Friday 29 November 2013

Baby Boy Sizzix Pop 'n Cuts Card

My friend who I spent the vast majority of my teenage free time with just had her 6th baby, so I made her this new baby boy card today.
The tartan accents on the card make me smile - I was her bridesmaid, and at the time was pregnant with my second child. She had us wear cream dresses with tartan sashes around them - I remember I had to be sewn into mine - my baby bump was making things not hang right! (I also spent many hours making an extremely complicated tartan dress for my 2 year old daughter, who was also a bridesmaid...) so yes - as I was saying - the card has tartan accents!!
 I used Karen Burniston's Pop 'n Cuts A2 Card with Circle Label for the card base, and a cream label cut and given stitching detail with Karen's 'Circle and Label, Stitched Framelits' dies.
I glued some twine using Beacon's glue to the card, and added stickers from Melissa Frances, and papers by Melissa Frances and October Afternoon.
 I used a Tim Holtz stamp for the sentiment, hearts from a Stampin 'Up punch, and stars from Tim Holtz's Crescent Moon and Stars Bigz die. This is my new go-to die for stars now... it cuts through any material, and has loads of stars in different sizes on it.

Some of products used:


   

Purple Onion Design Christmas Card & Sale News

I have another card to share with you today, using some Stacey Yacula stamps from Purple Onion Design, plus news of their fabulous 25% off all stamps sale, which starts today!
 I used a Couture Creations embossing folder for the background, and added the Silver stamp at the top, coloured with Copics, plus some snowflake dies, and glitter.
I sanded the embossed surface to remove some of the colour from the raised details.
I also used the lovely Cedar stamp too.

See these stamps, plus hundreds more gorgeous ones at Purple Onion Designs - all with 25% off!

Wednesday 20 November 2013

'The Stamps of Life' Die Release Day!

The 20th of the month is always a happy day, because it's the day The Stamps of Life release some new dies!! And today won't disappoint, as there are dies for both the boots4rain and patterns4boots stamp sets, and also the phone4you and phones2decorate stamp sets!
There are also TV dies available for the tv2stamp set, if you aren't a member of the Die Hard club yet.

First off I have some cards using the new Boots dies.
I like how the die set even includes a die a for the little buckle!
There is also a die for the little pair of Wellington boots... here I just used the die without stamping.
 Here, I stamped onto white card stock, and used Copic pens to colour the boots. I then stamped again, with Staz-On ink onto silver card stock, and cut out by hand the trims.

Secondly I have some card using the new Phone die set. I love this set!! It includes dies for both the large and small phones, as well as one for the phone wire, and dial.
 Here I also used a die from the Talk Bubble die set.
 The mini phone...
 I clear embossed the phone which I die cut, plus the speech bubble form the talk4phone stamp set, (which all co-ordinate so well!)

Tuesday 19 November 2013

Pop 'n Cuts & Purple Onion Hot Chocolate Christmas Card

So I had made my card for Karen's Designer Challenge this month (to use Red, and some of her Stitched Framelit dies - check out the Sizzix Blog later this week), but last night I had another idea which I wanted to try out...
This time I used the Pop 'n Cuts A2 card base die, with the Mug & Heart insert.
 I cut out the mug and heart separately again in different papers (all the papers are from October Afternoon), and added some Copic shading to the mug. I hand cut some glitter card marshmallows, and a contrasting stripe around the mug. The stamp is 'Snowy', from Purple Onion Designs, and he also got Copic-ed...
 I used Karen's Sassy Labels and Stitched Frames Framelit set, to make the cream labels, and I used a couple more Purple Onion Design stamps for the sentiment, from the Holidoodle, and Mini Mini Holiday sets. I used a Die-namics die for the swirls, and added some hand cut holly leaves, and buttons.
 I thought I would also be good, and do a card front design (something I don't always get round to doing on my Pop 'n Cut cards!)
I used the same swirl die, and a punch for the mini snow flakes, then the red border was from Karen's Banner and Borders Thinlits set.
I stamped the green card stock with Vintage Snowflake stamps and another Snowflake stamp set from Purple Onion, in VersaMark Ink. The bunny is another stamp from Purple Onion, called 'Birch'.

Some of products used:


   

Christmas Stockings Pop 'n Cuts & Purple Onion Card

Karen Burniston's Designer Challenge this month is to use Red along with some of her Stitched Framelits dies.. how Christmassy and lovely!
I chose to use the Pop 'n Cuts Square Card with Ornate Edges, and put the label insert in it, though this was covered up with the larger Label Framelit I used, which also features a Stitched Frame Framelit.
The stockings are from a single stamp by Purple Onion Design, found here. Purple Onion have just the loveliest selection of Christmas stamps!!
I stamped onto different patterned papers by October Afternoon, and cut out the different parts of the stockings, then stuck them down with foam pads.
I highlighted some areas with liquid pearls, and others with Frantage glitter.
I used the scrolls from the card die for the top and bottom of the card, decorated with more Frantage glitter, and I hand cut some holly leaves. I inked round the edges of everything with Distress Ink.
The banner is from Tim Holtz's Regal Crest Bigz die, and the sentiment is also a stamp from Purple Onion Design, found here, in the Mini Mini Holiday set.

Some of products used:


   

Sunday 17 November 2013

Accordion Album & Stampin' Up Butterfly Punch Birthday Card

I made this card last night for a lady from my church, whose birthday is today.
I used Karen Burniston's Accordion Album die, and the Frame & Label, Bracket die.
I used papers from the My Mind's Eye 'Oliver' collection, and cut some embellishments to match.
 I used the Die-namics Fancy Flourish die for the swirls, and Stampin' Up butterfly punches.
I made the grey roses with Thermomorph and a Stampin' Up mould.
 For the other side I used Karen Burniston's Fancy Frame Bigz die, layered up on foam pads, and a Tim Holtz sentiment stamp, from his 'Simple Sayings' set which has something for every occasion!
Not my usual colour choice, but I liked how it turned out.

Some of products used:


   

Thursday 14 November 2013

October Afternoon Christmas Pop 'n Cuts Card

I absolutely loved this October Afternoon Christmas paper when I saw it, and have wanted to make a card like this with it for a while. 
I used the A2 Pop 'n Cuts card base, with Circle label insert (the one the base comes with).
I made larger matting layers with a paper trimmer, and rounded off the corners by hand.
 I added loads of Distress Stickles to all the details in the scene. In retrospect I would have used something more glittery like ordinary Stickles, though I do like how the Distress version turned out on the trees in the picture below - like snow.
I used one of Karen Burniston's new Circles and Labels Stitched Framelits dies to cut the cream label, and another from the set to create the stitches.
The Merry Christmas design was stamped with versmark ink, and embossed with a kind of flocked powder - very soft and snowy.
 I finished off with some gems, brads, a red border from Karen's Banner and Borders Thinlits set, ribbon and the lovely rusty jungle bells.

Some of products used:


   

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Framelits Flip-its Birthday Card

Two posts in a day! I also have this card to show you which I made this morning for my Sister-in-law. I'm not normally a fan of purple - I hardly ever use it, but I like how this card's colour combinations worked out! The papers are from a discontinued Stampin' Up set.
I used Stephanie Barnard's new Framelits 'Fancy Frame Flip-its 2' die set, to give me the card base, and the perfect layers for either side... so easy!! This set also includes the die for the white tag too - it has loads of dies in it.
I used the Framelits 'Labels, Fancy 4' set for the orange layer, and a stamp from this set, from The Stamps of Life, for the sentiment.
I hand cut the little leaves, and made the flowers myself, using a Stampin' Up flower mould, some Thermomorph, and food colouring powder.

Some of products used:


   

Purple Onion Christmas Accordion Album

I have another Christmas card to show you today, using some more of Purple Onion Design's delightful Christmas stamps, on a Karen Burniston Accordion Album card base.
Purple Onion also have some more new Christmas stamps, here - well worth a look!
 I cut four accordion album panels, and then the four sets of outer frames and inner white panels with the 'Frame & Label, Bracket' Bigz die. I added the lovely little stitching cuts to the white panels, using a die from the 'Labels and Stitched Frames' Framelits set. 
The papers are from First Editions Nordic Christmas pad.

For the first panel, I used Purple Onion Design's Cedar stamp, along with the snowflake and holly from the Holidoodle set. I coloured with Copics, and added Stickles (though you can't see it too well in this picture.)

On the middle two panels I used words from the Holidoodle set, and the Snowy, Silver and Sled stamps. I stamped the snowflakes with Versamark ink, added a pearly embossing powder, then added Stickles in places.

 The last panel uses the Birch stamp. Cute!!!

Some of products used:


   

Sunday 10 November 2013

Pop 'n Cuts Good Bye House Card

Some of our dear friends are leaving England this week to go back to America. (I've had a very tearful time at church today...) We met them at church a few years ago, when they moved here to serve with the US Army. We just saw pictures of their new home, and it looks nothing like this one (this one doesn't have a swimming pool for a start!!), but I thought the house theme was relevant.
I used Karen Burniston's Pop 'n Cuts A2 card base, with her new House insert (which I love!)
I used the accompanying Thinlits House set to decorate the house, and chopped the window down to create a smaller side window, and sill.
All the papers except for the polka dot background are from Crate Paper's 'Pretty Party'.
The clouds are from Papertry Ink, and the sun from Lil Inkers. I cut the banners using Karen's 'Banner and Borders' Thinlits and stamped the top one with an old Melissa Frances sentiment (which is very applicable here - they are a fabulous family!)
 I hand cut the little shrubs, and just put them on folded pieces of card, and the path is hand cut too.  I used a Martha Stewart punch for the leaves, and used Beacon's glue to stick a load of paper flowers and buttons here and there.
 I didn't decorate the card front - just used a Framelits Labels set to create a spot for a message.

Some of products used:


   

Saturday 9 November 2013

A couple of simple and quick Flip-Its cards

I was sorting out photos on my laptop, and came across pictures of a couple of cards I haven't shared yet. They were both really simple to make, both using different versions of Sizzix Flip-it dies. (Apologies for the rubbish lighting!)
This first card, for my niece Bobbie, uses the new Framelits Fancy Frame Flip-its 2. The extra dies which come in the set, and cut the layers on the right and left-hand sides are really useful!
 I used Framelits Labels Fancy 4, for the two yellow pieces, and K&Co papers and glitter stickers.

The second card uses the new Fancy Flip-its card die, which I used twice - once for the blue card stock base, and once for the patterned paper layer. I trimmed off a few millimetres round all the sides of this piece, to create the framed look.
The co-ordinating Framelits Labels, Fancy 6 set makes decorating the centre piece very easy.
 I used a ticket stamp and die set from The Stamps of Life on the back.
The card was for my friend's son who was turning 10.
 The paper is by K&Co, and I just fussy cut the number 10.

Some of products used: