die cutting

Thanks So Much

Hello once again. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. Dawn has chosen the theme of:

Add Texture

Here is my card:

I used a couple of die sets from Spellbinders to create the floral elements. One way to add texture is to layer things up – there are lots of layers on these floral and leaf images.

The second way I added texture was by using an embossing folder.

The background panel was created using a deep purple card stock, then I took a piece of white cut down slightly, then another piece of the purple and ran them through my die-cutting machine at the same time – one piece of top of the other. That way, both pieces are embossed, and the pattern runs continuously across both pieces.

These were adhered down, the the floral elements added, extra little flowers and leaves placed where I thought they were needed.

For more texture, I added Pinkfresh gems to the centre of some of the flowers.

The foiled sentiment was added at the end.

I hope you can come and join us with your creations highlighting and featured texture. xx

Inlaid Bauble

Hello there. I have had more time to play with some Concord & 9th products:

This die set is the ‘Ornament Inlay Die’ and I created lots of colour variations. As I was die cutting from lots of different colours of card stock, and generally having a good time playing – I just went with it:

I started by taking an A2 piece of card and laying down a double-sided sticky sheet. I pulled back the protective sheet then adhered the outer piece from the die cut. All the other little pieces I kept in piles of colours. Then I began to piece them all back in where I thought the colours would work.

Once inlaid, I then used my Teflon bone folder to burnish them all, making sure they were good and stuck down.

Here are some other colour ways:

I must be in a mood to be fiddly – loving these inlay dies from Concord & 9th.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Everybody Art Challenge – silver and/or gold with red or blue

MAWTT – Sparkle

Die Cut Divas – any holiday in the year

12 Months Of Christmas – anything goes Christmas – option of stitched up not taken

Love To Craft – anything goes

Poinsettia Collage

Hello there. I have been playing with a collage stencil from Waffle Flower Crafts:

Following the colour choices for the current Color Throwdown Challenge, I made a couple of variations.

The first card, I used all the stencils, including the background for each tile. Using Pinkfresh Studio inks, I stencilled the background with a medium grey, then used the orange, red, and green on the next layers. I cut apart the collage tiles, and chose the images I wanted for the card.

The background panel was cut down and then dry embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder. The images were then laid out and attached with 3D foam pieces, before adding the foiled sentiment. The final touches were some red pearls in the centre of the flowers.

For the second card, I didn’t use the background stencil, only the three layers for the leaves and the flowers, and I also used the same three colours of inks.

I die cut the background collage die several more times and layered them together with the stencilled piece, instead of using 3D foam pieces.

The white card base, a red panel showing around the edge and through the holes of the collage die, and glued together.

I added more of the red pearls – the centre of the flowers, the red berries on the holly, and a few more for good luck……

Personally, I think I prefer the stencilling without the grey background – but that may be the colour choices I made. I will play around with colours a little more – loving the collage stencils – and perhaps post some more variations.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – orange, moss, cranberry

Beautiful Blossoms – florals

Addicted To Stamps – die cuts and stencils

Creative Fingers – anything goes

Polkadoodle – anything goes

Aud Sentiments – glitter and/or Christmas and a sentiment

Christmas (or not) Bingo – column O – stencilling, free, pearls

Love To Craft – anything goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Washi Christmas Wreath

Hello. I have been busy crafting and have made a Christmas card using some Pinkfresh Studio washi tape:

The first thing I did was to place the wide washi onto a piece of card, and use the matching dies to cut out the images.

I created the background using a Spellbinders embossing folder, then wiping over some white pigment ink to bring out the details more.

I then arranged the images in a wreath format, adding the dangly baubles at the bottom. Before using a combination of glue and 3D foam.

I have a selection of this washi tape from Pinkfresh Studio – the trickiest part is not applying it to the card before die cutting – it’s making sure the die is very well stuck down to the card piece surrounding the washi – low tack tape doesn’t stick to washi and the die can move – a lot! Ask me how I know…….

