Special Friend

Morning, Here I have used watercolour card, Brusho and Pixie Powders to create a background to use with the Circle Pop Out Kinetic card dies from Crafters Companion. The shows should still be available via 'Rewind' via the Hochanda website.

I took a sheet of watercolour card and thoroughly saturated it on both sides under the tap. I then sprinkles Violet, Prussian Blue and Ultramarine Brusho. Next I added a very small amount of Bronze Blush and White Pearl Pixie Powders in a few areas across the card before spritzing with a little water. I then left it to dry.

I next cut out the kinetic base in white Centura Pearl, 'Hint of Silver' and 2 of the beautiful floral panels. From one of the panels I cut out the flowers and shaped them. I cut out the background and assembled my card.

To finish, I added the flowers that I had shaped using Collall Tacky Glue. The I used the Blue Cosmic Shimmer PVA to add centres to all of the flowers.

Thank you ever so much for taking the time to visit today. I do hope that you have enjoyed the step by step and the finished card. If you do enjoy reading my blog and the things I share then I would love your nomination for best blog in the International Craft Awards,the link is here:
http://www.craftsbeautiful.com/awards/

Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Sending Love at Christmas

Morning, Today I want to share a Christmas Card with a twist. I have made this using the stamps and dies that Leonie launched on Hochanda. Please try and watch the shows, if you missed them or just want some more inspiration. They will be available on the Hochanda website via the catch up facility.

I took the wordy background stamp, using Black Archival, I stamped all over a piece of tissue paper.

Next I took a selection of Pixie powders and Brusho to create the background. I used Cobalt Blue Brusho with Silver Dream, White Pearl and Purple Violet Pixie Powders from Creative Expressions. I sprinkled more of the Cobalt Blue Brusho and Purple Violet first and then added smaller bursts of the Silver Dream and White Pearl. I then saturated the tissue paper and left to dry. Where the pools had settle it gives a lovely texture while still allowing the stamped images to show through. I actually used this technique last year to decorate my hallway and it's easily transferable to card making.

Next, using white Centura Pearl card I cut a frame, approximately 6 1/2 x 5'' I was using the  plain side but I know that this card embosses exceptionally well and take the ink nicely too.

I cut a rectangle for the cartouche and sentiment and rubbed an anti static pad over this and the frame. I stamped both using Versamark with Ultra fine silver detail powder. For the frame I used one of the swirly stamps from Leonie's collection.

I took my card and covered it with my backing paper, it is best to overlap this to the back rather than trim as you will get a much neater edge. I wrapped a burgundy satin ribbon around this and secured at the back with red liner tape. I then mounted this onto Silver Mirri Card giving a 1/4'' boarder.

I used one of the strip stamps to create my corner sentiment on each corner of the base card. For this I again used Versamark and the silver embossing powder. I prefer making my own corner sentiments as you dont get any upside down elements.

I blended around the edges of my backing card with Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink to coordinate with the main card.

I then cut out the Entwined Snowflake Base twice using Centura Pearl 'Hint of Silver' and attached to the back of my frame. I secured this to the card using foam tape to lift it from the base.

Finally I added the sentiment, which I had also blended with Blueprint Sketch and backed with Silver Mirri Card. To finish the card I added a matching burgundy satin bow.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit today. I hope you have enjoyed the step by step I have shared with you and the finished project. Take care and hope to see you tomorrow. Happy Crafting xx

Four Seasons

Morning, Sorry for the missing post on Monday, I am afraid I was under the weather and just couldn't manage to post. Today I wanted to share a colourful card to spread a little cheer. I love this sentiment from Bee Crafty and along with the additional words from the textures stamps from Crafters Companion, I think it says it all.

To start with I cut 4 squares approximately 3 1/4'' using a basic square die. Then with Black Archival Ink I stamped the tree from the 'Tree and Branch' set from Bee Crafty, I stamped part of it on all of the squares, two on the right hand side and two on the left hand side of the squares. Then I stamped the words at the bottom of each of the squares using the same ink.

I then cut out a rectangle,using a basic die approximately 3 1/4 x 2 3/4'', then using Black Archival I stamped the lovely sentiment from Bee Crafty.

Taking each square in turn, I used distress inks to blend colour from dark to light from the edges. I used Mowed Lawn, Scattered Straw, Rusty Hinge and Faded Jeans.

Then I took the sentiment rectangle and blended the colours from the bottom left hand corner, using Scattered Straw about 2 thirds of the way up, then Rusty Hinge and finally Fired Brick. Then from the top right I blended with Blueprint Sketch part way into the Scattered Straw to give the green. I edged the sentiment by stamping part of the tree tops around the edge using Archival black ink.

For the background I took a selection of Brusho's, Cobalt Blue, Prussian Blue, Violet and Ultra Marine. I also added a little Lava Red Pixie Powders from Creative Expressions before spritzing with water. I wanted a spotty ook rather than swathes of colour so was careful not to flood the card.

I layered all of the elements onto black card and secured with Cosmic Shimmer Glue from Creative Expressions.

I also layered the background card onto black and secured with Cosmic Shimmer glue.

I arranged the squares around the corners of my card, leaving a 5 mm gap and used 3D glue gel to secure so I could raise this from the card. I then secured the sentiment in the centre, also using 3D glue gel to lift this from the squares.

I hope you have enjoyed my step by step today and the finished card. Tomorrow will be very exciting s Leonie will be Launching her Brand New One Day Special on Hochanda at 8pm. I will be sharing some of the cards I have made in my preview post tomorrow evening at launch. Would love you to come and see them. Many thanks and take care xx