Step into Spring & Leap into Summer Preview

Morning, At last I have the opportunity to share some of the projects I have been working on over the last few weeks. It's been an incredibly busy time with samples, I have to say there are some very exciting products coming up. Fiona is on Hochanda today at 10 am and 3 pm, with a wonderful collection of Dies,Stamps and 3D Folders to take us into Spring and Summer, which we are all looking forward too. Here are a few of the samples I have made with these collections.

Please do tune in for lots of inspiration from Fiona and loads more amazing samples from the whole Design Team, who have been working on these collections.

As always I will be sharing Tutorials for all the cards I have made with the collections, so I do hope you will join me.

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter Holiday and enjoy all of your Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns. I am incredibly jealous. For now, Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

Parchment Wishes

Here is my tutorial for one of the cards I made for the launch of the Die'Sire Easel Card Dies on Hochanda earlier this week. I've tried to show different ways of using and decorating the beautiful card bases. The parchment design for the topper looks right at home in this piece. I have used the Sprig Background Groovi Plate here along with the A4 Alphabet plate to add the sentiment. 

For this card you will need:

Groovi Sprig Background A5 Square Plate

Groovi A4 Alphabet Frame Plate

Die'Sire Create a Card 'Floral Easel'

Basic Circle Dies

Heavyweight Acetate

Parchment

Centura Pearl white 'Hint of Silver'

Green Alcohol Marker

Step 1: Cut 2 of the smaller outer edge panels with the decorative panels. Cut a piece of parchment using the same die but without the insert. Cut you base easel with heavyweight acetate, if you have protective sheets remove them as they do affect the cut. Top Tip: to avoid marks on your acetate, place a piece of copier paper on your base plate.

Step 2: Using scissors cut across the inside of the design from the edge of the decorative edge (See Photo)

Step 3: Cut away the remainder of the card using a basic circle die of the correct size, feed the die under the decorative edge and position to continue the frame, secure with low take tape. (See Photo)

Step 4: Using 3D glue gel secure your parchment to the back of your topper.

Step 5: Using both frame dies, create a thin frame for the front and the back of the topper. This will be  decorative at the front and cover your adhesives at the back.Secure to the topper using 3D glue gel and then to the card base. Cut the largest edge die in Centura Pearl and secure to the underside of the base, this will cover all adhesive and give a professional result.

Step 6: To finish the card, adhere the bottom decorative section to your base and create a stopper with small paper roses to compliment the look.

I do appologise for the problems on Facebook over the last week and I hope you haven't missed too many of the posts I have added. I have heard from a few of you that you haven't received the notifications, I hope that this will improve.

Thank you for visiting, I would really love to have your comments or feedback, I love to read them and then know that I am not alone. I hope you managed to see my post on the Hochanda Blog and added a comment, I am doing a draw on Sunday and I will send the finished card to that person. I have added a link to the blog on the side panel at the top of the page. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Gilded Lily

Morning, Today I am sharing a card made with the Easel dies, without the lovely intricate inserts. Using some Graphic 45 Papers to decorate. Did you get to see any of the One Day Special, with the Die'sire Easel cards. I't was wonderful seeing all of the samples from the Design Team. I was ever so proud to see my parchment card on screen, I will be sharing the step by step for that later.

For this card you will need:
Floral Easel Create a Card Die Set

12 x 12 Gilded Lily From Graphic 45

Matt Black Card

Ivory Centura Pearl

Lily Die from Sara's Signature Collection

Frame Die from Sara's Signature Collection

Tacky Glue

3D Glue Gel

Distress Inks Tattered Rose and Twisted Citron

Pebeo Metallic foil and adhesive

Step 1: Create your Easel base with folded Ivory Centura Pearl, using  the larger die and the score die. Make sure you overhang the folded edge. At the same time make a mat and secure to the top with tacky glue.

Step 2: Using both dies create a frame for the top section, set aside.

Step 3: Cut 2 larger shapes from the Graphic 45 pad, lay one over your base and cut to fit. Secure this along with the topper piece with tacky glue. You can now add the thin frame to the top section over the patterned paper. This gives a really smart finish.

