Origami Christmas Tree

Yesterday Jules posted a brilliant tutorial on how to make an origami Christmas tree, which had been taught to her by a lady called Jo Unwin (for whom unfortunately I don't have a link.) I couldn't wait to try it, and here's the card I made with it.

I used one of the big (8" x8") square cards from Craftwork Cards for the base and stamped it with an Elusive Images stamp from the Grungy Brocade set. The patterned papers, including the one I made the tree with, and the sentiment, are all from the Artylicious Season's Greetings CDrom from Graphicus. The three little snowflakes were punched with a freebie punch which came with the December 2010 issue of Papercraft Inspirations magazine. Now, one might suppose that magazine freebies are not usually of the best quality, until one realises that this punch is made by Tonic Studios, and it actually works really well, as you can see by the detail.

I was very pleased with how the tree turned out, thanks to Jules's clear instructions, so if you fancy having a go too, hop over to Jules's blog and try it out.

In Essence...

... I've just realised it's over three weeks since I last posted anything, and that's mainly because I haven't made anything to post during the last three weeks! I was very busy with school concerts and things leading up to the end of term, but also I've been sadly lacking in inspiration. I think my mojo broke up early and went on holiday without me!

However, it came back yesterday with the delivery of the much anticipated new Artylicious CD from Glenda at Graphicus. It's called Essence of Nature, and is simply stunning, full of the most gorgeous papers and elements in wonderful colours. Glenda's best yet, IMHO. I couldn't fail to be inspired by it, but  there's so much on it that the problem was in knowing what to try first!

I love the Elusive Images Eastern Grasses stamp set, and was very pleased to find a matching backing paper on the CD. It's beautifully subtle and makes a perfect background for the stamps. I used the main image from the set as a focal point (stamped on to paper coloured with VersaMagic inks), added some of the grasses along the bottom, and embellished it with a few butterflies from the Artylicious Butterfly Bliss CD. The sentiment is computer generated (not from the CD).

Inspired not only by Glenda's brilliant CD, but also by her posts such as this one about her decluttering, I decided that whilst I've got a decent amount of time off school I should try to emulate her! My craft stuff clearout is ongoing, but I hope to have time to get that finished and then maybe make a start on the rest of the house. (Note the word "maybe"!) So my blog will probably be a bit quiet again for a while (though I'm sure I'll be tempted to stop work now and then and make some more cards with the CD!), but I will do my best to look in on everyone else's blogs when I can. Hope you are all having a good summer.

Tuesday Taggers 9th March

I haven't had much time lately for blogging, or for crafting, come to that. Unfortunately, at the moment real life is having to take priority. However, I have managed (at the last minute!) to make something for this week's Tuesday Taggers, where the theme is St. Patrick's Day. Since I don't have anything specifically to do with St. Patrick, I'm hoping a general Irish theme will be okay.

I decided (inspired by Debbie Dolphin's host of wonderful examples) to make a round easel card, which I cut with my Nestabilities. I have just bought the Celtic knot die by Joy!crafts (available from Crafts U Love ) and it seemed to be perfect for this project, mounted on to some My Mind's Eye paper. The base of the card is stamped with the Hero Arts Delicate Vine Background. The "Good Luck" stamp is one of a set of stamps free with the current (April 2010) issue of Papercraft Inspirations Magazine. The Irish Blessing & butterfly are Elusive Images from Graphicus. I finished the card with some shamrocks made from punched hearts. (Edit: I now realise, of course, that shamrocks have three lobes to the leaf, so these had better be lucky 4-leaf clovers!)

It was a bit of a rushed job (I should just about make the deadline!) but I think it turned out okay in the end.

Sir Stampalot Special Challenge

Here is my entry for the Sir Stampalot Special Challenge, hosted by Brenda. The challenge is to celebrate Sir Stampalot's relocation to new premises, and so the theme is "Moving", which is open to interpretation.

My card has two "moving" elements. Firstly, the main flower picture has been moved from its original location by image transfer, and secondly, inside the card there is a pop-up.

For the image transfer I used one of my own photos. With my graphics programme I altered the colour and toned down the background, and then printed it out on to photo-quality inkjet paper to give a good clear print. I'd never tried image transfer before, so I followed the instuctions given in the February 2010 issue of Craft Stamper. I did the acrylic paint method, which was very easy and worked a treat. One might ask why I didn't just use the original photo! Well, I wanted to try image transfer, and also I wanted the softer look which the method provides. And, of course, it was a way of interpreting the theme. I was very pleased with the result.

The background was splattered with ink and stamped with a flourish by Crafty Individuals. A Hero Arts butterfly and word by Inkadinkado completed the front of the card. Inside I used the Hero Arts Dandelion frame, more Hero Arts butterflies, grasses by Elusive Images from Graphicus and a sentiment stamp which I've had so long I can't remember who it's by!

Allsorts Challenge Week 34

The Allsorts challenge for this week is a sketch, by Emma. Since I still had the Hero Arts flourish stamp out on my desk, I thought I'd use it on this card too. This time I stamped it on glossy card with Versamark ink, which then resisted the Distress Inks I sponged over it. The four printed paper panels are old stash (very old! - from Provocraft pre-Cuttlebug!) and the butterfly, which I thought echoed the leaves in the flourish rather well, is Elusive Images from Graphicus. The sentiment is computer generated and cut out with Nestabilities frames. I coloured the punched flowers and leaves with Promarkers.

Well, that's two challenges in two days I've completed! It's unlikely I'll be able to keep going at such a rate, but I mean to do as many as I can.

New challenges!

Another of my crafting aims for the new year is to start entering some challenges. I didn't really have the time to do so last year, but I'm making a start here with a card for Tuesday Taggers. The theme for this week is "Classic Black and White".

The flourish stamp is by Hero Arts, and the butterfly and sentiment are Elusive Images from Graphicus. I used two Martha Stewart punches, the Simple Scallop, and the gorgeous new Pop Up Butterflies. The bonus with the latter is that you get lots of little punched-out butterflies left over, so I stuck a few amongst the swirls, having coloured them black with a Promarker. The sentiment was cut out with a Nestabilities frame.

Working to a brief like this is a bit outside my comfort zone, but it will do me good! I did enjoy the challenge.

Altered photo frame, and a Light Tip!

My altered photo frame is finished! This is what it looked like originally. I gave the frame and base a couple of coats of gesso, and then sponged the base with Ranger Acrylic Dabbers. I picked up some of the paint on a fine paint brush and dotted it on to give the effect of flowers.Next I stamped the frame with various Elusive Images stamps from Graphicus, and dotted a few flowers on there too. The butterflies and toadstools (also Elusive Images) were made with shrink plastic & coloured with Promarkers. The photo frame, which is about 5" tall, came from Hobbycraft.

Now it looks like this!

The photo, by the way, is of the Black Water of Dee where it flows through part of the Galloway Forest Park, Dumfries and Galloway. That particular spot is known as the Otter Pool. We visited there a few years ago, and it's a most beautiful place. Do click on the picture to see the larger version.

During these dark and gloomy winter days, I've seen various people lamenting that they cannot get a good photo of their projects because of the lack of light. Here's a tip which might help. I use an energy saving high power (20w) daylight craft bulb in my desk lamp. It's made by the Daylight Company and is available directly from them or from Hobbycraft. It comes in bayonet or screw fitting, and although it's quite expensive (around £10) it's definitely worth every penny. It does have extra long life (claimed to last up to 8 times longer than a normal bulb - I can't verify that because I'm still on my first one, but I've had it quite a long time!) so really it's reasonably economical, and of course, environmentally friendly.

It gives a bright, white light close to normal daylight, so apart from the fact that it makes photography much easier, it's also a far better light for working under, meaning that your colours look natural and reducing eye strain. I might add that I have no connection with the Daylight Company whatsoever, but I do highly recommend these bulbs. I hope this information will be helpful.

Christmas things

Well, I managed to get everything finished in time to catch the last posting date. Phew! Now that I know that some of them have reached their intended recipients, I can post them here. The Inkadinkado Angel has been one of my favourite Christmas stamps this year. I've kept this card quite simple so as not to detract from the image, which I've embossed with kaleidoscope EP. The greeting is by Craftwork Cards

Here's the angel again, stamped over "Silent Night" by Magnolia. The printed picture is from CraftyIndividuals' Christmas Miniatures book.

Next a few cards inspired by one of the beautiful samples on Sue Nelson's HeartPrints gallery. I liked the simplicity of it. (I needed something quick to do!) The one on the left has a Cuttlebug background and Nestabilities frames, and the image is from Woodware. The one on the right uses a background paper from the Elusive Images "Season's Greetings" CD from Graphicus. Nestie frames again. The image is one I've had for years, by PSX.  Same details for the third card, except that the image is from Woodware. The greetings on all three cards are computer generated.

When we went to the Sir Stampalot demo day, I was really taken with Brenda's    little decorated tins. I bought some blank ones to have a go at doing my own. Here's the one I made for my daughter's mum-in-law. It's coloured with alcohol inks, then stamped and embossed on top. The stamp is by Craftwork Cards. Inside I've put little photos of her three grandchildren, two of whom are also mine!

We will be going up to stay with them for Christmas, so no food shopping or cooking for me to do! I'll be on grandma duties so that my daughter can get on with things, and that's just fine by me!

Anyway, this will probably be my last post before Christmas, so to everyone in Blogland, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and a very happy and peaceful New Year.

Meadow

Taking the colour removal technique a step further, I made this.



