Saturday 22 June 2013

Accordion Album Sewing Themed Card - Papertrey Ink & Tilda

I have a good friend who is a keen sew-er (I typed that, then realised it said 'sewer' - as in the smelly drains kind), anyway... she does everything - cross stitches, quilts (she helped teach me to quilt), knits and does all sorts of clever stuff, and I wanted to make her a 'just because' sewing themed card.
I used Karen Burniston's Accordion Album, and 'Frame & Label, Brackets' die for the white panels and patterned surrounds.
 I absolutely LOVE these papers - all from Tilda's Sewingbird pad.
I used Tim Holtz's Movers and Shapers Mini Sewing Room die for the dress stand, and then some stamps and dies from Papertrey Ink's 'Hanging by a Thread' and 'Stitched Sentiments' sets.
 The sewing machine and 'you're sew nice' stamps are from Hero Arts 'Sew Artsy' set. I stamped patterned paper, and cut it out for the sewing machine, plus used some Copics,  and then sewed a couple of bits of fabric together to have them coming from the machine.
I'm putting this card in the 'Die Cuts' challenge at Country View Crafts.


Some of the products used:


   



Accordion Album Wedding Card

A friend asked me to make a Wedding card a week or so ago, with the following brief: Three pages of an Accordion Album, with a bride on one, a groom on the next, and space for a message on the third, in the colours gold, ivory and red.
I'm not so good at making something to order - I prefer the freedom to make-it-up-as-I-go-along, but hopefully my friend will like it!
 I used the dies listed at the bottom, plus an old Cuttlebug corner die.
The dress and suit I cut by hand.

Dies used:


   

Thursday 20 June 2013

Tim Holtz Birdcage Tealight Candle Holder

 I started this project last night - just felt in the mood for fiddling around with chipboard, and wanted to use these lovely Tim Holtz Box Feet.
  I cut four birdcages and a square base, and painted them first with Tim Holtz Distress Paint, and Stains, (Bundled Sage, Brushed Pewter and Frayed Burlap)
and then covered them with a mottled layer of Distress paints (Picket Fence and Antique Linen). I used quick drying glue to join the edges, and then painted in the edges which got missed, with an artists brush.
The leaves are cut with Sizzlits Branch with Leaves, inked with more Distress Stains (Tumbled Glass, Bundled Sag and Frayed Burlap.) I also used these three stains, diluted with some sprayed water to colour the Tim Holtz Crinkle Ribbon, and the paper flowers.
 The birds were cut with Marianne Design dies, and inked with the above Distress Stains, then coated in Ranger Crackle Accents for one, and Thick Embossing Powder for the other.
I used a battery powered tea light candle inside - I wouldn't recommend using a live flame!! I put the tea light inside a tube of pale blue vellum to diffuse the light a bit.
The challenge at Country View Crafts, is to use Die Cuts, so I am entering this project..


Some of the products used:


   

Monday 17 June 2013

3-D Butterfly Pop 'n Cuts Thank You card

 A thank you card using Karen Burniston's beautiful new Sizzix 3-D Butterfly Pop 'n Cuts insert, and also the companion Bigz Butterflies and Labels die.
I layered up vellum butterflies, which I embossed with the Brenda Walton Trellis embossing folder.
I'm not normally an orange fan at all, but I thought the lovely delicate flowers on the card stock would look nice with the butterflies.
 I also used the Memory Box Catalina Wreath die, and cut section from it, and embellished them with white sequins (from Jeanette!)
I then just added a hand cut banner, and some scalloped border, cut with a Stampin' Up border punch.


Some of the products used:


   

Friday 14 June 2013

Male Birthday Card

A birthday card for my brother-in-law, using Pop 'n Cuts 3-D Label insert, in the new base die, and the companion Bigz Butterflies and labels die.
 I used paper from Tim Holtz and K&Co 'cutNpaste', and Sizzlits Card Phrases Set 3 for the 'Happy Birthday'. I also used the panel cut from the Edge and Scroll Bigz die, which is the perfect size for filling in the space left when the labels pop out.

Some of the products used:


   

Thursday 13 June 2013

I'm really lucky to have been mentioned a few times recently by Karen Burniston on her blog, and also by Karen on the Sizzix blog along with other card designers. It's lovely when ideas from several people are drawn together in one post, all focusing on the same Sizzix die - I love seeing what everyone comes up with, and being totally inspired with all the new ideas!


Sizzix Blog Karen Burniston's Bigz Door Die Ideas

Pop[up] Spotted post with cards from Karen's new Journey collection.

and today on the Sizzix Blog with  Suitcase Pop 'n Cuts Idea File and Video Tutorial


The dies featured:


   

Pop 'n Cuts Chair Father's Day Card

 I also made another Father's Day card today, for Scott's Dad (nothing like last minute rushing to get things in the post on time!)
I started off with a card cut from the tall Pop 'n Cuts base with no insert, and added some Tim Holtz brick embossing, then Karen Burnison's Bigz door, and my parents-in-law's door number cut with the Sizzix Typeset alphabet die.
The door opens to show the sentiment stamped onto an oval from the Wavy Labels Framelits set, and embellished with swirls from Tim Holtz's Festive Greenery die.
Inside the card, I used Karen's new 3-D Chair insert, and the companion Textured Impressions Foyer set for the rug.
I printed out a picture of Scott's Dad and 'framed' it (he has recently taken up fishing!), then added little details like the brad 'nail' on the wall, and the light switch.
I really did have fun adding more little details, like the remote controls, cushion, faux leather slippers, and newspaper...
I hope he likes it!
The challenge at Country View Crafts, is to use Die Cuts, so I am entering this card.


Some of the products I used:


   


Father's Day Card

A card I made for my Dad this morning, for Father's Day...
I worked on the pop-up 'DAD' part first, using the new Pop 'n Cuts base die, with the Wavy Label insert, and accompanying Wavy Label framelits. I used Stampin' Up's Bigz Alphabet Typeset for the lettering.
I was then a bit stuck, until an 'Instant Frame Framelit' fell off the magnetic strips inside my cupboard door, and gave me the idea to print off some pictures - my Dad, my siblings and I, and one of my family (which is the only family photo we've had for years, and was taken by me in a mirror at the top of Blackpool Tower!) Anyway, I 'framed' the pictures and added a few Tim Holtz swirls, and a Simon Says Stamp 'You are the best' die and stamp.
 The front is pretty simple, with the decoration from the new base die, heart from 'Flower and Heart' Movers and Shapers, and lovely tall, slim oval also from the Wavy labels Framelits set. (I wanted a blank space to write a message on.)


Some of the products used:


   

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Pop 'n Cuts 3-D Suitcase 'Good Bye' Card

As well as our friends moving to the States this summer, we also have some more friends who are moving back to Canada after living here for a few years. This is my Good Bye card for them.
It uses Karen Burniston's new 3-D Suitcase insert in her new Square Card with Ornate Edge Pop 'n Cuts base die, as well as the companion Bigz Suitcase die.
The background paper is an actual map, rescued from a University Geology department which was chucking out loads of old maps.
I made the suitcase so that it can open up (there are little strips of black velcro on the insides of the handles), leaving me room to write a message inside. I'd love to try this technique again, but with all sorts of fun stuff inside the case!!
To make the opening suitcase, I folded over some card, and lay the folded edge right along the inside of the bottom blade of the suitcase insert,
 which made cut out pieces like this:
 I added an inside piece of card and some outside faux-leather decoration - all cut using the Bigz Suitcase die, and stamped the inside.
 I also cut a slot in the horizontal pop-out part, and fed through a post cut from Karen's 'Flagpole with Lantern and Sign', which I added direction signs to, and birds from Karen's 'Birds on a Wire' die.
 I cut 'Good Bye' with Cricut's 'Stamped' cartridge, and added some mini postcards and tickets, and various post mark, and English landmark stamps. (Sorry - I can't remember where any of these are from.)
 Finally, I cut two extra strips with the base die, to add bronze shimmery borders.
The challenge at Country View Crafts, is to use Die Cuts, so I am entering this card.


Products Used:


   



Monday 10 June 2013

'Going To Miss You' 3-D Suitcase Pop 'n Cuts Card

Some really good friends of ours are moving to the States soon, and we're going to miss them a lot. I made this card for them, using Karen Burniston's new '3-D Suitcase' Pop 'n Cuts insert and companion 'Suitcase' Bigz die.
The Bigz die is just gorgeous - it also cuts all the little extra handle, corners, buckle, strap and tag pieces...
I also used Tim Holtz's 'Brackets on the edge die to make the red border, and Sizzix Bigz 'Owl #2' to cut the hearts in the lower border.
I made a very simple card front, using Sizzix 'Frame, Ornate #2', and a rose cut from First Edition's 'Floral Pavilion' paper. I wanted a large blank area to write a message on.
The challenge at Country View Crafts, is to use Die Cuts, so I am entering this card.


Products used:

   

Friday 7 June 2013

3-D Label Pop 'n Cuts 1st Birthday card

My brother's little girl is 1 next week, so I made this card for her - all pink and sparkly. (I've been going round with glittery bits stuck to my face and arms this afternoon...) We had some great news last week too whilst on holiday - my other brother's wife is expecting twins! Eeeeeek!
I used the '3-D Label Window' Pop 'n Cuts insert from Karen Burniston's new Journey Collection, and also her 'Butterflies & Labels' Bigz die for the layers which fit inside the floating labels.
I also used 'Bigz Alphabet Typeset' for the '1', Cuttlebug 'Olivia' for 'Heidi', and Sizzix Originals 'Balloons #1' for the larger balloon. The papers are from K&Co 'Sparkly Sweet'.
I mentioned that Jeanette had sent me some lovely crafty bits from Canada, including these fabulous large sequins which I added to decorate the patterned paper. She sent such a gorgeous selection of colours.
 I love how a card front is created, as the large label swings round when the card closes.