Not A Christmas Card ....

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I thought I would have a change from Christmas cards with this one and I brought out the Spellbinders.

I have  mixed and  matched many  of the ones that I have and I really like the  look of this card.

The colour is a soft teal  and cream and the oragnza  ribbon matches the card  perfectly.

In the  centre of the bow  I have added a  Vintage button  and the  Decorative Hatpin  is pushed throught  the centre  of the knot.

The Spellbinders  are in BOLD  to highlight the ones I have used for this card.
 

The background has been run through  the  Paisley M-Bossabilities folder  and then edged with the Persian Accents borders on each side.

I have cut Floral Ovals three times using the largest and the second largest dies and added them in Teal at the back ... with the two smallest on either side and the largest in the centre.

Labels 20 has been cut and embossed and raised on foam pads to the centre of the card.  Perisan Accents corners have been placed on either side of the label.

Another Floral Oval has been added in Teal to the back of the sentiment, which is cut in cream from the Persian Accents.

The Pearly Swirl is Le Creme Finesse from Want2Scrap  and I have curled it down the side of the card and around the "With Love" sentiment.

And the  reason it is  curled around  the sentiment is  because ...  I slipped with the  wording  and added  a  mark  (idiot!) .... so  covered it up with  the Swirl.

Hugs xx

Creating Card Stands

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I promised to share  several different ways that I use to make your cards free standing ... and over the weekend this is what I came up with.

Creating Card Stands  is another short video. 

I have tried to think of all the ways that could be adapted so that cards can be displayed in a very pretty way by the recipient.

I have covered the "A"Frame that I have used for quite some time and then moved on to ways to use the beautiful ornate stands that I discovered last week

These can be made out of any  card that goes with your colour scheme and I have given you some tips on what to do to make sure that your cards don't fall over.

 I got these  little stands  from  Ebay  and the link will take you to the straight to the page

And then I have also shown you how to make the most of your Spellbinders to create a frame that will be glued to the back of the card. 

You can adapt many of the dies that you may already have in your collection as long as it fits the back of your card.

And just in case you are saying that you don't have any Spellbinders or you don't want to buy the little card stand there is also a way that you can freehand cut a stand ... and so there is no excuse at all not to give this a go.

Hugs xx

Spellbinders Heirloom Ornament

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I have been busy playing again and this time I have used the  Spellbinders Heirloom Ornament to create more  decorations that could be suitable for Christmas.

These are quite big  as I have used the largest die in the set but they are cerainly a statement piece.

I have added Glitter, feathers, tassels and ribbons as well as my  Diamante from Want2Scrap

This selection is showing some of the ideas that I came up with and the video has been added to the website .... here is the page ...  Spellbinders Heirloom Ornament

The second ornament from  the left has been  decorated with flowers and  butterflies as a more summery theme and  I also think that this could  be  suitable  as a  Bridal arrangement and made to look really  luxurious.

This one has red gingham ribbon for the carrying handle and it has been glittered with Glamour Dust.

 I went on to add the wine coloured feathers  and some wooden snowflakes as a bit more embellishment to this one... it is the second  from the right in the picture.

The Holly paper is from the Crafters Companion  Christmas CD

 

Hugs xx

 

 

Retro Mod Clocks ...

Here is one of the fun Spellbinder dies that are available from  Save On Hobbies  and this one is called  Retro  Mod  Clocks.

I have used  it to make this  New Home  card and added  in tiny jewels,  for the numbers on the clock  face,  from  Want2Scrap

It has  all been  matted and layered and the cream card has been  embossed to add some  texture.

The ribbon  is from my stash and  matched the colour scheme perfectly.

The same  pink card that has been  used for the matting has  also been made into a  frame for the back of the card to  make it  stand ... and is  one of the ways that will be  in this weekends  video.

Many of you have been over to Save On Hobbies and bought the incredibly cheap dies that are for sale.  I also know that some of you in the UK have had an extra charge added to the cost before you can get your parcel from the post office.

