My earliest one ever!

Good afternoon, peeps!

Yes, it's true - I've never made a Christmas card this early in the year before although I know that some folks are super organised and make them all through the year, I'm not one of them I'm afraid! So why, I hear you ask amd I starting now? Well, it's a class project and forms a half of the day's projects on 2nd July at Samuel Taylor's in Roseville Street, Leeds. The other half shall be revealed soon! I think that the colours look a bit 'bleached out' on this photo but it was the best I could do.



Maybe many of you have made Tri-fold Shutter cards before, but I do think it's an attractive fold and a great way to use your fabulous DPs. It's even possible now to buy the cards ready cut and folded but this one started out its life as a flat piece of card.

Tilda with Fir is still one of my fave Magnolia Christmas stamps - I wonder what they'll delight us with this year, peeps? All I can say is that I hope they issue them earlier than they did last year!

This is how the card looks when it's open:



Well, I hope the class members like it, it's not a difficult card to make but there's a fair amount of measuring and cutting to keep them busy and, by way of a departure, I decided to use a poinsettia cut from a Marianne die rather than use purchased flowers, even though I like them so much! However, this poinsettia is also very appealing and I can see it getting quite a few airings as Christmas draws ever closer. I expect that, like me, you can't believe that virtually half the year has gone already - scary! Please someone tell the sun to shine before we go into Autumn!

The image is coloured with the usual Copics, Promarkers and Prisma pencils and I was a good girl and kept a note of the colours for you!

OK, this is me leaving you with the card recipe whilst I go back to some more projects but I'll see you again soon.

Recipe

Stamps: Magnolia 'Tilda with Fir' & Jolly Holly, Merry Christmas - Printworks, With love - Artifacts
DPs: Memory Box Mistletoe Collection
Dies: Nesties and Marianne die #LR0122
Distressing: Old Paper DI
Ribbon: from my stash
Copics:
Skin: E000, E00, E01 E21, R11, R20, R30
Hair: E23, E27, E50
Coat & hat: RV32, Promarkers Antique Pink and Burgundy + Tuscan Red Prisma pencil
Fur on coat & hat: E40, E41, E42
Fir Tree: G40, G82, G85, G94 : Marine Green Prisma pencil
Tights/Mittens: BG70, BG72, Promarker Tea Green + Muted Turquoise Prisma pencil

Hugs

Triangle Joyfold Card

Good morning, peeps and have you got that Friday feeling? It's the start of the weekend and it also means it's time for another challenge over at Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge. The challenge this week is for you to 'case' a DT member which, if you're not familiar with the expression means that you need to make a card after the style of one of the members of the Design Team - quite an interesting challenge!
Here's my offering for this one:


I was keen to make one of these triangle joyfold cards as soon as I saw it on the talented Marlena's blog. It's basically an opening criss-cross card with an extra little card inserted in the centre but it's a fun design to follow and if you follow the link to Marlena's blog, it'll take you straight to her instructions on how to make it.
I decided to use this really cute Tilda with balloon - she looks a little wistful don't you think? I've coloured her with the usual Copics and Prisma pencils and used a Martha Stewart punch around the page as a background for her.



The same punch has been used to create a jotting panel for the inside of the small card. I'm sorry that this photo is a bit dark, I must have got the lighting wrong.

I do hope you'll take up the challenge, peeps - there's a super prize up for grabs from Digi's with Attitude and I'm sure that whole of the DT will be intrigued to see what you produce!

I hope you've got something nice planned for the weekend although, looking at the weather forecast, it had better be something you can do indoors! Is it really Summer? Maybe Summer's coming to the party a little late and she'll be along soon -let's hope so anyway!

Recipe

Stamps: Magnolia 'Tilda with balloon' stamped with Memento 'London Fog'. Slice of cake from a Kelly Panacci plate and the 'Happy Birthday' greeting is from an anonymous clear plate in my stash!
DPs: Prima 'Sweet Fairy' pad
Dies: Magnolia Doohickey swirl and leaves
Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts (of course!)
Pearls: The Hobby House
Punch: Martha Stewart Cherry Blossom PATP
Ribbon: from my stash
Copics:
Skin: E000, E00, E01, E21, R11, R20, R30
Hair: E23, E25, E27, E53 + Dark Brown Prisma pencil
Dress: R81, R83, R85 + Raspberry Prisma pencil
Socks, hairbans, dress trim: V000, V91, V12, V15 + Dark purple Prisma pencil
Shoes: BV20, BV23, BV25 + Cool Grey 90% Prisma pencil
Balloon: YG03, YG11, YG25 + Marine Green Prisma pencil

Well, that's all from me for today. I'll be working on loads of class samples and there's a box full of Clarity Stamps awaiting my attention - I need to complete those samples well in advance of the next TV show. I don't think I'll be getting bored, do you?

Hugs

One for the boys - take it easy!

Good morning to you, peeps and happy Friday!
It being Friday, it's time for another challenge over at Fussy and Fancy and my card is a week later than usual - that is, I've transferred into Team B for a week because I was so busy that I couldn't manage to get my card finished in time last week. Anyhoo, here it is at last:


As you may have guessed, the challenge this week is to make a card for a man or boy, not one of my major strengths,I feel! However, K & Co's 'Hopscotch' pad and Lily of the Valley to the rescue and this is what came out. I love these DPs for male cards, the colours are so bright and sunny!
There are great prizes on offer for this challenge from Meljen's Designs and Love to Stamp, so do come and join us. There's also a DT call out at the moment so why not give that a try as well? Just follow the link above to go directly to the challenge site.
Well that's all from me for today but I will definitely be seeing you again soon! The card recipe is below and have a great weekend whatever you have planned!

Recipe

Stamps: The little boy and the sentiments are both from Lili of the Valley
DPs: K & Co 'Hopscotch'
Dies: Spellbinder Nestie, Magnolia leaves, Sizzix Primitive Stars
Buttons: from my stash
Distressing: Pumice Stone DI
Copics:
Skin: E000, E00, E01, E21, R11, R30
Hair: E31, E35, E37
Shirt & socks: E50, E51, E53, YR12, YR14, YR15, YR16
Shorts, cap & shoes: B32, B34, B37
Paper: E40, E41
Branch: E25, E27
Grass & leaves: G20, YG93, YG95
Ground: W5, W3, W2, W1, W0
The colouring was enhanced with Prisma pencils and Sansodor but I didn't keep a note of which ones - sorry!
I'm also entering this in the Lili of the Valley Challenge, which is Anything Goes.

Hugs

The secrets are revealed!

Good morning, my poor neglected blogging friends! Did you think I'd got lost? I think that the absence of blog posts arises because I get deeply engrossed in the Clarity Stamp DT work and, because it has to be kept secret until after the TV show, I forget to post anything. Hmmmm, I'll have to give some thought to what I can do about that.

Anyhoo, I thought I'd show you the ones I made for the last show. Here's number 1:

I created this one by stamping with Versamark on to Triple Silk paper. It's something I've had for years and bought from a supplier that has since closed down but basically it's a semi-gloss paper and I could probably get the same or similar effect from Claritycard. When the Versamark had dried a little, I sponged on Adirondack Pool, Stream, Denim and Eggplant. I then stamped with Versamark again but this time applied Moonglow embossing powders in various colours. I do love the effect of layering stamp designs in this way and it's some time since I used the technique. The double frame was inspired by a blog post I saw but I'm blowed if I can remember where so, apologies to whoever originated this type of design.

Here's number 2:

I felt very much at home creating this one because it allowed me to use my lovely Copics. I had great fun with them on this design but the colouring took me well over 5 hours in total! The ribbon and beads are from my stash.
Well, I'll leave it there for today, otherwise this post could become like War and Peace but I hope you enjoyed looking at these two and I'll see you again soon.

Hugs

More simplicity

Good afternoon, peeps! TGIF - it's the start of a long Bank Holiday weekend and I hope you're all looking forward to it!



Here I am still trying to solve the problem of what to create for the Make and Take session I'm involved in and this is my second effort. I think it's more viable that the last one I posted because the card is easier to assemble. The main problem is that I'm not really a 'less is more' person, I'm more of a 'pile as much on as you can' person - especially flowers! Now that I've made two cards without a bouquet on them, I'm definitely getting withdrawal symptoms! but at least this card has one flower on it! Apart from that, everything else can just be punched/die-cut and stuck on - the ribbon is not a necessary embellie.
I think I quite like it but I'm not sure - what do you think?

