Stamped to Die For...

Happy Monday,

I hope you all were able to see the new die launch over at Sue Wilson's particraft blog last week, I can't wait to have a play!  I designed a few stamps to die for for this range and thought I would show you some of these over the next few days!

I stared with one of the four newt sets that match with the finishing touches classic Vase die.  This die is fab as it works like the configurations and you get the insert as well as the outline meaning that the possibilities are endless.  Here I tied it, as a vase, with the new Peony Bouquet stamp to die for.  This stamp is designed to fit within the die cut vase perfectly with all the stems drawn to fit as if the vase was holding the bouquet!

The stamp does, however, have all the stems to the bottom so it can be used as just a bouquet of flowers.  There is also a sentiment included in each set and these are separate so that they can be mixed and matched.

For the peonies in todays card I stamped the image ( which come remounted and cut for you) onto coconut white foundation card with jet black archival ink.  Next, using distress markers, I coloured around each flower and leave then using a water brush I pulled the colour into the main body of each flower.  I went back over the leaves with shabby shutters distress marker to give some real definition to them.  Next I cut them out by hand (fussy cutting) and foam mounted the vase over them to give some depth.  I foam mounted the whole piece on a square of wisteria foundation card which I cut with the new Noble double pierced square set which leaves a lovely pierced and embossed edge around the square..

To decorate the square I cut one of the new delicate garden frames in coconut white and then cut it into four corner sections.  These I flat mounted  around the square which highlights the stamp and vase design as well as the piercing form the square.

I edged the square with a mat of coconut white and added 2 of the new charming lace trim from the configurations range.  I glued 2 of these along the top and bottom, cut again in the coconut white, to focus the card and balance the delicate garden frame.  I added appears in the centre to give a full stop to the image and stop me adding more lol.

I made up the reminder of the card using a larger square, again cut with the double pierced noble set which I then embossed with the pinpoint checkerboard embossing folder.  I added a couple of strips of wide satin ribbon form the silver pack from Creative Expressions I used the thinner ribbon for a messy bow and placed this on the corner of the main square.  A couple of layers of the coconut white and wisteria, again cut with the noble set, to finish and a classic card is complete.









Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson
Noble double pierced squares
delicate garden frame
classic vase
charming lace trim
Stamp to die for Peony Bouquet
CE Pinpoint checkerboard embossing folder
Wisteria & coconut white foundation card
Distress markers
Silver double sided satin ribbon pack.

Enjoy...

Cloudy Winter Trees...again!

Happy Sunday,

Early birds yesterday may have had a sneak peak of todays pots as I scheduled it so I could get some me time today hopefully!  However those who didn't see it before I realised heres today new post lol!

I promised yesterday that I would show you the card I made from the piece of card i used to take the excess colour cloud blending ink off my smoothies for yesterdays card well here it is!  This is genuinely made form the piece I used to wipe colour off, it was just too nice and atmospheric to throw away so I worked it into this card.

These trees may be on Sue Wilson's festive shows on Hochanda today at 9am, 12pm, 4pm and 7pm so tune in if you want to see what fantastic ideas Sue has come up with to show you!

All of the shading around the bottom left half of the card was purely accidental however it really does convey the snowy Christmas sky I think.
I followed the same procedure as yesterday with the mask and the 2 colours of the blending inks and cut the parterre in the same way to make the bordered oval in the centre.  This time, however, I stamped the sentiment in the indigo mist this time you can see the clear, crisp stamped image you get form this water based ink amazing!

I cut the three largest of the winter tress form Sue Wilson's die set in coconut white and shaded through the die using both smoothies, one with indigo mist one with clear day to give the impression of movement and shape in the trees.  Next I took them out of the die and reinforced the shading using the same colours of each side concentrating on the clear day to give some definition.

A simple bow of navy bakers twine and a silver dazzler and the card is complete, made form waste and quick to do!

