Now it's Caitlin's Birthday!

Today I have been working on my eldest Granddaughter Caitlin's birthday card - Caitlin is 8 on Friday and very excited to be reaching this great age!  I thought Mo Manning digi image ideal for an excited 8 year old and I just love the dog!

I'm finding my Grand Nestie Squares really useful for matting and layering - they are saving me messing about trying to get things square!   I know some folks are good at this, but me....not so!

I always feel chuffed when I manage to use something in the drawer - it makes buying the item seem worthwhile.   This is what I got out to cut the sentiment - it's called Birthday Wishes by Provocraft and includes a candle embossing folder and the word die.  To achieve the two tone effect I cut two different colours, then because I'd placed DST on the back of my card before cutting, mixing the colours was easy. 

Alphabet Dies

I have been making a card for a friend who is retiring from work this week .......

I know from experience that folks like their names on cards, so I started cutting letters with my Olivia Provocraft Alphabet dies in white card....they looked lost....so I cut again in red and shadowed the letters on the white....still not right, so I cut again in the charcoal grey that I'd used for the mat....and BINGO!  I reminded myself of my Grannie's saying "if at first......try again".   Those were happy days! 

I've not tried this way of using letters before, but it works well and if you use double sided  tape the letters easily join together and easy to place on your card.  Another first, but not the last! 

Chocolate Baroque - Teeny weeny Meadow

Gosh how quickly the time goes when you're busy crafting....I have just finished this months DT samples, and found a minute to drop by my own blog! 

This card is from my DT samples from January   - I know a lot of crafters have purchased these mini stamps and I'm sure you will find them very useful and so interesting to work with.

The decorative paper is from the CB (EI)Simple Elegance range, over stamped with the same tree as the focal image. I used a circle to mask off for the moon, colour with distress inks and stamped the image in black.  The bird is a Marianne Creatable die call Bird on a Branch - very original name!

ikki

Nestabilities Pendant and Border dies - Chocolate Baroque Doodle Stamps

Monday does seem to come round quicklythese days!  Today for my tutorial I thought I would show you another of my DT cards, this time using one of the new Doodle stamps......

Materials used:
A4 sage green card, extra sage green, dark green and white card, decorative paper
Nestabilies Pendant and Border die: Spades
Nestabilies: Classic Squares, and Oval
CB: Doodle Rose
Creative Expression Mask : Ivy
Distress inks, Marvy la Plume pens, ribbon

Method:  Centre score and fold A4  sage green card.
With large square die emboss onto the card using the sandwich I gave you a couple of weeks ago.  - you will the recipe on my embossing page.   Or you could use a magnetic mat - you will find info and examples on how to do this in the label section on my sidebar under Magnetic mats.
Cut the second smaller coloured square and emboss with a mask or folder.
Cut and emboss the Pendant die from decorative paper.
Cut and emboss the border from the same card as the base card. (I left the cutouts in place and secured with tape).
Cut an oval from white card - colour the stamp with Marvy la Plume pens and then stamp - emboss with the mask and colour with DI's.
Assemble, threading the ribbon through the pendant and fix on the back of the square.

Hope you're still with me this take some explaining!   And,  that you are tempted to try the embossing - yet another way of using your dies -  and all your dies can be used this way!  It may sound difficult but it's really easy - trust me I'm a Cuttlebug crafter (lol).

Chocolate Baroque Teeny Weeny Meadow and Nestabilities - Mega Rectangles

I have another of my DT cards to show you today from the recently released Teeny Weeny Meadow stamp plate.  When I received my DT package from Glenda way back in January, I found so much I could do with them and also how well they combined with the Artylicious CD Esssence of Nature. 

Materials used:  6" x 6" card, blue & white cardstock

CB Stamps: Teeny Weeny Meadow (UA6GW0349)

EI Stamp: Sentiment - Essence of Nature (UA4SP0339)

Arytlicious CD Essence of Nature

Nestabilies: Grand Squares, Mega Rectangles

Distress inks, ribbon, dragonfly charm

  By cutting two or three of the mega rectangles it is possible to make a book embellishment. 

