Cards for Girls

Hi Everybody,

The other day I spent a very pleasant couple of hours simply colouring and I was really pleased with the images.

I made them all into cards and they will be sent to a charity when I have enough to fill the box.

I used Copics and just enjoyed the time it took me to complete them all.

The images are all from Lily of the Valley

I do find it very relaxing to colour and then I alter things around a bit with a white gel pen.

On the top one I added white ribbon through her skirt and for this one I added spots to the skirt to make it look a little different.

You can make any of your designs personal to you with the addition of a bit of white if only to highlight some areas on their clothing or shoes.

And sometimes adding a tiny white spot to the cheeks or eyes can bring them to life.

Hope you like them all but I am sure that some little girl will be delighted with any of them on her birthday.

Take a look at the Craft Stash website for the products that I have used

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Heirloom Rectangle

Hi Everybody,

Todays card features a die that has been around now for quite some time and you may have this is your personal "stash"   If you do it maybe time to get it out again and try this really easy card. 

 The dies do all the work and the flowers are the crowning glory in soft shades of lilac and white

The card has been created with just the one set of dies

Spellbinders Used:

• S6-016 Heirloom Rectangle
• PL-001 Platinum Die Cutting Machine

Other Supplies:

• Flowers, Glitter ball from Wild Orchid Crafts
• Ribbon from my "Stash"
• Pearls from Want2Scrap
• Card from Papermill Direct
• Glitter from Glitter Magic
• Sentiment from Lili of the Valley

Instructions:

With die #4 and white card cut two layers for the base  and a layer in lilac

With dies #3 and 4 together cut another layer in white for the patterned piece

Create the base with the two white pieces by scoring along one a little way down and gluing them together along the small panel

Add foam to the back of the other two and layer the lilac and patterned pieces together

Wrap ribbon around these layers before adding to the base card

Cut die #2 in lilac and emboss this piece for more texture. Add foam pads to the back and arrange over the top of the ribbon

Stamp the sentiment of your choice and cut out with the smallest die

Cut two more in white and one in lilac

Glue the white ones together keeping the sentiment one for the top. This will give depth to the panel

Cut the lilac one in half and arrange around the sentiment panels to leave a small border.

Attach foam to the back of these

Select the flowers you would like.

From left to right I have used:

Gypsophila, Chrysanthemum, Cosmos Daisies, Tulips, Roses

Arrange the flowers in a pleasing display on your card and dot with glue then sprinkle with glitter.

Add the bow and small pearls around the flowers

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Naples Medallion

Hi Everybody,

For this tutorial I am using the Naples Medallion and this is a large die set. 

You can make your base cards in this shape or just add it to a card but for this one I am taking my scissors to the shape and cutting it up.

The pictured card is 8x6"  because it is a baby card that will be signed by lots of workmates for their colleague 

Spellbinders Used:

• S6-096 Naples Medallion
• S4-125 Classic Scalloped Circles
• S4-116 Classic Circles

Other Supplies:

• A4 Embossing Folder
• Flowers/leaves/glitter balls/bows centre from Wild Orchid Crafts
• Ribbon from Mei Flower
• Glitter from Glitter Magic
• Circle Sentiment from Lili of the Valley
• Pink/white card from Papermill Direct

Instructions:

Take one sheet of A4 card and fold in half along the short side, and keep the fold at the top to create the base card. 

With the pink card hand cut a panel that is slightly smaller then the base and leaves a small border around the edge

 Emboss this layer with any folder that you have

With the Naples Medallion cut the largest one in white and lay it onto some pink card and faux Nestie cut the pink layer that will sit underneath.  Cut this circle in half

Off set the two halves and add to your base card with foam pads to give some depth

Wrap the panel with ribbon to hide the join. I have used double ribbon for mine with white at the bottom and pink on top

Secure on the back and then add this panel to the base card

I decided to cut this chain circle from the Naples Medallion set and cut this in half and add to the cetnre circles. You can see this in the main photo  

I stamped a sentiment and used the Classic Circles to cut it out and then layered it onto the Scalloped Circle.

 I cut two of the smallest dies from the Naples Medallion and cut them both in half.

With some foam pads I added all four pieces to the back of my sentiment and added it to my card 

I dressed it with glittered flowers and added glitter balls to the centres

Notice the little pink butterfly nestled in with the flowers !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Shapeabilities Stacey Caron Renaissance Jubilee Naples Medallion Etched Dies	Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Circles SM Etched Dies	Nestabilities Standard Circles LG Etched Dies	Mulberry Paper Flowers
GREEN MULBERRY LEAVES	FLAT BACK GLITTER BALLS	FLAT BACK PEARLS IN A DIAMOND CIRCLE Model: MKX-657	Chameleon Glitter
PICK & MIX

InLinkz.com

White Hearts ...

