Valentine take 2

Hello there, do you often use Washi tape on your cards? I have a confession to make, until I won some at a workshop I attended I didn't even own any, I just didn't think I would actually have a use for it.

That has now changed, today's card is a quick and easy Valentine card using Washi tape as the main focus. In the past I'd use DSP but that would involve lots of measuring and cutting so wasn't quite so ideal for an "I need it now" card.

Night of Navy

Whisper White

My base card is Night of Navy and I cut a piece of Whisper White a little smaller so that I would have a narrow navy border showing. I die cut a heart in this piece of cardstock so this will be the front of the finished card. A couple of rows of tape were placed across the front under the heart and a simple stamped sentiment below that. I then cut another piece of Whisper White slightly smaller still and placed my Washi tape - Affectionately Yours - at a 45° angle, building up the rows until the cardstock was covered. If using a light base colour, you could just put washi tape directly onto it, remembering to leave a clear edge all the way round. I then attached the card with the heart cut out over the washi tape using dimensionals so that it was raised slightly. This in turn was attached to the base card using double sided tape.

So that's the basic card but to turn the card from now to WOW I have a couple of ideas.

 First of all you could make a shaker card. To do this you would need to place acetate directly behind the heart. Place foam adhesive strips around the heart ensuring there are no gaps for the filling to escape.

There are several options for the shaker part including beads, sprinkles, sequins or die cut hearts or flowers. Do remember to add whatever you are using before attaching the backing. I know it may seem obvious to say but trust me, I've seen someone forget to add their sequins before now and then have to carefully peal the card apart to add them!

My next idea is to die cut and layer some flowers - around 3 would be good and place them to the lower right of the heart.

 For balance add something to the top left. I love butterflies so tend to choose them. An alternative is to stamp Bee mine or Bee my Valentine and, you've guessed it, add a die cut bee.

I'm sure you have lots of ideas of your own. For this post though I just wanted to demonstrate how you can make a simple and effective card with very little equipment and time. Obviously if you have the time and die sets you can quickly step up the basic card to create something quite spectacular. Keep looking out and at some point soon I'll feature a now to WOW design her

Quick Tip no 2

Hello there, do you have problems getting an even distance all round when using double sided tape to adhere cardstock with an even border all round? I know I used to and would avoid using tape, snail or anything else that didn't allow wiggle time. Even when I went to a Card and Coffee session, Susan, who ran the group, would offer me wet glue!

Until one day she suggested I try her technique. She claimed it was foolproof... well, that sounded like a challenge so I agreed to have a go. It took a few practise runs before I was confident but now I rarely use my wet glue unless it's to stick embellishments down. It also leads me to tell you about another quick tip; if you've stuck something down in not quite the right place, use a heat gun to warm up the adhesive and gently ease apart. Magic!

Anyway, lets get back to sticking. First of all, put double sided tape around the layer you want to stick down. Ease the backing up on one end of each piece, folding it up a little as in the first picture.

When you turn it over so the right side is upwards, you can just see the folded  tape backing paper raises the card stock up very slightly. Next take your backing card, in this instance I wanted to place my patterned card almost centrally across. Usually I create a small border all round.

I often judge by eye but this time, used a ruler to measure each end. At this stage the patterned card is only laying on the base and can be moved around until you're happy with the result.

Once happy with the placement hold down the card with one hand and gently start to pull the tape away. I pulled opposite short sides away so that I had a hand free to take the photograph. When removing the backing tape, keep it low to the base card stock. You should now have an evenly spaced mat. So simple when you know how!

I'd just like to thank Susan, aka Craftyduckydoodah for showing me this. Had it not been for her I'd still be knee deep in glue! Please keep an eye out for my quick tips over the coming weeks. Whilst I admit I'm still learning myself, if I find easy ways to complete tasks I'll share them with you.

Happy New Home

Hello again, do you ever have to just sketch an idea for a card that pops into your head? Well, I was so grateful I keep a pen and notepad by my bed as the other night I woke with the following design rattling around my head. I knew if I didn't commit it to paper, I'd have forgotton by morning.

Pacific Point

Whisper White

Daffodil Delight

For some reason I've wanted to make a 'new home' card for a while....

...I'd also wanted to use the fish coming out of a jar from Jar of Love. It seemed a tad symbolic; I remember exactly how I felt after I moved into my own home over 6 years ago after staying with friends for a few months. I couldn't believe just how much space I had after carting most of my belongings around in the car.

It struck me that by using the Swirly Scribbles Thinlit dies I could create the effect of the sea and sun. I love the freshness of the colours and, silly as it seems, that the little fish are no longer cooped up in that tiny jar.  It really was a match made in heaven! All it needs now is a recipient with a new home of their own.

Quick Tip no 1

Hello again, Just a very quick tip which is why I'm posting twice this weekend. Do you ever want to use a basic die shape - circle, square, oval etc but not have the whole image stamped within that shape? Well, this morning that is exactly the effect I wanted. Could I just get straight on and do it?

The effect I wanted, isn't it cute

Oh no, it took me a while thinking exactly what to do! In the end I had to stamp my image and get the die, in this case a circle, so I could visualise it. This is so easy though in reality, I must have had brain freeze this morning.

Once you've stamped your image and chosen the die that best fits, fussy cut around the part you want to stand out of your shape. in this case the balloon was the obvious part to me. Then, slip the die through with the balloon on top of the die so that it isn't cut. This takes a little adjusting to get it exactly where you want. Once you're happy with the placement, run through your die cutter. See image below,

I think the finished cut looks rather effective. I hope you like it too. Now on to turn this into a card. Keep an eye out, this little elphant might just make an appearance again.

Be My Valentine

Hello again, goodness 2017 is already off to a flying start. With Valentines Day on 14th February and Mother's Day hot on the heels in March, the 26th to be precise there are plenty of opportunities to get creative. I also have a family birthday, the day before Valentines Day when my eldest, my son Adam, will be 27.

For today though, I thought I'd best concentrate on Valentines Day cards. I don't know about you, but I much prefer clean simple lines - even humorous - but most definitely not soppy and slushy.

For today's card I took inspiration from Becky at Scrappin and Stampin in GJ after I found her card on Pinterest, so thank you Becky, I hope you like what I've done with your original idea.

Becky's Card

For my card I used Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake and Whisper White. My card base was Cherry Cobbler; red, the colour of love...

                           ...and passion, desire, strength and power! 

Cherry Cobbler

Crumb Cake

Whisper White

I used Crumb Cake on the splatter stamp from Gorgeous Grunge and randomly placed on the upper part of a piece of Whisper White cardstock. I then wrapped some Linen thread around and tied a bow.

For the next step I used 2 of the heart stamps from Hello Love, now discontinued. I managed to fussy cut both hearts (I'm really not a lover of having to fussy cut!), sticking one directly onto the white card while the other was raised slightly by using a couple of dimensionals.

A very simple sentiment, with love - not by Stampin Up - balanced the card. I also thought that 3 of the soft gold sequins from Fancy Frost Sequins would add just a little understated bling. As I'm sure you know, whenever adding embellishments like sequins, pearls or gems it's better to use an odd number, just like you would when putting plants in the garden.

The inside of the card and envelope had a little decoration

All things Floral

Hello, it's back to normality after the excesses for Xmas and the new year. You would think after using a particular stamp set and corresponding dies to create wedding stationery for a friend I'd want a break from seeing it again for a while, wouldn't you?

The problem is that it is so versatile that after just a few days away, it found its way back on to my craft table. I really think that the Floral Phrases bundle is my favourite of the annual catalogue at the moment. It just looks so elegant and is perfect for so many occasions.

This is really quick and effective, so handy if you need a card in a hurry and I confess, CASE'd from Dianne Keough. I started by using sponge daubers to put colour onto a piece of white card in diagonal lines. A very light touch is needed when using the daubers. Remember, more colour can be built up but once on the paper, it's there to stay; you can't remove it if you have added too much. I then took another piece of card and used the Detailed Floral Thinlit dies. Once mounted, you get a very soft coloured effect showing through the pattern. A sentiment was stamped in the white space, bakers twine wrapped around with a bow and then it was put onto the base card.

The Best Is Yet To Come...

Hello, I was talking to a friend about where she gets her ideas from recently. We concluded that Pinterest can kickstart the process, as can everyday objects.

For me, with this card, inspiration struck while I was watching The 50 Greatest Harry Potter moments. The Sorting Hat scene came up from the first film and I just knew in an instant that I had to make a HP themed card. Quite handy really as my youngest daughter is HP mad...

I was really lucky that I had the Boo To You framelits, which has a witches hat amongst the dies, sadly now discontinued. I also bought the Star of Light bundle from this years Autum/Winter catalogue. The swirl and stars are perfect for creating the illusion of a little magic.

Early Espresso

Whisper White

After a little research, I watercoloured that hat using a combination of Early Espresso, Chocolate Chip and Soft Suede, building up the colour.

The flourish, stars and sentiment were stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with gold embossing powder, giving a reasonably subtle effect. To bring out the gold, I mounted the Early Espresso onto Gold Foil. The card was completed with a flourish to the inside and also on the envelope.