Party Girl

Hi Everyone

Today i have a Strawberry Kisses card to share with you from Papercraft essentials issue 80 last month.  I have used Party Girl for htis one and the SK CD ROM.  I love polka dots and will have another card to share with you tomorrow using a similar backing paper.  I just think it goes with most things.  I've coloured the image with Spectrum Noir Pens and also the little cherry embellishment that is a separate stamp included with the main image.  I have also used spray and sparkle iridescent to make the glass look like it is sparkly by using masking tape.  The senitment is also from the stamp set, the border is using a spellbinder die and the ribbon was free from a magazine that i have been hoarding in my cupboard.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Here Comes Summer

Hi Everyone

Here comes summer is the new challenge blog theme for May at the Crafters Companion  Monthly blog and do we really think summer is on the way?  It should be but all of this rain is really depressing.  Well i thought of lots of summer cards i could do but one of the main things i look forward to in the summer is Wimbledon and pimms and of course strawberries and cream.  I am pleased to say i have been lucky enough to enjoy Wimbledon 3 times now and i am still waiting to see if i have been lucky enough to win tickets in the lottery again this year.  There's still a bit of time left so I've got my fingers crossed.

Here's my card and it is from the Strawberry Kisses range of stamps and this one is YUM.  I have used the SK CD ROM and coredinations backing paper to complete it.  I've also used a couple of my epiphany button tool and buttons to co-ordinate perfectly.  As always it is coloured with my spectrum noir pens.  oooo and if you love your pens and like to follow step by step tutorials and look for inspiration for which colours to use for images there is something exciting coming up soon on C&C.........  Watch this space.........

mmmmm strawberries and cream and Pimms, i can'rt wait.........  I've added a photo of the mens final back in 2008 when i was lucky enough to get centre court tickets for that final and we were right near the front.  mmmmm nadal............  well i can dream can't i?????????

Hope you like it.

Oh and pop over to the challenege and take part, i am looking forward to what images and memories  of summer you can conjour up.........

Louise

Flowers For You

Hi Everyone

Well i had all good intentions of making cards yesterday but not one stamp touched a piece of paper or a pen.  Housework took over and then a trip to the train station to purchase train tickets for July when Gracie, Gracies mam Emma and me go to see Madonna.  We are so excited, Gracie and i talked about which songs we thought maybe on the set for ages in the car while singing out loud to our favourite Madonna songs.  Then it was a trip to a close friends, Audrey to give her the owl i bought her back at the NEC in march,  Then macro for household essentials and then i bought a new printer.  I really couldn't decide which one to go for and have been humming and hahing for ages.  In the end i went for a Kodak with some reservations as i knew they had gone into liquidation but i was promised by the sales guy that this was only in the USA and it was only their camera section of the company.  Well we will see whether they were telling the truth or not as i really don't want to be stuck with a printer i cannot buy cartridges for......................  Anyway i have tested iy on a paintbox poppets image and the images are stunning so i am please with my purchase and it had £40 off.

Ok  today's card is one of my Strawberry Kisses cards i made for paercraft essential and this is a gorgeous image.  I have paper pieced the little image from the Flower power stamp set and coloured with spectrum noir pens and used backing papers from the SK CD ROM, along with some coredinations card stock. I did a demo of this at Frankies Crafty Touch at Darlington recently and i have been asked to put a tutorial up on my blog, so i will try and get round to this as soon as i can.   Quite a simple card but i love it and i have used a sentiment from one of the Humphrey stamps sets as i thought this matched perfectly.  The corner punch is from XCut but i have searched for link and cannot find one so i don't know if they are discontinued.

Ok now i am off to do some colouring as the dishwasher and ironing have been done so i have the rest of the day to craft.  I cannot share them though as its for a launch of new items very soon............  I cannot wait though as they are fab and so cute.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Together Forever

Hi Everyone

Well last night i got my days mixed up didn't I? I thought it was Wednesday and was going to watch the apprentice at 9pm but that's tonight.  So i still have not made a card yet as i have just finished sorting stuff out at home.  I'm going to try to make one before Lord Sugar comes on so this must be a quick blog post.

This is Together forever and its coloured with speccies.  I have sued backing papers from the SK CD rom from crafters companion (as are all the products bar the little pearls on this card)  I love that flower and leaves, it is cut out from a print out from the CD too.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Little Miss

Hi Everyone

Well i am back from my trip to Ideal World with Leann and the Humphrey shows did great.  I'm sooo tired and cannot wait for a good nights sleep in my own bed.  Did you watch Leann and Dean they are so funny together.

So i  have not been card making since last week and i am having withdrawal symptoms but i am shattered.  I'm going to have a cup of tea and watch Lord Sugar. However I just have time to share one of the Strawberry Kisses cards that made it to the last edition of paperpercarft  essentials.  This one is my favourite card, pink and green and i have used Little Miss.  I have coloured her with Spectrum Noirs to colour and used backing paper from the SK CD Rom with pink core'dinations.  The buttons i have made with my Epiphany Button tool and buttons.  The patterned borders and sentiments are also from the CD.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Papercraft Essentials Front Cover

Hi everyone

Today i can finally share a card i made a while ago for the cut out and keep section of papercraft essentials.  I know some of you out there have already received this issue of the mag but i haven't actually seen it yet so I'm still really excited about seeing the actual copy.  There are seven in total (i think, well i made seven but not sure if they are all there) and one of them made front cover, I'm amazed.

The image is Cutie, coloured with my spectrum noirs and mated using coredinations and background paper from the strawberry kisses cd rom, where you will find lots of fab paper choices and colours.  I've used roses   from my stash, a lacey circle die and i've used a marianne leaf die.  Well i don't know why i'm listing all the items here as all the instructions and items used are in the mag.

And finally a picture of the front cover.........

i will be sharing more with you soon and hope you like them.

Louise xx

Strawberry Kisses - Pink Flower Picture

Hello Everyone

Well i really enjoyed making the popcorn picture for Sarah that i thought i would have another go at a Strawberry kisses one but in a different colour way.  I'm pleased to say that after a few months of my favourite frames going missing from tescos, they have returned.  So i bought quite a few of them in white and in pale wood.  However they still don't have the dark wood which was really my favourite but i will keep looking.

This time i have used pink polka dot paper from the Strawberry Kisses CD Rom and used white card to mat it onto.  I've used what i think is my favourite image from the range, although my favourite really depends on how I'm feeling on the day, this one is called flower power. I've  paper pieced the image together and i am aiming to put a tutorial up shortly to explain how it is done.  I know you all know how to make your own decoupage but i think a few piccies may help  (i hope).  I've used my speccies to colour and i have even made a list of the colours used and added them below.  Once again i didn't have the right size oval to add my picture to so i have used my trusty e-craft.

Colours used, PP3, PP1, IG2, IG1, IG7, TN3, TN2, TN1, LV1, LG5, LG2.

I really love how this one has turned out.  Anyway I've got some DT cards to be getting on with so watch out for some more exciting crafty stuff from Crafters Companion, very soon.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

17th Birthday Card and BLOG CANDY

Hi Everyone

Well exciting news tonight, Sara at CC is being very generous and has given all of the DT members a signed copy of Leann Chivers Spectrum Noir Colouring DVD to give away as blog Candy.  My very first, i am sooooo excited.

There is a quick snippet below if you would like to have a peek.






I also have a card to share with you.  This is very similar to the calendar i made for the Strawberry kisses launch.  I showed it to a work colleague and they asked if i could personalise it for her daughter Lucy's 17th birthday as she loved the image and Lucy loves cats.  Coloured with spectrum noir pens, what else!

Hope you like my card and just leave your info on the link tool below and i will draw a name at random after 9pm tomorrow night.

Louise xx

Starwberry Kisses - Oh Boy

Hi Everyone

Here's my last DT sample card for the recent Strawberry Kisses range.  I loved working with these and will be making some more cards with them again soon.  However i must put them away for a while as the DT has now lots more items to concentrate on for upcoming shows. I'm soo excited i can't wait to get my hands on the crafty stuff that is winging its way to me.

Coloured in with speccies and using the SK CD ROM with fab papers all the way through.  I'm going to finish a Sarah Kay card i started last week today and I'm sure there will be some checked paper i can use from this CD it's just so versatile.

How cute does pup look with his head turned over one shoulder.  mmmm and very relevant as i need to start and think about packing my own suitcase for my trip to London.  Kevin and i are due to get the 10.40am train to kings cross today and have seats booked at the O2 for the National TV awards tonight with Dermot O'Leary.  If you are watching just remember I'll be sitting in the audience.  I went last year with Grace and she loved it.  She was very disappointed when i said i was taking Grandad instead. i'll maybe take her next time.

