Never give up....

Good Morning Everyone

It's a rainy, windy day (so far!) here in Nottingham,.. there'll be no sitting in the garden looking at my lovely new garden centre purchases today! lol

Anyway, this is another one of my sample cards from my shows on Create & Craft....

This is what I used:
Cream 8x8 Card Blank
Cream Card
Teal Card 
Sentimentally Yours Quotes of Inspiration Collection A5 Stamp Set
Creative Expressions A4 Cascading Hearts Embossing Folder
Teal Ribbon
Pearl Embellishment
Self Adhesive Pearls
Spellbinders Blooms Four Dies
Spellbinders Grand Decorative Ovals Dies
Spellbinders Les Papillions Two Dies
Broken China Distress Ink


This is what I did:
I won't rattle on about matting and layering as you can see what I did from the photo...
The second layer is teal card.
The third layer is cream card. I used the Grand Decorative Oval dies to create the centre aperture.
This layer was them embossed using the Cascading Hearts Embossing Folder through my Grand Calibur.
(this layer is on the card with 3d foam pads to give height and dimension) :-)
The centre topper was creating using a smaller die from the grand decorative labels, this meant I would be able to see more of the teal card behind,
I stamped one of the sentiments from my Sentimentally Yours Quotes of Inspiration set, using the broken china distress ink (The flourish in the centre is part of the sentiment,.. snazzy eh :-)
I then die cut lots of the flowers from the blooms four dies and then two butterflies in cream card.
The flowers are stunning aren't they, I love them, it's so easy to shape them like this, I just twisted the petals into themselves using my tweezers.
I've used full round pretend pearls in the centre of my flowers, but normal self adhesive ones would be ok :-)
I finished off with my signature upside down triple bow in teal ribbon.
Popped a pearl embellishment in the centre and job done.. easy peasy :-) 
TOP TIP - I've used cream linen card on my project, if you want to stamp onto linen card with distress inks, use the reverse side, it's smoother, but still has a little texture showing through and you'll get better stamping results

You'll find most of the products I used on my show on my website here.. 

You'll find the full range of Polished Silk Glitters here..

Hope you like it :-)

Just a note....

Good Morning Everyone

It's now stopped raining and the sun is shining! :-)

This is another one of my sample cards from my shows on Create & Craft....

This is what I used:
Kraft 8x8 Card Blank
Cream Card
Kraft Card 
Sentimentally Yours Circle Frame & Flourish Collection A5 Stamp Set
Sentimentally Yours Damask Background and Damask Borders & Icons A6 Stamp Sets
Cosmic Shimmer Ivory Pearl PVA
Medium Dazzlers
Sue Wilson A4 Quilted Flower Embossing Folder
Spellbinders Gold Labels Dies
Brown Ribbon


This is what I did:
I won't rattle on about matting and layering as you can see what I did from the photo...
The second layer is cream card and I have stamped a random (ish) pattern using the largest and smallest of the Damask Icon stamps,.. the smaller has been stamped as a second generation (lighter tone of the same ink)
The third layer is kraft card and I have used the Ivory Pearl pva to create faux pearls all the way around.
The fourth layer cream card and I have stamped the damask background stamp in the centres, just enough to show through the aperture :-).
The fifth layer is kraft card, embossed using the quilted flower embossing folder. I have also cut an aperture in this using the gold labels dies. (Aperture was cut first)
I then die cut a layer in kraft card and a layer in cream card, stamped the sentiment onto the cream card.
I also used autumn bronze gilding wax around the edges (gives a beautiful pearlescent sheen!)
All edges were distressed, apart from the actual card and the kraft and cream layer :-)
The layers are difficult to see on the photo, but I have created dimension using foam pads.
I finished off with my signature upside down triple bow in brown ribbon.
Popped a medium dazzler in the centre and job done.. easy peasy :-) 
TOP TIP - Save time and do the faux pearls with the pva beforehand, to give them time to set properly.

You'll find most of the products I used on my show on my website here.. 

You'll find the full range of Polished Silk Glitters here..

Hope you like it!

Believe in yourself......

