Fairy Glade

Our new set of That Special Touch masks have arrived in stock so I have been having some fun trying them out.
The new masks in stock are:

Meadow

Penny Farthing

Songbird

Steampunk

For this project, I used the Meadow mask.

I embossed some patterned paper, and inked it with Distress Inks to highlight the embossing.

Once this was matted onto some coordinating card, I stamped the sentiment (from Just Rite Vintage Floral Labels)

and die cut it with the lacey circle from Spellbinders Moroccan Accents

After drawing around the outside of the die on green card to create an extra layer, I mounted the sentiment onto the card with foam pads to add dimension.

We have the new range of coloured American Seam Binding in stock

I used the Sea Moss to create the ribbon bow behind the sentiment.

A strip of the Sea Moss was also wrapped around the bottom of the card. I cut a strip from the Moroccan Accents border die to overlay the ribbon.

The fairy and butterfly embellishments were cut from the patterned paper pack.

I hope you enjoy the new ribbons and masks!


Mel xxx

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Keep It Simple Stupid!!

This week's challenge to myself was to design a card - keeping it as simple as possible! Not the easiest thing as I do like to embellish my cards with ribbons, gems and hat pins.

As I was in a  momentary festive mood, I thought I would try my first Christmas card of the year.

I stamped out Penny Black's "Mystical" stag

Underneath the stamped image, I sprinkled some Cosmic Shimmer Persian Sea embossing powder (without using any clear embossing ink). Over the top of the embossing powder, I sprinkled a few gems, ice chips and gilding flakes.

Then - very carefully!! - I lifted the card up, making sure it stayed flat, and heated from underneath. The embossing powder melts, clings to the card and pulls in the extra gems and flakes.

Once it had cooled, I dotted some glitter glue to highlight the antlers, then doodled around the edge of the card.

I think that the decadent amount of embossing powder, gilding flakes and ice chips manages to satisfy my need for bling on a card!!

Only 49 more Christmas cards to go ;-)

Mel xxx Pin It Now!

Icecream Colours Challenge

This week we entered the Allsorts Challenge - with the theme of Ice Cream colours.

This is our entry

It is a very simple card but does use up quite a bit of card stock!

After matting and layering the coloured cardstock, I stamped a sentiment from the Creative Expressions Sincere Sentiments stamp set onto white cardstock.

 I then embossed the card with the new Couture Creations Early Songbird embossing folder

Using colours from the backing card, I coloured in the birds and swirls with Copic markers.

The card was finished with a Creative Expressions pearl swirl

- it doesn't need much else!


Mel xxx



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Lattice gatefold card

This card appears in the current issue of Papercraft Essentials.

It is quite a time consuming project, but I think the final result makes it worthwhile!

Cut a 7.5 inch square of ivory card - this is your base. Then two more pieces - 7.5 inches high x 5 inches wide - these are the front panels.

Score each panel at 1.25 inches in from one edge and fold back - these folded back strips will eventually attach to the back of the card base.

To create the centre aperture between the two front panels, lay the two pieces of card side by side and tape lightly together with removable tape. Place the large oval Spellbinders Lattice die lengthways over the join and tape down. Now run through your die cutting machine.

Repeat the same process with two pieces of patterned paper cut to fit the front panel.  Ink around the edges of the patterned paper and attach to the front of the card.

Using the mushroom coloured cardstock, die cut four Spellbinders Blossom Baubles

Roll up the centre of the flowers using a quilling tool and glue in place with Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue. Roll the petals around the centres and glue in place. You can cut out extra petals to bulk up your flowers.

Die cut your Spellbinders bird flourishes from ivory card.

Attach the flowers and flourishes with clear glue around the edge of the aperture. Fill the centre of the flowers with the Cosmic Shimmer pearly pva glue

Glue the 1.25 inch flaps of the front panels to the back of the card.

Cut your patterned paper to fit the inside of your card (about 7.25 inches square), ink around the edges and attach.

Emboss a square of mushroom coloured cardstock with the Lattice Embossing folder and attach.

Die cut the large oval Lattice die from the mushroom coloured card.

On ivory paper, draw around the outside edge of your die. Cut out by hand to create a "faux nestie" as a shadow layer.

Cut the lattice die again from patterned paper to get the centre oval from the die. Stamp with a sentiment from the Creative Expressions Everyday Expressions stamp set and layer with a large foam pad.

Have fun with this one!

Mel xxx

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Messing with Masks - part 2

This card continues the masks theme. Although my terrible photography does not show it, the glittered background is made using the Dragonfly mask.

To make, take your card blank and matt and layer two coordinating sheets of patterned paper.

Cut a double sided adhesive sheet to fit 6x6 inches and peel off the cover from one side.

Lay your mask over the sheet and pour over the green glitter. Tap off the excess.

Remove the mask from the sheet to reveal the dragonflies.

Top tip - rub some soap on the back of your mask before you lay it on the adhesive sheet to stop it sticking permanently.

Pour over the pink glitter to fill in the dragonflies and tap off the excess. Matt onto some pink patterned card.

Stamp your sentiment (from the Just Rite Forever Friends set)

and die cut it with the coordinating Spellbinders Ribbon Tag

 While the card is still in the die, blend some ink around the edges. Thread through the plum ribbon

Die cut one of the Spellbinders Labels Fourteen

from patterned paper. On pink patterned paper, draw around the outside edge of your die. Cut out by hand to create a "faux nestie".

Matt and layer onto your glittered back ground using the Cosmic Shimmer clear glue to give a strong hold.

Layer your sentiment and ribbon on top, wrapping the ribbon behind your glittered background.

Die cut some leaves from the Spellbinders Foliage set

 and use to embellish the sentiment with the Crimson Cloud paper roses.

Die cut two Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Squares

from green cardstock. Cut each square into four and tape behind your glittered topper to create an ornate border.

Matt and layer onto your card using foam pads to give dimension.


Mel xxxx

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Messing with Masks

Recently we have been messing with masks! In this case, two Touch Of Mica Masks - Basket Weave

and Ivy

To create this card, take two sheets of the Coredinations Whitewash card stock - I chose one with a pink core, and one with a tan core. Cut a square of the tan core sheet and emboss in your die cutting machine with the Basket Weave mask.

Cut a larger square (7.5 inches square) of the pink whitewash card. Place your Ivy mask on the card, leaving a two inch border of card free so that it won't be embossed. Run through your machine. Your mask may not have covered the full height of your card. If this is the case, run through the machine again, making sure that you tape your mask in place so that it does not cover your existing embossing. (Ideally you need a Grand Calibur or similar size machine to emboss this large size card).

With a spare scrap of the tan card, emboss the ivy mask leaving an un-embossed panel at the bottom.
Stamp your sentiment from the Creative Expressions Thoughtful Sentiments set

 onto this panel.

Stamp four fans from the Creative Expressions Oriental stamp set onto tan card, and emboss in white.

Using Cosmic Shimmer drawing inks, paint in the wings.

Cut out the four fans. Take some of the drawing inks and drip onto your craft sheet. Dip a length of the American Seam Binding (or you could use Vintage Ribbon) into the ink to colour. Dry with a heat tool.

Assemble the card, using the four fans to create two butterflies. Bend the fans to give them some shape and attach using Pinflair glue to give them some lift.

Use some pearl swirls to create Butterfly tails and the pearly glue to create antennae. Tie a bow with the coloured seam binding and embellish with Creative Expressions hat pins and a pearly brad.

Dot Cosmic Shimmer pearly glue around the edge of the card to finish it off.  Make sure put your card aside for at least an hour to let the pearly glue dry!

Mel xxxx Pin It Now!

PEACH AND BLACK TIPPED FRONT HAT

As we are still enjoying playing with our Hats and Roses stamps and the many various ways they can be used, we thought we might share a few more samples with you.

There was a time when of all the colours of the rainbow I hated “peach” - but now it appears rather contrarily that I am in love with it, it’s a fine line you know!

Using some black card stock and some “peachy” papers I cut out my background layers.
Then using Spellbinders Wonky Rectangles cut out two further layers.

 I drew around one of the dies and cut it out from black card to give a shadow effect.

Then, moving on to the “pretties”,  - I cut out from the Spellbinders Sue Wilson Lattice Motifs and Accents  - the oval and four corners.

I stamped the Tipped Hat twice with Momento Black Ink on two shades of peach card stock - one for the main hat and the second to cut out for the flowers in a slightly softer tone.

Using Tattered Rose Distress Ink I spritzed Vintage Eggshell Ribbon to match the colour.

I paired it with Vintage Black Ribbon to create a striking contrast.

To get the wavy effect on the ribbon, simply use transparent sticky dots to position the tails.

After assembly I played with Cosmic Shimmer pearly Glue which we all seem never to tire of. In this case Black Pearl PVA all around the edges or as far as you can reach.

Two black Creative Expressions Hat Pins

and an odd button to complete the picture.

Hope you like it!
Linda xxx Pin It Now!