Soft Sage Birthday...

Happy Wednesday,

Firstly I want to announce the winner of the demo pack from Monday, the winner selected at random from all the comments and emails was Martin Elly if you want to email me on Lockers@live.co.uk I will get this posted out to you!

Back to today and another colour I use very rarely however with the soft sage colour in my paper pack I have finally found a green shade that is subtle yet vibrant enough to appeal to me!

This card is deceptively simple as the paper pad dos all the work for you its juts a case of matting and layering the different papers.  I stared by stamping the March's child poem stamp onto bright white foundation card using watering can archival ink.  I cut this out using the square die in the New York Union Square die set from Sue Wilson for Creative expressions.  Next I cut the larger detail die in the union square set in coconut white card to soften the card.

I the cut a 2 of layers using three of the papers, in the soft sage paper pad, in the paper pad and matted these with coconut white.  The final layer I made with the new Dotty Daisy A4 embossing folder which I colour clouded, to bring out the pattern, using Frosty Aqua colour cloud blending ink.  ( I have a full set of the 6 matching colours to the pad on my Hochanda One Day Special launching on Sunday night at 8pm)


To make up the card I tied a piece of green / ivory grosgrain ribbon across the top of the first layer adding the stamped sentiment over this.  I then tied a large bow using more of the ribbon and added pearl swirls and mini roses ( from my stash) across the front.

a simple card that would make a quick birthday card, made in any colour, for any month, how flexible is that!?!

Enjoy...

Actually Pink...

Happy Tuesday,

After yesterdays card that I thought would look nice in pink I thought I would go far a card that is actually pink today!  This is another sample / demo form my shows at the end of Feb and an unusual colour combination but I have to admit the colours somehow sing to me on this one which is strange as I'm far more of a blue person!

I stared this one by cutting 3 rectangles of foundation card, two in pink and one in white, using the double pierced rectangles.  Next i added a strip of stick on pearls on the bottom white rectangle I then used the outside cutting edge form one side of the Corvus mini Gemini die by Sue Wilson and the details to cut across the rectangle higher up.  I repeated this on the next white layer again going higher up.

To add the polished silk glitter behind I cut a piece of white card too which I had a dded sheet of the double sided adhesive sheet to using both outside cutting edges to cut a shape that would fit exactly behind the filigree.  I then simply added polished silk glitter, in rose copper, to the exposed adhesive and brushed off the excess.

For the main element I cut the outside die from the Zoe frames and tags set in the white. I then cut the next die in the pink and added a stamped oval covered in the polished silk glitter on the bottom white layer.


I finished with a thin satin bow in White and Pink and made up flowers using the smaller flowers and the centres fro the orange blossom die set in pink and white and stuck these in a spare across the front of the card in a cascade.

I finished the flowers with cosmic shimmer pearl PVA in the centres and added polished silk glitter over the top to make glittered raised centres.

Enjoy...

WIN Pretty in Wisteria...

Happy Monday,

I wanted to title this post pretty in pink but theres no pink in this card lol  I had a fab day yesterday in Darlington with the Ladies and gent thank you so much for a fun day.  It was rather busy so I will be returning in August for a weekend so we can have smaller class sizes.

I was talking about todays card yesterday so I thought I would show it today and run a little competition as this was a demo card I prepared for my Hochanda shows at the end of February.  However I didn't get to demo it as time and stocks ran out!  Therefore if you fancy a go at making todays card simply comment on this post and I will draw a winner at random to receive the demo pack to make your own version of this card.

The main focus of this card is the peony cluster die which I cut five times from coconut white foundation card.  I then cut the separate flowers included in the set in iris and wisteria and mounted these behind the apertures as well as shaping them to mount them above and made a wreath of all five .

Next I used four of the centres form the lattice and lace striplet using white and wisteria using the lattice over the white and mounting the four to make a frame to house the wreath.  I added this to a square of card which I stamped the sentiment into the centre using indigo mist colour cloud blending ink.  To finish the card I added layers, as is my want lol, to make a large 21 x 21cm card using the iris, wisteria and coconut white.

If you would like to win the pack to make this card just leave a comment and I will draw a winner at random on Wednesday.

Enjoy...

CE Sunday...

Happy Sunday,

Don't the days fly I can't believe its Sunday again!  Today Im am rushing up north to the wonderful ladies at Darlington at Franki's Craft, Coffee and Chat as well as catching up with a friend who has agreed to come and help me ( you know who you are lol)  as I said the workshop is for 22 which is a bit of a stretch however I spent last night making more packs top so hopefully there will be enough to go round and the ladies will be good at sharing!

Back to today and as its Sunday its time for my design team inspiration over at the Creative Expressions blog.  Now the blog is having a bit of a makeover so keep you eyes peeled HERE to see the changes taking place!    Todays card is another of my demo's on Hochanda a few weeks ago however its perfect inspiration as it works with what we are using this moth as well as showing something different to do with our dies.

