Hamburger Card

This card was made using an image from the Crafters Companion Camden Town make papercrafting CD. 

The stamp, note paper and arrows were from a retired Stampin Up kit. I used distress ink in vintage photo on all the items for a bit of interest. 

Gift Box Using Stampin Up Designer Series Kraft Card

I needed a small gift box for some presents for my Dad after he had another eye operation. I love the printed and foiled Shine on Stampin Up designer series Kraft card and made this for one 12x12 sheet using my Crafters Companion Big Score.

I cut the card in half (so I had two 6x12 pieces). With the first piece I stamped the stamp 'sweet treats' from the Stampin Up teeny tiny sentiments. With this piece I used the 'box lid' side of the board and measured 2.5 cm on each side. I did the same with the other sheet on the 'box base' side. I then used tacky glue to put it together.

I finished it with some lime ribbon.

The designer series Kraft is a great thickness and it makes it a really nice box.

Birthday Cards Using Tim Holtz Kraft-Core Metallic Collection

A week ago I received a brochure in the post from Crafters Companion about their 10th birthday week and the sale that was due to start on 23rd October. I wasn't planning on getting anything, apart from some glue, but looking through the brochure I spotted some bits that I hadn't seen before such as the Tim Holtz Kraft-Core Metallic Collection. This is Kraft card which has been coated on one side with a metallic ink. You can tear it, emboss it etc to reveal a Kraft core.

My parcel arrived today as Crafters Companion opened their sale early to Inspire club members on Monday and I used it, along with the Camden Town CD I had ordered (reduced to £5).

Here are two cards I made. I used the copper colour, which I love, for the wine card, and I used the silver colour for the motorbike card. I used the edge destresser on the copper card and it gave a lovely look to the card and a bit of texture.

BeBunni Card

It's been pretty hectic at work recently with a lot of things all going on at the same time. I've not done much colouring recently so decided to do a bit for relaxation. 

I used a BeBunni stamp which came free with an order from Crafters Companion. I've had this for nearly a year and haven't ever used it so it was defiantly time to try it out! I originally stamped it straight onto my card with black ink but this was a bit to harsh, so I stamped it again (without reinking) to get a lighter image. 

I used my Spectrum Noir pens, using GG1 - GG4. 

After colouring I did a dirty background (masking the bunny so it didn't get a dirty face) and then used distress ink round the outside. There was a little error with the ink so I added some MDF butterflies covered in guilding flakes. 

I matt and layerd with some Stamping up card (the green) and Bazzille Basics pink. I then used my new Wink of Stella pen and gave the pink layer a bit of glitter (hard to see but it give a light glitter)

Envelope glue

I've been making a few envelopes recently, mainly where I've made a card and I've not had an envelope to match (or the cards quite 3D and I've needed a deeper envelope). When I've made envelopes for myself I've used either glue, a tape runner or double sided tape, however when making cards for others I want them to look professional. 

I was looking at getting some envelope glue and was advised you can make it yourself with gelatine, I brought gelatine (6 or 7 months ago) and just haven't got round to making it. While buying some craft items recently I saw the envelope glue so decided to finally give in and buy some. 

I made my envelope on my Crafts Companion Ultimate Pro. 

I used Collall tacky glue for the three permanent flaps. 

I then went to use the envelope glue and it wouldn't come out and saw it said to push it down, I did this but kind of too hard....

I spreaded it out, however due to the moisture from the glue puddle it made the envelope a bit wet and crinkly 

Once dry, I licked it (it tasted fine by the way) to remoisen and stick the envelope flap down.

It held well however the edges did curl up a bit so I think I need to practice a bit more. 

Christmas Card Kit for My Sister

Over the past few years I've made my sisters Christmas cards or helped her and this year she wanted to make her own, but not having all the tools I've put together a kit for her so she just needs to stick the pieces on. 

I brought 12.5 x 12.5cm card blanks from Card Blanks Direct for £4.95 with envelopes (for 50) and have come up with two different designs for her (with a little variation on each).

For the Snowman and Snowdog cards I used blue centura pearl card, embossed with the Sheena Douglas snowflake embossing folder that came with the most recent christmas Crafters Companions, Crafters Inspiration magazine, the Snowman and Snowdog die (from the magazine) cut out of Snow White centura pearl and coloured in with Spectrum Noirs, a stamp from the magazine, Christmas washi tape and ribbon from the Fantastic Ribbons Christmas bundle.

For the other card I've either used DoCrafts adhesive fabric or background papers from the CD that came with the Crafters Inspirations magazine printed onto Centura Pearl paper, bakers twine, mittens and banners cut from coloured and plain centura pearl card on my Cricut Mini using cut files from their subscription and knitted stamps from DoCrafts (which I stamped onto the white mittens)  

The other backgrounds are shown below 

It was hard not actually making the cards in full but I know Laura will love making these and I've even make some stickers for the back for her using these cut round labels from Label Zoo 

So now all I need to do is await my Crafters Companion order of Collall all purpose glue and give that to my sister all boxed up with her card pieces and some foam squares! 

Now to get a start on my cards! 

Christmas Card Kit for My Sister

Over the past few years I've made my sisters Christmas cards or helped her and this year she wanted to make her own, but not having all the tools I've put together a kit for her so she just needs to stick the pieces on. 

I brought 12.5 x 12.5cm card blanks from Card Blanks Direct for £4.95 with envelopes (for 50) and have come up with two different designs for her (with a little variation on each).

For the Snowman and Snowdog cards I used blue centura pearl card, embossed with the Sheena Douglas snowflake embossing folder that came with the most recent christmas Crafters Companions, Crafters Inspiration magazine, the Snowman and Snowdog die (from the magazine) cut out of Snow White centura pearl and coloured in with Spectrum Noirs, a stamp from the magazine, Christmas washi tape and ribbon from the Fantastic Ribbons Christmas bundle.

For the other card I've either used DoCrafts adhesive fabric or background papers from the CD that came with the Crafters Inspirations magazine printed onto Centura Pearl paper, bakers twine, mittens and banners cut from coloured and plain centura pearl card on my Cricut Mini using cut files from their subscription and knitted stamps from DoCrafts (which I stamped onto the white mittens)  

The other backgrounds are shown below 

It was hard not actually making the cards in full but I know Laura will love making these and I've even make some stickers for the back for her using these cut round labels from Label Zoo 

So now all I need to do is await my Crafters Companion order of Collall all purpose glue and give that to my sister all boxed up with her card pieces and some foam squares! 

Now to get a start on my cards! 

Mothers Day Cards

I apologise, this was meant to post on Sunday evening but blogger was playing silly and it was in my drafts.

I made the below two Mother's Day card designs; one using the Rachelle Anne Miller CD-Rom from Crafters Companion and the other using my Cricut Mini and a cutting file from their online store.

I printed this twice and secoupaged the rabbits and used the left over patterned card to line the inside. I added button and some text cut from the paperlace cricut cartridge. I then added some glitter to the rabbits (tails and noses)

 I also made another for someone at my husbands work but added text in the CD-Rom before printing

Below is the other style of card I made using my cricut mini. The cutting file was so pretty and I added acetate so you can see through the cuts and I then added an insert (so you can't see what's written in the card until you open it) and I finished it with a hand made envelope made using my Ultimate Pro 

Up cycling Unused Foil Tray Lids

I use foil trays a lot at home as I make meals and freeze them but I always seem to have loads of left over foil lids (as I usually freeze 3 meals and use one or I cook stuffing in them) but I've found a great use for them! They are great to put through a die cutting machine to make a mattish silver embellishment so great for Christmas plus fingerprints done show up as easily as on mirri-board.

They also emboss amazingly and done cracker (unlike some cardstocks)

I used a mix of spellbinders, sizzix sizzlets, Tonic dies and Darice embossing folders (plus one free from Simply Homemade). They cut great in my Big Shot and came out so easily. 

Do you have any novel uses for other household items in crafting?

My Sisters Christmas Cards

Finally got my bum in gear and started my sisters Christmas cards. I've done quite a lot of mine (hunkydory kits) but still have cards to do for my sister, parents and parents company and Christmas is sneaking up fast!

I brought the Mulberry Woods kit for myself initially (in the sale in July) but then my sister loved it so I said she could have cards with it, plus it meant I would have to buy the Hunkydory kits (I think I was just looking for an excuse!)

I made the below cards with the Crafters Companion Mulberry Woods Christmas kit along with some card blanks, peel offs & sequin dots from the DoCrafts goody bag. I also added in some die cut snowflakes.

Yey! I'm a Spectrum Noir Accredited Alcohol Marker Colorist

Since I found out about Spectrum Noir alcohol markers I've wanted to do the accreditation. When I started crafting I started with ProMarkers, but then won a Spectrum Noir giveaway and was sent a six pack of greys and loved the numbering system (I never knew which pens blended in ProMarkers). I quickly amended my Christmas list and replaced ProMarkers with Spectrum Noirs and my lovely parents brought me my first bulk of Spectrum Noir pens last Christmas. 

