A4 White & Silver Embossed Wedding Card

Good Morning Everyone,

Todays card is a Wedding Day Card in White and Silver Embossed  A4 format.

I have had lots of 'likes' and comments on this both on my Facebook page and at Phill's Shows.
I hope you all like it too.


Products Used (which are links to the items on Phill's Website too)

Plain White Cardstock
Decadent Damask Occasions Stamps
Decadent Damask Corners Stamps
Sentimentally Yours Lacy Rectangles
Sue Wilson Camellia Open Petals
Sue Wilson Camellia Complete Petals
Cosmic Shimmer Silver Embossing Powder
Seam Binding
Dazzlers & Stick Pins
Crystal Stickles
Sue Wilson Heart Lattice Embossing Folder
Spellbinders Flutters Die

For the Base
1x A3 Plain White Card Stock folded in half (21 x 29.5)
Then cut 2 layers - first layer 20.5 x 29
second layer 20 x 28.5
Cut 2 strips for centre panel 6.5 x 28.5 and 4.5 x 28.5

Matt and Layer

The first layer I left plain.
Second layer I stamped the corners and heat embossed, then used the embossing folder. Add both layers to the card.
For the centre panel I used one of the long stamps and heat embossed along the edges. The second strip I put through the embossing folder.

Focal Point
Using a plain piece of card, stamp and heat emboss using the rectangle stamp, then cut this out. Cut a rectangle using the die, then stamp sentiment and heat emboss. These are then added to the card using pads to give dimension.



Flowers   

I cut a large amount of flowers using offcuts of white card and moulded these before gluing together.
Once dry I added twinkles around the edges of the petals
and a gem to the centre.
The butterfly I layered and added twinkles.

Finally to finish the card I made a bow using Seam Binding (no prizes for guessing who taught me lol) and added a gem and stick pins.







                                                             

Happy Crafting ......

           
                   

My First Post on Phill's Blog

Hello Crafters

I'm Barbara Sherwood known to my friends as Barb. Phill has asked if I would help out with keeping his blog up to date, as you all know he struggles with time, so I'll be sharing some of the cards I have made for his TV shows.

This will allow Phill more time to design and produce lots of new and exciting products for us all to enjoy, but he will still be posting on his Blog as often as he can.

I go to Phills' workshops in his shop every Thursday and have learned so much from him, you'll probably recognise some of his style in my own work :-)

Some of you will have hopefully seen my card samples on his Create & Craft shows, and many of you will also have seen me on his stand at Craft Shows.

I hope you will all join me on my new crafting journey (blogging is all new to me)

Well that's enough about me ..........
 
The card for today is one of my favourites..........


Products used (which are links to the items on Phills' website too) :-)

White Cardstock
Cosmic Shimmer Ink Mister  Chic Grey-Blue

Cosmic Shimmer P.V.A. glue Chic Grey-Blue
Cosmic Shimmer Twinkles Chic Grey-Blue 
Creative Expressions Snakeskin Embossing Folder
Sue Wilson Californian Collection Decorative Frames Set B
Sue Wilson Fern Trio Dies
Spellbinder Blooms 4 Dies
Creative Expression Dazzlers & Pins
Sentimentally Yours Chic Floral Paper Pad
Sentimentally Yours Chic Floral Birthday Verses Stamps A5
Distress Ink Pad

This is an A4 card
I started by cutting 2 layers for the base. The first layer being plain white card stock which I sprayed lightly with Mister Spray. The second layer is Chic Floral Paper, the top half floral with the bottom half reversed and embossed. I then put a divider by using a strip of Crochet Ribbon across the join.

Next I cut the dies, I used the two largest dies from Set B and the 2 largest  dies from Set A


Taking the largest die from Set B I used P.V.A.around the edges. The largest die from Set A I decorated with Twinkles.
The next layer which is the second largest from Set B I left plain. The top layer is the second size down from Set A which I stamped with the Birthday Verse.

I cut several flowers out using off cuts of plain card and off cuts from the paper pad. (nothing goes to waste) I then moulded these until I was happy with the shape, then added a gem to the centre, and leaves either side.
Finally I added a couple of stick pins to the top of the sentiment.

Happy Crafting!

Black & White Best Wishes - with a new Scribbled Corner Stamp too!

Good Afternoon Everyone

I hope you're enjoying the lovely weather!

OK, so, I'm a little more than excited about the release of my brand new Scribbled Corner Stamps and Scribbled Frame Stamps,..
The Scribbled Sentiments stamps have been so popular and I have wanted to do corner sentiment stamps for ages,.. the Scribbled is a perfect style for this!

There are three new releases in the Scribbled range, Scribbled Corner Sentiments 'Everyday', Scribbled Corner Sentiments 'Occasions' and Scribbled Frame Sentiments,..

The Scribbled Frame Sentiments are amazing, there are two Scribbled frames, one that the sentiments actually 'attach' to the sides when you stamp them and the other enables you to create longer borders to sit your sentiments into!

Anyhoo, enough rattling on, they are available now on my website here:- New Scribbled Sentiment Stamps
(note that the stamps are listed alphabetically, so just scroll down until you find them)

Onto the card I made....
This is an A4 sized card and I wanted to show how the Scribbled Corner Stamps work effortlessly with the Scribbled Frame Stamps..especially as the frame sentiments are cutey, smaller ones :-)

This is what I used (and they are links to my website for you to go and purchase if you need to) :-)

Sentimentally Yours Scribbled Corner Sentiment Stamps 'Occasions'
Sentimentally Yours Scribbled Frame Sentiments
A4 Swirling Hearts Embossing Folder
Dies By Sue Wilson Portuguese Collection - Porto
Dies By Sue Wilson - Perfect Peony
Dies By Sue Wilson - Maidenhair Fern
Dies By Sue Wilson Portuguese Collection - Corner, Border & Tag
Cosmic Shimmer White Pearl PVA Glue
Creative Expressions Heart Dazzlers

This is really quite a straight forward card :-)

There are a few layers of matting and layering in alternate black and white, the largest white layer has been pierced all the way around and this, along with the slightly larger black layer have been stuck onto the card with Cosmic Shimmer glue (flat)

There are actually two white layers on the top, the top one has been die cut with the Portuguese border die, at an angle, to give me the shaped edge, this was them embossed with the pretty Swirling Hearts embossing folder.

I die cut an extra border in black card and this slotted into the space left on the shaped edge of the white piece (I attached it with cosmic shimmer glue on the very edges - patience required!) ha ha

The two black diagonal pieces were actually waste from my matting & layering so I put them to good use :-)




I stamped my fabulous Scribbled Corner Sentiment onto the next white layer and then attached to top white layer with foam tape, this was then stuck to the next black layer with Cosmic Shimmer Glue and then the whole caboodle was stuck onto the white pierced layer with foam tape.
** If you want your corner sentiments the 'right way up', stamp them in any top corner **



At this stage, I added the white pearls with the Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA glue and set aside to dry (we've all done that haven't we?.. accidentally put something on the top of still drying pearl pva!)

I love Sues' Portuguese collection,.. the border is amazing, the topper dies are lovely, with great variation too!

Anyhoo, you can see that I cut the two layers of the die in white and then the base layer die in black. I stuck the white, patterned layers onto the plain black layers and, using my quickie glue pen, filled in the gaps with glue, then dunked it into my iridescent glitter station (it's a fabulous effect on any colour cardstock) The centre of the dies is a pretty little circle and it's the perfect size for me to stamp my new Scribbled Frame Sentiments! The edges were then glued (pva for definition) and dunked into glitter.




