Rosette tutorial...

 Hey,

It's New Year's Eve - Lemon is here and we are planning a fun bar crawl ending up with a party back at ours - Just the 3 of us - BLISS!!

Recently, I have been making rosette's (you'll see why soon enough), I've done it before, but with varying results.

This time I went in hunt of a tutorial and came across this one at Penniwigs blog - it was a massive help and I thought I'd make a version for you based on using a scoring board and not a die.

You will need the following supplies:
- 12inch long patterned paper
- contrasting paper to fit your circle (I like to use self-adhesive card)
- hot glue gun
- circle punch or die (size up to you)
- double sided tape
- Scoring board and score tool

1 - Cut x2 strips of  12inch x 3cm from your patterned paper - sorry for the mixed measurements..it's easier this way trust me!

To get the 3 different sizes shown in the main photo I used 5cm, 4cm and 3cm widths - bigger the width the bigger the rosette.

2 - Score the strips at 1/2inch intervals

3 - Fold the strips across their score lines, work out how you want to join them and add double sided tape to x2 ends

4 - Join the strips together to get the cookie cutter like circle

5 - Use a piece of scrap foam / cloth underneath your rosette, squeeze together to get the rosette shape and add hot glue to the centre hole and the folds nearest to the hole. Add the circle and press down firnly

6 - Flip the rosette over and repeat the instructions in step 5

Voila! A rosette!!

Love these, super easy to make and once dry, you can embellish the centre circle or add a sentiment.

Cx

Retro Rubber #4 - December Colour Challenge..Team A

Hey,

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. We did and it's even better now our bestie Lemon is here!

Time for Team A to show you our Retro Rubber challenge #4 - it's a colour challenge this time

I loved the idea of making a non-traditional Christmas card, using the colours from the challenge.

I used a freebie stamp that I have had for about 4 years. I have actually never ever used them! I chose this one from the set of 6 stamps, because I like the teeny little Scotty Dog ornament.

I kept the card simple and used a mixture of silver and blue ribbons. I stamped the sentiment in a navy blue ink, to stick with the theme.

Hop on over to Retro Rubber and join in the fun, but not before you check out the other great creations by the rest of the Team.

Cx

Pinterest CASE with scraps...

Hey,

Hope you all had a great weekend.

I had a great one, very chilled and plenty of time at my desk.

I am working from home today, as Lemon arrives - YAY!!

Every now and then I go through my Pinterest craft / card board to remind myself what I have pinned. Sometimes I see something that I really have to make.

Here is the inspiration for today's cards..

I love the simplicity of it.

I decided to use scraps and to make x2 slightly different cards with a colour theme. I settled on one green and one yellow.

I mixed and matched the card blanks and the backing paper for variety. I also created the Happy Birthday sentiment I wanted to use in 2 different ways.

The main card is my fave - I stamped the sentiment onto one of the little scraps.

With both cards I attached the scraps using my AC mini stapler (like a mini attacher), die cut SSS stitched hearts and stars in contrasting colours and dotted around some bling.

Here is the second card - I die cut 'Happy' and stamped 'Birthday' - it works, but it feels overly fussy.

I love these cards, they were super easy to make, used scraps and all the little details and patterns make me smile.

Happy Monday to you - can't wait to see Lemon..

Cx

I heart glitter...

Hey,

I love glitter, I know it gets everywhere but I can't resist it.

I recently got a big mixed box of American Crafts glitter pots - all different colours and textures...a new one for me textured glitter and OH how do I love it.

I decided to have a quick experiment session - using Silhouette double sided-adhesive paper, a punch and some glitter.

The hello card was on my desk unused from another project, so it because the base for this little experiment. The 'hello' is from Pink Petticoat.

I punched a heart out of the adhesive paper, peeled off one side and stuck to the front of the card. Then I removed the top piece and added my glitter.

Super simple!

Not only does it look amazing - all that texture - but it is amazing, as the glitter doesn't fall off when you shake the card?!

How is that possible?

Lots more fun to come with these sheets methinks.

Lemon arrives tomorrow - whoo hoo!! I am working from home awaiting her arrival and cooking Curry Goat in her honour!

