... and puppy dogs' tails.

Here are some more of the cards that I have made with a "boy" theme to them. 

And now I am getting withdrawal symptoms and will need to make some  "girly" cards soon .... very soon. 

This one has the Faux Leather  that I posted about a few weeks ago ... and the buttons to keep the male look.

The link takes you to the video on how to get the look for yourself .... from masking tape.

The images have been coloured with Promarkers ... and were done in  the early days when I first started to colour in ... so not very good  ... but hopefully I have got better.

This is a stamped image from  Lili of the Valley

They have lots of lovely boy stamps for you to colour anyway you want.

And the addition of the ribbon does not take any of the boyish look away.

But it will be back to the pretty cards again tomorrow so I can use all the embellishments I like to add.

Hugs xx

Slugs and snails ....

If you're like me then you are simply in heaven whenever you have to make a card for a girl.

You can go to town on all the lovely embellishments that can be added ... Flowers, Ribbons and Pearls in abundance and pretty pastel pinks and lilacs Mmmmm Mmmmm !!

But every so often we need to make a card for the boys and then we have to start head scratching to come up with the ideas.

 
This image was free in a magazine pullout... and there were lots of them on the pages.

I scanned it into the PC and now I can print them off to the size I want whenever I need a new image.



I have coloured all these images with either Spectrum Noir or Promarkers.

This young man is from the LillyBoo collection from Cuddly Buddly

There are many images to choose from and they suit all age groups and occasions.

They are not expensive.... and because they are digital downloads they are yours instantly.

The name on this card makes it more personal and I  added the wall background to keep the boyish look.

This one was from   KennyK Downloads 

The digital papers are all in shades of blue... and are free from  Summertime Designs

You will find lots of papers for you to use and this one is the Fathers and Fedoras Kit.

Buttons are always a good addition to male cards and the sentiment for this is from the "Pretty Tuff" CD from PolkaDoodles

But even though it is a male card doesn't mean  it can't have some pearly swirls on it.

And this one just adds a little more to the Tug of War boys from KennyK.

Hugs xx

Can I borrow some shaving foam ????

I had to buy some cheap shaving foam to do this technique as my Film Crew uses an electric shaver ... just no consideration some folks !!!

And then to top it all I couldn't find a dish big enough to add the card .... so I improvised.

The  Shaving Foam Technique   is another of those messy ideas but still fun ... especially if you craft with children.

For this card I kept the colours softer,  in keeping with the image, and I coloured that in with Promarkers.

The addition of the large organza bow softens the look even more.... and you could add flowers, pearls and gemstones for even more of a finishing touch.

Hugs xx

Organza Flowers

I found  an  old piece of organza in my "Stash" and being the fugal crafter that I am I decided it had to be put to good use.

I washed  and condtioned it to make it smell nice and then I set to work with my Spellbinders.

And so this is how the tutorial for the  Organza Flowers  came about.

The flower has been added to a mix of others from Wild Orchid Crafts 

The centre is a pearl brad  from the  The Hobby House   and that holds all the layers together.

And the  leaves are from the Ash  Branch punch from L-Em

This is a stamped  image from Lili of the Valley   and  they have both  been coloured with Promarkers.

This was in the days prior to me discovering the "Bling" and so there are no pearly bits on either of them.

But I have used the Spellbinders and self adhesive pearls just to soften the look.

At the time I was very  pleased with these cards and the flowers have been re-created many times on other cards that I have made.

Hugs xx

Enamelled Roses

A while ago I added a post and a tutorial to the website, on making Paper Roses for your cards, and it proved to be very popular.

I had many emails about them and lots of photos added to the Gallery  of  how others had made their flowers look.

The tutorial showed you how to create the flowers without any special punches.... just make your own template.

You  could then make them to any colour and paper that you have in your "Stash" and then they would always blend in with your design.

But the next step after this was to enamel them and make them look glossy... and so the video for the Enamelled Rose  came about. 

This process needed some Embossing powder and it needed to be heated until it melted... so not a good idea to use around children.

But the effect was to give the Roses a glass like appearance and they are very strudy once they have cooled.

And certainly made them look different from the paper roses that we started out with.

Hugs xx

Glamour Puss

As part of their Christmas Gift I made for each of our daughters a large decorated box and added cards for all occasions to them so that they would always have cards on hand to give to any of their  throughout the year.

