Beauty In Everything

Morning Friends and Crafters, another great project for you this morning to make the most of your crafty stash. Here using the Craftascope Floral Stamp and Dies collection that I launched with Kathryn a few weeks ago on Hochanda. I have used this along with the wonderful Pearlywinks from Donna and Simon.

You Will Need:

Craftascope Floral Stamp and Die Collection

Pearlywinks Pumpkin Orange and Vintage Teal Winks

Clarity White card black cut to 6 3/4'' square

Clarity 7 x 7'' Black Card Blank

120 gsm paper

Black Fine Liner Pen

Versa Clair Black Ink Pad

Sentimentally Yours PVA

3D Glue Gel

Step 1: Arrange your chosen leaves on the paper and run through your die machine. I always like to use 3 sheets when using such thin paper, you will use them in other projects.

Step 2: Use masking tape to secure your white card in place. I like to overlap the card by 1/4'' to form a border. Use temporary adhesive to secure your leaf paper over your card. **I use the Clarity Card Blanks as they take the ink beautifully, having been let down in the stamping card I used to use.

Step 3: Spritz the teal first from one corner, so the ink is lighter in the middle. Repeat from the other corner with the orange. You will get a beautiful blend in the center.. Remove the paper.

Step 4: Remove all of the tape carefully, (always away from your piece) set aside to dry thoroughly. When dry rub over with a dry clean tissue. I've not done that here but it does remove the excess adhesive.

Step 5: Take a piece of white card and stamp your sentiment onto it, here i have used the Versa Clair Black ink.

Step 6: Spritz half and half with the same colours as before.

Step 7:  Cut out the sentiment and mount it onto black card, leaving a narrow border. Next cut one of the larger leaves from the spare card you spritzed. Stamp using the same black ink, look at how beautifully the stamps transfer, the leaf is fairly small but the text is so perfectly clear. Cut another leaf from the same black card.

Step 8: Slightly offset the  black and secure using the PVA.

Step 9: Mount your back ground card on to the black card base, this will leave a really nice thin border.

Step 10: Use a black fine liner to mark around your card to give a faux mat. Position and secure the sentiment and leaf onto your project using the 3D Glue gel.

Here is the finished card:

Thank you again for joining me today. It's always wonderful to have your company. I do hope you enjoy the posts that I share and find them useful. I am doing a lot more on my Youtube channel now and hope you will subscribe to that and keep an eye out for weekly shows, Here is a link to make things easy. NICKS YOUTUBE CHANNEL

(If you read the next bit, Please dont mention it on Facebook just yet) I have some amazing news to share with you today. I have been nominated in the Crafts Beautiful 'Best of Craft' awards. I have had to send my collections off to them and they have all arrived safe and sound. I have to thank each and everyone of you who took the time to nominate me. I have to say it was a real shock when they contacted me and must confess to crying  a little, well more than a little really. I couldn't have got this far without you and really words can't begin to explain how I feel, a few of you will know why this is so important to me, so thank you. I will give you more details as soon as I find out more. To get this far is amazing, obviously I would love to count on your support when the voting starts, it would be fantastic to go a little further. But THANK YOU so much.

Christmas Baubles

Hi Friends and Crafters, as today is the last day of Christmas on Hochanda I thought I would add something festive using the Retro Leaves from the Retro Collection along with the Triskaidecagon dies, which are unique and incredibly useful for so many projects.

You Will Need: 

Craftascope Floral Stamp and Die Collection

Craftascope Triskaidecagon Layering Die Set

Craftascope Retro Leaves Die Set

Centura Pearl Silver/White card

Centura Pearl 120 gsm Silver/White paper

Construction Acetate

Snow Fall Acetate

Sentimentally Yours Silver Embossing Powder

Versamark Pad

Antistatic Bag

Mirror Card

3D Glue Gel

Tacky Glue

Red Thread

Step 1: Cut your base from Acetate. Fold in half and make sure your die slightly overlaps the fold.

Step 2: Cut 2 frames, using the first and fourth dies, you could use the 3rd if you want a thinner frame. Cut one piece of Centura using die 1 and another using die 2, trim the back of each to match the acetate.

Step 3: Cut a piece of the snowfall acetate using the second die to fit neatly inside the frames you have made. Use red liner tape and a little 3D glue gel to secure the acetate to the back frame, leave the front for a little later.