While I'm away i have prepared some blogs posts in my drafts so you will still be seeing my cards and if i have any exciting photos to post of my trip i will add them here later but will keep you updated on facebook if i can.  I'm soooooooo excited.

hope you like it.

Louise xx

Strawberry Kisses - Party Invite

Hi Everyone

Well i have recovered from yesterday's demo at Frankies Crafty Touch, Darlington.  What a fab time we all had and many laughs along the way at my expense.  However i have reflected on it since and realise that some really good tips and pointers came out of my bloopers.  I will share one in detail but the others were really just minor hic ups.

Frankie had just received her order of spectrum noirs so i had taken my set along to do some colouring and blending and give lots of tips to be able to achieve really good results.  I started by explaining about the pens, which ink to stamp with and of course which paper is best to use.  So i covered all of the points around using neenah card, ie not wasting your valuable speccy inks, no bleeding across lines and also the blending you can achieve and how it is so different to normal plain white card.  So i stamped an image using rockablocks (and i must say yesterday i was the queen of rockablocks) i stamped loads of images and all of them perfect.  I had 3 ladies also try them out, 1 of which had used them before and not achieved a good result.  So i talked the technique through to get the best result.  All 3 ladies stamped a perfect image each time and they were amazed as was everyone else.  

Then it all went wrong.  I continued to colour and blend (and i did think something was amiss) but i carried on thinking it'll be ok.  Showing everyone the blending and 'how good' the pens are and then passing the image round for everyone to agree. However Debbie Clough who is experienced in using neenah noticed how the colour hadn't come through to the back when i lifted the image up.  Then the penny dropped.  I had mixed up my neenah card with plain card and not noticed the difference.

However what was really good was then i could colour on the neenah and really show the difference in the two.  The blending was different and the pens weren't dragging on the paper.  What a dingbat i am!  Anyway it was a really good learning point for everyone (including me about making sure my prep is done right so i don't get mixed up).  You might have even thought i had planned it to show the difference but anyone who was there would know that i was gobsmacked so i could never had planned it and the look on my face would have given the game away immediately.  I really thought be safe i had only packed neenah but some plain pieces of white card were mixed up in my centura pearl for demoing the ultimate pro.

Ok onto my next sample, this is strawberry kisses and the party girl image.  These are still currently the pick of the week on Create and Craft so pop along to take a look before they sell out and watch the demo's.  If you are a member of the Crafters Companion website then you can purchase them from there too.  And anyone can join at any time.  Isn't Louise McLean doing fab on her debut on Create & Craft.  I missed her yesterday but i caught the show this morning and the ecraft shows on tool shed.  Its doing well again!  I decided to make an invitation using the background papers from the CD ROM.  Of course the image is coloured with Spectrum Noirs onto Neenah Card.

As you can see i have made it out to Leann for next years new years eve party at my house, but I'm not really having one, it was just for effect.  I have used a square piece of card and used my enveloper on my ultimate pro to make the invite.  it is just a 5" square envelope but not taped up. The inside is blank but I'm wishing now i had printed the card on both sides and then there wouldn't be all that white showing, however it still looked ok.

The seal is made from one of the embellishments from the CD to match this image and finishes it off perfect and then just a piece of ribbon to keep it closed.

I then made a separate smaller card and envelope for the RSVP to send back.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Strawberry Kisses - Little miss

Hi Everyone

Have you been watching then?  Well i managed to watch 3/4 of the first show while i was at work.  I took a long lunch and watched on the internet and i loved it.  The cards look fab don't they?

Here's another one of my cards that i have made and i really do like purple and green.

I love little snow. she is adorable.

Need to get ready for my demo in the morning now so another quick post and Gracie is here wanting to colour in snow in the teacup so she has just used the rockablock by herself and inked the stamp up and stamped the image following my instructions.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Strawbery Kisses - Yum

Hi Everyone

Well i have just found out the name of the dog and cat in the strawberry kisses range, kitty is snow and the dog is Pup. how cute.  So this is pup sitting relaxing next to his sundae glass.  So i have changed the sentiment and used relax instead.  This is cut and printed from my ecraft.

i have also cut the frames suing my ecraft as well and i think it was from laina lamb office essentials.  I used it on the ecraft software and was able to manipulate the images to cut a larger and smaller one to make a frame. The tag is also from the same card. I really do get a lot of use from this one.  Again coloured with speccies but didn't make a note of colours sorry.

