A new technique!?!

Happy Tuesday,

Christmas is now officially over, for a couple of months at least! 

Todays card is the result of me playing with my score-pal and making a lot of lines and folding.  I alternatively scored at 1cm and 2cm gaps I then pleated these pieces to make this, navy blue, backing.  Hopefully from this picture you can see the folding and pleating. 

To secure the pleats I cut a piece of card, in the same col,our, the size of the folded piece and adhered the folds to this (using double sided tape)



Next step I glued this onto the front of a hand cut card blank after tying a simple white ribbon around the front and tied a bow.



















Finally I die cut some ivy swirls from Joanna Sheen signature dies, edged them with blue ink and added them across the front.  A couple of inked flowers , blue gems and finished.

I'm sure someone has come up with this technique however its new to me!

Enjoy...

'El Dia de Reyes'

Hola Feliz Dia de Reyes!

As you may, or may not have guessed, today is a big day of Christmas here in Spain.  It is the day of the three kings, or Los Tres Majos Reyes in Spanish.  The sixth of January is the culmination of the Christmas period here and most of us ex-pats call this the Spanish Christmas Day.

Todays card is then designed for my Spanish friends who celebrate today!


This is one of those simple cards that takes an age to make!  I started by stamping the crown three times onto acetate in a line.  Next I used a double sided adhesive sheet from 3L on the reverse.  On the other sticky side I used a mixture of gold and silver gilding flakes (it shines a lot more in real life honest!)

I cut a piece of card 12cm x 18cm and hand cut an aperture out at 14cm x 8cm.  I mounted this onto a sheet of gold card and cut an aperture out slightly smaller to give a gold edge.  I mounted the image on the reverse and edged it in black before, finally, adding to a card blank!

Enjoy....

Guest Crafter...

Happy Sunday!

Sorry nothing new from me today, I'm showcasing a guest crafter today!  I hope she wont go mad at me! Todays card is the beautiful gift I received from Val.  Now many of you will know her as Val In Spain as she is a follower of loads of blogs and always makes lovely comments on my blog!

firstly the stunning box it was presented in.....

inside was this beautiful box card with an easel car on top of a drawer filled with hero's (some of my favourite chocolates)  unfortunately I only got to sample one as I was working on our return from Benidorm (when I opened it) and so Mr Next Door scoffed the lot.















So thank you Val and I hope you don't mind me outing your brilliant craft skills!


Enjoy...

Fudgetastic!

Happy Something Different Saturday!

I know I promised my fudge over Christmas but since the hotel we were staying in had intermittent WiFi I wasn't able to write the post. Therefore I have saved this for my first different Saturday of the year.  I have had fantastic feedback on the fudge this year as I made it into a truffle centres for some handmade chocolates.  As you can see form the picture these were placed in this years hampers, along with other goodies I have and may share later, in a cup and saucer.








I also made a large box for my mum (using the same method as the cracker box, post HERE) and filled my mini crackers with them to give to friends and neighbours (ask Wendy and Val for their opinion of these)







Recipe
350g Dark chocolate (I use a special Postre chocolate at 55% coco solids)
30g of unsalted butter
1 can Condensed Milk
Good glug of Baileys or other spirit









Method

Melt all the ingredients in a heavy bottomed pan on a low heat and mix until smooth.  Once all combined pour into a baking tray and place in the freezer to set. 









You can cut this into pieces once frozen and either serve as is or coat in chocolate as your own version of truffles.

To make the truffles I cut the set fudge into squares (whilst still frozen) and rolled the pieces into balls.  These became the centres which I then coated in white, milk and dark chocolate.  Other pieces were coated in cocoa powder and some were rolled in ground almonds.

Enjoy...

Something New...

Happy New Year (2 days late I Know!)

I have taken a break from crafting for the Christmas period until yesterday (today when I'm Writing this) and have just dropped Mr Next Door off at the airport allowing me to get straight back to the craft room.  Todays offering is totally new and was made in the last few minutes.  Now I have had loads of ideas floating round my head for the last week and this card was one of them.  However this simply did not turn out How I wanted!  Im sorry if this one disappoints.

A very simple card with die cutting and stamping using simple blue and cream card and a blue chalk inkpad.




Dies used are Spellbinders Gold elements one and cherry blossom dies ( for the flowers)

More tomorrow, Enjoy...

December Review...

Hello,

Here is my final review with my three favourite projects from December 2013.  I promise a new year and a new project tomorrow!! 

Firstly a gold gilding flake card that wasn't a Christmas card!  I loved this card it just seemed to me so small and sweet.  Click HERE to see the original post.

Next has to be a Christmas card and a real change form the last one in that it is simple stamping and glitter card.  Click HERE to see the original post.





finally my hanging, sweet filled box's.  The pictures did not do these justice in real life they looked simple yet opulent, if that's possible.  Click HERE to see the original post.




I  would also like to wish all my followers, commenters and friends a wonderful and prosperous new year.  I hope 2014 brings you all that you could wish.

john xxx

November Review...

Hello,

Here is my review of my three favourite Projects from November...









Firstly I thought I should include my paper filigree bauble, and the tutorial that goes with it Click HERE to see the original post













 Next embossed circles, this was an unusual colour combination however I just loved it Click HERE to see the original post














Finally I loved the poinsettia Christmas tree decoration I made for my Christmas Table
Click HERE to see the original post



Enjoy...