Thursday 31 December 2015

Friday Die Day...on a Thursday!

Hello friends

So this may be a little confusing I'm actually posting Friday Die Day
today...on a Thursday!  
It is a day early as I have something else planned for 
tomorrow - New Year's Day so please stop by for that.

I've chosen to use one of the Woodland Collection dies -
Mushrooms.

You receive 5 die templates in the set and the 
approximate measurements are:

Mushroom 1: 1.90 x 0.90 inches
Mushroom 2: 1.50 x 0.80 inches
Stem 1: 1.20 x 1.00 inches
Stem 2: 1.00 x 0.80 inches
Grass: 2.10 x 0.75 inches

This is how they look cut/embossed.


My card is a kraft card base, matted with red cardstock and the 
patterned paper is Bella BVD - Hello Autumn.
I then created an aperture with Classic Oval large


I attached twine with a 'For You' tag before placing the aperture 
on top with foam pads.


I inserted the grass pieces and mushroom stalks.


It was then just a case of simply positioning the red mushroom tops.
The embossing is beautiful.


An unusual die set but I've really got to like it,
of course you can always use it and play on the words 'Fun Guy'!



So...New Year's Eve!
Can you believe it another year gone...scary how fast time flies.
I'm waving goodbye to 2015 with a smile on my face,
my Ambassador role with Spellbinders took me all over the country,
(although I did seem to spend a lot of time in the Midlands!)
It enabled me to meet many crafters and retailers and I'm delighted
my role will be continuing in 2016.  

Some dates have already been placed on the Spellbinders Tour page
and more are being added so please keep check.

It is left for me to wish you all things amazing for the New Year -
may it be healthy, creative and above all very happy!

Take care friends.



Tuesday 29 December 2015

Pegs!

Hello friends

So I'm definitely having a little fixation with pegs right now!

I mentioned applying washi tape to pegs - so easy...

This is a mini gold peg that I picked up in a Christmas card
hanging set in 99p store.  Any washi tape will do.


Cut a strip and apply.


Flip the peg over and trim carefully.


And that's it! 


Another idea - use regular wooden clothes pegs and spray them with inks.
I prefer to take off the metal spring part, spray the wooden pegs and when
dry reassemble them - watch your fingers though!
I've decorated these with Classic Scalloped Hearts.



These are 'rambling rose' pegs - gorgeous!
I didn't decorate these but ....
I couldn't resist purchasing two sets - one for me and one for...
a lucky winner!


So same drill please - just leave a comment and a winner will be picked out next week.

Take care friends, I'm back very soon...
probably when I've eaten even more turkey leftovers!


Sunday 27 December 2015

Leftovers anyone?

Hello friends

Well how did our festivities go?
I feel like I've emerged from a cooking marathon
but all enjoyable.  
As for the food  - I'm pretty sure I've eaten half a turkey all by myself,
(although I think Bella may have helped me out a little bit).

Bella finally got her stocking on Christmas morning ...


She was a very happy pup indeed!

Now it's the leftovers which I do enjoy.
Today teaming the cold turkey and gammon with ....chips!
Not quite the traditional Sunday dinner but in for a penny and all that...


Now to announce the pegs winner...


and it is ANN who commented....

Loving the pegs what a great idea a clip board for each day 
oooooh I would find that so useful as at this time of year 
I am meeting myself coming back as my dear old Mum used to say lol.............

Congratulations Ann, please email your address to 
creativity-continues@outlook.com

Take care friends - I'll be back soon,
working on a new Charity Kit.

Thursday 24 December 2015

Tons of festive wishes!

Hello friends

Happy Christmas Eve!

Well the big day is nearly here,
today's post is to wish you all a fantastic Christmas.


I am looking forward to spending it with my family,
eating way too much and probably indulging in a few tipples.
And at some point I will probably say - oh no, I forgot....
because it wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't! 

Bella's wait will be over - Santa will finally place her stocking on the fireplace!
She has spent a lot of time sitting there!


Oh yes, the cake has icing,
it was rather rushed but it's on there! 


Whatever makes Christmas special for you -
I hope it arrives in abundance.

Take care my special friends
and in the New Year I promise to do a tutorial on washi taped pegs!


Wednesday 23 December 2015

It's the little things! And Giveaway!

Hello friends

Happy Christmas Eve-Eve!

Bit of a random blog post today but had to share with you
a purchase I made yesterday - something very small and possibly
not thrilling to everyone but I was very pleased!
Weekday Crafting Pegs!
How wonderfully useful are these. 

I found them in the Range and instantly thought what a great idea for 
organising my breeding to-do lists.


I instantly began clipping!


They come in two colours, brown or white -
personally I thought the white was far nicer.

I do have a thing about pegs!
I like to cover them in washi tape to pretty them up.


And they work so well as gift bag closures.



Not everyone has a Range store near them so I picked up another
pack of the Weekday Crafting Pegs as a giveaway.

So if you like them as much as me....
just leave a comment on today's blog post and a winner will 
be announced after Christmas.

Today should see the Christmas cake iced...if not, it's just staying marzipan-ed! 

Take care friends.