Good Morning Everyone

This is another one of my sample cards from my shows on Create & Craft....
(Now, aren't you impressed,.... I've blogged for the last 5 days in a row!) lol

This is what I used:
Cream 8x8 Card Blank
Beige Card
Tan Card 
Sentimentally Yours Quotes of Inspiration Collection A5 Stamp Set
Cosmic Shimmer Gunmetal Polished Silk Glitter
Medium Dazzlers
Double Sided Adhesive Sheet
Spellbinders Radiant Rectangle Dies
Couture Creations Large Joes Garden Embossing Folder
Brown Ribbon
5mm Pearls


This is what I did:
I won't rattle on about matting and layering as you can see what I did from the photo...
The 8x8 card blank was trimmed to an 8x6.
The second layer is beige card.
The third layer is tan card.
The fourth layer is beige card and it was covered in the self adhesive sheet and dusted with the beautiful gunmetal polished silk glitter (my new fave glitter!!), this is a much softer glitter than those we usually see, still has sparkle, but understated and classy. 
This piece of glittered card was then embossed with the Joes Garden embossing folder... It looks amazing! and even better than the photo in 'real life'.
The embossed, glittered card, feels like velvet and none of the glitter rubs off!
I then die cut the centre frame and oval layers from the Radiant Rectangles die set, making sure I had a tan base layer and cream layers to go on top.
I stamped the sentiment onto cream card, using black memento ink, using te masking technique to cover the frame so I only got the words (see my previous posts on how to do this)
I made a border of the tan and beige card, then pierced the top and bottom of the tan border..
The die cut rectangles are on layers of foam pads, to add height and dimension.
I finished off my my signature upside down triple bow and tails :-) and a sparkly dazzler, with a few pearls on the edges of the border.
TOP TIP - You can make beautiful glittered layers and borders on your projects by using double sided tape, rather than doing a full top layer as I have. The glitter is super fine, like a powder, so it does go a long, long way!

The Quotes of Inspiration stamps are perfect for adding meaningful words to our projects,... I love words on cards, they make them (I think) so much more elegant :-)
And remember, you don't have to use them with the frames around them (see my previous posts on how to mask off the frames) 

You'll find most of the products I used on my show on my website here.. 

You'll find the full range of Polished Silk Glitters here..

Hope you like it!

Always believe that something wonderful will happen....

Good Morning Everyone

This is another one of my sample cards from my shows on Create & Craft....

This is what I used:
Cream Card Blank
Cream Card (about 3 sheets!)
Iced Spruce Distress Ink Pad
Sentimentally Yours Quotes of Inspiration Collection A5 Stamp Set
Cosmic Shimmer Sahara Gold Polished Silk Glitter
Medium Dazzlers
Double Sided Adhesive Sheet
Spellbinders Radiant Rectangle Dies
Couture Creations Large Joes Garden Embossing Folder
That Special Touch Ivy Mask
Sage Ribbon 


This is what I did:
I won't rattle on about matting and layering as you can see what I did from the photo.
The second layer of cream card was covered in the self adhesive sheet and dusted with the beautiful sahara gold polished silk glitter (my new fave glitter!!), this is a much softer glitter than those we usually see, still has sparkle, but understated and classy.
On the third layer, I inked through the Ivy mask with the iced spruce distress ink to give it a lovely background. I then pierced the top and bottom sides of this layer (not all the way around) :-)
The fourth layer was cut to size to fit the embossing folder, then I did some very gentle distressing of the edges (ha ha) just to bring all the layers, so far, together.
I then die cut the centre frame and oval layers from the Radiant Rectangles die set, inked through the dies whilst they were still in place, with the iced spruce distress ink.
I stamped the sentiment onto cream card, using the iced spruce distress ink, and cut it out (made easy by the fact that I have left double borders on nearly all of my sentiment stamps!), I then used a quickie glue pen to add a border of the sahara gold glitter.
I made a border of the sage ribbon and stuck this through the middle of the embossed layer.
The first frame die cut is attached to the embossed layer flat, using cosmic shimmer glue, then the layers on top of this are all on 3d foam pads.
The sentiment is actually on a double layer of 2mm foam pads, giving it a 4mm height,.. this makes the focus of the card the words (when you see it in real life, it's really more obvious)
I finished off my my signature upside down triple bow and tails :-) 
TOP TIP - Save all your scraps of ribbon, they make perfect tails for your cards, without having to cut up more from a reel or full length :-)

The Quotes of Inspiration stamps are perfect for adding meaningful words to our projects,... I love words on cards, they make them (I think) so much more elegant :-)
And remember, you don't have to use them with the frames around them (see my previous posts on how to mask off the frames) 

You'll find most of the products I used on my show on my website here.. 

Hope you like this one - I love the colour scheme! 

Delightful Damask ....

Good Morning Everyone

This is another one of my sample cards from my shows on Create & Craft and one of the demos I did...

