For You

Post 170

A card made for a neighbour to give his wife. 

This 1st picture is the box, The card turned out too bulky to fit any envelope. 

I used a spellbinder die to cut out the shape....I have to say since investing in the metal adapter plate for my Big Shot all my intricate dies are getting far more attractive to use!

The card itself is made using the larger die out of the same set to create an inlaid window in the centre of the card.

I printed the sentiment and insert it into the centre recess. I have used centura pearl card to give a luxurious feel to the card ...but obviously it had to have some flowers.

My other half was very complimentary of the card when he first saw it...he thought I'd made each and every flower!!!! Love him! No all the flowers are from Wild Orchid crafts. Arranged on the card and stuck with some serious adhesive. Behind the flowers I tucked some stamped and die cut leaves from Clearly Besotted

Inside I used a decorative edge die, also from Spell binders, to finish off the insert.

 I hope you like todays card

Happy crafting.

Clair xxx

Coffee at 30!

Post 169

This card uses the old sizziz dies by Karen Burniston, the Pop N Cuts . I started with a 6 x 6 card base. I stamped various cups on decorative paper, from the Lawn Fawn 'Love you a Latte' stamp set and die cut them out

The label is a die which is part of the Elizabeth crafts designs, Tag Pivot Card (also designed by Karen Burniston) This was simply decorated with the pattern paper and a small 'Happy Birthday' stamped.

The main event for this card is inside, where a pop up cup appears, all very easy with the dies!!!

Heres a you tube tutorial about this particular die

All the paper was from a digital kit I have through serif Craft Artist.

Hope you like todays card.

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, no excuses!!

Happy crafting.

Clair xxx

From the dog and the girls!!!!

Post 168

Today's card was a challenge for me, as I told the recipient, I REALLY don't like including photos in my cards.
 This dog is an integral part , as it is from the dog and the ladies' work mates.

So as far as I'm concerned the best way to treat a photo on a card is to treat it like a photo on a card!!!!!

So, I used the Mama Elephant 'Polaroid fun', to cut the photo and it's frame.

The 'Girls' also needed a polaroid, so I used the smaller frame in the die set to cut each lady out of the Art Impression stamp 'Uptown Girls'. I did have to stamp the image several times to fit the die around each individual. I coloured these images simply with my Kuretake Clean Color real brush markers, using glossy accents on the sun glasses once the card was complete.

I cut the frames out in white and black, then stacked them just a tiny bit off centre to give that dimension around the picture.

The greeting was embossed in white on some vellum, with the number die cut and also treated with glossy accents. Then card was completed using some sequins and gems scattered around the images.

And inside, the greeting, as requested, with the paw print . The dog comes from the MFT stamp set 'You make my tail wag'

I hope you like todays card. It feels good to be challenged, then actually like what you've made.

Happy crafting.

Clair xxxx

Sleigh pop up

Post 167

Good Morning crafty friends...back to the Festive Season...LOVE IT!

Todays card is a true mash up of my crafty stash. I've used MFT's 'Jingle all the way' stamps and dies, Paper Smooches 'Christmas Words' dies and the completely fabulous 'Sleigh gift card holder' by Karen Burniston at Elizabeth Craft Designs.

The front of the card is lovely and simple. The words die cut out of gun metal mirri card, the Christmas has been cut 3 times and stacked up to give plenty of dimension.

The tree is from 'Jingle all the way', die cut and stamped , then paper pieced for the greenery.

It's the inside I'm dead chuffed with. This is the first time I've used these dies and it certainly will not be the last. I highly recommend you watch Karen showing you the tricks and tips of using these dies. You'll find a tutorial HERE.

The decorative paper I've used is from Stampin up, it's last years christmas paper stack which is no longer available HERE is this years, check out the other festive papers too...lovely!

Everything was cut and put together as is shown in the you tube video. I then thought it needed something else. MFT's Santa in 'Jingle all the way' was just perfect. Die cut, stamped and coloured with my pro markers he fits perfectly at the side of the sleigh. He looks to be over hanging the side of the card but that is the fabulous sleigh die, the pop stands Santa is on is angled slightly so he pops up and out! 

The sentiment across the top of the card is also from the MFT's stamp set.

To finish the card I die cut some card using Lawn fawns 'Stitched Hillside borders' added a sentiment from Stampin ups beautiful 'Endless Wishes' (sorry last years again, no longer available!)

The snowflakes complete the card.

Not a card for mass production, but easy to do and what a treat to open in the run up to Christmas.

 Hope you like todays card.

Let me know.

Happy crafting.

Clair xxx

Lotus...the return!!

Post 166

Sorry about the silly title, but this flower and its sister stamps are just a fabulous go to stamp set, it is of course Waffle Flowers 'Lotus'

The image is stamped and embossed in silver on some water colour card, and coloured using my Kuretake clean color real brush markers.

I coloured a scrap of paper with the same colours and die cut the number.

The rest of the birthday greeting was a mash up from Waffle flower and Mama Elephant stamp sets.

All embellished with self adhesive gems and silver sequins. And finished with a strip of gunmetal cardstock down one side.

Hope you like todays card. 

Let me know.

Happy crafting.

Clair xxx

Christmas.... 3 for 1

Post 165

I thought I'd share these 3 cards I made...all the same technique, and simple to mass produce.

I was inspired by Nichol Magouirk making this card.

I used the Indigoblu 'Baroque Christmas Tree' , I stamped and embossed in white onto some water colour card.

I also stamped and embossed my greeting , from Winnie and Walter, 'The Big,The Bold and the merry, using Ranger Platinum embossing powder.

I smooshed some ink pads onto my craft sheet, spritzed with water and dabbed my paper into it, I allowed it to dry and then went back into the ink to add interest and fill gaps.

The cards were finished with a mixture of white sequins and die cut embossed stars.

I added a strip of stripy embossed card down one side with a wash of the same colours.

Each card was done in the same way.

I just added a doodled border to this final one an a little glossy accents on the baubles. This is another stamp from Indigoblu called 'Frosted Baubles'.

I hope you like todays cards.

Let me know.

Happy crafting.

Clair xxx

Christmas .... again

Post 164

Hello there crafty friends, yes I'm on Christmas ...again!! Sorry!

Todays card uses the My Favorite Things stamps 'Jingle all The Way' and also one of their dies, the 'Christmas tree cutout'

I initially wanted to use the paper stack I bought last year from Stampin up ( no longer available, but this years stacks are fab!!! watch this space)

I started with a kraft card base, stamped all over with some snow flakes (again from Stampin up last year and no longer available) in white pigment ink. I die cut the Christmas tree cut out, off to one side as I needed to fit santa in.

Santa is stamped on white card, gloves face and feet coloured with my pro markers , and his out fit paper pieced from some of the plaid paper from the stack. 

The sentiment is from the stamp set, and the finishing touch of paper down the side matches Santas suit. The card is for Christmas so sparkle HAD to be included , in the form of sequins and die cut stars

Hope you like todays card.

Let me know.

Happy crafting.

Clair xxx