Cx

Monochrome lovelies...

Hey,

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Hubby and I had a really relaxing,food filled time.

We were spoiled by our lovely family and friends and each other :)

I thought in these last few posts of 2014 I would try and show you some of the things I have done using some stolen time post work (30 minute stress busters..)..

My time has been so tight, I've not really had the time to post everything. I made lots of fun things in the stolen moments at my desk. some for the 'holiday' season..so I'll be sharing those too.

I'm starting with this set of monochrome cards.

The main photo is of the first card I made. It came to life because my new SSS stitched rectangle die arrived and I had the apple journal die-cut on my desk..the seed was sown...

I die-cut the rectangle out of white textured card stock, then I cut a card blank from black stock. I added the apple journal card and was a bit stuck with the sentiment..then I spotted my SSS Thanks Die. Die-cut in white it really makes the card.

The next card was super easy, as I used the same base model as the 'thanks' card and added a die-cut Hi! that was on my desk (I have a pot of Silhouette die-cuts). Easy.

Love these cards, so easy and fun. I figure if you don't have a Silhouette there are lots of cool die-cut journaling cards out there that you could use.

Cx

Christmas Card Wrap...

Hey,

So it's Christmas Eve, hope you are all ready for Christmas.

I managed to Skype with JT this morning - it was a quiet time at work :) Hubby and I are off to a neighbours Christmas Eve party - I have baked cupcakes (yums)..

Looking forward to a quiet and relaxing Christmas Day with just Hubby and I.

In the run up to Christmas I have been a bit busy wrapping things!

Not just presents. Oh no, I took it a step further this year...

As I work closely with a rather large team, Christmas gifts for all is a bit pricey! So I thought what if I 'wrapped' their cards?!

The main photo today is the outcome of that idea...

I wrapped coloured twine around the envelope and then added a candy cane, I die-cut a label out of Chalkboard stock (I won it earlier this year) and wrote the recipient's name on.

They are so festive I love them and the team did too. A small treat goes a long way..

Happy Christmas.

Cx

Retro Rubber #4 - Happy Christmas Everyone!

~

Hey,

It's been a few days...I've been a bit distracted getting ready for Christmas.

As it's Tuesday you must be wondering where my Retro Rubber make is?! Well we are having a little Christmas break and will be back on 30th December - with Team B's make for challenge #4

Have a great Christmas with your loved ones..

Cx

Moving Along With The Times...sketch time...

Hey everyone,

It's almost Christmas, time to relax and hang out with your loved ones. I for one cannot wait!

Before that we have one last challenge from Team B over at Moving Along With The Times.. our wonderful Hostess this week, is our leader Hazel, she has chosen a sketch theme.

At the time that the DT calendar was released I had just bought the gorgeous Pink Petticoat Flamingoes. I was inspired to create a really girly, but not too busy take on the sketch.

I went with a very busy floral backing paper, so all the other elements had to be simple and pared back. The circles were die-cut from a pink houndstooth embossed paper that JT sent me. I added a simple pink border around the image and some pink candi to finish off.

It's way more pink than I normally use, but I love that the sketch took me to a different place, which is great - stepping out of my comfort zone is healthy!

To see more wonderful creations by Team B and to join in the sketchy fun pop on over to MAWTT.

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and thanks for playing with us at MAWTT throughout 2014.

Cx

Retro Rubber #4 - December Colour Challenge...Team B

Hey,

Congrats to the winners of Retro Rubber #3.

Time for a new challenge that will run until the New Year giving you plenty of time to dig out your Retro Rubber :) and join in the fun.

This time on Retro Rubber #4 we have a colour challenge.

Go over to the blog and check out Team B's wonderful creations.

Cx

CASE..using feathers..

Hey,

So today I am showing a card that I made as a CASE of this beauty I saw on Pinterest..

I was inspired by the little pack of feather die-cuts that JT sent me, she recently purchased gorgeous xCut feather dies and kindly die-cut several for me.

I decided to heat emboss my splatter using a Memory Box texture splatter stencil and embossing powders by WOW! (Red) and Ranger (Liquid Platinum).

The sentiment is by WPlus9 and I used a VersaMagic ink. For the final touch I added some red bling.

I really like how my CASE came out, Pinterest is giving me lots to CASE at the moment...it's fun after the Christmas card frenzy!

Hope you have a good weekend.

Cx

$20 Challenge...

Hey,

So as some of you know JT and I love to play $20 challenge.

Not familiar with $20 challenge? Well, the rules are very simple. 

You can spend $20 on craft stash for the other person we have to buy each other $20 of craft goodies - ideally you should choose things that you think the other person might like and might not buy. Finally you agree some parameters - we did stars, spots, stripes and dies this time. Bargains are also a big part of the challenge.

I have already received mine from JT - hers is going in the post, as I have been waiting for an item to arrive..

So what did I get?

What didn't I get more like!! Stamps, ribbon, stickers, journaling cards that can be used as stencils and a die set!. Love the little notes and I can't wait to have a proper play with it all.

Amazing right!

Great choices from JT - especially the treat Dinosaur stamps - I LOVE Dinosaurs!!

Cx

WOYWW #288 - Stash crazy...

Hey,

Can you believe its that time already?! Yes, its time for WOYWW. Time to join our wonderful hostess Julia over at her blog Stamping Ground - for the weekly global desk nosy. Hang out with old friends and make new ones - I love WOYWW.

My desk show and tell this week is all about the first of JT's two stash gifts to me! The main photo is of all the stuff she brought with her from the UK.

I labelled the photos, so you can see what's what, thus this post is not as long!

Here is a shot of the twine, so you can see all the yummy colours.

Last week, you saw a sheet of adhesive dots on my desk and I said I would tell you all about them. Well, they are from Tesco, they are for 'office' use, but I like to use them under bling, for some added detail. I also use them as borders and on cupcake die-cuts as 'sprinkles'

Here is the card I made for my wonderfully talented DT colleague and friend Sue -

You can see one of the red dots under the red pearl. I love this card and I took a close up of her hair, as I blended 2 colours well here! I love Gorjuss stamps, such fun to work with.

See you at your desks later. I'll be home at a decent time, as tomorrow is my work Christmas Party..

Cx

Retro Rubber #3 - still time for you to play...

Hey everyone,

Time for some fab new creations from Team B - Katie, Katy, Debbie and Kelly over at Retro Rubber.

It's challenge #3 and we are encouraging you to follow the sketch and add a Christmas twist if you can / want to.

You can find the rules over on the blog, challenge ends on 12th December.

Cx

Skype playdate fun....

Hey,

Hope you had a good weekend! I did!

I hung out with Hubby this weekend, we did dinners and brunches and shopping and lounging..fun times.

Yesterday I had a great playdate with JT..we gossiped about craft and life stuff. We opened Christmas present early. It was mucho fun, just like old times..only remotely - little bit sad..

We made 3 cards using some new parts of our kit where we could.

The main photo today is of the first card we made. We used this gorgeous idea from Pinterest as inspiration.

Pinterest inspiration

I decided to use the new tag dies that JT sent me. I punched the white card using a random $1 EK Success punch. I assembled the tags using foam tape, a brad and a sentiment by Hero Arts. To finish the card I added some wooden adhesive dots.

I recently bought both JT a Ellen Hutson die - Treat Yo' Self - it has caused much hilarity between us. So card 2 was all about this crazy die -

Playdate Card 2 - Treat Yo' Self

I had the heat embossed piece on my desk already. A few nights ago I was having a play with my new SSS Dec card kit Ranger embossing powders this one is Enchanted Gold and its super glittery. I used it with a Heidi Swapp mini circles stencil. I die-cut Treat Yo' Self from a scrap of hexagon paper. I added 'it's your birthday' to give the big sentiment some context :)

I love this die, everything I make with it, makes me smile.

For the last card of the epic date, we worked with something we had purchased on Black Friday -

Playdate Card 3 - Something new..

I opted to use new papers that I bought as part of a random scrapbooking mini kit at Burlington of all places - for the grand sum of $3! The kit came with all kinds of stickers, so the gold start at the front is one of the stickers mounted using a foam pad. I die cut the star and the happy from scraps - the yellow paper was embossed, so adds a bit of texture.

I'm going to stamp Birthday inside this one before I use it.

A fun way to spend my Sunday morning. Miss you man.

Cx

Scrappy embossed cards...

Hey,

So I am super excited as JT and I are having a Skype Playdate tomorrow..I have been missing her a LOT recently, so it will be fun to catch-up for a few hours. Also we have done our usual $20 challenge, so we will be comparing notes on the booty we ended up with.

Today I have 4 cards for you - they are super simple and were inspired by some pieces of paper I had cut up - you know one of those sheets that comes with lots of sentiments?

I had 4 Thank You's from my sheet, so I decided to challenge myself.

Make 4 cards using only scraps and 2 other items!

Challenge accepted!!

Recently I have been neglecting my enormous embossing folder collection, so I chose that as 1 of my other items and I went with adhesive pearls from Michaels, as the 2nd item.

I found 12 scraps (3 per card) that co-ordinated with the thank you's, then I rummaged through my paper drawers and came up with 2 already embossed papers that worked. I chose 2 more embossing folders and embossed 2 more pieces of paper.

I wanted all the cards to have a layered effect and to feel quite modern.

The main card was the first one and my fave. I used a notepaper folder by Darice and all the scraps except the corrugated card are by American Crafts. Look closely and you'll see the pale pink paper has been embossed with a Cuttlebug zig zag stitch folder. The corrugated card is by DCWV.

Here are the other x3 cards -

Card 2

Card 2 uses a tricky Sizzix flower embossing folder, the spotty paper was gift from JT and yes I found the butterfly in my 'black' scrap box. Once again the corrugated card is by DCWV.

Card 3

Card 3 has a bit of a masculine feel. I added the piece of burgundy card for a pop of colour. The embossing folder is JT's and she is kind enough to emboss stacks of things and send them to me..hint hint almost out of these ones love! The papers are all by Michaels.

Card 4

Card 4 makes me smile - the checkerboard embossing folder worked so well here with the silver card. The papers are all by Michaels and the pale pink and grey papers have also been embossed (I found them like that in their scrap boxes).

It was a great way to play with some neglected stash - following my Retro Rubber ethos here. I am also really enjoying working with just scraps.

Cx

Happy Birthday Daddy...

Hey,

Today is my Dad's birthday.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

I usually write a bit about the 'featured' person, but I've said quite a lot about my Dad previously, so this year I will keep it brief.

My Dad is the only person that sends me email just because - he sends me random news, tips, photos - all kinds of random things.

The emails totally remind me of him and our conversations and make me miss him and home.

Now on to my card :) I had lots of fun making my Dad's card - in fact I always do, I get to create something elaborate for a man - so rare!

I used a Silhouette cut file that made me smile. Now there was a little bit of a oops moment with this card. I didn't line up the black and the red papers correctly when cutting, so as you can see the guitar has a little black section...

At first I was peeved and was going to cut another guitar..then my lazy side woke up and suggested that I stick the 2 parts together and use it anyway.

I think it works...

I mounted both the sentiment and the guitar using teeny tiny foam pads (never again) and added little black gems for fun.

Have a happy Friday wherever you are and have a great weekend.

Cx

Moving Along With The Times...Christmas Climate...

Hey,

It is time for the Moving Along With The Times challenge - this week Team B are up and Red is our hostess with Christmas Climate.

Red wants us to reflect the kind of Christmas Climate we have - wherever we are and she is offering the lucky winner a prize - you get the stamp shown here on Red's card - awesome!

I am in NYC, so it's pretty darn cold here...but I love being somewhere warm at Christmas, so themed my card around this idea.

I found a great digital stamp that totally captured the warm feeling I wanted.

I coloured it using an aquabrush and gelatos. I really wanted the colours to be a bit muted.
For a bit of fun, I decided to turn it into a shaker card and went with a Hexagon window (dies courtesy of JT), to jazz it up a bit, I added some fun chevron borders. Finally I stamped the sentiment at the bottom.

It's a little bit off the wall, but I kinda like it..and I have just the recipient in mind...

So time for you to hop on over to MAWTT and be inspired by the rest of the team's fab creations and join in the fun yourself.