Step 4: Cut 3 of the Retro Leaves from Mirror Card, thread them with red embroidery thread. Arrange and secure them to the front of the acetate.**Make sure you line up the die with your base first to ensure it's definitely the top.

Step 5:Take the large Centura base and secure it under the acetate using 3D glue gel.

Step 6: Repeat with the smaller piece of Centura, This leaves the wonderful detail from the acetate showing and the card but also hides the glue from below.

Step 7: Secure the frame too your easel card base with the red liner tape and 3D glue gel.

Step 8 & 8a Cut the clematis  using the Centura Pearl paper, then emboss with the coordinating stamp and the silver powder. Repeat this with the 'Peace' sentiment and secure to your card.

Here is the finished card, using the Retro Leaves in a totally different way and adding a little festive cheer.

Thank you ever so much for joining me today, I really hope you have enjoyed the tutorial and that you will join me again soon. Don't forget to subscribe and watch out on my Youtube Channel as I am doing more on there including the 'Natter with Nick' and the 'Back to Basics' with Craftascope series. If there is anything you would like to see included in the Back to Basics show, please leave a comment under the video and I will try to include it in future shows.

Lastly, I have to do another reminder as I hat people to lose out. There are things in baskets on my Etsy store and there really isn't enough stock to cover the ones in baskets, if there is anything you want please check out, some of the things wont be coming back either. Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Creative Stamping Magazine

Hi friends and Crafters, I know there are a few of you that aren't on Facebook, so I wanted to share some more news with you today. I have had my first spread in the Creative Stamper Magazine. I was so excited this week to see it, when a friends shared it with me. I've not got my copy yet but I am hoping to get one.

I am just in the process of completing my next collection as I have a deadline to meet, as soon as thats all settled I will be back to normal, thank goodness. It's not long now and I will be coming back to the UK. I have a stand at Stamperama in Stevenage on the 11 August and then on the 13th, I am off to Hochanda.

Im not sure if any of you will be interested, but I have recently put out a design Team Callas I m looking to expand my team.Here are the details below if you are interested. For now take care and Happy Crafting.xx

DESIGN TEAM CALL: Do you enjoy creating mixed and multi media projects? Love using stamps, stencils and dies? Have an interest in creating with fabric and thinking outside the box?
Craftascope is a small company that makes great quality stamps, stencils and dies designed by Nick Roberts and is looking to add some new design team members to the existing team!

This design team call is open worldwide.

Requirements:
To produce approximately 8 samples to be shown on shopping television at new launches
To produce extra samples as required for extra shows (notice would be given)
To be active and share projects on social media, a blog would be ideal but not essential
Have a Facebook account to enable access to the DT group

You would receive:
Stamps, stencils and dies to create your samples with
Approximately 6 weeks before launches to enable projects to be completed

If you are interested then please e mail craftascope99@gmail.com

Please include ‘DT Call’ in the subject line and the following information in your email:

Name and a bit about you
Any design teams you are currently on
Social media links (e.g. blog, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter)
Photos of 4 of your favourite projects showing a range of techniques, including at least one card

Closing date 31st July

The Craftascope Floral Stamp and Die Collection Launch show

Hi Friends and Crafters, Just a quick post to keep you in the loop so to speak. I've been away for a little while resting but I am well on the mend now so I am catching up with all the things I have neglected and hope to be back with you very soon with some more inspiration. I have just finished uploading the Launch show of the Floral Stamp and Die Collection with Kathryn for you so I hope you will enjoy it. It was such a busy show, Had great Fun.

More news, You might have seen that I have putout a Design Team Call to, so I can expand the great team I have already. I am looking forward to welcoming the new members, Full details are on my Facebook page. 

I have a lot of messages saying that they like to be able to watch the shows once they are no longer on Catch up to watch back the demos. I think one day I will have the courage to watch one back. As you all know I love to share and Hochanda is such a great place to visit and it gives me the opportunity to share even more with you. It's also given me a little more confidence, so I am doing a lot more on my Youtube channel.Here's the show link.

