Tool Box Card

I have some craft dies by Robert Addams designed to look like a set of miniature tools. Robert specialises in designing dies around themes and these ones are just perfect for men's cards.



Over the last few days my mind has been occupied with making men's cards.  I have a few to share I have made with the Craftwork Cards Man Made paper collection which I promise to share in my next post.  However, today I want to show you my tool box card I have made.  It was inspired by the box shaped cards we are becoming familiar with. I could have made a card using this partiucular design but really wanted to have a go at making my own tool box.  

I scoured the internet for a template and had almost given up and then came across an idea for a carton that in my mind looked just like a toolbox.  I copied the image and blew it up just large enough to fit on an a piece of A4 paper in landscape.  If I were to cut off the bottom tabs of the carton it would be just like a box card that folds flat.  I cut out the template onto red cardstock and put creases in where the folds are required.  Then all it needed was some strips of card inserted inside the box, carefully positioned so that the box could still lie flat for posting.  This is easy to do if you glue the ends of each tab in opposite directions.  Just check it lies flat before the glue has had time to dry.  Finally, I proceeded to cut some tools out from the above die set and then stuck them onto the tab strips.

Here is the end result. Now mum please don't show this to my father as I plan to send it to him for Father's Day!  

Anyone wishing to have a copy of the template need only ask as I am more than happy to share.

Flower Garden

I have made a card with parchment paper using a design from a book called Simple Treasurers by Linda Williams.  This book is full of easy projects that are both modern and appealing to both newcomers and seasoned parchment crafters.

The first project I have made is the Flower Garden.  It appealed to me as there is very little pricking involved and lots of embossing. I spent a few hours in front of the TV over a few evenings making this card and I am very pleased with the way it has turned out.  I may even add a parched butterfly.

Fabric Cards

Last January I purchased some fabric that is quite sheer with Christmas images on.  I knew when I saw it that I was going to use it for my card making instead of making table runners with it.

Well, I was having a tidy up this afternoon as I don't seem to be able to move in my craft room and found a little of it leftover.  Without any hesitation I decided to do something with it there and then.  It is nice when you are inspired by something to bet creative and here is the result.  I had great fun making this card and love the sparkly fabric.  

And now for a few more....

Parchment Lace

I noticed that I haven't blogged for a while but this has simply been because I have been busy preparing for a craft fair.  I am pleased to say that it went well and I sold almost £80 worth of cards and Christmas makes.  I was well chuffed with the result, especially since this is the only event I have had a stall at this year.  It is always nice to meet people and receive compliments for my lovely cards so I do enjoy it. 

Now Christmas is upon us and there is no need to make any further Christmas cards I can relax a little and do what I want.  

I have taken time out from practising my "Folk It" painting strokes and need to get back into it but unfortunately I have let myself get distracted by the desire to pick up my parching paper and have another go at this technique. 

It all begin when I received my first edition of the Parchment Lace magazine.  I had seen it advertised and knew that it had a mix of projects to suit all abilities.  This is why it appealed to me as I am quite new to this and wanted some easy projects.  The magazine also comes with a free fan parchment grid and parchment paper to get you started.  The first project I tried is the fan which I did find relatively easy.  

Here are a couple of pictures of my work so far.  The fan turned out really well, I just need a large sentiment in the top right hand corner to finish it off. 

This next one is a good one for a newbie to get started with as it involves tracing the image using your parchment ball tool and then colouring the reverse side of the parchment before fixing it to your cardstock. Again, I have an idea of the wording I want to use on this card.

The contents of the magazine included some printed parchment paper, some with sentiments, others with flowers.  I had a go at putting an edge around this parchment firstly using a ball tool and then a pricking tool. Unfortunately I am not very proficient with the cutting technique so it could be neater!

I have tried two other projects, one not finished and the other I have aborted.  I was pricking through parchment paper following the pattern underneath which was printed on printing paper.  I found it was quite thick for the pricking tool and the grid wasn't large enough for me to mark out the complete patter in one go so I had to move my work around.  Well it all went out of alignment and I am not happy with it so I have discarded it.  It is a shame really because it had a lovely printed rose on the Parchment paper and would have looked beautiful.  Still, I have been parching this week which is a change!

Watch out for my next blog, I am going to be making some men's cards using the Craftwork Cards "Man Made" collection.

