Catitudes!!

When Crafter's Companion brought out Marilyn Robertson's Kimono range, I fell in love with it!! And now we have Catitudes too!! It's launching tonight on Hochanda at 8pm - and is just as amazing as Kimono is!!

There is a great collection including a CD, dies, embossing folder, paper pad and stamps. This twist-turn pop up card is made using one of the Character sheets from the CD, along with the flowers and sentiment - also from the CD. 

Inside, I used the Opulent Chandelier embossing folder - and highlighted it with Pebeo Silver gilding wax before cutting out the centre piece.

I have also used the Champagne Glass, Elegant Chandelier and Classic Chaise dies - along with paper from the 8x8 Paper pad. 

Be sure to tune in for the launch, and for the shows tomorrow.

Cxxx

Twist and Turn Pop Out Card.

Morning!! I meant to blog this yesterday - but was a bit busy so didn't get the chance! This is my Twist Turn Pop Out card that I made with the brand new 5x5 Create a Card dies.

I used the Birthday Garden and Congratulations for the outer piece. This was made from a piece of A3 Ivory double sided Centura pearl. You need the whole length, but cut the width to 6½". Butt the short side on your Big Score, and score at 8⅛" and 8⅜". Make sure you die cut before adding the mechanism.   

The turning mechanism is made from piece of card 10½" x 5½". Score in half along the length. On the other side, make marks 2½" from each corner along the long sides. Score using these marks to create a cross in the middle. This folds to make an arrow shape. Make a mark on the middle of the 2 score lines on the inside of the outer piece. The point of the arrow is lined up with these marks and stuck to the inside of the card - only glue the triangular pieces of the mechanism.

The inside of the card is made from a piece of card 15½" x 5½". Butt the short edge on your Big Score, and score at 7¾", then turn the card over and score at 3⅞"  and 11⅝". Die cut the elements - I used Country Garden for the outer pieces and the Happy Birthday for the inner section. Place over the opened out mechanism, and fold over the outside creases of the inner section. This reveals the ends of the mechanism. On the right, draw a line on the mechanism from the top to the middle score line. On the left hand side, draw a from the middle score line to the bottom. Add glue to these rectangles - top right and bottom left and stick the inner piece to this.

I would suggest practicing this with paper first if you can, as it took me a while to get my head round. I've kept the paper one as a reminder for the future. 

The flower embellishments are Die'sire Essentials Flowers for All Occasions, and I used the Classiques Floral Flourish on the inside. The blue paper is from the Downton Abbey 12x12 paper pad.

There are still a couple of shows left today on Hochanda, so tune in if you can! 

Cxxx

A Country Garden!!

The birthday week launches keep going with some amazing new products! Today it's the turn of a collection of fab new 5x5 and 5x2 Create a Cards. 

For this tent fold card, I have used the Country Garden 5x5 die, along with the Happy Birthday 5x2 sentiment die. I backed it with Centura Pearl black card, and overlayed some silver butterflies.

I reinforced the front of the tent fold with more black Centura Pearl, and rather than throwing away the waste from the sentiment die, I used it inside to create the sentiment.
The embossing folder is one that has been in the Gemini Monthly Mega Deal - the Elegant Orchid folder.

Tune in to Hochanda today and over the weekend to see more of these fab dies.
Cxxx

Thinking of Christmas!!

The last couple of years, I really wasn't interested in Christmas. In 2014, my Dad had just been told he had 3 to 6 months left to live. And in 2015 we were dealing with our first Christmas without him. So I didn't have any enthusiasm for having a tree or putting up decorations. Well, this year, I seem to have found my Christmas mojo again. I have already been buying a few bits and pieces and have a couple of sewing projects in mind - a tree skirt and a table runner! My colour scheme is very neutral. Brown, cream, beige and gold - with some wooden pieces, and Scandi bunting. I think this is why I made this card in these colours!  

I have used Crafter's Companion Christmas Create a Card Cut In Die - Sparkling Bauble. I cut just the outline to create the aperture in the front, with the little bauble from the set as a dangler. At the back is the full size bauble, and the decorative strips are used down the side. They may not be conventional Christmas colours - but they're my Christmas colours.

Take care,

Cxxxx

A little more Illustrator!

Morning! Just popping on with another of the samples I made with the new Spectrum Noir Illustrator pens. This is a stepper card made with another Just Inklined image called Three Wise. My niece is obsessed with Orang Utans - and Just Inklined have several that I have used for her cards!!

