Black and gold decorated tin

 










I have to admit, this tin is, er ..... striking...... :-)  Not my cup of tea, but that's OK, because it will be a birthday gift for my mother in law - and she will love it.  It has been several months in the making!

It started life as a M&S Belgian biscuit tin in black and gold and yes, I bought the biscuits for the tin LOL.  The lid had an enormous letter 'B' embosssed onto it, with the corresponding debossed image on the inside.  There were also letter 'B's printed on each side of the tin base and the list of biscuit types on the base.
First I dealt with the inside of the lid and the printed base, by making gold card inserts to cover them.  Then I had to think of a way to cover the big 'B' and I decided to use embossed black metal over thick card to make panels.  Then I used the TH rosette dies in all three sizes to make the rosettes in gold card and vellum.  The largest rosette also has an embossed gold metal centre with black crystal detailing.  I cut gold and black crystal swirls into pices and put them around the rosettes.  A line of gold crystal finished off the right hand edge of the largest panel nicely.
I was stuck for a long time on how to cover the side 'B's, ribbon was an option but I couldn't find one in the exact width I needed.  Then it happened that I was using a scalloped circle punch for something else and realised that it was just the right size to go over the 'B'!  So I punched out a gold circle, but it looked a little lonely, so I added two smaller ones each side of it.
The original idea was that I will make a general selection of cards to go inside, so she can send a handmade birthday card to whoever she likes.  However I am now toying with the idea of a mini photo book instead ......
But at least the tin is finally finished!

52 Cards Challenge Week 9

 

This week's prompt for the 52 cards challenge is ROSES, though for the Christmas card any associated plant is allowed!
I knew immediately which stamps I wanted to use :-)  The rose bouquet on the Mother's Day card is one of my very first stamps, bought around 1993.  For the background paper I used a sheet from an old K&Co paper pad, matted it onto green, tied the ribbon around then attached to the card.  The image is stamped in a green chalky finish ink, die-cut with a nestie deckle edge oval, then matted onto a Dienamics doily oval die-cut.  The sentiment is a Tinchie stamp and to finish I added a few pearls.
For the Christmas card, I went for holly ..... this is one of my favourite Christmas stamps, I think it is an old Elusive Images one.  I stamped and embossed in gold, then coloured in using Flexmarkers - I'm not very good at colouring, but for a simple image I can manage to make it look reasonably presentable :-)  The image is matted onto gold pearlescent card and I stamped the sentiment at the base, not sure what make that stamp is as I didn't keep the packaging - maybe Hero Arts.

Stamped & Masked card

This card started with a mistake ....... I had smooshed distress inks through a circle aperture straight onto a card blank, with the intention of over-stamping with a silhouette in black.  Unfortunately, when I lifted my stencil, I discovered that the inks had gone under the edges in plsces.  It sat in my 'in progress' card box for a while, then I decided to try and disguise the non-crisp edges with a different stamp.  I chose this freebie stamp from Craft Stamper magazine, stamped it onto scrap paper to make two masks, then stamped it three times over the inked circle, masking the previous image each time.  It's been a while since I have done masking, I had forgotten how much fun it is :-)
I punched out the image into a scalloped circle and used the new(ish) 4" scalloped circle punch from Woodware for the silver mat.  I made an interrupted frame with peel off lines and sentiment and just placed the image in the centre ..... incidentally the photo makes the image look a little off centre, but in real life it is perfect, honest.  LOL.

Beat the Christmas Rush challenge - January

Sliding in under the wire, yet again...... LOL.  These cards are for the Beat the Christmas Rush challenge over on Creative Craft World.  This challenge starts on the 25th of each month, basically it is making a few cards each month in order to have a nice box-full in time for Christmas! 
I have made four to the same formula - contrasting papers (Craft Creations) at top and base, with a die-cut border (Dienamics) to cover the join, framed with silver peel off lines.  A stamped sentiment and a stamped/embossed snowflake image - the plain snowflake is a Cart-us stamp and the holly leaf snowflake is a Craft Stamper freebie.  The snowflakes are matted onto a doily edge circle (Dienamics) cut from the same bazzill cardstock as the border.
These cards really lend themselves to a 'production line' cardmaking session, very quick and easy :-)

