Life after Stitches!!

After two days walking the Trade show I have aching feet ,not used to being able to see nearly everything.Eight years demoing and last year helping Kay, it was so different being able to see other demos and meet some old friends. Slightly larger than previous years,it was full of very different crafts,and many TV celebrities.
I really enjoyed all the networking, as we call it,hopefully some demo bookings will follow.
The two days were rounded off by a visit to Ideal World, dropping off samples(to be shown later) and meeting Sheena Douglass, with whom I went to dinner with for a nice long chat.

If only I could show the shimmer in the leaf, it comes from the Polished Pigments, Sheena had these on C&C this Monday.I used one of the masks to sponge through, A mixture of the Hot Cinnamon  and Sunflower mixed with the Bind & Resist powder with a bit of water to the right consistency.
The background was a mixture of embossing one of the masks, inking over with Walnut Stain and Barn Door Distress Inks,then sanding back to reveal more of the leaf design. I added some over stamping using the same ink and one of Sheena's leaf stamps.

 

I'm now off to make some more cards for the Extravaganza weekend I'm attending along with Sheena at J & C Creations warehouse  in Maidstone, Kent.

Pink Tulips

 Just a quick one tonight as it's time to sleep.
For this card I had a helping hand, a Hougie hand,yes Kay helped to the special effects on the background. See we do work even in the evenings at shows along with some coke and something extra that tastes like coconut.
The flowers were stamped and cut out separately
then added to the topper.I forgot to say they were coloured with Distress Inks,Bundled Sage and Victorian Velvet.
Happy Crafting

Black and White Butterfly Card

Here's another card from the Spellbinder Bonanza,which is on C&C at the moment.
I cut the first corner out of a square of white card,it takes a few passes through the Calibur but it's not difficult.Once the first corner is cut transfer the die to the other side, match the die up as far as possible but don't worry too much as you can place a strip of ribbon down the middle.
I cut the butterfly from the set in white card and mounted it in the ribbon. The top butterfly came from cutting another corner in black glitter card,the same as I mounted the corners on and cut out just the butterfly.
I've now completed samples for Sheena's show on Monday and tomorrow I start some new projects,it's non stop here.
Just to let you know Sheena and I will be demonstrating at J & C Creations warehouse in Maidstone Kent on the 23rd & 24th February 10am till 4pm. If your in the area please come as see us getting very inking, knowing Sheena. Full details are on the website, there's a link on the right -hand side of my blog.
Happy Crafting

Gold Elements One

Hopefully you didn't miss the show, the Bonanza was on at 9pm instead of 10pm, due to Stephanie and Diane being held up in traffic.Good job Jo Channon lives reasonably close,well done on the show Jo.
I'm showing this card first as I think this die individually will sell out quite quickly.
To make this I cut four of the corners out of white card and then stuck them on to some patterned paper individually. Then mounted them together on a brown piece of card using foam squares.
With Labels Thirty I cut a piece of brown and a smaller piece of white card.

Out of the same patterned paper I used for the background I die-cut the butterfly that has strips cut out for ribbon.The ribbon from American crafts was fed through the holes, then each end was wrapped around the card.
To finish off and help highlight the embossed detail on the corner I dotted around the Labels Thirty shapes with a White Inksentials pen on the brown and a brown detail pen on the white.
Hope you enjoy playing with these new dies as much as I did if you decide to buy. The gold dies are something a bit different, they deboss but still have an embossed edge.
Will show more of the cards I made over the next few days.
Check out Jo Channon's blog for other samples and ideas.
Happy Crafting.

Magnolia Wedding Card

Well I hope this post works this time,I just typed it all out and it disappeared it hadn't even saved it.