Beau Papier

I am probably only one of large handful of people to have already made up some cards from the new Beau Papier Paper card collection from Craftwork Cards.  Only last week it was selling on the Create & Craft Channel as a 4 day deal. Currently it doesn't seem to be for sale anywhere else, not even on the Craftwork Cards website.

This paper craft kit consists of a paper pad, die cut toppers, sentiments, banners, flowers and 12 concept cards.

I was drawn to this particular collection because of the design of the toppers which were inspired by a highly acclaimed artist specialising in paper cuts, Rob Ryan.  I like the way Steph Davies, inhouse designer for Craftwork Cards has been inspired by his artwork and created some awesome designs. What I would like to see now is Crafters Companion bring out some of their "Create a Card" dies along the same lines of these designs so I have emailed them making a suggestion.

Now it is show time!  Here are the concept cards I have made in an afternoon.  I hope you enjoy them.  I will post some more once I have some time to make up some general cards using the rest of the paper kit with those gorgeous toppers.  But right now I need to get on with some other choirs!

This last picture is to illustrate how the cards stand upright.

Christmas makes

I've been busy making and preparing for a Christmas Craft Fair early December so my blog has taken a back step. Cards are not the only thing I like to create and gift ideas are what are needed for my stall. I enjoy small sewing projects using felt so I have designed and created some felt stockings. I looked for some drawings on the internet and went from there.

and this one

and finally this one.

Also, another project I have had on the go is making these sweet little mdf reindeer, penguins and robins.

 I was saddened recently when I learned that the founder of Inky Doodles, Sarah passed away quite recently. These mdf shapes and ideas were her inspiration. Sarah our world of crafting won't be the same without you in to inspire us crafters.  

Craftwork Cards - Festive Chalkboard

You may have wondered what I have been up to these last few weeks as my blog has suddenly suffered an absence of silence.   Well not a day has gone by where I haven't been crafting and experimenting.

One of the projects I have been working on is my Craftwork Cards Festive Chalkboard collection.  This came in a large box consisting of an 8x8 paper pad, tag pad, banners, bows and frames; sentiments, chalkboard candi and printed card stock in two sizes and chipboard shapes including a tree, a Christmas stocking and a Christmas Ornament.

Here is the chipboard tree I made into an advent calendar of sorts.

and here are some of the cards I have been working on.  Sometimes I get so far with a card and then add a bit more like bows and sentiments when I get towards the end of the stock and want to use it up.  So some of these are not in their truly finished state. However, I think they are good enough to share with you today.

I love the printed background on this card so much that I wanted to make it the feature of the card so I used my "Stickles" on some of the words and made bauble decorations to finish it off.

This next one did need something in the centre so I used my "Snow" die by Sue Wilson.

Now a chance to use the tags that I had and the wonderful "Joy" and "Peace" dies from Sue Wilson.   

I covered a miniature stag in two layers of glitter and found it was a good way of linking the tag and sentiment together.

In this one I made use of my Tonic Merry Christmas Sentiment Die which I thought worked well.

I simply love this Tartan background paper and made use of my Sue Wilson "Angel" die.  Using feathers on the gown is so lovely.

Here I have cut the tag down to use as a topper.

Some of the cards that came with this papercrafting kit are quite small 4.5" x 4.5" so I didn't want to overcrowd them so the next few cards have been left simple.

Another Sue Wilson Die.  It is so lovely.

 

Here I have cut out a "bell" die many times on old book pages and glued together.  The recipient can join the edges together in the centre to complete the shape.

This card is a 7x5 card and all I have done is cut two dies out and put them on the front of the backing paper I used.  It works so well.

Here is an idea I saw on Pinterest, this shape of card. Something a little different.

 I have this wonderful DVD with pheasants and robins on in snowy scenes.  They work well with this coloured card stock.

This wonderful card stock also works well with Craft Card and I just love this "Gingerbread" die from Tonic.

 I have a "Postbox" die from Crafter's Companion which has worked well on this card.

I had to try this background paper with my Crafters Companion Nativity Scene dies.

I have turned the tag into a pocket so you can add a gift card inside.

This took some time to create but I am pleased I did as it was a chance to try out some dies from the Diesire Accordian collection from Crafters Companion.

As you can see I have made quite a few cards already but still have plenty of stock to make many more cards from this lovely collection.  

Do post your comments on my blog as I do enjoy seeing them.  Crafty Hugs from Crafty Tash xxx