Beautiful Card Designs Made Easy

January 31, 2014

Tattered Lace Bow

Hi Everybody,

The pretty lacy bow on this card is from Tattered Lace and when ever it is on Create and Craft it sells out very quickly.

Here I have threaded some navy blue ribbon through it and added a large pearl cluster to the centre.

I have used it to cover the join in the two panels of dotty card and embossed card.

The little organza butterfly is one from my "Stash"  but the pearls around the sentiment are from Want2Scrap 

The sentiment is from the Crafters Companion Sentimentals 

Most of the dies on this card are from Tattered Lace and so I can't add the photos to let you see which they are ... but the base is from the SB Matting Basics which are always a good way for me to start my card.

I have now added the PinIt Button to each individual card  and it will show up if you hover your mouse over the photo.

So if you like something that you see please feel free to Pin the card to your board ... and thank you if you do

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



January 30, 2014

Layered Scalloped Posy

 Hi Everybody,

This pretty pink card has layers at the top of the panel that have been  created from several labels dies

The sentiment is from the Sentimentals by Crafters Companion

They are a good collection as there are lots of sentiments on one sheet of stamps and they cover all different subjects.

I added the video to explain how to use  these stamps as they come to you in just a gray rubber.

And of course they won't stick to any kind of stamping block until you work on them.

So if you missed the video ... or you already have un mounted  stamps like these and don't know how to use them ... here is the link ... Mounting Your Stamps 

Back to the card ... my beautiful flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts    and are a mixture of Roses and Sweetheart Blossoms.

They have been given the sparkly touch with fine glitter from  Glitter Magic

The matching pearls for Labels 23 are from Want2Scrap

The ribbon is some that I already have ... and it is this ribbon that I share with you whenever I have a "Give Away"

The embossing folder in the top panel is called  Tied Together ... and the inside of the card is using the   Filigree Corner and both are available from Sunrise Crafts.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx





January 29, 2014

Peaches and Cream ...

Hi Everybody,

Here is another card using the beautiful handmade pastel flowers from   Petal Lu 

For this card I picked out  the peach shades and added them to the cream.

The peach card in the background is Coredinations and I have embossed it before placing it behind the Botanical Swirls.

I have used the largest Pearl frame from the matching "Bling" from Want2Scrap   that goes with the  Labels  Twenty die set and just sat it onto the background.

Who says it need to be added to the actual die cut ???

The verse is from Sentimentals from Crafters Companion 

There is such a lot of mileage that can be had from those stamps and there are some lovely sentiments in them for all occasions.

The ribbon is some that I bought in a pack from TKMaxx and it was really cheap.

More tomorrow...

Hugs xx


January 28, 2014

One of my favorites ...

Hi Everybody,

I am now back to my normal stride with all the usual embellishments of  flowers, ribbons and pearls on my card.

I have used quite a few different dies for this design and lots of layers with the pink and white card.

I have also used the new Gold Labels Twenty Eight but the photo of that die was not available yet.

These pretty flowers are from  Wild Orchid Crafts  and they have been sparkled with glitter from  Glitter Magic

The ribbon is from my  "Stash" and I have added a Diamante buckle to the loops.

The pearls are from  Want2Scrap  and I have used the matching frame for the Fancy Tags.

The sentiment is from  Crafters Companion   and one of the Sentimentals Range

And it is much prettier in real life than the picture shows.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



January 27, 2014

A Card for your Friend ...

Etsy Shop
Hi Everybody,

Thanks you for all your comments about the cards I add to my pages and it is so humbling to know that many of you like my style.

Some tell me that my card are  OTT or that the bows are too big .... but most of you love them and take the time to let me know in comments, here or on Facebook or by email.

I had an email from a someone  last week who was unsubscribing from the newsletter  on my website because she said that my cards are too fussy  for her and she wanted something less so.

And on the same day I had ten more telling me that my cards are just what they like and they too add lots of stuff to their cards.

Some people who are new to card making  email and ask me questions and that is usually what becomes a video ... because many people .. including me ... like to learn visually.

And  a picture  paints a  thousand  words ...  so they say !!   On to todays card and the links I like to add for you

It is created in lilac Centura Pearl from Crafters Companion  and there are lots of layers to this design.

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and they have been sparkled by Glitter Magic   The ribbon is from Mei Flower   and has been plaited through two of the border strips form the Moroccan Accents

The pearls around the edge and those to match the sentiment tag are from Want2Scrap  and the sentiment itself is from the Sentimentals  Range from Crafters Companion.

The inside has the addition of the Filigree Corners to slip a little tag into for a signature or greeting

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx




January 26, 2014

Mounting Your Stamps

Hi Everybody,

At the end of last year I added a short video with some  Tips for Stamping   to help some new ladies who had asked for help.

I have also been asked how to make rubber stamps stick to an acrylic block and so that has been the subject of another video.

The little image here is from Lili of the Valley  and is one of their cute animal range.

But in the video I use a grey rubber sheet of  Sentimentals Verses from  Crafters Companion 

You can cut  all the stamps out first individually if you prefer ... but to add the whole stamp sheet to the mounting foam is far easier to cut out.

You are going  to have some waste whichever way  you do it and this  is no more  wasteful  than any other way ... but it is a whole lot easier especially if you have dexterity problems.




 Just make sure that you don't cut into the stamp itself and spoil the image or verse that you are cutting out.

Clean the stamps when you are done and then store them safely.  And there are many ways to store them the choice is yours.

I have many of my  smaller stamps in CD cases, but the storage that I use in the video keeps all the stamps from one rubber sheet together on one plastic storage sheet  in one storage box ... and then I add the picture of the stamps to the box as my reference and I know what is in there whenever I need to use them.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



January 25, 2014

New flowers ...

Hi Everybody,

This pale blue card is using flowers from a different maker.

They are from a lady who sells her flowers via Facebook and you will find her page at .... Petal Lu 

Her flowers are all hand made and to order and they are so delicate.

I asked for pastel shades and that is what I have and they are very pretty.

I have added fine glitter from  Glitter Magic  to the flowers and they sparkle in the light.

I have also added some teardrop Diamante into the corsage for a more fancy look.

So here is the first card made with them and I love it.

The dies used are listed below and the effect is really pretty with this mix.

The lace border is created from Moroccan Accents and I have laid the ribbon on the top of some real lace running across the border.

The sentiment is from   Crafters Companion     and I have stamped and embossed it  with turquoise "Wow"  embossing powder and it looks good.

Watch out for more cards using flowers from Petal Lu in some of the other colors in my collection.


More tomorrow...

Hugs xx





January 24, 2014

Flowers again (sigh)

Hi Everybody,

Well would you believe it ... flowers again.  This is me back in my comfort zone  and now I am happy again ...

And this card is really pretty in a deep purple and white with lots of layering and lacy panels.

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and they have been sparkled with glitter from Glitter Magic

The ribbon is from my "Stash" and there is a pearl buckle on the ribbon loops but you can't see it in the photo.

I have lined and  decorated  the inside and added lots of Gun Metal pearls from Want2Scrap

The card is a Hinged card created from the Grand Labels.

So I think there may be even more flowers on tomorrows card.

The dies I have used are listed at the bottom ... but shop around for the best deals.

 Don't forget Save On Hobbies for some good deals  and a name that many people are sending me for UK deal is  ...   Icon UK  and guess what ... I have just ordered the new 5x7  Mystical Embrace from  them and can't wait to get it and play

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx


January 23, 2014

Remember This ???

Hi Everybody,

This is the card I added a few days ago as an easy card to make ... using just an embossing folder and the matching die.

It was  a nice enough card when it was done ... but for me ... well if you read my pages regularly you will know it is not enough.

You see my problem is I can't leave things alone and I have to keep going back and picking at things.

Change a bit here ... add a bit there ...I am sure you know what I mean.

And so after looking at this card for a day or two ... and not really being excited  by what I saw ... I had to go back to it and do a bit more

Out came the flower basket and the "Bling"  box and after placing things around and seeing what went where I went to work.

And this is what I ended up with and it looks really elegant in real life.

And all this ... I might add ... was  in the early hours of the morning.

I haven't added the list of dies  ... because I did that on the original post  ... but here are the other links for supplies.

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and they have been sparkled with glitter from Glitter Magic

I changed the black pearl for a larger pearl cluster that I bought in a  pack from the local craft shop.

I pushed  two small decorative pins into the knot and there are about 50 in a box from Dunelm Mill.

The satin ribbon is from Mei Flower  and all the beautiful Diamante is from Want2Scrap

And so after messing about for an hour and a half I had the card I liked and went off to bed as happy as Larry for some sleep.

And a sleepy voice said to me .... "What time do you call this ...."   Oooops !!  Er  3.45 am

More tomorrow...

Hugs xx