Pages

Saturday 30 April 2011

Strength and Hope thank you and congratulations

I know I don't normally post at the weekends but I have a lot to show you this week and I couldn't bear not to enter my favourite Less is More challenge! This week the ladies at LiM are simply asking for clean and simple thank you or congratulations cards. This is particularly apt since I'd like to say not only congratulations to them for coming up with such a fabulous idea for a challenge site and making it so successful, but also thank you so much for all their hard work in maintaining it.

Chrissie and Mandi - these are for you!


I love the texture this Square Lattice embossing folder creates - perfect for male and female cards. It's easy to put just the bottom of the card front into the folder and send it through the Big Shot.



A strip of the gorgeous taffeta ribbon tops the embossed section. I've allowed it to overlap the card and have trimmed it on the diagonal.


The real focus of these cards is the amazingly intricate butterfly...


...which comes from a very, very special stamp set.


Strength and Hope is not only a truly gorgeous stamp set but it's also a way of helping the fight against breast cancer. Stampin' Up is donating £1 for every set sold to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation which is dedicated to finding a cure for this grim disease. My hope is that everyone that loves stamping will choose to add this set to their collection - it costs £15.95 in wood mount and £12.95 in clear mount. You can order yours by emailing me or giving me a call on 01280 820593.

Today's card can be used for all sorts of occasions - I got carried away and made this birthday card too! - but the set is incredibly versatile. This coming week I'll be showing you some other designs I've come up with using it - starting with a male card on Monday. I do hope you'll come and have a look.

Thank you so much for dropping in today. I can't wait to see what all the other LiMettes have been up to and I'll be coming to see you soon!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,

Friday 29 April 2011

Royal congratulations with Baby Blossoms

Today is the day that William and Kate tie the knot. Apparently 6,000 street parties have been planned around Britain and people in households everywhere will drop everything to have a look at Kate's dress! We'll be joining friends for a barbecue later (so fingers crossed for good weather) but first I'd like to post my own tribute to the royal couple:


Red, white and blue clusters of flowers on kraft card stock gives a whole different look to the Baby Blossoms stamp set and is suitably patriotic! While I was at it, I thought I'd make a thank you card in a similar style to give to our friends who are organising the barbecue.


Yesterday I was obsessed with making different vases of flowers with the Ornament punch - highly addictive I can assure you! - but discovering different looks with this gorgeous stamp set has taken over. I love the way you can build up the clusters of flowers in different ways and different colours, so look out for more Baby Blossoms projects coming soon!

Here's how to make the 'thanks' card:
  • Cut a 9cm x 18cm piece of Crumb Cake card stock. Score and fold in half to make a card base.
  • Cut another piece of Crumb Cake card stock 7.5cm square. Stamp this with a floral design that covers two thirds of the square on the diagonal: I started by stamping the spray of small flowers in Whisper White ink, then adding Real Red large roses. Next I stamped the small roses in Pacific Point and leaves in Old Olive. Finally I cleaned the small rose image and filled in the gaps with it, using Real Red that I'd stamped off.
  • Use a stamp-a-majig to position a sentiment, using Basic Black ink.
  • Sponge the edges of the floral panel and the edges of the card front with Whisper White craft ink.
  • Attach the floral panel to the card front with dimensionals.

Supplies
Stamps: Baby Blossoms, So Happy For You (retired SAB set)
Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, Pacific Point, Whisper White craft ink
Card stock: Crumb Cake

Yesterday, my youngest son had a 'street party' at school and one of the activities was Dressing for a Wedding. He was chosen to be the groom and his friends dressed him up in a jacket with medals and a crown. "I looked pretty good actually," he told me later. "In fact, when I get married, I might wear that!" It certainly beats the time he came back from playgroup and told me that he planned to get married in a fireman's helmet and a pair of underpants!

I'll be back for Masculine Monday and would love you to join me. Meanwhile, enjoy your weekend!

Thursday 28 April 2011

Three Minute Thursday - using the Ornament punch

Good morning! It's Thursday and time for one of my quickie cards, and today I thought I'd bring out my Ornament punch. I can hear you all wondering if I've run mad! Surely, you're thinking, that punch coordinates with Christmas decorations! Well, yes it does - for example on this card - but the Ornament punch, like a dog, is not just for Christmas. Come and see what I've used it for:


Is it a bird, is it a plane? No - it's a vase! This is a very popular way of using the ornament punch, and means that it works hard all the year round. If you use the punch off the edge of a piece of card stock, you get a nice flat base to your vase and if you use textured card stock as I have here, it adds extra interest.


There are many stalks of flowers and branches that would work beautifully in the vase (Pocket Silhouettes, Hopeful Thoughts, Autumn Days, Nature Walk - okay, I want to try them all now!) but today I've used the beautiful irises from Just Believe - a perfect spring image.


Here's the gorgeous flowing 'thanks' from Thank You Kindly again. I just love this sentiment stamp - there's so much movement in it.

Here's how to make this card:

  • Cut a 9cm x 18cm piece of Whisper White card stock. Score and fold it in half to make a card base.
  • Colour the iris image from Just Believe with Perfect Plum and Old Olive markers and stamp onto the card front. Add definition with a Basic Black marker if you like.
  • Cut a vase shape out of textured card stock using the Ornament punch. TIP: Hold the punch upside down so that you can see what you're punching, and punch off the edge of the card stock to get a nice flat base to your vase. Daubing the edge of the vase with Old Olive ink will add definition.
  • Mask off the top of the card front with a post-it note and sponge a surface for your vase to sit on. TIP: Making folds in the sponge will give an interesting texture.
  • Now glue your vase over the flowers so that it looks as if the stems are inside the neck.
  • Stamp a sentiment using a stamp-a-majig for accurate placement.

Supplies
Stamps: Just Believe, Thank You Kindly
Ink: Perfect Plum, Old Olive, Basic Black
Card stock: Whisper White, Old Olive textured
Other: Ornament punch, markers

One of my biggest crafting problems is not having enough time to make everything I think of but I think I might be able to find a few minutes to try out some different plants in the vase... watch this space!

EDITED TO ADD: You knew I wouldn't be able to resist! Here's a very different version using the small Greenhouse Garden flower. Note the differently shaped vase! It's easy to create different shapes by adjusting how far off the edge of the card stock you punch.


This one took a little longer but was still very quick! You have got to try this vase idea - it is so much fun! The Ornament punch costs £15.50 and just think how useful it would be! Don't forget that you can order your Stampin' Up supplies from me - I'm always very happy to help and offer a friendly and efficient service. Just click here to email me or give me a call on 01280 820593.

Thank you for dropping in today and thank you for your comments and emails. I always reply to my readers - although sometimes I'm unable to because there isn't a link back to a blog or email address. (If this is you, please know that I tried!)

See you tomorrow,

Wednesday 27 April 2011

Thank you card using Nature Walk

We had a teacher training day in Buckingham yesterday so none of my children went back to school. It was a preparing-to-go-back-to-school day. What this actually means is that they all roared off outdoors to enjoy themselves all day and I flapped about at midnight trying to find their PE kits...!

So, Easter is over for another year and all that remains to be done is to finish up the chocolate eggs and send cards to our kind relatives to thank them for sending gifts to the children. Here's my favourite one this year:


It's easy to make distressed, vintage-style cards with Nature Walk, but this is another, more contemporary way of using the set.  I've used a colour combination that has obsessed me this spring - Whisper White on Crumb Cake with fondant colours.


It looks terribly time consuming but once you get used to using your stamp-a-majig, cards like this become very quick and easy. This beautiful, flowing sentiment from the Thank You Kindly stamp set is the perfect partner for the bird cage image and contrasts crisply with the paler colours.

Here's how to make this card:
  • Score an A5 piece of Crumb Cake card stock and fold it in half to make a card base.
  • Cut a 9.5cm x 13.5cm piece of Whisper White card stock and stamp with the bird cage image using a stamp-a-majig for accurate positioning. I used fondant colours here - Marina Mist, Regal Rose and Not Quite Navy (all stamped off) and Certainly Celery. The central cage is inked up with Marina Mist without cleaning the Regal Rose ink off. This was a mistake - but I love the way it looks!
  • Ink the sentiment up in Basic Black ink then quickly sprinkle it with clear embossing powder and heat with a heat tool for a crisp shiny image.
Supplies
Stamps: Nature Walk, Thank You Kindly
Ink: Basic Black, Marina Mist, Regal Rose, Not Quite Navy, Certainly Celery
Card stock: Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Other: Clear embossing powder

You may notice that there is a blur on my central bird cage. This is where my husband spilt a drop of water onto the card, sparking an International Incident! For those who are concerned, I'd like you to know that we are still together and no husbands were actually harmed in the making of this card...

It's Three Minute Thursday tomorrow - my weekly series of cards that can be whipped up in minutes! Do come and join me if you have a minute!

Tuesday 26 April 2011

Masculine birthday card using Autumn Splendor

Well, what a wonderful Easter weekend! I hope you all had a wonderful time filled with sunshine. We decided to take a trip to Somerset, which is one of the most beautiful places in the world when the sun is shining, and we're all slightly tanned and very well-rested!

When I came back, the unpacking had to wait while I took a peek at the Less is More site (yes, I am a true Limette!) - and here's what I've come up with for this week's challenge: an 'off-centre' card.


Oh I do love an asymmetric card - and I also love the new Top Note die, so it was a great opportunity to use it on the side of my card front for a change! If you visit my blog sometimes you might recognise the sponged and stamped scene from here. Well, I had one left over which I thought would work well today. Waste not, want not as they say!


When Stampin' Up's mini catalogue came out last April, the stamp set I absolutely HAD to have was Autumn Splendor - I loved those stylised leaves! I was so pleased when the set made it into the main catalogue as most of the items in the mini are only available until the end of September, and although I've just about managed to stop myself from using these leaves on everything I make now, they certainly still make plenty of appearances!


Courier is one of my favourite fonts ever, so I was delighted to see it featured in the Plane and Simple stamp set. There are three useful sentiments - happy father's day, happy birthday and thank you. I chose the birthday one for this card, stamping onto Whisper White card stock, cutting it out and attaching it across the scene like a piece of journalling. I finished by adding a couple of staples, which I rather like as an embellishment on a male card.

Here's how to make this card:
  • Cut a piece of A4 Bravo Burgundy card stock in half vertically. Score and fold in half to create a card base.
  • Run a piece of Not Quite Navy card stock through the Big Shot using the Top Note die. Trim about 2cm off the side of the shape.
  • Sponge and stamp a scene on a 6cm x 7cm piece of Whisper White card stock (see here for details) and attach to the Top Note matt.
  • Stamp a sentiment onto a scrap of Whisper White card stock using Bravo Burgundy ink. Cut out into a strip with your paper cutter and glue across the Top Note and the scene. Add two staples and and glue to the card front.
  • Stamp the leaf onto Whisper White card stock, using Old Olive ink, and cut out using sharp paper snips. Add a touch of Early Espresso to the stalk with a blender pen and then wash over the leaf area with an aqua painter. Attach the leaf to the card front with dimensionals.

Supplies
Stamps: Autumn Splendor, Plane and simple (plus nature-type stamps for the scene)
Ink: Bravo Burgundy, Old Olive, Early Espresso
Card stock: Bravo Burgundy, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Other: Top Note die, ordinary staples

There we are! Now the important things are done, I suppose I'd better go and unpack the bags and get the laundry started! (But I shall be sneaking back and enjoying a look at everyone else's take on off-centre from time to time...!)

Thank you for coming to see my card today - I do appreciate your visits and comments and emails. I'll be back again tomorrow and would love you to join me if you can.

Friday 22 April 2011

Easter basket using the scalloped envelope die

Good morning! I wanted to celebrate Good Friday by showing you a couple of projects using the scalloped envelope die.

First of all - this little basket is so easy to make and is perfect for an Easter egg hunt. And because it's a die, you can make several in minutes!


You simply die-cut four envelopes per basket, cut one of the side flaps off each of them and stick them together with Sticky Strip. I decorated the sides of mine with panels of striped designer paper which I'd stamped with an image from the Just Believe stamp set. To make a handle, I ran my Snail adhesive down another strip of card stock, stuck 1/4" grosgrain ribbon to it and attached it to the basket with brads.


The minute I saw the Four Frames stamp set in the mini catalogue, I knew it would be so useful. And when I saw that there was a punch to cut the frames out in a second, both items positively jumped into my shopping basket! This little tag was made with textured So Saffron card stock... oh - hang on! you can't see it in this picture... how about this one:



Ah! That's better! I punched the little flowers out of Pacific Point card stock with the Boho Blossoms punch, and decorated them with another favourite - the self-adhesive pearls. I use loads of these little flowers!


I couldn't leave you without a close-up of the gorgeous seam binding ribbon in Pear Pizzazz. It makes a perfect bow every time - I love it!

SUPPLIES FOR THE EASTER BASKET
Stamps: Just Believe, Four Frames, Occasional Greetings
Ink: Pacific Point, Always Artichoke
Card stock: Daffodil Delight, So Saffron, Pacific Point
Other: Scallop envelope die, Patterns designer paper stack in Brights, Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Pear Pizzazz seam binding, Decorative label punch, gold brads

And now for something different. Sometimes a chocolate egg isn't the right thing to give at Easter. Very small children, for example, may appreciate a gift voucher so they can choose something longer lasting - and their parents certainly would!


The scallop envelope die makes a sweet and tiny little envelope perfect for a card front or for hidden journalling on a scrapbook page, but did you know you can make it larger to hold a gift voucher?


I came across the idea here, on the blog of a very talented American demonstrator called Patty Bennett.


Now, your tots may not appreciate a voucher like this, but I know lots of teenaged crafters and their mums who would adore one! My Stampin' Up vouchers come in any denomination you like and are presented in a hand-crafted holder, which can be personalised if you like. It's easy to redeem them by emailing or phoning me and I'm always happy to spend time helping my customers find exactly what they're looking for. Start dropping hints now ladies!

SUPPLIES FOR THE GIFT VOUCHER
Stamps: Perfect Punches
Ink: Marina Mist, Always Artichoke markers
Card stock: Whisper White
Other: Scallop envelope die, Nursery Suite designer paper, Marina Mist button, Marina Mist taffeta ribbon, linen thread, extra large oval punch

Thank you so much for joining me today - I hope you've enjoyed these last-minute Easter projects. I'll be showing you loads more ways to use the scallop envelope die in the coming weeks - you really do need one you know!

There'll be no Masculine Monday next week as I shall be celebrating with my lovely family, but I'll be back on Tuesday. Hope to see you then but in the meantime, have a wonderful Easter weekend.


Thursday 21 April 2011

Three Minute Thursday - using Nature Walk

Good Morning! It's time for another in my weekly series of super-fast cards for the time-challenged. I'm using Nature Walk today (and I think it's official - it IS my favourite set in the mini catalogue!) on a one-layer card that relies on a punch of colour for its appeal.


The colours are a favourite combination: Rich Razzleberry with Old Olive. You just can't go wrong with these! And to add a little twist of interest I stamped the sentiment in Not Quite Navy. You could have lot of fun experimenting with different colours - why not consult the Colour Coach for heaps of ideas? This is a swatch book of all the Stampin' Up colours, with suggestions for toning and contrasting colour combinations - a very useful little tool at only £13.50. Click here to email me an order or for more information.


The sentiment is from the wonderful Pocket Silhouettes stamp set. I know I'm always saying this, but sets that contain sentiments are worth their weight in gold - a collection of sentiment stamps is invaluable!

This is the simplest of cards to make but is so effective. You can use almost any plant image in this way: coloured with markers to make a multi-coloured image, stamped off the edge and with a contrasting sentiment - and it works with lots of other images too!

Here's how to make this card:
  • Cut a 9cm x 18cm piece of Very Vanilla card stock. Score and fold in half to create a card base.
  • Use an Old Olive and a Rich Razzleberry marker to ink up the plant image and stamp off the edge of the card front. Repeat the inking process and stamp again.
  • Use a stamp-a-majig to stamp a sentiment in Not Quite Navy ink.

