Tuesday 21 March 2017

I love shiny things

Hello once again, the card I am sharing with you today is a sample card I made for Crafters Companion using their amazing foils and transfers. The shows were supposed to be on Hochanda today but I think the Hochanda building is broken so I don't know if they will be broadcasting today.

 
what was used:
Crafters Companion Foil Transfers - Blossoming Bouquet
Crafters Companion Foil Transfers - Lavish Lace
Gold & Rose Gold foils
Sheenas, Perfect Partners, Country Cottage, Classic Carnations stamps and dies
Crafters Companion Autumn Morning 12" x 12" paper pad
6" x 6" cream linen base card
black card
black Versa Fine ink pad
1cm black dazzler gem
 
This is a really straight forward card to make and the foils are so easy to apply so don't be put off. The only tips I can give when applying foils are as follows
 
1. Don't move the transfer when rubbing it
2. Rub hard on the transfer with the stylus (lolly stick)
3. when rubbing the foil use an old plastic bag to cover the foil
4. Burnish the finished foiled image by carefully rubbing with the plastic bag
 
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Well I survived my trip to the dentist and have to go for it all doing again in three months, but my dentist is so nice it isn't really such a nightmare. I have been hit with a bug and am feeling ill today so I think I will be drinking lots of honey and lemon.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday 20 March 2017

Back in my comfort zone

Hello again crafty peeps, today is the day I get to share with you another one of the Little Claire sample cards that I made a few weeks ago. The new stamp sets are just lovely and full of character, you can see them on Hochanda today at 2 and 5. This card is so me (the colours, the stamp, the layout) I just love it.

 
what was used:
Little Claire Designs Hugs stamps
Tattered Lace essentials circles dies
ring binder punch
border die (not too intricate)
NitWit Chicks & Bunnies downloaded papers
Creative Expressions, Sue Wilson, Delicate Daisies complete petals dies
black Versa Fine ink pad
peach card
cream card scraps
5mm blue gingham ribbon
 
This is a straight forward matting and layering card but what really makes it work is that the colouring of the stamped image matches the background papers.
 
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This was the first card that I made with these new stamps, it had been quite a while since I coloured in a stamped image and I was a bit anxious that I had forgotten how to do it but I am pleased with the way it turned out. I love this set and will be using this stamp on a Birthday card for my sister but her Birthday isn't till November so I have lots of time to think about that one.
 
I have a dentist appointment today at guess what time - 2.30. I never really mind going to the dentists too much but when he saw me a couple of weeks ago he said my teeth needed cleaning below the gum line and he might have to numb up my mouth. I don't like the idea of that and does he mean my whole mouth, mind you Stu might get a word in if my whole mouth is numb. My dentist is just a couple of shops away from my favourite craft shop and I cant wait to call in as she has put a couple of Crafters Companion Shabby Chic dies away for me.
 
I had my latest allocation from Crafters Companion a few days ago and I`m busy with metallic card which just screams out CONSTRUCTION to me, so I`m making boxes which I will share nearer the Hochanda show date. Just a heads up about a Crafters Companion Hochanda show tomorrow - Foils & Transfers. I have done samples for this show and I am blown away with the results that foils give. I never understood why any one would go to the trouble and expense of foiling when there is mirri board and foiled card on the market but how my mind has changed after using the foils. Take a look at the shows if you get a chance. 
 
 
 
 

Sunday 19 March 2017

Hugs make everything better

Hello there crafters, today I am giving you all a sneak peek at a beautiful new stamp set from Little Claire (L C Designs) which are on Hochanda tomorrow at 2 and 5. I love this stamp set which I have been calling "little girls" but is actually called Hugs and all the stamps and sentiments are about hugs and caring.

 
what was used:
LC Designs Hugs stamp set
Zendoodles String Theory stamp
Brushos - Yellow Ochre & Lime Green
6" x 6" white base card
Crafters Companion Sheena stamping card
black card
red fine detail pen
black fine detail pen
black Versa Fine ink pad
 
This card is a bit trixy as you have to think about where the border stamp is going to go because this is the frame for the card.
 
On a piece of white stamping card draw out lightly in pencil an outline to stamp the Zendoodles stamp onto. 
Stamp the Zendoodles stamp and when dry rub out the pencil line.
 