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – anything goes

Crafty Catz – anything goes – option to use dies/punches taken

CYHTP – embossing folder – option to use pumpkins not take

Krafty Chicks – anything goes

Allsorts – magic of the season

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Joyful Birdies

Hello. I have been spending a lot of time in my craft room to escape decorating work and have another card to share:

I used some Pretty Pink Posh products which I ‘found’ when I was searching for something else. I was inspired to use the bird house stencil, and the bird dies.

I first created the birdhouse stencilled background using Pinkfresh Studio inks. I used coral and pink tones, and then cut that panel into a 5.5 inch square – knowing I was going to use a 6 inch square card base.

I then die cut the birdies out of white card stock, then ink blended a brown and a red Distress ink. I wanted them to look like Robins. The beaks are so small I used an orange Copic, and the eyes are little black gems.

After placing the birdies on the background panel – they didn’t really stand out very much so I looked for a way of still showing the background stencilling and found this Polkadoodles vellum with silver snowflakes….

I cut that 5.5 inches by 6 inches, used a bone folder to score each end, then wrapped it around the sides to hold it in place, then added double sided tape. This way, there is no glue on the front of that snowflake acetate.

I then die cut the word ‘Joy’ from a Stamps Of Life die set provided to us for a virtual event – the shadow layer from a mat silver, and the word itself from a silver glitter non-shed card stock.

I die cut the word a couple more times and layered with the silver glitter word for a little more dimension and stability.

I first added the word with glue, then each of the little birdies was added with small pieces of 3D foam.

This is a very shiny and glittery card which makes it difficult to take a photo of – but I think you can see all the shine.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Everybody Art Challenge – things with wings

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – stencil it

Shopping Our Stash – birds and/or feathers

Polkadoodles – anything goes

Allsorts – magic of the season

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Addicted to Stamps and More – die cuts and stencils

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

P is for Party

Hello once again. The Alphabet Challenge has started a new challenge. We have reached the letter ‘P‘ and Melanie has chosen the theme of ‘Party’. Here is my card:

I decided to release my Copics for this card – they have been neglected recently….

The Images are all from Mama Elephant – ‘Flying With Friends’ and ‘Yay A Party‘, and ‘Celebration Hamsters‘. I stamped the images with Gina K Amalgam, then set to colouring them all. The colouring didn’t really take me too long, it is the colour choices which take me longer to plan out, but I kept with the pink, blue, and green theme – obviously with greys and browns for the critters.

I also added some rosy cheeks, and white gel pen.

Once the colouring was completed, I turned my mind to the actual scene. I used the Mama Elephant ‘Slim Woodland‘ die and cut out of white card stock. I then used Distress inks in green and brown to colour the trees and the grass, masking off as required.

I wanted a blue sky behind the party, so took a white piece of card and ink blended a couple of blue Distress Inks – a light one first, then the darker one nearer the top.

A white picket fence – another Mama Elephant die set – and now to lay out the images……

The tree and grass layer was added the blue sky piece of card, with the white fence slotted in behind the grassy hills.

The animals were added one by one, some overlapping, with either glue of 3D foam.

The sentiment was stamped and cut, added to the top right corner.

I hope you can come and join us with your ‘party’ themed projects. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Avenue 613 Create – anything goes – option of leaves not taken

Paper Funday – anything goes – option of colours of Autumn not taken

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – anything goes

Crafty Catz – anything goes – option to use dies/punches taken

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Patterned Papers

Hello again. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. Debbie has chosen the theme of ‘patterned papers‘. Here is my card:

I don’t use many patterned papers, though I do have plenty of them….and for this card I used a collection from Polkadoodles.

I decided to use a 5×7 inch card base to accommodate the large sentiment with some additional flowers.

My first task was to take a 5×7 inch panel, and adhere some double sided sticky sheet. I then cut some strips of the patterned papers and arranged them in a jaunty angle.

Once they were all stuck down, I used a Spellbinders embossing folder and ran the patterned paper panel through that – even more texture and interest on the papers.

This panel was then glued down to the card base.

