2017!!

Wishing all my lovely readers a happy & healthy 2017!!

Apologies

Sincere apologies for the lack of posts – I will be back in the New Year and I will have lots to share.

In the meantime, Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy 2017

Birthday

A friend ours recently celebrated her 65th birthday.  As she is a keen dancer,  I used the Build a scene Ballroom dies from XCut (XCU503125) to create her card.

Graduation #2

A little bit of word play and some die cutting and embossing makes this an easy card to make.
Letters:    Sizzix Thinlits Alphanumeric #660056
Hat:    Sizzix Originals Medium Doll Graduation #654605
Embossing:     Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing & Stamp Set Flourish #658280
The diploma was made from white paper and tied with red embroidery thread

Graduation #1

This card started with a 15cm pearly black card blank.  The card was carefully scored to give the mortar board shape.  The tassel was made from embroidery thread.   The greeting was computer generated and a blank piece of paper was added for a handwritten message.

With love

One of my favourite techniques – Pergamano.

This was made for friends to let  them know we cared.

Just in case

 

Another one for the ‘just in case’ box – suitable for those difficult male birthdays.

I embossed a pearly white card blank using a gears embossing folder (from a local shop).

The gears were cut using the Sizzix Thinlits die set Rondeaux (#659706)

N-ice

A birthday card for a guy who works in a wonderful ice cream shop.

The ice cream was cut using the dies from the Sizzix Thinlits Rock ‘n’ Roll Sundae set (#659505). The card blank was embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Folder (#37-1604).  The greeting was computer generated and then using the label die from the Sizzix Thinlits Banners, Fancy set (#658601)

That time of year again

My regular readers know that DH and I are keen dancers (ballroom and Latin) and that the dance season finishes sometime in May, followed by the dance exam. I normally make a thank you card for our dance teacher and his assistant and this year was no exception.

The greeting was computer generated

and the heart was outlined using punched

flowers.

 

 

 

 

By the way. . . . . .

we passed our dance exam!

Wedding time

Back in April, we were invited to a friend’s wedding.  It was a beautiful day and thankfully the weather played nicely.   I made them a wedding card and also an A4 sheet for their time capsule – you will have to wait for that as they won’t be opening it until their 1st anniversary.

The heart was cut from pearly white card using a filigree heart die, from the Romance Collection by Precious Marieke (PMI 0027)

Hearts

 

I like to keep a few cards made in advance, so that I never get caught out.  I made this with a wedding anniversary in mind but it would also be suitable for an engagement.

I embossed a pearly white card blank with Crafts Unlimited Embossing Folder Hearts (#4954012).  I used a gold ink pad to highlight the embossing.  Two hearts were cut from gold card using the Sizzix Framelits Hearts dies (#657561), using the two smallest dies from the set

London

Being a London girl, I instantly fell in love with the Build a scene London dies from XCut (XCU503158)

The aperture was cut  in white card with the Sizzix Framelits Ovals (#657563) and then embossed with the Sizzix Textured Impressions Union Jack folder (#658578)

Ballroom

Friends of ours, keen dancers, recently celebrated their anniversary.

I used the Build a scene Ballroom dies from XCut (XCU503125) to create their card.

 

I used a battery tea light to create some atmosphere.

Variation on a theme – dancers

All these cards were made using the Build a scene Ballroom dies from XCut (XCU503125) and the Cuttlebug D’Vine Swirl Embossing folder (#37-1142)

             

Butterfly Card Tutorial

I had such fun making this card that I thought I’d share how it was made.

Materials at the ready:  Sizzix Thinlits dies (butterflies, Intricate #659971), ribbon & bows, white card, pearly green card blank and an embossing folder (Sizzix textured impressions Petite Floral #659627)

               

The white card was trimmed to fit the card blank, then the  butterfly outline was die cut.


     Double sided tape was added,
     then the card was embossed.












The ribbon was added, then the embossed card was  stuck to the card blank.







The 2nd butterfly was cut from white card and carefully removed from the die.  Tip:  When using intricate dies, cut first using parchment paper and leave in the die, then use again to cut your shape.  The parchment paper helps to release the cut shape without damage.

                         

Use a ruler to give the wings some “ lift", apply glue to the middle and attach to the card.

 

Saved

I got a basket for 80c from a charity shop.  I spent a little time giving it some tlc and a pretty lining and now I have a nice place to put my crochet (or knitting) away from my cats.
Before . . . .
  
After . . . .

Valentine’s

. . . .  especially for DH.

I cut a piece of red metallic card to the same size as the card front.  Using the second biggest heart die from the Sizzix Framelits Heart die set (#657561), I carefully cut a heart in both the card front and the metallic card.  From silver card, I cut another heart, using the biggest heart die, which I die cut again using the Sizzix Framelits Lace pattern card front (#659132).  The silver heart was then “sandwiched between the card front and the card blank.

Anniversary

The base layer of the card was created using the Sizzix Framelits Moroccan card front die (#659133).  The hearts were cut using the Sizzic thinlits Medallion layering heart die set (#658915)

 

Butterfly birthday

A pretty birthday card for a dear friend.  The butterfly is cut using the Sizzix Butterflies, Intricate die set (#659971)

 

Another for the 60 club

A dear friend of ours celebrated his 60th birthday on Christmas day.  We have enjoyed numerous high teas together, over the years, for DH’s birthday, my birthday and for our friend and his wife’s birthday - any excuse really to have a get together.
I saw this design in my Parchment Craft magazine and thought it was perfect.  I modified it a bit, so that I could use the little wooden teapots.

The last of the Christmas cards

This one is a bit of a mixture:  using standard card and parchment paper.

I embossed the white card and the parchment paper using the Cuttlebug Lace tree embossing folder #37-1898.  I gave the parchment paper a sweep over with a bronze stamp pad and added a few gems to give some sparkle.

This one is for a guitar lover.

The guitars were cut from metallic card, using an Yvonne Creations die (guitar CDD10023).  I used foam pads to stick the guitars to the card.  I used craft wire to make a “guitar string” to join the guitars together.

Christmas dancing

I like to make a special card for our dancing teacher.  This year I was inspired by the x-cut Ballroom build a scene die collection and using similar techiques to the bauble card (see last Monday’s post)

 

Christmas Cards - variations of a theme part 2

 One for a record collector

 One for DS, the brand lover

and one for a baby girl's first Christmas

Once again, the cards are all a variation of a theme - the trees were cut using Sizzix framelits with stamps, Merry Christmas tree #658276 and coloured with Promarkers.