Using encaustic art card, the background was sponged with Distress inks, then the honesty seed pods were stamped in black and clear-embossed. I was thus able to remove the colour from them using a damp paintbrush without the water overflowing on to the rest of the background. I did the same for the campion flower near the centre, but having removed the background colour I then painted the flower with Distress inks. The remaining elements were simply stamped with Versamagic inks.

The picture was mounted on to an 8" x 8" card from Craftwork Cards, from where also came the background paper and the butterfly greeting. The butterfly was coloured with a Promarker. All stamps are Elusive Images from Graphicus, except for the trees in the background. The tiny fir trees are by Stampscapes, and the other tree is from Lavinia Stamps.

Butterflies 2

As I said in my previous post, the dearth of butterflies in our garden has prompted me to put some on my cards instead.


A fairly simple one to begin with. I didn't want too much to detract from the main image, which is an old Penny Black stamp from 1999, but still one of my favourites. I coloured it with Promarkers (my first attempt with them!)


This one uses an Inkadinkadoo stamp. The butterfly is diecut & mounted with the Cuttlebug, with my Martha Stewart punch for the borders.


Next a set of four Hero Arts patterned butterflies, stamped over My Mind's Eye papers.



Another criss-cross card, using papers from the Butterfly Bliss CD from Graphicus. The stamps are Elusive Images, also from Graphicus, except for the sentiment which is by Rubber Stamp Tapestry. The white butterfly, which appears when the insert is removed, is punched.


Finally, a mini landscape card. I cut a square mask, along with a few butterflies, and then sponged over them with pigment inks to make a background, adding the stamped images (Elusive Images) after removing the butterflies but before removing the square. The result was then cut out and embossed on the Cuttlebug, before being mounted on to a card stamped with more Elusive Images (from the Wild Meadow set). Of the five, I think this is my favourite. I may not have many butterflies in my garden these days, but they'll never be far away from my cards!

It's arrived!

My blog candy prize (the Elusive Images Damask Blocks) arrived this morning! Fortunately I had chance to play with them straightaway (couldn't wait!) and so here's the first card I've made. The background is from the Damask Backgrounds set, and the butterfly from the Artylicious Butterfly Bliss CD. All from Graphicus of course.



Very quick and simple, but isn't that damask shadow block utterly gorgeous?!

Blog Candy winner!!

That's me! I'm still pinching myself! I have won some Elusive Images candy from Graphicus! One of my favourite stamp ranges, no less. Eagle-eyed viewers will have noticed my new blog header - made with Elusive Images stamps (by kind permission of Glenda - see copyright note on sidebar) in honour of the event! I've never won anything like this before, and I'm chuffed to bits! I don't know yet what my prize will be, except that it will be one of the new stamp sets being released this week. Can't wait to see them, as I think I will get to choose.

Watch this space!

Challenging!

Well, here's my entry for Phill's blog candy Challenge. This one certainly exercised my brain! The criteria seemed simple enough, except that no die cutting tools were to be used, although punches were allowed. So no Cuttlebug! Hmmm. It had to be square, use a Penny Black stamp, ribbons and fibres, matting and layering, and spring colours.

It's taken me until now, less than two hours before the deadline, to come up with something that (hopefully!) fits. The base card is one of the BIG 8" squares from Craftwork Cards. The bird is the Penny Black stamp, the tree and blossom are Elusive Images from Graphicus. The flowers are punched from pearlescent paper and overstamped with the polka dots. They have glitter glue centres. The die cut butterfly is also from Craftwork Cards (ie. not cut by me!) and the quote on the left was printed on to acetate via my computer.



The finished card turned out nothing like I had envisaged it to begin with, and it's unlike anything I've done before, but then I guess that's what a challenge is all about!

Pink! And blog candy!

Here's another card to go with my three previous ones. Same rules. Pink, I have to say, is not my favourite colour. But that was the colour of the papers I had to work with, and I must admit I'm actually quite pleased with the result. The sketch didn't seem the most exciting to begin with, but in fact its simplicity turned out to be its strength.

The flower stamps are Elusive Images by Graphicus. The word is by Starving Artistamps. The ribbon was a free gift, as were the papers.



Now for the blog candy! I'm going to give away some background papers. 50 random sheets of 6" x 6". I'll pick them from various manufacturers, eg. Papermania, Crafty Individuals, Basic Grey, K & Co, etc. I may throw in a couple of unmounted stamps as well, or other bits & pieces.

Posting a comment here will gain you one entry. You can get another by posting a link to a picture of a card you have made with magazine free gift papers! For a third entry, become a follower of this blog. (Current followers will automatically qualify for the extra entry if they leave a comment here.) If you'd care to put a link on your blog to this blog candy, your name will go into the draw for the fourth time. (NB. You don't have to do all of these, only those you'd like to!) I'll put all the entries received by the May Day bank holiday (May 4th) in a hat, get an independent person to make the selection & will post to the winner anywhere in the world.

