Valentine Cards

The first two projects came about from the need to use up some images I had from a craft papercraft kit.  

I thought both the squirrel and robins needed a tree.  As I didn't have a tree die large enough it was a case of searching in the Silhouette Design Store for something suitable and I came across this tree template. I liked the way the tree was formed and looked very natural.  I resized the image to fit my 7x7 card and then cut out on Cameo Silhouette.

Here is the first card I made for the robins.

and this one for the squirrel.  I used the Silhouette software to create the speech bubble and the Sketch pens to write the sentiment.  I was going to make a few of these sentiments but the software kept crashing so I quit whilst I was ahead!

Here are some more cards I have made with the Cameo Silhouette.

I designed this image in the Silhouette Software.  I couldn't decide whether to add a sentiment but decided that the design spoke for itself.

This is another design I created using the Silhouette software and then embellished it with tiny red hearts.  The design was one that caught my eye on Pinterest.

And another, which can be quite easily personalised by choosing a specific area of a map relevant to you.

Cameo Silhouette Project - Making Bendy Cards

Today I have a couple of cards I have made using my Cameo Silhouette to design and cut out the elements which work with the main background template for a bendy card.  

There is a fab design in the design store for a Bendy Card that has a picket fence with a natural curve on it.  I downloaded it and have used it on both cards below.  

The trees were spliced and melded to the card before cutting out in the forest green cardstock.  I then cut out some individual trees to add more interest to the card.

The houses on the next card were also cut on the Cameo Silhouette and I used some Cosmic Twinkles to add some snow detail.

Despite looking bulky these cards will fold completely flat for posting.   

Since scheduling this post I noticed in the last week that the craft company Tonic have produced some fancy dies that create the same effect, a bendy card.  These are called window box dies and come in a variety of decorative designs.   This is one example from the range. You do have to purchase the  slit die separately.   This looks like an opportunity for me to try creating something similar as a project in my silhouette software.

My Mind's Eye - Colorful Christmas

You won't believe I have been making Christmas Cards again!  To be honest with you it was an aim of mine to use up bits and pieces from card kits I have lying around during the Christmas break.  

I believe the Colorful Christmas kit was purchased way back in 2010 because I have a few photos with that date on the cards I had made.  The paper was so special that I couldn't make myself use it.  However, last Christmas I did find a really good use for it when I purchased the Tonic Forever Moments Tivoli Storage Unit to turn into a Christmas Advent calendar.  I recall having an enjoyable crafting session with my nephew Louis and we both ended up with one each.  The drawers are great for filling with treats. 
  
 

In some ways I am rather glad I have saved the papers as I am now a seasoned crafter and have made some rather nice cards from the collection because I have lots more creativity with my cardmaking.

The first two are tri-fold cards.  As you can see I have used a die across the top of one of the cards.

This next one was really simple to make but one I had never tried before. It is referred to as the Bendy Card. It could be cut from one large piece of card but mine was created on my Cameo Silhouette and the front panels were then glued in place.  There are slots, one in the back panel and the other in the larger of the two front panels.  The panels are slotted into place and the curve is created.  I would like to make more of these in the near future.  I have found a tutorial and some pretty cards on this website at the Funkie Junkie Boutique

Here are the rest of the cards, I hope you enjoy seeing my makes.

Festive Chalkboard collection from Craftwork Cards

I first aired a collection of my Festive Chalkboard Cards in October 2015.  In an attempt to finish making cards from this papercraft collection I have now attempted to make some more cards and almost cleared out my stash.

Here are the cards I have made starting with a tri-fold card.  I had several attempts at getting this right but following a demo on Hochanda I did get there in the end!  So I don't forget I am annotating how I did it below.

If you want to have a go then this is what you need to know. Start by folding your card equally into three so it now looks like a DL card.

Next you are going to use a score board to score a line at an angle.  This needs to be 7cm up from the bottom right corner and meet at the top of the left side of the card.  The purpose of the score line is two fold.  It acts as a cutting line at the end but also when you flip the card over you can see where to place your die.

Your Edge'ables have a cutting edge around the top of the die but not the bottom half. Place your Edge'able die on the card so that the start and end of the cutting lines meet up with the score line where either side of the die's cutting edges come to an end.  Make your first cut / emboss. See how I have used my die ink to make the image clearer.  This was done before releasing the die. 

Now flip the card over so you work on the back.  Use the score line as a guide to line up your Edge'able die again.  Make your second cut / emboss.  

Now use your scissors and cut away the top half of the card above the score line.  All that is left is the decoration of the card.

This is one of Sue Wilson's Christmas dies.

Kraftcard works quite well with this collection as demonstrated below.

What a warm feeling you get from this card.

I used my Cameo Silhouette to make this card base.

Maybe I should jazz up this tree too! However, I did do more to make the postbox stand out after I had photographed it.

Ah, romantic or what!

Again, another card I did some more work to after I had photographed it.  I used some detail Sparkle on the branches of the tree to make them sparkle and shine.

These stars are Edge'able dies from Crafters Companion.  So useful!

Another base card created with the Cameo Silhouette and then decorated with papers.

I love using deers on my Christmas Cards.  This postbox was jazzed up.  I found a small tag with the words "North Pole" in the paperkit so I used this on the post box.

Another excuse to put a deer on my card.

You can see more photos from this collection from my earlier blog of these cards by clicking here.

Beau Papier by Craftwork Cards

Happy New Year everyone!

I have had a break from making Christmas Cards for 2016 and turned my attention to finishing making cards from my Beau Papier paperkit from Craftwork Cards.  

Here are the cards I have made over the last leading up to Christmas.

This first one I kept very plain because I didn't wish to cover up the attractive paper.  The die I used is Petite Striplet - Jubilee by Sue Wilson.

I used the die on the white cardstock first.  I then cut the coloured card to size.  I placed this card behind the aperture and with a pencil drew through some of the areas that had been cut out with the die to give me an idea of where the striplet frame should sit.  I was then able to cut this to fit perfectly. 

This next one is one of my favourites.  I was down to the last few flowers and labels and came up with this concept in blue and pink.

Here I have used an edge die from Spellbinders and the heart is a Tattered Lace die.  I think it is one that would work well in the fold of the inside of the card.  These cuts were made using my Ebosser machine.

The next card I used the same edge die using the new Gemini.  I also had a new heart die from Sara Davis (Crafters Companion) Love and Romance Collection.

I have only used the machine a few times and found the pressure is a little too good.  I say this because it has left indentations on my magnetic sheet and also the plastic shim behind it! 

If you look closely you will see buckling on the card around the heart.  This happened when I used the embossing mat.  It also crushed the white card where I had the cuts made with the Spellbinder edge die.  I didn't like this very much and had to cover it over with the pink card. 

I may switch back to my EBosser machine if I can't get the quality cut I am after. The other niggle is that the white cardstock is picking up the outlines from the magnetic sheet of dies I have used previously.  Honestly, a few days use and I am quite disappointed.  What can I say that is positive about the Gemini.  Well, let me see, well I like the thinner embossing plates.  They make it easier to use.  

Here is a very simple card.

I really like this one.  The background paper is really versatile.  The dies are again from Spellbinders (the tree) and the houses are from Crafters Companion.

Another simple card with a little parchment craft thrown into the mix.

This is another favourite card I have made. I frayed the edges of some quality hessian cloth, put a topper on the top with a label and die cut an owl.

I think this card says it all.

And again here.

I used some cotton cloth on this card. It teams up well with the Kraftcard.   I used a die to cut Birthday Wishes and then set this within the topper having cut out Birthday Wishes first.  I love the colour combinations of the light brown and cream.

This is an Ege'able die from Crafter's Companion.  The button is so lovely, can't think where it came from.

Hello, simply gorgeous!

A couple more owl cards.

Pretty in pink.

Take some cotton fabric, lace and flowers and create a lovely card.

I was wondering what to do with my large butterfly and came up with this concept.

I had some lovely 5x5 cards to use with this kit. First in blue and then....

in pink.  This is a Spellbinders die.

With the paperkit came some card boxes to use as envelopes for those bulky flowers. These rolled flowers are great.

Here is another bulky one.

And not just any old card box. They matched the papers in the paper pad.  This one was decorated by me using a die by Crafter's Companion die.  I had 14 of these boxes in three different styles matching the paperpad.

Another simple card - is it too plain or do you like it as it is?  It definitely needs to sit in one of the box envelopes.

I found some cupcakes that matched the pink paper so I used my die from Crafters Companion Edge'able die and created this card.

More cupcakes that matched the 5x5 cards that came with the kit.

More mixing of odds and ends to create this lovely card.

Another little 5x5 card.

I have had a count up and realise that I have made 60 cards from this one paperkit.  I have four sheets of paper left over, a few paper flowers and sentiments.  

Not bad value for a paper craft kit consists of a paper pad, die cut toppers, sentiments, banners, flowers and 12 concept cards. Thank you Craftwork Cards. 

The rest of my collection can be found here

Beau Papier

Note:  I prepared this blog entry a week ago and set a date for publishing it (today).  Since then I have been using my Gemini everyday and had better success as I have taken out the magnetic mat when embossing and this has made a better finish to the project.  Now I just need to replace the original magnetic mat and embossing mat that I damaged.