Step 4: Cut another frame for the base using the same 2 dies. Set aside to secure later.

Step 5: From the gilded lily pad, cut one of the strips and layer onto black card to leave a thin border. Repeat this with the mini topper, which will act as your stopper. Next cut enough petals, stamens and leaves to create 3 lilies for decoration. Colour the leaves with Twisted Citron, tint the edges of the lilies with Tattered Rose.

Step 6: Choose and image to fit behind the frame which has been cut from black matt card. Secure behind with Tacky glue

Step 7: Secure your border strip to you base and trim any excess. Now you can place the thin edge frame. Add the stopper and framed topper with 3D glue gel. To finish your card, arrange the lilies and leaves, with glue gel.

Thank you for taking the time to visit today, I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial today along with the finished card. I do hope that it has given you some inspiration at least. Hope you will visit again soon. If you have any questions or comments please do leave them below I do love to read them. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Happy Easter Easel Card

Morning, A bit of fun today, I am sharing an Easter card, I made using the Die'Sire Easel die set. I know it's not the way they are designed to be used but it came to me that using the shield could also make the egg shape. I have also used the letters from Leonie's Wonderful Typography Alphabet Dies, along with some of her mixed media range.

I didn't take photos of each stage of making the easel base for each card. I hope you don't mind but it's very time consuming stopping at each stage. The photos for this are therefore, the wrong colour to match this card.

To make the card you will need:

Typography Alphabet by Leonie Pujol

Circle Dies Various Sizes.

Die'Sire Timepiece Easel

Pink Centura Pearl Card

Blue Centura Pearl Card

Yellow Centura Pearl Card (All from the Light's Collection)

2 Lengths of Lace

Step 1: Cut your Easel Base using scored and folded Pink Centura Pearl. Make sure you leave the die overhanging your folded edge to create the easel (See Photo)

Step 2:  Cut the smaller shield from Blue Centura Pearl, Then trim off the tip to ensure it sits nicely as a layer to your base Easel. (See Photo)

Step 3: Cut a large Shield in both Blue and Pink, these will form your egg.

Step 4: Wrap a length of lace around you Smaller blue Shield and secure at the back with tape. Then use Tacky glue to place it on your base. For the stopper, I used Leonie's hearts, 4 stuck together for extra height. Secure your lace across the upside down blue shield, before adhering the pink shield to form the egg.

Step 5: Cut the first 4 letters from pink and the last 2 in blue. Add  to your egg with Tacky glue. Then cut a variety of sizes of circle from yellow and position them onto your egg. Finally stick this to your easel base.

This gives you a completely different look and get even more versatility to your dies. 

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial today. It's in a different format so I hope you like it. I would love your feedback. Once again sorry for the photos, I know it's better with specific photos which I will continue with for regular posts. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Die'Sire Launch Previews

Morning everyone, Exciting launch tonight. It's the launch of the brand new Easel card dies from Crafters Companion. It's a one day special and they are bound to fly, especially when you see the wonderfully detail inserts that fit into the cards. I am sharing another couple of samples that I made for the launch today and will share the step by step's with you after the launch.

I hope you will tune in tonight at 6 pm to see all of the marvelous samples that the Design Team have made with the die collections. There are sure to be a lot of interesting demonstrations and more inspiration. If the collection doesn't see out too fast then there will be more shows tomorrow at 9 am, 1 pm and 5 pm.

For now take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Crafters Companion Launch Preview

Morning. I want to share a couple of Sneek Peeks of some Brand New dies launching tomorrow on Hochanda. I'm having a day off today so no tutorial for you, but hope you will take a look at the previews. Tune in at 6 pm for the new Die'sire Easel Cards One Day Special. Here are a couple of cards I have made for the launch.

They make some lovely little easel card bases and come complete with some beautiful insert dies, so you can either leave the card plain or add the fine detail to your design. I will be sharing tutorials on these cards after the launch, so I hope you will join me for those. There are other exciting things coming as well so do keep watching this space.

Hope you like these. For now Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Take care and Happy Crafting.xx