This is what I used:
White 8x8 Card Blank
Black Card
White Card
Shaded Lilac Distress Ink Pad
Sentimentally Yours Circle Frames and Flourish Collection A5 Stamp Set
Sentimentally Yours Damask Borders & Icons A6 Stamp Set
Cosmic Shimmer Glitter Jewels Glacier Ice
Black Sparklers
Spellbinders Die Gold Majesty Circles
White Pearls
Black Pearls
Lilac Ribbon 


This is what I did:
I won't rattle on about matting and layering as you can see what I did from the photo.
The second layer of white has an aperture cut from the frame of the Gold Majesty Circles, you'll notice this die leaves beautiful piercing detail around the aperture too.
The actual topper, created from the die, is done by sticking a piece of white card to some double sided adhesive sheet, then die cutting as one piece (using the frame and next layer of the die) then peel the backing off and burnish the glitter jewels into the sticky side... simple :-)
To get the distressed edges onto it (as I have) this needs to be done before applying to the adhesive sheet, all I did was put the outer frame die onto my white card, then ink inside it, removed the die, inked around the outside, then placed the card (face down) onto the adhesive sheet, lined the die up within the inked area and cut :-)
I stamped the larger of the two circle frames from the stamp set, cut it out and then stamped the sentiment from the same set into the middle. I then (painstakingly!) put alternate black and white pearls around the line that the circle stamp gives.
I then die cut the plain and decorative circle from the die set together and distressed the edges.
The background, with the aperture, was stamped with Shaded Lilac, the larger damask icon was stamped on directly, the smaller one was second generation stamping (ie, ink it up, stamp on some scrap paper, then onto the project)
I finished of with a lovely triple bow in the lilac ribbon and put a black sparkler onto the bow and top of the topper... a few black and white pearls around the corners finished the card off... job done!
TOP TIP - You can apply less distress ink to any stamp by using a piece of cut n dry foam, this saves the need to do second generation stamping, if you're not confident. :-)

The Damask Background Stamp and matching borders & icons are one of my faves, so many uses, so many different looks, from just two stamp sets! :-) Black & White projects look amazing with these stamps!

You'll find most of the products I used on my show on my website here.. 

Hope you like it!

Don't let yesterday....

Good Morning Everyone

This is another one of my sample cards from my shows on Create & Craft and the second demo I did on the 10am show. (even if I did finish it after the show lol)

This is what I used:
White 8x8 Card Blank
Peach Card
White Card
Iced Spruce Distress Ink Pad
Sentimentally Yours Lacy Rectangle Frames and Borders Collection A5 Stamp Set
Sentimentally Yours Quotes of Inspiration Collection A5 Stamp Set
Irridescent Glitter
Couture Creations Hyper Magical Embossing Folder
Spellbinders Die D-Lites Blooms 3
15mm Cream Pearls
Sage Ribbon 
Small Dazzlers

This is what I did:
I won't rattle on about matting and layering as you can see what I did from the photo.
I stamped the large Lacy Rectangle Frame onto some beige card using the Gathered Twigs Distress Ink and cut it out (easy to do too!), then I embossed it with the embossing folder, then distressed the edges and glittered them.
I stamped the smaller lacy rectangle frame onto white card, using the iced spruce and cut it out, then stamped the quote sentiment from the Quotes of Inspiration Collection. (I masked off the frame around the sentiment with removable tape, then inked it, then removed the tape, then stamped the sentiment (that will mean you just get the words, with no frame (even better value!!)
This was mounted onto a piece of peach card and cut around.
The border was stamped with one of the lacy borders in iced spruce, the second layer is a bit bigger in peach card.
The background is quite simply a layer of white card, embossed with the Hyper Magical embossing folder, then I just dragged my iced spruce distress ink over the embossed areas (and distressed the edges of course lol)
I die cut 4 large flowers in peach card, 2 large flowers in white card, 8 medium in peach, 9 medium in white and stamens to co-ordinate,.. you can see how I put them together from the photo. The smaller, star shaped flowers are from 2 medium ones, if you glue them together with Cosmic Shimmer acrylic glue, then pinch the petals together, that's how you get the lovely shape :-)
I finished off by making a triple bow in sage ribbon and put a small dazzler in the centre.... job done!
I love the colour combinations of this card and how the frame gives it a really elegant finish.
TOP TIP - When I put self adhesive pearls into shaped flowers like these, I always put a blob (very technical term!) of glue gel in the bottom first,.. this ensures they a) won't fall out and b) when you sprinkle glitter on the flowers, the glue gel that seeps from the sides of the pear is then glittered... very priddy! :-)

I absolutely love the Rectangle Frame and border stamps,.. the set offers so many possibilities and remember,.. start collecting as there will be more shapes coming soon :-)

You'll find most of the products I used on my show on my website here.. 

Hope you like it!

Shades of Cream - Have a wonderful day!

Good Morning Everyone

This is another one of my sample cards from my shows on Create & Craft and the second demo I did on the 10am show. (even if I did finish it after the show lol)

This is what I used:
Kraft 8x8 Card Blank
Cream Card
Beige Card
Gathered Twigs Distress Ink Pad
Sentimentally Yours Lacy Rectangle Frames and Borders Collection A5 Stamp Set
Sentimentally Yours Everyday Flourish Collection A5 Stamp Set
Creative Expressions Micro Beads
Creative Expressions A4 Adhesive Sheets
Couture Creations Large Joes Garden Embossing Folder
Spellbinders Die D-Lites Blooms 3
Sue Wilson Foliage Dies
Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA Glue
Brown Ribbon

This is what I did:
I won't rattle on about matting and layering as you can see what I did from the photo, I did pierce around the edge of the first beige layer to add interest.
I stamped the large Lacy Rectangle Frame onto some beige card using the Gathered Twigs Distress Ink and cut it out (easy to do too!), then I embossed it with the embossing folder, then distressed the edges and glittered them.
I stamped the smaller lacy rectangle frame onto cream card, using the gathered twigs and cut it out, then stamped the 'Have a wonderful day' sentiment from the Everyday Flourish Collection. (I masked off the frame around the sentiment with removable tape, then inked it, then removed the tape, then stamped the sentiment (that will mean you just get the words, with no frame (even better value!!) (If you look closely, I have actually third generation stamped the bottom flourish of the frame under the sentiment as I wanted to add a feint flourish (I'll show you how to do this soon)
This was mounted onto a piece of Kraft card and cut around.
The border consists of three layers, the first is a small one with one of the lacy borders stamped onto it, the second is a bit bigger, with pierced edges, the third is larger again and this time it was stuck to self adhesive sheet and covered with micro beads (lovely!)
I die cut one of each flower die in kraft card and in cream card and two sets of leaves in cream card.
The flower centre is actually Pearl PVA Glue covered in micro bead (looks amazing!)
I finished off by making a triple bow in brown ribbon and a set of 'tails' to put at the bottom of the card, added a couple of small clear dazzlers... job done!
I love the neutral colours of this card and how the frame gives it a really elegant finish.
TOP TIP - When I attach the flowers and leaves to my cards, I always put the flowers on where I want them and tuck the leaves underneath,.. :-)

You'll find most of the products I used on my show on my website here..

I hope you like it!

Monochrome Best Wishes

Good Morning Everyone

This was one of my sample cards from yesterdays shows on Create & Craft and the first demo I did on the 10am show.

This is what I used:
7x7 White Card Blank
White Card
Black Card
Black Archival Ink Pad
Sentimentally Yours Circle Frame & Flourish Collection A5 Stamp Set
Creative Expressions Micro Beads
Creative Expressions A4 Adhesive Sheets
Spellbinders Die D-Lites Blooms 3
Sue Wilson Fern Trio Dies
Spellbinders Gold Majesty Circles Dies
Cosmic Shimmer Ebony Ice Glitter Jewels
15mm Black Pearls
15mm White Pearls
Black Ribbon

This is what I did:
I won't rattle on about matting and layering as you can see what I did from the photo, I did pierce around the edge of the second black layer to add interest.
I stamped the flourish from the stamp set, randomly, around the white layer, then stuck this (remember to stick it face down) to a self adhesive sheet, trimmed off the excess and applied the micro beads, I think they give it a beautiful finish for very little effort! lol
I then stuck a piece of black card to a piece of self adhesive sheet, then die cut this using the largest circle from the Gold Majesty circles, removed the adhesive backing and covered the circle with Ebony Ice Glitter Jewels (another lovely product that also adds some texture)
I then cut 2 large white, 2 medium white, 2 medium black and 2 white stamens using the Blooms 3 dies. The large white ones were then stamped using the flourish from the stamp set (creates a complimentary pattern to the background) I then glittered around the edge of the white flowers.
I cut 2 ferns using Sues Fern Trio dies (love these!) and glittered them.
I then stamped the smaller of the 2 circle frames from the stamp set and cut it out, then stamped the sentiment inside (remember there are lot's of sentiments on this set so you can recreate this card for different occasions!) The edge of the circle was glittered, as were the areas around the small flourish within the frame)
I finished off by making a triple bow in black ribbon and put a 15mm white pearl in the centre :-)
TOP TIP - Remember to use a wet glue like Cosmic Shimmer when you are sticking onto micro beads or the glitter jewels, even if you use foam pads for dimension, put the glue onto those,... it seeps through the glitter/beads to make sure everything sticks! :-)

You'll find most of the products I used on my show on my website here..

Hope You Like It!