Parchment Cat

The “purr-fect” card for a cat lover,  Based on a design from Parchment Craft magazine.  It made a nice change to be working with parchment again (I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed “parching”) and I was extremely pleased with the results. 

Route 66

An “age” card for a friend who is 66 years young!

This card was made using the Sizzix thinlits “Vintage Car & Radio” die set (#659506)  My friend loved his card, especially as he didn’t expect a card with his age on.

New Arrival

Finally a little girl to welcome to the world :-)  It made a nice change to work with pink.

The banner was cut using the Sizzix framelits “Banner, Pennant Scallop - #657571 (the smallest one).   The letters were cut using a Joy! Crafts die – alphabet & numbers 6002/0139.  I used pink embroidery thread to link the banner.  The crib was cut using Sizzix die, cradle, 3D - #658986, which I then trimmed to suit.  The cute giraffe was from the thinlits & stamp set “Baby Boy” – 659088, coloured with Promarkers (of course!)

Get well wishes

I needed a quick get well card for a friend.  I embossed a pearly card blank with the embossing folder from the Sizzix Happy Hearts set (#658537)  The butterflies were cut from tissue paper and black card, using the Sizzix  Thinlits Butterflies, Intricate dies (#659971).  Bright pink flower stamens completed the butterflies.

Records II

A gift for a musically minded friend:  Take one record and a clock mechanism and you have the perfect present

Records

Another birthday card for another dear friend (July is always a busy month!)

Made using Sizzix dies:

Thinlits – Juke Box & Music #659502 ; Thinlits – Butterfly cards #659972 (I just used the larger frames to cut the music and border)

60 years young

A friend of ours has just turned 60!  She is a lovely lady and we have been friends for a long time.  I wanted to make a special card and gift to celebrate the occasion. 

The flowers are made using a Sizzix sizzlits die, flower, bloom with leaves (#658501),the basket was a Sizzix Bigz die, egg & wire basket (#658960)  and the tag from the Sizzix sizzlits tag set small, crescent tag (#654487).  The number was a silver peel-off.

I decided to make our friend a wrap, similar to one that I had made for myself last year  (which was much admired by my friend).  I changed the pattern around a bit and made the edging different, so that it was completely unique.

A card for a knitter

A dear friend of mine recently celebrated her birthday.  As she is a dab hand with a crochet hook, can knit and sew,  so I wanted to make her a card involving yarn.

The stamp is by Marianne Design (Snoesjes HM9449), the embossing folder is by Craft Unlimited (hearts 4954012) and the dies used were the largest two from the Sizzix Framelits circles, Scallop (#657552).    The image and background were coloured with Promarkers.  The balls of yarn were made from embroidery thread and the knitting was originally done using stitch keepers (see below).  I transferred the knitting onto two hair pins (the sort used to keep rollers in place!)

  The knitting was difficult to do as it was so tiny and the springs from the stitch keepers kept getting in the way.  Again, I used embroidery thread to do the knitting.

Thankfully, my friend loved her card.  :-)

Father’s Day

I hope all the wonderful Dad’s had a memorable Father’s day.

As usual, DS asked me to make a card for his Dad – who am I to refuse (lol)

 

The camper van die is by Craft Unlimited, the tag is a Sizzix die (sorry, can’t remember the number) and the “Dad” was cut using a Joy! Crafts die – alphabet & numbers 6002/0139.  The grass was made using herb scissors (multi bladed scissors meant to easily chop herbs but never worked for me).

A big, big project

As my regular readers know, I am quite new to crochet.  A dear friend of mine has been very encouraging, and as often as we can manage,we have an afternoon of knitting and crochet.  For my birthday earlier this year my friend and her husband bought me lots of crochet goodies including a wonderful book – 100 granny squares.  I couldn’t wait to start with the book and this is the result.

It was an enjoyable project but it was a mammoth task to sew in all the ends!!

Exam time

Back in May, DH and I took our ballroom & Latin dance exam – top class 1.
It was an amazing evening, our mark’s were high and we were  2nd in our year group.
I arranged a trophy for DH, to remind him of the exam but I needed a box for it:
I also made him a card . . . .

Re-cycling

  I quite liked the size of the mini Pringles (other crisps are available lol) tubs and I was finding it hard to throw them away.

I had some lovely Dutch themed paper that was perfect for this project.  I used mod podge to stick the paper to the tubs and as a top coat for protection.

So pleased with the result, and the elastic bands,  adhesive tape refills and paper clips now have a new (tidier) home)

New Baby

 

The crib was cut using the Sizzix scoreboards XL cradle die (#658986).  I crocheted a blanket & pillow and added the name in letter beads.  I then had a go at making an acetate box, something I have only just started to make.  The new parents were thrilled with my creation  (that was a relief!).

New Home

An unusual new home card.
I embossed the door on a white postcard, using the Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing folder Door & Wreath Set (#658430).  I trimmed this to size and added a large black brad for a door handle.  I then glued this to a pearly cream card blank.
Being extremely careful, I cut along the edge and top of the door and scored along the other edge of the door, so that the door opened.  I then glued the card blank together, excluding the door.  The “new home” was cut from gauze paper using  a Joy Crafts die – alphabet & numbers (#6002/0139)

50

My SIL was 50 recently.

Again, the dress form die was used  - Sizzix Bigz Sewing Room die (#657186) and the card blank was embossed using the Sizzix Textured Impressions embossing folder Vintage Buttons Set (#657672).  This time I cut the dress form from patterned cork and also plain card, so that I could colour the stand to match (using Promarkers).  I added a lace trim, some pearls, a 50 tag and some Happy Birthday Ribbon.

Spring birthdays

Two lovely ladies celebrate their birthdays, just days apart.
Both cards were made using the Sizzix Bigz Sewing Room die (#657186):  The top one was cut from patterned felt and the one below from leather look embossed paper.  I also cut 2 from plain card, so that I could colour the stands (with Promarkers) to match the dress form.  The top card blank was embossed using the Sizzix Textured Impressions embossing folder Vintage Buttons Set (#657672) and the one below was embossed using the Sewing & Measuring Tape set (#657671).
Both cards were embellished, to suit the design of the dress from

Thank you time again – part 2

    
I made 2 of these dancing shoes.  The shoe was a Christmas decoration but it is sparkly enough to be a dancing shoe.  The flowers are made from vellum using the following Sizzix Thinlits:  Fuchsia (#658858), Rose & Rose Bud (#658411).
The lion was made from a kit, the mug & hat were shop bought.  The letters on the lion’s paws were cut from felt using a Joy Crafts die – alphabet & numbers (#6002/0139)

Thank you time again – part 1

Every year I make thank you cards & gifts for our dance teachers and their assistants.  This year I have had extra to do as we took an extra dance course.

                                                             
These two cards were made using the Sizzix Sizzlits Sewing Machine & Bobbins die (#658461) and the embossing folder Sewing & Measuring Tape Set (#657671).  The sewing machines were coloured with Promarkers and the greeting was computer generated.  The greeting was edged with my fake stitching tool.

The rosette was made using various size circles, die cut from gauze paper using the Sizzix Framelits Circles (#657551).  The frill was cut with the Sizzix decorative strip die – pleated ruffle, 3d (658974).  The stamp is from Docrafts mini clear stamp; Forever Friends “Fabulous” (#FFS907120).  The bear was coloured with Promarkers.

Freedom

The Big Shot Pro has a plate size of 13”, so it can easily cope with scrap book papers

Using my lovely thinlits alphabet (Just a Note #660111),  I cut “2013” from a standard 12x12 scrapbook paper.

I then cut the “2013”from gold card.

 

I was so pleased with the finished result and I loved the freedom that I could cut anywhere I wanted.

Time passes

My goodness, time has flown since I last posted.

It’s been a busy time here, so I’ve lots of catching up to do.

Back in February, I was lucky enough to get a Sizzix Big Shot Pro – wow, what a machine.  Because it has such a big plate area, I can cut & emboss with no limitations.  It was love at first use. I even made it a cover . . . .