A blog for cooking and crafts

Thursday 26 September 2013

Let it Snow - for Craft Stamper Challenge Four



The current Craft Stamper Challenge is to use acetate in some way on a project.  Now this is well out of my comfort zone, in fact I think the only thing I have ever used acetate for is as a clear front for a shadow box :-)
I decided to stamp and emboss, so after getting some heat-embossable acetate, I used a snowflake circle stamp from Hero Arts.  The original intention was to use the circles on a card in some way, but once I had done a few, I wasn't happy with that idea, so pushed them to one side of the desk for a while, to wait for inspiration to strike!
Later ..... a couple of days later! ..... I looked at them and thought how they looked like a little snowdrift, and remembered that I had a snowy photograph to scrap!
The papers are a mix of old and new, the lower swirly one was bought on a trip to America, so either in 2004 or 2007!  Curiously, though, they are both from Hot off the Press.  I stuck the background snowflake paper to some white card (HOTP are quite thin papers) and stamped the Hero Arts snowflake border along the top.  Then I fussy-cut around the swirls on the other paper, shuffled the acetate circles and photo around until I was happy with the positioning, then stuck everything down.
The title is robo-cut (font: Boyz R Gross) and the snowflakes are done with a Martha Stewart punch.

A close up of the acetate:


I rather enjoyed this, definitely need to experiment some more :-)
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Wednesday 25 September 2013

52 cards Challenge - Week 36


I seem to have fallen a little behind again LOL.  The prompt for week 36 is to use kraft and one colour (neutrals don't count).

For the birthday card, the colour is a pitsachio-ish green - I tried out my new MS punch around the page set, I think it's called 'Arabesque', on a random piece of paper and liked the result enough to use it on a card!  I wraped a ribbon around a central corrugated card panel, then stamped the sentiment (Stamping All Day) and die-cut it out with a Go Kreate die.

The Christmas card in red and kraft is a variation on yesterday's BtCR set - I used the same printed topper downloaded from the Graphics Fairy and added some ribbon wrapped around the background mat.  Sentiment is again on a Dienamics tag.

I counted up the Christmas cards in The Box ..... I have 62!!!!   I don't think I actually need anymore, but I do like making them, so will carry on :-)
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Monday 23 September 2013

Beat the Christmas Rush - August



BtCR challenge for August - made it by the skin of my teeth once again ..... :-)  Only three days to go before the next one starts .... actually that's earlier than I have been, on some months LOL.

I used some red and white paper from stash - think it might be Magnolia? - and matted onto some red cardstock.  The corners were rounded to echo the scalloped card blank.
The image is a download from the Graphics Fairy, I don't have a link to the exact entry as I downloaded it some time ago, but a search under 'Christmas' or maybe 'Santa' will turn it up :-)  I printed it out and managed to get it to print at a size to fit a punch, which is a miracle in itself!
The doily mat and banner are die-cut (Dienamics).
I should really have a count up of Christmas cards, I am onto a second box, so I must have a fair few by now :-)
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Monday 9 September 2013

Calorie free chocolate tag


I made this tag to put on a birthday card, but decided to leave it just as a tag, so it could be used as a bookmark :-)

I distress-inked a manilla tag using Antique Linen, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo, then used Tea Dye to stamp the background in crackle and bubbles designs, both from Indigo Blu.  Then I stamped the Paperartsy chocolate quote.  At that point I didn't really have a plan, but I decided it was time to have another go with texture paste because I have recently bought several masks (part of my birthday spending!).
I used a Crafters Workshop gridded square mask and applied the paste, left it to dry.  I had thought of inking over the top, but I remembered the Treasure Gold metallic wax, also bought recently, the color is Onyxite.  It looks just like chocolate!
For the 'wrapper', I used a piece of embossed metal from my bits and pieces box and folded it around the base.  Then I backed the whole thing with a blank tag, to hide the metal edges and to make it more substantial, and finished with some ribbon.
I am definitely going to make some more of this calorie-free chocolate!
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Thursday 5 September 2013

Get Well card



Oo-err!  This is a bit bright for me!  I made the bubbly background tag a while ago and decided it should go onto a card.  So I searched through some 6" pads to find co-ordinating papers and this is the result.  Simple matting and layering, with peel-off line frames, then I stamped /embossed the flower and cut out.  The flourish is die-cut and the sentiment stamped.

Background stamp - Lost Coast designs
Papers - Jillibean Soup? or maybe My Minds Eye?
Flower - Craft Stamper freebie
Flourish - Dienamics
Sentiment - Tinchies
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Tuesday 3 September 2013

52 Cards Challenge - The Big Catch Up! - week 34




The prompt for week 34 was layering.  This was an opportunity to use some previously unchristened dies LOL.

The birthday card started out as a project from the Creative Expressions book, which I can highly recommend, it has some lovely ideas.  The card blank was die-cut, as was the background, then the giant cog was embossed onto copper cardstock, had black paint applied and rubbed off, then was cut out.  After that, I went with my own stamped topper and added the die-cut cogs.  Unfortunately I need to find or make an envelope the right size..... LOL.... but I am really pleased with this one.
Card blank & mat - Grand Nestabilities Labels 4
Cog - Couture Creations 'Timepiece'
Topper stamp - La Blanche
Die-cut cogs - Cheery Lyn

The Christmas card is double matted and I pricked a border around the white mat, a bit wonky but not too bad.  I added a die-cut frame for the next layer then finished with a die-cut wreath and large snowflake, then some punched snowflakes, a sentiment tag and a few crystals.  That wreath was a devil to stick down!  I am very happy with this one as well :-)
Frame - Joy crafts
Wreath - Memory box
Snowflake - Memory box
Punched snowflakes - Martha Stewart and I think the small ones are Woodware
Sentiment tag - Stampin Up

I am now finally caught up, apart from the prompt which came out yesterday ........ LOL.
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Monday 2 September 2013

52 Cards Challenge - The Big Catch Up! - weeks 33 and 35




The prompt for week 33 was 'birthdays' and week 35 was 'thank you'.  I didn't do a Christmas one for either prompt LOL but I did make two thank you cards!

The birthday card is done in shades of gold and ivory - I stamped and embossed the vintage flower and cut it out, then inked the edges with gold.  The flourish is die-cut and split in two with the ends tucked underneath the flower, it wasn't quite long enough otherwise!  The background mat was run through a lattice embossing folder, the sentiment tag is punched.
Flower stamp - Craft stamper freebie
Embossing folder - Embossalicious
Flourish - Dienamics
Sentiment tag - Stampin' Up

The two thank you cards are made from the same 6" paper pad, but I have no idea of the brand - I am making an effort to use up all my 6-inchers and most of them don't have their covers any more.....!  I really like the way the butterflies look on the 'lachette' die-cut (no I don't know what a lachette is .... that's what they call it!).  The second card is just a simple matted background and a die-cut 'thanks'.
Lachette - Memory box or Dienamics
Butterflies - Martha Stewart
Letters - Hero Arts
Thanks - Sizzix

I think the birthday one is my favourite :-)
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Sunday 1 September 2013

52 cards - The Big Catch Up! - week 32



The prompt for week 32 was Shades of Blue.  One of my favourite colours :-)

I made a double mat for the card blank, dark blue then white on top, then embossed a snowflake background mat for the Christmas card, die-cut the scrolls (Memory Box) and punched out the snowflake (Martha Stewart) and sentiment tag (Stampin Up). 

The birthday card also has an embossed mat (not sure of the brand, it's a 6" chevron pattern).  I stamped the sentiment, die-cut the scroll, punched out the butterflies and added some pearls.  Not the best card I have ever made, but it's OK for the box :-)
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