Lastly, I die cut hundreds (it felt like it!) of the Peony flower die in black and white card,.. to create the shape I have, I literally just 'pinched' the petals in the middle and pushed down the centre with my flower shaping tool. Some had a pearl inside, some had the glitter inside,.. the bigger black flowers have either a stripe of glitter (I used my pva glue) or the edges glittered,.. it all adds interest :-)
I finished off my glittering two of the maidenhair ferns tat I die cut in white cardstock and poPped them under the flowers at the top :-)

Hope you like it,.. sadly, I won't be giving this card away as, well, it weighes a tonne! ha ha, but I'd still like to read your comments (nice ones anyway) lol

Thanks so much for dropping by,.. I hope I've given you a little inspiration :-)

Now go and get those Scribbled Corner Sentiment Stamps before they sell out :-)

Happy Crafting!!

Chic Aubergine and,... plain cream cardstock!

Good Morning Everyone

So, I've gone from hardly ever posting on my Blog, to Blog 'mania' ha ha, but I am determined to make use of this Blog to show you all I've been up to, all I'm up to and the occasional sneaky peek into what I have coming for you :-)

With this in mind, and with me having so many things on the go all at once, I have to be realistic,.. I needed help,.. and I knew just who to ask,..

I asked Barb, who is a friend of mine who helps make some of the lovely samples you have seen on my Create & Craft shows and at the Craft shows around the country,.. some of you will have met Barb too, as she helps on my stand at the shows... naturally, she's had amazing teaching (from me ha ha), but she has an incredible eye for detail, colour and a love of all the products I bring to you.

Barb will post on my Blog a couple of times a week, showcasing either one of her samples that she's made for me using my products or one of my cards from my workshops in my shop.

Her first post will be this Wednesday so please be gentle with her :-)

OK,..
Now, are you ready for this,.. I am already giving away the Decadent Denim version of the card I made in 3 colourways on Friday, (remember to go and comment on that post to be in with a chance), but how about this,.. I promised I'd start this Monday with a giveaway card each week and here it is,.. that's two chances this week to win one of my cards,.. as usual, you need to be a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this post and I will notify the winner via the Blog next Monday (when the new giveaway starts) :-)

This is what I used: (with links to the products on my www for you)
Chic Aubergine Ink Mister
Chic Aubergine Twinkles
Chic Aubergine PVA Glue
Sentimentally Yours Baroque Sentiments Stamps
Sentimentally Yours Vintage Sheet Music Background Stamp
Dies by Sue Wilson Camellia Complete Petals
Fine Finials A4 Embossing Folder
Spellbinder Border Dies

This is an 8x8 card, made from lots of plain cream cardstock!

I created two layers for the background of the card, the largest was misted with the Chic Aubergine Ink Mister and the second was stamped with the Vintage Sheet Music stamp in Dusty Concorde distress ink (it's a good match for the aubergine)

The top three layers were cut from cream cardstock, the top one having the die cut border, at an angle and the top edge finished with some Chic Aubergine Twinkles, the next layer was embossed with the beautiful new Fine Finials embossing folder, the third layer was left cream, but the edges were inked with the Dusty Concorde to give it some definition.

These top 3 layers are on foam tape, for dimension, the Vintage Sheet Music stamped layer is also on foam tape for extra height and the edges have been given the Chic Aubergine Twinkles treatment! (this won't be a cheap one to post! ha ha) and the ink misted layer is on flat with cosmic shimmer glue.

The flowers have been cut from the Camellia dies in cream cardstock and I did use a small woodware punch for the 'in between' sizes,.. I stamped the Vintage Sheet Music Stamp onto a couple of the flowers with the Dusty Concorde distress ink.

The two ovals are woodware punches, the largest was ink misted and the top one stamped with the Baroque Sentiments Stamps (one of my favourite sets!)

The two ovals are on foam tape and the flowers stuck with cosmic shimmer glue in (as close as I could get it) opposite formations of each other, all finished of in the centre with the Chic Aubergine Twinkles.

Last, but not least, just two pearls in the bottom corners using the Chic Aubergine PVA glue.

I love the Chic Aubergine range, it's a really beautiful shade and looks amazing on white and cream cardstock alike.

Anyhoo, enough rattling on!

Good Luck!

Happy Crafting!

Craftathons are back!!

Good Afternoon Everyone

I have no idea where the sunshine went, but it certainly isn't here in Nottingham at the moment!

That said, it's given me an opportunity to catch up on things so,..

I'm so, so excited to tell you that (by persistent nagging), my Craftathons are back!

Craftathons are my all day workshops, now held in a brand new venue (5 mins from my shop), with loads of space, room to park and even space for me to set up a stand like I do at the craft shows :-)

It's probably easier to show you the flyer:--- here you go...
(click the picture to make it big enough to read)

I can tell you that only half of the spaces are left already, so if you want to join us, for what will, undoubtedly be, a fab day of crafting, tea (or coffee or juice lol) and fun, you need to be quick'ish :-)

I can't wait!

Hope to see some of you there!

Happy Crafting!

Part 2 of ... It all starts with plain white cardstock!

Good Evening Everyone

Remember the post I did a few days ago, where I showed you the 2 versions of the cards I made, all from plain white cardstock,.. 1 with my Chic Pumpkin Range of Cosmic Shimmer Products and the other with my Decadent Bamboo range of Cosmic Shimmer Products?..

Well, I told you I'd done a third version in Decadent Denim, but I had to leave it at the shop as the pearl PVA glue hadn't dried,... here it is!

This is the first ever card that I will give away from my Blog (copying my partners in craft, Julia Watts & Sue Wilson) lol, and I will do this every week, but it will start again next Monday, and be every Monday thereafter,..

I'll draw a name at random on Friday, next week (4th July) for someone to win this Decadent Denim version of my card and I will notify you via a post on the Blog.

Simply leave a comment below (all nice, of course) lol

(you must also be a follower of my Blog to be eligible)(if you are not sure how to do this, just click the 'Join This Site' button, which is on the right side of the Blog page, about halfway down)

Anyhoo,.. here are the photos of the Decadent Denim version of my card,.. hope you like it :-)

I know I like a card if I have taken the time to replicate it in three colourways! ha ha

Happy Crafting and Good Luck!!

Introducing...... 'Staged Sentiments'.....

Good Morning Everyone

I have some very exciting news for you...

My brand new product has now been 'officially' released!!

Staged Sentiments in mdf by Phill Martin

These are beautifully detailed, intricate, delicate laser cut mdf sentiments that slot into an oval base (the stage) so they stand upright.

Featuring a row of hearts on the base of the sentiment and 3 hearts within the sentiment itself, for that co-ordinated look :-)

I've designed these (as you would expect from me) to be detailed, in proportion and to be easy to post,.. they will fit into an A4 padded envelope, if you wish to send them as gifts etc, (just remember not to stick the sentiment into the base, so it stays flat, then the recipient can do that when they get it)

I am so excited about these and, if you've been to any of the big craft shows this year, you will have seen my samples in 'real life' and had to endure listening to me enthuse about them! ha ha

So easy to decorate too!,.. you can use all your favourite techniques to decorate them,.. inks, paints, crackle paints, gilding wax, gilding flakes,.. the list goes on and on...!

On the samples below, I have used Cosmic Shimmer Chalk Paint (for the base layer), Cosmic Shimmer Crackle Paint (for the top layer) and decorated with Creative Expressions Self Adhesive Pearl Strips (around the stage), then finished off by die cutting loads of flowers using the scraps of papers I have from my Decadent Damask and Chic Floral 8x8 Paper Pads...

I must say a special thank you to my sister, Mill (long story, but her real name is Karen) and my Aunty Sue (her real name is, er.... Aunty Sue) lol :-) who have helped make some of the samples below..

