Workshop at CJ Cardcrafts

I had a fab day today with Glynis at CJ Cardcrafts, she is such a talented lady and inspires me constantly.  I usually attend the Thursday evening workshops but haven't been able to make many for a while due to all sorts of commitments from all the extra 'stuff' I have going on.  As I had booked a couple of days off work I asked Glynis to let me attend this morning and suggested I also did last weeks cards and spent the whole day and absolutely loved it.  I have missed the workshops so much..... My mojo has been lacking plus concentrating so much on the wedding invitations it was nice to do something for me, my escape with a friend.  I was also joined by Mary this morning, we spent so much time catching up that it took us a long time to make the first 2 cards haha ....




The first card made was this gorgeous black and pink one with the roses.  A really nice simplish one with lots of matting and layering.  The roses and leaves are the same die.  Cut in green first then pink glitter card and cut the roses out and stuck on top, really effective.

  The second card was this Christmas one. At first look I thought it was going to be simple and the letters were cut out of glitter card but noooo, well this is one of Glynis's workshops and she does like us to try new techniques or to remind us of 'stuff' done previously.  The letters is a stamp which we first stamped onto plain card then stamped onto double sided sticky sheet and the silver bits were stamped again on double sided sticky sheet.  I cut around the image on the plain card leaving a little border. Then I cut out the red letters on the sticky sheet and then stuck onto the plain card letters.  Peeled the top off and then covered in very fine red glitter.  The extra letters I stuck onto a plain piece of card then cut around the image then peeled the top off and covered in fine silver glitter then used 3D foam to place on so that they are raised.  The rest is just a bit of layering and the addition of ribbon which was gorgeous as red one side and silver the other....



This next card is using a mask and some paste.  So simple and only takes minutes to dry and yet so pretty with the matting and layering.  Been quite a while since I made one of these ribbon flowers, forgotten how much I love them.  Basically a strip of ribbon and red extra sticky tape.  Not straightforward to explain so will make some instructions and add to the blog, watch this space.....

The final card of the day in black and centura pearl card.  Image stamped using versamark and black embossing powder, die cut background and ribbon.  The button is plain black button, glossy accents covered the top then covered with black glass glitter. Takes a little while to dry but a really great way to make gorgeous sparkly gems which usually cost quite a bit.  i make these a lot using chunky or glass glitter and that way can match perfectly for small cost.

Hope these cards inspire you, they have me.  I love matting and layering, you can create some stunning effects.  Even though all cards made today are matted and layered they have all used very different techniques.

Thanks for stopping by XxX

Folded Paper Flowers

Firstly apologies that I haven't posted anything in the last week or so.  I have been commissioned to make wedding invitations which has taken over all my spare time.  I will ask for permission to be able to post some pictures but will have to wait until they have been finished and posted out, watch this space......

For a brak I popped in to see Glynis, owner of CJ Cardcrafts as haven't managed to make a workshop for a few weeks.  While we caught up she showed me how to make a folded paper flower and WOW.  I have seen pictures of them posted quite  lot but always looked complicated but as usually the case once you know how they really are quite simple.  Thank you Glynis :) x  As soon as I got home I made this flower, using some Christmas papers, to ensure I didn't forget the folds, what do you think?

Okay I will try to show you how by using some photos but sure if you search YouTube there will be lots of videos showing you how.....

Take a 4" square piece of paper or thin card and fold in half diagonally

 With the long edge facing you (top of triangle furtherest away at the top) take left point and fold and meet point at the top, then do the other side - hope the picture makes it clear as finding hard to explain...

 Take each fold and fold in half against the edge (you can see more clearly in the photo below, on the right side)

Take eac fold open up (as below) then fold flat as to the right and then fold down the flap at the top so that in line with the square (as to the pic on the right)

Glue the one side and bring together to make a petal for the flower (as per below)

You can make using 5 petals, I used 6 as used alternate green and red patterns.  I stuck together and put a wooden kebab stick through the middle and then added a button in the middle to cover the join.  I plan to use different size papers adn see how I go.  Hope you give it a go, it's fun and only takes minutes





Thanks for stopping by XxX

Christmas Crackers!

Just a quick visit today...

I decided that today I would make a start on making items for the Charity Christmas Fayre I am organsing at work.  Well if I am going to go to so much effort to organise I should really have my own table even if I won't have time to make that much this year.....

I decided to have a play with the Tonic square cracker die, the keepsade die set and lantern box.  They are really pretty...

Just need to put some tissue paper inside so that ready for a gift and add a tag and tidy up the bows.  Think these may go down well....




