IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK!

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It's good to be back friends!  It's been a long few weeks without any internet and my little blog here has suffered because of that, BUT, and it is a big BUT, the promised 'dongle' from Vodafone did arrive yesterday (it's only taken over a week!) so fingers crossed for internet access until we receive our 'proper' broadband package, due 27 April!

Today's card:

This was made for a friend's 'special' birthday.

I started with a piece of black foundation card for my A5 card base then die cut the shadow box frame, in ivory card (from my stash)  from the 'In The Garden' Shadow Box Set.  I then embossed another piece of ivory card and adhered the frame to it using mounting foam.  I cut away any excess card showing beneath the frame.

I then die cut several of the elements, as shown above, some on coloured card stock, others I coloured myself, from the 'Retail Therapy' Range Die Set and adhered these to the cubbies of my card.

To finish I printed the 'Sexy 60!' onto another piece of ivory card and die cut it using one of the pierced flags,  mounting foam was applied to the back of this then adhered to the card.

I typed and inserted a personal birthday message to complete the card

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog  and hope my designs have given a little inspiration.  If you can please leave a comment as I read them all and if you have a blog leave me the address then I can pay you a visit too! 

June x

Don't forget that tomorrow is our Saturday Card Give-Away!

Ingredients:

• Black foundation card by Creative Expressions
• Shadow Box Frame by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions
• In The Garden Shadow Box Set by SW for CE
• Retail Therapy Die Set by SW for CE
• Pierced Flags by SW for CE

 

DOODLED BIRDS

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This stamp set is a JustRite Set Of 20 Clear Stamps and I think it is so very cute and as we have had a few days of lovely sunny weather I thought it fitting to use this Doodled Birds Stamp Set.

There are many ways these stamps can be used but I've chosen to stamp them as if they were planted in a garden, hence the green below the birds and flowers.

My white base card is an 8" square with a mat of Teal, White and Green Foundation Card by Creative Expressions.

I stamped the images using a Perfect Medium Clear Stamp Pad by Ranger, applied a pearlised white embossing powder by WOW and heat set.

I used Spectrum Noir's Watercolour Pens to colour all the images.

I added a bottom panel using the remainder of the above card stock and used a Distress Ink in  'Black Soot' by Ranger to stamp the sentiment, which is by Clarity.

Spellbinders's Labels 24 was used to die cut the sentiment and to complete the card I added a few silver sequins from my stash

Click on the card to see a close up of the design

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I read all your comments and appreciate you leaving me a message and hope my designs have given a little inspiration

June x

TUESDAY TUTORIAL ~ FLIP CARD WITH FAUX PEARL BORDER

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This is an 8" square, white card base.  I used Spellbinders Triple Flip Card Creator Die to die cut onto Bright White Foundation Card by Creative Expressions as shown below

You can see the complete die cut of the triple flip below.  It is advisable and much easier to decorate this prior to adhering onto the base card

Using one of the stamps from Phill Martin's Sentimentally Yours Range I stamped the sentiment around the four corners of the largest flip using Ranger's Black Soot Ink Pad.

On the next flip border I dressed all four corners with lilac gems, from my stash.

I cut to size a very pretty piece of embossed lilac paper, that I have in my stash, and adhered it behind the largest flip as shown below

I then cut to size a piece of lilac paper from Joanna Sheen's Pastel Lace Collection and adhered that to the back of the middle flip as shown below

Using the Cascading Hearts Embossing Folder by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions I embossed a piece of Lilac Foundation Card then adhered it to the top flip.

I used a Memory Box Die Swirly Die (that's my name for it so my apologies as I can't find the correct name!) on the white and lilac card, overlapped them slightly, adhered them together, added a piece of mounting foam to the back prior to placing it on the card and finished that piece with a Pearl Dazzler by Creative Expressions

I then adhered the decorated flip to the card base and using Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA I created a faux pearl border, in various sizes, around the remaining card as shown below

This is an easy method to create, as the PVA is top quality and available in numerous colours.  It is also very economical as imagine what the cost would be having to buy all the pearls used on this card!

I only need to add a verse to complete the card.

There are numerous ways to decorate this type of flip card, the reason the flips are not lying flat on my card is because of the number of times I've been lifting each one up for photographs etc but later today they will all be lying flat!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I read all your comments and appreciate you leaving me a message and hope my designs have given a little inspiration

June x

#185 SPRING INTO SPRING

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Hello again bloggers

Over at Crafty Cardmakers today is the start of a new challenge, namely,

 #185 Spring Into Spring 

please pop over to see what my talented teamies have made... you may want to join in the challenge too!

This above is my contribution.  I love these two Clarity Stamps! 

I used several colours of Distress Inks, by Ranger, for the background then stamped the floral element as well as colouring the poppies with a red ProMarker.

I added this onto white pearlised card by Crafter's Companion then onto a thin black mat then applying mounting foam to the back to give some dimension.  This was then adhered to the base card of white pearlised card

Until tomorrow...

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I read all your comments and appreciate you leaving me a message and hope my designs have given a little inspiration

June x

THE WINNER IS

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Good morning bloggers

I used Random Number Picker.org  to choose a winner, the number picked is

4

and that is you...

Pam Gordon

please email me your postal details

I will be back later with today's card

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I read all your comments and appreciate you leaving me a message and hope my designs have given a little inspiration

LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE ~ SATURDAY SPECIAL GIVE-AWAY CARD

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Today's give-away card is an A5 portrait style in Custard Foundation Card by Creative Expressions and Black Gloss Card by Clarity.  I have used Bright White Foundation Card by Creative Expressions for the card base.

The custard colour is a very pretty pale yellow so my apologies that the photograph does not do it any justice!

If you would like to give this card a new home all you need to do is leave me a comment, you have until 9am Monday morning, the winner will be announced later that day.

Overseas visitors too are very welcome to comment

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I read all your comments and appreciate you leaving me a message and hope my designs have given a little inspiration

June x

JUST FOR YOU

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My base for this card is an A4, scored in half to make an A5, landscape.

I chose Custard Foundation Card by Creative Expressions as the base, then a mat of Black Foundation Card by CE and a final mat of custard card that I rounded the corners and embossed using the 'Linen' Embossing Folder by Sue Wilson for CE.

I die cut the Mia Die by SW in white pearlised card by Crafter's Companion and also used this card for my flowers and swirl.  Next, using the outer cutting die from the Mia set, I die cut a backing in custard card and adhered these two layers together, added mounting foam and Cosmic Shimmer Glue to the back and adhered to the centre of my card.

I die cut several String Flowers by SW in the pearlised white card, 'fluffed' up each of the 'petals' then added black flat back pearls, in several sizes, by CE, to the centre of each flower and arranged them in opposite corners of my card.

I die cut the largest die from the Bella Rose Die Set by Heartfelt Creations, snipped off one leaf and prior to adhering to the card I used TB1 of the Spectrum Noir Pens, by Crafter's Companion, to add a touch of colour to the leaves.  I cut away part of this swirl then adhered both parts across the main focal point.

I always use and recommend Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Acrylic Glue as it is a fantastic glue and this was used to adhered all the elements to my card

Thank you for visiting, I read all your comments and appreciate you taking the time to leave me a message and hope my designs have given you a little inspiration.

June x

JUST FOR YOU

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I made today's card for a friend's birthday, she loves purple.

I used coconut white foundation card and scored it, in half, to create an A5 card, portrait style.

I added thin layers of wisteria, lilac and purple foundation card die cutting each piece using Spellbinders's A2 Matting Basics A.

I then die cut the Mia Die Set in coconut white card and using the outer cutting die from the same set I die cut it onto purple card.  The two pieces were then adhered together.  I placed this onto the card to enable me to stamp the sentiment above and below the die cut.  I stamped the two sentiments using Black Soot Distress Ink.  I added mounting foam to the back of the Mia die cut and adhered it to the card.  A large pearl dazzler was adhered to the centre of the die cut.

To create the 'petticoat' effect I again used the  same coloured card stock and die cut these using the Cassiopeia Die Set.  They were then added to the bottom of the card and three flat back pearls were added to the top layer.  I added another three flat back pearls (2 small and 1 large) to the top right of the card.

Thank you for visiting, I read all your comments and appreciate you taking the time to leave me a message and hope my designs have given a little inspiration.

June x

INGREDIENTS

• Foundation card stock - Creative Expressions
• Matting Basics A - Spellbinders
• Mia Die Set - Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions
• Cassiopeia Die Set - Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions
• Black Soot Distress Ink - Ranger
• Pearl Dazzler - Creative Expressions
• Flat Back Pearls - Creative Expressions

HELLO... FIRE & ICE TECHNIQUE TUTORIAL

At last!....  we have had some hiccups with the blog and posting, you will see on yesterday's post the huge spaces between some of the text, but on checking, prior to posting, the text looked how it should be presented!  No matter what we tried it would not change.  Today, well today is nearly over, but we have finally been able to post the tutorial and I thought the title was most fitting too lol!

ok, let's get started by showing you the finished card

Firstly, I must give credit to Sue Wilson (SW) who created the 'fire and ice' technique.

