Plain & Simple - 23rd February

Hello Bloggers!


Today's card is a simple design, which I think would work for birthdays or 'just because' days! I just started with some yellow coredinations card stock adhered to a 6x6  blank. I sanded it lightly, but it doesn't show in the photo. I matted and layered this with some card from stash (desert blooms pad) and then cut the two largest dies from the Spellbinders Heart Squares set. The flower was cut using the Anemone die, out of wool felt, which is really soft and easy to cut. The card is completed with a button from my button box and  tied with bakers twine. A nice simple card for those times we are all in a hurry.

I'm not going to be posting on Friday, we have some family staying over night  and I haven't had time to schedule any more posts...so hope to be back on Saturday!

Thanks for stopping by,

Carole X

Birthday Owl - 22nd February

 Hello!


I'm late today...no work, but quite a few orders to get cracking on and Sue Wilson has the Pick of the Day on Ideal World/Create and Craft, so it's been quite a perfect day really! I will be sharing today's creations over the next few weeks...and yes, I was tempted by some Spellbinders last night. Fortunately it's my birthday next month!!!!


Today's card is a 6x6  card that was made for a friend's birthday. I started by running some dusky pink coredinations card through my Grand Calibur using the Floral Delight Grand Impressabilities embossing die and then sanded it to raise the image.


I printed an owl from my Polkadoodles Sugar Babies CD and cut it out. I then cut and embossed a Spellbinders Lacey Ovals die. This is one of the dies I have always had problems releasing the card from - no matter how careful I am it breaks. Today on TV Sue Wilson suggested using some greaseproof paper over the die and I have been trying it with todays cards and baking parchment  - it works! I have had 100% success rate with my more intricate dies today.

I shaded the outer edge of the die cut with Spun Sugar distress ink and then cut the flowers from Spellbinders Floral Creations, put layered them to make just one flower, the card is white, finished off with Spun Sugar.

Finally I  taped brown and pink polkadot ribbon across the centre of the card and matted and layered the card with the die-cut, image and flower. A few pieces of card candi finished the card. 

Bye for now,

Carole X

Birthday Bubbles - 19th February

Good Morning Bloggers!


It's a gorgeous Sunday morning here...I was up early to let our hens out into the garden and they've been clucking happily (and quietly) to themselves ever since! Normally, I try and schedule a week's worth of posts and just revisit to 'tweak'. It's really the only way when I have to go to work and have time to actually make the cards.


Yesterday we went into Bristol for a meander in the lovely Clifton area (it was wet and dreary yesterday- shame) and one of the shops we went into was a sic-fi comic store. I used to be a bit of a nerd about sci-fi (I know it's hard to believe) and I still like it, but less. But I am envious of all these people who make a living from comic art, because from Manga to Marvel, I think it's amazing. Anyway, I digress! This store actually now has an art and crafts section, I kid you not. It consists of books for knitting and crocheting monsters and robots, but I was taken with a little book called 'Steampunk Softies' with patterns and instructions to created little Steampunk miniatures. I bought it....so watch this space, especially as I have yet to create a proper steampunk card!


Today's card is far from Steampunk...it's fun and cute, I made it for a commission and I was really pleased with it!

I began with an 8x8 card blank which I covered with blue and white dotty paper printed from do crafts digital designer  and slightly distressed the edges with the merest hint of weathered wood distress ink.


I then embossed a smaller square of coredinations card with a floral mat from 'That Special Touch' and lightly sanded it. I printed the images from digital designer Tulip and Friends (Tulip and Hot Diggity Dog) and die cut it with Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Rectangles. Again I shaded the edges with Weathered Wood distress ink. I made the rosette from the same base paper and cut the birds and flower with Spellbinders dies from the Cuckoo Clock set. The greeting was printed and cut with Spellbinders  Lacey Ovals die. The border circles were made using a Martha Stewart punch. I then finished it off with a little touch of Cosmic Twinkles and my favourite  final touch, ribbons and buttons!


Have a great Sunday and see you tomorrow,
Carole X

Birthday Wishes - 17th February

Hello!

I made this card last Summer before I started blogging, but it's one that I haven't shared with you before... so here it is for today's card!

I started with a white scallop edged 8x8 card, then added a smaller cream woven silk card. This was matted and layered with a peach colour card from the same card pad, but which I ran through the Grand Calibur using an embossing mask. I stitched around the edge of the cream card. I cut the black edger using Spellbinders Parisian Accents  and cut the two central designs using Parisian Motifs. In retrospect, I probably should have lightly distressed the white die cut.


The ribbon was a rich wide green vintage,which I absolutely adore; I always think that a ribbon such as this deserves 'centre stage', so I ruched it and tied a huge double bow, adding a button in the centre and finishing off the card with three little buttons at the top.


Carole X

Simple Rose - 15th February

Hello!


Today's card is a very simple, any occasion card but I hope you like it!
I started with a 6x6 blank, which I covered with some green heavyweight scrapbooking paper (from stash) with a vintage floral design. Although the paper was 'pre-distressed' I added some Shabby Shutters distress ink around the edges.

The greeting was printed on white card, which was again edged with Shabby Shutters. Again apologies for the photo..I promise you that it's on the card straight! I made the rose from some thin card from my scrapbooking stash using the Spiral Blossom One die and used leaves from Creative Expressions, to which I sewed a few green bugle beads.


Carole X

Floral Acetate Card - February 4th

Afternoon Bloggers!


I'm still having problems with Blogger finding photos I upload to iPhoto, so for today I'm sharing a card I made some time ago....hopefully will get it sorted tomorrow and be able to schedule daily blogs for next week. Hope you are all keeping warm! We've been having some snow this afternoon - on the local radio today, the presenter was asking what we would put in room 101...I don't have to think very hard: snow!


This is actually a really simple card, but still quite effective (I think!). I used the heavy card quality acetate as the'blank', A4 folded in half. Everything else was from stash: the flowered card was from an old scrapbook paper pad that featured a 'rainforest' theme, with lots huge floral images. I cut the shape/greeting in background by hand, having printed it out from one of my Polkadoodles cds (I have all of them, but it must have been an earlier one, Paper Boutique methinks). I printed the polkadot paper from the same cd and made the flower in the foreground by hand, using circle punches. The brad in the centre is from my brad box. I finished it off with co-ordinating silk ribbon. I only ever made one card in this style and sold it last year...so maybe it's time for a re-visit.


Notice anything about this card? Not a Spellbinder in sight! Reason? I made it pre-Grand Calibur :)


Thanks for visiting, please leave a comment as I love to read them and if your not already following, please do!


Bye for now,
Carole X