Saturday 25 August 2018

Pop up Christmas Tree

When I first started card making I dabbled in making different shaped cards. I used to watch Create and Craft far more than was sensible and there were often demonstrators on there showing fancy folds and selling templates. That was before die cutting templates really took off. I soon settled into my shape of choice, which is square, with rectangles and circles now and then for good measure. This week Lucinda wants to shake us out of our comfort zone at 52CCT and is looking for pop-up or cube cards. 



As usual I searched online for inspiration and one of the first things I saw was a pop up Christmas Tree which I rather liked. The video I watched about how to make it is here. It is really very simple. Just concertinaed paper cut into lengths. 
Here is my take on it:



I made a 'galaxy' first. I stamped some snowflakes onto coated paper, with Versamark and then inked over. Using a spray bottle I perfected the technique of tiny droplets rather than great blobs. Holding the bottle over the bath (or you get a wet carpet) I spritzed then waved the card through the droplets. I repeated this many times to build up the look. Patience is needed. 
I used white paper scrunched up then ironed flat before folding to give a bit of texture. Gluing is slightly tricky, especially as any stray glue will spoil the inking. 



I used the same paper on the front and added a little die cut. There is also one on the back to write on. 


I hope you like it an will be inspired to have a go too. A pop-up card can be very simple or very complicated - you choose! 
x

I'm linking to 
Scrappy Mo's Rudolf Days Challenge - August
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge - #400

Saturday 18 August 2018

Poinsettia

We are racing through August, it seems, and it's time for a theme challenge at 52CCT.


Lucinda has challenged us to use Script on our cards. 


I started off die cutting the circle and sun burst and added the script. As I progressed the script became a lesser part of the design and the card
~  will not go in a normal envelope
~  will not go in the post
~ I'll have to make some sort of box/ envelope. Sigh. 


Still, I do like this in traditional colours and this is the first outing for the Poinsettia die which I decided I had to have about 4 months ago. 
I glued tissue paper onto white paper to strengthen it before die cutting the flowers then added a little gold ink to them. I shaped them with a little to give dimension without thinking about whether or not I could post it. 
This will be for had delivery to my parents, I think. 
Thanks for visiting, Enjoy your day. 

Saturday 11 August 2018

Snippets wreath

Another week another Christmas challenge. If you have been following us or the other Christmas challenges, you'll have a nice stack of cards all ready for December. Maybe you like to make yours all at once when Christmas is looming. I've done that too. 
Our challenge this week at 52CCT is a great colour challenge:


That should get you thinking and I'm sure we'll have lots of variations and inventiveness. 



My card is fairly simple and I chose green as my +1 colour and made a wreath. I cut the leaves from a snippet previously inked and scrunched. Some of it looks yellow here, it's not. I also managed to emboss Swiss Dots without a sharp edge showing by layering up a cutting plate, embossing folder, embossing mat and silicone mat as I did once before on here. This is useful when your embossing folder is not as big as you'd like it to be. 
I'm pleased with my clean and simple card. I hope you like it. 
I used a set of dies which came with a recent Die Cutting Essentials magazine. There are a number of small dies and I have used them on several cards, all very different. The sentiment is Penny Black. 
You have one week to join in the challenge, we love to see your ideas. 
Thanks for visiting. x

Wednesday 8 August 2018

French blue butterflies



This card is a 'commission' from a friend who wanted it for her daughter. I hope she likes it, she hasn't seen it yet. 


I've used thin interfacing type fabric for the flowers, dyed with Brushos. I died then cut then died again. It's best if you cut, then die. 
I added the flowers and leaves and felt it needed a little something else. Mrs A's Butterfly challenge gave me the answer. French blue butterflies. 



It's the letter F and I've used French blue and butterflies only. 

After I'd stamped and inked the circle on the base card I decided to spritz it to give some blurring. Mistake. Of course, it warped the card and even flattening it under a book for days did not straighten it. I had some success by very slightly dampening it again and putting it back under the book. I should know better. 
I'm also popping over to Pixie's Snippets Playground to show off as it's all made from snippets. Can someone explain why the snippets mountain is growing even though I always go to them first? 
Thanks for visiting. x

Saturday 4 August 2018

Christmas bubbles?

Hi Everyone, 


Here is my latest card for the 52CCT weekly challenge. This week it's a sketch:


I've been fairly literal with this. I'm sure other people will be much more inventive. 



It's not what I intended. I 'd hoped for a Bokeh effect but was let down by my white inkpad again. There are some white bubbles/baubles but they don't really show here. 
Also I don't think it's very Christmassy. Tell me what you think. Should I have made them into Baubles?

July Rudolf days ( a little late due to ScrappyMo gadding about on a cruise) Anything goes for Christmas
Craft Hazelnuts Christmas Challennge, #397