I plan to make use throughout the year, could use for any special occassion with different dies or papers.....

Thanks for stopping by XxX

Jo's Workshop - making your own inkpad WOW

I had the privilege to attend another of Ro Rice’s workshops at CJ Cardcrafts in Edgely, Stockport.  I always enjoy Jo’s workshops learning new techiques plus using new products and this was no different, in fact when she said about making our own inkpads and started going through it I just wasn’t getting how it would work or why you would do it and then all of a sudden it made sense and I was WOW’d.  This is such an exciting technique which I do plan to use probably a fair amount of time!

 

First cut a piece of the cut and dry felt (must be felt, NOT foam), ensuring large enough for the size of stamp you are using and using your archival ink stamp the image onto the side with felt (the other side won't work)

 

Using your choice of Distress re-inkers and a fine paint brush 'paint' the ink onto the image. Doesn't matter that it bleeds out, just put the various colours where you want them on the image.

 

Once finished adding your colours take you stamp and place onto the felt lining up to the image you stamped and then stamp to your heart's content.

 We used a small dragonfly stamp, cut them out and placed on the card which we matted and layered with a bit of ribbon, lovely isn't it.....

The other card we made we used watercolour card and mixed the re-inkers with a little water and then 'painted' onto the card, loved this effect.  The circle was 'bleached' out by using the new circular belnding tools with a clean pad dabbed in water. Hold it in place for approx 20 secs and there you go, beautiful isn't it.......

A huge thanks to Jo for sharing her skills - why don't you look at her blog, link to the right of this page... well worth it 

Thanks for stopping by XxX

Thank you .....

Sometimes I can really struggle trying to think of what to do when someone asks me to make a card. They completely trust me to come up with a design.  I don't know about you but I can be really hard on myself and can really overthink it, can take me hours just trying to decide. Well how do you know they will like the same sort of things as you...

A work colleague commissioned me to make several thank you cards therefore I wanted them all to be the same but had to be different in some way, of course.

This is what I came up with ...... a 6" card blank and loads of die cutting.  Tonic bird, various Spellbinder frames and Mariane Creatables flower die set and frames and the leaves are Cheery Lynn so quite an assortment.

I used distress ink on some of the die cuts.  I managed to get lots of dimension without making them bulky therefore they could go into an envelope.

I made all cards the same but with different colours.

I was really pleased with the end result.  Let's face it our dies cost a small fortune therefore I need to make an effort to use them more often.

Thank you for visiting my page, hope this gives you some ideas.  If you would like to see more of my makes please follow my blog.

XxX

Yep a Christmas card.....

I really do need to get myself organised otherwise my table at the Charity Christmas Fayre I am organising at work isn't going to have any items on it!

I purchased the special edition project book from Chloe of Stamps by Chloe and decided I would use the free stamps to make a card.  I also used the Indigo Blu snowflake stamp and Ranger's bridal embossing tinsel.

I took some inspiration from one of Chloe's projects but with a little difference.

I took a sheet of A4 white card and scored to make a C5 card.  I then scored the front at A4 gatefold

I cut 2 pieces of white card to fit the front panel of gatefold and the inside that is on view.  I repeatedly stamped both with Indigo Blu's snowflake stamp and used Ranger's Bridal embossing tinsel.  Once heated it sets and has a lovely tinsel glisten.  I used the silver Pen Touch to give a border around all sides before sticking to the card blank.

I stamped the frame and then the verse (Chloe's stamps) on another piece of white card and used the embossing tinsel.  I stuck onto a piece of red card to give a nice edge.

The verse reads 'May the miracle of Christmas fill your heart with warmth and wonder', lovely isn't it.... 

I stamped the flowers onto the red card, embossed, cut out and layered.

To finish off the card I added silver glitter dots to the centre of each flower and three onto opposite corners.

Hope you like my card.  If anything doesn't make sense let me know and I will explain.  I will get better at this, promise.

Thanks for stopping by XxX

Altered MDF Receipts Box

I decided I needed a new receipts box so purchased an MDF box at the Hobbycrafts show at Event City from the MDF Man.  I covered the whole box with Indigo Blu white Gesso to give a good base.

I then used a lovely vintage style paper, which had a feint butterfly, on the top of the lid, stamped some branches using Card-io stamps.  Painted a MDF heart with Americana chalkboard paint, used vintage photo distress ink on the base then put a few flowers on the lid.  The spirals are the stems of the flowers which I twisted round one of my thin tools. Some string tied into a bow and a button finished off the box.  This was my first attempt at anything like this and am really quite pleased with it.