The pens I used are: 

Bodies: Portrait - Dark Brown, Natural Brown, Cream

            Hues - Amber, Gold

Hands/Feet: Portrait - Dusty Pink, Peach

The sentiment is from Crafter’s Inspiration 6, and I used Embosalicious A4 Argyle embossing folder!

Enjoy your day!! 

Cxxx

Birthday time means new goodies!!

Morning!! It's been a while since I have blogged. Not because I have nothing to share, but just that I don't seem to have time to get on here and blog!! Anyway, just had to pop on to share with you some samples I have made using the brand new Illustrator pens from Crafter's Companion. They come with a brush nib as standard, and the other end is an ultra fine nib. There are eight packs of 6 pens, and 4 packs of 12 pens. 

The first of my samples is using a Just Inklined image called Masquerade. The colours I have used are:
Feathers: Portrait - Ivory
               Earth - Khaki, Moss Green, Raw Sienna, Goldenrod

               Tints - Vanilla, MoonlightMask: Earth - Petrol Blue, Pale Mint          Tints - Duck EggRibbon: Portrait - Ivory
             Earth - Raw Sienna, Goldenrod
             Tints - Vanilla, Moonlight

The base card is Papermill Teal card, and I have used Hobby House flowers for embellishment. The sentiment is from one of the free Crafter's Inspiration sets!

Don't forget to join Leann at 10 on Hochanda for the launch!! 
Cxxx

Large Fancy Edge'able Box and Card!

A very quick post to share with you! This one is made with the Rococo larger Die'sire Fancy Edge'able.

I only do a few commissions for friends and family now, and it's usually for a special occasion - wedding, anniversary, big birthday! And  they are invariably for my boxed cards. This is using Centura Pearl Fresh White double sided card, with Mink from the Pastels set.

The panel on the front is made from using 4 of the edge'ables, and then mitering them at the corners. The hearts are cut with Die'sire Essentials Hearts, and the outside edge of Sara Signature Love and Romance Collection - Decorative Heat. I used the Elegant Orchid Embossing folder. and the flowers are Sara Signature English Country Garden - Roll up flower.

 I always decorate the inside of the boxes for these special cards. 

And the card itself has layers of the edge'able as well as it being cut from the bottom of the card.

Back soon,

Cxxx

New Fancy Edge'ables

Afternoon!! Have popped on to share a peek at the new Fancy Edge'ables that are launching on Hochanda tonight. They are 7.5" long - and the designs are gorgoeous!

This a a bow fronted card made using the Marseille design with the fabulous peacocks. The base card is Centura Pearl Snow White Hint of Silver, and the patterned card is from the Downton Abbey 12x12 pad. I added more peacocks using the Kimono peacock die, and added a Die'sire Essentials Only Words sentiment. 

It's the first time I've made a bow fronted card - and I rather like it!

Cxxx

Silver Anniversary!!

I was asked to make a 25th Wedding Anniversary card for my friend to give to her husband. Apart from the wording, all she said was "something modern". This is what I came up with.

The card base is A3 Fresh White Centura Pearl, teamed up with the Matt Silver card from the Sara Signature Together Forever collection. I also used a darker matt grey paper for contrast.  

The champagne flutes are from Sara Signature Together Forever Collection, and the rose is from Verity Rose Cupcake Accessories collection. I also used the Lattice Flourish Edge'able die that came free with Crafter's Companion Crafter's Inspiration Issue 8. The bubbles were cut with the centre die from Essentials Flowers for All Occasions 1. And the lettering is Die'ire Contemporary Alphabet and the little Essentials Alphabet.

I always make a matching box to go with these 8x8 celebration card - and to decorate th inside of that too!!

Cxxxx

Sunset!!

Back today with another Spectrum Aqua card. This again uses Sheena's "The Beach" stamp - but this time with more sunset colours.

The colours I have used for this one are: Sunset, Amber, Topaz, Kingfisher, Peacock Blue, Sea Green, Boulder, Evergreen, Desert, Fawn, Chestunut from the Nature set and Charcoal and Moss from the Essentials set.

I used the scribble technique to create the background card, then spritzed it with water...

... before placing a piece of watercolour card on top to soak up the colour. Matt Black card helps to bring out the the sunset colours. And now I shall be heading out into the garden to do some tidying up before a little family BBQ tonight.

Cxxxx

Getting Organised!!

