Stamped frame card

Hello friends

Today's card features my most favourite die from the 

Sapphire Plus Collection - this is Decorative Label 1 Plus

combined with Decorative Label 1 to cut the inner frame.

I stamped a blank white card using a stamp from 

a US company called Layers of Color,

overlayed the mirror card frame and added Sprigs and little flowers 

(Homespun set).

Typed and die cut sentiment to finish.

I'm thinking replace the flowers with mini poinsettias and this could

be a Christmas card...ok getting ahead of myself here,

it is still January...just!

Today is my eldest's birthday, we are celebrating this evening

by going out for an Indian meal - yum.

His gifts consist of all thinks geeky boy, new mouse, wrist rest and

World of Warcraft books.  

I confess I did buy a card for him as opposed to making one!

Take care friends, I'm back tomorrow.

First Prize

Hello friends

Back into the swing of things, the cats have decided to punish me for being

away with very early wake up calls! 

Today's projects were made for both CHA and the studio at 

Create and Craft.  Something a little different, the rosette die 

is First Prize and I created them in various sizes and colours,

placed them on garden sticks and popped them into oasis

in little metal buckets.

Some leaves, flowers, crystals and ribbon added to finish.

I spritzed the leaves with some gold spray so I now have a 

golden glow on my craft desk too!

This die was a sellout, I think the fact that you can make the rosettes

different sizes is really useful.

If you fancy trying out steel rule dies with all different mediums

there are other designs available including First Prize.

Nearly the end of the month, I always think January is a tricky

month, I'm not allowed to wish it away too quickly though as

tomorrow is Mitchell's birthday, my eldest is living back home at the 

moment - I'm learning to embrace the extra washing etc! 

Take care friends, have a great Monday!

Four Little Flowers

Hello friends

I'm home!

Thoroughly enjoyed doing the Sapphire Plus shows and it was

fun trying to source lots of different materials to cut through.

And it appears that whenever I do a show with Nigel I end up dancing!

It must have felt that I was away a long time as the cats are looking 

at me very grudgingly!  Bella is forgiving and it has been constant

affection - dogs are so different.

I'm straight back into the cabin as I'm now getting ready for the 

Stitches trade show in Birmingham next month.

Also on schedule with charity kits and more.

So today's card...using Sapphire Labels 1 Plus, four of them raised

on white matting and then four spring coloured flowers and leaves.

Ok...yes the flowers are mini poinsettias - love the mileage out of these dies!

A design that could be adapted to lots of label shapes and pretty flowers.

Wishing you all a brilliant Sunday.

Take care friends.

Sapphire Plus Pierced Tag

Hello friends

Today's card features Pierced Tag, one of the Sapphire Plus dies 

currently available on Create and Craft.

Such a pretty die with the delicate pierced detail.

Matted brown card and pink patterned paper (Lawn Fawn) onto

a white card base using (5 x 7 Matting Basics).

Die cut Pierced Tags twice from smooth white card and the inner die 

twice from silver foil card.  Little flowers and leaves to the centre

and typed and die cut sentiment across the middle.

This is my third favourite die in the set!

My last show is today - tonight at 7pm.  Following that I will be driving home

for Bella cuddles, ok I may be pleased to see the rest of the family too! ;) 

Take care friends, are you keeping warm?

It's been very very cold in Peterborough.

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

This week I am featuring Floral Swirls Tags.

Designed by Stacey Caron for Spellbinders these are stunning

and a great size too, I'd say a little larger than regular tags so

they make a great feature.

The set consists of four dies - two tags with two inserts and

the approximate measurements are as follows:

Oval Tag 4.00 x 2.00 in

Insert 1.55 x 0.85 in

Decorative Tags 4.00 x 2.20 in

Insert: 3.00 x 1.05 in

This is how they look cut/embossed.

I've chosen to use the Oval Tag and cut an additional silver one with insert.

White 5 x 7 card base with patterned paper - this is from a paper pad

from Craftwork Cards called Toile de Jouy Tapestry Blue.

Matted patterned paper onto card front together with a light grey/silver

card panel.  Affixed silver oval tag behind white one to shadow,

white oval horizontally and silver oval vertically.

Finishing touch small flower, leaf and typed sentiment.

Bit of a dark frosty day when I took the photos!

Floral Swirls Tags is available to purchase along with

other gorgeous Stacey Caron designs.

I'm still in Peterborough and have a show this evening at 9pm and one
tomorrow at 7pm.  Having such a great time at the studios.

In other news if you like Pinterest then both Carole Matthews and I have
a Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses Pinterest Board.
We are both contributing crafty projects and photos to do with the book
including ones like these...

This was Bella (aka Eric) and I proof reading the book back in July,
it was lovely and sunny that week I remember, tad chilly now!
Feel free to take a look, we will be adding photos regularly.

Wishing you all a brilliant weekend.

Take care friends.



Sapphire Plus Aperture Card

Hello friends

Today's Sapphire Plus offering is a card featuring Oval Tag die,

this was a demo that I created for Kim when she was in Chicago.

It is a beautiful die and possibly my second favourite in this collection.

The paper is I believe a Teresa Collins design.

I recreated this design in yesterday's show using silver foil card -

not sure which one I like the best.

The Main Attraction magnetic tool sold out again, very limited stock

with various items so I may be home sooner than Sunday.

Tomorrow's show times are now 8am and 4pm so early 

start for Elliott and I but I think we'll cope!

Take care friends, I do hope you are all having a great week

and please stop by tomorrow for Friday Die Day.

Sapphire Plus - Butterfly card

Hello friends

Two shows yesterday with the lovely Dean Wilson, 

there was a lot of laughter!

The Main Attraction (magnetic tool) has proved very popular, 

it really is useful.  My top tip is to wave it over your bin to ensure

that you haven't accidentally thrown away any dies.

To prove this point Dean abandoned me on air to search for a bin!

I know I can natter but it's a whole new experience being left to it. :)

Also the new craft mat is brilliant, good size, double sided and a magnetic

strip across the top to help organise your dies while working is a super idea.

And the Sapphire Plus machine - it really is smooth and easy to use,

the fact that it takes both sorts of dies is proving massively popular.

Today's card's card uses Label 2 Plus from the Sapphire range.

A simple aperture in Craftwork Cards paper.

Really taken with their paper designs.

Blooms One and some leaves also make an appearance,

quite a lot of coloured matting too - love my 5 x 7 Matting Basics.

Today I have a show at 4pm, before then a little look around

Peterborough, getting to know it quite well here.

Take care friends.

New Sapphire Plus!

Hello friends

Today's the day - telly time!

My first show is at 8am so depending upon what time you are reading this

I've either done it or about to :)

Kim Hupke has already revealed the amazing Sapphire Plus machine 

on her shows from Phoenix and I'll be continuing with those shows 

from Peterborough...well it does begin with a 'P' but not quite the same!

The Sapphire Plus designed exclusively for Create and Craft,

has the ability to take regular dies as well as steel rule dies 

so truly opens up your crafting options.

This card, which Kim has already demoed uses Oval Tag,

one of the new designs for this collection and quite possibly

one of my favourites.

Die cut twice - ivory and gold card to mirror,

positioned the oval inner shape vertically and added a pink flower

(mini poinsettia!)

Really looking forward to showing you all the options with this new machine,

hope you can tune in.

Take care friends.

Layered Love, show times and sneak peeks

Hello friends

Today my card is using lots of layers featuring 

Spellbinders Victorian Sapphire dies.

I'm really embracing little tags, mirroring them with foil card etc!

 I also affixed different panels of patterned paper,

in total I think there's 8 layers going on.

This card is in my Etsy shop and I've also got round to uploading a few more :)

As mentioned I'm off to Create and Craft tomorrow and I have a total of 8

shows, listing the times below.  The times could change - that often happens!

Here's a couple of sneak peeks, some gorgeous items coming your way 

and not just dies!

My signature little flowers making an appearance or two!

If you have caught any of the shows coming from Phoenix 

Kim Hupke from Spellbinders has been doing those,

I've been shipping out demos and samples for the last week

for those shows and then realised I had my own to do -

speed crafting is an understatement!

Show times: 

Tuesday - 8am and 11am

Wednesday - 4pm

Thursday - 8am, 11am and 4pm

Friday - 9pm

Saturday 7pm

Packing up the car today for a very early start in the morning,

Elliott is chief carrier of everything!

Bella is left in the capable hands of my eldest son Mitchell

and my ever helpful Mum and Dad - huge thanks to them.

The cats may notice we've gone around food time!

I will be posting updates on Facebook and blogging too.

Take care friends.

Planning Out The Future

Hello friends

Twice a month I submit a project to Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L,

I've been on their design team for many years and 

they are such a lovely bunch.  This month for my first project

I decided to feature something very different 

using their various products with my planner.

A planner?  For years I always though ta planner was one of those huge

posters that went on the wall at work but it turns out they are far more exciting.

Me and My Big Ideas (MAMBI), a US company have taken the market

by storm with their planners, available in various sizes.

Basically they are a diary that you decorate.

I discovered that self laminating pouches work brilliantly and of course the 

E-Z Runners are perfect for affixing instantly.

And the other huge thing with planners is washi tape to decorate the pages.

I've joined a couple of Facebook groups for planners and I am 

a complete newbie, the professional planners have 

a room of stickers, pens and washi tape - it's a whole new world

and I'm already addicted!

For my full post please visit the blog here.

Over the last couple of days I've featured posts using

pretty paper - Friday Die Day's More Than Milk Carton

and yesterday - Butterfly Aperture card - I received a few messages

asking me what the papers are called so I did a check and 

both papers come from an 8 x 8 paper pad called Botanica

from Craftwork Cards - hope that helps :)

Back in the cabin today - no rest until those demos are done!

Take care friends and hope you are having a great weekend.

Butterfly Aperture

Hello friends

Still trying to convince myself it is a little warmer out there!

Although I have to admit the the frost is pretty and so much nicer than rain.

Today's card is an aperture card with a definite theme of butterflies.

Butterfly patterned paper and a silver Victorian Sapphire butterfly die cut.

The squares are using my trusty 6 x 6 Matting Basics.

I now have all my Matting Basics on magnetic sheets and permanently

on my craft desk or they travel with me to demos and TV.

Talking of TV, I'm travelling to Peterborough on Tuesday and

it looks like I've got 8 shows over 5 days.

I'll be sure to post the times as soon as confirmed.

Elliott is coming along with me for company and he's jolly useful for 

carrying everything! 

Before then...I had better make another 15 demos!

Take care friends.

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

This Friday Die Day continues the theme of Marisa Job's designs for

Spellbinders and this is More Than Milk Carton.

Six die templates in the set and the approximate measurements are:

Base: 6.80 x 5.00 in

Large Rectangle: 1.35 x 2.35 in

Med Rectangle: 1.15 x 2.10 in

Small Rectangle: 0.75 x 1.35 in

Triangle: 1.15 x 0.70 in

Bar: 1.35 x 0.15 in

This is how they look cut/embossed.

I've die cut from cream card using the main carton/box die.

Once embossed the fold lines are nice and clear.

Using the large rectangle die I've chosen patterned paper -

die cut 4 pieces and affixed those in place.

Using the smallest rectangle die cut 2 pieces and affixed them as shown.

Fold and glue the base tabs to create the bottom of the carton.

For the top, you have already folded along the score lines, indent the side pieces,

align and close the top, you could use a peg and/or punch to secure with ribbon/twine.

I kept it very simple by just adding a die cut heart.

These are fun to make and by my chocolate calculations you could

fit 3-4.  It's a diddy carton not a full pint!

More Than Milk Carton is available along with

other Marisa Job designs - all very cute and lovely.

Wishing you all a brilliant weekend,

I'm doing last minute crafting - lots of demos for shows next week.

Brhhh it's still very very cold out there!

Take care friends.