Card samples in Creative Stamping

This week we have been lucky enough to have some card samples published in Creative Stamping Magazine.

Here are a couple of sneak peaks!

To see how these were made, along with more samples, pick up Creative Stamping Magazine this week.

Mel xx

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You mean the world to me......

I really love the look of white onto Kraft card, and so I decided to make this card in my favourite colour scheme.

Taking the Hampton Art Flowers Stamp and Die set, I used two of the flowers to

randomly stamp and emboss onto some Kraft cardstock.

I stamped an extra flower onto a separate piece of cardstock and die cut it using the coordinating Spellbinders die. I popped it onto the card using some foam tape to give dimension.

I took the sentiment from the Creative Expressions Festive Florals stamp set and again embossed with white embossing powder.

To colour the flowers, I took two Copics pens (a light and a dark purple) as these can colour onto embossing powder without rubbing off. I used the dark purple first, starting at the centre of  each flower and "flicking" outwards to give a brushstroke effect. I then went over the dark purple with the light purple Copic which removes the darker colour and lets the white embossing show through.  This gives the flowers a painted effect which I love.

The top of the Kraft panel was embossed using one of the Sizzix Bird and Lace embossing folders

To differentiate between the stamped half and the embossed half of the panel, I wrapped a length of Mauve Rose American Seam Binding

between the two areas and decorated with some twine and a button.

To finish, I matted the Kraft cardstock onto some white card and layered onto a lilac card base.

Mel xxx Pin It Now!

Two Easter Cards

Can you believe we are thinking of Easter whilst were still vacuuming up the pine needles??

It is really early this year!

Here are a couple of cards made from Crimson Cloud’s Snowdrop Easter Egg and Sentiments Set. These show how you can create very different looks using the same stamps and dies.

If you would like to try them here is what you will need:

Crimson Cloud Snowdrop Egg Set

Crimson Cloud Snowdrops and Sunshine Sentiments Set

Spellbinders Grand Ovals

Spellbinders Grand Decorative Ovals

Staz-On Ink Pad Teal

Versamark

White Embossing Powder

Foam Mount Pads or Strips

Double Sided Tape

Sticky Dots

Teal Card Stock

Purple Card Stock

White Card Stock

White Card Stock Glossy (optional)

Purple and White Ribbon

To make the Teal Coloured Plain Egg Card:

Cut out the smallest Grand Oval from the white card stock, I used glossy but normal smooth finish will do.

Stamp the Snowdrop Egg with Teal Staz-On.

Cut the teal card stock to 26.5cm x 15.5cm and fold in half

Open the card stock again and centre number 2 and 3 of the Grand Ovals over one half.

This will give you the aperture and 2 frames.

Cut out the number 3 size die in the same white card stock of Grand Decorative Ovals and centre the largest ‘frame’

Align them through the aperture and glue in place.

Mount the white stamped oval with the frame on top, to the Fancy Oval. When you close the card now you should not be able to see the fancy inside.

Cut some white card stock strips to 1 cm wide and create your bow fixing with a little double sided tape. I used a small square punch to cut the ends but you can also use scissors.

To make the Purple Coloured  Fancy Egg Card:

Cut out No:1 Grand Ovals and stamp and emboss the Crimson Cloud Snowdrop Egg with Versamark and emboss with white embossing powder.

Cut out the white frame using Nos: 1 & 2 of Grand Decorative Ovals and fix the frame to the stamped oval.

Cut out No:2 Decorative Ovals in both Purple and White.

Fold and score the white one into three to create your easel panel.

Fix one third to the top of the purple Decorative Oval and one third to the bottom of the ‘framed’ oval - so that it forms a zig zag.

Stamp your sentiment from Crimson Cloud Snowdrops and Sunshine Sentiments Set onto a favourite fancy tag and fix it with a foam pad so that it holds your card in place when you stand it up.

Cut 3 pieces of purple ribbon into 6cm lengths and 3 of the white ribbon into 6cm lengths.

Cut another strip of both colours to 16cm.

Tie the larger strips into a loose knot and tuck the little ‘bunch’ of ribbons inside. Pull both ends of the larger ribbons tightly to secure.

Secure the ribbon to your card with sticky dots. Alternately,  use a glue gun if you have one.

There you are two of your Easter Cards ready to go!

Hope you enjoy them.

Linda xxx

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No! We are going to Namibia - Crafty Tales from the Wilderness

My darling daughter was planning a bi-annual trip to South Africa in search of some peace, quiet and sunshine as the UK seemed to bypass summer last year!

"I just want to chill" she tells me - she is very good a chilling, unlike her Mother. 

After plotting and scheming for a few days I come up with the idea that we really must go and see Namibia. It doesn't look that far- on the map. I consult with Mr Dundee, who says “Oh it’s no problem, not too far at all really”.

I decide to ‘break’ the journey by booking a couple of stops along the way. So we set off and after a 9 hour drive we arrive at Augrabies Falls which we visit the following day. Quite disappointing really but after seeing Victoria Falls everything else would be. 

The next morning, rested, we make our way to The Fish River Canyon. We travel along happily - after all we do have a Stephen Fry audiobook to keep us company. 

After a couple of hours we have to turn off on to‘dirt’ road on which we stayed for 6 hours. It was a teeth chattering, dust swallowing nightmare of a journey and we were not happy bunnies. 

Finally a sign of life a little road side café called Pit Stop. An amazing place in the middle of nowhere surrounded by broken down old cars with huge cacti plants growing through them. 