Cx

WOYWW #287...Post Thanksgiving blues...

Hey,

Hope everyone is good.

It's that time of the week where we swing by and visit Julia at her blog Stamping Ground, so we can nose at everyone's desks..join in why don't you...

I am feeling a bit blah after Thanksgiving. I really enjoyed the time off spent with Hubby and work is a bit serious right now :(

Anyway the 4 day break gave me the opportunity to have a serious play at my desk, so what you can see is what's left from a couple of epic sessions! On my craft mat you can see a new SSS stamp set (Dec card kit) and a heat embossed item (done using the card kit embossing powder and a BF Heidi Swapp stencil)..I am making a card for my Parents...

There is also sheet of coloured sticky dots..more about them next week :)

To the left of my photo you can see this -

Its for a work colleague based in Cleveland, we have just finished working on a huge project together and she was truly amazing to work with and I wanted to send her a little something. I made the card a bespoke size and made a matching envelope too. The stamp is by Hero Arts and was on my desk last week. I die cut it using a Spellbinders label die.

Elegant and simple. Perfect for my colleague.

Cx

Retro Rubber #3 - Sketch time...

Hi everyone,

Congrats to the challenge #2 winners. 

Now it's time for Retro Rubber challenge #3 - this time it's a sketch -

 I really wanted to use one of my Penny Black '12 Days of Christmas' stamps - they are such fun -

12 Days of Christmas by Penny Black - 2008

I love these stamps and when I originally bought them, I waited until AFTER Christmas so they would be on sale...

I used the '3 French Hens' image and sentiment for my card. The papers are all scraps and I shaped the tab by using a hexagon punch! I added a bit of bling so the right side wasn't so blank..

Now it's your turn to dig out your older stamps and see what you can come up with here - Christmas would be nice, but it's not a must have :) Pop over to Retro Rubber and see the rest of the team's ideas.

Cx

Playing with my stash...

Hey,

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

If you are based in the US I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.

I spent most of Saturday playing at my desk.

I decided to play with some of the more mixed media elements of my stash.

I broke out stencils, Ferro metallic paint/paste stuff, distress paints and my heat embossing stuff.

I made 3 cards, each using different techniques and materials.

The main card today is my fave. I went with stamping and heat embossing for this one.
I really love the colours and the fact that it's the first time I have ever got this uber detailed tree stamp to work (by Papermania 'Birdsong').
My colour scheme started because I came across the sheet of MME paper from a SSS card kit I have, it made me feel all Autumnal..
So I stamped the tree using Red Brick VersaMagic chalk ink - not a normal ink for heat embossing, but it worked. I used a clear embossing powder so the ink would show through. The sentiment is stamped with the same colour ink. I added a couple of pearls and some bling to the left corner to anchor the whole thing.

Card number 2 - Stenciling with distress paints...

A few weeks back I got a ton of distress paints in the sale. Having never used them before I surfed around for ideas for my first attempt. I settled on stenciling, seemed like the easiest way to get to grips with them.
I used a SSS mosaic heart stencil with Fired Brick and Spun Sugar distress paints. I totally love the way it came out, it's a bit messy, but it makes it a bit edgy I think. Because of this I added the You Rock sentiment and now it's going to be used as a birthday card for my friend who is an Art Teacher.

Final card - Stencil, texture paint/paste and heat embossing on to vellum...

So I bought the Ferro metallic paint/paste stuff a while ago, so I could finish my card course on stenciling. But to be quite frank, when it arrived it scared me a bit!
I had a play with it using a Memory Box texture splatter stencil and forgot all about it...
Then I stumbled across it this weekend and wanted to use it somehow. I heat embossed the Dear Lizzy sentiment onto vellum, which I then die-cut to shape. I chose the vellum so you can see parts of the texture underneath.
For a final touch I added some MME spotty washi tape and used a piece of solid tape from the same set to secure the vellum sentiment circle to the card.
I think this card should be used as an Anniversary card - bit weird, but I figure I know just the couple..

Playing with my stash was fun and gave me so many new ideas - my notebook has been out a lot this weekend. Note to self - do this more often!

Cx