And as it is used up I have promised to replace the cards as needed.

In each box I added about 25 cards of all colours and images and I tried to do it evenly to suit each daughter.

My two daughters have children that are grown up now and so they would need more adult type cards.

But Griffs two daughters each have young  children and so I added cards that they could send to their  friends too.

But in each box I added one of these as I just love the image and the glamorous pose she has.

I know that they would be suitable for most age groups and I am happy to say that the gift was appreciated by all four daughters.

Hugs xx

Mosaic Card

This is a very pretty technique and if you are new to cardmaking it is also one that is also very easy to do, and yet the results will get the comments.

The    Mosaic Card is available in a video tutorial.

It is a  good way to use up any of your scraps of paper but you will need some double sided adhesive sheets.

Then you can use glitters in between the gaps or as I have gilding flakes.

The top one is done with silver and the one to the left is gold.

The one below is done with a dark blue glitter.

 All the stamped images  are from  Lili of the Valley  and I have coloured them in with Promarkers.

All pretty cards but the top one could have been modelled on my grand daughter ... a real girl with attitude ... Bless her !!

Hugs xx

More Flowers...

The names to all the Spellbinders dies that I have used will be  BOLD  so that you will know what has been used should you wish to add them to your collection.

Here are those Bitty Blossoms again and they have been combined with the Damask Motifs  from Spellbinders.

I have layered them over the Romantic Rectangles with one of the Fancy Tags 3 at the front, and the leaf shapes tucked behind the flowers are from the Damask Accents. 

The buckle on the ribbon is from the Ribbon Buckles and there are lots in that set for you to use.

This card is going to be for a wedding and so the name and date have been left off and will be added later.

The pearly flourish is fromWant2Scrap and I have coloured them,  the butterlfy and the pearl flower centres with Promarkers to match my colour scheme.

I have added Cosmic Shimmer around the edge to create the look of pearls

Hope you like....

Hugs xx

A Fun Card

This is the latest addition to the tutorials and there are both written and video instructions for this fun card.

It is one that kids really enjoy ... and hopefully you will too.

The  Magic Slider Card is very easy to create but because of the way it is designed it will have children fascinated with how it works.... but  keep  'em guessing!

This is how the card will look when it is given and it can fit into a standard envelope if you keep the height of the flowers low.  

 I have added Poppies to the front to match the theme of the card and they are from Wild Orchid Crafts  I have mixed them with some Ivy leaves and  red gingham ribbon.

The Poppy stamp is from Clarity Stamp and I have coloured it in with Spectrum Noir Pens  from Crafters Companion

As the card is pulled from the sleeve this is what will be seen and the result is quite amazing.

So I hope you will take a look at the short video tutorial on how to get this look and if you are new to cardmaking don't be put off and think it is too hard to do,  it really isn't.

And you will be pleased with the result especially when the children that receive it plead with you to tell them how you did the magic.

Hugs xx

Double Twisted Easel

To continue with the making of Easel cards this one is the   Double Twisted Easel 

Again if you are a seasoned cardmaker then my apologies for the basics, but not everybody knows how to create these different folds and it is for those folk that I add these steps.

 These cards were made quite a long time ago and it is interesting for me to see how I have progressed in card making.

I don't make them quite the same anymore and my flowers are much more elaborate these days.

But the Spellbinders are still in use although now I have learned how to make them work harder too.

But the method to making the card is the same whatever standard you are at.

I really don't remember where the flowers are from but I tell you what.... I am glad I have none left as they seem so flat and boring.

The image though is still in use and is one of the adorable Tilda characters and she  has been coloured in with Promarkers.

More tomorrow with the Triple Easel Card

Hugs xx

Paper Lace

Not to be confused with the Punched Lace I added a couple of days ago..... oh no! this one is going to use up any Doilys that you may have lurking around at the bottom of your kitchen drawers.

Paper Lace  is an easy technique to create and yet still adds a very delicate look for all your cards.

Here it has been pleated along the edge of the card and all the workings have been covered by the white ribbon for a neat finish.

The image is from  LIli of the Valley  and is very cute. I have coloured the bear in with Promarkers.

The additional flowers are from  Wild Orchid Crafts. 

Hugs Christina xx

Super Easy Fold

This card is so easy to create from just one piece of A4 card... a couple of creases and the card is ready for you to shape and decorate.

I have stamped the images, from Lili of the Valley,  and coloured them in with Promarkers.

They have some lovely new designs out now and you will be spoiled for choice.

I have called this the Tilt Card  and this is the video tutorial on how to get the look for yourself.

It has been on YouTube for a little while and had a good response.

And here's a piece of news I am happy to share with you ...  that my videos have had 602,000 views on YouTube.

So who's a happy cookie then!!

The Rose is created from the Paper Roses Tutorial  and added on top of some white feathers.

The luxury foiled card for the base is from Hunkydory
and you will find some beautiful patterns for all occasions.

The image is one I have had in my collection for a long time and I can't remember where I got it from.

I hope you will give this a try.....it is easy ... honest.

Hugs Christina xx

Less Postage More Style...

I love to make cards with lots of flowers and ribbons on them which often means I have to also make a box to give the card in because of the height invloved.

But what happens if you want to post the card and the cost is too much.... Well! the simple answer is... make it flatter.

That doesn't mean that you have to lose the style, and the card can be just as pretty without the height that
the flowers give.

Cards for Posting is the latest video to be added to the website and is about creating a card that will go easily into an ordinary envelope without compromising on style.

It also covers making the card free standing which will also keep the cost down as it doesn't need an added insert.

The added pink gemstone   "Bling" is from  Want2Scrap 

And the character is from Candy Doodles CD from Polka Doodles and I have coloured her in with Promarkers.

There's not a flower in sight but I had to add the ribbons ... and I still think it is a pretty card.

Hugs Christina xx

Candy Doodles CD

This is another CD from the Polka Doodles  range and they are all just filled with goodies for you to play with.

This one is from the Candy Doodles and the image was coloured with Alcohol  pens from Promarkers

The backgound is Colour Core, and it has been run through the die cutting machine, with an embossing folder, and then sanded to bring out the pattern.

The border is from the the Floral Doily Accents from Spellbinders and it has been linked over the image.  

The border around the image itself has been created using the   Faux Nestie  technique to create a thin edge to the topper.

The Nestabling swirl is from  Want2Scrap and adds the finishing touch.

And the ribbon and flower were made from some ribbon which was wrapped around a new pair of pyjamas I bought at the weekend .... waste not want not !!

Hugs Christina xx

Sugarplum Daisy CD

Staying with the Sugarplum Daisy CD from  Polka Doodles  for todays card. 

I have used the same fairy images from yesterday ... just added them in a different layout.  There are other characters for you to choose in different poses.

They come in four sizes for you to cut out and use with Spellbinders if you have them... or just mat and layer as you would like.

If you aren't happy to colour the images then they come ready coloured so you can just print them off as they are on the disc.

But if you are then you can use the line drawings
 to colour in your self.

The papers are in blue and pink and layered  onto some plain pink card.

The Lacy border is from the Persian  Accents from Spellbinders and it is cut from Glitter card, and the blue satin ribbon has been added to the top.

I thought I would add some blue buttons for a change but then decided to add the flowers as well.

Well why not???   The flowers are from  Wild Orchid Crafts

The fairy in the foreground has been added with   Pinflair Glue Gel   to give her height, and  the  wings have been sparkled with the lovely Glamour Dust for added effect.

A very pretty card for many occasions.

Hugs Christina xx

Stamped Images

The images used on these cards are from the same company as yesterday...Polka Doodles

There are several diffent houses or toadstools that can all be used to create your own village.

You can add trees, fences, flowers and signs to personalise your scene.

Here I used one of the stamps to create the beach house, and the background is coloured in with Promarkers.

But this scene has used the Masking Technique and the same house to create this small village

This is such an easy idea to produce but it can extend  your library of stamps.

Just look again at the ones in your colection and see which stamps you can marry up with a second one to give them a whole new look.

Hugs Christina xx

Cute Characters

Having a focal point to the card gives the eye something to home into., and the composition of it all can make the whole lot  have the "Wow" factor .

And that is something we all want whenever we make that card.

Your focal point could be a flower, a shape, a verse or anything else that you choose to add.

But this card has had the addition of a really cute character.