Wet the card thoroughly with a mister. Put a small amount of the Lime Green Brusho onto a palette and add some water, with a flat brush, brush the green paint around the outside of the Zendoodles stamped border. spritz th card again if necessacery and tip the card in the desired direction allowing the wet paint to run inside the Zendoodles border. Allow to dry and repeat this process with the Yellow Ochre Brusho.
 
When the base card is thoroughly dry cut to size and stamp the little girl image in the bottom left corner, colour the image.
 
The rest of the card is simple. I used a fine tip black pen to add extra rain drops and a heart on the sentiment.
 
Because of the nature of the Brushos each time you use them the results are different so don't be surprised if your card is much better than mine.
 
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Its Sunday and that means I will be going to work but it is the last day of my shift so Sundays are like a Friday is for most people. Have a lovely Sunday whatever you are doing.
 
 

Wednesday 15 March 2017

Oh the irony of it

Hello again my crafty friends, today I am sharing a simple little card that I have made as a sample for the Crafteers Companion sale on Hochanda which started this morning. The collection that I had to work with was the Butterfly Lullaby range, as you all know by now I am scared of Butterflies and there lies the irony. This card is so easy to make as the beautiful papers and flower do all the work.


what was used:
Crafters Companion, Butterfly Lullaby 12" x 12" paper pad
small heart punch
Tim Holtz Faded Jeans Distress Ink
6 9/10" x 4 1/2" white base card
white card
slate grey linen card
lilac pearl card scraps (for the hearts)

A really simple and straight forward card to make - easy peasy.

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I`m pleased to tell you that I had a sort out of my box of stamps and I found the Little Claire little girls stamp that I reported as being lost in my last blog, I`d only put it away. I cant wait to share the samples made with those little beauties.
I was going to do a bit of ironing this morning before I start work in the Lincolnshire Trust for Cats this afternoon but then my ironing pile didn't seem quite as big as it should have. I know this would make me happy most days but I couldn't find my school uniform (for the kitchen, believe me I`m not a school girl), then I realised I had washed it yesterday but forgot to hang it out. I know everyone has moments when they forget but I do seem to have been good at forgetting things this week and its only Wednesday, I think I need to do some mental gymnastics to keep my mind in shape.




Monday 13 March 2017

Keeping busy crafting keeps me sane

Hello blogger friends, today I am sharing a card I have made for Crafters Companion as I was asked to make five samples using their Butterfly Lullaby range. This little tag card was really fun to make and it is a good way of using up scraps of paper which is always a plus point.

 
what was used:
Crafters Companion 12" x 12" Butterfly Lullaby paper pad
Crafters Companion, Butterfly Lullaby, Circle 3D Butterfly die
Crafters Companion, Butterfly Lullaby, Sent With Love 3D toppers
Crafters Companion, Gemini, Set One heart die
3 1/2" x 8" white tag base card
pink paper
Glamour Dust glitter
Cosmic Shimmer, Powder Blue, Metalic Gilding Polish
Tim Holts Distress Inks - Seedless Preserve & Stormy Sky
blue raffia twine
thick white water based paint
pink dazzler gem
silver Angel charm
AB crystal gems
pink seed beads & thread
 
I tore three different papers from the paper pad, inked along the torn edge and then glued them together to make the background paper and when dry cut to shape.
 
I then painted the thick white paint along the edge of the background paper tag, allow to dry and repeat until the desired effect is achieved.
 
The Butterfly medallion was cut from plain white card and covered with the gilding polish but if you have some pearl card which is the right colour you could use this instead.
 
The rest of the card is straight forward although the seed beads are a little tricky to hand but it is worth persevering.
 
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I have had a really busy time lately what with my Crafters Companion DT duties and some seriously lovely Little Claire DT samples to make but I needed to be kept occupied as I was very edgy about Stu going for an operation on his legs. I always try to think positive but the worst case scenario is always lurking at the back of my mind, I keep it at the back of my mind by filling my time with other things and in this case crafting. Stu is home recovering now and I am much more relaxed and happy, I`m so grateful I have my hobbies to keep me sane (If you can call it that).
As I was saying I had some samples to make for Little Clair and one of them was using a particularly lovely stamp set with little girls on it, well I made the samples and put the A5 stamp set to one side to make a Birthday card for my sister. When I went to look for the stamp set it wasn't where I thought it should have been, I still cant find it. I hate it when craft things fall into that crafty black hole only to return years later when you no longer need them or you have bought a replacement, I will have to have a good craft room clean out this week and hope it turns up.