Supplies
Stamps: Nature Walk, Pocket Silhouettes (sentiment)
Ink: Not Quite Navy
Card stock: Very Vanilla
Other: Markers

As well as crafting inspiration, I do like to offer a bit of fun on these pages but the smile was well and truly wiped off my face today when I visited the dentist. I was handed a hefty bill for the privilege of hearing that I'm going to need some work on my teeth that's going to cost... another, even larger, hefty bill! But worse than that is the idea of heading into the Easter weekend only able to eat on one side of my mouth!

I'll be back tomorrow with some last minute Easter projects for those of you with the scalloped envelope die. And if you haven't already got it, do come and see how versatile it can be!

Thanks for dropping by today and hope to see you tomorrow.

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Royal Wedding street party invite

It's not long now until our favourite royal couple tie the knot and, all over Britain, people are organising street parties and barbecues. If you've got a bit of a royal 'do' planned, why not send out some of my patriotic invites?!


It was fun to make a Union Jack by masking and sponging. I used the Neighborhood wheel to stamp the houses, cut them out and arranged them on top of the 'flag' in a higgledy piggledy row.


The fabulous Party This Way arrow is from the stamp set of the same name. It's wonderfully graphic and made the perfect sentiment for the invitation.

Here's how to make this card:

  • Take an A5 piece of Whisper White card stock. Score and fold in half to make a card base.
  • Create the Union Jack background on the card front: Use post-it notes to mask off the central cross and sponge with Real Red ink. Now mask the triangles in each corner and sponge them in Night of Navy ink. Add the final line using a ruler and the thick end of a Real Red marker. TIP: Discard the post-its after one use as they smudge if you re-use. Ask me how I know...!
  • Ink up the Neighborhood wheel with Basic Grey ink and roll over Whisper White card stock. Cut the houses out and arrange in a lively row across the Union Jack.
  • Use Real Red and Night of Navy markers to colour the Party this Way arrow and stamp onto Whisper White card stock. Cut out with sharp paper snips and attach to the card front with dimensionals.

Supplies
Stamps: Party This Way, Neighborhood Jumbo wheel
Ink: Real Red, Night of Navy, Basic Grey
Card stock: Whisper White

I absolutely adore the Neighborhood wheel and this card is yet another reason to own it - it's brilliant for party invites! Let me know if you'd like me to order it for you - or anything else for that matter! It's easy to order from me and I can have your Stampin' Up supplies delivered directly to your door if you're not local to me. Just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 810593.

Have fun planning your royal wedding party! I'll be back tomorrow for Three Minute Thursday with a quick thank you card - so do come and join me if you can. Thank you for visiting me, and for your comments, and also for your support in following my blog - I truly appreciate it.

Tuesday 19 April 2011

Easter treats using Nursery Suite papers

With Easter just round the corner, it's the time for making special little treats. When I saw the Nursery Suite papers in the catalogue back in October, I immediately thought of this time of year. The pastel-coloured bunny paper is perfect for making little bags which can contain mini eggs or perhaps these:


How cute are these smiley rabbits?!!! I bought them from the sweet shop in Buckingham which sells proper old-fashioned sweets in those big jars, as well as seasonal items like this.


These bags are the perfect size to pop a bunny in! I love the spring colours these papers come in and enjoyed finding the taffeta ribbon to coordinate with them.


I made the treats for the lovely daughters of a friend. The tags are decorated with the girls' initials - and I cut out a rabbit from an off-cut of paper to peep out from behind them.


The letters have been cut out using the Timeless Type Junior alphabet dies run through the Big Shot. I always imagined you had to use large sheets of paper with these but, in fact, you can use tiny scraps. I've had my Big Shot and box of alphabet dies since March and have used them over and over ever since. I really cannot recommend them highly enough and suggest that if you don't have them, play the birthday card with loved ones or save up for them yourself  - they are well worth the outlay. Don't forget that I can order these for you - or anything else from the Stampin' Up catalogues. Just email me or give me a ring on 01280 820593. I am friendly and helpful and always happy to help and advise if you'd like me to.

The bags are 2, 4, 6, 8 bags made from the rabbit paper in the Nursery Suite range. Click on the diagram below to enlarge the instructions.



Here's how to make the tags:
  • Cut a tag from Crumb Cake card stock using the small tag punch and mount onto a tag cut from Early Espresso card stock using the large tag punch.
  • Punch a hole through the top of the tag using the 1/8" handheld punch.
  • Using sharp paper snips, cut a rabbit from a scrap of the rabbit designer paper.
  • Cut a scrap of card stock in Pretty In Pink or Marina Mist card stock and place on the die over the letter you want. Run through the Big Shot.
  • Glue the rabbit to the initial so that it looks as if it's peeping out from behind the letter. Attach to the tag.
  • Tie the tag to the bag with a piece of coordinating taffeta ribbon. 

Supplies
Card stock: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Pretty In Pink or Marina Mist for the initial
Other: Timeless Type Junior alphabet dies, Nursery Suite designer paper, tag punches, 1/8" handheld punch, Pretty In Pink or Marina Mist taffeta ribbon

Yesterday, my boys went swimming with friends. They are allowed to swim unaccompanied by an adult at the age of eight but because my ten-year-old is small for his age, he is always interrogated about his age. When asked if he was eight he replied with a vehement 'yes!' Inside the pool there is an exciting  float activity you can only use if you're older and when the life guard tried to stop him from going on it the older boys assured him the lad was ten.
"Why did you tell me you were eight then?" asked the life guard.
My son gave this a moment's thought. "Well, I wear age eight boxers," he said.

Thank you for joining me today. If you're thinking of having a bit of a party on 29th April to celebrate the royal wedding, you might want to pop back tomorrow to see my funky invitation. Hope to see you then,

Monday 18 April 2011

Masculine Monday - using Sail Away and Acetate

I always start the week with a masculine card and I'm beginning to realise that each time it is based on the Less is More challenge! I am powerless to resist (like so many of the other LiMettes out there!) as the challenges are always so entertaining. This week Chrissie and Mandi are calling for cards made using acetate. Aaaaagh! I NEVER use acetate for cards! But, of course, that's an excellent reason to start now! Here's the card I made:


I 've been wanting to ink up my Sail Away boat for ages and this was the perfect opportunity! I thought if I sponged a simple sea and sky for a background, I could stamp the sailboat onto acetate and layer it over the top.


This photo shows you the sponging. There isn't anything complicated about it at all - it's essentially three bands of colour. I swished the sponge across the card stock using a side to side sweeping motion. The sharp horizon line was made by holding a piece of paper over the sky area. The sea is highlighted with Whisper White craft ink dabbed on lightly with a piece of rough massage-style sponge.


I knew I was going to fix the acetate to the background layer with brads but I really wanted it to be raised a little. Of course, the thing about acetate is that you have to hide your fixings which meant I couldn't use dimensionals so I came up with this cunning plan...


... Setting eyelets in the background before pushing the brads through both layers! Oh I have a devious mind (or so my husband tells me!)


The card could have ended up looking too symmetrical - and I couldn't have that! - so I made a tab-style sentiment for it.

And the verdict? Using acetate was brilliant fun and I can't understand why I don't use it all the time! Thanks Mandi and Chrissie for pushing me out of my comfort zone again!

Here's how to make this card:
(This card is not a standard size - I made it to fit a 15cm square envelope I had.)

  • Cut a 9cm square piece of medium window sheet and stamp the boat image onto it using black Stazon ink. Set aside.
  • Cut a 12.5cm square piece of Whisper White card stock and lightly sponge So Saffron ink across the middle of it. Add Marina Mist ink above the So Saffron being careful not to overlap too much as you don't want a green sky! Hold a piece of paper over the sky and sponge Baja Breeze ink over the rest of the card stock. Very gently add a little Tangerine Tango ink in the middle of the sky to give the illusion of sunrise. Add highlights to the sea if you like using a rough sponge and Whisper White craft ink. TIP: When sponging backgrounds I always pay particular attention to the edges of the card stock which gives it more depth.
  • Hold the acetate over the background and pierce through both layers where you want the brads to be.
  • Set silver eyelets into the background piece with a cropadile and then attach the acetate layer to the background by fixing brads through the eyelets.
  • Stamp a sentiment and cut it out to make a tab. TIP: I always use my 1 1/4" square punch to help me with this. Stick the tab under the card with tape.
  • Cut a 29cm x 14.5cm piece of Whisper White card stock. Score and fold in half to create a card base and attach the sail boat panel to the card front.

Supplies
Stamps: Sail Away, Vintage Labels (retired Sale-a-bration set)
Ink: Black Stazon, So Saffron, Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White craft ink
Card stock: Whisper White
Other: Medium Window Sheet, Silver eyelets and brads

Hope you've all had wonderful weekends. Spring has really taken hold here now and we're breathing the scent of spring flowers and enjoying the broods of ducklings on the river. The garden seems to have been taken over by Triffids and every time the children come in, half the outdoors seems to come in with them! I think it's time I stopped blogging now and removed some of it!

Thank you so much for your comments - I really do appreciate them. I shall be back tomorrow with Easter projects and I'll hope to see you then.

Friday 15 April 2011

Note card using Nature Walk

I can't decide whether my favourite set in the mini catalogue is Nature Walk, Baby Blossom or Strength and Hope - or Plane and Simple as I've really enjoyed using that set this week! Well, whatever... today it's got to be Nature Walk!

This is a card we made with the set at a lovely workshop this week:


I love using the Top Note die to create shadow layers and when you sponge a background onto it, the ink really highlights the stitched effect.


Who wants to cut out fiddly legs? And who needs to? It's easy to cut out the bird minus his legs and, if you stamp the bird on the background and then pop up the cut-out body over the top, his legs magically appear!

Seam binding is the softest, prettiest ribbon around at the moment and so easy to knot or tie into a perfect bow. It's shown here in Pear Pizzazz but also comes in delicious Baja Breeze, Rose Red and Crumb Cake - SO difficult to choose a favourite!


The sentiments from Sincere Salutations set are perfect for this style of card and I like to ink them with markers to highlight some words with colour.

Here's how to make this card:
  • Stack an A6 piece of Whisper White and an A6 piece of Rose Red card stock together and run through the Big Shot with the Top Note die. I love how the Big Shot cuts more than one piece of card stock at once!
  • Sponge a sky using Bashful Blue ink on the top two thirds of the Whisper White Top Note shape. Tear a piece of scrap paper to use as a mask and hold it over the sky while you lightly sponge in a ground with Early Espresso ink. Pay particular attention to the edges of the card stock to highlight the 'stitching' on the Top Note shape.
  • Ink the bird image with Soft Suede and stamp onto the sponged ground. Ink it up again and add definition to the wing and the eye with a Chocolate Chip marker. Stamp the bird onto a piece of scrap Whisper White card stock and cut it out - TIP: don't worry about cutting round the fiddly legs of the bird. When you pop the cut-out onto the stamped bird with dimensionals, the stamped legs appear to be attached.
  • Use markers to ink the plant image and stamp a couple of plants to the left of the bird and one to the right.
  • Ink a sentiment with markers and add it to the scene using a stamp-a-majig for position.
  • Glue the scene to the Rose Red Top Note shape letting some of the Rose Red card stock show.
  • Snip the points off the left-hand side of the shape. Punch a hole with the 1/8" handheld punch and knot a piece of Pear Pizzazz seam binding through it.
  • Score and fold an A5 piece of Very Vanilla card stock to create a card base and mount the Top Note panel onto the card front.

Supplies
Stamps: Nature Walk, Sincere Salutations
Ink: Bashful Blue, Early Espresso, Soft Suede
Card stock: Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Rose Red
Other: Markers, 1/8" handheld punch, Top Note die, Pear Pizzazz seam binding

Can you believe it's Friday already? I refuse to even think how much of the holidays have gone by!

Thank you so much for dropping in today. Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to come back on Monday for some male card inspiration!