She is from the "Pretty Sweet" CD from  Polka Doodles  and you will find several more little girls in various poses for you to use.

It is called a "Mini collection" but there is so much stuff on the disc that you will be amazed... and the backing papers are simply gorgeous.

The images come ready coloured  in or with a  line drawing if you prefer to colour your own.

The  Braided Ribbon is shown in a tutorial and makes a very pretty addition to your cards.

The card and the box are made from the papers and character from the CD.

I have sat this one on the edge of the ribbon and the flowers used on all the cards are from Wild Orchid Crafts 

Here is another little girl ... but if you are wanting some wee boys as well then take a look at the "Pretty Tuff" CD from the same company.

Hugs Christina xx

Faux Nesties

Spellbinder Nestabilities are an excellent addition to your cardmaking "Stash" but I have to admit that they are a little on the expensive side.

So obviously you want to get as much from these dies as you possibly can.

The Labels sets ... and it doesn't matter which ones you have ... are not always the size to fit what it is you want to do.  The Faux Nesties  will show you how to make them work for you.

So imagine that you have a set with five dies in it.... the thing to do is look at them again ... carefully.

You don't just have five dies in there ... you actually have fifteen, because you can use both the inner and outer edges to give you even more sizes. 

Maybe all you want is a thin border around your image ... like the character on the right then follow the steps to get the look.

This card has had the procedure done twice to give the double layered look, and it makes the image stand out really well.

The little girl has been coloured with Promarkers, and the organza ribbon is finished with  flowers from  Wild Orchid Crafts

Hugs Christina xx

Faux Leather Effect

Here is another Faux Effect and this one uses masking tape so you will need to raid the household box.

It is another easy to create look and is really good for your masculine cards as they are not really appreciative of flowers, ribbons and pearls .... or any other "Bling"  for that matter.

You will need some Versamark and clear embossing powder too ... but the effect is quite amazing once you get the powder melted, then you can add whatever you want to the card to suit the recipient.

If you make it in paler colours then it can be adapted for your more feminine cards but I have kept these darker ... just for a change.

Back to pinks and flowers later in the week.

The  topper with the dog  has  the Faux Tile effect from yesterday, and I have used the Aged Mahogany Distress Ink for the Faux Leather Effect.

The image has been coloured with Promarkers.

This image also has the Faux Tile Effect in the background.

Both these are from    KennyK Downloads   and there you will find some fabulous images for you to colour yourself.

The shapes have been cut with Spellbinders  ...  (so no surprise there then)  and added to the card with foam pads to raise them up.

You will of course notice the absence of pretty flowers ... and it will take me a week to get over that, but I couldn't resist the ribbons and a few gemstones in the corners.

I hope you will give this effect a try and combine it with the others from yesterday and those to follow. 

Well that's my post for today and now I am going to get ready to go out to dinner because.... It's my birthday and I am going out with my lovely husband .... who bought me the Spellbinders on Saturday for the occasion. 

Hugs Christina xx

More from Just Inklined...

These cards are more from  Just Inklined.  I got my images when they were offered for free as I always love a good freebie ... Oh Yes!!   The gorgeous Maude was also from them. 

You can buy them as indivdual images from their website,  but now they have added them all to CD's.  

There is the  "Big One" and  "The Next Big Thing"  and both offer you really good value for your money ... and if you don't feel confident enough colouring in then the digi  stamps come ready coloured too.

I have had both of these for a while now and had the chance to look around them, and there is something for every age group and gender on them.  You will be able to make a card for any occasion.

This lovely scene above is the "Terraced Houses",  it has been coloured in with Promarkers... and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts   ... and of course the Spellbinders to create the shape to mount the image onto.

This one is the "Post Office" and is a very pretty scene. I have added some text paper for the backgound.

This one above is "Kiss the Cook" and would be ideal to send for a summer birthday ... especially to the man that does all the cooking at family get togethers ... like Griff!!

The background to this card is the Faux Leather Technique and the link will take you to the video tutorial for how to get the look. All you need is some masking tape and your Distress Ink.

I just love this cute character with his carrot, and I have made this up into female cards, with great success as well as this one on a more male theme.

I don't think you would be disapointed with either of the CD's  and you are sure to be kept busy for quite some time .... have fun!

Hugs Christina xx