Pink Santa

Afternoon everyone, it is yet another rainy day here, so I'm making Christmas cards again.  I've recently joined a lovely Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1834318580126213/?ref=group_header, called make one Christmas card every week throughout 2017 challenge.  There are lots of competitions, themes, etc, and everyone in the group is so positive.

So this is a card I made for last weeks theme Santa/Father Christmas.

Think I went a bit OTT with this one, lol.  All the papers I've used were downloaded from Pinterest, I've then re-coloured (don't know if that is even a word) them and re-sized.  I've distressed all the edges using a scissors and then added glitter flakes.

The largest snowflake was cut on my Silhouette Cameo and the others were from Aliexpress.  I cut them all in white card and used spray adhesive to add some iridescent glitter.

I made my poinsettias using my own template with white foamiran and coloured them lightly with a blue oil pastel (colour doesn't show at all in pic).  I have used Sue Wilson Pine Cone and Greenery die set behind the poinsettias and finished off with some little pine cones I bought in Hobbycraft (modelling section) I think they were around £3, and I've coloured them with some tippex.  I added a pink organza bow, which I have 'shabbied' by heating with my heat gun.

The stamped sentiment is a wooden Penny Black stamp I've had in my stash for years.

Thanks so much for looking today and any comments you may leave.

Maria

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Christmas Church

Afternoon everyone, it's a fab sunny day here and I'm making Christmas cards again, lol.  Never mind keeps me happy.

I've used white pearlescent and silver mirri card but started with a 8" x 8" scalloped card blank (purchased in The Range).

The die I have used for my background and the frame around my church is Sue Wilson Swirly Vine Die Set.  

I've cut the Church die several times so that I've got lots of extra trees to layer and I then fussy cut some silver mirri card to back the church and topped the roof with some glass glitter.

To finish off I've cut lots of Ivy and outlined it with a silver gel pen, added a bow with some silver ribbon and put some silver pearls in each corner, also in each corner of the frame.

Inside I've used a wooden Penny Black stamp (that I've had in my stash for years) for the sentiment and added more of the ivy in each corner and I've also added the lamppost using a little colour on it by using a silver gel pen.

Hayley Green has commented on the previous post to inform me that she has received her goodies from my giveaway, I'm glad your happy with it all Hayley, happy crafting.

Thanks for looking today and any comments you may leave, I really appreciate it.

Maria

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Foamiran Lilies

Afternoon, looks like we're going to have some sunshine here for the bank holiday, although I won't see much of it, I'll be crafting (I've a few orders to catch up on).  The card I'm sharing today was made last week and I intended to send it to the winner of my craft giveaway to thank them for following my blog.  Hayley Green was the name picked out of the hat but unfortunately Hayley still hasn't been in contact, so I'll give her a few more days and if she hasn't contacted me by Wednesday I'll draw another name.

The background paper I have used was a free download, unfortunately I can't remember where from as I have had it on my laptop for a few years, but at the end of the post I'll list some of my favourite blogs for lovely papers.  Feel free to take a copy of the one below.

I have made the lilies out of white foamiran and coloured them with oil pastels and pro markers.  The white frame and eastern trellis were cut using my silhouette cameo and I printed the 'with thanks' on my laptop and cut the banner freehand.

For the papers I've used a scissors to lightly distress the edges and then used tumbled glass and spun sugar distress inks.  I've used the same paper inside the card and then add a die cut shape to add a message.

Thanks so much for looking and any comments you may leave.  These are lovely blogs I follow that offer lots of beautiful free  downloads.

www.lilac-n-lavender.blogspot.co.uk

www.thegraphicsfairy.com

www.olddesignshop.com

www.farfarhill.blogspot.co.uk

www.vintagedigistamps.blogspot.co.uk

www.vintagedigistamps.blogspot.co.uk

Maria

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Winner of giveaway

Hi everyone, apologies for not posting much in the last week but I had a specialist app. on Tuesday and my uncles funeral yesterday.

The winner of the giveaway is Hayley Green, please can you either email me your postal address thechef@tiscali.co.uk  or message me on Facebook.

Congratulations HAYLEY GREEN.


Maria


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Motorbike card

Afternoon everyone, I've got a quick card to share which has probably been the most frustrating thing I've ever made, I struggle so much with mens cards.

This card is for my Brother who recently treated himself to a motorbike (mid-life crisis me thinks, hope he doesn't see this, lol).

I started by searching for some free motorbike emblems and took them into my graphics programme to create a backing paper (feel free to download a copy if you wish).

I trimmed the sheet and used tumbled glass distress ink around the edges and matted it onto some blue card and then used foam tape to layer it onto a 8" x 8" white card blank.  I also downloaded some maps from https://freevintagedigistamps.blogspot.co.uk nd cut a strip of a map and layered it behind some of the blue card which I had die cut using Sue Wilson Stitched Lattice Frames.  I also used the map behind my die-cut motorbike, which I purchased from Aliexpress.

For the tags I die cut some small rectangles and cut the tag ends by hand, then stamped the greetings in vintage sepia versafine ink, using some free stamps from a magazine.

And inside matt & layered with the same paper & card.

Let's hope he likes it, thanks for looking and any comments you may leave.

Maria

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Crafty Giveaway

Afternoon everyone, last week I got the wrong size glue sticks delivered and I thought, rather than return them, I would pass them onto someone else that could make use of them.  I wouldn't just give glue sticks though, so I've made up a load of goodies including - Hunkydory toppers & papers, 100 7mm x 100mm hot glue sticks, Kanban frames, glitter, stamps, dies, embossing folders, a piece of red foamiran, stamens, Crafters Companion Enveloper Pro & some ribbon. I  Couldn't really get everything into the pic.

There's much more than the pic shows.

So to be in with a chance of winning my crafty giveaway it would be really nice if you could become a follower of my blog (if you are not already) but this isn't obligatory.  Just leave a comment on any post between now and next Wednesday, I'll then put the names in a hat and pick someone randomly, so don't forget to check this blog next Thursday 24th August when I'll announce the winner, good luck.

A few more picks from yesterdays card.

Thanks for looking and any comments you may leave.

Maria

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Foamiran Poinsettia Step By Step

Afternoon everyone, I decided to write this blog post because every time I post a pic of a card on groups on facebook that has poinsettias on it, people always ask how I make them.  I am, by no means an expert and there are some fantastic facebook groups - foamiran flower lovers being one, where there are amazing flower examples.  For this card I've used some red poinsettias and I'll pop all the details on the blog tomorrow, along with details of how you can get a goody box with 100 glue sticks in my giveaway.

I started making poinsettias with my dies but have found that when I heat or manipulate the foamiran, the centres become so small that it's impossible to put stamens through.

As you can see by the above pic, the one I've heated is in my hand.

So I had a play around until I was happy and drew out a template, where I have kept the centre of the flowers large enough for the stamens to be pulled through.  The template below can be saved and printed out, it should be 3" x 3", easy to do if you have serif craft artist or my craft studio, If your just printing from windows the just choose the nearest pic size.

So I started with a sheet of red foamiran from Foamiran World and it really is a lovely 'true colour' Christmas red, I've drawn around the template, covering the whole sheet.

I then coloured the centres and some edges of the leaves with a yellow oil pastel (quite randomly).

 This foamiran can be manipulated slightly without heat, but I've found the best results by heating.  I put my iron on low (no water, lol).  I then just press the flower against the hot plate (use tweezers if you need to) only for a second or two.

 Then fold the petals in on themselves and give it a twist.  I try and be quite gentle doing this because I'm quite heavy handed and have torn a few.

 Open out the flower.

 Then lightly stretch the petals into the shape you want.

 When your happy with the shape, use a dab of hot glue (off centre) to stick two together, so that the petals are showing on both flowers, then using a poky tool pierce a hole through the centre.

Foamiran Poinsettia Step By Step 2

Then take a bunch of stamens, I just give the ends a little twist and can usually manage to feed them through the centre, although this can be fiddly.

If you find this too fiddly, you could twist some thin wire around the end of the bunch and then feed them through.

Whichever way I feed the stamens through the flower, I always finish by putting a dab of hot glue at the back of the flower, to ensure the stamens are secure.

Very, very long post, but hope it's explained easily enough for those of you that have asked.  Thanks so much for looking and any comments you may leave, I'll give details of the giveaway tomorrow at some point.

Maria

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Reindeer & Snowflakes

Afternoon, I hadn't planned on posting any cards today as I'm in the middle of making three customer orders, but that went up in smoke (literally, lol) as my glue gun blew up.  I've got an old glue gun but it typically takes the larger glue sticks, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to finish them off.

So I've got a few quick cards to share with you.

This card couldn't be simpler, I've started with a sheet of a4 black card and sprayed it with spray & sparkle pearl diamond by Crafters Companion (got a slight addiction to this stuff, love it!).  When dry I folded the card in half to make a a5 card blank and layered with gold mirri.  I then cut lots of snowflakes out of goldmirri and arranged them until I was happy, stuck them down and cut off all the overhanging edges.  I also cut the reindeer out of gold mirri.  The black ribbon was some I found lurking in the bottom of my ribbon box and then I added a few of the gold bells.

My second card was even quicker, again I used a a5 card, then layered it with some gold glitter card I had in my stash (unfortunately the glitter doesn't show at all in the pic).

I then cut a piece of a5 pearlescent card I used the decorative die and cut the card from the top, then bottom.  I cut the Merry Christmas die out of the same gold glitter card and glued it to the centre, I finished it off by adding little pearls to each corner.

Thanks for looking and any comments you may leave.

Maria

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Christmas Window

Afternoon everyone, yet another miserable day here, so having yet another crafting day, lol (any excuse).  I found the little image free on Pinterest and just thought of a window card.

I started by making a 91/2" x 51/2" tent fold card, then layered some pale blue merry Christmas paper from Hearts designs Bettie & Berties Christmas digi kit (doesn't really show in pic), and I,ve used tumbled glass distress ink around the edges.

I've taken my image into craft artist, sized it to approx. 5" square, then printed, cut and added some glamour dust to the snow.  I then cut a piece of acetate the same size and used beads of silicone glue to attatch it to the front of the image, giving it a little bit of depth.

I then cut a 5" square frame in white card (using Spellbinders large square nestabilities, but any square nesting dies would do the same job) and also 2 really thin pieces of card for the middle of the window (can't think what it's called, lol) and stuck these onto the acetate, again with silicone glue.

I then used this die to add to the top and bottom of the window, I don't have the link for the one I bought but you can get the same from Aliexpress.  I cut and embossed the ivy in the same white card and added glamour dust around the edges.

The sentiment I've used, at the top of the card is Merry Little Christmas die from Sue Wilson.

I have also used the Woodland Collection - Pine Cone & Greenery and Berry Bough from the Festive Collection by Sue Wilson and I've added berries and some little cones I picked up in Hobbycraft (modelling section).

And inside I've used the same die and added a few pearls.

Thanks for looking and any comments you may leave.

Maria

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Get Well Wishes

Morning all, today I'm sharing a card I have made for a lady in one of my cardmaking groups.

I've used a 8" x 8" white card blank and matt & layered with papers from Pretty Posy & Botanical Notes paper pads and they are both by First Edition, I've had these in my stash a while but I think I bought them from The Range.

I've slightly distressed both papers with a scissors and then blended spun sugar distress ink around the edges.  I have also stamped onto the polka dot paper with spund sugar distress ink using a script rubber stamp.

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and I've die cut Berry Bough and Lace Edged Leaves dies by Sue Wilson In various shades of green and on the berry boughs I've coloured the berries in white.  The pink shimmering berries were from Aliexpress.

I created the sentiment in Craft Artist and the frame is Stockholm from the Scandinavian Collection, also by Sue Wilson.

I love this white ribbon, I bought it from Aliexpress and at 96p for 5 yards I think it's an amazing bargain.  My little pearls were also another bargain from Aliexpress at 77p for 400.

I've used the same papers inside the card and also the same frame, the corners are a Marianne Design die that I've had for many years and the little butterfly is an x-cut die.

Many thanks for taking the time to look and for any comments you may leave.

Maria

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Foamiran Poinsettias

Morning all, it's still absolutely vile weather here, so heating on and huddled in my craft room.  This card was made around the oval frame, which I found when I was clearing out my scrap 'boxes', lol.

The card I've started with a 8" x 8" blank and the backing papers are from Hearts Designs ~ Hearts & Roses Christmas digi kit and I've used tumbled glass distress ink around the edges.  I've matted this backing paper onto white card and edged it with glitter flakes.

The sentiment was also printed and cut from the same digi kit and my frame was cut using my cameo silhouette.  I then sprayed the frame with glue and covered that with the glitter flakes too.

The poinsettias were cut out of white foamiran and I've used Pentel oil pastels to add a little bit of colour, I purchased these from the works.  All the stamens were bought from Aliexpress.

The cute little ice skates were printed from Betty & Berties Christmas digi kit, again by Hearts Designs and the white foliage is a die by Sue Wilson called Berry Bough.

I've used some white raffia for the bow and used Pine Cone & Greenery die set

for the foliage, the pine cones were cut in pale grey metallic card and I've inked through the die with moonlit white Brilliance ink to give the appearance of snow.

For inside I've used the same backing paper then used Spellbinders labels 1 for the frames.

I've again cut the cute ice skates and berry bough die and I've also used a Woodware holly punch.

The sentiment is Merry Little Christmas die by Sue Wilson.

Thanks for looking and any comments you may leave.

Maria

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Sue Wilson Christmas Dies

Morning, it's still pouring with rain here, totally miserable weather, I've actually got my heating on, sooo cold.  I'm ok though, still making tonnes of Christmas cards, I suppose, like a lot of crafters, it's like therapy, I've been off work since January with a lung condition, so too much time on my hands, lol, but not long now until I see the specialist later this month.

I'm really not sure about the colour on the two cards I'm sharing today.

For this one I used up some muted gold glitter card I had in my stash and then used spray adhesive onto cream card and added some iridescent glitter.

I have used the following Sue Wilson dies  -  Festive Collection~Merry Little Christmas & Berry Bough, Woodland Collection~Pine Cone & Greenery & Finishing Touchess~Lace Edged Leaves.

The ribbon is silky crush from Creative Expressions.

I found the little bells in my stash but I think they were bought from the range.

And inside I've used a Spellbinders die, matted onto the gold card and the sentiment is a wooden Penny Black stamp.

For this second card I've used some snowflake stamps that cost £2 in Hobbycraft to stamp the background and I've used the following Sue Wilson dies  -  The Scandinavian Collection~Stockholm and Festive Collection~Poinsettia Additions.

Thanks for looking and any comments you may leave.

Maria

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