Xyron

Love and Best Wishes

Hello again. It seems crafting is a good distraction for me today, and I have been able to create a couple of cards. My puddy tat is still doing alright, and in fact seems a little better with moving around as he is on an anti-inflammatory…….he even jumped onto my craft desk this afternoon. He’s not been up there for weeks!

Here is the card he interrupted, so it took me much of the afternoon:

The scribble is a Tim Holtz die and the tags are from MFT. The card stock is Stampin Up. The little stamps are from Uniko, a set I have had for a while, and like to use when I am trying to fill some space, and there are lots of little stamps in these sets.

The layout AND the colours are the double trouble (!!) challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches this week. I shall also be entering this into the current challenge at Crafty Gals Corner, asking for a CAS card, and Just Us Girls – asking for a card with the word prompt being ‘Love’.

This second card:

is based on the colours from Color Throwdown, to use Aqua, saffron, brown, and yellow; the layout sketch is from Freshly Made Sketches.

The stamp set is a new one from Altenew – courtesy of Seven Hills Crafts (again!!). I buy most of my American stamp and dies sets from there, as the price is always good, and the delivery is 99% within a 48 hours time frame. (I think I need to take shares in that company………..!!)

Anyhoo – I used the set of brown Altenew inks for the Primrose – why?, I hear you ask – well, because I could, and because I like brown flowers…..I was in a floral mood today, but not a bright flowery colourful floral mood, but I am definitely going more vibrant with these flowers in the very, very near future – the detail is a good as one has come to expect from Altenew, and I can’t wait to see these flowers in the purples and the reds and the pinks and the yellows and the……well, you get my drift.

The first layer of the leaves was stamped in yellow, the second layer in Saffron, and the third layer in one of the browns – who knew that would work as good as this for leaves?

The aqua you can see, is Aquatini from Catherine Pooler, blended onto the base rectangle, and the sentiment strips are from a Sue Wilson die set and stuck down after putting them through my Xyron.

I hope you are getting some crafting done yourself – have a good one, and I’ll catch you again real soon. 🙂

Fancy Wedding card

Hello there. I have gone back to my roots – the first kind of card making I ever did. Very detailed, very time-consuming, and throwing lots of different die-cuts at it.

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This is a card for a wedding I am attending next week. Neither of them follow my blog or Instagram – so I should be OK!!! 🙂

When I make wedding and anniversary cards for people I know, then I always turn to my Sue Wilson/ Creative Expressions dies and card-stock. This was – obviously – no exception.

I started by creating my shaker heart using the fillables collection from Sue Wilson, and I had to go to YouTube to figure out which part I did first and glued first. Once I had the heart stuck down to my embossed piece of card, I filled it with some pearl hearts and sequins, then stuck it down to a piece of Stampin Up glimmer card. I then concentrated on all the other die-cuts and the layout.

The heart die-cut is made for this shaker shape, and fits perfectly over the top.

The bow is cut from a Spellbinders die set – out of glimmer card – stuck in shape with a brad (you can’t see this brad), then attached with 3D glue. The swirls were also out of glimmer card for added fanciness.

The stick pins I made from scratch, and had to let the Glossy Accents dry before adding them to the card. The glossy accents is in-between each piece on the stick pin. I am glad I used 3D glue for the bow and swirls, because I then had to remove them to add a large foam pad, as something for the stick pins to go into, therefore covering the sharp end.

Here is a close-up of the stick pins and bow:

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and here is the heart shaker element:

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Both of these pictures show the glimmer card better, too.

A couple more random photos, including the inside of the card:

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Simon says Stamp Monday Challenge – Monochrome

Daring Cardmakers – add a swirl or flourish

QKR Stampede – anything goes

The Twisted Challenge – celebrations and monochrome

Monochrome Magic Challenge – monochrome with twist of adding a bow

 

Sketch and colours

Hi everyone. Today’s couple of cards are inspired by CAS Colours and Sketches. For this card, you had a sketch to follow, and also a selection of colours from Stampin Up. I didn’t have all the colours they suggested, and used Lost lagoon, Baja Breeze, and Watermelon Wonder instead. I hope they match enough for the challenge…….

