Friday 28 March 2008

Wedding Card


I was trying out my new stamp for Weddings and came up with this little idea for a simple card. The stamp is from the Do Crafts range and you can get it in most craft stores. It is wooden backed and very clear cut. The backing papers are from a range of different packs from paper wishes, from the books card makers Icy Rainbow and Romance and Wedding. I used Cranberry coloured Ink it up! to stamp with then embossed with clear embossing powder, giving it a glitter effect but still showing the colour through to match the theme. Using Pink organza ribbon 7mm width, I threaded through Gold wedding rings available at Stick n Mix, and added a little bow. Then to finish I added 3 tiny padded gold hearts, also available at Stick n Mix. The design is simple but very effective.
I have listed all online stores of where you can obtain the items I used for this project.
Happy crafting

Monday 24 March 2008

Nursery Rhyme Swap card


For a swap in the group I belong to I came up with the following card. I started off with a picture of a cat, and from there I created 'Pussy cat Pussy cat'. Using a 6 x 6 card, I used a lemon and orange polka dot background paper, that matched the colours of the cat. I used Sakura Stardust jelly roll pens to colour in the cat, in certain areas, leaving the remaining white.
Using my technique of my cutting knife, then cut round the cat to the final shape. I then made the wording of the rhyme using plain white card, printed out in black ink and using the font Jangles. Using my earth tones chalks I darkened the card to make it look older, then using my Pilot Gold pen inked slightly around the edges. Laying a strip of polka dot orange ribbon to the edge of the backing paper, I then placed the cat and the text. I thought it a good idea to cut down the side of the ribbon and around the cat so that he stood out slightly, it all went together well. Inside the card I used the same technique as the wording on the outter of the card, and placed information about the origins of the nursery rhyme. I think this is my favourite card for a swap so far this year, I have really enjoyed making it. It would also suit a child for a birthday card, without the wording on the inside, that could be placed on the back of the card.

Enjoy.

Thursday 20 March 2008

Amanda's Garden Notes and Seed Tin


My friend and co worker Amanda is leaving soon, so as a gift I decided to make her something she could keep as well as use. So I remebered the coffee whitener I had used to make the flower pot and had some note pads in my room. I got to designing a cover for the book and the tin within the garden theme.

The book cover I used a 12x12 backing paper from the Once upon a time album. I then used lace to edge the book and satin ribbon. Around the rings I tied ruby organza ribbon to short ties. The scroll and flower background is plain white card stippled with ruby ink, then card embossed. Flowers are ivory and fixed together with a brad. The butterfly I outlined in Sakura Stardust pen pink and added some flower stems for the antennas. The verses came from the webside listed below.

The back of the book I used the same backing paper. I found a little stamp for a bird and inked it with black ink then embossed using black sparkle powder. The verse came from the site listed above. I used card stock white, used ruby ink pad and baby wipe, then inked around the edge but gradually pulled the ink off using the baby wipe. Fading it towards the text. Then with a lavender chalk I went over the ink edge and smoothed till I got the effect I was looking for. The card was then embossed using Fiskers texture plate, carpet side. Using my favourite Pilot super colour gold ink pen I slightly brused the curved edge, that I created by using my cutting knife. The photograph does this bird and card effects any justice, the work looks better in person as the say.

To go with the book I thought it a good idea to add a seed collection tin. Using the similar effects of the flower pot in a previous post on here, only this time I wanted to include a lid so that it would keep the seeds fresh. I managed to cover the lids original colour of gold with Whispers permanent marker, Red colour. As this was slightly transparent on the gold it gave a nice ruby colour. Just what I wanted. Keeping within the theme I added a stencil of the swirl patten I had used on the front cover of the book, using the Pilot gold ink pen. within the area of the gold leaves I added some pretty pink gem flowers. I also used one on the lid, and covered the centre circle with the backing paper. I used lace to match the book cover and satin ribbon. As it was a garden theme I added a cute lady bug kindly sent to me by a member of my group. The sequin pen is pink in colour and matches the whole set, this I

obtained from a local supermarket store in my town. The back of the tin as you will see in the photograph has got a tiny verse that incorporates what the tin is designed for. I am sure she will be delighted with the gift, she is a keen gardener and now she can save her seeds for the next season. While all her gardening notes can be placed in the book.

I certainly enjoyed making this little gift, I have got more of these tins and note books, I think they will make nice gifts for birthdays and wedding gifts. The themes are endless.

Enjoy








Wednesday 12 March 2008

Making use of Rubbish


A few weeks back, while working at the day centre, I was looking through the scrap box. I found an empty tin and thought I could make use of this.
So I set to working on it and also made it into a demonstration for the service users to watch, and take part. The tin was originally used to hold coffee whitener so I washed and dried it. Then covered it all around with background papers using a lilac theme.
I then got together some bbq skewers these I was going to use for stems, I found some pretty lilac tissue paper and cut out some circles, I folded the circles and cut around the outter edge with crinkle scissors. The effect was like carnations.
Using glue and a circle I pushed the tissue paper to the top and shaped it like the middle of the flower, then added more layers to produce a pretty carnation. Using florist tape in green I wound from just under the last circle of tissue paper and down the stem. Once all the pieces were put together I went back to the tin and decorated it with paper flowers and gem stones, then added organza ribbon.
The tin was filled with oasis for dried flowers and the top covered with extra tissue paper, I then cut the stems of the carnations I had made and placed them into the tin.
This is the end product.
Normally I would throw away these tins, now I keep and decorate them they are great for desk tidy or flower holders or anything else that you could use them for. They would also make ideal wedding table decorations, where you could also place silk flowers or fresh flowers and put them in the green oasis.
Hope you try this little craft idea, its fun to make and the flowers are great to make too, just be careful of the bbq skewers the ends are rather sharp, I cut off the sharp bits so no one could damage themselves..lol.

Birthday Cards

My next card on the list was for my friends daughter, I made one card and then decided I did not like it for it was not so special so back to the drawing board as they say...lol.

I found a good background paper very girlie and rumaged through all my stamps, eventually finding girlie items, as in the last card I used Sakura pens stardust and used the pastel pink. Inside decorated one corner with one of my new stamps that you can line up and they give perfect results, I also used the same stamp to decorate the envalope too.

I feel it makes a nice change for the postmen and women to see a pretty letter rather than the boring plain white and brown envalopes....lol.


This is the end products hope you like what you see here and it gives inspiration to all.

Happy Crafting




Birthday Cards


This past week has been non stop designing birthday cards, there are so many birthdays in my family for the month of March, it does not stop there, for April brings another bunch. So I had to get my mind going and get down to some serious work.

For my friend I decided to design something bright and cheerful, and using a similar design to my baby cards. I used papers I had got from local craft store and had plenty of silk flowers left over from Mother's day cards so managed to mix and match, the little pictures are from a selection of clear rubber stamps by Dovecraft, the glittery effect around the images was made by using Sakura Gelly roll pens, Stardust variety. This was the end result.


Happy Birthday Carly ...lol

Monday 3 March 2008

Crafting Weekend Cards




As I was enjoying myself so much making some new design cards I got into making baby cards for a change. I used a stamp borrowed once again from a friend and added backing papers and ribbon, I love working with pinks. These 2 cards were my work for this weekend.

Crafting Weekend


This weekend I decided to have a craft weekend, I was in need of a new home card for my daughter who has just moved into a nice new flat. I am delighted, she can now settle down and baby will have more room to play.

I wanted to make something different than what you find in the shops of ready made cards, so borrowed a nice stamp from Pattie, then added some pretty papers and a little fibres and this was the end product.