture.  I then foam mounted this over the embossed piece and added a double bow, in the same matching ribbon, and added a couple of stick pins I made using pearls from the new stick pins elements set and a lilac dazzler.

Finally I mounted the whole piece onto a couple of layers of lilac and white.

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions craft dies by Sue Wilson
Santorini
Lilac and coconut white foundation card
Orchid double sided satin ribbon
stick pin elements 
CE A4 embossing folder fine finials

Enjoy...

Blue Friday...

Happy Friday,

After Blue Thursday I couldn't not show blue today even though I should of changed the colour!  Todays card is made as a team effort at my demo in Strikes garden centre in Blackpool.  The ladies were asking me how to apply the pearl PVA in dots so I cut the Lattice diagonal die (as it has a perfect place for the pearl dots join the lattice, and got them to do a row each!  I think they did very well and as you can see for the card got better with each row.  I didn't want to waste their hard work so I made the piece into this card whilst there!

I used the same etchniqure as yesterday to make the frame however this time I didn't add the double sided adhesive I just cut a blue filigreed frame and a plain coconut white frame and set them on top of each other.  I then cut the smallest die and filigree section from the die set and set this in the centre adding foam tape to each panel.

I die cut the smallest frame die in the set in the sky blue without the filigree section and stamped the sentiment, from my butterfly dreams clear stamp set, in black archival ink.  I made a frame using the outside die and the insert and added this above.

next I embossed a piece of coconut white card using the new fantails A5 sized embossing folder.  This was to show how this folder can be extended to cover a larger piece.  I rubbed pearl moon gilding wax over the piece and added it rot a card base made with layers of the sky blue and coconut white.

Finally I added a messy bow, made with the help of 2 fingers form one of the ladies, and added it with a dazzler over the lattice.

I hope you don't mind me showing this group effort!

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Greek Island collection Rhodes
lattice Diagonal
JL stamps butterfly Dreams
Sky Blue & coconut white foundation card
pearl moon gilding wax
cosmic Shimmer pearl PVA

I am starting on a heavy weekend today by filming at Create and Craft for their US channel,  I am doing the weekender on for the U.S. tonight, tomorrow night and Sunday night along with a demo at the strikes garden centre in Congleton tomorrow, so wish me luck! lol

Enjoy...

Woven Purple?!?...

Happy Tuesday,

heres another card from the POD shows and I don't think this one even made it to your screens as it was on a shelf in the background of the set.

I know I have made a load of cards with the weaving dies but I just loved playing with them to see what different weaves I could come up with and what colours would work!  A dark shade for me however i really think it works somehow in this rich purple colour!

I started by making a hinged card using the outside die from the classic adorned rectangle die set from Sue Wilson.  I then used the deboss (you may have noticed last week that spell check wants to change deboss to debs!) and letterpresses the front of the card using seedless preserve distress ink which just frames the weaving beautifully (IMHO) lol

To make the centre panel I wove together the pieces from the striped weaving die set which I cut so that there are 2 strips together with an aperture in the centre.

The centrepiece is made form more of the lilac, Mauve and coconut white foundation card layered up after being cut with the outline dies form the Greek Island collection (the great thing about this collection as with all of them the outline dies match to give different layers.

Ingredients:
card Size A5
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Classic Adorned Rectangle noble die
Striped weaving die
Greek Island collection 


Tag Team Crafting!

Julia Watts and I are planning some tag team crafting events where we hand off to each other.  The first one is on the 28th May at CE Towers in `Kettering, I am doing the morning workshop with this card with Julia picking up the afternoon with this card:-

 If you are interested in either or both of these workshops then please Email Tracey@creative-expressions.uk.com for details.  We have also agreed to do some workshops in Loughborough (near Leicester) at Thats Really Crafty in July and August with new projects and cards, details to follow!

Enjoy...

Blue Monday...

Happy Monday,
I wanted to say thank you to the lovely people of Blackpool I had a fab time on Saturday.  Please remember if you want to know where I will be popping up next just check the demo page at the top of my blog.  I will be at the Glitter Pot next weekend for 2 days showing more of my die cut demos as well as some stamping and premiering the new Colour Cloud blending inks that Creative Expressions have been beavering away on for the last few months, come and say Hi if you want to see what I am waffling about!

After the brightness of yesterday I thought it would be nice to show something in my favourite colour, Blue of course! lol  I have also been asked on email if I could show this card in more detail as It wasn't shown for very long on Ideal & C&C!  I really enjoyed making this card as I simply love this Greek Island collection border the Ivy is so stunning!



I stated by die cutting the Greek Border 4 times form Periwinkle foundation card making sure I embossed each piece (there is a lovely foliage pattern that shows when you emboss the die)  Next I hand cut a frame in coconut foundation card at 20cm x 20cm which I mounted onto a piece of periwinkle card and cut this to frame the frame (if that makes sense).  I then added the four ivy pieces overlapping each one with the subsequents.  I also arranged the leaves from the edges so that they overlapped the inside of the frame, this is  not easy to explain the best advice is to try it and see how it falls!

I foam mounted the frame over a piece of the white which I had embossed with the new CE 8x8 scored lines embossing folder.  To make up the remainder of the card I added a layer of the white just to frame the card.

To make the centre section I used the largest die from the Rhodes set in the white and also in the periwinkle.  I then added the filigree die form the set to the periwinkle and die cut the pattern in it.  This was then foam mounted onto the white piece and I decorated it with 3mm white stick on pearls.  I then cut a layer in the white card and added a piece cut in the periwinkle with the next smallest die in  the set to which I added more of the pearls.  I finally added a piece cut with the smallest die in the set in white.  At this stage I stuck the bottom 2 layers down to the card leaving the remaining 3 to to attached after the sentiment panel

To make the sentiment panel I cut the middle sized die in the pierced flags set and rotated the die to cut the other end in a flag extending the pattern (this die does not have a cut on the straight edge so you can extend the flag and make it double ended.  I then cut 2 of the largest flags, stamped the blue with the sentiment and stuck the 2 larger flags on the rear.  I then placed this over the centre panel and, using glue dots and a bit of cosmic shimmer dries clear glue, stuck each side down twisting the flag so that it raises from the card each side of the main element.  I then added the final centre element form the Rhodes set to finish.

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Greek Island collection border, corner and tags
Rhodes
Pierced Flags
Periwinkle and Coconut white foundation card
3mm White pearls

UI have had a couple of comments and a lady (i am terrible with names!) at my demo day in Blackpool on saturday to please not turn off my auto correct as everyone finds my nonsensical typing amusing!  long may the form and bad spelling continue then, its as much fun as I reread my posts although I do cringe a great deal!

Enjoy...

Happy Friday,

Well today will see me prepping for my demo day at the Strikes Garden Centre in Clevelys near Blackpool.  I will be travelling up this afternoon to be fresh for tomorrow.  I wanted firstly to say thanx to the lovely women who attended my workshop yesterday for the laughs, cake and Joy's too sugary brownies!  I also wanted to thank them for understanding why I was a little tired and that My top was on  inside out!  I did want to mention scheduling the workshop was booked about 6 weeks ago when I was due to appear on C&C and Ideal world this Sunday unfortunately the dates were changed to Tuesday and Wednesday creating this crash!  Unfortunately the world of home shopping TV moves very quickly! lol

Back to toady and its a quick few pictures and ingredients I'm afraid, normal service will resume shortly!

I wanted to use the alternate die from the Classic adorned rectangle noble die I featured yesterday to the Ornate Pierced rectangle die today. The main difference is that the ornate has pierced detail around all of the cutting lines whereas the classic has a beautiful deep de-bossed design.  Of course the centres are different as are the size of the layers meaning that these can create mats for each other!

I teamed today's noble farmed card with Aqua and coconut white foundation card as well as both the striped and classic weaving dies.  The Nobel dies (all the 4 of them in the current range) make stunning frames which are perfect for framing the weaving!

I finished this card with a die cut form the Greek collection border piece which I cut in two to go arraign the bottom right of the card.  the ribbon is from my stash however the dazzler is CE and the hat pins come form Sue Wilson Stick pin elements set which has teardrop beads that match all the colours we use perfectly!

Ingredients:
Noble Ornate pierced die set
Classic Weaving Die
Striped weaving die
Greek Island collection corner, Border & Tag set
Aqua & Coconut white foundation card


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

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...