Colour POP...

Happy Thursday,

A different colour combination today which was inspired by the rose buds I bought at a craft shop a couple of weeks ago.  I know the bright red and white is a little unusual and won't ver to everyones taste however I like the pop of colour!

I started by cutting the woodland scene frame ( Ive had so many requests for details on this die I thought I would share the link to where I bought mine here http://www.art-of-craft.co.uk/pcd31-woodland-scene-3pcs.ir  


I then  added a panel of lattice behind this before adding the main element.  I made this by cutting 2 of the lattice dies in the tonic trellis circle die using the outlines to make this into a wreath.  I then added pearls around the inner circle.







I then  added the corsage made of satin ribbon, silk ribbon foliage and the red rose buds along with a  couple of Hat Pins.

A few more layers of white and red to balance the front and finished.  I hope you like this colour pop card!



Enjoy...

Late Again...

Happy Monday,


We had such a great time in Bournmouth and Poole with the ladies at Craft Lockers this weekend we decided to stay and extra day and enjoy the sunshine!  So please acept my appologies for the blog being late! 


Im sharing today another card made with the Feathers from Spellbinders (sorry Mrs Duck) nad this is a card that I saw in my head before comitting it to card.  I woke up one morning last wek wondering how the feathers would look made into a wreath and here is the result!

I stared by cutting the largest trellis circle die ( from the tonic trellis set) into a peice of blue grey pearl card ( from my recent Limetree crafts haul) I then added some crystal corners from Creative Expressions and added a layer of white nehind with foam tape.




Next I cut a circle with the die in the dset and aded alternating feathers in the blue grey and white arroud the circle.  I finished with a stamped sentiment on a smaller circle of the white surounded by stick on crystals.

Different but hopefully interesting at least!


Enjoy...

Round Box tutorial...

Happy Saturday,

As promised here is the tutorial for the round box from last Saturday!  Its pictorial as I feel this is the best method outside a youtube video!

To make the box cut a strip 4" wide by the diameter of your chosen circle die ( if you are unsure of the diameter get a rough idea using a piece of twine or ribbon.  Score this at 3.5" and cut small slits into the shorter edge up to the score line.

You will also need 2 large circles and three smaller circles ( as shown pin the picture.

Next adhere each of the tabs you created to one of the smaller circles until it is covered.  This is easier if you bend the card round to give some shape.















Seal the 2 edged that meet to make a round box as shown in the next picture.


Next add the larger circle to the base making a neat and finished edge ( this will take some playing with until you are happy with the fit.

Make the decorative element for the lid of your box I used felt roses, ribbon and the Tonic trellis circle die.

on the rear of the lid  add a strip of ribbon to act as the closure and add a smaller circle over the top.  This isn't just for decorative reasons the different in the size creates the edge that sits on the top of the box. ( sorry its really hard to explain)



Finally use the ribbon as a hinge and the box is finished and is (hopefully) pretty inside and out.

Enjoy...

Primrose Trellis...

Happy Monday,

Firstly I must apologise for the lack of detail in yesterdays post.  The scheduled post went missing and so I simply posted what was left.  I know so many of you loved the box so this Saturday I will do a similar version with a picture tutorial!

Back to today and I am still showing cards made with the Tonic Trellis base die as I have had so much fun playing with this die that was languishing in my unused box!

Today a very simple card in What and primrose.  I started by cutting a panel to 6" x 8" and cutting the medium trellis die from the set into the card at the top left and bottom right allowing the die to go off the page.  I used the detail die and the centre circular die which meant that when it was cut the middle fell out.  I then added the panel to a piece of primrose card cut to the same length and added the panel with spray glue ( I have been using Craft Mount from 3m recently as I have found this to be the strongest) I then added back the centre panels which shows the beautiful detail of the dotted circle.

I stamped my Junes Child sentiment and poem on the card as shown and simply added three primrose butterflies ( cut with the Dovecraft die from last week) and some stick on pearls at 3mm in white as trails on the butterflies.

A simple card but hopefully one that works in its simplicity!


Enjoy...

Circle Box...

Happy Sunday,

A really simple little box today that I had to make when I realised the tonic trellis die would make a fab circular lid!

More circles...

Happy Friday,

I thought I would share another card made with the same die set as yesterday ( I do believe in getting vape from Dies so there are a few more of these to come!)  The dies actual name ( as I have been asked) is Trellis Circle Base Die by Tonic Studios.


I am demoing at the Bolton Crafting Live show at Bolton today so pop in and say Hi on the Art of Craft stand if you are going to the show.

I stared todays card by just cutting the largest die form the trellis circle die into white card.  I then added the outline and the inset circle dies to cut this out as a wreath.  I then cut the strawberry creme card using just the outline dies to make the backing.  I simply added a row of stick on pearls to the centre circle and a few heart shaped stick on pearls to the outer edge.

For the flower and courage on this card I used an old die borrowed form a friend ( its an american die called Die-namics it makes the folded flower as shown)  This has a long loop and cut in felt ( sorry Mrs D!) makes a stunning flower.  I added this over a messy bow of white seam binding and of a double sided pink/ brown ribbon from my stash.  I also slotted in one stick pin made with a soft pink and pearl that has been hanging around for ages and seemed to fit.

Finally I added the piece to a card made of a shaded and embossed layer and more layers of white, strawberry and brown ( to offset the ribbon)


Enjoy...

Lattice Circle...

Happy Thursday,

Another day another die I bought but hadn't used till this week!  This time I am using a Tonic lattice circle die that just jumped out at me as soon as i saw it ( you all know my love of a lattice!)  so it had to go in my basket!

I stared by cutting the largest circle in the set into a piece of white card I then backed this with peach card ( with foam tape of course!)

Next I cut the next circle in the set with the outline die thats included in the set in white again and backed it with the peach.  For the final layer I repeated this with the last 2 dies in the set.  I foam mounted each layer into the centre of the preceding one.

I added a large pearl swirl from my stash across the front of the card.I then cut a set of butterflies using 2 Dovecraft dies I bought as part of a job lot on eBay!  I cut these in peach and in velum layering them over the pearl swirl.  I also added 3mm pearls in the centre of the butterflies to add dimension.

I made up the card as shown using CE pearl corners and layers of the white and peach.


Enjoy...

Golden Oldie...

Happy Tuesday,

Another day another golden oldie.  I will be starting with new posts and cards from this weekend so keep your eyes peeled!

Todays golden oldie is from January 2014 and I thought I would share a few projects I made with the same die.  Ive lost the name of this one but it is a tonic die.

These really show my love of a lattice die!


Enjoy...

HobbyCutz Sunday!

Happy Sunday,

Sorry today's post is late guys however I was waiting for this weeks hobbyctz challenge to go live!  This weeks challenge is shaped cards and I had a hankering to see what the trellis die from Tonic would look like cut as a filigree card so here it is...












I cut the card base using the die to cut through two layers of cardstock from PMD however I left the cnetre section whole.

I stamped dream in the top right corner with versamark and dusted it with Gold Mica powder (set with Hairspray as I have been asked a few times)

Next i dusted a selection of wooden laser cuts from Hobbycutz with the same mica to give the wood a lovely sheen.  I added a few bronze gems around the foliage and on the butterfly.

Finally I added a few of the gems in the spaces on the die cut card base and finished, a little dark but hopefully the filigree spaces make it a little lighter.

The hobbycutz challenge is open to everyone and this weeks theme is shaped cards so get creating and entering! You may even win one of the prizes from our spaonsors.


To see what the rest of the design Team have created then click here!  

A Little Relief...

Happy Friday,

Today I thought i should soft pedal my use of the new SW dies I bought (especially as I have a large project tomorrow using the Californian background) so todays card is made using a Tonic circle die (an eBay bargain a few weeks ago)

This card is shaped by die cutting half the circle on the edge of the machine and is not just stuck on.  The whole card is made from one sheet of A3 cardstock.

