Parchment Hearts

Morning, I am very excited to be sharing this project with you today as it's Valentines Day. The lovely Leonie, launched this lovely set of dies on Hochanda a while back but they are wonderful. Leonie designed them especially to co-ordinate with the 'Entwined Hearts' die cutting range. That said they are so versatile and work really well as a stand alone essential or with any of your existing stash.

                          

Beginning with the 'Dotty Heart'  embossing folder from the new collection, I embossed a piece of parchment. To ensure the parchment didn't tear or buckle, I placed it between a folded sheet of copier paper.

                

Next, from black card I cut the ''Folk Heart'' base die as I wanted the frame and one heart, I kept the other for a future project.

                     

I stuck the heart frames onto my parchment using 3D glue gel, to give a different look on each I used the embossed side on one and the debossed side on the other.

            

I then roughly cut out 2 pieces of red 'Silk Art' card and adhered it to the back of my parchment hearts using 'Stick It' adhesive sheets, this allows the colour to show through more where the parchment touches and highlights the embossing. I then trimmed around these using scissors, it's very easy because of the frame.

           

Next, I took one of the heart dies cuts. Using the Flitter Glue from Indigo Blu, I stamped the lovely 'Script' stamp from the range at an angle.

                  

Then taking a sheet of gold foil, I placed over the heart and gently burnished it with a soft cloth. Removed the sheet leaving it beautifully foiled.

                 

For the card front I took a piece of black card stock measuring 7' square. Using the sweetheart stamp and Flitter Glue, I stamped and foiled in the same way as the heart. I then repeated this with a small detail stamp from the collection, to add highlights mainly focused around the top right and bottom left hand corners with just a suggestion in other areas and set aside.

           

Next I took a piece of red 'Silk Art' card, approximately 7 3/4'' square and a piece of parchment large enough to fold around and leave a 5 mm fold for securing at the back. I folded the edges over to mark but did not secure it until later.Taking the parchment and script stamp, I randomly stamped around the edges with white Stazon ink. There's no need to stamp anywhere else as it will be covered.

           

I folded this back over my red card and secured at the back with red liner tape.

            

Next, I arranged my hearts on the card front and secured them with foam tape and 3D glue gel to raise them from the background.

           

I backed the script background with a black card base and secured with Cosmic Shimmer Glue from Creative Expressions.

          

To finish my card, I secured thin organza ribbon across the two opposite corners using red liner tape and added it to my base card with 3D glue gel.

           

I hope you have enjoyed the step by step I have shared and the little taster of the wonderful crafting goodies that Leonie gives us crafters. See you all soon and thank you for visiting today. Please take the time to visit the Hochanda Blog, I am sharing Part 2 of my Floral Embellishment Series. I would love to have your comments there and support. Take care and Happy Crafting.

A Single Rose

Hi, Barbara Gray from Clarity Stamp launched the most beautiful collection of Groovi plates recently on Hochanda. It was a floral collection made with the stunning work from Jayne Nestorenko. I was so pleased when mine arrived, so I couldn't wait to use them in a project. Today I am sharing a design I came up with using them along with other plates from the Groovi range. Roses have always been my most favourite of all flowers and so I had to use these first. I found a wonderful saying which was to become the focal point of this design.

To start with I planned the positioning of the words, I felt this phrase was so heartfelt and would match so well with the images I was going to use. I wrote the phrase onto copier paper first for reference  as adding large amounts of text can be tricky otherwise. I then used the inner frame to surround the words. Underneath but within the frame I added one of the rose swags.

Next I added the rose head from one plate, added a longer stem appearing from underneath.. I added the larger frame from the set, allowing the rose to hang outside this for a little extra interest.

I filled the space between the frames with the overlapping lattice, completed all of my whitework on the lattice, rose and leaves. I coloured the roses and leaves using polychromos. To add some more depth to the lattice I added some black using Polychromo pencil to give a more 3D look. To finish the piece I mounted it onto some Cerise Silk Art card using a corner punch.

I am entering this into Septembers Clarity Blog Challenge. Thank you so much for taking a look today, I do hope you like the design I have shared. Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

O Christmas Tree

Morning, Thank you so much for stopping by today. The collection that Leonie Launched on Hochanda on August 10th has been a pleasure to work with as always. I have so enjoyed the entwined concept that I decided to use it again with this card. The tree is so elegant and stately that it deserves to take centre stage.

To start with I cut out the Entwined Christmas Tree base from Holly Green Silk Art card. Before I entwined these later, I added some Empire Gold Gilding wax from Pebeo to the green base.

Next I took so red Silk Art card, secured a piece of Stick it adhesive sheet to it and cut it using the Entwined Christmas Tree 'Frost'. When it was cut I removed the backing and covered with 'Festive Red' Diamond Sparkles from Hunkydory. I did the same with the 'Happy' & 'Christmas' from the Entwined Cross Base.

I entwined the tree and set aside. Ten I took a 6'' square piece of Navy Silk Art card and covered it with snow, using a white Sharpie fine liner pen. Then I secured the words and the tree to the base using Cosmic Shimmer. I then backed this onto white gloss card, leaving a 1 1/4'' boarder on all sides.

Then I cut a frame from the same Navy card and placed over my design, This was cut to leave a 1/4'' border of white all around the inner card to frame the design.

Thank you so much for joining me again. I hope that you have enjoyed the step by step I have shared with you and the finished piece. I hope you will pop by again very soon, for now Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

A Christmas Wish

Morning, After watching Let Leonie Loose on Wednesday with Matt and Leonie. I thought I would take up Leonie's challenge by putting a Christmas scene inside the Entwining Branches die from Her Big Heart set. If you missed the shows they will still be on the Hochanda website and if you're lucky there might even be a few of the dies left.

To begin with I cut my card to measure 6 3/4'' square. Taking a Sheena Douglas stamp I used black Archival to stamp Santa and his reindeer. The idea was that he was flying out of the heart to make his Christmas Deliveries.

I cut the die into copier paper to act as my mask and secured it in place on my card with Stick n Spray from Crafters Companion. I also placed a moon mask in the sky.

Next, Using Distress inks I built up my landscape,for this I used Shaded Lilac, Faded Jeans, and Blueprint Sketch. I added a little Black Soot to the mountain range to darken it slightly while  still having the blue tone.I stamped a large Fir tree in the foreground, a smaller one further back with Black Archival.I used this same tree to stamp 3 smaller trees in the distance, using a mask so I could use just the top, to make them appear much further away. I used 1st and 2nd generation ink to give a little more depth and dimension. Lastly I stamped a deer in the foreground for a little more interest.

I masked Santa ad the Reindeer with Pebeo Drawing Gum, replaced the mountain mask and blended the sky. For the sky I used Faded Jeans, Blueprint Sketch, Chipped Sapphire and at the very edges Black Soot.

I removed the mask and lightly shaded the moon with Shaded Lilac, then removed the drawing gum.

After colouring the image with a selection of  Spectrum Aqua Markers, In black Archival, I stamped an 'I Believe' sentiment and added some snowflakes to the sky with Shaded Lilac. Then distressed around the edges with the same Distress Ink.

I cut a frame to fit using some navy, foiled Silk Art card. The using my Cosmic Shimmer glue, I added some white Flowersoft to the hills and trees.

To finish the card, I matted it onto some silver mirror card, leaving a very fine border and attached to my base card.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit today. I really hope you have enjoyed the step by step and the card I have shared. I hope that you will visit again very soon. I have a special project to share tomorrow, using the recent launch from Leonie. It's one that I have only just finished so it wasn't featured on the show or my launch previews. Take care xx