E-Craft Card - 1st Christmas

Hi Everyone
Today i have been playing with my new Christmas pressie from my husband (and yes i was allowed to open it early).  He normally is not very good at choosing me a gift so i gave him the heads up and told him what i would like.  I love my cuttlebug and would never be without it but as i wanted to make larger cards i was having problems with getting the right size dies.  Especially as i wanted to make card blanks.  So i considered ordering the grand caliber but when i added up the cost of the larger dies i realised if i bought the caliber and a few sets of grand dies it would be at the same price as the cost of an e-craft.  As i have used the e-craft on my Crafters Companion demos i know how good it is but always thought i could get by with my cuttlebug.  Well you know what thought did???   So it made perfect sense to me as i will not be restricted by size as it cuts all the shapes in  1/2 " increments up to 11 1/2".  I can also buy SVG  files at a single cost rather than buy full cartridges which i find is a real bonus, although cartridges are available if i wanted to buy them.  I can also use scraps of paper, no cutting mat .................  and i could go on and on but if you watch Create & Craft this Sunday, Leann Chivers will be demoing it for the first time on the channel.  It has loads of good points and i just love it.  I have been busy cutting all day and looking for free SVG files and i found loads. 

Leann is also on TV on Saturday with Reddy Die Cut Decoupage so have a look at the programme schedule.  I've checked Sundays for the e-craft and its not up as yet but i will post asap when it is available.

Ok, my first card is a Humphrey card and its for a boys 1st Christmas.  I was asked to make 2 cards like this by a colleague at work as i showed Graces card she made a while ago in red.  So its more or less the same as the previous one but in blue.  However if you look at Graces card i couldn't mat and layer any circles as i used a tea plate to make the card blank and then i didn't have any other household objects to trace around for the matts so i made do with using the tea plate again and just cutting the circle down a bit by eye.  Not very good really and you can see the first one here .   Sorry about the light but it had already got dark by the time i took this.

Every thing you see is cut with the e-craft and i know this is quite a basic card but it was so easy to do and i have made 3 all in one go.  The card blank is an 8" circle cut onto centura pearl card the next matt is a 7 1/2" circle from coredinations card and the patterned paper is from the Humphrey Christmas CD cut at 7", printed onto centura pearl paper. I love the Humphrey christmas CD's, theres two in the pack and the papers are really not just for christmas.  The paper i have used on this card is quite a generic swirly paper and could be used for all occasions.
  
Humphrey has been coloured with speccies as always and glittered up a bit.  I had already cut the circle out before i stamped him and then matted him onto a scalloped circle from an e-craft cartridge, office essentials.  The two scrolls are from the fundamentals one cartridge that comes with the machine and the two snowflakes are free SVG files i found on t'internet.  I Love these, what a find!!!!  One of them is available here and the other one i cannot find anywhere.  I've loads on my history so it would take ages to look. However if anyone wanted a copy i could email you the file, just leave me a comment and email address.

Now normally i take a close up photo of my colouring but this time i have taken a photo of the snowflakes.  The larger one is 2" cut from Coredinations and the smaller white one is 1 1/2 " cut from centura paper.  I've sprayed them both with a light coating of spray and sparkle irridescent.  Hower the photo does not do them justice, although i think you can tell how delicate the points of the snowflakes are.

If you wanted to take a look before the shows there are some clips on you tube, click here. 
And here  and here   its the lvoely leann.

Watch out for the shows and if you have not asked santa for your prezzie as yet, do what i did..... ha ha.

Hope you like it.

Louise

Wedding Card

Hi Everyone

Well I finally feel like i have recovered from Craftaganza 2011,.  It was soo exciting but sooo tiring.  What a fab time i had meeting lots of lovely crafters and i really would recommend it to anyone who  is not too sure about booking up.

Ok back to normality.  I have been busy making a wedding card today for a work colleague and its my first wedding card as I've never been asked to make one before.  So when i saw a post a while ago from Pops Cards of a LOTV card, i loved it sooo much i thought if i ever need to make a wedding card i would use hers as inspiration.  Its not exactly the same but the layout is so therefore please take a look at Pops Cards to see the original.  Its amazing.