Card recipe:

Image: Magnolia- sorry but I don't know what colour Copics I used because she's been coloured for too long!
Sentiment: Whiff of Joy (I think!)
DPs: Craft Creations
Punches: Martha Stewart Monarch Butterfly large and medium
Pearls: The Hobby House
Flower: Cardology (2 of them glued together)
Ribbon: from my stash


Back to the Clarity stuff now - have a great weekend!
Hugs

A Criss Cross card

Good afternoon, peeps! I hope you are all well and seeing some sunshine!


Well, this card was something of a challenge to myself, the reason being that I've been asked to teach (if that's the word) a Make and Take project at Samuel Taylor at Roseville Street in Leeds on 4th June and I needed to create a project that could be easily constructed. This is the first of two options. The only problem is, I find it very hard to imagine the timing for creating the card when you have all the bits ready cut out and you're only concerned with the assembly. I seem to spend ages going through the thought process of what to put where, which papers, punches and embellies to use and so on. I think the only answer is to recreate this when I have the correct images, which will be from the Magnolia 'Sweet Rainbow' collection, and set the clock when I've prepared all the elements. There could then be a quick redesign - watch this space! You could be seeing a very similar card again!

Here you can see both elements of the card with the jotting panel on the inside, pull out part of the card.


and here is a close up of the star of the show:


I did keep a note of the Copics I used to colour her but you'll be amazed at the number of colours I used for her dress but I just kept layering them on until I was satisfied with the colour!
I hope you like it, peeps. I must say I was itching to pretty it up a lot more but then it wouldn't have been suitable for the Make and Take!
Hopefully, I'll see you again soon with another option for the occasion. Enjoy the slightly warmer weather despite the winds!

Card recipe:

Image: Magnolia
Sentiment: An old one from my stash - sorry but I don't know who makes it.
DPs: Craft Creations
Dies: Spellbinders Nestabilities Mega Ovals large (plain and scalloped) Go Kreate Concentric Tags #1, Sizzix 'Primitive Hearts', Sizzix 'Decorative Flourishes set'
Punches: Martha Stewart 'Swirling Lace', McGill 'Leaves', EK Success 'Retro Flower'
Pearls and Pearl Brad: The Hobby House
Ribbon & button: from my stash
Copics:
Skin: E000, E00, E01, E21, R30, R20
Hair: E50, E51, E53, E55, E33 + Prisma Sandbar brown pencil
Dress & socks: R11, R20, R21, R22, R30, R81, R83, R85, RV000, RV00, RV11 + Prisma Cool Grey 50%
Tilda's wings: C00, C1, C3 + Prisma Cool Grey 50%
Shoes: BV25, BV29, C00
Roses: Y13, Y15, Y17
Leaves: G20, G40, G82 + Prisma Marine Green
The shadows around Tilda were created with Prisma Warm Grey 70% & 50%
All the distressing was done with Pumice Stone DI.
Hugs

A little Clarity

Good evening,peeps! I hope you all had a good weekend.
I've been working on Clarity cards today for the next Create and Craft TV show in June and it occurs to me that I've never shown you the ones I made for the last show at the beginning of May.

You may have caught a glimpse of this one if you watched the show. It's a combination of three of the kits with the Postcard Kit stamped in the middle of a sky backgound (created with cotton wool soaked in Versamark and Adirondack Cloudy Blue and Stonewashed brayered over) surrounded by the Famous Places kit and a couple of the Stamp stamps added for good measure. I paper pieced the Taj Mahal and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The images in the stamps were coloured with Promarkers - I find that Promarkers give a better result on the Claritycard than Copics.

This was my personal favourite of the cards I made from the last bunch of kits. I used the Big and Juicy 'Foliage' pad to brayer the backgound in two parts - sky first then masked that and did the earth. I just love that image of the Massai warrior and I bought him as a lineart image before I got this silhouette in my DT kit. All of the silhouetted images are stamped with Jet Black Archival ink and I thought that rafia was the perfect finishing touch.
Well it's just a brief post for this evening - lots more work to do!
Have a pleasant and peaceful evening!
Hugs