Here's a different looking wedding card,I know it's white and silver but the flowers are a bit different.
I stamped using silver embossing powder and then with a Quicky glue pen added lines of glitter.
Matted onto Holographic card, unusual for me I know but I thought it could take a little piece.
The lower mat was made using a lattice embossing folder from Creative Expressions,which is where I found the wording stamp.
The ribbon was placed between the layers and then tied in a bow,adding a gem on top.
I'm busy at the moment , trying to meet every deadline.The first this week has been delivered to Create and Craft,Jo Channon is on tomorrow night with a Spellbinders Bonanza,well I couldn't say no to that could I. Next is Sheena's DT work which will be on C&C on Monday. As it's the trade show at the weekend I have several projects with new products to complete which I will show on here next week.
For the next few days I have more samples from Sheena's Half price show so please keep popping back for ideas.
Happy Crafting

Panelled Iris Card

Just a quick post tonight,as I'm now home from Mildenhall and need to get to bed.
Today's card was made very simply by stamping the main image the  Iris in Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Using a damp brush to pull the colour from the stamped lines to give shading. Then inking around the edge. The borders were done the same way and then the panels were mounted on to cream then a brown card base card.
Quick and easy but fun to do.
Happy Crafting.

Lily

Ok I know, Distress ink again, this time it's Shaded Lilac.
To start this card I die-cut Grand Labels One using the Centura Pearl card  but I used the matte side.The using a piece of scrap paper I die-cut another label to give me an aperture to work through,After inking I then stamped the lily in Versafine along with the wording.
I inked the piece in Black Soot to define the edge against the base card.
The card blank was cut using the die,I did this using the Grand Calibur because of the size.Inking just the edge with the ink, no point wasting ink or time I then stamped over with Versafine using the small lily stamp.A fairly quick easy card to make but very eye catching.
Well I hope Sheena's Half Price shows go well today, fingers crossed I manage to see one.I afraid I don't have the App,maybe one day.
Looking forward to the show tomorrow,hope the weather is ok.If your visiting the show please come and say hello.

Magnolia

So as this  post appears I will be in Thetford with Kay, It's workshop day today,where's my giggle knickers.I know I'll have a really good day,plenty of laughing with some lovely ladies.Hope I brought enough biscuits........
Well back to today's card,I had some samples left from demoing at the shows in my previous job of a technique I do with embossing folders.
Ink the folder with Perfect Medium on the raised side , put in the cardstock and put through a die-cutting machine.The ink is transferred to the debossed area so cover with embossing powder.Shake off excess then heat.Then using Distress ink around the edge to finish.
I cut this piece down and layed on top of another piece of white card embossed with the same folder.
The brick wall folder is from Creative Expressions, I love using this as a background for flowers but it's also good for men's cards.
The magnolia I stamped with Memento and coloured with alcohol pens.

Then did my favourite thing cut it out,had to use a craft knife for some of it,not my favourite thing lol.
I attached it with some Collall glue to give dimension. The Magnolia wording I stamped with Memento and coloured oer the top with the pens,Highlighting in certain areas with a darker pink. Then tore around and mounted on the card again with the glue.
Do Magnolias come in other colours I always see them as pale pink.
Happy Crafting

Dahlia

I love the detail in this stamp,it's great for stamping and easy to cut out,if you need to which I very often do. So it's great for lots of different techniques,for this one I used my Flitterglu and the Royal Peacock mega flakes.
The two products work well together showing all the detail of the image.
The papers are from the Teresa Collins Vintage Finds, there's even a bit of Tim Holtz, no I don't mean Distress Ink( their there of course) I mean the little paper clip holding the wording.
Spellbinders make their appearance in the decorative pieces peeping out from behind the papers.It is in fact one of the fancy tags cut in half.

Well it's a short post today as I'm off to Thetford this afternoon,Kay( Hougie) has an all day workshop tomorrow
and
I've still got to finish packing plus some cards to make for Monday.
So Happy Crafting.

Yellow Flowers.

I started this card with the background,playing with some of the newer colours of Distress Ink.For this one I used Salty Ocean and Squeezed lemonade,the green appeared when the two colours were blended on the card.With both colours I over stamped using the small flower, then again with black Versafine.The large flower image I stamped onto a die-cut oval using Versafine and water coloured with the Distress ink.

The smaller flowers were stamped and coloured the same along with some leaves.I then cut them out.
When making up the card I added some black lace from Creative Expressions and a sentiment from Sheena's previous sets of stamps.
Keep an eye on Sheena's blog daily if you can for other samples as well as other DT members.
I hope I can see at least one of Sheena's shows on Saturday,depends how long it takes Kay and I to set up at Mildenhall.
Well these samples are now on their way to Sheena, so I'm on to my next job.
Happy Crafting.