I began with a 6 inch square white card base, and added a die cut from Sizzix/Tim Holtz ‘Scribbles and Splat’. I die cut the scribble twice and added it as a band as per the sketch, and decided to use the piece of card I used for die cutting as another band on a similar card – waste not, want not! I stuck the actual scribbles down using my little Xyron so I didn’t get glue all over the place.

For the main piece, I stamped the main flower from Stampin Up ‘Sunshine Sayings’ in the two different colours, and added some smaller flowers as fill-in from Catherine Pooler ‘Amazing Floral’ stamp set. I used all three colours at some point in the stamping.

The sentiment is from the same Catherine Pooler stamp set, in black, as I wanted a contrast to all the colours used, and I feel the flowers actually stand out more with the sentiment in black.

I think I’m getting the hang of less and less layers and embellishments, but I do like to revert back occasionally.

I will be entering the following challenges:

CAS Colours and Sketches – sketch and colours

QKR Stampede – anything goes

Artistic Inspirations – anything goes with option of flowers

A bit more time to craft – anything goes

Mix it up challenge – anything goes with option of stamping

 

 

Three colours

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Hi there, despite it being 27 degrees today when I got home, I went to craft. I have a portable air-con unit which was ideal for this gorgeous weather! Cool as a cucumber – until I made some mistakes in this card. Took me several attempts for such a simple card, but here you go.

The colours I used are from the Colour Throwdown challenge, which I incorporated into a sketch from Clean and Simple Colours and Sketches. The colours were green, grey, and white.

I used a 6 inch square base card, to which I added a green strip embossed with a strip folder from Tattered Lace. The sentiment is from Concord and 9th, so is the ‘YOU’ part. They were obviously cut out of grey, and it was a Lawn Fawn Narwhal card I used for that.

The heart is from Stampin Up, a die set called ‘Sunshine wishes’.

What were the mistakes? Well – I forgot to cut the intricate dies with double sided sticky sheet on the back for one. So cut them again – and cut them the wrong way round, so when I came to stick them down – they were upside down. Start again.

I cut the ‘YOU’ letters, and put them into the middle of the heart in the wrong order! I spelt ‘YUO’. It took me a few minutes to realise what was wrong. I knew something was – but it took a while to realise.

Then – as I had stuck them down already, I had to cut another heart from another white piece of card, which I then inserted into the middle of the heart. Good grief! What a challenge! It was good that the air-con unit was working well.

Anyway, I will be entering this card into the following challenges:

CAS Colours and Sketches – Sketch

Color Throwdown – green, grey, white

Tuesday Throwdown – anything goes

The House That Stamps Built – anything goes

Simple stripe

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A quick and simple posting for a clean and simple card. I have gone down the clean and simple route again as I find these are always a challenge, and I always want to add more and more. Sometimes because I just can’t stop, and sometimes I add sequins because I have smudged the base card! I keep having a go and playing.

This is a 4 inch x 5.5 inch base card, to which I stamped the ‘sweetheart’ sentiment from a Leoni Pujol stamp set, and added a red stripe of card above it. I love the font of this sentiment.

I then die cut the ‘hello’ sentiment from Hero Arts ‘Hello stamp and cut’ in red card, and then black card. I ran these die cuts through my Xyron sticker machine, and layered them together slightly off-set, as I thought just the red or even just the black sentiment would be too stark. This way a shadow is created, which brings together the two colours.

I wanted to stamp some little hearts on the red stripe – I stopped myself. I wanted to add some red and black glue dots – I stopped myself. I wanted to splash some colour on the base – you guessed it – I stopped myself…….

I am quite pleased I showed restraint whilst making this card, and have made four in total. I tend to make several cards at the same time, whilst stamping and die-cutting, so I can give more to the charity ‘Neurocare’ to sell.

I will be entering this card into the following challenges:

Less is More – theme ‘include a stripe’

Always Fun Challenges – theme ‘CAS’

 

 

Sketch Inspiration

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A quick posting for the second card I made today, inspired from the sketch from Clean and Simple Colours and Sketches. As I mentioned before, I struggle with clean and simple, but took the rules for this site to heart – I think!

Rules: “Clean and Simple” is defined as “uncluttered, with white or open space, and minimal layers and embellishments”.

I always want to add more and more, but reigned myself in and did just what was asked from the sketch. I started off with an A4 piece of card folded in half. This particular card has a linen effect which is ideal for the more clean and simple cards, as it adds to the background without being too obtrusive – just a gentle hint of a little something.

I then took my Sizzix ‘Curly 2’ 12 inch die, which I’ve had for a loooooong time, and cut from a piece of plum/deep purple card stock I had spare, running the die cut through my Xyron 1.5 inch machine to enable me to stick it down easier than adding glue to all the swirls and curls.

I then stamped using my mini Carabelle Studio stamps ‘oeil maquille d’etoiles’ (eye make-up of stars – as per Google translate! ), and ‘Art’, stamping them in my Stampin Up ‘Rich Razzleberry’ ink – which I think matched nicely. I then die cut the sentiments using Sue Wilson noble stitched squares and rectangles, adding them to the base card with foam pads.

 

 

 

Clean and Simple Sketch

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A quick and easy blog post for today – working all week again, so not sure how much time I’ll have in the evenings – depends on what time I get home and what hubby wants for tea……..!

I’m having a go at the sketch challenges at the moment, and am struggling with keeping them clean and simple – and think I’ve been a little too clean and simple with this card. I thought I’d post it anyway, as I actually do like how it turned out. I like the simplicity of the flower and sentiment, and the contrasting colours of the two base layers.

This sketch was from CAS Colours and Sketches and I think I’ve achieved what was asked……we shall see.

The base card is from Create and Craft – a Topsy Turvy card I have a stock of, with the inside of the card being a lighter blue. The next layer is almost like a burnt orange, with a lighter reverse side, but that lighter side on this piece is a little ‘wishy washy’. I think it’s a pink – but quite bland. Anyway, didn’t use it so it doesn’t really matter.

The white card is from Stampin Up, and I stamped the ‘Best Thoughts’ flower in basic grey, also from Stampin Up. The sentiment was cut out of Lawn Fawn Narwhal card, after I had attached some double-sided sticky sheet to the back of it. I was thinking of using my Xyron again – but the sentiment is quite long – almost 6 inches, so thought it would be a waste. The double-sided sticky sheet worked very well.

I admit this is a very simple card, but I will probably do it again, using different colours for the base card, just to see what effects I can create – some pastel colours, some maybe black and white cards. I may even try colouring – you never know……

 

Cute Sketch card

 

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It seems I am having a cute and colourful card making weekend. After yesterday, I was thinking of all my card stock which was bright and colourful – and I have a lot. I am trying lots of new styles and techniques at the moment, and as well as messy crafting or mixed media, I am starting to use some dies and stamps which are more cute and fun, which means I can use any colour card I want to represent anything at all.

Today, I have taken inspiration from a sketch challenge from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge, and had a play with coloured card. I recently purchased a set of dies from Hochanda, a UK craft channel. I believe it can be watched around the world, but really not sure.

This bundle is designed by Katie Skilton for Sizzix, and includes the dies I have used for this card. This set is called ‘Under the Sea’ – I am sure you can see why! I have also used the sentiments which came in the bundle ‘Tribal Words’.

The base card is 7 inches square, and again used my Sue Wilson Noble Stitched Squares to cut a slightly smaller square out of light blue. I again embossed this with the ‘Rain’ embossing folder from Crafters Companion. I think the rain could represent anything, and this time, for me, it represents bubbles in the sea.

I die cut the whales out of some Create and Craft card stock, which has a toning colour on the opposite side, so I could match the colours without thinking too much about it, and added several other elements from the same die set – the fish and the heart.

The circles, as per the sketch, I used the Lawn fawn ‘Slide on over’ circles. These were designed for slider cards, as the dies cut the circle itself, and cuts out the channel which makes the slider card. This is how I managed to get circles which matched each other, and outer circle rim shapes for the other components required to meet the sketch challenge.

The two solid circles I also embossed with the same embossing folder. I layered the outer circles flat to the card, but raised the other elements on Stampin Up dimensionals. I die cut the sentiments and ran them through my Xyron sticker maker so I didn’t have to fiddle with glue on all the letters. This little machine is great for sentiments and other fiddly elements as it is only 1.5 inches wide, whilst the bigger 5 inch and 9 inch machines are good for the more intricate and elaborate dies for layering.

Deciding where to put each element was a challenge but I like the fun and vibrant end result.

I will also be entering this card into the Just Us Girls challenge with the theme ‘Sea’, and Catch the Bug challenge blog ‘Anything goes’.