I foam mounted a circle of green card, using the matching simple circle die included with then fancy cut one.  then simple treated each panel differently.  The right hand panel was run through an embossing folder loaded with green distress ink.  The left panel has a panel of green card from which I cut out the half circle so that it showed the full circle (I know but this description makes sense in my head)

Hopefully the pictures will show a little more what I am wittering on about!

Enjoy...

Hobbycutz Sunday

HI All,

Today its my turn to create a card for the design team inspiration for the hobbycutz challenge.  This week its a photo inspiration using the below picture....

and this is what I came up with.....

This card is made using a sircle die from Tonic which I got as another Ebay Bargain (I love it after christmas as people have craft room clearouts!)  I started by handcutting a 18 x 18 cm card blank then die cutting a circle from the centre.  Next I cut a sheet of My Minds Eye paper, in the appropriate colours 1cm smaller round each edge and with a larger circle in the centre.  This was mounted onto a piece of the violet card and foam mounted onto the card ( before adding a little lilac chalk ink to distress the edges)

I then added the topper which is the die cut circle,again, distressed in the chalk ink and dressed with roses and distressed butterflies (spellbinders Les Papilions 2) with a few hobbycutz laser cut foliage pieces tucked in to give contrast.

The laser cuts have been embellished with pearled embossing powder, these were made using the triple embossing technique which, in real life and not photo's, gives them a depth and beautiful shine.



The sentiment is a simple hand-cut banner in the same papers stamped with DREAM again from Crafters Companion Sentimentals my current must haves!

Back to the challenge, to enter click HERE or to simply see what the rest of the design team have come up with to inspire....

Enjoy...

Tonic Returns...

Happy Friday,

can you believe its the last day of January already?  It seems 2 minutes since I was blogging my Christmas stuff and here we are end of the first month of January!  Today I wanted to post something bright to remind us that the coldest darkest weather will pass soon.

Now I know I have used the same die as yesterday ( I cant find the packet for this so sorry I am not sure what the same is guys!  However it is one of the new ones that fits a centre die in  the middle if that helps) however with a change of colour and emphasis I think it can be made to look different.  This time I've made the cut the focal element rather than the background and highlighted with a soft blue (pastel week continues in its own way lol)






I started by embossing a piece of pale blue PMD cardstock in a Darice A4 folder then double mounted this on white and blue cardstock.

The strip of 4cm ribbon(Chino shop bargain) is added before the die cut.

Finally a sentiment a bow and a couple of felt roses.  The roses are cut with a Marianne rose die.

Enjoy...

Cream and White...

Happy Thursday,

Here is another card using the Tonic die I bought a couple of weeks ago.  As my regular followers will no doubt know I tend to have dies de jour (or die f the moment being less posh!)  This die from tonic has sat on my craft desk for a good couple of weeks.  Initially I thought it had limited use however by altering the toppers it can be made to look very different.  Click HERE to see the twisted version I made earlier in the month.







This time I wanted to show the dimension and thought that Cream and white was the simplest way to show this.

Enjoy...

Something Different Saturday The Final Countdown

Happy Christmas Saturday,

This is the final something different Christmas Saturday and, I'm afraid, the last of the year!  Most of us get really busy this time of year as you read this I am acting in the local pantomime!  I'm not saying what part but it's Aladdin and I'm not the genie!!!!




Todays something different is not a box (hurrah I hear you all shout) quite frankly its crackers!  After years of hand cutting crackers I finally
found a die that cuts them!  Unfortunately I didn't read the description so this die from Tonic is not A4 it makes them from A5 instead.  However once I started cutting I LOVED these mini crackers and as you saw yesterday, Hopefully, they really work on a tree.

I have made these in different cardstock even Mirri card

these will be boxed and filled with my handmade chocolates for this years Christmas gifts.

Enjoy...