52 cards challenge week 8

 
The prompt on this weeks 52 card challenge was to use the colours pink, aqua and red... with possibly a touch of gold!
Pink, as you know, is not my favourite.... LOL, and I especially don't like to team it with red!  So a real challenge for me this week (hang on a mo' ... don't I say that every week? - never mind ....)
That pack of Papermania Christmas papers bought for me by a friend has come in handy yet again!!  Pink, aqua, with a little bit of red in the snowmen scarves and the sentiment.  The border is done with a Martha Stewart punch, the mini doily is a Cheery Lynn die, the 'lachette' or, as I like to call it - swirly thing at the base - is either a Dienamics or Memory Box die.
The birthday card uses some freebie papers given to me by a Stampin' Up demonstrator, so I presume they are from one of their ranges :-)  I stamped and embossed the bird stamp and punched out into a scalloped circle.  The leaves are a Cheery Lynn die, which I cut into pieces to tuck around the flowers - those were from a retreat class kit.  There is even some gold in this one, the peel-off sentiment LOL.  Originally I stamped the sentiment, but it all went horribly wrong .... as in fact did several things on this card, but it has turned out all right in the end :-)

52 cards challenge week 7 - Christmas

I was well and truly stuck on this one - but yesterday Nat put some ideas up on her blog for getting hearts onto Christmas cards ...... she mentioned the Waltzing Mouse Christmas stamp set.  I thought "I have that set!!"  I remember eagerly waiting through the pre-release build up, ordering first thing on the day of release - then putting it away and never using it *blush* - until now!  It includes a Scandinavian style heart border, so I decided on a clean and simple card.
I stamped and embossed the hearts in red and the sentiment in black, have to admit that the sentiment is not quite as well stamped as it could have been, I was rushing a little.  But it'll do :-) I did initially intend it to be a single layer card, but decided it looked better with a silver mat!
I will make some more along these lines, the set includes other borders.  But I have to admit, I am not good at 'white space'!  I keep looking at it, thinking "put something else on!!" ...... I must be strong :-)

Valentine card

It's that time of year again :-) 
The prompt on this weeks 52 cards challenge was to use hearts - easy to do on this valentine card for DH, but I am not yet sure how to do the Christmas one!
I over-stamped the card blank, not sure how many stamps I used, probably about six, and several different ink colours too!  The topper started life as an ATC, but I decided to add the 'love makes the world go round' sentiment and make it into DH's card.  It has a smooshy inked background over-stamped with some crackle, swirl and gear stamps, the heart (Technique Tuesday) was stamped and embossed separately, I attached the clock hands after I had stick it down to the base.
I added a ribbon and die-cut buckle to the mat to finish.  Hope he likes it ...... wonder if I'll get one in return this year???

Scrapology January card challenge

Well I never!  Two Scrapology challenges in a row :-)  This is the January card challenge, which was to use a colour palette of purple, lime and silver. This is quite out of my comfort zone, as was the page challenge, but I decided to give it a go anyway!
I remembered a Bo Bunny paper range that I had originally used for a Little Girl layout a couple of years ago, there was plenty left for a card.  There is some turquoise in there as well, but the purple and green are definitely the star colours LOL.
I cut round the 'wave' design and put it onto a mat of purple, which is framed by some silver peel-off lines.  The butterfly is punched from silver card with a Martha Stewart punch and I added a bit of a pearl trail.  I made it a congratulations card, mainly because the only 'happy birthday' stamp I had with me at the workshop wouldn't fit into the available space!
Not my colours at all, but I think it has turned out well - just goes to show that it can be good to get out of one's comfort zone once in a while - I'm going to run back to my safe place now though!

Scrapology Challenge - T for texture paste

I decided to use the masterboard I made a few days ago for the February Scrapology challenge.  Having cut it all into pieces, there is still enough left for a card or two!
I took a few liberties with the sketch, just changed it around a little bit :-)  This layout is mostly made up of old stash and things I found in my various boxes of 'that'll come in useful' stuff.  From the masterboard, I used one block and two strips, plus a punched scallop circle.
The base sheet is from DCWV Luxury stack, which I bought online so did not realise how horribly shiny it is!  So I am quite pleased to use up a whole sheet and it does look OK, when it's mostly covered up :-)  The other papers are from an old Authentique 6" pad, I used the Woodware 4" scalloped circle punch for the large embellishment, overlaying it with a die-cut from the box and the punched circle of masterboard.  The leafy flourish is also a die-cut from the box and the butterfly was from a kit I got at a retreat class, it happened to be the right colour and also fit the title!  The letter stickers are also from a retreat class kit.
I didn't think I was going to be able to do this challenge, but I am pleased with the result!

52 cards challenge week 6

 
The prompt for this week on the 52 cards challenge was to use old stash.  For the 'main' challenge card I used some old Authentique paper and found a pack of doilies in my 'why on earth did I buy that' drawer :-)  I smooshed a cream ink over the white doily so it matched better - this worked very well, but the doily was more fragile than I had thought and I did end up tearing it, luckily in a place that is covered!  Now I know how to use up the rest of the pack LOL.  The topper started out as an ATC which I wasn't happy with, the stamping looked a bit flat - but I wrapped the ribbon around and that made all the difference.  The sentiment is a peel-off on a die-cut label.  A pearl in each corner and it was done.

The Christmas cracker challenge card has paper from Basic Grey's Wassail range, which is a few years old now ......  The stamp is a Penny Black bought in the post-Christmas sales, I inked it up with two colours of Memento at the same time - old technique, but effective and much easier to do with the pointy type ink pads than it used to be with the big oblong ones many years ago LOL.  Both the image and the sentiment are die-cut with deckle edge Nesties, the sentiment is a Tinchies stamp.  The border is from Dienamics, and is one of my favourites.  A pearl in each corner ...... :-)

A bit late or very very early?

 

Yes, it's a Christmas decoration :-)  I did start it in late December, but then Christmas itself got in the way and I never got around to finishing it! 
It's inspired by an article in Craft Stamper a little while ago, the designer had decorated a block of wood about 6" x 4" x 2".  So I bought a 6ft length of 2" by 4" timber for around £10 and got DH to cut it into 6" lengths, 12 altogether.
The magazine project involved stamping on card and layering the images onto the block, but I decided to paint mine.  I wanted to try out a crackle effect and used Paperartsy crackle glaze, the base coat was a deep burgundy acrylic, after that had dried I applied the crackle glaze with a palette knife - I had never used the stuff before and the first side I did is not great, that's why it's at the back LOL.  When that had dried I applied some Paperasrty fresco paint in Irish cream over the top and it just about crackled as I watched, amazing stuff!
The borders and the tree are diecuts, Dienamics and Memory Box, I also die cut a trellis to go on each side and the back - forgot to photograph that - the small decorations over the tree are made with some of the 'waste' from that die-cut.  I put red crystals all over the tree.  The top has an embossed piece of card stock to hide the end grain of the wood.  All the cardstock pieces are attached and sealed with Mod Podge.
I got the lovely handle from Amazon, they have a staggering amount of drawer handles, would you believe :-)  The feet are proper box feet from a specialist seller, though the carriage charge was horrendous - next time I will buy several sets of four rather than just one!  DH drilled the holes for handle and feet, I didn't trust myself to get them straight :-)
I don't want to put it away now!
Hmmm ... now what shall I do with the other eleven blocks?!!!!

Texture paste masterboard

The first full weekend in any month is always my craft weekend, consisting of a craft day at my house on the Saturday and going off to the Cardinal Colours crop on the Sunday.  Sy arrives early-ish Saturday morning and we fill the dining table with stuff, then get going!
Sy makes me *do things* ...... this time she brought some texture paste, which I have never used before.  I also have some masks, bought two years ago at Ally Pally and never used.  So I scraped some texture paste over a mask in various places on a 12" sheet of card, which I had smooshed over with distress inks in shades of blue.  The idea of a masterboard is that you then cut it up and use it for ... whatever .... cards, or scrapbooking or ATC's......

I sprayed through another mask with a golden-ish shimmer spray, it doesn't show up very well in the photo but it is there!  I stamped in various blues in all the spaces, then when the texture paste was dry, I repositioned the mask over it, and rubbed over with a gold ink pad.

A couple of close ups:



I do like the way this has turned out, though I am not sure how I will use it yet.  Although, the Scrapology challenge this month is T for texture paste......

And, I liked it so much that we had to go out shopping in the afternoon so I could get a tub of my own :-)