Hardly seems like the Summer has begun - and yet it's only a week and a bit until term starts again. Am beginning to think of what I need to make sure I have for school - a trip to Staples is on the cards. And I need to get organised with other things in my life - like receipts and the like. And all the inspiration I've collected for art journalling. So I think I might need to make myself a couple of these organisers from Crafter's Companion Big Score.

I made this one a while ago with card from the Below Stairs Downton Abbey A3 pack. They look so complicated - but it's actually really easy to make. All the instructions are on the Big Score DVD.

Cxxx 

The Beach

Morning!! Thought I would pop on quickly to share another Spectrum Aqua Pen card. This one is using Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Sketchy - The Beach.

I used Peacock Blue, Sea Green, Kingfisher, Desert, Fawn, Chestnut, Boulder and Evergreen from the Nature pack - and also Slate from the Essentials. For the image, I masked areas as I went along with Pebeo Drawing Gum. 

The background was create by scribbling onto a white tile, spritzing and transferring to Crafter's Companion Watercolour card. I added a little rock salt while it was still wet.

The green flowers were originally white, and I coloured them with the Sea Green marker.

Cxxxx

Watercolour Orchids!!

Finally have found some time to blog!! And thought I would share one of my samples for the Spectrum Aqua pens that are on Hochanda this weekend.

I really enjoyed making this one - I absolutely love watercolours - and Sheena's flower stamps are always great to colour. This one is A Little Bit Sketchy - Orchids.

I started by stamping the image to the left of a piece of Sheena Stamping Card, and painted over it with Pebeo Drawing Gum. 

I then used my paint daubers/sponges to add colour. I scribbled it onto a white tile first and added some water before splodging it on! I used Red Violet and Aquamarine from the Primaries set.

The drawing gum was rubbed off - and the re-applied just around the edges of each petal.

I then used Red Violet for the Orchids, Sepia (Essentials) for the stems, and Jasmine (Florals) for the centres.

I stamped the orchids twice more, and painted them in the same way, before cutting them out and layering them onto the original one.

The sentiment is also from the same set.

Hope you are enjoying the shows! 

Cxxxx

Do More of What Makes You Happy!

A few weeks ago, I took delivery of my new Happy Planner from Me and My Big Ideas. I had been looking at them for a while and when Crafter's Companion started to stock them, I just had to get one - along with a few accessories including stickers, pocket cards and other bits and pieces. I'm not really sure how I envisaged using my planner with all these fabulous goodies - but in the end I have come up with what suits me - and I'm loving using it. 

But sorting through all the lovely extra bits and pieces, I realised that it was opening up a completely different possibility to me. So, with a goal in mind, I invested in a set of the expander rings for the planner and the punch that goes with it. The punch may well get used for the planner - but the expander rings are for a completely different purpose.

I have decided to start an art journal, as I love playing with all sorts of techniques and media, and as I no longer sell my cards etc, this would allow me to create for a purpose! And being able to punch the pages and add them to the rings gives me more scope than working in an existing book. The motivational quotes that came with some of the Happy Planner things also spurred me on. I intend to either use them on the pages - or as inspiration for the pages.

I have started by creating the front cover for my journal, which I am going to laminate to make it durable. There is such a wide variety of products in my stash, I decided to use up some of my oldest acrylic paints - my Eco Green tubes!! Some of the paint had separated in some of the tubes - but I've given them a shake up - so they are good to go!!

I took my starting point from this Happy Planner Pocket Card, because I feel it sums up what the point of this is for me - doing more of the messy stuff that makes me happy!

I began by making a background on Sheena White Stamping card with Eco Green paints - White, Butternut, Raspberry and Green Patina. And I really didn't like it.

So I mixed some white Gesso with water and went over the lot - then added more colour back in - but really watered it down.

I wanted to use Leonie Pujol's Everlasting Love stamp - I really love the style of it - and it reminds me of gardening - which is also something I need to do more of to stay happy!! I stamped it with Memento Rose Bud.

And then covered it in Pebeo Masking fluid! Big mistake, as the ink ran into the liquid!! But I pressed onwards.

I used stamps from two of the original Textures collection - Basket and Burlap, and Journal Jottings. The tyre tread and footprints are for the activities I love doing! I persevered with the Memento Ink - and used Rose Bud, Pistachio and Pear Tart.

Once I had stamped over the background I realised that I had stamped the flower image a bit too low down to be able to attach the card with the words - so I partially inked the stamp, and then stamped it again.

Because a lot of the ink had disappeared with the masking fluid, I used my Spectrum Noir AquaBlend pencils to go over the image - and to colour it in. I picked three colours to echo the inks - Rose (Florals), Tobacco (Essentials) and Pesto Green (Naturals).