To make the pages curl - score 2 slightly apart lines down the centre of the cut, and fold  inwards, then  use an embossing stylus or similar to curl the edges backwards.  Use a ribbon to cover the centre lines in the manner of a bookmark.    The mini stamps were ideal for printing on the pages.

I was pleased with this effect and although unusual, I loved my blue trees!

Chocolate Baroque - Doodle Bird Stamps No. UA5SP0346

My friends and I  had great fun using the new Doodle Bird and Butterfly stamps from Chocolate Baroque and over the next week you will be able to see more of our work on our indiviidual blogs and also on the CBDT Blog.   This is one of my pretty cards!  

Materials used:

6" x 6" White Card, White and Lilac Pearl card

Decorative Paper: Simple Elegance

Flower die: Crealies - Swirls: Marianne Creatables

Nestabilities - Classic and Grand square dies

Chocolate Baroque: UA5SP0346

Grundgeboard squares coloured with alcohol inks edged with embossing powder

Ribbon and pearl gem.

Less is More Challenge Week 5

At last a finished card for the LIM challenge for a pastel card.....

White, white and lavender.

  Lavender is one of my favourite shrubs in the garden.

The dies : Marianne Designs and Nestie Grand square

The stamps : from Sheena Douglas, and I'm ashamed to say both very little used!

Another challenging challenge from LIM - well done Chrissie and Mandi - you're making us think and think again about this white spaces!

Less is more challenge - Week 4 - Squares

I have just had a lovely, but very busy three days with my daughter and two granddaughters.  Caitlin and Megan just love getting their hands on my crafting stamps and inks, so no crafting for me!  Hence, a little later than usual for the LIM challenge which this week asks for 3 squares.    Now squares are a fav of mine, but just what to do with them????  Looking for something a bit different I decided to do this.....

I've used a technique called masking to create an illusion of depth and inked straight onto my card. 

 

First fold a sheet of A4 copypaper into 4, then cut with a Nestie Square size 3 (l being the smallest) to make a template.

   

You can play with the cutout shapes to decide on the best pattern

Leave the first cutout in place

Cover with the template and slide the sticky edge of a post-it under each side lining up to the square

When you remove the template you have your square ready to colour.  I used distress inks starting with dark at the bottom and working lighter.

When the first square is completed, cover with one of the square cutouts and repeat the process to complete squares 2 and 3.

    

 I used one of the stamps from the Elusive Image theme plate called Essennce of Nature (UA4SP0339.

By varing the shades of ink you can see all three squares -

masking the ikki way - easy, effective, and perhaps worth a try?

Later today I will show you some other examples of this technique.

"Less is more" Challenge.

Today I've made this card for the lst challenge of "Less is More"

The challenge is to make a card using Black, White and Pink  - simple and clean in design, and  an opportunity to use one of my new Elusive Image stamps from Essence of Nature (UA4SP0339). I also used my new Grand Nestie Squares.  I think these will prove useful to me as I find cutting squares accurately a pain (don't kown why - it should be easy!), and the first three sizes will go through the Bug.

To get the stamping in the right place, I pencilled round the square, then stamped.  I find it easier this way!The sentiment is computer generated .

Tippy Thursday - Make more use of your Nestie Squares

Today I thought I'd show you this little trick of making photo corners from your Nestabilitie Squares.
I first demonstrated this technique way back in August 2009 (gosh where's the time gone!), but many of my new readers may have missed this post.

It's called my "Wibby Wobby Card" and you will find the instructions on this link if you are interested in seeing more!

When I first used this method of making corners I used a magnetic mat - today I did it a different way......

First  tape two squares together

run through the Bug, but leave the cuts inside the dies

  then using a stylus round the inside edges of both squares

 You have a frame and a square both with an embossed edge. 

