graduation card

Hi fellow bloggers
This is a card I made for my grandson who made us all so proud when he graduated with a 1st class degree  in Law this year.

I have used a sizzix die which I cut in two colours so that I had a frame and a background to stamp on. The stamps are from a set by Joanna Sheen which focus's on life events as I also have a set for passing yur driving test too. I have cut out the additional embellishments after colouring with promarkers and placed them around the frame om sticky pads for some dimension. The first class embellishment is made using a small embossing folder by docrafts from one of their sets[I think].

Enjoy your crafty day.

Sizzix embossing folder

Hi fellow bloggers
I bought a couple of sizzix lacy/doily embossing folders ages ago from qvc and have found them again - my crafting is very haphazard and my storage solutions are never very efficient Lol!
This card has had one of the sizzix folders embossed onto centura pearl as it really shows off embossing well. I then used some rose pink ribbon on the top third of the card and decorated with punched ginko leaves and toning pearl gems.         I think I will use this embossing folder much more as it really embosses well and is so pretty.

sizzix thin die

 Hi again  fellow bloggers -   Still managing to keep up my stash attack!!
For this card I used a sizzix frame die, cutting out of black spotted glitter card, but only used the inner which I offset with a silver version. The back ground is stamped using a La Blanche panel stamp twice. Thes stamps are so detailed and very light to use although you sometimes need to be careful not to catch the stamp edges. The die cuts were layered on the stamped background. I then made a floral topper using a part of my anna griffin die  - I layered two together using a dimensional pad and then added a black gem,
I think I may have set the die cut a little low on the base card - what do you think?

Sizzix embossing folder

hi fellow bloggers
This card is using one of the half size embossing folders from sizzix. I think it is a very elegant image. I am tryng to make a real effort to use more of my stash rather than keep adding to it - or that's the theory!! For this card I used centura pearl a a base card - it really embosses beautifully.

I embossed a line above the sizzix image with my scor it and added 3 pearl gems. Then adhered Mei craft toning ribbon [to the gems] across the top and added an elongated ribbon coil to one side

2nd repurposed container [lid]

hi again fellow bloggers
here is my second  one of these boxes again only the lid is decorated as I like the original box and they are for craft room use This is a more simple design and I have only used a spellbinders d=lites die for this one.
This time I have used a red coloured base that I stamped with versamark ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. and cut out the background die in black and rather than stick the decorated part in full on the background I used the waste that rmained in the die - dotted cosmic shimmer glue on the waste areas and then poked out those bits while the die was held in contact with the black base to make sure all the bits ended up in the right pattern This technique is similar to the one we used with peeloffs where we could burnish the waste onto a card for decoration.
Rather than wooden beads this time I fixed the die cuts and the organza ribbon with a decorative brad that I inked and embossed with embossing enamel to colour it glittered black to match the colour scheme of the lid. The organza ribbon was inked in part with worn lipstick distress ink.The lid was then treated with coats of watered down pva glue. I think this one has an Asian look about it.
One more to do!

The 1st lid can be seen here

3D card

hi fellow bloggers
Todays card is a birthday card using a technique I saw on create and craft - it is 3D but folds flat for posting which means that it can be sent using a normal envelope.

I used an A4 piece of mirri card in bright pink - the friend this is for loves pink - added various items of decor but must say that I am not sure I will do one of these again as I am not as happy with how it looks and think I have done something not quite right. Still it certainly tested my patience and I have used/overused "tranquillo" to myself  - one of the few bits of the language in the Montalbano programme I understand!

2 more cardio cards

Hi again fellow bloggers
I liked the last cardio card so much I decided to make 2 more with matching envelopes too. I again used ranger inks and also scored off the panels with the scorit tool. I think it justs frames the stamped image in a tidy way.

LiM 189 - one layer

hi fellow bloggers - another weekend and I am still waiting for the sun to come out to dry my washing!! However it hasn't stopped me crafting and making an entry for the LiM challenge this week.

I have used part of a sizzix embossing folder on one edge that complements  the stamp/theme of my card. Then I have used the waste from a sizzix thinli

ts heart die cut to create the background to the stamped image. The stamp is  to represent some form of beverage and I have used, one from my stash that I bought by Anita's, and is a romantically themed stamp that I have used before for anniversary/similar cards.

The backgound has been inked with a hero arts shadow ink pad and I have stamped the image with memento. The colour theme I have used is monochrome.

One Layer card

Hi fellow blogger
his time I have had another play with cardio stamps using some more delicate ink colours from my distress inks palette.
The  stamped image was framed with my scor it tool
This is a one layer card and the cardio stamps suit this technique really well. The envelope was also decorated on the flap to match.
I am entering this card in the following challenges: -

• Crafts Galore Encore Challenge - make a card  http://cardsgalorechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/
•  Crafty bloggers network - challenge blog - anything goes  http://www.craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.co.uk/

tattered lace freebie

hi fellow bloggers
This card is using a free die from a copy of a tattered lace magazine that I treated myself to. I  die cut 2 of the floral panel die cuts one in white and one in gold.  They were then layered on a white deckled edge card.

The diecuts were offset with the white one on top and the card was finished with gold satin cord to pick up the gold under die cut. The panel also has a couple of 3d petal elements that are quite pretty too. The envelope has a floral element handrawn on the enverlope flap in a gold colour to match.

another challenge entry

hi fellow bloggers
In my quest to use my stash I have decided to be a bit more active with my crafting and enter some challenges - this is a challenge in itself as since I got my new windows 8 laptop the link it facility seems not to work properly - my lack of techy knowledge being exposed here Lol!

Anyway todays card is on an Asian theme and red and god are popular colours for this. The stamp is one from my stash that I purchased from Debbi Moore designs many moons ago! and is of a chinese dragon embossed in gold. The gold strip is red line tape with the same embossing powder and has worked out quite well with a nice texture. The sentiment is hand written and again embossed in gold. The red  background is matted on gold mirri card.. The challenge I am entering it is : -

Addicted to CAS

Quick xmas card

Hi fellow bloggers :)
Todays card is a bit of a quickie.
I have stamped a poinsettia background stamp on both sides of the card and embossed it in silver and then added a poinsettia made with the Spellbinders poinsettia die set. The poinsettia flower was inked through the die with worn lipstick distress ink and the leaves with silver brilliance ink. The flower was finished off with 3 toning pearl gems.

No 3 using AG die

Hi fellow bloggers :)
Here is another way that I have used this die - I really like this die and it is more versatile than I originally thought.
This time I have used the outer of the die and cut it down so that one part decorates the front and back at the top of the card and one the bottom of the front. I have then used a piece of the scrap from the die cut in red mirri card to mat the sentiment on, The parcels are from one of my spellbinders xmas die sets. The gold card is from my stash.

Re purposed containers

Hi fellow bloggers
I have been reusing my stash and found these two boxes that I had kept because I really liked them but didn't want the branding on the lid and just had them in a craft cupboard til I decided what to do with them. They originally held a breakfast set.

I have been revisiting my dies and thought I could use them to decorate the round lids. I covered one lid with fuschia pink thick paper adhered with a strong pva glue. Then I stamped all over with a text stamp in black and edged with black soot distress ink. The centre was made from a spellbinders circular die which was also inked while still in the die with black soot distress ink. The cente is stacked fringed flowers from a Sizzix die that I won from a blog hop by Eileen Hull. The flowers were stamped again with a script stamp and edged with the black soot ink pad. The centre was then fixed to the lid using wooden beads that toned in and organza ribbon that was inked in parts with black soot ink. Once all was dry the lid was given 4 coats of watered down PVA glue to ensure it stayed protected.. I liked the original box so didn't cover that as I think the colour scheme of the lid goe well with the original black & white box. The photo of the main box is a bit glossy in the picture - apologies but I am not a good photographer It is now are being used in my craft room. The second one is under way.

Another card using my Anna Griffin die.

Hi again fellow bloggers :)
Today I am posting a card using the die cut from one of my new Anna Griffin dies.

 This is the front of the card and I have added cupcake gel stickers from Paperchase to the centre of each of the flowers.

The card is from my stash.

The back of the card is decorated with half of the floral panel.

challenge entry - hopefully

hi fellow bloggers
Another weekend and the Less is More challenge beckons. I hope I can enter as the last time I tried I couldn't link the pic so am hoping it is ok this time.
The theme is chocolate and mint colours. I have used light card from my stash with mint green card trimmed with a martha steward edge punch and matted on a chocolate brown card. I have used a sizzix stamp for the cartouche frame and stamped using cocoa memento ink. Then trimmed with a pale macchiato coffee organza ribbon.

Thankyou card using new die

hi fellow bloggers :)
This week I received my new Anna Griffin floral dies and have used one of them on this card. I am also using up some of my old stash card stock.

I have used the outer of the die cut and matted it onto a cream card that has been embossed with a creative expressions tied together embossing folder. The sentiment has been made using a Sizzix thinlits set with matching stamps. I have used the frame stamp and die. The stamp was used with cocoa memento ink. The card was finished with some punched butterflies.