Get well soon

Afternoon everyone


Just wanted to post a card I've made for a lovely friend who has just had a heart attack........what an awful shock for everyone.  Still from what I've heard she's back home and hopefully (!!!) taking it easy.

It's been mainly made using the Heartfelt Creations Birds & Blooms collection.  The sentiment is from SU Sincere salutations.  The roses, card candy and ribbon were from my stash.  I used Sue Wilson pierced rectangles to die cut all the mats. Added a bit of bling on the centres of the flowers with some Glamour Dust.

Thanks for dropping by.

Happy crafting.

A trio of celebrations.............

Hello Everyone - hope you're all having a good weekend and enjoying what might be the last of the nice weather.  Sorry I've been missing for a while but sometimes life takes over craft!!!

Well, I have a trio of celebratory cards for you today some which I couldn't share until they had been received by the recipients.

The first card was a commission for a friend in the village whose granddaughter was getting married over in Cyprus.  Inspiration was taken from Pam's blog as I had the same two dies and also hadn't realised that the Memory Box Butterfly Exhibit fitted perfectly over the Angel Wings Butterfly die.  As my friend was flying over to Cyprus for the wedding she asked that the card not be too bulky in case of getting damaged in transit.  

 

Although it's not too clear from the photo the butterfly exhibit was cut three times in card and vellum and sponged before I layered up.  The sentiment was computer generated.  The flowers and ribbon were from my stash, as were the pearls etc.

 

I was asked to make an envelope to go inside the card to take the gift of money.

The second card was one I made for my sister Val and brother-in-law Jim whose anniversary it was a week or so ago.  Inspiration for this one was taken from the super talented Sue Wilson using her Configurations - Lattice Arched Adornment die.  I die cut 8 pieces and after putting a piece of double sided sticky onto a piece of cream card then attached the 8 die cuts as shown below, trimming off the edges.  I then used Glamour Dust over the whole piece so it stuck to the background.  Everything was matted onto card die cut using Creative Expressions double pierced rectangle dies with the addition of ribbon, some netting and CE Finishing Touches - Perfect Peony Complete and open Petals dies for the flower.

 

A close up showing the Glamour Dust in the background.  The sentiment is from a Waltzingmouse set die cut using Dienamics Stitched Banners.

This last card hasn't been given yet but as my hubby doesn't look at my blog there's no chance he will see it!  It's our 25th Wedding Anniversary on the 27th of this month and although it's quite tricky making an anniversary card for a man I thought the occasion demanded a bit of glitz and glamour!

The main card is a 7" square and I've used Creative Expressions Noble Ornate Pierced Squares to make up all the background mats and layers.  The number is a Memory Box die which was raised from the main card by a piece of acetate bowed over the top layer so it wouldn't get lost in the white and silver behind it.  The flowers are Heartfelt Creations Poinsettia stamps and dies using snow paper.  Pins, pearls, leaves etc are all from my stash.

 This shows the dimension of the card.  I've made a matching box for it as well.

Hope he likes it!

Happy crafting.

Just Us Girls #305 - TREND - Use vellum

Hi Folks

Popping by with me 2nd Guest Designer post for the lovely ladies over at Just Us Girls.  This week the challenge is to use vellum on your card/project:

And here's what I came up with:

I started off with a 7" square card and then two layers of cardstock that had been embossed with Sue Wilson's Beaded Fanfare e/f.  I then used her Noble Dies Ornate Pierced Squares set for the rest of the layers alternating purple and white card.  The sentiment is from Stampin Up Afterthoughts set.  The vellum is the showcase of the piece.  I stamped my Heartfelt Creations Sunkissed Fleur using Versamark ink onto vellum and then heat embossed using purple e/p.  I did this twice and then die cut the elements out using the matching die.  I put the flowers together after having shaped the petals and then added them to the card.  The final step was to add some Creative Expressions Dazzlers to the centres of the flowers.  Strangely although I used purple e/f it looks more blue in the photos!!!!

Thanks for visiting me today.  Don't forget to pop on over to the Just us Girls blog to see the lovely creations the design team have come up with.

Happy crafting.

Viva La Verve June Week 2 Sketch Challenge

This must be a record......think I've posted every day this week; may give myself a day off tomorrow!

When I saw the Viva La Verve Week 2 sketch I just wanted to play:

Here is my take on the sketch:

The designer papers are from a 12x12 pad called New Leaf which I picked up at a craft fair for a ridiculous price.  I used my Tonic oval and rectangle dies for the half oval and sentiment.  The oval was embossed using a lovely floral embossing folder but it doesn't have any information on it at all so I can't let you know where it's from (but I've had it a long time).  I thought just leaving the embossing on the oval was a nice subtle touch.  The sentiment is from Heartfelt Creations HCPC 3474.  I added some punched butterflies and Liquid Pearls to finish the card.

Thanks for dropping by - hope the weather is as good with you as it is here in Somerset.

Happy crafting.