Hi Everybody,

Pretty Hearts card in pale green and white with a lovely verse on the front from Lili of the Valley  and there are several on an A5 clear stamp sheet

This is one of the cards that I made for Craft Stash and this is the Detailed Heart  

I have cut the die twice and layered it onto some plain card then carefully cut around it to give an extra layer

The crochet lace matches in with t the colour scheme and on each of the dots in the paper I have added a small self adhesive  pearl

The white ribbon is from Mei Flower   and the centre to the knot is from Wild Orchid Crafts

There is a strip of pearls from Want2Scrap along the edge of the card and I have rounded the outside corners to the card

Makes a change from a red Valentines Day card and it could be used all year round

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

We Are Special ...

Hi Everybody,

This is another scheduled post for you to see and it is one I colored with Spectrum Noir pens

The image is one I have had for sometime and it is off the CD "The Next Big Thing"  ... which sadly is no longer available

For this I have the simply folded A4 card in half with the card fold at the top

I have matted and layered it with a pale blue stripe card from AnnaMarie Designs  This card comes in lots of other lovely colors and there is a Spotty variety too  

The satin ribbon is from Mei Flower  and it ties into a beautiful bow.  The sentiment is from Lili of the Valley and is one of several on the sheet. The flowers are sparkled with glitter from Glitter Magic

If you visit regularly you will know that my flowers and the bow centre are always from Wild Orchid Crafts and I know that many of you have become WOC converts. I choose these because I love the variety and quality of the blooms.

These are quality UK companies that I use on a regular basis.  I like their goods and I like to tell you about their services. Click their links to view the products for yourself.

Hugs xx

We are all Special ...

Hi Everybody,

Todays card uses a mixture of striped card from  AnnaMarie Designs  and some silver foiled card from  Hunkydory  and although completely different they play nicely together.

I have created the card from 5x7 Matting Basics A&B from Spellbinders  and the foiled card is Labels Twenty

I have used the matching Diamanté from Want2Scrap  to surround both layers of the label

The satin ribbon around all the layers is from  Mei Flower and the lovely sentiment is from  Lili Of The Valley  which has been stamped in black and clear embossed

The bows centrepiece and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and are a mixture of Roses, Gypsophillia, Lilies, Apple Blossom and Magnolias.

Just a couple of things I would like to say ... First is that I am going to be stuck with three blue card if the ladies whose names were added as an extra on Saturday to win them don't come forward.  Here are the names again ... and then I give up ....

 Donna Sherman ... Jayne Buckley ... Sandra Smith ...

I know we humans like to skim a page but you will miss out if you don't read the blog post completely

Secondly the link to the Inspiration Page is at the top left of the page and it is a video card collection. Click the photo at the top and it will take you to another page.

It is NOT the  "My Designs"  which I have now moved to the bottom of the column.  That is simply a slideshow from Photobucket and there is nothing to click there and you may get an error message if you try to open that. 

And to the ladies who have already found it Thank You for the lovely comments you have left for us. We will be adding more as often as we can

And don't forget that the card photo under the heading Tuesday Tutorial is also clickable and will take you to another new page with lots of tutorials from this blog ... a new one every week ...and Spellbinders with a new one every month. 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Floral Ribbon Threader

Hi Everybody,

This is one very pretty die from Spellbinders and its name if the A2 Floral Ribbon Threader.  The card it produces is not a large one but there is no reason why you couldn't add it to a larger base if you so wished.

Spellbinders Supplies:

• A2 Matting Basics A
• A2 Floral Ribbon Threader

Other Supplies:

• Wild Orchid Crafts flowers
• Want2Scrap Pearl Flourish
• Verse from Lili of the Valley

Instructions:

Create your card base with the #7 A2 Matting Basics A and emboss one panel with a pattern of your choice

Then Create a hinged card  

(Please remember that #1 is always the smallest die in any Spellbinders sets)

With #8 cut a panel in your chosen color

With #8 and #7 placed together cut the detailed panel

Then place the #3 die from A2 Matting Basics into the centre and pass through your machine again

This will create a frame for you to match the white panel from the previous step

Thread some narrow ribbon that will pass through the holes all around the frame

Finish off in one corner and tape the ribbon ends together

Fix the solid panel to your card base with foam tape for dimension

Add foam pads to the back of the detailed panel and add it to the top of the solid one making sure that the curved edges marry up

You can see in the photo the shadow that this depth creates and adds more interest to your designs

Stamp and emboss your sentiment onto some blending card and with the smallest rectangle die cut it out

I added a ribbon bow to the bottom of the card and glued a pearl to the knot.

Then arranged my flowers to the top right corner and sprinkled them with glitter.

