Update ….

 Hi Everybody,

Just a quick line to tell you where I am up to with my vision.

At present it is too stressful to try and  keep the blog up to date as I cannot see the keyboards properly. Or the screen as everything is cloudy. It is like looking through dirty windows and everything is shrouded in a mist.

It is so frustrating and I make so many mistakes that it rakes me hours to type anything. So rather than put myself though this stress I am taking time off until my laser treatment which is scheduled for the 26th June.

Once that is done I am hoping to be back to normal again and can get back to filming and making cards.  Myyoungest daughter has been so helpful and has done things like reading my mail to aas I cannot see the words that are written on the paper.

Thank you for you concern and please be patient with me until I am back to normal again

Bye for now ….

Christina xx

Small Flower

 Hi Everybody,

Todays video is using the ribbon in another way to create small flowers for your cards, and that of course depends on the width of ribbon that you use.

I have used a wired ribbon for mine but you don't have to use that type. It is just some that I already have and it was really cheap in the bargain bucket at B&M

The roses re really easy to make and they will fit neicely onto a card front. But they will need boxes to send them as the flowers are quite deep.

Making Flowers - Small Ribbon Rose

The video is not long but it will give you another string to your bow when it comes to alternative materials to create flowers.

I have made this one to an A5 size and used the Complete Card & Box Die Set to make it, and the frames that I have added to the inside and front of the design. 

It has taken me hours to do this one video because of my vision so I will try and do another for next week.

But I now have my Laser Appointment for the 26th and so I am hoping that everything will be more or less back to clear vison again then.and get rid of the mist that is permanently clogging up my eyes.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Large Ribbon Rose

Hi Everybody,

This large flowers rose is created in exactly the same way as the smaller ones shared with you in the video last week.

It has been done using the ruler method and separating out each overlapped petal as I twist it togehter  to create this really large flower.

This is obviously too big to go on a card and so for this one I have added it to a box instead, and the box is big enough to add  a gift to if needed.

The only difference is the width of the ribbon used to create the rose and you can try any size ribbon that you may have to give your different effects for your designs. 

I have added mine to the box top with some silver leaves underneath to complete the look

This rose has ben created with a silver threaded, wired ribbon that is 2" wide.

In the video coming this week I will show you how to create a smaller flower for your cards using a different way to use the ribbon.

I hope you will join me for that video.

You will have to excuse the lack of videos and blog posts for the next few weeks  as everything just looks grey to me until  I can get my eye seen to.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

 

Yesterdays Roses

Hi Everybody

In yesterdays video I made two cards with different flowers on them and the photo to the right shows the second one with the two pink ribbon roses attached to it.

Now although it was a pretty card once it was done I really didn't like it when I looked back at it later.

There was too much of the ribbon flower visible around the base and it showed up really well when the card was titled to the side view.

So I got out some  Mulberry flowers and with the glue gun I filled all the gaps around the bottom, and I liked it much better once I had done that.

The photo below gives you some idea of what I did to the design and once the other flowers are in place I glittered the whole lot

It may be too much for some of my readers but I know there are those of you out there who like the embellishments that I add to a card.

And as I always say ..."I never know when to stop"

Maybe you will think differently when you see  the next photo which shows the same card  from the same angle but with the added extras and let me now what you really think of it.

The floral display has spread quite a lot over the card from two flowers tucked into the corner, to lots of them  cascading out on each side.

Nothing else has changed, the colours are the same. the layout, background, diamante flourish, the bow and leaves and the size of the card

I like it so much better now. ... more my style of make

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Flowers with Ribbons

 Hi Everybody,

Ribbon roses are something that I have covered in the past and I added a video to YouTube about 14 years ago so its a bit old fashioned now but still gets the idea across for you to follow

It does have a little tip in it about storing the flowers you make in an ole egg carton so I will add the link in case you wanted to view it.

Old video ... Ribbon Rose

Today I am adding in the new video and this will show you two ways in which to get the flowers. 

I would warn you though that they will need boxes and if your ribbons is wider than mine then your flowers will be a different size.

They are a lot of fun to make though and so here is the link to the 

new video  ...    Making Flowers with Ribbons

I hope you will enjoy the videos ... both of them if you watch them and I thank you for your support.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Inked Flowers & Gilding Flakes

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is using ink smooshing with Distress Oxides and adding extra shine with Gilding Flakes.

 It is one I intend doing in the Making Flowers series and so this is a sneaky peak of what one of the cards will look like..

I have also stencilled the background but it is very light and I have used a homemade stencil with flowers and leaves. It is just visible in the photo but in real life it does show up really well.

I have edged the card, leaves and flowers with a black fine liner pen and the finished size is a 5x7. As there is not too much depth to the flowers it will fit into an envelope.

Tomorrow I will be adding some flowers made from ribbon and I have found some lace leaves in my stash and so they will be added to the blooms also.

