Silver Glazed...

Happy Friday,

Todays card uses the Oval cut and emboss folder from press cut and the letterpress technique.

I started by adding the Izink silver pigment ink to the flat side ( the one with the die attached to it) of the cut and emboss folder until I had a good coating.  It is very Important to use a Pigment ink for this as a dye based ink will dry on the folder.  I then simply ran the folder through my die cutting machine which cut the aperture and press the ink onto the back as it embosses the card.


Next I added Izink Clear embossing powder over the embossed image and heat set it.  This sets the pigment ink and adds a glaze over the back.

I threaded a strip of grosgrain ribbon through the aperture and added the sentiment, cut with the mini tags set, to one side.

I finished the card with a bow and embellishment adding a flower cut with the starflowers dies in velum.

A few layers of silver mirror card and more of the white finishes the card.

Enjoy...

Show Day...

Happy Monday,

Dont forget to join me tonight at 6pm for the Launch of the One Day Special on Hochanda ( Freeview 85, Sky 663 or online at www.hochanda.com)  I will be demonstrating the brand new Cut and Emboss folder collection form Crafts Too.  These amazing folders will emboss the pattern as standard folders but during the pass will cut the centre panel out.  There are 6 different designs each with a different aperture in the centre.  Tune in to see the whole collection.

For today I thought I would share one of my favourite samples I have made for the show as it mixes the folders and the second part of the show the Media Plates.

For this card I actually used 2 of the folders the Corazon in the back and the Mariposa in the front.

I used a media plate made background for the lower layers cut with the heart and a piece of silver Lustre card in the front cut with the shaped folder.

to add some highlight and definition I added a messy bow of mixed ribbon at the bottom.  On top of this i added  spray of my starflower dies ( which I have also got on the show for anyone who missed them last time as they sold out so quickly!) I cut these form the scrap card I cleaned my brayer on so that the colours march the main card.  I shaped these and added a stick on pearl in the centre.

I will demonstrate the techniques in this card if not in tonights shows then tomorrow as I have shows at 9am, 1pm and Final Call at 5pm.


Enjoy...

Lilac Daisies...

Happy Saturday,

Weather Permitting I will be at Crafters Companion store in Chesterfield demonstrating all day today so pop along between 10am and 4pm.  I will be demoing my new range of dies so it should be interesting!

I thought today I would share this simple card made with my confetti embossing folder and the herrera daisy die (from the opera box die set)

I embossed a piece of lilac Lustre print card with the confetti frame ( all the square embossing folders were designed to fit within the Sandwich Box.  I then sanded back the raised surface to show the confetti design in white,

I matted a piece of lilac card onto white and added the press cut best wishes die cut in white on top.

I then added the flowers die cut in sanded lilac and white with white micro beads in the centre.  I set these off with lilac seem binding and my starflower leaves cut in white.


Enjoy...

Gold Version...

Happy Saturday,

Today I am demonstrating at Crafters Companion Evesham store, ops along and say Hi if you are in the area!

Todays card is quite is,milar to yesterdays however This one is a gold version with a white embossed layer.

The centre panel is stamped in gold Izink using the festive silhouettes clear stamp set.  I added the Find It Media Holly Jolly die around the image using gold mirror card.

Enjoy...

Silver Snow...

Happy Friday,

Todays card is the workshop card form last week at Samuel Taylors in Embsay Skipton.  As with workshop cards I don't put full instructions on the blog however Im sure you can work out how this one was done!

The centre panel is stamped using my build a wreath clear stamp set and the izink silver metallic pigment ink pad.  I heat enmnossed this with glitter embossing powder but its not showing on the pictures, in real life it sparkles.

I'm really bust getting ready for next Thursdays launch on Hochanda its a brand new product launch so I can't wait to start showing you samples.

Enjoy...

Autumn Feeling...

Happy Thursday,

A change form the Christmas cards today with a birthday card with a real autumnal feel.


















I started by adding rude and copper izink pigment ink pads to the flat side of my winter trees embossing folder.  I embossed this to give the letterpress look where the deep red is at the top but fades down the scene.  This leaves the trees showing in white.  Next I added clear sparkle embossing powder over the top ( as i used pigment ink i was able to heat emboss over the top)  I heat set this which adds the clear coating with a sparkle in it.

I simply added the press cut happy birthday over the top shadowed with white and copper.  O matted and layered the piece using white, copper and deep red card.


Enjoy...

Blue Scene...

Happy Wednesday,

I have to admit it isn't often I say this but I  really pleased with how this card turned out!  I know its another Christmas Card and I will be moving on to less Christmas next week however I really wanted to share this one!

I stated by letter pressing the snowflake circle embossing folder using izink pigment ink pad in navy blue.  I then stamped the centre panel using the same ink and my Christmas Scene clear stamp set.  I cut this with the stitch dot circles mating it on yale blue, silver mirror card and more of the white mounting them in the centre of the embossed panel.

I dressed this with the Amy Design poinsettia dies cut in white velum.  I used each of the three sizes of flower folded and mounted to make a really 3D poinsettia.  I added these on the top of a spray of foliage cut from dies in my stash with silver holly added between the flowers.

I framed the piece using the stitch for and plain squares form press cut in Yale blue lustre print card, white card and silver mirror card.

I mounted this onto a few layers of the blue white and silver and added it to a large 8x8" card blank.


Enjoy...

First in Gold...

Happy Tuesday,

A very simple card today but the first card I made with my embossing folders and Stamps so I thought It was worth sharing!

I stared by stamping the sentiment and scene from the festive scene clear stamp set in Izink Pigment gold ink pad ( I stamped it three times using my press too Impress which made it really shine gold as the layers built up)

I cut this out with the press cut plain circles dies drawing around the inside of the die with a fine gold pen to add the fine line.  I matted this on antique gold card cut with the stitch dot circles again from press cut,

I then added the gold pigment ink pad to the flat side of my snowflake circle embossing folder and letterpressed a piece of white card so that I got a gold backing with white snowflakes over the top.


I simply matted this with more of the gold and white adding a bow of thin gold ribbon along with gold cord to add a highlight.

Enjoy...

Pearl and Aqua Swirl...

Happy Monday,

I thought I had exhausted the cards I made with the find it snowflake swirl die however I found this one lurking in my files and its another way to use the die this time as a base for Poinsettias.

I used a mother of pearl card ( on my next Hochanda shows) for this card and cut the apeture in the centre before embossing the piece with my rustic frame embossing folder.  I added a layer to this in aqua cutting a smaller circle in the centre.  I backed this with a piece of white card embossed with the winter trees embossing folder.  Finally for this part I added acute behind the top layer and added the Christmas die cut ( From Press cut) on the acetate so that it appears to float.

I cut the snowflake swirl die in aqua and added this around the base of the circular aperture.  I then cut a load of poinsettias in the pearl card and added these over the swirl with bow of aqua and white seam binding over this.  I then added the fall away snowflakes from the swirl die in the centre of the flowers with a pearl in the centre.

I added all of this to a larger card as shown using the falling snow embossing folder from crafts too.


Enjoy...

White Snowflakes...

Happy Friday,

Another card made using the Amy Design Snowflake Swirl die  (Find It Media ADD10122)  

























To make today's version of the card I added silver gilt sheets to a piece of card covered in my double sided adhesive.  I then embossed the piece using my snowflake circle embossing folder.

Next I layered a circle of silver mirror card over a circle of white pearl card.  I adhered the snowflake swirl die cut around the edge of the circle with silver snowflakes and crystals sprinkled over the die cut.  Finally I added the seasons greetings cut with the Press Cut die in white pearl card.

Finally I added layers of silver mirror card with white pearl card embossed with the crafts too falling snow embossing folder.  A few crystals in each corner and finished.

Enjoy...

To

Silver Flakes...

Happy Wednesday,

I seem to have fallen for the combination of silver and white for this Christmas ( perhaps with a ,title duck egg or aqua) so heres another card made in the combination.

I stared by cutting the scentre form a piece of white card which I then embossed with my Rustic frame embossing folder.  I added a layer of silver mirror card with acetate behind.


I then added the new Amy Design (Find It Media) Snowflake swirl die ADD10122. Cut in Silver mirror card which really work for these fine die cuts.  I added crystals on the spots on the embossed image and along the corner.  I then made a frame using the pre-cut Plain and stitch doe squares.

The sentiment is form my Christmas scene clear stamp set and is stamped in izink silver pigment ink I placed this behind the acetate and added snow on the acetate with a white gel pen.


Enjoy...

Gloss and Gold...

Happy Monday...

Fabulous weekend in the north looking forward to (edit I meant Returning! lol) retiring next year!


Todays card uses the Gold gilt sheets with just black and white to make a bold and confident card for today.

I started by adding gold gilt metal sheets to a piece of card covered in my double sided adhesive sheets.  I then die cut a circle in the centre and debossed the piece using the snowflake circle embossing folder.

Next I added ranger black gloss accents around the circle adding acetate behind the piece to make something to hold the snow in!

I added a panel behind the acetate with an embossed piece of white using the winter trees embossing folder.  I added snow over this and 2 deer cut in black gloss card before sealing this all with foam tape.

I added a further black gloss ( Pearl gloss card from Limetree crafts) on the front looking through the window.

I made up the card as shown using layers of embossed white, bright gold and black gloss.

Enjoy...

Red Wreath...

Happy Sunday,

It's technique day here in Swainby so we will be trying out the media plate techniques as well as some stamping, die cutting and embossing folder techniques.

Todays card is quite simple, which I always try to show on a sunday, using just the Build a wreath clear stamp set and some wired satin ribbon ( I am a ribbon addict having hundreds of different ones!)

I used my Press to Impress and the whole wreath stamping this in light green.  I then stamped over this using the quarter opine bough stamp in a darker green finishing with the leaves and berries quarter stamp in a honey colour ( All Izink dye based ink pads)

I then added poinsettias over the top and berries in raspberry.

Finally I made up the card as shown using the notched square dies form press cut along with a wired ribbon bow and pearl centre courtesy of Wendy!


Enjoy...

Bright Snowflakes...

Happy Saturday,

Today is the first day of my Northern workshop and technique classes at Swainby Im really looking forward to it!

Todays card is a little bright but I really like the mix of spearmint and white and who doesn't like to see father christmas flying!

I stamped the centre element using my build a wreath clear stamp set using the press to impress to repeatedly stamp the wreath around the ring in different colours.  I stamped this in the Izink pigment ink pads so I was able to add glitter clear embossing powder to the image and heat set it to add some sparkle.

\I cut this out, after stamping the sleigh, using a circle die and made mats and layers in white and black to accent the centre panel.  I added a bow of striped ribbon with matching colours to the top with long tails trailing down.

For the main card I letterpressesd the snowflake circle embossing folder,der using aqua izink pigment ink adding clear embossing powder over this and ranger aqua gloss accents in the centre of selected snowflakes.

I made pop the card as shown to focus in the centre.


Enjoy...

soft blue snowflakes...

Happy Friday,

A real mix of stamping, media plates and die cutting today with a  bit of letter pressing thrown in!

I stared by making the stamped bauble using the bauble media plate, izink pigment inks and just one stamp from the Christmas Scene clear stamp set.

I then cut this out and matted and layers it using the press cut plain and stitch dot circles.  I added a bow of light blue lace with pearl swirls and a velum poinsettia.

For the background I added a light blue izink pigment ink to my snowflake circle embossing folder.  I then embossed this to remove most of the ink to get the faded look I spritzed a piece of card with water then embossed the piece with the same folder.  This removed the last pale ink making a really soft and dreamy background to the white snowflakes.


I made up the card as shown.

Enjoy...