Ive coloured the LOTV Wedding Couple image with my Spectrum Noir Pens and used a swirl stamp embossed in WOW embossing powder to decorate around the image.  I think it shows up better in the photo below. The paper is magnolia paper and i can't find it anywhere, i thought i bought it from dies to die for but its not there anymore, its matted onto grey Centura pearl card stock.

I've added flowers, leaves and a hat pin from wild orchid crafts and the key will either be from the same place or the ribbon girl.  (Can't remember).  I've printed their names and date on the pc in grey and then used a tag from the LOTV Tag stamp  set embossed in silver embossing powder.  I've also decorated the inside quite plain as for me there is plenty of decoration on the front.  I've left the box totally plain using centura pearl from crafters Companion.  Because the card is so stunning on its own i really thought it looked elegant with no decoration.  So i haven't posted it as its a plain white box.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Snowman Tea Light Card

Hi Everyone

well i did tempt fate and said i never had any probs with blogger but as you can see my scheduled post below did not work for 9 this morning as i am now back from craftaganza and ready for bed.  i'll update everyone with the fab projects we did and some of my accidents.............  nothing to do with the teachers and projects just me............



This is the second of my scheduled posts as i will be busy busy busy and having a fab time crafting. Took 2 days annual leave and am i going to enjoy them.

Another tea light card, coloured using speccies.  Nit wit papers which i love and its pink and red Holly this time.

Sorry only short posts i know but I'm sure i will have lots to talk about after craftaganza.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Little Ivy

Hi Everyone

If you are reading this my scheduled post will have worked so here's hoping.  I will try in between my crafty classes tomorrow to try and publish it to the face book groups.
This next Christmas card is using Little ivy again from LOTV and this is becoming a favorite. I've chosen red and white and also used my square cheery lynn die i bought from gateshead last month.  Its fab.

Simple card and Audrey loved this one.  Coloured using speccies and a sentiment stamp from LOTV.

Well i should be enjoying myself, crafting away and maybe i'll be able to post my crafty makes from the fab classes with Sara, Leann, Sheena, Claire, Sarah and Louisa.  Should be good.

Hope you like it.

Louise

Carol Singing - Tea light card

Hi Everyone

Are you ready for some carol singing yet?  'Deck the Halls with boughs of holly, fah la la la la la la la la!!!!!!!!!'

Well that's enough from me as anyone who knows me will know i cannot hold a tune to save my life.  How many sleeps til Christmas, someone keeps telling me at work and today i was told twice.  Once person said 33 sleeps and the other said 32??? I don't know which is correct and it'll be here soon either way so I'm not bothered.

Today i have another tea light card decorated in red and white.  The image is another LOTV, first time stamped and coloured.

Coloured with Spectrum Noir pens from Crafters Companion and using nitwit papers.

Ok i can count how many more sleeps to the next important event.  ITS ONLY 1 MORE SLEEP TO CRAFTAGANZA.   Cant' wait.

Hope you like the card i only have 3 more to make now.

Louise xx

Twinkling Star

Hi Everyone

Another quick post from me tonight as i am busy with some more christmas cards and tea light cards.  i think later what i will do is schedule some more posts for the days i am at craftaganza, if i get time that is.

This image is from LOTV again, the sentiment is too as well as the tag stamp.  So easy to make your own.

I've used my blue speccies and not much else really.  Apart from the addtion of my fave die cut the snowflake border.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Little Ivy -Tea Light Card

Hi Everyone

If you having been following my posts you will know i still have a number of tealight cards to make and i don't think i will ever get bored of these, which is a good job really.  Here's another one with a Christmas theme for a work colleague.

Ok need to get on with some more tonight.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Three Little Angels

Hi Everyone

Just a quick update on last night, had a good chatty night with Leann.  Chinese meal was great, plenty of Wodka but we never really got to see much of the X factor and strictly as we were chatting too much.  The only person we both stopped to listen to was Amelia, she was amazing and hope she gets to the final.  What an achievement that would be especially as she was out in the first show.  And no hangover this morning whcih is a bonus but i do have half of Leanns lovely lemon cheesecake to eat (well not all by myself i will share it).  Thanks very much Leann for a fab night in.  Of course we talked a little about the upcoming craftaganza  and i am so looking forward to this as i have never been before.