I started by cutting the opulent Octagons die twice in the centre of a piece of coconut white foundation card leaving a wide border in the middle. I just used the insert die form the set and not the outer die so that it cuts the detail form the rectangle.  Next I cut a set of frames in blue and white using the double pierced rectangles sets A and B ( which give the thin border frames as shown)

Next I cut the largest outside oval from the cathedral background along with the centre detail section in the blue.  I the used the larger outer and inner thiner oval die form the set to cut a thin border / frame in white. I foam mounted this over the detail.  I used an oval die form my stay ( can't remember which set its form sorry) and stamped the sentiment onto it using Indigo Mist colour cloud blending ink.

The flowers were made by stamping the shaded orange blossom flowers and leaves in the colour cloud and then cut them out with the matching die sets.  I made up three of the largest flowers and arranged them around the sentiment along the bottom of the card.  I added the whole piece onto a large rectangle card blank and added a row of pearls around the frame.

To see what the rest of the design team have come up with this week click HERE.

Enjoy...

Lilac and Indigo Pansies...

Happy Saturday,

Theres no something different this week Im afraid as Ive simply run out of time.  And I am sure you can imagine its been crazy this last week or two!

I will be demoing at Daisies Jewels and crafts today form 10am to 3pm it would be great to see you if you are in the area!

I thought I would show you this card that I will be workshopping tomorrow with Franki and the lady at her Craft, coffee and chat in darlington.  I did demo this on Hochanda at the end of February so I hope you all got the details lol

Im just going to give a recap on the pansies today.

I started by making a bhokah background using the new mini smoothies and Lilac whisper and Indigo Mist colour cloud blending inks.  I then cut the outline die form the set form this background.  Next I cut the outline and the insert die form the set in coconut white foundation card and coloured through the die using the same two colours to make the fronds on the front.  I simply then stuck the backing on and instant pansies which could be made in any colour and look more realistic than flat colours.

I made up the rest of the card using the cathedral background by cutting it into a square and cutting it twice to make the larger square at the back.

I hope you don't mind this substitution but I need to be ready for the ladies as we are making three cards and there are 22 in the class!!

Enjoy...

Back to Blue...

Happy Friday,


Well after the soft palette and yellows of this week I thought I should round the week off with a bit of blue.

This is another demo card from this weeks shows using the cobalt foundation card that I love so much.

I stared this one by embossing a 5" x 7" piece of bright white foundation card with the new 5 x 7 Regal Checkerboard embossing folder by Sue Wilson.  Next I stamped the smallest daisy form my Daisy Trails elements clear stamp set in Cobalt archival ink, one in each of the squares created by the folder.

Next I stamped the sentiment, from the same set, on one side of a long piece of the card and stamped the daisy border form the set along the left hand edge.  I tied a piece of blue white seam binding on this with a messy bow.  Finally I stamped  three of the other individual daisies and fussy cut these out.  I shaped these with my ball tool and the new stamping mat ( which is also perfect for moulding your flowers) before adding these, with a stick on pearl, on and around the bow.





A few layers of the Cobalt and Bright white foundation card and finished. Simple but hopefully effective and one of those techniques that will get the recipient asking how di you get the stamping so straight!


 I have had a lot of questions regarding the Bright White foundation card and I'm happy to say that it will be in my card pack on Hochanda on the 20th March and there is a lot more stock this time as (It has sold out the last few times I have been on in the first hour!)

Enjoy...

Soft in Sage...

Happy Thursday,

Todays card has been posted thanx to a lovely email from a lady called Rose who emailed me to say how much she liked the soft sage and warm linen demo I did on my last Hochanda show.  This reminded me that this card deserved its day in the sun.  I also thought I should keep up the theme of spring especially as the weather has been so wet and windy!

I hope you caught the demo on his one as although it looks complex it is a relatively ( for me at least) a simple card to put together.

I started by selecting all the designs in the soft sage ciolourway from my Spring Shades collection paper pad.  Next I created a set of matted layers, using Bright white foundation card ending the last layer as a hand cut flag.  I embossed a piece of the card with the new Sue Wilson Daisy Dots embossing folder and shaded around the edges using Frosted Jade colour cloud to highlight the pattern and to make the card match the tones of the papers.



I cut a circle fame using dies from Sue Wilsons italian collection and using the small daisy border in the daisy trail elements set stamped over this with watering can archival ink.  I then stamped the flower word friend from the spring words set onto ore of the patterned paper and cut this to a flag.

The flowers were made sing the cornflower die and I made one u in each of the 6 sizes adding a stick on pearl in the centre of each.  I arranged these as shown using the white pearl swirls as the foliage along the side of the main flag.

This card could be made for any occasion and in any of the 6 colours in the paper pad, how that for flexibility?!?

More tomorrow,

Enjoy...