It is a lovely day here today and so now I am going to take Ruby and Dougal for a walk. He is with me for day care as Vickie mow goes out to work 

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Playtime

 Hi Everybody,

Here is another card from my scraps and things left over on my desktop. 

I always find it a good idea to cut more than I need and save them in a bit box so that when I need to make a card in a hurry I always have something on hand than will do just that. .

So this one uses some die cuts in white card and some flowers that have been added to parchment.

For the background I have used coloured card cut into strips and added onto some  silver mirror card with a double sided sheet, which has then been embossed and trimmed down to fit the base card.

I have added some silver mirror card leaves and some chrome dots to the flowers centres and around the base as a finishing touch.and the end result is an A6 card.

The birthday sentiment has been added with foam tape to raise it up a little. and the card is now ready to send. 

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Yellow & Orange Brusho Rose

Hi Everybody,

I was particularly happy with the way this Rose turned out using the red and yellow Brushos. The colours have gone together really well .

I didn't use water colour card but you can if that is what you have. I found that the ordinary 300 gsm card worked just as well.

I am glad that these videos have prompted some of you about the Brushos that you already have and are preparing to get them out and use them again for your flowers.

It is amazing how much stuff we buy and then put away in a cupboard and forget about it, and maybe go and buy more of a similar item.

Shop your own stash and use what you already have .... it is far more satisfying than buying more items that you will forget to make use of..

This is the other card in the video from yesterday and I think both cards are really pretty.

The only problem is I now have a kat of boxes to make !! 

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Making Flowers - Spiral Roses

 Hi Everybody,

Todays card is complete with video and once again I am using the Brushos.

They are such and easy way to colour your card and they last for ever. 

In this video I have used the Spiral Blossom Die Set and this is such a versatlie die and can be used with lots of different materials.

Here is the new video ...

Making Flowers Spiral Blossom Roses

I hope you enjoy this video and next week I will be looking at ways to make flowers with ribbons so I hope you will join me for those and perhaps send me photos of the ones you make.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx.

Playtime Cards

 Hi Everybody,

This card is created with left over white flowers and leaves that have been glued to a spare piece of card.

I have stacked the flowers and leaves in three layers to make them stand proud on the base and then inked each one with a small brush and Distress Oxides very lightly.

I have used Spun Sugar for the flowers and Shabby Shutters for the leaves

In between each flower and leaf I have brushed the base card with Blueprint Sketch ink and it is barely visible, just a shadow of the colour.

To the centre of each flower I have added a pearl and it has been trimmed down to fit a 5x7 card blank.

t was quick and easy and has used up all the bits and pieces that I have left over and it looks very pretty on the process.

A good way to tidy up my working area with no waste.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Making Flowers 2-4-1

 Hi Everybody,

Today we are staying with making flowers but using the simple material of Brushos.

This is the powder that bursts into life once the water has been added to it and one small pot can last you for years as you need so little of it

It comes in many different colours and it is fabulous to work with, and there are other brand names too that will give you the same result

Here I have created two cards from one die cut session and I am so pleased with all of them..

They will fit into a standard envelope too so no extra bulk for the postman to carry..and no extra postage costs to pay either.

This is an extra video this week and there will be another one on Thursday though I don't know what I will use for that, but it will still be a flowers of some sort.

I have more ways to make flowers that I want to cover yet suing different materials so I hope you will stay with me for those.

Making Flowers with Brushos

Bye for now 

Hugs xx

Delicate Felt Flower

Hi Everybody,

This pretty card is created in pale shades of pink and turquoise and I think it looks so.  The card itself is a 5x7 with the fold at the top as this is my favourite way of making a card.

You can make your cards in your favourite way but this wat it means I can add lots to my design and it wont fall over..

If I used deeper shades then the card would look totally different and also with another type of flower on the front/
In fact there are lots of ways in which to alter the look of this card still using the same materials.

It is a good exercise in getting your imagination working to create something that looks unique to you.

It is another flower though that will need a box because of the depth of the flowers

Thank you for all the lovely comments about the upcoming laser treatment on my eyes.
 At present everything is rather difficult because everything is shrouded in mist and I find it hard to read the pages or type the keyboard and that is why I apologised for any typos in my blog posts.

But it will get better once I have the treatment done.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

 .. 

 

Making Flowers - Felt

 Hi Everybody, 

It is time to get out the felt that has ben sat in your cupboard for such a long time and also the flower dies that haven't been used for ages. and make some really pretty textural flowers for your cards.

This video will show you the cards that I have made and each one is different.

Making Flowers with Felt

Use your dies to give you different shaped cards  to add interest to your designs.

I used white felt and coloured it myself with Distress Oxides and I am very pleased with the results., but you can buy it in many colours to suit your needs.

I got mine by the metre and it will last me a long time and as well as flowers it can be used for other things also.