The base of my card is a white 8" square.  I added thin layers of taupe foundation card by Creative Expressions (CE) and gold mirri from my stash.

I then embossed a top layer of coconut white foundation card by CE using the Nordic Tile embossing folder by SW for CE as shown below

The crisp detail of this embossing folder is gorgeous!

The next stage, below, is covering the whole piece of  A4 white foundation card with a double sided adhesive sheet by CE then applying Gilding Flakes in Mulled Wine by CE.   When using gilding flakes I always cover the whole of an A4 card and what I don't use is stored for future use, usually for making flowers or other embellishments

You actually don't use a lot of the gilding flakes as you'll see in the next picture!

I placed the flakes randomly over the now sticky card and using a piece of Rubit Scrubit by CE I burnished them into the card.  You have to remember not to breath, cough or sneeze anywhere near the flakes because they are weightless and would scatter everywhere! 

All covered and the colour is very rich.  You can see how little has been used by the amount in the gilding flakes pot.  This part if the 'fire'

I then cut the size I needed for the centre of the card, covered that with double sided adhesive sheet and sprinkled Cosmic Shimmer Glitter Jewels in Diamond Snow and burnished it into the card.  This is now the ice part of the technique

I added mounting foam to the back and adhered this onto the centre of the card

Using the Sydney Die Set from SW's Australian Collection I placed dies 1, 2 and 3 onto a piece of coconut white card and ran it through the Platinum Machine. I number the dies from the outer to the inner.  As this was being adhered onto glittered  card I used Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue.

Using the Double Pierced Squares by SW for CE I die cut two frames, one in coconut white the other in gold mirri card.  I added mounting foam to the back of each and adhered around the main focal point

Using a Distress Ink Pad in Black Soot I stamped the Hello Sentiment by Creative Expressions, onto coconut white card then matted it onto gold mirri card

Thank you for visiting, I read all your comments and appreciate you taking the time to leave me a message and hope my designs have given a little inspiration.

June x

JUST FOR YOU

Good morning

I don't think I've ever made such a 'busy' card as this before but there is a first time for everything!

This is an 8" square white card base with a thin mat of pearlised teal card by Crafter's Companion then another mat of white foundation card by Creative Expressions.

I used the Scattered Leaves Background Die by SW for Creative Expressions, I removed the inner cutting die then die cut the background die onto pearlised teal card.  I attached mounting foam to the back and adhered it to the left of the card.

I die cut numerous layers of the four flower Chrysanthemum Die Set by SW for CE in teal and white card and created three flowers.  These were adhered to the right of the card.  From the same die set I die cut several leaves in white card then covered these with Diamond Sprinkles Glitter Jewels by CE and arranged them around the flowers.  I die cut and embossed one of the Wispy Fronds by SW for CE in white card and adhered that below the middle flower so that it would drape downwards.

The sentiment from CE's Amazing Sentiments was stamped and embossed onto teal card with Perfect Medium Clear Ink Pad and WOW Black Twinkles Embossing Powder.  I used two oval dies from my stash to die cut the sentiment and adhered this onto white card.  I also applied a thin layer of Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear PVA Glue to the edge of the teal card and covered this with Diamond Sprinkles

Using Random.org to pick a  name as the winner of Saturday's card, it has chosen:

Pam

please email me with your postal details for me to send you the card.

Thank you for visiting my blog, I read all your comments and appreciate you taking the time to leave me a message and hope my designs have given a little inspiration

June x

INSPIRE

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Today's card is one that I made a while ago.  I have only a few favourite colour combos; white on white, black and white, aqua and white, pink and white, yellow and black and finally, blue and white!

We're in the middle of relocating my craft room to another part of the building and by the end this week we hope to be 95% finished, hence showing one of my older designs today!

This is a large card, just over 8"x9".  I cut a smaller layer to sit onto the base card and using a Black Micron Pen I made small dots around both layers.

I cut and embossed the flowers in blue card and white pearlised card by Crafter's Companion.  My apologises as I am unable to remember the name of the flower die but I'm quite sure it is by Spellbinders.  The flowers were adhered onto white card then I die cut and embossed two frames using Sue Wilson's Pierced Rectangles and adhered these to the card.

I stamped the sentiment, by Creative Expressions, onto white card and used a punch to cut it out.  I added mounting foam to the back and adhered to the centre of the card.

To complete I added 3 white flat back pearls to the centre of each flower

There is still time to comment on yesterday's card, should you like the chance to give it a new home, as the winner is not picked until Monday morning

Thank you for visiting, I read all your comments and appreciate you taking the time to leave me a message and hope my designs have given a little inspiration.

June x