Love is in the air

So here's a few cards I've been making really for Valentines day in the shop. They are made using some items I received in a Christmas package from Craftstyle products as a thank you for signing up to be part of their volunteer design team, they have since sent me some items with which to make sample cards and send back to them to be used at fairs and shows and even maybe on TV.

 These three are tall elegant cards with tags, I think tag shapes are very on trend.

These thee are again tag embellishments but in a round shape,  I will admit to changing the ribbon on two as they came with black ribbon which in my opinion didn't work. I like the colours or these something different from the traditional red and pink.

This last one for now, is my favourite I love the little patchwork hearts and lace, and who can resist buttons, I think the washing line effect really works well.









Check back soon to see what other crafts I've been up to including a bit of baking(ish) and mastering crochet.

A feathered friend

Just a quick post to share with you this cute get well soon card I made for a friend who had been unwell.

It's made using the stampin up owl punch a very versatile punch usable for a range of projects.
Here I have turned the owl in to a little get well soon nurse owl, the hat is cleverly created by using the belly shape and eye shadow added with half circles.








I hope you find him cute and are all finding some snug crafting time in the cold snowy weather.

First card of the year

A sympathy card made for a neighbour, created by simply just stamping on to a blank card, the large floral design is in two complimenting shades of green with the sentiment in brown, I like using brown ink as it is a lot less harsh than black.
Sorry about the quality of picture there's not enough daylight around at the mo, roll on summer.
So a new year and lots of new craft ideas just need to find some time to try them out.

A few Christmas cards

I've been really disorganised with my Christmas cards this year but here's a few I've managed to get done.

 This one is a simple stamped card using a set from Stampin up lovely as a tree and a merry Christmas I've had forever. Used my new ink pads for this the colours are really good, particularly pleased with the green, its Stampin up old olive.

These three are made using Stampin up hostess set four seasons. When I first looked at this stamp I thought it would be best in blues since it was snow flakes but I'm also pleased with it in the other colours, (red and green, purple and lighter green.)  My scalloped circle and one inch circle punch compliment this set perfectly. Looking forward to making cards with the other three seasons in the set.

The last one for now is created using my new stampin up owl punch. This is a really versatile punch and I think this reindeer is cute and quirky, very good for a first attempt using this punch, it is quite alot of fiddling getting all the elements punched in the right colours but the end effect is lovely.

Christmas Craft Fair

Sorry I've not been posting much recently, seem to have been so busy with work and the guides and scouts I volunteer with.
Anyway when to a Christmas craft fair at the week end in my village, had a stall.

The stall layout wasn't brilliant but that's something I'm going to work on in the next year. The friendship teas sold really well I think people are thinking they will be nice to post with Christmas cards to friends they don't see very often. Also sold some of the pencil boxes as a nice little stocking stuffer and the festive tissue packs.





Hopefully get some posts up soon about the Christmas cards I've been making and playing with some of the new items I've brought from Stampin up.
Happy Christmas Crafting.

Tri Fold Shutter Card

I had seen this style of card done on other blogs and on pinterest so I thought I would have a go.
When finished the card looks quite complicated but once the basic principle of it is understood its not that difficult.


Card From the front

  First you need to decide how wide you want your finished card to be then times this by three, my card was 4inches wide so the card I worked on was 12 inches by I think it was 6 inches.
I mad the fold using a score board (stampin up simply scored) this gives me easy clean score lines to fold on.
The way I think of it is first divided the long side in to thirds so score at 4 and 8 inches, then leave the middle third alone and divide the third at each end in half so score at 2 and 10 inches.
Next I used a craft knife (and metal ruler with a finger grove in safety first) to make two cuts running from the 2inch score line to the 10 inch score line, as my card (I think) was 6 inches I cut at 1 and a half inches from the top and up from the bottom leaving 3 inches in the middle.




Card open.

Then it is a case of folding the score lines the on the 2 and 10 inch lines the middle panel is not folded and one the other ones the middle panel is folded the opposite way to the top and bottom ones. This maybe easier to understand by looking at the picture taken from the top of the card.

View from Top of card.

Then is is just a case of decorating it how ever you wish. I chose just to cut some panels of patterned paper and then embellished on top but I've seen cards done with more layers. I would point out not to build anything too deep with foam pads in the middle sections as this might effect how it closes and  be conscious of which parts of the card will sit next to the front panel when closed.




Another view of the open card.

 Happy Crafting.

Stampin up! workshop.

Last night I had a stampin up workshop, I've attended a few in the past but this was my first time at hosting.

In preparation I baked my favourite baking recipe, cookies, one batch chocolate chip and another cinnamon and raisin. I thought I would take this chance to use a cake stand I'd made earlier in the year for WI competition "new from old", its done using two lovely old plates and a wooden candle stick which I spray painted gold to match better with the patterns on the pates. I think its shows the cookies off rather well.

I also made some token thank-you gifts for the people attending the workshop, little note pads and pens embellished with various stampin up papers from the past spice cake and everyday enchantment sets. The pens I am particularly pleased with as the thin paper strip is carefully curled to fit inside the clear plastic casing of the pen, meaning it wont peel off or rub against the users hand.

Unfortunately not as many people as I would have hoped attended the workshop but those that did sat down to some makings. These are the two cards we had a go at. the one on the left is a stamp collage layering different stamped images with complimentary inks to create an elegant yet quick and easy for posting card. The card on the right is a cute Christmas card, a coloured base is layered with a strip of glittered card and then reindeer with bow embellishment and coordinating shaped sentiment. The little touch of sparkle really set this card off.

Everyone getting stuck in to the making and cookie eating.The final picture is of the lovely thank you gift received from the demonstrator Zoe, a collection of collage stamped cards presented in a vellum envelope and tied with bakers twine. this just shows that handmade cards can make a lovely gift for others to use as well as just cards as cards.  

Anyone interested in stampin up products can see Zoe's blog here, 
or like her facebook page.