Todays card is another LOTV image that i bought in harrogate in september i think it was.  I love this image and Jaqui showed us at the Lili of the valley colouring class how to get this effect of mainly white in the image with a hint of colour.  Although my hint of pink is quite a big hint.  Need to become a bit more light handed i think.  Although i still love it.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Christmas Card - Milly Winter Window

Hi Everyone

Another Christmas card from me today and I'm on a roll.  Although during the week I only get 1 or 2 done in an evening after work.   Today has been housework and washing etc and then off to Leann's for strictly, x factor, Chinese and wodkas as she puts it.   Its another Lili of the Valley image, Milly Winter Window and i loved colouring her in.  I've used my specturm noirs and pencils again and this time its an unusual colour combo for a Christmas card but i like it.

I've used nit wit papers and my ribbon stamp from LOTV with some wow embossing powders.  Again quite simple, i don't know what it is but i cannot add loads of embellishments to my cards.  I try but i take them off in the end.  Maybe I'll be happy with one soon as i love all the others i see.

 

 Hope you like it, Louise xx

Swalk Winter Cheer Christmas Cards

Hi Everyone

These two images i coloured in last week and i have eventually made them into cards.  Again two of my order so not many more to do now.  As ever coloured with speccies and polychromo pencils.

I've used background papers from Dainty Toys, Washington where i did my last demo as of course i have to buy something everywhere i go, just in case you know.  I've also used my ribbon stamps from LOTV and embossed with WOW powders i bought at the NEC.  Love them and i got a pack of 12.

The next one is the penguin winter SWALK cheer stamp and I've coloured her in blue.  The background paper is from the SWALK CD rom and then i found some embossed star paper in my stash.

Once again i have used my new favourite die that i bought from the NEC, its a memory box snowflake border. The tag and Merry Christmas stamp are from LOTV.  So quite a lot of mixing and matching tonight.

Hope you like them

Louise xx

Christmas Cards - 2 more done

Hi Everyone

First of all i would like to say a big thanks for the lovely comments on yesterdays tea light card.  you are all really kind.

Today i have two more Christmas cards made for the same lady i mentioned yesterday so that's 4 done i think and 6 left to do.
I've used my spectrum noir pens to colour and polychromo pencils to finish off. 

I've used a mixture of nit wits papers (the green) and the red paper is from a free 6" pad on the front of one of the many magazines i buy.  Of course LOTV image and I've used the script from the papermania urban stamp set i got at the NEC.

And then finsihed off with decoration on the inside.

I love the die used on this card, its a cheery Lynn design i bought at the Gateshead show just recently and i am still having problems getting it to cut in the middle of the rectangle.  However as its covered by the topper no one would ever know.

Hope you like them.

Louise xx

Swalk Tea Light Card- Another one done

Hi Everyone

well I've managed to finish another tea light card and this is for a birthday at the end of November for a fantastic friend of mine who's husband is really ill currently with cancer of the spine.  She has always supported me though thick and thin and i couldn't wish for a better friend (apart from Leann Chivers that is).  They are both such lovely people and never moan about anything and he has had chemo for over 7 years now and i don't think there is much left for the drs to try. Its a real shame as i love the pair of them.

Anyway my friend has always bought my cards and cakes and just loved the first tea light box i made so wanted a special one for her friend who she said loves bright colours.  So here it is.

  Do you think its bright enough?.  i was a bit dubious about my paper choice at first but now its finished i really do like it.  She also loved the little swalk image so asked me to keep it the same. 

Hope you like it too.


Louise xx

Humphrey Decoupage

Hi Everyone
Some of my makes from yesterday at my Crafters Companion Dainty Toys Demo.  I had another lovely day and met more crafters who had lots of questions that i could help them with.  As i was demoing the ultimate pro and boards for card blanks i made up some cards using the Humphrey Christmas and Everyday decoupage.  I think everyone likes to see a finished product so they can get lots of ideas for doing their own.
I did leave some of the more fancy shape cards behind but these some of what i did.  The first 3 are taken from inspiration from the crafters Companion card gallery so you will see something similar there.  Not sure who made them so apologies as i cannot credit you individually with names but thanks as i thought they were lovely so made them up in my demos.

Just some quick and simple cards with not very much decoration to show everyone its quite easy to achieve lovely cards without spending a lot of money.
Hope you like them.

