Some moody looking Dandelions

Did you see any of the new stamps and die sets that were launched last night and are on again today as the one day special? I have ordered the cup cakes and tea cups sets for myself and cant wait to have a play when they arrive. This is a card that was featured on the shows although it is much more colourful in real life, I`m not sure why it looks so dull on here.

 

This is a simple card which shows how you can use the dies to cut either side of the image without cutting out the image completely. I have to confess that I used my scan`n`cut to cut out the mat and layers but it would look just as good without the mats.

 

I used pastel chalks on Sheena stamping card to make the ombre coloured background and then stamped the image using stormy sky distress ink, I then 2nd generation stamped the Dandelions in the background.

 

I die cut either side of the end pieces then I simply cut across the top and bottom of the card making sure that it was level. The card looked a bit bland so I used black glitter on the centre of the darker Dandelions. 

 

In order to use the scan`n1cut I drew around the outside of the topper on to copy paper using a black biro, scanned this into the scan`n`cut and saved to direct cut. I increased the border by 2mm and cut out of black card, I then increased the border a further 2mm and cut out of white card twice.

 

I stamped the sentiment then added the raffia tie to the bottom of the design. I stuck the topper onto the black mat and then onto one of the white cut out mats. I made a hinge to run along the top edge of one piece of white cut out card and stuck it into place on the inside of the front card and then onto the inside of the back card and finally trimmed the hinge to size.

 

 

 

 

Sunny Sunflowers

I`ve been playing with some fabulous, fabulous secret stuff from Crafters Companion this morning and almost forgot to do a blog for the launch of the Gemini on the edge sets which are on Hochanda today. Here is a card which I made using the Sunflower stamp to create a beautiful vintage background.

This card is so easy to make and its a technique that is so simple.

I stamped the Sunflowers randomly onto Sheena stamping card with black VersaFine ink. Next I used spiced marmalade distress ink to ink up a brayer. I rolled the brayer once onto copy paper and then continued to roll the brayer over the stamped sunflower image until the ink was all used from the brayer. I turned the card 90 degrees and repeated the process of inking the brayer, rolling the brayer onto copy paper and then onto the image. When the colour on the image was right I allowed the card to dry and cut it to size. The colour was a bit intense at this point and the Sunflowers were a bit lost so I placed a wet wipe over the card and patted it gently (do not rub), The result when the card dried was a much paler colour and the black ink on the Sunflowers had begun to feather just a little making the image look like old distressed wallpaper.

The sentiment was made using the celebrate die form the 2017 Crafters Companion Advent calendar.

A bold statement

Today I am sharing with you another of the fabulous stamp and die sets which Crafters Companion are launching on Hochanda on 18/19th June. This card features the Dandelon stamp from the set of the same name.

 

This card was so much fun to make and I got to use my new set of Brushos which I got for my birthday.

 

I made the background first by spraying some Sheena stamping card thoroughly with a spritzer. I then threw on some brilliant red brusho and sprayed the card again, then I picked the card up and held it one way and then the other to let the colour run, when I was happy with the way the colour had spread I added some rose red brusho along one edge of the card to make this edge darker and sprayed it with more water. Again I manipulated the card to make the colour run and create the desired effect. Finally I left the card to completely dry.

 

I stamped the Dandelions using black VersaFine ink and cut the card to size.

 

The sentiment was cut from black card using the sentiment dies from the Crafters Companiion, flutterby, scattered Butterflies dies.

 

 

 

 

 

We all love a Sunflower

Hello crafty people, its been a while. I have been busy working on secret stuff as always but today I can share some secret stuff from Crafters Companion who will be launching some stamps with matching dies which fussy cut around them and they are fabulous. I only got two sets to play with but I think there are 13 in total and I will have to have the Poppy, cocktail glass, cupcakes and teacup sets when they go on sale. The launch is on the 18th and 19th June on Hochanda and as it is over two days I would guess it is a TSV.

 

This was the trickiest of all the samples that I made but I am showing it first as it illustrates the concept very well.

 

The stamp is a clear cling stamp (always my favourite kind of stamp) and the dies come in two halves so you can have the design on the edge as in this card, or as a fussy cut topper which you will see in my other posts. This set is called Sunflowers and I loved colouring it in with my Spectrum Noir aqua pens and a water brush.

 

I printed off the green paper from a Crafters Inspiration CD and also a blue spotty paper which when printed was more grey than blue so I had to look pretty hard for the right paper from my stash and this blue and white spotted paper is from the NitWit pastel dreams paper pad.

 

I then made the card too wide on the left hand side and couldn't`t decide how to make this look right so in the end I added the flowers and leafs to the lace to fill up empty space.

 

As they say in crafting "there are no mistakes" and I think this one turned out all right in the end.

 

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I have been busy in the garden and at work doing extra hours and of course busy with DT work so the time has flown by since my last blog. I am suffering at the moment with a summer cold (thought it was hay fever at first) which is making me miserable and my crafting skills have disappeared. Stu is keeping me going with lots of cups of tea and apart from that generally keeping at a distance (he knows that's the best course of action when I`m ill) and of course Roger and Rosie are being good nurses and giving me lots of furry cuddles.