I'm over the moon that my New 'Regal Rose' collection has proved to be so popular, If you haven't seen it yet, they are on my Etsy Site, I know there are very few left now and only 1 of the full collection, so do be quick. Also another bit of news, I have been able to restock the Retro Banner Stamp Set at long last after it sold out in less that 24 hours, so again please be quick if you would like it, such a great set and so versatile. I also have a chat about the new collection on my Natter with Nick, below.

I have been toying with the idea of moving more towards video tutorials than the blog and I really would like to hear your views on it, if you have any or if you have a preference to one or the other. I have heard from quite a lot of crafty friends that they are shutting down blogs as visitors seem to prefer a photo on Social media rather than a tutorial. I have to say I feel it will be a shame to lose some of the blogs that are out there but I can understand when  it takes a huge amount of time to keep up a blog if people prefer a quick photo. Anyway I have asked before, so I thought I would ask again. See you very soon, for now Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

A little bit of news.

Hi Friends and Crafters.

Just a little bit of news for you. I have been able to add some more of the Craftascope Rose petal dies to my Etsy store at last after they sold out on Hochanda. Also I have listed a few items from my New August Launch, including the whole Regal Rose Collection, please do be quick if you would like anything as it seems to be going very fast and there is no more stock until the August launch and Stamperama in Stevenage. The link for my Etsy store is at the top on the blog page.

Thats really all for now as I have been told to rest for a few days, and I want to be back to 100% as soon as possible. So take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

Back to Basics 2 Landscapes

Morning Friends and Crafters, For those of you who saw my second episode of 'Back to Basics' with Craftascope last night. I really hope you enjoyed it and found it useful & worthwhile. After the show I added a few finishing touches as discussed and added a little sentiment. So here is the end result, do excuse to odd finger print. You can still take a look at the video on my youtube channel and I have added the link to this post to, so pop over and see how it was done.

As I said on the video, I will be adding to the series for as long as I get your requests. So if there is anything you would like to see included in the future shows, then please leave your comments on the comments under the video so I can find them easily.

This weeks 'Natter with Nick' offer ended last night but there are still some really great buys on my Etsy store, some are a little low on stock now, but hopefully you will find what you want to add to your Craftascope Library. I did a second demo on last nights show, I added it as a separate video and you can see it here.

Well I have lots of preparation underway for my first stand at Stamperama in August, not long to go now. I will be sharing lot's of new goodies before visiting Hochanda on the 13th August. Well thats all for no, so Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Greene Man

Hi Friends and Crafters, A little bonus post and tutorial for you today, I have that many to share that I am going to run out of days before my next visit. As you know over the last week or so I have been sharing cards made with the beautifully detailed leaves from my Floral Companions Stamps and Dies. I have some on my youtube channel as video and some written with additional photos. You might have seen the Autumn and Winter, well I thought that this made a really wonderful Spring card with the Addition of a lovely Clarity Stamp.

You will need:

Craftascope Triskaidecagon Layering and Nesting Dies

Craftascope Floral Companions Stamps & Dies can be bought Separately or Together

White Stamping Card

Clarity 6 x 6 White Card Blank

Clarity Greene Man Stamp (Clarity Stamp Club Issue)

Selection of Copic Markers

Distress Inks Squeezed Lemonade, Mowed Lawn and Salty Ocean

Step 1: Take a piece of stamping card and blend across the distress inks to get a really nice blend from Yellow to a variety of greens.Cut your chosen leaves using the coordinating dies. Spray with temporary adhesive and secure to copier paper. Then use a stamping platform to stamp your leaf designs.

Step 2: Take a piece of 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 piece of black and gut with a basic die (here I have used Square). Position you Nesting die centrally on your card to create an aperture. Then use the layering dies to create the black frame. Secure these and mount onto your card and colour the Green Man.

Step 3: Arrange your selection of leaves around the aperture to draw your eye into the card. I have sprayed the leaves with a spray varnish, here I have used Spray n Shine.

Here is your finished card:

Thee leaves really are versatile, they can be used as the main focal point in your card, they look great on their own or mixed with any of your other stamps and dies. They also work perfectly  to frame other toppers and can also be used on any project to add that finishing touch.

The detail is wonderful, however by using the dies without the stamps, there is the option of adding your own choice of stamps or artwork, zentangle for example to really tailor the project to match exactly.

A great, Well I'd say an essential addition to your crafty stash or your Craftascope Library. I do hope you have enjoyed this little bonus post. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx