Simple Sunday

Happy Sunday,

Firstly thanx to all of you for the lovely comments about my craft studio I was blown away again by the positive comments you all leave!  To answer a few questions yes we have some heating in there, no we haven't fully insulated as yet but still have a few jobs to do re that!

back to today and a quite simple card for simple Sunday.  I die cut the largest of the delicate daisies form Sue Wilson in the centre of a hand cut pale blue square card and stamped the sentiment from Creative Expressions underneath.  Next I added a white die cut flower in the space created and, using a small circle of card, secured the white flower on the back.  Then all i needed to do was fold out the petals and add a large pearl in the centre.

It really is that simple but, I hope you agree, effective.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Delicate Daisies Die set
White and blue PMD cardstock
Sentiment stamp Creative Expressions
Pearl from stash.

Enjoy...

Filigree brown...

Happy Tuesday,

Today's card is a filigree card made very simply from just one die.  As I have said before there are tutorials for how to make the filigree card on you tube however I will be making my version on a video tutorial in the next couple of weeks using a background die however I am holding onto that one for a while lol

Back to toady I simply die cut the card base with the largest die from Spellbinders Mystical Embrace die which makes a nice detailed card base however it leaves a nice solid rectangle in the centre onto which you can build a nice raised area.  I simply then added a panel of gold mirror card, embossed with the tied together embossing folder, which I had cut to match the centre section.  I stamped the sentiment in versamark and embossed it with detail Gold embossing powder and die cut the piece using the square oval die from the spellbinders radiant rectangles set.

Finally i wanted a bow but not a ribbon as that would be a little too soft against the card base so I used the filigree bow set from Sue Wilson and backed it with gold.  A simple heart shaped gem in the centre and finished.

Ingredients:
Spellbinders Mystical Embrace Die
Spellbinders Radiant Rectangles die
Sue Wilson Filigree Bow die
Gold & Brown cardstock PMD
Waltzing Mouse sentiment stamp
Gems from stash

 Enjoy...

Lilac Criss Cross...

Happy Tuesday,

As I am sure I have bored you all with by now I do love looking at a die in a different way and making something unusual with a die cut piece.  That is exactly what happened with today's card.  I cut one of the strips from the Sue Wilson Lattice bow die set in white and stuck it down to a piece cut from a lilac card.  I noticed that it was a lovely ribbon and would work with my weaving technique so that's what I did simply cut another 5 and start threading.

I made a simple lilac and White apertures card 9something I have made so many times I am sure you all know the process by now lol.  and mounted the weave behind.


At this point I noticed that the front seemed a little small and plain so I cut 4 more of the lattice strips this time in lilac and stuck them on the front to give a lovely almost embossed pattern that followed the lines of the square aperture.





Finally I mounted the whole piece on a large card I matted in the same colours and making the centre squares smaller, gave a frame for the back of the card.









Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Lattice Bow die
Lilac & White PMD Cardstock
Pearls from (Spanish) stash.


Enjoy...

Its a First...

Happy Monday,

Now it's confession time today's card is the first I have made in the UK since my return.  I had scheduled and made ahead like a beaver before leaving Spain to give me the maximum time available.  However I am now happy to say that the Garage has been converted into a joint Craft studio and office for Mr ND and myself.  There is still work to be done as we want to add some useful panels to the walls and more storage however it is all ready to go.

Today's card is genuinely the first made in the space and is one I was imagining as we crossed France as I knew I would have the Sue Wilson Beveled Glass striplet waiting for me as well as the bow dies and I just saw in my head a version of this card.

AS I am writing this at 6am today (something that I rarely do) there is little in the way of instructions however it is simple.  I cut the striplet die four times from a square cut form Hammered PMD white cardstock butting the next cut up to the edge of the first on each turn.  This makes a perfect square in the centre which I cut out, you all know my love of recessed apertures, using a sizzix square die that fit the bill.

I lightly inked the edges with Vintage Photo distress ink (its nice to have everything in its places I can add the correct products!  This gave some definition before I foam mounted the piece onto soft gold card (a gift from the wonderful Mrs Duck whom I met for lunch a few days ago and had a bag of craft goodness for me, we spent too long just chatting and annoying the waitress as she had to ask 5 times if we were ready to order)

I then made up one of the beautiful paper bows from Sue Wilson in the same shades using the Lattice bow and the straight bow.  This was floated over the aperture before I added a layer of gold and white to the inside back of the card onto which I had stamped my sentiment.

Today's card Is dedicated to Mr ND who whilst driving me mad at times has made me moving back into the U.K. house as easy as he is capable of.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Bevelled Glass Striplet
Sue Wilson lattice 3D bow die
Sue Wilson Classic 3D bow die
Vintage Photo Distress ink
Pearls form Spain stash
Waltzing Mouse Sentiment Stamp
White hammered PMD Card & Soft Gold gift card!

Enjoy...

Ok Ok Back to fussy(ish)...

Happy Friday,

Sorry guys I had to throw in a complex fussyish one as well didn't I?  Today's card is made using an old spellbinders die which I believe was a Sue Wilson die for them called lace something (I bought it without packaging on EBay an age ago)

I cut the die, which is a kind of lace square with points, out and folded each of the points in after placing a small die cut lace square from the same set, in lavender in the centre.  The points are stuck down with a small foam square and a pearl to keep it stuck down.  I have to admit that quite a few popped open whilst I was making this so it is a little time consuming I'm afraid!




The remainder of the card is quite simple I folded a sheet of hammered cardstock into a tri fold shape and added a piece of the matching lavender and a loop of matching seem binding as an opening.  Next I simply added the shapes I had made in lines.

The sentiment is an old waltzing mouse one stamped onto a hand cut tag into which I die cut a corner die form the same set.

Ingredients:
Spellbinders Lace something Sue Wilson (can anybody give me the name of this one?)
White PMD Hammered card
Lilac Lidl card
Waltzing Mouse sentiment stamp
Lilac seem binding


Enjoy...

Pale Blue Family...

Happy Thursday,

No New New card today I'm afraid as not yet got a craft space fully up and running and yes it's getting me down lol!

Today's card is a quick one I'm afraid, firstly because I am low on time secondly for some reason I only took 2 pictures of this one!

This is the card I gave to my boss in the bar when I Left.  I worked there for 2 years, until last month when I left the country, as a chef and barman and it was a family owned place with a wonderful family running it.  As soon as I saw this sentiment stamp from Crafters Companion I know that the card I made for them would be centered around this!





This is another example of my love of cutting apertures from the centre of cards and foam mounting behind to create lots of levels.





Ingredients:
Spellbinders Elegant Ovals
Spellbinders Classic ovals small
Spellbinders Heirloom Legacy
Blue and white PMD cardstock.

Enjoy...

Christmas In July...

Happy Monday,

Those of you who were with me last year may remember that I ran a week called Christmas in August.  This was used to cover a week when I was on holiday in the U.K. doing my Christmas Crafty Shopping.  Well this year I am subverting this a little by presenting Christmas In July to cover the week when I am moving back to the U.K!  I am sure all of you are now aware that I am returning to the U.K. full time and whilst this move and the subsequent setting up of a new craft room (Mr Next Door has grudgingly agreed to let me convert the garage!) will take longer than a week.  However This should cover the travelling time and give me a little time to get a basic set of craftiness set up.









Today hen is the first of my Christmas In July and is inspired by watching Sue Wilson present an early Christmas show in June for C&C.  The first card is an all white and gold affair a colour combination that I love for Christmas as it stands out against some of the excesses of the season!

I started by die cutting the sue Wilson Californian background die from White cardstock then I placed this over a sheet of double sided adhesive and added gold micro beads (these are an old purchase so not sure if they are still available)  Then  I simply stuck this onto a sheet of the much maligned gold mirror card and added some ranger perfect pearls in gold.

The centre section is a layer of Spellbinders Elegant ovals cut in gold mirror card from which I have cut an oval to make a sort of mirror frame (hope the picture shows this correctly)  The remainder is a simple layering of plain and patterned ovals, each decorated with more perfect pearls, foam layered on top of each other.

The Poinsettias are cut then spritzed with water and scrunched up to dry.  This gives a beautiful natural look when they are shaped after they are dry.  These were layered up and a gold pigment ink pad was rubbed over them  to give some highlight and take away the starkness of the white.  The centres are made with more Perfect Pearls and the hand cut banner is stamped and embossed in detail gold embossing powder and is an old EBay set.

A deceptively simple looking and hopefully classic Christmas card that could be converted to any other colours just substitute the gold!

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Californian Background die
Spellbinders Elegant Ovals
Spellbinders Classic Ovals Small
Spellbinders Poinsettia die
Gold Micro Beads
Gold perfect Pearls
Gold pigment Ink.

I hope you don't mind this early start on Christmas,  a quick update I have now, like all of you from the comments over the last few days, seen the new Sue Wilson dies and I can only say I am blown away!  I am waiting till I get back to England to order any however have just relented and ordered the beveled glass striplet just in case it sells out before I get there. I promise my first new creation as soon as I get back will faeture this in some way!

Enjoy...

The roaring Twenties...

happy Tuesday,

Quite a simple and serene card today as an antidote to yesterdays pinkness!

This is a very simple, and small card for me however it is in my perennial favourite colours of beige's and browns.  The techniques used are just die cutting and inking in the die, with a little stamping thrown in.  The great thing that work so well, to me at least, in this card are the matching colours of the cardstock and ribbon.





 


Ingredients:
Spellbinders Labels 38
Spellbinders Belly Band 1
Cream, Black & Brown PMD Card
DoCrafts Love Notes stamp
Cameo Broach













I hope you ,like this antidote!

Enjoy...

Even Simpler...

Happy Sunday,

Well the feedback to last weeks premier of simple Sunday was great so guess it's here to stay, at least till I run out of ideas I guess! lol

Today's card is even simpler than last week, uses one die, one sentiment stamp and one colour of ink how simple can you get?  I started by hand making a 12cm x 12cm card blank from PMD Ivory hammered cardstock (something I am running really low on but I wont order any more 'till I get back to the U.K.






Next I cut the centre die from the Spellbinders Mystical embrace die and inked the piece that it cuts.  Next I stamped the sentiment on the die cut piece and placed it on the back of the card through the aperture.  Finally I die cut the next shape in the set which is the elegant oval style and foam mounted this over the aperture after adding a simple strip of ribbon

A very simple card that could have the sentiment changed for any occasion or be made into quick batch cards.

Ingredients:
Spellbinders Mystical Embrace die
Ivory Hammered PMD cardstock
Crafters Companion Sentimentals stamp
Sage Distress Ink.




Updates:
The Trifold card and yesterdays tag are made in the same manner I promise once I have my new craft space up and running this will be the first video I shoot.
Janice, I would love to give a class or 10 as you put it on my return to the UK at Christine's shop if she would have me! lol
Stash- My craft stash is now winging it's way home it was collected on Tuesday and will leave will a load of others peoples stuff Tomorrow!  Karen - I have ordered a large stock of PMD cardstock to be awaiting me in the U.K. so will keep on using it!  Gail - I'm not moving back to South Yorkshire however Will be up there as I have relatives in and around Sheffield.
Finally Lesley Thomas sent me pictures of a card she made based on one of mine click HERE to view or select the followers gallery tab at the top.  Remember if you want to share a card with me and my wonderful blog friends just email it me on lockers@live.co.uk.  I have a plethora of shots of cards made by Nancy to share with you all next week, she has sent me so many I may need to create a blog for her of her own!

Enjoy...

Still Stamping....

Happy Thursday,

Again a little light relief from the die cutting frenzy of this week and back to my first craft love stamping.  Now this card is made using the guys set from Waltzing Mouse that I bought an age ago.  I just wondered what this would look like stamped in a simple sage green on cream and embossed with creative expressions detail clear powder.

I started by stamping the lace detail across the edge of a hand cut card blank then stamped and embossed this again on a scrap piece and fussy cut it out (fussy cutting for the person who asked a couple of Weeks ago means cutting by hand to me at least)  I foam mounted this over the first stamped and embossed image.  I then stamped the sentiment and mounted this under a hand cut panel stamped with a frame form the same set.










The ribbon details and bow is mounted under and through a circle again form this set stamped in the same way.  A simple list of ingredients making a clean and simple card that should look classic.

Ingredients:
Waltzing Mouse A Guy Thing stamps set
Super Smooth Cream PMD Cardstock
Sage Green pigment Ink
Creative Expressions detail clear embossing powder
Ribbon & Thread from stash .

Enjoy...

Filigree Circles

Happy Wednesday,

This card is, amazingly, made with the exact same die set as I used for yesterdays card and even I have to admit it looks so different.  I do find that one of the pleasures of die cutting is that dies can be used for so many different cards and can be made to look so unique!

Today's card is made as a trifold filigree card with the die cut three times twice with a hinge which means that there are two folds in this card.  I am finding it very hard to describe the workings of this one and, once again, I am hoping that the photos will help.




Each of the three panels in this card is decorated in a different way however I have only used the die set to make this.  I simply die cut additional pieces in coredinations cardstock in a deep violet and added them in front and behind the layers.








The interesting element of this card is the sentiment tag, this was made using the die set.  I cut a strip of cream card then used the corner of the largest die on each end making the matching tag.  I simply stamped this and foam mounted it onto the top of the front





Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Umbria Die Set
CReam smooth PMD cardstock
Core'dinations cardstock
Pearls, Tulle & Hatpins.
Crafters Companion Sentimentals stamp

I really hope you get the idea of this one, If needed I will shoot a video tutorial on this just let me know!

Enjoy...

Simple Sunday...

Happy Sunday,

Now when I am moving and trying to pack etc the daftest thing I could do is come up with a new feature therefore that's exactly what I have done!  I thought it might be  a nice idea, especially as the number of new crafters that are following and commenting on my work, that I make Simple Sunday.


The idea is, and today's is the first creation in this theme, that the Sunday offering will be a simpler affair that uses only one die, stamp or project and is something that is easy to follow and copy.

Today's offering is therefore made with just one die from the Sue Wilson Umbria die.  I have used the circular filigree section here to cut an aperture in a sheet of white card and foam mounted over a piece of a beautiful blue colour card.











There are a few stick on pearls added and the simple sentiment stamped across the bottom.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Umbria Die
White & Blue PMD Cardstock
DoCrafts Love Notes Stamp
Pearls.

Clean and simple and, hopefully, easy to copy.

Enjoy...

Second Project...

Happy Wednesday,

Yesterday I announced that I had made a few projects for my stint as blog of the month for papercraft inspirations magazine.  Well today's project is the second I made and photo'd to, hopefully, be featured.  ( as it came out yesterday hopefully and I don't move back to the UK for a couple of weeks I have to wait for a copy!)

I simply love the Elegant Ovals as I am sure you can tell by the number of times I have used it recently!  The mixture of the soft blue and white is, to me anyway, a stunning combination.  I cut each of the panels separately and simply mound them onto a large card I made with 2 oval apertures cut out from the centres.

Once mounted I threaded a strip of ribbon over and under the different layers  allowing me to float the centre pieces in the apertures.

The background in the inside of the card is a piece of white card letterpressed using a blue distress ink (sorry its a lovely piece and is hardly visible in this card)

I have to admit that this is a time consuming and complex card however the ideas can be adapted to any skill level however I know all of you could mange this one!

Ingredients:
Spellbinders Elegant Ovals 
Spellbinders Classic Ovals Small
White & Blue PMD cardstock
Crafters Companion Sentimentals stamp
Ribbon & Pearls from stash
Wendy's Hatpins


I gave this card to a really good friend in my theatre group as a thank you card after the last production I am happy to say she loved it (whew)

Enjoy...

Published!

Happy Tuesday,

I have some news to share today which I am sure you can guess based on the title lol.


 Today's announcement is that some of my work has been Published!  This is only a small article but it is, for me at least, a first!

 I was approached a couple of Weeks ago by Papercraft Inspirations as they asked to feature me as their Blog of the month.  Now this magazine, which hopefully a few of you are already subscribers I know I buy a copy when I am in the U.K.  is out today.  Please click on their website / blog to see, or to order the magazine HERE.



They asked for a few pictures of my projects, however being me I decided to make a few new ones!  Today's is the first card I made and should, hopefully, be featured in the magazine which is out today!

when trying to make a card to show my style I grabbed, what else but, the Sue Wilson Californian Background die which has been the feature of so many projects since I bought it.  As the magazine is the summer edition I decided to take a few shots on the beach so these few were taken on the edge of the local beach.

 The card is made in teal and white and, although its hard to see in the pictures I cut three squares of the full pattern.  Viewed from the side you can see that each panel is the same size I simply cut a reducing aperture in each panel using one square from the front square to centre on the back, just visible through the final aperture.  Cutting a square with the die means overlapping and cutting twice I know I have covered this in a previous post so flick back for a better description!



The leaves are the Sue Wilson Faux Quilled leaves which I cut quite a few times in white and arranged in different levels around differing corners.


The roses are cut with an old die in felt and rolled to create the rose.


Finally I added a couple of Wendy's beautiful hatpins in the same colours and finished.


I can't say how chuffed I was to be asked and be given the opportunity to display my work to a (hopefully) wider audience.

Enjoy...

Spanish Lace...

Happy Monday,

As I am sure you all know by now I love the Spanish collection dies from Sue Wilson and I have used these in so many different projects (in fact Saturday's something different project uses this die) Well as my favourite is the background die I keep looking at what I have made with it.  When I was looking at a card the other day I noticed how much the border reminded me of Spanish lace.  Therefore I thought I would try cutting the border off to see what lacy thing I could come up with.

As you can see By cutting the die in black and inking through it in white chalk ink I got a beautiful lacy pattern.  I then cut the border out and cut across each corner and then rejoined these sections to make 2 square borders of the lace effect.

The remainder of this card is very simple, I wanted the die and inking to be the focus of this one.  Therefore the centre is just a square cut from the centre of the die which I have inked using the corners of the die as a mask.  A simple pearls set the whole centre piece off.  A very simple 2 layer card for me but, I feel , very effective and reminiscent of the lace that the older Spanish ladies in my village still make on their knees in the winter!

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Spanish Collection Background Die
White and Black PMD cardstock
White Chalk Ink

Enjoy...