Sheena's New Stamps

Ok,here's the first viewing on my blog of Sheena's new stamps, to be seen on Create and Craft on Saturday. There are four shows during the day so Sheena's going to be very busy.
This was the first set I played with, the Iris, there is the main image, a border,wording and some smaller image stamps.
I love this vintage watercolour look, the main image I stamped onto some papers from Teresa Collins Vintage finds.
Then water coloured with Distress ink,Chipped Sapphire,Faded Jeans and Squeezed Lemonade.
The edges I used the burnt edge technique with Brushed Corduroy,Walnut Stain and Black Soot and a distressing tool.
Matted onto more of the lovely papers and then the base card.
The border I stamped and water coloured the same as the main image but mounted across using 3D foam.
I used second generation stamping for the background of the wording,to give a faded look allowing the word to stand out.
Sample making has now finished for the show,the cards have been photographed and packaged for collection tomorrow.
So I have enough cards to show for the next few weeks, which is good because I will have to schedule some as I'm with Kay at the Sincerely Yours show in Mildenhall(was Thetford) at the weekend.

Tonight's project is something completely new for me,so I'm going to have a play before showing you my results.I'm also working out in my head how best to show some more new products from Sheena.These will be seen on the18th February.

Hope the snowing has given up and I can get to work.

Happy Crafting. 

 

 

It's A Boy

A card as promised today,made from The Little Boy Blue Kit from American Crafts.
I matted the different patterned papers into two blocks,laying one across the other on the base card. The dotty strip across the bottom was cut using Spellbinders edgeabilities.I placed ribbon through the tag  and mounted it on the card.  The rosette in the kit was already made  up but this could easily be made on the Hougie. Using a 12 inch strip x 1 inch wide,score every cm both sides of the strip to make it easy to concertina up.The little piece left when scoring do not cut off but use it to attached to the other end to make a bangle.
Then you need to push in the bottom and open the top ring at the same time, until it pops into shape as a rosette. Before the final action make sure you have a glued piece of card ready to pop on top and hold the rosette in place.
For more ideas in using rosettes have a look at Hougie book No1.
Had a good day today ,more samples made ,a delivery of products for Sheena's show later this month and an very interesting e-mail.Will let you know more in later posts.
Happy Crafting.

Frequent Visitor

I love this photo, it's of our frequent visitor as she's known. Poppy is our neighbour's cat but has been popping round since she was a small kitten.
There was a debate when this was shown on C&C as to which way up the photo should be, she was actually laying down  when I took this photo.I got down to her level so that's way it doesn't look quite right.
I think that's the last of my scrapbook pages I did for the VIP event, will show some of the cards  made for it tomorrow.
Another busy day of sample making to come  tomorrow after the shopping and housework of course.......
Happy Crafting

In the pink

Ok,I don't know what's going on with blogger but I can't find what to post because there are no pictures.This one was just a guess but it's from the right file .
This was again a sample from C&C VIP event,I had these two photos of my Niece Kaylee left over from doing some other scrapbook pages so I used some of the papers from one of the kits. I think is was Little Bo Peep from American Crafts.A lot of the papers were very fifties in style but these were just what I wanted. The flower was made from one of the Spellbinders Blossom dies.
Working hard on samples for Sheena's show next week,so many different techniques and products.Going to need a large jiffy bag for all these cards.
Right lets see if this will publish.
Happy crafting.

Grandma

Just for a change today,a scrapbook page.I do love to scrapbook when I have a chance, to record my family history.
I had a chance to do so when making samples for the VIP event on C&C.Jo Channon was the demonstrator on that show, the main products being from the Teresa Collins range.
This page was for my Grandma Sylvia, yes that's what the S stands for in my initials.
I never met her,she died in her mid-forties,apparently we were very much alike .
All the papers were from the same kit,I just add some die-cuts(Spellbinders) and some lace(Creative Expressions).
I just love the colour combinations and patterns, they go so well with the sepia photo,what do you think?
Happy Crafting