Okay  a very quick post again, but at least i got in from work at a reasonable time but now have some bills to pay, the Christmas credit card shopping bill just came through the letter box. 

 Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Strawberry Kisses - Together Forever

hi Everyone

Just a really quick post from me tonight as I've just got back home from work and dropping my samples off at Leann's house for the pick of the week shows.   

H

Coloured with speccies and i have used a free svg file and used my e-craft again.  This if from Birds cards blog and she has loads of lovely files for free.  I have only used the one on the card above but i can see there are lots more i will use in the future.  Frames, picket fence, flowers, tags, borders etc etc.

Ok blog done, i need to go and get my tea lovely Kevin has prepared for me.  Pasta!  love it.

Hope you like it.

Louise

Strawberry Kisses - You and Me Babe

Hi Everyone
Well I'm all set to spend another day crafting and I'm so please I arranged an extra days annual leave from work as it is awful outside.  As Ali Watson would say it's blowing a hooley! (i think that's how you spell it?)

Today i have another sneak peek of the Strawberry kisses range from Crafters Companion.  I thought this image and sentiment would perfectly suit a valentines card.  After i finished i showed it to Kevin and said would you like this for a valentines card and he just looked at me as if I'm mad.  We will have been married for 30 years in June this year and as a lot of my family and friends will know we do not do the romance thing very well (but that suits us both so its fine).  So i didn't expect anything other really.

I've used coloured with Spectrum Noir pens and used coredinations to mat with papers from the Strawberry Kisses CD ROM.  I've coloured the image with spectrum noirs and I've also used my e-craft again for the apertures, fundamentals 1 SD card that comes with the machine.  I had 3 heart apertures to make , in the card stock,  the red card and then the patterned paper.  So i just used the same size image on all 3 and then to finish off inside a cut a heart frame to tidy the edges up and then used the heart cut out to mat the image onto.  To enable me to get the heart apertures in exactly the right place i used the collal all purpose glue which has all of the properties of photo glue but is permanent.  So if you get the glue onto the front of the card it rubs away and you have a certain amount of time to move your card around to get it in the right place.

The flowers on the front are form the fundamentals 2 sd card and as they cut all in one go they were so quick to do. Securely glued into place using collal 3d glue gel  The speccies used are :

Reds CR11 (11), Pink PP1 (196) Collar, TB3 (183) & TB1 (185) Dog & Cat EB1 (109) EB2 (169 & IG1 (CG0.5).

Watch out for the shows on Friday on Create & Craft as Leann is there with the launch shows for the Pick of the Week.  I'm so excited.  I can't wait to see all of the cards and creations all together.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Strawberry Kisses Sneak Peek - Oh Boy

Hi Everyone

Ok, I'm sharing another crafty make with you today from the fab new Strawberry Kisses range from Crafters Companion.  This time i have done something slightly different again and made a box using my boxer board and the Oh Boy image.

Well you might say what's different about a box but its got something inside.

If Grace had still been a few years younger she would have loved that i could have made her a jigsaw.  However as she is 8 and growing up fast she has just completed a globe jigsaw with really small pieces for 10 year olds in record speed on boxing day.  So i know she would love this but it would only take her a couple of minutes.   I bought the blank Jigsaws on line.

I didn't use the sentiment from the set as i wanted to keep it quite simple.  However once again my e-craft has come in handy as i have cut the stars out using the fundamentals 1 sd card.  Also used my spectrum noir pens , colours below.
greens,  JG1 (55), CG4 (47),  (59)
yellows CT1 (38), CT3 (37), CT2 (45), GB5 (33)
Dog IG3 (CG2), IG2 (Cg1), IG1 (CG0.5), EB2 (169) & PP1 (196)

So quick and easy to colour!!!!

There's still time to enter the competition from Crafters companion by hopping over their blog .  It'll be drawn on Friday 6th Jan so be quick!!!.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Crafters Companion Blog Hop - Strawberry Kisses

Hi Everyone and Happy New Year to you all.

Crafters Companion are starting the  New Year with a bang, launching the first of a new range, with artwork designed by the creator of Humphrey's Corner - Sally Hunter.  The Strawberry Kisses range (including twelve stamps and a co-ordinating CD-ROM) will be the Pick of the Week on Create and Craft from Midday on Friday 6th January!