Time to Play

At last I've had chance to spend some more time playing with my Nestabilities, and here are some of the results. The geometric shapes are great for framing, and I particularly like the effect of the plain circle with the scalloped circle border. I've used these on the first card to frame some Elusive Images flowers from Graphicus. I stamped three different sizes and layered them with sticky pads, curling the edges of the petals slightly on the top two layers. The background is made with a Cuttlebug embossing folder, and the sentiment and butterfly stamps are also from Graphicus.



The next card is a quick and easy one. The Hydrangea stamp, by Anna Griffin, is mounted simply over sheer ribbon. The background is a printed paper and a stamped sentiment adds the finishing touch.



The final card of this set is quite unlike anything I've done before. Big and bold is not my usual style at all! However, it's growing on me. The background is sponged and then stamped with my favourite Crafty Individuals flourish, and the printed paper and butterfly and dragonfly stamps are also from Crafty Individuals. I was lucky to get the Spellbinders Celtic-style "Kelly" alphabet set at a much reduced price from Once Upon a Stamp. I think it complements the flowers beautifully.



I'll be demonstrating these examples at my next class.

Posting links in blogs - a great tip from Glenda

Glenda, from Graphicus, has posted a great tip on her Artylicious blog. She shows a really easy way to put a link in a blog post comment, by copying & pasting from your own blog. But if you don't have a blog, how can you do it?

This is how to do it if you don't have your own blog.

The HTML code for posting a link is as follows. I have had to split the characters on to different lines otherwise they would display as a link (or not at all), instead of the code, but they should follow on from each other all in one line. Between a and href there is a space (ie. leave a space, don't type the word 'space', or the brackets!), but no spaces anywhere else.

<
a
(space)
href
=
"
"
>
<
/
a
>

I keep that written down so I can refer to it whenever I want to post a link.

Between the two sets of quotation marks, you put the URL of the page you want to link to. The URL is the "address" of the page and begins http:// In Internet Explorer and Firefox it's usually found near the top and towards the left of the screen. Copy the URL & paste it between the quotation marks.

The URL of Glenda's blog is http://artylicious.wordpress.com/ So I would insert that in between the " and " like this

"http://artylicious.wordpress.com/"

Now here's the clever bit. If I want the link to look like this - Here's Glenda's blog - I have to insert those words between the two opposing arrows >< which come after the final quotation mark.

Like this >Here's Glenda's blog<

Then the link will look like this (hopefully!)
Here's Glenda's blog

I hope this helps (and that it displays correctly when I post it!). I tried an earlier version but it came out as gobbledegook. Let me know if it works!

Great minds think alike!

For some time now I've been tempted by the Spellbinders Nestabilities dies to use with my Cuttlebug. On Friday afternoon I was looking at them on Once Upon A Stamp's website and got as far as adding a couple of sets to my basket. Then I thought that, rather than buy them online, since their shop is only half an hour's drive away from here I might just as well go up there on Saturday morning & get some without having to wait for them to come in the post. On Friday evening Sally sent me an email. She said "I've been thinking of getting some Nestabilities. Do you fancy going up to Once Upon A Stamp to get some?" We had not mentioned them to each other before then.

Naturally my reply was in the affirmative, and on Saturday morning off we went for our spot of retail therapy. We each bought three sets (good discount on four or more sets so we put them together) the embossing mats to go with them (these also enable embossing with brass stencils in the Cuttlebug) and some Distress inkpads. The Nestabilities are brilliant and work really well with the Cuttlebug.

Had a play with them today, & so far just had time to make one card. It's something of a departure from my usual style, but I quite like it. I used some Elusive Images stamps from Graphicus and a Cuttlebug butterfly embossing folder. The patterned layer behind the embossed butterfly is a background paper from the Artylicious "Butterfly Bliss" CDrom, also from Graphicus.

Plum and Gold

This is my first ever card made specifically for a challenge, in this case the Graphicus Monthly Challenge. The colour scheme for January is Plum and Gold. I made the background with alcohol inks and Krylon gold pen, then stamped and embossed the fern leaf from the Elusive Images "Wild Meadow" plate. The same stamp was used on the edges of the card. The text was made with a label maker.

I really enjoyed making this card for the challenge, & look forward now to next month's!

Harlequin Rose

I've just bought the latest plate from Graphicus, Harlequin Rose. It's so beautiful I couldn't resist it. Had to try it out straightaway, and here's the result. I sponged the background with pigment inks, stamped the image in black and then highlighted the rose and leaves using a damp brush to pick up some colour from the inkpads. The border along the bottom is part of the set. It will be so versatile and will work well with many of my other stamps. I felt the card needed a simple embellishment to finish it off, so I added a sheer ribbon bow, tied between two eyelets.