We enter for much needed refreshment and of course the loo! As we both run to the loo we are greeted with a larger than life picture of the most physically amazing naked male you are ever likely to see. Except he had a little ‘box’ where his 'essentials' were supposed to be!! The sign said "open to see the Songalola" (huge millipede) - we resisted as we needed a drink more urgently!!

Back at the bar Marcus has returned from the Gents and we are telling him our story. Apparently "there was also the most amazing woman in the men’s toilet with a ‘Pandora’s Box" which he also resisted.  

Whilst arguing over the likelihood of him resisting the temptation, the barman came to his rescue and told us that if anyone opens either of the boxes a very loud alarm goes off in the bar and everyone, all six of them,  knows what you are doing! Phew!! Narrowly missed dying of embarrassment there.

Onward and forward we reach Fish River Canyon, amazing, awesome and in the future (when I have recovered from the drive) maybe worth the journey.

Next stop the Great Namib Desert - more miles of teeth chattering and dust swallowing and we run out of Stephen Fry. We watch as the already arid terrain turns eerily into desert and nothingness. Finally we arrive at our destination of the largest dune of the desert and check in to our hotel. "It’s %$^&* hot", in the words of Ray Winston in Sexy Beast, I hope you saw the movie? 

The wind is howling and I can only describe it as being ‘sand blasted’. But, when the sun goes down it is amazingly beautiful.

The next day we climb the Big Daddy and toboggan down the other side. At the end of the day I have heat stroke, dehydration, travel sickness and am losing the will to live. But what a blast!!!!!!!!!!!

Melanie is coming back this month and I have promised that we will not go anywhere, just chill.  Well, except for a couple of days around my birthday? 
Linda xxxx

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Free Postage Offer

We are on holiday from 18th February until 11th March. All orders placed during this period will be given free postage and dispatched from 12th March.

See you all soon and keep an eye on the blog as we will still be posting cardmaking ideas and Crafty Tales from the Wilderness.

Mel and Linda xxxx Pin It Now!

Have a Beautiful Day....

Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we have to make a super quick and simple card for birthdays we have "forgotten" or just to send out to someone who needs a lift - and this card is perfect for such an occasion.

It is both quick and simple to make, but with all simple cards the "pop" is in the detail.

To start, I took the moth stamp from the Hampton Art Butterflies stamp and die set.

This is a beautiful, versatile stamp set with coordinating Spellbinders dies.

I stamped the moth onto an A6 white card blank with a sentiment underneath. Once the ink was dry, I placed the coordinating die over the stamped image with the cutting side up (so the reverse of what you would usually do).

I ran this through my die cutting machine using the embossing plate sandwich. 

By reversing the die, you get an embossed frame of the moth, with the wings debossed (raised up) - a really unusual effect which give the image a lot more texture that the usual embossing technique.

You can try this technique with any stamp and die set - so have a look through your stash and see what you can come up with.

Enjoy!
Mel x
P.S. This card lends itself to making gift card sets as it is so quick to create. Pin It Now!

Ornate Snow Drop Egg

This stamp is a complete contrast in style to our Art Deco Egg stamps. I love the fact that you can put as much or as little into decorating it as you like.

If you would like to try this you will need:

Crimson Cloud Snowdrop Egg Stamp Set

Crimson Cloud New Beginnings Sentiment Stamp Set

Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Large Labels

Spellbinders Nestabilities Decorative Labels Eight

Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Drawing Inks

Versamark

Clear Fine Detail  Embossing Powder

Brilliance Pearl Ivy ink pad

Foam Mounting Tape

Ribbon

Pink/Green/White Card Stock

Start by stamping out the Snowdrop Egg in Versamark onto pink cardstock and emboss with clear detail embossing powder.

Paint your leaves Lush Green, the legs and stems in Rich Gold and the snowdrops in Pearl Shine.

Put aside and leave to dry.

When dry cut it out and edge with the Brilliance Pearl Ivy just to give definition.

Cut out sizes 3,4 & 5 of the Decorative Labels Eight.

Use the size 4 die and draw around the outside onto green cardstock then cut out.

Now cut out the largest of the Large Labels dies in green cardstock and in white cardstock. Fix the 2 together as these will form your base.

Layer up your Decorative Labels and mount your Snowdrop egg on top.

Stamp your sentiment onto the smallest Decorative Label die cut with Brilliance Pearl Ivy  and mount onto the card front.

Finally tie your ribbon around the entire frame to hide the foam and create a pretty bow.

Worth the effort I feel!
Linda xxx

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Oh So Deco!

I have always had a love affair with all things Art Deco hence some of the designs of our Easter Eggs Stamps.

Here is an example using the Art Deco Egg Stamp

To create, cut out a white oval with the second largest Nestabilities Grand Ovals.

Versamark just around the edge (as the centre will be covered) and heat emboss with white embossing powder.

Cut out the third largest Grand Oval in grey cardstock and emboss with Couture Creations Vintage Plumes embossing folder. Centre and fix one on top of your first oval and fold to create your card base.

Cut out two smaller Grand Ovals - one in white and a smaller one in pale grey. 

Layer two of your oval dies - one inside the other, to die cut a framed oval. Use Versamark on the frame and emboss with the same white embossing powder.

Stamp and emboss the Crimson Cloud Art Deco Egg stamp onto your smallest grey die cut oval. 

Assemble your three ovals together and fix to your base lining up on the centre line.

Use a banner die of your choice and stamp and emboss the sentiment from the Crimson Cloud New Beginnings stamp set. 

Mount your sentiment on a little foam strip and there you are.

I hope you enjoy!

Linda x

Tip: If you cut the back supporting oval, just a little, straight across the bottom it will stabilise your card.

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