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

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 :)

Shaped Cut and Emboss Folders post # 3 - Christmas themed and a tutorial

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope that by this stage you are all stuffed and sitting with a box of chocolates or your favorite tipple!

This post is long overdue and while some of you might be fed up with making Christmas cards, I know some of you start in the New Year and make them bit by bit, something I like to do and never got around to this year.

So I hope you like this little card... add a flame-less battery tealight between the front and back and it looks very festive!

Start off by making a card blank using the Cut and Emboss Moulins Frame

To achieve this, score and fold a piece of blue pearlescent card stock in half and place the fold inside the top cut line of the die, thereby retaining the fold and not cutting out the top most part of the die. In order to cut through both sheets of card, you may need to run through your machine more than once.

this is the result:

Next, run one sheet of blue card with blue side facing the right way this time, and use the centre cut out to emboss a Christmas greeting with white embossing powder and versamark ink.

(( The remaining frame will be used for the front. ))

Next emboss a piece of thin acetate with a dotty folder, Crafters Companion Snowfall Drift is a good choice as the dots vary in frequency, I cant find it in the CC store but check other shops online or use something similar.

Next run the piece of acetate through the cut and emboss folder (this helps mould the acetate to the same shape and =makes it easier for adhering, and neater too).

adhere the acetate to the top part of the frame

Next, cut another blue frame and adhere this and the sentiment part to the base, which helps hold the inner cut outs to the frame and makes a card blank - you will probably need to trim the top part of the frame down otherwise the card wont close..

add some snowflakes and organza ribbon and you're done!

So simple and so delicate. would be great in other colours too, gold, ivory, matt silver, lilac, pale pink etc or in black with silver or gold gilding wax..... imagine!

Will be back with some new border embossing folder ideas, so not finished with posts for the New Year just yet!

Shaped Cut and Emboss Folders post #2 - all about the golds and coppers

Evening everyone, hope you liked yesterday's post :)  Back with some more of the cut and emboss shaped dies. First up is this little box which I made using the hexagonal shape frame called Vichy frame.

I cut it out of copper centura pear twice - for base and top - and then once in white card, added versamark and embossed with copper embossing powder, cutting down and layering over the top of a piece of acetate which was added to the copper frame to make a window.

The box was made with Hexagon Gift Box die set and papers from Crafters Companion website, free papers called Autumnal Delight October 2017

and Flowers for all occasions 2

Some closeup photos for you. - make a smaller hexagonal strip and adhere to the box, moving the score lines a little, but using the box die as a guide.

I was chuffed with this simple little box and I think Fiona and the Hochanda presenters were too as they picked it up a few times during the shows LOL. I think it would make a fab gift box..

Secondly this evening I am sharing a wedding card in cream and gold centura with was patina highlights using the Biarritz Cut and Emboss Folder

I used the corners of the Frame to partially cut the layers - text is computer generated.

To achieve the multiple layered Frames, I cut the frame in gold and cream and hand cut the cream one slightly smaller to reveal the dotty ''studded'' gold layer underneath.

The inside has been made by cutting and replacing the cut bits - I really like this effect, it makes for an interesting insert.

Back later during the weekend with my Christmas card tutorial using the final Shaped cut and emboss folder, as I am working on new samples for up and coming products I know are going to be a hit. I am sooooo excited and so fortunate to work with other great designers for Crafters Companion, thanks everyone!

Phew ... then I can break for Christmas!!