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft dies by Sue Wilson
Winter Trees
Peeking snowflake
Cosmic Shimmer colour cloud blending ink
Indigo Mist & Clear Day
That Special Touch snowflake mask
Smoothies.

Enjoy...

Cloudy, Snowy Christmas...

Happy Saturday,

I'm at Brykley Park Strikes Garden Centre today from 10am to 4pm It would be great to see you! and as the weathers rainy you might as well! lol


Don't forget that Sue Wilson will launch the Festive One Day Special Tonight at 8pm on Hochanda channel 39 freeview, 663 on sky, 822 on Freest and online at www.hochanda.com.  Today's card is made using one of the dies that may feature the Peaking snowflake! Ive used it here with the Colour Cloud Blending Inks from cosmic shimmer.  I thought I would show another technique today, as promised, using the colour cloud inks!

I stated by using indigo mist colour cloud with a smoothie through the snowflake mask, the smoothies don't catch at all on the edges of the mask.  The best technique for this is to take off the ink on a scrap piece of paper ( i didn't like waste so this piece was used for tomorrows card!)  Next I moved the mask and shaded clear day through it, I kept moving the mask and shading the snowflakes with the 2 colours of ink and different pressure to get all the different shades.

I shaded around the corners using the ink left on the smoothie I had used for the clear day then die cut the largest oval from the peeking snowflake die set by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.  I cut the next oval down from cobalt foundation card and from mounted this below the clouded piece leaving a small border all round.

I then cut the snowflake die form the set from a larger piece of coconut white foundation card and gently shaded the snowflakes. I again used the ink left on the smoothie that's the great thing about the colour cloud blending inks they just don't stop!

I stamped the sentiment, sorry the picture just doesn't show this week, in the clear day (should of used the indigo mist) form my poinsettia elements clear stamp set for CE and mounted this piece behind.

Finally, i hear you shout, I added a snowflake pearl scary along the side and added a couple of layers of cobalt and coconut white to frame the image.

Ingredients:
Creative Expressions Craft dies by Sue Wilson
Peeking Snowflake
Cosmic Shimmer colour cloud blending Ink
Indigo Mist
Clear day
Cobalt & coconut white foundation card
CE Pearl snowflake spray

I can't wait to see what Sue has come up with for her demos on Hochanda so I will be tuning in!

Enjoy...

Friday Already?,,,

Happy Friday,

I can't believe it's Friday again so quickly!  I hope you've all had a great week I've been up and down the country this week and had a great time workshopping and demoing Ive met some lovely people and want to say Hi to all the ladies in Fleetwood that I spent the last 2 days with.  I mention this because the first ladies I met yesterday wanted to know all about the Cosmic Shimmer Colour cloud blending inks, something I hadn't prepped but always have with me.  Luckily we came up with this card between us to show the different techniques you can do with this ink and I said I would give a list of the 12 colours I carry as my basic kit so hat list is at the end of this post.

I started by making a Bokah background using lilac whisper and indigo mist colour cloud and a smoothie on a piece of A5 card.  Next I ran along the edge with the indigo mist (again with the smoothie) and blended over the background using the Lilac Whisper that was left on my smoothie.

Next step was stamping, I inked up my shaded poinsettia stamp using Indigo mist and the smoothie and stamped this on the back of the background piece.  Next I cut these out using the matching classic poinsettia die from Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.  To make up the poinsettia i shaded around the leaves using the indigo mist (again with what was left on the smoothie) and made up the poinsettia by pinching each leaf or petal and sticking the 3 sizes together in the centre.

The next step was to add a piece of coconut white card to the reverse covered in double sided adhesive sheet and added diamond snow over the poinsettias that are revealed where they were cut.  I added a small gold dazzler in the centre of each poinsettia cut and shaded over the diamond snow, again using what was left on the smoothie.

I coloured some white double sided satin ribbon with the lilac whisper colour cloud and ran a strip across the bottom.  I coloured some of the thinner ribbon in the pack and tied a few strips onto the larger ribbon strip and placed the made up poinsettia over the knot.

A few mats and layers and the card was finished however I love the fact that everything on the front is made from one sheet of A5 coconut card stock even the poinsettia.

Another Colour Cloud card tomorrow using different techniques!

Colour Cloud Kit

set 1 - Turquoise Pool, Fresh Grass & Basil Leaf

set 2 - Lemon Merinque, Barely Nude & Natural Rosewood

set 3 - Clear day, Ocean blue & Indigo Mist

Set 4 - Crimson kiss, Pretty in Pink & Lilac whisper

Enjoy...

How to Make Christmas?!?...

Happy Thursday,

Firstly a quick note to all recent winners, if you haven't already could you email me your address to lockers@live.co.uk.  Those who have your prizes will go out tomorrow.  I am sorry for the delay I simply have struggled to get time to go to the post office!  I will make sure I clear the decks for next week as there will be a new giveaway on Monday!

Back to today and I have added a load of pictures of yesterdays workshops at Crafty Company in Fleetwood to Facebook.  WE had a brilliant time and don't forget I am there again today for a free demo day so if you have any questions just pop in and say Hi and I will try to answer them!

I have loads of emails asking how I decorated the Happy Christmas for the shows on Hochanda and so I thought I would give you a mini tutorial !

I stared by painting one coat of the Cosmic Shimmer paint (for the Happy Christmas I used russet Red) all over the piece as in this picture.  I hasten to add it is wresting against a bag of display snow!

Next I added a liberal amount of Vintage Holly gilding wax around the edges.  Using my fingers I rubbed this in around the tops of the letters and added some, in patches, on the front.  This gives and aged look to the piece.

Next I took some of the 2 sizes of MDF holly from the accessory pack and painted them with a single coat (the great thing about the shimmer paint is that they cover MDF with no base coat required in one coat) of the peacock green shimmer paint.  Next using a large wash brush I added aqua gold shimmer paint to one side of the holly leaves, in one stroke if possible, to add some variation to the holly and make it look even more 3D.





finally, using enchanted gold gilding wax, i rand a thin border with my finger around each leave.  I attached them randomly to the happy Christmas using cosmic shimmer dries clear glue.  I added berries using vintage berry twinkles for that glitter sparkle and finished.

For the winter wishes I used a light silver shimmer paint and pewter gilding wax to give a completely different look adding a bit of bling with a CE stick on sparkle.

Enjoy...

Sorry Guys...

Happy Wednesday,

I am spending up the motorway as you read this, if you are an early bird lol, to go for a workshop day today and a demo day tomorrow for Crafty Company in Fleetwood.  I believe the workshop is sold out however the demo day is free and open to everyone so if you are in the area pop in tomorrow.

Ive titled this sorry guys as there is no Design Team card or project form me today.  I simply haven't had time to make them for this week either, between my denying commitments and Hochanda all my time seems to have been eaten this last couple of weeks!

Therefore Today I am showing a round up of some of the projects I have made during my shows, hopefully the website will be running form lunchtime today so you can check www.hochanda.com to see all the products I used!

New Project tomorrow, and some shots from the workshop today hopefully!

Enjoy...

Gingerbread Wreath...

Happy Tuesday,

I know it sounds strange but that what I will be demonstrating at 9am this morning on Hochanda!  Not a wreath made of gingerbread (my culinary skills aren't that developed) but made of MDF gingerbread i.e. the one in the picture lol.

To find out how this was made you will need to watch the show however I used the shimmer paints for the bases of all the MDF items.  Next I stamped them using the matching stamp set in perfect medium and heat embossed each image using cosmic shimmer detail what embossing powder.  I then arranged them around the base MDF wreath, painted in silver shimmer paint and added a bow and ribbon detail.  Finally I added some of the small gingerbread men, from the christmas grab bag, to fill the gaps.

It would be great if you could join me for this and at least 6 other demos / workshops today times etc are in the side bar!

Enjoy...