70th Birthday card

Hi Everyone from a very sunny Somerset........makes a change but it's a lovely day today; blue skies, sunshine wall to wall and a light breeze.  Hope some of you are also enjoying this spring like weather.

I recently had a commission for a 70th birthday card for a lady who loves flowers and knitting!!!  Okaaay............well, this is what I came up with.

I found an old House Mouse image which was perfect for this card and who doesn't love House Mouse.  I started off by die-cutting the main pages for the book and embossed the lilac layers with my Sue Wilson Beaded Fanfare embossing folder.  I've used Sue Wilson's ivy die and the flowers are Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur silver embossed onto lilac vellum and then die cut with the matching die.  The beaded pins are from my stash, as are the gems in the flowers and the ribbon.  The sentiment was computer generated.

I made the knitting needles from some wooden skewers, cut them down and made the ends from air dried clay painted with violet Wink of Stella.  I used some embroidery skein for the ball of wool.  The 70th and her name (Eira) were die cut using Spellbinders.  I've made a pocket using the smallest book page die which I've put onto the back of the card with a tag for the greeting.

I made a stand for the book using a Marianne Creatables LR0266 - three layers of cardstock glued together and then the lilac card for the filigree layer front and back.  This might sound like it's quite bulky but it needs to be quite weighty to hold the card in place.  I finished off by making a box for it.

Thanks for dropping by today.  I'm off to a Stampin Up workshop tomorrow so hopefully will post some photos on Sunday.

Happy crafting.

Christmas Card Club - Challenge # 6, Completely Christmas #3 and Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge March Extra

Hello everyone.  It's a brand new challenge over at the Christmas Card Club and this time it's Christine who has chosen the theme which is:

Let's see some wings (angels, fairies, birds)

Soooo, probably like some of you I have some NBUS (never before used schtuff!!!) in the Christmas department and thought I needed to use this cute stamp which is Woodware Clear Magic Christmas Hoot.

I stamped this little fella using black Memento and coloured in Flexmarkers.  He's been cut out using my Lil'Inkers Stitched Square dies.  The b/p was from my stash. I'd been using my Clearly Besotted Make a Wish dies for the card I posted yesterday and had some blanks lying around...........and what do you know - yep, the sentiments that come with this stamp set actually fit on the balloons! Lucky or what??? I added some bakers twine to the balloons and tied them together under the wings and popped them up with d/s foam pads.  The corner dies are Cheery Lyn (the die cut pieces didn't come out fully on the first pass, but thought they looked good with them in so just glued the entire corner piece to the card), the chevrons are Die-namics Chevron Stripes and the flowers are Heartfelt Creations stamps and die, gold embossed onto red vellum.  Final touches were some fluffy stuff for hat and boots and Glossy Accents for his eyes.

I'm also entering this card into the following two challenges:

Completely Christmas #3 Anything Goes and Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra.

Hope you're having a good weekend.

Happy crafting.

I've finished!!!

Hi Everyone

Just a quick post today.  Thought I'd share the last 3 Christmas cards I've made.  Hopefully that's all the cards done and everything posted that needs to be...........until you get one from someone you've forgotten!!! lol

Come and see what I did

On these three cards I've used Heartfelt Creations Christmas Poinsettia stamps and the matching die (which also matches Sunkissed Fleur).  The sentiment is from their Sweet Memories set and the trees come from Anna Marie's Christmas Tree set.

 

  

I've stamped the Poinsettias onto patterned vellum and gold embossed them.   I've used an 8x8 Embossalicious e/f and Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle nesties.  The Stampin Up bow die came into play and bling is from my stash.

I have used Poppystamps Grand Gothic Iron Work and Grand Gothic Window for the centre card with a wintery scene behind the window.  I used Taylored Expressions Basic Bow die.  The sentiment is Stampin Up Greetings of the Season cut out using SU bauble punch.  Corners are Cheery Lyn Lace Corner Deco die.

Right better get off - just getting my things gathered for our Santa's Grotto in the village hall tomorrow.

Have a great weekend.

Two days - two Less is More challenges!

Happy Saturday all - well it's a beautiful day here in sunny Somerset - blue skies, wispy clouds and SUNSHINE!!!  Hope it's as nice wherever you are too.

After my very late entry yesterday into last week's Less is More sketch challenge I thought I'd surprise everyone by entering their new one on the very first day!  This week the Less is More challenge is:
 

White Christmas

For our challenge this week, we have chosen to add another parameter to our colour challenge and that is that the submissions must be Christmas related cards.

The colour is 

WHITE on WHITE

We would like to remind everyone that submissions must adhere to the Guidelines set out above and be evidently Clean and Simple!

It's also a new month which means a new sponsor and this month we are excited that Stephanie from Clearly Besotted is our sponsor.  Clearly Besotted are Celebrating their first birthday this month too!

I knew immediately what I wanted to do for this theme and here it is..........