The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn, die cut with patterned paper, layered with a couple more white card layers and glued to the front.

I also used some Spellbinders dies and cut out the flowers and foliage, adding as you see, and also added some pink pearl gems around and about, as well as some glittery gems for the centre of the flowers.

I hope you can come and join us with your creations following our theme of ‘patterned papers’. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Love Those Pretty Papers – anything goes with patterned papers – option of Halloween colours not taken

Aud Sentiments – embossing and/or fall + sentiment (embossing and sentiment)

Polkadoodles – anything goes

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Paper Funday – anything goes – option of colours of Autumn not taken

Beautiful Blossoms – anything goes with floral (die cut flowers and paper with florals)

Delivering Presents

Hello. I have retreated to my craft room for a while to escape decorators in the house, and ground work excavation for some new garden gates.

This card is using some products from Pinkfresh Studio:

I first heat embossed the images in gold, then used the matching layering stencils and Pinkfresh Studio inks to colour them, before using the matching dies to cut them out.

Some of the ribbons and bows were coloured in using Crafters Companion gold paint pens.

I chose to use a longer almost slimline card when I couldn’t decide which of the images to use – so I used them all!

The bike is ready to go and deliver some presents, and it will return to grab the pile that is left for another delivery – well – that’s my take on this anyway……

The background panel was cut using a light blue card stock, the embossed using an embossing folder. I can’t remember the maker of the folder, it was in my stash without a packet.

I then ink blended some blue around the edges, only what was left on my blending brush – to create a little more depth.

This panel was then adhered to a teal card base, and the images attached with a mixture of glue and 3D foam pieces.

I also glued some Pinkfresh Studio gems here and there for even more bling.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Crafts Galore – anything goes

Lil Red Wagon – emboss it

Just Add Ink – stencilling

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – stencil it

Color Throwdown #816 Guest Designer

Hello everyone. I am delighted to be the guest designer for the new challenge at Color Throwdown. Here are the colours we are playing with this week:

Here is my card following the challenge colours:

The background panel is a piece of cream linen textured card, cut and glued to a card base.

I then die cut the foliage and berries using a die set from The Greetery – ‘Rosemary & Berry’. I actually cut two of each of the foliage elements so I could layer them a little more for sturdiness, then gluing flat to the card panel.

I then played around with the layout, trying to ensure as much of the background was covered without losing the clean look, snipping off any overhanging pieces.

The sentiment was die cut using a Spellbinders die set, and cutting the shadow layer out of the reverse of the linen textured cardstock – the smoother side.

The final touch was to add some Spellbinders glitter gems – for no reason other than I like adding gems….

I hope you love these colours enough to be able to join us in the challenge this time round. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

A Cut Above – anything goes with at least one die cut

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Addicted To Stamps and More – any occasion

Die Cut Divas – anything goes with die cuts

Paper Funday – anything goes – option of colours of Autumn

Autumnal Inlay

Hello. A little playtime – and fiddly – time today to create this card:

I was inspired by the current colours at Color Hues – olive and mustard. I took my trusty Distress Inks, Distress Oxides, and sprays and set to with ink smooshing, splattering and generally getting messy and inky. These were the products used:

I created three panels, one with Crushed Olive with Crushed Olive splatters, and the others with Mustard Seed with Crushed Olive splatters also.

Whilst these panels were drying, I found a [previously created piece of card I could use for the acorns. This was a piece of Kraft card, onto which I stamped a wood grain pattern – ideal for the acorns.

I die cut the Concord & 9th ‘Autumn Inlay’ die from each of the panels to get the colours of the leaves I wanted, and die cut again from Spellbinders brushed gold card stock to get the leaf veins, and the caps of the acorns.

Now for the paper-piecing……fiddly, but worth it. I took a white piece of card and added a double sided sheet to it, die cut the panel yet again from white and stuck that down. All the elements were inlaid and pieced where I thought the colours would work best.

The final touch were some Pinkfresh Studio jewels which have a gold and silver glitter to them and dotted them around.