To add more definition to the edges, I added a thin white line with the Pebeo 4Artist Oil Marker (fab new addition to my stash) and then drew a line on the inside with my Rose pencil and went over with water.

I did a little of all these things to the card with the words on too, so that it would blend in. After adding a few dots with my Pebeo marker, I mounted it on white card so that the messy back is covered before I laminate it!

Looking at it, I think I would have added more foliage to the left of the card - but I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out!

Cxxx

A Diamond Star!!!

Fiona will be back in under an hour with the fab new Christmas Create a Card dies. This is another of my samples - this time using the gorgeous Shine Bright.

This is a Diamond Easel card - and I noticed last night that it was on the display for the show!! Have been very honoured to have had 5 of my samples shown in detail last night. Athough, I think Hayley got the wrong end of the stick with my snowflake bag - and despite having tied those stitches off, they have started to come undone. 

Anyway, I used all the dies in the Shine Bright set for this one - along with Centura Pearl Hint of Gold, and some Gold Pearl card from my stash! 

Looking forward to seeing the rest of the shows today!!
Cxxx

Bauble Ornament!!

Not long to go now until the new Crafter's Companion Die'sire Cut In Create a Card dies launch on Hochanda, so thought I'd pop back on and share another of my makes.

For this one I have used the Sparkling Bauble die, cutting the outline only in cream felt, and the detailed version in pale green felt. The circular base is a Debbie Shore Fabric die.

I used Stick and Stay to bond the solid cream bauble to the dark green circle, but it didn't want to work for the detailed bauble. So I used Collall Textile Glue instead! I also used it to fix the ribbon to the reverse side of the circle. After blanket stitching most of the edge, I stuffed it with toy stuffing, and then finished off the blanket stitch.

Hope you enjoy the shows on Hochanda - and I'll be back tomorrow to share my last couple of samples.

Cxxxx

Snowflakes are falling!!

Morning. Tonight is the launch of the one day special on Hochanda, of the fab new Christmas Cut In Create a Card dies. Here is another sample I made using the Ornate Snowflake die.

This is a drawstring gift bag, made using the instructions that you can find HERE. I changed the measurements to fit the size I wanted - but all the principles are the same.

The outer bag is really cheap honeycomb fabric, while the inner is white fabric with red snowflakes. I cut out the detailed snowflake in the same fabric having first backed it with stabiliser. Then I just used the outline die to cut a plain red snowflake shape to back it. They were joined together using Stick and Stay for fabric. I couldn't use heat on the honeycomb fabric, so used Stick and Spray for fabric, and then machine stitched it to secure it on. 

Be sure to tune in tonight to catch the launch.

Cxxx

Shine Bright!

Back again this morning with more of the fabulous new Cut In Create a Card dies launching on Hochanda on Friday.  

For this cushion cover, I used the large and small stars from the Shine Bright die set. The cover is envelope style, made using Debbie Shore's Leaves White Lacquered Fabric.  I used my Gemini to cut through the silver honeycomb-backed fabric, and then Stick and Spray for fabric to place them on the cushion cover.

A bit of machine stitching around the edge, and free motion embroidery in the centres, fixed the stars to the cover.

There are lots more sneaky peeks from the team appearing on FB, so keep an eye out!!

Back soon,

Cxx

Christmas Cut In Create a Card

Morning! An early start today as I have a busy day. There are some fab new dies launching on Hochanda on Friday. They are Cut In Create a Card dies. You can either cut them into the card - or cut them out of the card!! 

There are several designs - this one is the snowflake!!

I made the box card base from A3 Centura Pearl Hint of Silver, with some Fresh Blue fpr an accent. The dark blue card is from my stash.

You can see the cut in versions on the flaps of the box - and the cut out versions inside the box. There are 2 sizes of the snowflake - and a border strip too, which I used at the back of the box.

Keep your eyes peeled for more sneak peeks from the team.

Cxxx

Twisted Easel Christmas Card

Another Christmas make with the gorgeous Prestige Only Words Christmas dies. 

This is a 6x6 twisted easel card using Noel. The base is made from Fresh Blue Centura Pearl. I used the Downton Abbey Downton Decor die to cut the white decorative background from Snow White Hint of Silver Centura Pearl, and backed it with some textured dark blue card from my stash.

I used more of the three cards to make bands across the centre, ovals for matting and layering, and for the stopper. The decoration is Die'sire Holly. 

Back soon,

Cxxxx