Tuesday 22 December 2015

I do like a bit of embossing!

Hello friends

I'm revisiting a favourite tip/technique of mine today, 
selective embossing with Spellbinders® M-Bossabilities .

If you have a Wilkinsons near you grab a packet of these tags.
They are really good quality thick card and just begging to be altered.
If not, you can of course die cut your own hearts.


 I've used one of the tags with Enchanted M-Bossabilities  folder.


 I placed just half of the heart tag inside the folder, the other part sticking out the bottom 
of the folder.  I didn't even remove the twine..speedy!

 The sandwich for Grand Calibur is base plate, your folder with medium inside 
and Raspberry Spacer Plate.
The end result is lovely. 
You could decorate the blank area or it is a good place to write your message.


 And this one you've probably seen me do many times before but...just in case...
Use the same selective embossing technique with envelopes.
I've inserted just the flap inside the folder.


It really dresses them up. 

 And again with an envelope, I've inserted it into the folder diagonally for a different finish.
This is Flora folder.


Three ideas for selective embossing. 



Take care friends, I'm back soon - cake still isn't iced!


Monday 21 December 2015

Crafty Friends!

Hello friends

So a little over a week ago I was lucky to attend a rather lovely
afternoon tea hosted by my good friend and writer Carole Matthews.
Not only was the table laden with yummy delights,
Carole had been very busy crafting.
I hold my hands up for introducing Carole to Spellbinders a year
ago and now I can definitely confirm she is a die cutting addict!


So much so she makes beautiful gift bags, place cards,
chocolate wrappers and more.


My rather special card I received.


Along with Carole I've also influenced a few other ladies and today
I'm featuring Michelle's festive makes.
The ever so useful Square Petal Top Box (holds 4 choccies perfectly!)
Adorned with Layered Poinsettia and Shining Star.


And this wonderful card is from Michelle too,
(I really did work my influence with poinsettias!) 


As I enter my seventh year of blog writing (yes seventh!)
I never tire of seeing other crafter's projects -
if I've inspired someone just a tiny bit then I'm very happy.

Take care friends - I will be back before the big day,
how is your planning going? 
Right now I have a naked cake! ...needs icing.




Sunday 20 December 2015

Christmas Heart Card

Hello friends

Today I'm featuring a card I made for the Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L blog.
This went live yesterday and all the step by step
details can be found here.

I wanted to create a personal card and found an old map which worked
well behind the Classic Hearts aperture.


Added a few of my favourite die cuts from Create A Flake Six,
Reindeer and Sleigh and those mini poinsettia from the 5 x 7 Holly Frame die set.


It's possible to make a modern map look vintage with just a little bit 
of distress ink.


Today I'm....crafting!
I shall be locking myself away in the cabin to finalise some projects -
has to be done!

Take care friends and hope you are all having a good weekend.

Friday 18 December 2015

Friday Die Day

Hello friends
 
So this time next week it will be Christmas Day!
I will probably be skipping that Friday Die Day...as I'm suspecting you
may be a little busy with festivities :)
 
This week I've gone non-Christmassy but it features Trees.
This die set is from the Woodland Collection and I'm loving all
the dies in this set.
 

There are 4 dies in the set and the approximate measurements are:
 
Trunk: 0.80 x 2.20 inches
Canopy 1: 1.80 x 1.55 inches
Canopy 2: 1.55 x 2.30 inches
Canopy 3: 1.45 x 1.30 inches
 
This is how they look cut/embossed.
 

I particularly like the largest leaf shape tree, the branches insert into the
embossed areas.
 

 
I've gone for a kraft card using 5 x 7 Matting Basics and
Standard Circles LG to create a front panel with aperture.

 
Stamped sentiment - Scripty Sayings from Lawn Fawn.

 
Place a piece of DCWV burlap paper behind the aperture and
mounted this onto a card base with Crafty Foam Tape.


I placed my trees to the left of the aperture and because I'm craving
Spring I added a few little white blossom flowers.

 
Some close up pics.



Without the blossom it could be a suitable male card.
 
Hope your Christmas plans are coming together - I'm nearly there...
just consulting list number 32! ;)
 
Take care friends and have a wonderful weekend.

Wednesday 16 December 2015

The International Ambassadors are Blog Hopping...

Hello friends

  The Spellbinders International Ambassadors are having an informal blog hop again
and this time we have chosen as our theme....
Christmas Tags.

 We have been having so much fun with these blog hops and delighted at
how many of you visit, play along and leave such lovely comments. 
For my two tags I've chosen to use an assortment of Spellbinders dies,
Lattice Ornaments, Create A Flake Six, Sprigs,
5 x 7 Holly Frame (for those gorgeous mini poinsettias)
and Phrase Set Two.
My tags are regular kraft luggage tags,
I like the simpleness of these and the string tie.


I matted my patterned paper - scrap box finds
and began to layer up my die cuts.



Using gold mirror card for the sentiments and bows 
adds that shiny sparkly touch!






For more Christmas Tag inspirational projects please hop along to my fellow
Ambassadors' blogs -  have fun!

Christine Emberson (You are here)
Thanks so much for stopping by.

We will be back with more!