It may not be a very big card but it is a very pretty one that would suit many occasions

And if you struggle to get a pleasing look to your floral displays then maybe I can help you solve the problem in the form of a video .... Adding Flowers to Cards 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Back to pink ...

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is back to pink with a lovely inspirational verse in the centre from   Lili of the Valley 

I have used the beautiful   Fleur de Elegance  from Spellbinders which will give you some large ovals to add to your designs.

I have used dies #2 and #3 and then topped them with my sentiment stamped onto #2 from Elegant Ovals

All these layers are added with foam tape and pearls used to accentuate the shapes

The ribbon is from Mei Flower  and is tied in a double bow and is the only embellishment that I have used for this card

The bows centre piece is from Wild Orchid Crafts

A very pretty card that could be for any occasion

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Coloring time ...

 Hi Everybody,

Sitting with my pens to color an image is something I haven't done for quite some time and it is nice to take the time out to get back to it .... if only for a short time

This image is from a  Lily of the Valley  paper stack that I have had for a long time ... in fact I think it was free with a magazine

I used Chameleon Pens and then went ahead and made the card.

The dotty card is from AnnaMarie Designs and I have lined the inside with the same card

The ribbon is from Mei Flower  and I have tied it into a single bow at the top of the card.

The flowers just tumble down from the bow and they are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and are a lovely mixture of Chrysanthemums, Gypsophillia, Tulips and Roses

The panels behind the flowers is another one that has been embossed with  Grate Effect   and then I rubbed a pale pink ink pad over it to accentuate the design

Altogether a really pretty card and a very pleasant hour or two for me to color it in.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Lovin' Diamonds

Hi Everybody,

I had a lovely day out yesterday and we visited the   Sincerely Yours Craft Show   in Leigh.  These shows are held all over the country and so click the link to find out if there is one being held near you.

And a really big "Thank You" to everyone who took the time to say  "Hello"  because they recognised me from Create and Craft ... it was all  my pleasure and really nice to stand and chat with you if only for a little while

I always go armed to these shows with my pennies all clutched in my hot little hand ready to spend and yesterday was no exception.  I bought lots of goodies from my favorite suppliers and tomorrow I will be playing again with the items that I bought.

Amongst my buys are some really pretty satin ribbons from  Mei Flower  as they always tie into a wonderful bow to add to your designs.

I bought some lovely card in pastel colors  at 250 gsm from  AnnaMarie Designs   and this is excellent quality for use as your base card or for matting and layering  And craft shows are always a good place to stock up on many of your staples like glues or embossing powders, acetate or card as you are sure to save some pennies if you do.

So todays card is  from the Spellbinders Laced with Love Collection and this one is called  Lovin Diamonds    It is a 6" square card front and makes creating your card so easy.  Once cut you can add any shaped labels to the front with the verse of your choice.

The one I have used is a stamped sentiment from  Lili of the Valley  It has been stamped in pink and then heat embossed it with clear powder.

The ribbon is from  Mei Flower  and it is tied in a single bow and the dazzler in the centre of the bow is from   Wild Orchid Crafts   ... but no flowers are added to this one ... don't ask me why not !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Dare to Dream

Hi Everybody,

I am due to be back on Create and Craft today at 8am 12 noon and 5pm ... please come and join me if you have some spare time

A few days ago we had a non red Valentines Day one and todays card uses red for an  ... "Any day kind of card !! "

It is quite a versatile colour and I used it for the base of the card then layered it with cream.

But the paper for the next layer was a little too gaudy for what I wanted to use and so I diffused it with a piece of parchment that I embossed and added with brads in each corner.

The framework is from the Spellbinders Regal Frame   and the central oval is from  Fleur De Elegance

The roses are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and I have mixed them with some tiny rosebuds.

The ribbon trim is netting and I have tied it in a bow with a central dazzler to hide the knot.

The verse is from a set created by Lili of the Valley  and has some really lovely sentiments on the sheet ... click the link to see the set

Whenever I make this style of  Hinged card   I use the 5x7 Matting Basics A & B sets   and I will tell you when I have used a different size.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie 040

Hi Everybody,

Welcome to the first Friday Freebie of 2015 and this one is in a pretty shade of green and white, and is wrapped with a dark green ribbon.

There are several pearls dotted around this card and they are from Want2Scrap

The card base is from Grand Large Labels  ... but please make sure that you buy the correct size if you want this set as there are three different sized sets that all work together

I have also used the Asian Motifs but this is a die set that is being retired.

The verse is from Lili of the Valley  and has been stamped and embossed in silver.

If this is a card that you would like to win then all you need to do is leave a comment at the bottom of the post ... and maybe join the band of followers.

A name will be drawn from the hat tomorrow morning and the winner announced in the blog post.

So be sure to come back and check if you have joined in.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie 036

Hi Everybody,

Todays Friday Freebie is a card with a background created with   Shaving Foam 

This is an old video tutorial that I did and I have added it before but for those that are new to the idea I have added it again

The Card is in a lovely deep purple with a flower corsage to match and the flowers are from   Wild Orchid Crafts

I have sparkled them up with fine iridescent glitter from Glitter Magic

The hat pin is a very feminine addition and it is removable from the card.  I use 3" hat pins with end protectors from the Sparkles Group

The sentiment is from   Lili of the Valley   and is one of a set on an A5 sheet of verses

Now if this is a card that you would like to win then all you need to do is add a comment at the bottom of the page.

Scroll down to just under my signature and there you will see the word Comments and if you click that word it will open another window for you.

A name will be chosen at random and the winner will be announced tomorrow morning in the blog post.

This is the last day of the  Spellbinders Sneak Peak and Give Away 

Click the link to see the  Imperial Square  that I featured on Monday ... the links on each designers pages are open for 48 hours for your chance to win the featured die set

 And for other die templates on offer visit the other designers blogs and enter there for more chances to win.  A winner will be drawn each day with a grand prize to be won on the last day

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Spellbinders S5-160 Majestic Elements Nestabilities Opulent Ovals Die Templates

Spellbinders S6-001 Nestabilities Matting Basics A Die Templates, 5 by 7-Inch

Spellbinders S6-002 Nestabilities Matting Basics B Die Templates, 5 by 7-Inch

InLinkz.com

Friday Freebie 035

Hi Everybody,

I have  not forgotten to include the Friday Freebie card and this one is in a lovely shade of Baby Pink.

I have used Seville from the Spanish Collection by Sue Wilson and topped it with  San Francisco from the California Collection

It creates a very pretty raised background and the verse from Lili of the Valley   has been stamped and embossed for the top.

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts  as is the pearl and diamanté centre to the bow.

The satin ribbon is from Mei Flower   and the pearl flourish is from Want2Scrap

If you would like to win this card then all you have to do is leave me a comment at the bottom of the page and it would be nice if you became a follower too.

The winner will be announced in tomorrows Blog post and then you have 48 hours in which to claim it.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie 032

Hi Everybody,

Todays Friday Freebie is a deviation from pink but I couldn't resist the flowers

This one is  the French Collection - Background by Sue Wilson  and I got mine from JGD Crafts

It is a beautiful intricate die and I have teamed it with the Labels Twenty   from Spellbinders.

I have used the pearly "Bling"  from Want2Scrap

I have been asked which card do I use to create my designs and I always use ...  for every aspect of cardmaking ... the White Hammered 255 gsm from the Papermill Direct

Now this is a UK based company and so you would need to check with them if they will ship to your country as card is very heavy to send

The verse is from Lili of the Valley  and is one of several on the same stamp sheet

The flowers and the bow sparkler are from Wild Orchid Crafts   and the beautiful satin ribbon is from Mei Flower

So if you would like to win this card then all you need to do is become a follower ... if you are not already .. and leave me a comment on the bottom of the post.  Then pop back tomorrow and see if your name is on the blog post.

If it is then you will have 48hours to let me know who you are so that I can send the card to you ... and it doesn't matter where you live I will send it anywhere for you.

I have started to leave the draw open until Saturday morning to give people in other countries the chance to enter ... I know when we are wide awake in the UK there are those of you in the land of Nod !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Labels Thirty Nine ...

Hi Everybody,

Thank you so much for all the lovely comments and good wishes you all sent to me on the news of my trip to Phoenix.  I am so excited about this trip and I am all packed and ready to go already.

Yesterday I was asked a question about the new Labels Thirty Nine from Spellbinders

(Click the links to view the die sets)

This label has matching elements that go with it and the question I was asked was do you need to buy all three sets.

Well the answer is no you don't need to buy all of them as they all work independently of each other and with any other dies that you may have

Spellbinders number the dies with  #1 being the smallest

To make the card I have used the largest #5 from the basic Labels Thirty Nine  and cut it twice

One of them I have scored about 2 cms down on the widest part and glued the two together along this crease to form the base

I have cute the largest  #4 from the  Labels Thirty Nine - Decorative Elements 

Using other sizes from the both sets I have layered them together with foam tape to give some depth.

It is a quick and easy card to make and these two sets work really well to create the card.

If you wanted to you could add theses elements to a larger card and change the orientation for another look

But it is a size that fits perfectly onto a card stand and can be displayed by your recipient.

I hope that goes a little way to answering the question and if I was pushed then I would have to say that these two sets would be my choice

The butterflies have been very kindly sent to me ... from many of you ... in response to my statement that I had run out of them.

I have added in flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts
They have been sparkled with Glitter Magic
The round sentiment is from Lili of the Valley
The pearl flourish is from Want2Scrap

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx