Christmas Friday...

Happy Friday,

Well Wendy and I are on our way to set up at ally pally and Wendy has been a star helping me prep for the show as well as prep for my Hochanda show on Saturday.  I will be guesting a live show on Hochanda form Ally Pally at 3pm on Saturday tune in to see what we have come up with ( sneak peak tomorrow)

Back to roady and a Christmas Card using the new Merry Christmas die designed by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.  This die is an addition to this years strange and has only juts been released!  There is a Happy New Year die to match but Ill pots the cards with that when Sue Wilson does her Hochanda shows demonstrating how to use the festive collection crafting her style.

Here I've tied the sentiment with the Holly and Poinsettia gemini from this years festive die range.

Don't forget if you can't make it to Ally Pally Hochanda will be broadcasting LIVE from the event all day Saturday and Sunday!

Enjoy...

Brown and Gold...

Happy Thursday,

As I'm sat here typing my blog post at home wendy ( who's just opened her second bottle of white zinfandel telling me its very weak compared to the Spanish Wines ) is taking pictures of me writing this.  I'm told they will appear on Facebook so look out for pics off me writing this Lol!

Wendy helped choose todays card as she loved the textures and different finishes on this one.  This was made as a sample for the shows I did on Hochanda last weekend.  I simply LOVE the papers own the DCWV everyday wreaths stack and the great thing is they are not die cut in the pad its all full sheets meaning that you can use them for anything!

I started by selecting the different papers from the stack I chose the dotted gold foil, the glitter in gold and the hessian papers.  Next I simply layers the card with black and vintage gold card then cut the different papers into flags.  I layered the different sized flag on different papers and added some stitch edged ribbon.

I made three roses, using one of the other papers from the stack, using the Spellbinders spiral blossom three die by cutting and rolling the die cuts tightly.

I made up the card as shown,

Enjoy...

Winters child snowflakes...

Happy Wednesday,

I'm rushing to the airport today to pick up the wonderful Wendy as she's flying in from Spain to help out at the Crafting at Ally Pally show this weekend.  Therefore its a quick card today just some simple stamping and a quite interesting background technique.

I stated by making the background by adding the snow flurry mask to a piece of white foundation card.  I then spread polar white cosmic shimmer sparkle texture paste through this and let it dry ( about 2 hours to be sure).  Next I shaded around the piece using clear day colour cloud blending ink.  I shaded darker around the outside then lightened it as I got to the centre.  The sparkle texture paste resists the colour cloud blending ink and so shines in white!

Next I tend some bakers twine across the left hand side and added the stamped panel.  I cut an oval using the Geneva die set and stamped the stars ( from my Birthday seasons clear stamp set) in clear day colour cloud around the edges.  Next I stamped the poem from the same set in the centre.  I then over-stamped the stars and poem using Cobalt archival ink to give a shaded look.

Finally a few layers of coconut white and cobalt foundation card, a messy bow and a crystal charm from Craft Consortium in the centre and a couple of aqua stick pins.

Enjoy...

Aqua Hugs...

Happy Tuesday,

I thought i'd share this card with you today which Is one I made with some of the demo pieces form my show on the fabulous Sue Wilson perspectives range of dies shows.  Plus I don't need an excuse ( hopefully) to show another version of the pixie powder and kitchen roll technique background!

I simply cut the Hugs die from the background and positioned it over the matching stamp which I stamped in watering can archival ink onto coconut white foundation card.

I then simply made a set of fames using the double pierced background dies and added players of white and pixie powdered card.

I added the ivy die cut in watercolour card and a bow made form seam binding coloured with the pixie powders ( Aqua lagoon, Midnight blue & peacock green)

A couple of stick pins in green and silver to match and finished!

Enjoy...

Christmas Monday...

Happy Monday,

I know it seems strange to change form Christmas Friday to Christmas Monday but I love this card I made last week and wanted to show it off!

This was made to feature one of the additions to the Sue Wilson Festive die range the Merry Christmas expressions die.  I really anted to show this off and felt this mix of white and pixie powders would be perfect.

I started this one by cutting the merry christmas in a piece of card coloured using the midnight blue, aqua lagoon and white pearl pixie powders.  I made a shadow for this by cutting the same die in aqua foundation card.  I spray glued them together and added cosmic shimmer dies clear glue in the centre of the stars adding white opaque microbeads in the centre of these.

I Placed this on a piece and fame made with the poinsettia background and backed with velum coloured with the same shades of pixie powder.  I added cosmic white PVA in the centre of the poinsettia and rated the central element against the frame.


The flowers were made using more of the pixie powdered paper cut with the poinsettia additions dies and studded in the centre with silver dazzlers ( from the mixed silver colours and sizes pack) I added a couple of stick pins made using the stick pin elements by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions.

I cut the Berry Sprigs and foliage dies in aqua and white and arranged these behind the poinsettia at opposing corners.

I made up the card as shown with frames cut with the stitched lattice background and an embossed piece of velum embossed with the falling snow 8x8 embossing folder.


Enjoy...

More Flowers...

Happy Sunday,

A few more flowers from Today's shows I hope some of you managed to catch the launch show last night.  I will be demoing through today at 9am, 12pm, 4pm and last chance at 7pm ( again on Hochanda freeview 39, sky 663 and online at www.hochande.com)

Hopefully see you later lol!

Enjoy...

3D Flower Show...

Happy Saturday,

As I'm sure you will all have worked out by now I do have a soft spot for flowers, on my cards, on my stamp designs and also in my new Apartment I have vases of them lol  So today at 8pm I will be launching the One Day Special with Creative Expressions making 3D paper fl;owners using papers and dies.  I hope you can tune in if not tonight then Ill be back tomorrow ( sunday) at 9am, 12pm, 4pm and 7pm on Freeview 39, Sky 663 or online at www.hcohanda.com.

I thought therefore today I would show you a few of the demo pieces I have made for the shows.  Some of these will be full demos however a great deal of the prep I have been doing is on making the flowers so expect lots of techniques and tips which you can use to make paper and fabric flowers!

Above are a couple of the roses made using the fabulous Paper Stack ( thats precept how easy is that?!?) from DCWV.  I will also demo how to make the presentation box which just adds, IMHO, a touch of class to any paper flower gift.  A great point with paper flowers is how useful they are to send to people in hospital as Real flowers are no longer allowed.


The second flower her which I feel looks like a peony, is made using the same basic pieces form the pack.  Tomorrow I will be showing how you can make at least 4 different flowers form the paper rose section!

Enjoy...