 This method is useful if you do not have the tan mat.

Cut across the corner.

 I sometimes cut the length of one side longer than the other, but here the cut is equal -  to do this I line the square up to the lines of my old cutting mat that sits under my glass cutting mat.

when finished -  an embossed square and four photo corners

I know that you can buy this shape of corner punch, but I have never been able to find one, so I use this neat little trick instead.

Back tomorrow with this week's card for my Friday Followers Gallery. 

Thanks for dropping by, hope you find this idea useful.

 

Nestabilities - Squares, Snowflakes and Crfts 2 U folder

My tutorial today is based on Nestie Squares and finding a different look.

To make this card you will need:
A4 Cardstock: Cream Hammer
Decorative paper
Nestabilities: 2 large classic squares (size 4 & 5)
                    2 Create a Snowflake dies

Crafts 2 U: Snowflake embossing folder
Gems, ribbon

Base Card:  cut a 6" strip from the A4 cardstock and centre crease.  Place the embossing folder to the centre crease and emboss.  With scoreboard create two lines to finish the pattern.  I have debossed the folder so that the inside of the card is more interesting.

Place the smalliest snowflake die in centre of the plain panel (low tack tape will help hold it in place) and cut out.  Reposition and make two further cuts. Save the cutouts.

 

Cut a strip of DP and add to the inside of your card.

The embellishment:

Cut l square from the largest die in a matching cardstock to your decorative paper.

Cut l Cream square from the smaller - you can cut this from the strip left over from making the base card. 

Cut another of the small squares from the decorative paper used on the inside of the card. 

From the cream square - cut out the snowflake and add the decorative paper behind, then layer on coloured cardstock....

You will see I have used one of the cutouts from the base card and a red gem in the centre of the snowflake.

With a red gem added to the centre of the small snowflake cutouts your card will look like this.....   

As I said yesterday, an easie peasie card, but classy.  AND, a great way of using those leftover bits of decorative paper that you just cannot bring yourself to throw away!

Hope you like this one.   If you use the design and blog it, I would apprecaited you linking back to the cupboard - I started the Cuttlebug Cupboard to share my experience and knowledge with you - please help me to share it with others by spread the word.

                                                                           

Nestabilities - Squares

I think the basic squares are soooo useful, and can be made to look different if you can conbine it with other  square shapes. 

Here I have cut a red large classic square, then with a smaller big square scallop die, cut out the centre to make a frame. If you want the stamp the edge of your square, don't do as I did - stamp before you cut!

With another square of decorative paper behind the frame you have.....

You will notice that I have embossed only part of the Craft-2-U snowflake folder straight onto the card base and added two lines to finish the pattern.  At a busy time of cardmaking, this is a useful technique!

If you have not done this before, my tip is to place the folder on the card where you want the pattern to be embossed, then place the second B plate on the edge of the folder and guide the uncovered back through first.  If the folder should mark the card, THE LINES WILL COVER THE IMPRESSION.   Scoreboard scores again!

Nestabilitie Squares and Scoreboard - Fanned lines

Hi, Dave has not been well since late of Sunday evening, to the extent that he came very close yesterday to being re-admitted to hospital. Thankfully, the situation improved and now we are just taking a day at a time and hoping that the worst is over.

Since he is in bed resting and I needed to unwind, I thought I'd pop back to show you this "Just to say" card  I made recently:  a card for any occasion....

Materials used:  6" x 4" white hammer card

 Image:    Inkadinkado Butterflies and Birds - triple embossed

Nestabilities: Small Squares

Scoreboard: Eaziscore

To achieve this fanned line effect - use the 2 lines as shown.  Do the first line corner to corner, then keeping the bottom corner on the first grove line, move the card to the second line and score again, and so on until you have your desired lines one way, then reverse to complete the design. 

A simple but effective card that you could use for any occasion - today, if I were to write inside it would say "A Big Thank You to you all" for your positive and caring messages. 