 

I have discussed this with the owner of Save On Hobbies   (Scott)  and he  is deeply concerned that this has happened,  and  he has  made some  changes to the way  the parcels  are being sent out to hopefully solve this problem in the future ... and so keep the cost of the dies at a really good bargain price. 

 

But I have to say that it is neither Scotts ...  nor my fault that this charge is applied ... it is an import duty by Customs and way beyond our control.

 

I have had a few emails telling me that I should have warned everybody about this charge but I can honestly say that I did not know about it or I would.  And I have also had to pay this charge on one occasion.

 

So for now please be aware that if you order the dies there may be an extra cost added that needs to be taken into account .... but having said that ... even with this extra they are still an incredible price and well worth considering as you build up your Spellbinder collection.

 

And if you are in the USA then postage is free for you .... aren't you lucky ????

 

Hugs xx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More about Card Stands

These pretty little card stands have certainly sparked your interest.   I first saw these on  Marie-Louises' blog   and  I really liked the look.

Her cards are so pretty and these stands gave them the finishing touch.  So of course I had to go looking for them.

 

They are from a company called  JoyCrafts  but this link direct to ...  Ebay  ...  will take  you straight to the page for the different styles that you can buy.... and they are not expensive.

 

They are a  metal  die that is used with your  die cutting  machine but you will need  to read the instrucions  on layering up the  cutting plates for your  individual cutter.

The result is a very  detailed stand that will take  smaller cards  and hold them perfectly... but it will not hold larger cards... the weight of the card will simply make them fall over. 

 

For that you will need another method .... and guess what ???     Another video on these and making larger stands for any card you make.

 

I have found that it is better to cut two stands the same  and then glue them  together  for extra strength.

The card  in this  photo  is made to an A5 size but it will not stand in Portriat position and so has to be used Landscape.

The stand  can then be tucked inside the envelope for the recipient to display the card on their mantle shelf.... and you can make it in any colour to match your project.

 

Hugs xx



 

 

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Thank you , thank you ...

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Every time I make a video tutorial I am always concerend that people will think that I am talking down to them ... and as I have explained in the past that is not my intention.

But never the less I go ahead and make a film.

Over the weekend I made a very short tutorial on  some of the things about buying and using card that beginners find confusing.

And I made this based on some of the emails that I get with questions like ...
What size card do you use?   How thick is the card that you use?   What is an A4?    How do I fold card without it cracking along the spine?   How do I add an insert?    What are the weights of card?   What do you use to print or stamp on?    What card do you use to make flowers?

So I thought I would answer all these questions in one go.... and  then I wondered if I had done the right thing... and I waited for the response.

Within hours I got the response ... and the comments that I have had have been very humbling.

So many people have emailed me or left comments on YouTube that they have found the information so useful and learned tips and tricks that they didn't know. 

Here's the link to the video ...   Cardmaking Weights and Sizes

All I can say is ... if you are a seasoned cardmaker then please don't be offended by the information ... and if you are new then I hope it has helped in some small way ... and  if you left me a comment  on YouTube or took the time to email me and let me know that you enjoyed what I had done then THANK YOU so very much.

And  if you just didn't like it ...  then I blame it all on my "Film Crew"  it's  ALL  his fault!!!

Hugs xx

Wherever we go ....

This is more from the magical pencil of  Mo Manning   and this is the "Back to School" images.  I bought all four in the set and they are  boy and girl with curly hair and boy and girl with straight hair and they will cover just about any thing you want.

I have coloured them with Spectrum Noir pens from Crafters Companion  and I added two of them together for effect.

I hate cutting out with a vengence ...  and so I have left a thin border around each figure.

I have used Pinflair Glur Gel to give the girl image some  height and that way it looks as if he is in front of her ... hurrying off to school.

And I added some shadow underneath their feet.

The  techniques are overed in   Video Tutorials  about this colouring system

The background has been embossed with the Wall folder and then inked over with Antique linen.

The verse has been cut with the Postage Stamp die from Spellbinders ... and I  have wrapped  Bakers Twine  around the spine.