It's really difficult photographing a white on white card but hopefully you get the gist!  I have used my Heartfelt Creations Poinsettia stamp set and white embossed it onto vellum (still out from yesterday......)and then die cut it using the Heartfelt Creations Sunkissed Fleur die which matches up perfectly with the Poinsettia stamp set as well - doesn't it make a pleasant change to have one die for two stamp sets?  I attached a piece of white ribbon across a 6" square blank and then shaped the flowers and leaves with a bone folder before adding them to the card using Pinflair Glue gel.  The sentiment, Wishing you a Magical Christmas, was also white embossed on vellum and is from my Woodware "Beary" Christmas set and I used my EK Success label punch and also cut a piece of white card to back it.  Rather than trying to glue the vellum to the white card I thought I'd use brads but didn't have any white ones (who does?) so covered the tops in Versamark ink, then white e/p and heat embossed them.  Finishing touch was adding some white Liquid Pearls.

Just wanted to wish Clearly Besotted's Stephanie and all her amazing DT girls a very, very Happy Birthday.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Japanese Bookbinding

Hello everyone.  Just thought I'd make a quick post to show you a project I made yesterday at a Japanese Bookbinding workshop I went to.

Had a thoroughly good time and it was lovely to bring home a completed project, although, saying that, I have added to it today.  I made the basic book yesterday and then today I have added the beaded skewer, wooden heart button and copper maple leaf (which was sitting on my desk waiting to be used).  I also stamped the sentiment which comes from the Heartfelt Creations set HCPC3514 - Floral Fence - stamped in Rich Cocoa Memento ink both top left and bottom right (although it's not so clear due to the colouring of the paper on the cover).  Not sure I've chosen the right ribbon for the closure so may end up changing that.

Right, just going to catch up on some blog posts and then off to start dinner.  Hope you've all had a good weekend.

See you soon.

Magic Card

Hello everyone.  Well although it's pretty chilly and very breezy we have, at last, got blue skies and sunshine......long may it continue.

We are still slogging on with the new bathroom and ensuite but I managed to get away for a bit of play time. 

I found a brilliant card design by the very talented Marianne Skjelstad and you can find her tutorial here. 


I really thought it was such a pretty design I couldn't wait to have a go and as it's my friend Barbara's birthday soon I made it with her in mind. 

Not sure why it's called a "magic" card but from what I understand Marianne's son was showing her some magic tricks to do with paper folding and this idea came to her.........

I'm not going to list exactly the sizes and method as you can find that in the tutorial but I have used my Martha Stewart edge punch and card/paper from my stash.  The image is a lovely digi stamp called "Noon" by Sara Burrier and has been coloured with Flexmarkers, Glamour Dust added to her wings and then fussy cut and popped up on Pinflair Glue Gel.  The sentiment on the front is from my Heartfelt Creations Heartfelt Expressions stamp set stamped in Sweet Plum Memento ink.  Inside the card the ovals and scalloped ovals have been die cut with Spellbinders Nesties.  The sentiment on the inside of the card is from Elusive Images and the actual greeting was computer generated.  Flowers, pins and pearls from stash and I've added Liquid Pearls to the centre of the flowers on the front of the card.

I was really pleased with the way this card turned out and hope Barbara will like it.

Thanks for dropping by - don't forget to come by tomorrow for our latest challenge over at Addicted to CAS.

Addicted to CAS - Challenge #2

Happy Saturday everyone.  Well, what a fantastic response we got to our first ever challenge at ATCAS - thank you all for joining us and posting your wonderful creations.  Now, are you all going to step up to the plate again this time?  Here is our challenge:

 

We are delighted that Joanna Munster from Inspired by Stamping is sponsoring this first challenge and has offered a $20 voucher to her store.  Please hop over to her blog at http://www.inspiredbystampin.com/inspired-by-stampin/ and start dreaming what goodies you can buy!!!  lol

For my card I have used my Heartfelt Creations HCPC 3417 - Poinsettia Ornament and the matching Spellbinder dies.  I stamped and heat embossed in silver e/p four of the largest baubles.  I then die cut them, scored each one in half and then glued them together.  I added a little bit of Stickles to the centres of the poinsettias and glued down onto an A5 card.  The sentiment, also heat embossed in silver, is Penny Black Christmas Flourish.  The addition of some silver ribbon finished the card.  I don't think you can see but I glittered each edge of the bauble but the camera didn't seem to pick it up.

Please pop on over to the Addicted to CAS blog and have a look at all the gorgeous creations the DT have come up with.

Thanks for popping by.  I'm looking forward to visiting your blogs to see your lovely cards.

Less is More - Week 71 - One Layer - Flourish

Gosh, don't the weeks fly by?  I'm a bit late this week with my challenge card for those lovely ladies over at Less is More.  The challenge is one layer and use flourishes.

I've made a DL card out of Coredinations card. and then run it through my Joy with a Darice embossing folder called, appropriately enough, Flourish!  It's 12" long by 2.5" wide which is brilliant and means you don't have to try to match up the border on it.  I've sanded the embossed area of the flourish and then added a sentiment which is by Heartfelt Creations.

Thanks for dropping by.