Elusive Images and Halloween Stamps

Halloween!  Time for some fun crafting! 

I have to say that I have never made any Halloween cards before, but when presented with the stamps from Elusive Images celebrating this time of year, I was hooked!  What fun - soooo creative - they allow your imagination to soar with the bats, grow with the  pumpkins, candles light your way through the cobwebs to the spooky houses and much more..... you can check out the designs available from this Elusive Images link.

The Design Team has been busy making cards and today we have a blog hop for you.  Why not join us and see our work and on the way you may find some candy ?  Feeling interested; feeling lucky - pop over to the Elusive Team Blog (link on my side bar) you will see all the DT blogs listed for easy assess.

This is the card that I made for the Blog Hop - it's not my spookiest, but I thought this would look good in the Cupboard as although it's a halloween theme, the layout is adaptable to other occasions and the techniques useful to you.

Materials used:

A4 Black linen and Bronze pearlised cardstock

Stamps: Elusive Images

Nestabilities: Squares Classic Large and Big Scalloped Large

Marianne Creatables : Swirls

Inkpads: Black, Clear Perfect Medium

Bronze Embossing Powder

Glue

Scoreboard

Method:

Fold A4 card in half to make a landscape card - emboss 2 score lines along the top edge

Die cut:  2 Black  and 2 Bronze squares  (I used the 2"die)

Emboss the edges with an embossing pen  or tan mat.  ( I like this finished, but it is not necessary )

Make a frame from the 2 Bronze squares using a scalloped die - save the cut-outs

Make the same  frame from 1 on the Black squares - save the cut-out

Stamp the cut-outs black on bronze/bronze on black using clear Perfect Medium inkpad, cover with embossing powder and heat.

Fit the cut-outs into the appropriate squares.  Decide where you would like to position the squares, and add another 2 scores lines underneath.

On a rectangle piece of card, stamp the sentiment with clear Perfect Medium inkpad, over with embossing powder and heat. 

On the edges of the rectangle - with a prit stick glue (or similiar)  run round the edges in a thick  irregular pattern, cover with brozne embossing powder and heat. 

Die cut swirls from the Bronze card and assemble on card with the sentiment tag. 

Hope you have a go a this, it sounds lengthy when reading the instructions, but it's a design that all can use whether you are a beginner or an advance crafter.  If you don't have the dies - you could use a punch.  I'd love to see your work,  if you leave me a comment I'll come over and visit. 

NOW, my Design Teamies have some great cards to show you and I wonder where that candy will be????? 

To be in with a chance to win, here's what you will need to do:
1. Become a follower of The Elusive Images Design Team Blog and all the DTmember blogs
2. Leave a comment on my blog and all the teamies blogs.

The winners will be chosen by Random Org at the close of the Blog Hop on Friday September 17th and the winner will be announced after 5.00 p.m.

Come and enjoy some ghouly fun with us! 

          

WOYWW

Hi WOYWWer's, As you know my desk space is quite limited and I reached  a point yesterday where something had to move!  Sad to say, I didn't move that something quick enough and as a result my 2 bits and pieces boxes fell on my bit of space and then onto the floor!  All the scraps and labels, cut and never used, all my stamping experiments just thrown in the box lay scatter about me!!  Since I hadn't moved that something, something had to be done pronto!!!

I had to start by clearing up, then picking up, next after picking them up.... was looking through them, it was like finding old photographs....you have to stop, gaze and wonder all over again.  When did I do that? Why didn't I use it?  Can I use it now?

I ended up with dies, and odds and ends all over the place, and was still at a loss as what to do with them.

But, since I had been asked to make a few "Just to say" cards I followed this direction.  The cards needed to be useable for any occasion, including sympathy.....

This is one I made.  On looking at it again - I think I could have made two cards with one image on each.  How wonderful is hindsight! 

Hope to catch up with you soon on the WOYWW blog hop!