To celebrate the launch, Crafter's Companion have organised an inspiration 'hop' around some of the 

Design Team's blogs! If you have landed here from Pam's blog then you are hopping in 

the right direction. If not then you can pop over to the Crafters Companion News Blog to start at the 
beginning. To continue the inspiration hop, you need to head over to Gemma's blog.Everyone on

the Design Team had so much fun creating with this new stamp range from Crafter’s Companion and 

to celebrate the launch of these stunning new collections on Friday 6th January Crafter's Companion

are also giving you the chance to win:All twelve new Strawberry Kisses stamps and a co-ordinating

paper crafting CD-ROM! All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning this great prize is visit

the Crafter’s Companion News Views and Inspiration Blog to leave a comment about the range. 

On Friday January 6th, Crafter's Companion will pick one comment at random, to win the prize.
Keep popping back each day this week to see more sneak peeks! 

I've added my fave creation so far below and its the kitten in a flower pot.  Ratgher than make

another card i thought i would do something different.  Coloured in using my speccies and

I've used my ecraft for the oval matting and layering.  The photo frame was very cheap from 

Tescos and i know i will be making more of these.  I've paper pieced the image and used collal

3d gel.  Hope you like it.  I've also added below the whole range of stamps artwork so you can see

them all.  I love them. So many uses for them.

Watch out for more sneak peeks during the week.

Louise xx

Strawberry Kisses - Birthday Kitten

Hi Everyone

My second sneak peek of this lovely lovely range of stamps with a matching CD full of gorgeous backing papers and lots of other embellishments. I've made an easel card this time using Snow White Centura Pearl card as the base.  Blue coredinations for matting, as well as backing paper from the new CD. 
 Rather than just make a plan card i have made it into a calendar. I bought these a few months back with every intention of making them up but 1 day before 2012  sounds about right for me.  I must do something with the other 9 that were in the pack or they'll go to waste.

 
I've chosen the birthday kitten image as what could be a purrrfect place to keep all of your important birthday  dates of family and friends in one place for the coming year!
Coloured with spectrum noir pens and yes i promised i would add the new colours so here goes, the previous colours are in brackets.

Cat,, bow cake icing and candle,  IG1 (CG0.5), IG2 (CG1), IG3 (CG2), EB1 109, LV1 (146)

Swirl of icing , EB1 (109) & TN1 (134)
Flame, GB5 (33), CT3 (37), CT1 (38)
cake bite, EB2 (169) & EB1 (109)

I've also added one of the paper roses and leaves made from the same coordination's card stock as the matting.  I said at Craftaganza i would definitely use these on my cards in the future and i love them. Thanks Leann Chivers for showing me how, even though my first one was like road kill.)

Hope you like it, and are you excited for the shows yet, don't forget about the blog hop tomorrow (if you're not too hungover!)

Louise xx

Srawberry Kisses - Cutie

Hi Everyone

Well even though i received the email from Sara saying we could now start and share the new launch of stamps and cd, Strawberry Kissess from Sally Hunter who brought us the lovely Humphrey. I was going to make you all wait until the 1st Jan for the blog hop.  However i couldn't be that mean so I'm sharing from today.

I just love the stamps and the cd with papers and all the extras is just fab.  For my first one I've chosen the little kitty kat relaxing in a teacup, with one of my fave colour combo's purple and green.
The backing paper is from the cd and the sentiment comes with the stamp.  I've used my spectrum noirs and also used my new Christmas present my lovely e-craft .  I've cut the plain circle from  neenah card the fundamentals 1 cartridge you get with the machine. Then I used laina lamb designs cartridge, for the scalloped circle.  However i know there will be some free files out there that can be used for this or even purchase 1 image at a time.  I've also used the laina lamb cartridge for the photo corners and i know i will get loads of use from this catergory as there are lots of other designs.  The lilac card is from my crafty stash as are the few gems i used.

The speccies i have used are Cat, CG2, CG1 & CGo.5, Tea cup 146, 145 & CG0.5 and purples 83 & 146 for the flowers and bow. I haven't put the new colours above but there is a new colour chart available at crafters companion website to make the comparison if you have the new ones.  I'll add the new ones to my blog next time but i need to get back to my strawberry kisses samples while i have a little time.  I also know if you have the original colour caps, like me, Crafters companion are going to send the new caps to us if we ask for them click here to find out how you can get them.

Hope you like it and watch out for the Blog Hop on the 1st Jan where you will be able to win a fab prize.

Louise xx