I've printed off the accreditation test sheets a number of times but my blending skills weren't great, I'd do two great examples and then mess up the third and then find the test had changed as I'd taken so long to get round to doing it, then I got the latest Crafters Inspirations magazine from Crafters Companion and found the Spectrum Noir CD-Rom so helpful, especially the hair colouring as I could never get the hang of it even though I was watching YouTube tutorials, everyone seemed to do it differently.

Two weeks ago I completed the test, then kept going back to it, then re-did it as I didn't feel happy with it. I was so worried I'd get an email back telling me it was all wrong so thought I'd re-do it until I was happy with it myself. I sent it off and then got an email a few days later and was so worried it was going to say it was wrong, but it just said they'd received it. 

This evening I got an email, and luckily in the preview on my phone I saw it said I'd passed! I'm so happy as I've wanted to do this for ages and I got a certificate too. I love colouring in and now I have something to say I'm good at it with Spectrum Noir pens.

I was given some pointers on the dimension section about blending my dark colours more which was the only bit of the test I wasn't completely happy with myself either so I'm going to be working on that more to improve.

So now I can put my Spectrum Noir blinkie up! Yey! A great start to the weekend. I'm just so happy, it sounds silly, but I really am.

 

You can find out more about Spectrum Noir and the accreditation programme at http://www.spectrumnoir.com/accreditations/

Hedgehog Card, Stickyback Fabric & Spellbinder Dies

I got round to playing with some spellbinder dies I bright from eBay a few weeks ago. I brought two different medallion dies as I wanted to added more intricate designs to my cards. I decided to made some hedgehog cards using these and the DoCrafts sticky back fabric I brought from Hobbycraft last week. I used the apple print fabric (I also brought a tartan roll and knitted jumper style roll for Christmas)

I have quite a few hedgehog stamps and dies as I love hedgehogs, my real Pygmy hedgehog Spike Pricklepants especially!

These are 5 inch square cards and images were coloured with Spectrum Noirs and then I used distress ink around the outside of the image 

The bottom card isn't quite finished yet, I just need to add a sentiment.

The sticky fabric roll is quite hard to cut as when you unroll it and flatten it there are rucks in it where it's not completely stuck to the paper backing when flat and it won't cut in a gulotine (where you pull the arm down) so I used a craft knife to get a perfectly straight line but did get a bit of fraying as you will see on the pictures a little.

It does add interest to the card and more texture. It would have been helpful if they printed a grid on the backing paper so you can use it as a guide (like you do with some wrapping papers)

Male Card

 

A card made with bits I had laying around, mostly from magazine freebies and Crafters Companion toppers.

[Photo heavy] Crafty Diamond Shape Easel Card Tutorial

A few months ago one of my card was shown in Papercraft Inspirations Magazine letters section and I got a goody bag of craft items because of this so thought I would have a go at making some different shaped cards and made the below by mistake when another one went a bit wrong and transformed into a diamond shape easel card.

Topper from Polkadoodles Digistamp Heaven CD, coloured with Spectrum Noirs

Topper from Crafters Companion

To make this card you need:
Embellishments
A4 piece of card 
Paper trimmer
Tape
Glue/tape runner
Foam tape
Scoring tool and board/Ultimate Pro
Ruler
Pencil
Ruler
Toppers/embellishments

1. Start with your A4 piece of card and cut it in half so you have 2 pieces of card each 10.5cm by 25cm 

2. Take one of the pieces and cut it so you have two 10.5cm x 10cm. Put the the left over bit to one side for the moment.

3. Get the 10.5 x 29.5cm piece and score at 15cm and 26.5cm

4. Now mark in pencil at 7cm and 22cm 

5. Now mark half the width of the card (ie at 5.25cm)

6. Now join the points by scoring them so you end up with the below

7. Now chop off the bottom two triangles and trim off 1.5cm from the diamond.

8. Next fold all the lines, where all the points meet put a piece of normal sticky tape over it. This will help keep it strong and stop it breaking when folding.

9. Now cut the middle out of the side triangles leaving about a centimetre 

10. You should now have something which looks like the below

11. Now get those two identical squarish pieces we cut earlier and stick them to the bottom flap on each side (this will make the base bigger and make it look prettier)

12. Now cut out a rectangle for your stopper (decorate if you wish) and add two layers of foam tape to make it raise up higher and stick it on the bottom flap at the front.

13. Now decorate how you wish