Layered Blooms

Hello friends

Today's project features Layered Blooms - one of the 

Contour steel rule dies.

It's been a while since I've used these sort of dies (having fully converted to Spellbinders!)

so it was quite a thrill to play around with these and use different mediums.

Here I've created a really simple flower from felt, I found a decorative pin

and the middle stamens are from a silk flower that got rather squashed in a box!

The Contour dies also work in other die cutting machines that take the

thicker dies although I have to say I love my Platinum machine. 

This weekend I'm putting together projects and classes for forthcoming

demos - don't forget to check out the Spellbinders link on the sidebar 

as to where I'm visiting next - I'm popping up everywhere!

Take care friends.

Woodland Deer

Hello friends

 

Oh I'm in love with the Woodland Collection!

I was in a right dither as to which die to go for first but the

Woodland Deer won by a whisker.

 

I decided to create a festive tag...yes I'm feeding that tag addiction!

The deer's antlers are a separate die so you can decide whether to use these are not.

 

 

So assuming my deer is a reindeer here's some trivia...

male reindeer shed their antlers in the winter whereas female reindeer

shed theirs in the summer, so this means all of Santa's reindeer were girls!

 

The backing paper for my tag is Studio Light - Botanical Garden

and I've also used Phrase Set Two for the 'For You'

cut from gold mirror card.  Those gorgeous little poinsettias are from

5 x 7 Holly Decorative Frame

(that boy of mine informs me this die will be back in stock soon).

 

 

Also thinking the deer would look lovely cut from beige card and inked.

 

Woodland Deer is available on the website here,

it's a pre-order but again - that boy of mine has assured me

they on are on their way and should be arriving within days.

 

Perhaps they are flying...

 

Take care friends - enjoy your weekend.



Friday Die Day

Hello friends

 

I have a sneaky feeling that there are more Fridays in a year than

any other day...well that is what it feels like, they come around

far too quickly!

 

For this week's Friday Die Day I am featuring

Victorian Numbers.

These have been eagerly anticipated along with the matching

Victorian Letters.

 

There are thirteen dies in the number set and the approximate size of

each is height: 1" and the width ranges from ¼ to 1" -

great for cards, scrapbook pages, banners, cake décor and more.

 

This is how they look cut/embossed.

 

I've decided on a tag this week, I've been neglecting my tag addiction recently!

I selected a Kraft tag and adhered a piece of scrap box patterned paper.

 



 

Along with Victorian Numbers I also die cut, Phrase Set One

(check out this set - such useful phrases)

Victorian Picket and Blooms One.

(The leaf is a scrap box find!)

 

 

I layered up the die cuts but there is a special something missing....

 



The numbers 21!

The embossing is lovely on the die cut numbers.

 

A gemstone to the flowers always add that special touch too.

All the dies are available - just click on the name.

Take care friends,

wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

 

International Ambassadors are hopping again!

Hello friends

  The Spellbinders International Ambassadors are having an informal blog hop again
and this time we have chosen the theme of Party
using the fun Let's Party collection of dies!

 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 project I've chosen to use one of the Pop Up dies -

Gift of Happiness

This die takes all the stress out of measuring and cutting,

perfect for me as I suffer from 'trimmer trauma'!

As well as the card base you also receive lots of extra dies including

candles, stars, hearts, present, rectangle, ribbon, flowers, leaves - loads!!

So how do pop up die templates work??

Using the card base, cut/emboss.

It is the embossing that gives you the fold lines.

This is how you achieve the valley and hill folds.

It's then a case of decorating, I went for a cheerful party look

using Bella Blvd - Family Forever papers for the background. 

I stamped the sentiment to the first fold - Scripty Sayings by Lawn Fawn.

Using a variety of cardstock scraps I die cut all the elements from the die set

and started to arrange and fix them in place.

The finished card, it will fold flat to post if needed too.

Loving the stars and hearts the most!

Gift of Happiness is available on the website here.

Also check out the other Pop Up dies - Decorated Birthday and

Happy Days.

(I think that boy of mine has put them in the sale too!)

For more Party inspirational projects please hop along to my fellow

Ambassadors' blogs -  have fun!

Christine Emberson (You are here)

 Christina Griffiths

Linda Lucas

Yvonne van de Grijp

Thanks so much for stopping by.

We will be back with more!

 

With Love...

Hello friends

Yesterday a project of mine appeared on the Scrapbook Adhesives blog.

Along with fab Scrapbook Adhesives products I chose to 

use Happy Days - a pop up die from Spellbinders.

You may also recognise Marisa's Bouquet, Sprigs and Build A Tag.

The full tutorial and supplies can be seen here, 

I would really appreciate you popping 

over to take a look and perhaps leave a comment :)

Take care friends, please stop by tomorrow.

Let's Craft!

Hello friends

I've got bits and bobs to share today, firstly how about these gorgeous hearts...

the very kind Kathy who owns Cherwell Leys Alpaca Farm came along to  

Emerald Crafts and presented these to Mum and I - all made with alpaca wool.

Kathy and I have been emailing for some years now and it was the first time

we properly met and it was wonderful.

There was also treats for the boys, Bella and cats!

Yesterday despite having lots to do I decided to allocate an hour to bear-making.

Cutting out all the pieces... that took time as you nip the backing fabric

so as not to cut the mohair blunt.

I made a start on the bear's head (looks a little bit like a dog!)  One ear is in place.

I'm hoping to do a little more today.

I also received this thank you card from Janice.

She has made a perfectly wonderful card using Gift of Happiness,

one of the Pop Up cards.

Janice has also added Sprigs and Blooms One.

It's a great die set as it comes with the plant pot, hearts, stars and more.

Wishing you all a great Tuesday!

Take care friends.

Lovely time!

Hello friends

Well that was a lovely weekend away. 

Saturday I was demoing at Emerald Crafts in Lyndhurst,

Oliver - the shop owner was very welcoming,

made a smashing cup of tea too!

The shop is crammed (and I mean crammed!) to the rafters with 

craft goodies - dies, stamps, papers, knitting wool, art equipment...

and more and more! 

When I finished for the day Mum and I took a little look around Lyndhurst,

it's a lovely village with lots of gift shops.

We found a nice pub/restaurant for dinner and then back to our hotel.

No late night raves and clubbing for us! ;)

Our hotel overlooked this gorgeous thatched cottage - 

this is my idea of heaven...must start doing the lottery again.

The following day we took a trip to Lymington, another picturesque village.

And look what I espied... no escape from that boy of mine!

Before we headed home we took a trip into the New Forest,

it was wonderful and exactly as I remembered it as a child,

now that doesn't happy very often when you revisit a place!

 It was beginning to look very Autumnal.

Hoping to return next year to demo - it would be good to go in the 

Summer or Spring, although I think I would love the New Forest whatever the season.

I hope you all had a great weekend, I will be back tomorrow with crafty stuff!

Take care friends.