Dream Staged Sentiment 

Inspire Staged Sentiment

Special Couple Staged Sentiment

Happy Birthday Staged Sentiment

Create Staged Sentiment

Craft Staged Sentiment

Home Staged Sentiment

Love Staged Sentiment

Mr & Mr Staged Sentiment

Mrs & Mrs Staged Sentiment

Family Staged Sentiment

Mr & Mrs Staged Sentiment















Most of my Staged Sentiments are available now on my website here: Staged Sentiments in mdf by Phill Martin


Anyhoo, I really hope you like this fabulous new product,.. makes a great gift, makes a great piece of home decor for yourself and they really are something special :-) and, more to the point, they are designed with crafters in mind, so easy to do, fun to decorate and add your own style and finishing touches :-)

Remember: you can 'Pin' any of these photos to your own Pinterest Boards (or Facebook etc),.. just hover your mouse over the photo's and it gives you little buttons with various options of places to share the photos etc 

:-)

Happy Crafting!

It all starts with,... plain white cardstock!

Good Afternoon Everyone

It's just started to rain (again), so, I've mashed myself a cuppa and thought I'd shock you all by writing a blog post :-)

If I'm honest, it's this weeks class project that has reminded me "I should use my blog more", as I absolutely loved making this card,.. so much so, that I made the same card in 3 different colour ways (Denim version is still drying at the shop... those pesky Pearl PVA glues,.. making me wait for drying time) ha ha

So, as you'd expect from me,. I start with plain white cardstock, then I decide which of my lovely Cosmic Shimmer sets to 'play' with, then it all goes from there,..

I always have a 'vague idea' of what I want to achieve, but (as most of us do), I change those ideas as I go!

I decided on Chic Pumpkin.. which is a lovely, burnt orange colour..

Here's what I used:

White Cardstock :-)
Decadent Damask Inspirational Phrases Stamp Set by, erm, me lol
Chic Pumpkin Ink Mister
Chic Pumpkin Gilding Wax
Chic Pumpkin Twinkles
Delicate Daisies Dies by Sue
French Collection Corner, Border and Tag Die Set by Sue
A4 Wild Roses Embossing Folder
St Kitts Die Set by Sue

And here's what I did:

This is an 8x8 card.
I cut two layers for the base of this card (one 19.5cm square, which I then pierced all the way around, then another, 18.5cm square, which I gave a light'ish misting with the Chic Pumpkin Ink Mister)

The narrowest piece of white card that was left over from the 19.5cm piece I cut was embossed with the beautiful Wild Roses embossing folder.

I cut two borders from the French Collection dies and these were stuck underneath the embossed piece and attached to the card using foam tape for dimension.

I cut the centre piece from the St Kitts die set, using the two larger dies together and then the larger die on its' own (this one was given the light'ish dusting of the Chic Pumpkin Ink Mister) and the two were stuck together with Cosmic Shimmer glue, I also cut the extra centre for the sentiment with the ST Kitts die set.

I stamped my sentiment from my lovely Damask Inspirational Phrases Stamp Set, using my Black Soot distress ink pad.

The edges of the sentiment area were inked using the Chic Pumpkin Ink Mister (just spray onto your craft sheet and pick some ink up with your Cut n Dry foam), this centre was attached to the topper with foam tape and the topper was attached to the card with a double layer of foam tape, for extra dimension.

The flowers were created using Sues' Delicate Daisies dies (complete petal), each flower was finished in the centre using the Chic Pumpkin Gilding Wax and a teeny drop of the Chic Pumpkin Twinkles.

I finished off by adding a couple of pearls using teh Chic Pumpkin Pearl PVA glue on the centre topper and on the four corners of the card.

I hope you like this card,.. I really enjoyed making it and, here's one of the other colour ways I did,..

This is the Decadent Bamboo version.. :-)

Happy Crafting!

Remember: you can 'Pin' any of these photos to your own Pinterest Boards (or Facebook etc),.. just hover your mouse over the photo's and it gives you little buttons with various options of places to share the photos etc 

:-)

A little bit 'Decadent' :-)

Good Afternoon Everyone

Well, I've just spent a hectic 3 days at the NEC for our trade show, with the rest of the Creative Expressions team,.. launching all our brand new products (exciting times!), it's so nice to get to spend time with everyone as usually it's a phone call, text or an email!
And, of course, we are never at Create & Craft at the same time so no chance to catch up in the green room...

It's also been lovely meeting and chatting with all the craft shop owners who stock my products.

Here we all are :-)

So, with all the 'newness' in mind,.. I wanted to tell you about my next shows on Create & Craft, which are next Tuesday, 24th February at 10am and 3pm, where I will be launching my new range of Cosmic Shimmer products, in 6 brand new colours, which I have called 'Decadent', with more products added to the line up,.. one of which is our brand new blending ink, called colour cloud, and (as you'd expect from me), it will be available in my 6 new colours,.. I absolutely love this product and I can't wait to show you!!!

There will also be 9 brand new Decadent Damask sets of stamps, a brand new co-ordinating 8x8 paper pad and a brand new addition to the paper pad range (can't wait to show you this too!)

I don't want to say too much as it will spoil the excitement for showing you on TV next week, but I will tell you the new colours, which are:

Decadent Teal

Decadent Oak

Decadent Grape

Decadent Wine

Decadent Denim

Decadent Bamboo

These new colours are very different from the Graceful Collection and I love them!!

Anyhoo,.. I've rattle on long enough! So, here's a big card I made using some of the Decadent Teal products and one of the sentiment stamps from the Decadent Damask range :-)

Hope you like it..

See you on C & C next Tuesday,..

Graceful Mustard... Just For You! :-)

Good Afternoon Everyone

It's a lovely, sunny, Sunday afternoon so I thought I would share this lovely, sunny card with you :-)
This is the card we did at my workshops this week,.. it was also re-created in other colours from my Graceful collection of Cosmic Shimmer products by some of the class and, I have to say, they all looked equally beautiful!

What I Used:
A4 White Cardstock
My Graceful Mustard Ink Mister
My Graceful Mustard Pearl PVA
My Graceful Mustard Mica Powder
Sentimentally Yours Baroque Sentiments Stamps
Sentimentally Yours Leafy Background Stamp
Sea Garden A4 Embossing Folder by Sue Wilson
Scandinavian Collection Corner, Border & Tag Die Set by Sue Wilson
Large, Big and Super Daisy Punches by Woodware
Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle Star Twinkles

The card was created using 1 sheet of A4, cut in half, scored at 2.5cm and glued at the top, using the fold as a guide,.. this is one of my favourite shapes as you can add the little fancy decoration above the score line :-)

The top half of the main part was misted (lightly) with the mustard mister, left to dry and then embossed with the beautiful Sea Garden embossing folder... it creates a lovely, tonal effect and the embossing brings some texture.

The bottom half was stamped using my Leafy Background stamp, the 'ink' was created using a few mists from the mustard ink mister, then a tiny amount of the mustard mica powder mixed into the ink, this gives you a beautiful, pearlescent, mustard 'ink' that you can apply direct to the stamp with a piece of cut and dry foam. (you can't tell from the photo, but the pattern is pearlescent when the light catches it)

I also used the 'ink' that was left on the foam to finish off the very edge of the top of the card too :-)

The flowers were created using the varying sizes of daisy punches, some misted with the mustard

mister, some left white,.. each was finished with a good squeeze of the mustard pearl pva glue, which, once it dries, gives you a really pretty centre to your flowers,.. in (as you'd expect from me) a completely co-ordinated colour scheme :-)

The sentiment was stamped in black soot distress ink (must have!) using my Baroque Sentiments Stamps and by masking off the detailed designs on the stamp with removable tape.

Anyhoo,.. I hope you like it,..

If you have any of my Graceful Cosmic Shimmer products, have a go at this card,.. :-)

Happy Crafting!