I think this card is  simple but so cute and would be perfect fo children starting school for the first time ... they could be twins going off together.

Yesterday I watched the views to my YouTube videos roll over to 1,111,111 and I am overwhelmed at the incredible rate it goes up each day ... Thank you for your support  

Hugs xx 

Card Stands ...

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Well I ordered  the little card  stands from Ebay
and made up several of them for my designs.

They look very pretty and I am pleased with them. 

But I do find that I need to use a thicker card to support my designs.

And they will not hold up the bigger cards that I like to make, so for these I will add my "A" frames as usual.

So the one pictured here is an A5 card in Landscape and the front is embossed.

The rose is handmade and I have added in a Hatpin  as an extra embellishment. I realy do like the simplicity of this card and it is a really soft shade of pink.  All the cards have the addition of Want2Scrap  Diamante on them

This card is made from the Labels 20 and fits on the stands just perfect ...  and again the flowers are handmade using the Spiral Blossom and Bitty Blossoms from Spellbidners.

The difference in the lighting is becoming fairly obvious now that the daylight is fading.

The top and bottom pictures are done in the lighting booth and the middle one is in daylight.  I prefer the daylight look but as Autumn wears on the choice is being taken away and so more will be done under artificial light.

 

 

 

Hugs xx

 

 

New Video ...

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The video for the   Cut Fold Tuck  dies has been added to the website and I have had so much fun playing with these. 

The link will take you to the page on the website. Two cards have been made on the video and this is one of them.

There is such a lot that can be done with them to alter the look.

This is using all the smallest dies as flowers along the bottom of the card, and the background has been embossed.

I have added  Want2Scrap  gemstones  swirling out from the flowers and in the heart at the  top of the card.

The video is only a short one but the posibilities are endless with these lovely dies.

I had a gift from Griff yesterday too. He had a big parcel delivered and he said "Open it ... it's for you". It wasn't heavy and when I looked inside I had to laugh.

He had bought me a ....... frying pan!!  Now the reason behind this is because a while ago I bought an expensive Circulon pan and after I had used it he very kindly cleaned it for me.

But he used a Brillo pad .... because he said ... "The inside of the pan was black" ...  And for those of you who don't know what a Brillo pad is well it is made from steel wool and is used to bring off really burned on  marks.

I explained that because the pan was non-stick it was supposed to be black .... but it wasn't when he had finished with it and of course it was ruined...... so that is why he bought me a new frying pan ... Awwww Bless !!

Hugs xx

Cut, Fold, Tuck in Pink...



Here is another of the Cut, Fold, Tuck dies but this time I have used a double sided paper in Pink.

The backgound paper is a check and it has been  matted and layered onto some  pink card.  The Persian  Accents border has been used twice  and some  ribbon double layered  in the centre.

The paper for the shape has stripes on one side and hearts on the other and I have used a white layer in between ... and the bottom layer and the sentiment have been covered in Micro Glass Beads

Here is the close up and I have added a small piece of Card Candi to the centre.

The ribbon is a Pink Silk  underneath and Snowflake one on top and the bow is created from the Snowflake ribbon.

Hugs xx

Here's the card ...

This is the card that was in my mind yesterday for the using the  Cut, Fold, Tuck  dies that  Nery sent to me.

The photo has turned  out a bit dark  but the card itself is really lovely with  all the  Want2Scrap Diamante on it.

The  Decorative Hatpin  was created by me  and the pins ... complete with end protectors are from the  Sparkles Group  

You can also get the pins with a charm loop on the end now and that is extra special.

To get a discount on your purchases add the code CGDIS5 at the checkout.

This is the effect close up and you can see that all the elements to the  Cut, Fold, Tuck dies have been layered up.

The one used here is the  Floral Burst

I have used foam pads in between each layer to give height and added a gemstone to the centre part.

The background has been embsosed and the lacy border is from the Persian Accents.

I have pierced around the edge of the card and used mounting tape in between these layers too.

And this is how I have created a stand for  the back of the card to enable it to stand freely ... and eliminate the need for an insert.

You can do this with many of the dies that you may have ... Labels or in this case I have just used the Scalloped Rectangles in two different sizes.

 

It is very easy to do and makes all your cards free standing without any fuss.... but having said that I like the look of the card stand that   Marie-Louise  is using for the cards on her blog.  Pop over and take a look ... it's gorgeous.

 

I found several designs for the stands on Ebay ... and so I just had to order one .... well you do don't you ????

 

Hugs xx

Cut, Fold, Tuck ...

A little while ago I was asked by a visitor to my YouTube channel if I had any of the Cut, Fold, Tuck dies from Spellbinders.

I had to say that sadly "No I haven't" and then she asked  if  I  would  accept one  as a Thank You from her for the videos that I have done.

Her name is Nery and I gratefully accepted her very kind offer.  I gave her my snail mail address and Nery said she would pop one in the post for me.

Well this morning I got my  parcel with  not  one  but .... all  FIVE  of the  dies in the package.  I am overwhelmed by Nerys' generosity and  thanked her  profusely for  the gift.

I will be using these on some cards very soon..... even in a video.

I cut some  Pink  Silver Polka  Dot card out straight away and  did all the  folding and tucking to see the effect I got.

And they  are really lovely.  The card will be made soon but at the  moment I am just playing and  enjoying the dies.

 

I am going to  cut some  from double  sided paper and then once  they are cut  they can be layered up for a  really pretty look to the card.

 

I think this would look extra special in a White on White card with some beautiful white organza ribbon .... oh Yes!! I can see it in my minds eye right now.

Off to play .... see you tomorrow!

 

Hugs xx

 

 

 

Christmas Decoration

This is the  Christmas Decoration  I was working on while it  poured down yesterday.

The shape I used was the  Spellbinder  Octagons and Scalloped Octagons  and they  are  from  Save On Hobbies

There are many shapes that can be used for this project and I  will try some with the Diamonds too.

I have added some of the Want2Scrap "Bling" and some  lovely  feathers that I  had in my "Stash"

The video page is on the website and if you are not fed up with  Christmas stuff yet ... then maybe you would like to view it.

Spellbinders Christmas Decoration   is only a short one so I won't keep you for long.

I have made them in different colours and used some Poinsettia flowers that I took apart and added German Glass Glitter to before putting them back together.

Hugs xx

Traditional Colours ...

I thought I would try a  Christmas card in the traditional  colours for this one ... but I still couldn't resist the urge to  add the "Bling"

The backing paper was a freebie with my monthly magazine subscription and the Poinsettia  was a cheap buy that I took apart and added  German  Glass  Glitter before re-assembling.

I added a silver  spacer behind the red pearly Brad  for the centre, and behind that I used just the outside part of the  Anenome Flower

The border is from the   Lattice Accents  and the swirl is  from the  Belle Rose both from Spellbinders.

I have also added in some wire strands with red beads on them behind the flower.

The  Floral Ovals  have been stamped with the verse and added with foam pads to another oval which has been rotated, and Seam Binding  has been used to make the triple layered bow.

In all the rain that we have had for this Bank Holiday Monday I have made a vidoe instead on a very pretty Christmas Decoration and I will add that tomorrow.... and hope that you will like it.

Hugs xx 



Heirloom Ornament

 I love this card and it is another using the self adhesive pearls to stud the shape.

These are the 72 count  LeCreme from Want2Scrap  and the Finesse Swirls are on either side if the Heirloom Ornament  from Spellbinders.

I have used the largest die to cut an aperutre in the card and then it has  been embossed.

I have  matted it onto some striped paper ... and then layered that onto some neutral card.

The sentiment  stamp is one I have had for a long time and it is from the Glitter Girls

I have added a small organza bow to the top of the ornament and added an "A" frame to the back to make it stand.

Gosh!! ...  am I working on these Christmas Cards ....

Hugs xx