Louise xx

Gracies 8th Birthday card

hi Everyone

Well its Gracie's 8th birthday tomorrow so i have decided to make her a special card and I'm hoping she will love this one.  Once again don't know where the years have gone and i dread to think how quick the next 8 years will go.

I've chosen an easel card and the image is Rosy posy, LOTV, i love it.  The background papers are magnolia and i have had them a while and  been saving them for a special occasion.  The image is coloured with my speccies and i have used my polychromo pencils to add depth to the colour.

Th sentiment is also LOTV and the ribbon and butterfly are both Meiflower.  Again the butterfly i was saving for a special card and what could be more special than beautiful Gracie's birthday.  Can't wait to see her tomorrow night, shes just brilliant.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Christmas Tea Light Card

Hi Everyone

This is what i was busy with yesterday and just finished off this morning.  its part of the order for my work colleagues and she has ordered 4 but wanted them red and a Christmas theme. I've only made one so far so she can see if its ok and then I'll carry on with the other 3.

The two main things i have used to make this are my spectrum noir pens, centura pearl card,  my ultimate pro, boxer board, spring board, these are vital to being able to come up with a really good finished product.  The tag inside is embossed using the spring board which i could not be without as i use it for loads of my projects and means i do not need to buy more dies.  I've used a  LOTV Christmas image, Pretty Poinsettia and nitwits paper, mooey Christmas too, but I'm not too sure about my combination.  i think i should have put the stripey paper on the front and the patterned paper inside and mixed it up a bit.  (i will do next time). I also decided not to add any further embellishments as it didn't matter what i added it looked too much so I've decided to leave it plain.

Its a bit too much stripey paper, i think i should have done the tea light box in the patterned and also the tag holder which would have evened it out a bit.  Never mind, but i couldn't bear to throw it out and start again.

Luckily I've only made one and i can make changes to the other 3.

Hope you like.

Louise xx

Christmas Card no 2

Hi Again

Just finished my 2nd Christmas card and to begin with i really thought it wasn't going to end up being a card i liked and i nearly started again.  However i really like the finished card.  The frosty border is a new purchase from yesterday (memory box) and i was not very confident it was going to cut properly but it went though perfect first time and with coredinations paper.  I'm amazed! I've added some small gems to the border to add a little sparkle.

I'm also using my sons new camera and it really is making a difference to my pictures i think. The  background paper is from a pack i bought ages ago at the NEC and i think that was about 5 years ago.   I have nearly ran out of space in my room today to put everything away and i have even spread downstairs with my sewing machine again, on the dining table.

The image is coloured with my speccies and i have used stick and stay to glue the border on the card.  I'm not sure what other way you could stick such a fine border if stick and stay had not been invented.  Its fab and the finish to the border is perfect.

I think that's all from me today, 2 cards not very much is it.  I'm still shattered  of such a busy week and got housework to look forward to tomorrow as well so I'm just going to chill out tonight.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

1st Christmas Card Made

Hi Everyone
I have had such a peaceful and lovely time this morning, just me time.  Put all my crafty goodlies in their place in my craft room, after yesterdays marathon shop at the NEC.  So i decided to then use the images i coloured the other night and make some christmas cards.  However i did think these would be my Christmas cards started but i recevied a call from a specail friend who asked me to make 10 christmas cards for her so how could i refuse.  I can see whats going to happen though, all of my cards i give away will be bought at the last minute as i have ran out of time.  Never mind i'll keep trying though.

Here's my first one then and i've used the lovley angel stamp  from LOTV last Christmas realase.  The patterned paper is nitwits and i had my first chance to put my buys from yesterday to good use.  The two embossed pieces are from a stamp set i bought from crafts u love.  They are papermania and are urban stamps.  I saw them and knew i just had to have them.

I embsosed the stamped images in gold and then distressed them with frayed burlap. I've also sewn around the matting and layering, a bit messy but never mind thats what makes them hand made.  I've also added one of the new ribbons i bought yesertday.  No close up as i added these to my blog the other night but i've even decorated inside which i have never done before and i love the result.

As always the image had been coloured using my spectrum noirs from Crafters Companion.  I owuld alos like to give credit to the gallery of images on the Lily of the Valley website as this card is not exactly copied from there but it is similar to one and is where i got my inspiration from.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx