Blog Posts, tutorials only

Hi Everyone, hope you are all well, and haven't had too much of the white stuff wherever you are!

Just a super speedy post to let you know that I am really busy with samples etc at the moment and hopefully a workshop date SO, I will only be using this blog for in depth tutorials over next few weeks.

I will instead be using my Facebook page (badge / link opposite) and Pinterest to post new work and lots of photos, so please pop in to those two sites for more frequent updates.

Sorry but the blog is taking too much time at the moment and I have to be clever about this so I can keep doing the important creative stuff!

Zodiac Samples for Crafters Companion - Gemini and Cancer - altered notebook and some foiling

Morning readers, hope you're all glad its the weekend.  Sharing two more Zodiac projects for Crafters companion using the Zodiac dies.

Ruling Planet is the moon, and element is water and since Cancerians like heartfelt gifts like memory books etc I altered a notebook

For this card I used the following supplies:
Gemini Elements Zodiac Die - Cancer
Moon made with a circle die, which i cut twice and using glitter card
'Waves' shape made with Sara Signature Graceful Swirls Metal Die
Burlap / Hessian from Stash
Various memento inks used to colour the crab
Papers from Crafters Companion Download inspiration
July 2015 - Sea Breeze

Next is a foiled card - first time using the cerise foil and this definitely a feminine card for a Gemini girly birthday!

for this card, I used the following supplies:

Gemini Elements Zodiac Die - Gemini

Gemini Foil Press, Happy Birthday Foil Stamp Die

Royal Damask Foil Stamp Die Plate (the positive and negative foiling is done here) Cerise Papercraft Foil

Glitter Card and Dotty Ribbon

Picked raspberry Distress Ink

It still amazes me how crisp and clean the foiling is with the Gemini FoilPress, and I hope I have taken enough photos to show you just HOW gorgeous it is..

Right that's it for today, I will be back with more before the end of January, and some luscious embossing folders are up next....

Zodiac Samples for Crafters Companion - Aries and Taurus

Evening everyone, sorry been a bit quiet, but I succumbed to on of those winter bugs! Seems everyone has them :( Anyway onto the first of two posts with the Gemini zodiac dies and a couple of projects with them.

For this card I used:

Gemini Elements Zodiac Die - Taurus
Crafters Companion Classic Wreath Die Set
Crafters Companion Warm Blanket Embossing Folder
Sentiment sourced from various astrology sites
Added glitter card and a pearl to highlight the zodiac symbol

These dies are good for layering too, I cut the bull more than once and some of it in white card which I inked slightly, so the shoulders and forelegs are prominent and then the horns as well..

Card used is Pearlescent Centura in Mink and White with a hint of silver.

For someone who lives with a Taurus partner, the sentiment really rings true!! 

Next up is the fiery Aries star sign!

This one was made into a pyramid card, first time making one for me and they're super easy so why I don't make more, well who knows but I will do from now on...

the goodies used:
Gemini Elements Zodiac Die - Aries
Die'sire Decorative Frame 1
Papers from Enchanted Forest Paper Pad
Flourish Die from Sumptuous Swirls
Ribbon, liquid applique, brads from stash
Fired Brick and Hickory Smoke Distress Ink
Strictly Barbed Sheena Stencil
Sentiment from Say it with Words CC stamp set

One of the sides has a bar which holds a tag and the tag flips up for a place for a handwritten message

I specifically used red and the barbed mask as I thought that lends itself to the whole fiery theme..

OH and I dug out my liquid applique stuff which I applied and heated with a glue gun till it bubbled for the fleece effect on the ram's head - otherwise knows as fluffy stuff - remember YEARS ago when we all went mad over it for decorating sheep stamped cards?!

That's all for now, will be back with two more zodiac cards tomorrow, but I need to get the other 8 dies to experiment some more..

Making Cards Magazine featuring Crafters Companion Gemini FoilPress

Okay so I have been itching to share this since I completed my first full magazine tutorial with instructions for my new favourite machine, the Gemini Foil Press before the end of 2018.

I had the odd card published in Quick Cards made easy etc years ago, but this is my first 'professional' submission and I was very honoured to be asked by Crafters Companion to design and create a full project for Making Cards Magazine - wow.

Without further rambling, here's are the photos of the finished project.

You can purchase online copies of Making Cards if you miss buying the paper magazine, and here's the LINK, and a snippet of the magazine tutorial which is a good 2 and half pages with full instructions and timings for foiling using a foil stamp die or a foil stamp and cut die, foiling on ribbon, foil inked or plain die cuts.

I love how sparkly Making Cards Magazine photographed this card, and it does the card justice, phew.

I took my own photos as well so there's plenty you can see, and I am going add these photos for you to have a good nosey at.

This card is great for so many colour ways, so go on, dig out your new FoilPress and get a copy of the magazine, source some foil stamp dies and have a go!

The background I used is a staple for your collection which you can use again and again, so it is a good buy.

Full View of the card, using a mixture of plain silver and silver shimmer foil.

I boxed this card, and have a snippet of the simply decorated box:

An inside view of the card - had a bit of an idea for this - used two separate foil stamp die expressions to make a 'sentiment' or 'greeting'

Lastly, here are some closeups so you can see the detail:

Isn't that foiling absolutely gorgeous. Notice how I used the fol stamp die to deboss and foil and just deboss. I cant get enough of this luxurious effect and its so easy after a bit of practice. 

If you pop by, please leave some feedback, I'd love to know what you think and what you've gone on to make and how you found the tutorial!

#CraftersCompanion #foilpress #gemini #makingcards

Reworked cards, a couple of old favourites

Afternoon everyone, popping in with a really quick post to show some reworked oldies.  I dug out some of my old papercrating kits from workshops, these must be 2 - 3 years old - cant believe that!

Anyway I decided to spruce them up a little and for the first one I inked a little deeper pink on the centre flower, left out (!) the green organza ribbon and added the leaf flourish.

I like looking back and reworking things as it means I am learning, hopefully!......

Today I had some time as all my samples for Crafters Companion are up to date, so I had a stocktake of my memento ink pads (mostly small dew drop ones) and have done up a colour chart to save time when making projects, so if you'd like one, then drop me a comment with your email address (personal information wont be published) and I'll send it to you as word or PDF or both.. I used memento inks to stamp this card and ink with daubers.

Next up is an embossed Lili of the Valley Stamped sentiment decorated with flowers and the Mega Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish Die cut which I inked in various shades of green, and it gives more depth to the card this way. Apart from that I didn't change anything else, other than perhaps slight change to placement of flowers.

Off to sift through loads of photos as I have lost to share in the next couple of weeks.

FoilPress Card - Dragonfly Birthday card

Evening everyone, hope you are well and excited for a new year!

So this is my first post of the year, and hope to be one of many now I have my crafty hat on again - it sure keeps me sane and is my therapy some days LOL

What better way to kick off 2019 than with a luxurious, somewhat understated foiled card using my new favourite and invaluable tool, the Gemini Foil Press - LOVE this machine!!

Anyway this card just happened really while I was in a rush for card last year so this is the second version and I am going to make a few more as these are great for men or women and in different colourways or using inked backgrounds. I love green and blue and gold as a colour combo and the papers are downloadable so an endless supply :)

Papers can be found here - May 2016 - The Beauty of Nature

Materials used:

Gold Mirri card for layering

Gold Papercraft Foil

Gold Shimmer Papercraft Foil

Cobalt Blue matt cardstock

Pistachio Green Centura carstock

Gemini Elements Dragonfly Foil n Stamp n Cut Die

Gemini Expressions Happy Birthday Foil Stamp

Gemini Elements Confetti Border Foil Stamp

As usual, I have taken lots of snaps so you can see the detail and perfection and foiling quality!

I decorated the inside in a minimalist way, but was sure to add confetti foiling!

Hope you liked my first post for 2019!

I will be back with a reworked version of one of my older cards, and some new border embossing folders over the next few days :)