Try your local hobby shop to see if they sell it. I know that Hobbycraft in the UK do and there are some lovely colour.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Personal Stuff ...

 Hi Everybody,

No card today as at present I have a bit of a problem.

I had cataract surgery on both eyes about two years ago and everything has been fine until a few weeks ago. I was out walking the dogs with Vickie and I asked her if everything looked cloudy to her and she said "No"

For me it was like looking through a dirty window and even though I cleaned my glasses things still stayed cloudy and misty.

So last week I went to my optician and had my eyes tested and told him my problem.

 Apparently it is quite common for cataract patients to experience this. It can happen after a few weeks or years and for some it never occurs. It has some fancy name that I cannot remember but it an be remedied easily with laser treatments.

So guess what I will be having !!!
 I am witing for them to send me an appointment and then I will be able to see properly again.   
My apologies for any typos in my blog posts but It is very awkward at present/

I do however have a video coming to you tomorrow staying with the Making Flowers theme so I hope you enjoy that and I will let you know how I go on with my eyesight. Wish me luck ....

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx.

 

Made for Me

 Hi Everybody,

I am so pleased that the series on making flowers with Hessian has gone down well with my viewers and there have been some lovely comments left on YouTube

This card was sent to me yesterday and it is from
Vicki Phillips who has made some flowers of her own and added them to this card.

Thank you so much Vicki for making this card and sending it to me and I hope you don't mind me sharing it here on the blog pages.

If you would like to see your card creation on my blog then let me know and send me the card to photograph and I will add it here for everybody to share.

V
Vicki has used some multi coloured Jute cord and has sent me some samples of other colours that can be bought.

She has also added the flowers to a hessian panel that she has stiffened with glue,  as I shared with you in the videos.

The result is a lovely and unique card that you will not be able to buy in the shops, and you have the satisfaction of being able to say  "I made this  ..."

Thank you Vicki for sharing your card and I hope you will send me more as you make them.

This Wednesday I am making more flowers in a video but this time I will be using Felt.

Use any flower or lead die that you have in your stash and I have also used bit and pieces that I have lying around on my desk.

The flowers that I have left over can be used on other projects in the future.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Stamped Background

Hi Everybody

This card has used a stamped and stiffened background on the front and I have added gold and white frames to surround it. This technique was shown in a video last week and I adding the link here ...

Stamping Hessian 

The card is an A6 size and is the last I will be showing with the Hessian backgrounds or flowers .... for now !!

I am going to be adding one video per week for a few weeks and using a different material for making my flowers, and probably more than one project in each video.

I hope you will stick around for that and I also hope you enjoy my makes. 

You don't need the same things that I use, just make the moat of items that you already have in your. personal stash.

But maybe you do have the dies and things I use and then you can follow along with me as we make things together.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

 

Two More Hessian Flowers

Hi Everybody

Flower One

Today I am adding two more ways in which you can create hessian flowers and these are so pretty once they are made..

You can make both of these styles to any size you prefer but I have made mine a little smaller this time around.

The one to the right is added to an A6 card and the background is stencilled for added texture,

I have used the hessian in the original colour and added diamante to each petal for decoration.

Flower Two

They are quick and easy to make and are a real focal point on the card front.

The card to the left is using another stiffened and die cut oval and the flowers on both cards are made in the video

Flower Making -Two More Ways.

I hope I have covered lots of different ideas for you to use this inexpensive material in your flowers and that you have enjoyed the process.

It certainly makes a change from Mulberry flowers though you will need to make boxes for the finished cards,

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Using Leftovers ...

 HI Everybody,

This card is created using all the left over bits and pieces from other projects that I could find on my desktop. 

The blue die cut is one I used ages ago but the hessian oval is one I cut in the last videos and said I would use in the next video.

The making of the flowers is also covered in the next vidoe which will be with you tomorrow. 

I hope you enjoy it and next week we will move on to making flowers from something else and see what we can come up with for that.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Mixing Flowers

 Hi Everybody,

With todays card I have created a different background with my Jute Cord and made alternate stripes in the fabric.

 I added them to another white panel and then trimmed it to fit a 5x7 card blank.

For the flowers I have die cut my petals from the stiffened Hessian and added some Abandoned Coral ink to colour them.

They have then been shaped so that the petals curl back and I glued three layers together. The centre of the flower is an orange Mulberry Carnation.

I die cut some leaves in Kraft and cream card and added them to the top of the panel and then arranged my flowers around the base.

 I ticked in some small roses and three tulips and they have all have been glittered for effect.

The sentiment has been die cut three times ... twice in Kraft and once in gold, and layered together onto some parchment..

So there is yet another way to make your Hessian/ Burlap/ Jute work for you to make sure you get your monies worth from the fabric you have.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Making Flowers Stamping Hessian

Hi Everybody

In todays video I am sharing how I stamped text onto my stiffened Hessian flowers to give them an individual look for my cards.

They have been die cut and layered together with a pearl centre and because they are stiffened the petals have been pinched into shape.

I have used a stencilled background for each of my designs and used a simple hole punch for added decoration .

I am quite pleased with both of these cards and the colour scheme is bright and cheerful  when combined with the white.

You don't need to buy anything special just use what you already have in your stash and I know you will be delighted with it.. 

Here is the video
Stamping On Hessian 

I have one more video to add with two more ways to make the flowers from Hessian /Burlap / Jute and then I will  move onto another fabric and share how I make those flowers

Flowers are such a popular addition to cards and as well as making your cards look pretty they can also hide a multitude of sins.

 Know what I mean !!

And notice I didn't say mistakes there....

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

 

Playtime

 Hi Everybody,   

Another card made using the leftovers I could find on my desktop and the finished size if a 5x7 white base.

 I like to rummage around in all my left over bits and pieces to see what I can make a card out of,  and I am never disappointed.

This one uses another embossed panel in blue and I have added this to the top of a silver mirror card base and that leaves just a small frame around the blue edge

The next panel is another hessian one that mimics the die from Amazon and one of the flowers that were made in a past video.

The sentiment is also a left over and I have added that with the thin foam strips from Amazon.

It is always a good idea to make extras when you have everything already out, it. gives you some for other projects, saves time when you need a card in a hurry, and saves you getting everything out again  later on.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Weaving Hessian

 Hi Everybody,

Here is another idea for using any hessian/burlap that you may have and the results are very effective on your cards.

You will need to adjust the size according to the size of card you are making but that is not hard to do.

Both of these cards have got a woven panel added to them and one is a 1cm strip the other is 2cms.

Yours can be any size that you prefer to suit your own personal design. 

Making Flowers - Weaving Hessian

You can buy hessian in different colours but you can always colour your own of you cannot get the shade you require.

I am sure that some of you have ben pleasantly surprised at the effects you can get from using this material and I hope you will give it a try.

There is much more to come 

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Hessian Backgrounds.

 Hi Everybody,

The card to the right is a mixture of items that I had lying on my desktop..

It is a 5x7 white base with a turquoise embossed panel added to the top. Then I have added in some of my handmade inky papers in s panel strip down the right hand side.

To the top ow that I have added in one of my own handmade hessian panels instead of using the die that I have  from Amazon called Fish Net.

I think my own rendition is far more effective on the card and this one has has glue added to the dewing to keep everything in place.

It also means it will store better and not fray, if I don't need to use it straight away.

The butterfly is cut from silver mirror card and added to some thicker parchment and glued in place. I also added some pearls down the butterfly's body.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Jute Flowers

Hi Everybody,

I have really enjoyed making these pretty flowers to share with you and I hope you have given them a try for yourself.

I have made all my cards into Birthday cards and this one uses the die that looks like Hessian/Burlap.

It is available on Amazon and I have added the link below the post, but don't forget to have a go at making the design from real Hessian and the video to show you how is coming on Monday.

I also have some more ways to make the flowers too and that will also be with you next week.

I love to add flowers of any description to my creations but the price has gone up so much for them that it is worth trying your hand at making some for yourself.

Use any flower dies that you may already have or try the paper template trick instead.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx

Creating a background with Hessian

 Hi Everybody,

Real Hessian .................... Die Cut Kraft Card

Last week I promised to show you the difference between the die cut hessian look and the real Mccoy.

And as you can see there is a vast amount of difference between the two. You may have a preference but I personally like the real hessian on the left better.

 

It looks more rustic and more tactile then the die cut version and for me it adds a lot to the design.

Here's the video ... 

Making Flowers - Hessian Burlap Backgrounds

Having said that I will use the die whenever I need a quick card and I don't have any real hessian ready to use.

To show you what it looks like on a finished card here they are ....

This is the real stuff and I have added the flowers that have been made in the other videos.

I have used any leaf dies that I have and of course my favourite one is my own design "Rose Flourish" which is sadly no longer available 

The other card has the die cut on it and although it is still a good looking card it lacks the authentic look of the real hessian, 

Both the flowers have been cut from the stiffened hessian and I have used the same die.

I used Seedless Preserves to colour one and used a similar centre peice on both and yet they look so different.

I hope you like the cards and let me know which you prefer 

Now before I go I also wanted to share with you another idea that came to me and that was to cut the stiffened Hessian into 1cm strips and weave the two different colours together.

The end result was very pleasing and if you would like a longer video on this technique then let me know in the comments and I will do one.

It would look different again if I had used just one colour but as I had the two sitting here I thought I would give it a try and see what happened

It is very textural and I do like it but I would do it bigger the next time I try it and in just one colour too.

Bye for now ...

Hugs xx