Dandelion Wishes, Sneek Peak of the Brand New Signature Collection

Morning Friends and Crafters, Today is a very exciting day, Sara will be launching here brand new Signature Collection at 10 am this morning on Hochanda as a Weekend Wow. I can certainly tell you it really is a BIG FAT WOW! I have a sneek peak for you along with a tutorial. Once again everything in this collection is superb. Beautiful colours, stunning dies, stamps embossing folders and one of my favourites, the foils and transfers.

You will need:

Enchanted Forest 8 x 8 Paper Pad

Enchanted Forest Fairy Dance Acrylic Stamps

Enchanted Forest Fairy Wishes Die and Stamp Set

Enchanted Forest Delicate Dandelion Die and Stamp set

Centura Pearl Silver/White 2 x 9 x 9''

Basic Square die Approx 5''

Acetate (Heat Resistant)

Silver Embossing Powder

Versamark Ink Pad

Anti Static Bag

Tacky Glue

Foam Pads

Sparkle Pens

Step 1: Make a box with a 1 Inch depth from the Centura Pearl. Trim a sheet of paper from the pad and secure it to the bottom of your base.

Step 2: Score your box lid and fold so the white is on the outside (you will be colouring it). Before assembly cut the aperture using the square die. Colour with sparkle pens to match the paper you have chosen.

Step 3: Cut 4 6 3/4'' squares of acetate, use the waste from the aperture to help you position your stamps. First stamp your sentiment, this will be your front layer, emboss with silver.

Step 4: Place your next piece of acetate over the first, this will help you to position your next stamp, this time the first dandelion. Emboss again in silver.

Step 5: Repeat this with your next dandelion.

Step 6: Repeat once more this time adding your last dandelion and fairy on a toadstool. Use foam pads to secure each layer, place them in order they were stamped, starting with the sentiment, make sure this faces outwards.

Here is the end result lit up, you can really see the depth and dimension, it gives a much better effect with crystal clear acetate, but you have to be extra careful as it's not always heat resistant. I have also decorated the back of the box.

Just a little extra here: If you have not shopped with Hochanda before, here is a voucher code giving you 30% off your first purchase (FEY5JBP7) it can be used for any purchase, feel free to share it.

I do hope you have enjoyed the tutorial today along with the finished card. I really hope you will join me again very soon to see what else I have to share with you. Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Postcards at Christmas

Morning Friends and Crafters, Christmas Is such a busy time for us all. A lot of us just don't always have time to make our card's throughout the year, I started off with good intentions, but as always life takes over. Having an embossing folder, that can do all the work for you, is fantastic. This 3D Embossing folder is they answer to all of our prayers, it's perfect for batch card making, so here are 3 very fast cards.

You will Need:

Dear Santa Embossing Folder

Black Card

Tim Holtz Black Kraft Core'Dinations 

Aged Mahogany Core'Dinations Card

Pebeo Gilding Wax (selection of colours)

Matt and Layers

Adhesives

Step 1: Cut your card to size, 5 x 7'' and emboss with the design.

Step 2: Just look at the wonderful detail this folder gives you.

Step 3: To this card, add gilding wax to add even more detail and bring out the depth and dimension. Red and Gold so so well together.

Step 4: Add a ribbon and some Mistletoe to finish the look and add your mat and layers.

Step 5: Here is the Kraft Core'Dinations, just sanded back and polished with the polishing cloth.

Step 6: Here is the black card, simply finished off with the gilding wax again to really show of the details.

Here are the finished cards just waiting for a little embellishment.

Thank you for popping by today. I hope you have enjoyed these little time savers, they are especially great for people you have forgotten. Another thing, here is a 30% off voucher to use on your first order (anything) from Hochanda, use code FEY5JBP7.

I hope to see you again very soon, For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

Spring Harebells 'Treescapes' from Clarity

Morning Friends and Crafters, The lovely Maria is on our screens later today with some super stamps and stencils. The first show is 12 noon, with a second show at 4 pm. I hope you tune in for some excellent demos and lots of inspiration.

You will Need:

Clarity 'Treescape' Stamp

Clarity 'Spring' Stamp

Memento Black Ink

Clarity Club Stencil No 35

Black Fine Liner Water and Copic Proof

Brusho: Lemon, Yellow, Green,

Blue and Green alcohol markers

Drawing Gum

Watercolour Card

Black Soot Distress Oxide

Tacky Glue

Basic Oval Die

Step 1: Secure the stencil to your card and draw round it with a black fine liner.

Step 2: Place the oval over the card and draw around the inside (see photo). Roughly trim out the centre, trim around the flowers, abut 5 mm past the drawn line. The die will cut it out perfectly. Position the die so the flowers are not under the cut line, Run through the machine.

Step 3:Fill in the stencil lines with drawing gum and leave to dry.

Step 4: Spritz the card with water and sprinkle with the Brusho

Step 5: Once dry stamp the spring and remove the Drawing Gum.

Step 6: Take a second piece of card, spritz and colour with the Brusho.

Step 7: When dry stamp the Treescape with the Black Soot Distress Oxide.

Step 8: Trim and mount onto black card with Tacky Glue.

Step 9: Layer a piece of black card onto your base card, after measuring for the right size for your piece.

Step 10: Slide your topper into place underneath one of the flowers, as shown in the photo, you might need to trim along the flower a little more, secure in place with Tacky Glue.

Step 11: Layer the piece onto the base card with Tacky Glue.

Here is the finished card:

Just a little extra here: If you have not shopped with Hochanda before, here is a voucher code giving you 30% off your first purchase (FEY5JBP7) it can be used for any purchase, feel free to share it.

I do hope you have enjoyed the tutorial today along with the finished card. I hope you will join me again very soon to see what else I have to share with you. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

Tree of Life

Morning, Great too have you join me this morning. I am sharing one of the cards I made for the launch of 'A Little Bird' stamps and stencils from Clarity, Barbara launched them last weekend. If you would like to watch the shows for inspiration, they should still be available on "Rewind' via the Hochanda website.

You Will Need:

Clarity 'A Little Bird' Stencil

Clarity 'Life' From the Stamp Club

Clear Embossing Powder

White Stamping Card

Centura Pearl White/Silver Base Card

Black Card

Distress Oxide Blueprint Sketch

Distress Oxide Seedless Preserves

Distress Oxide Wilted Violet

Versamark Ink Pad

Black Soot Distress Ink

Step 1: Ink up the reverse of your stencil, using the Distress Oxide Inks. Then run through your machine, this will give a wonderful emboss to the finished image. Coat this with clear embossing powder and heat. Next stamp 'Life' using Versamark and again heat emboss with the clear powder.

Step 2: Use Black Soot to completely cover the whole area. You want to get a really dark solid black. Trim around the full stencil, including the rounded corners.

Step 3: Mount onto black card, leaving a very narrow border, ten mount onto your white base card.

This technique gives the illusion of a coloured die cut which has been mounted onto the black card.

Thank you so much for joining me today, I do hope you have enjoyed the tutorial along with the finished card. I hope you will join me again very soon to see what I have to share with you. For now, Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Holly Frame

Hi Everyone, Thank you for popping by today, it's always great to have some company. Writing Blog posts can sometimes feel like your chatting away to yourself. Today's card is using one of the wonderful embossing folders from Crafters Companion. This is a particularly useful folder to use as a frame for any of your festive projects. Here I have used is with a stamp from the 'A Little Bit Festive' Collection by Sheena.

You will Need:

Decorative Holly Embossing Folder

Sheena 'A Little Bit Festive' Stamp

Watercolours

Alcohol Markers

Red & Black Card

Sheena Stamping Card

Centura Pearl Card Base

Tartan Ribbon

Clarity Moon Mask

Collall Tacky Glue

Step 1: Stamp the Sheena Stamp onto your Stamping Card.

Step 2: Colour your image with a selection of Alcohol Markers. Add a Clarity Moon Mask to the sky before blending with your Distress Ink.

Step 3: Emboss your 3D Folder.

Step 4: Pick out the holly and Berries, then colour with your choice of watercolours or markers.

Step 5: Layer your finished onto red and then black card before mounting it onto your base card.

Step 6: Add a matching Tartan bow to finish your card.

Thank you so much for stopping by today. I do hope you have enjoyed the tutorial along with the finished card. Another thing, here is a 30% off voucher to use on your first order (anything) from Hochanda, use code FEY5JBP7.

Would be lovely to see you here again soon, Please dont forget to add your comments if you have time. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

Moonlit Bird

Morning Friends and Crafters, I really enjoyed making this card. Blending with Distress inks is such a relaxing process and can give such a dramatic look. Here I have used the Clarity 'Little Bird' stencil that Barbara launched on the 7th October, the shows should still be available on "Rewind" via the Hochanda Website, for more inspiration. I've included a full tutorial on my blog for you, with additional photos.

You will need:

Clarity 'A Little Bird' Stencil

Clarity Garden Birds Stamp & Mask Set

Clarity Moon Mask

Scrap Paper

Washi or Masking Tape

Alcohol Markers

Black Card

White Stamping Card

Black Fine Liner (Copic and Waterproof)

Black Soot Distress Ink Pad

Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink Pad

Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink Pad

Versafine Black Ink

Step 1: Stamp the largest of the garden birds using the Versafine Ink Pad. Cover the bird with the mask which come included with that stamp set. If you don't have one, don't worry you can make one from copier paper.

Step 2: Position your stencil and secure in place with Washi or Masking tape. Also cover the rest of the card with scrap paper to protect it. Add the largest of the Clarity Moon Masks (See Photo).

Step 3: Using the Distress inks, blend your colours, keeping your project lightest around the moon. Use the Black Soot sparingly at the end just around the edges to add more depth to the colour. Remove the moon mask. With a pencil, lightly draw around the stencil, to add the detail that was behind the moon. You could go straight in with your marker if you are confident to do it that way.

Step 4: Remove the stencil and masks.

Step 5: Colour the bird with your alcohol markers, Fill in the moon silhouette with a black marker. Trim your topper to size. Take a ruler and fine liner and draw a frame around the topper.

Step 6: Layer onto black card before mounting onto a white card base.

Thank you for joining me today, I hope you have enjoyed the Tutorial along with the finished card. I hope you will come back very soon to see what else I have to share with you. The next couple of months are going to be very exciting. For now take care and Happy Crafting.xxx 

Happy Birthday- A Little Bird Told Me

Morning, I am back today with a card I made for the launch of the Clarity 'A Little Bird' One day Special that Barbara launched on Hochanda last weekend. Some of you might have received yours now, if you have I do hope you are having fun using them.

You will Need:

Clarity Little Bird Stamp

Clarity House Martin Stamp

Clarity Wordchains Alphabet Stamp Collection

Mask or Copier Paper

Stamping Card

Black Card

Versafine Black Ink Pad

Copic Alcohol Markers

Collall Tacky Glue

Step 1: On a scrap piece of paper, stamp the House Martin, this will act as your mask.

Step 2: Stamp the House Martin on to your stamping card, then mask it off.

Step 3: Stamp the 'A Little Bird Told Me' on to your card. Then position and stamp the 'Happy Birthday'. Mask the main bird, blooms and little bird, and over stamp the filler with green.

Step 4: Remove masks and carefully colour the other design elements with alcohol markers.

Step 5: Layer your topper onto black card before mounting it onto your white card base.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial along with the finished card I have shared with you. Another thing, here is a 30% off voucher to use on your first order (anything) from Hochanda, use code FEY5JBP7.

Come back soon to see what else I have to share with you. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx