House Mouse Love Wreath Happy Couple

It's time for this fortnight's challenge over at an Oldie But A Goodie Challenge, and the theme choosen by Francesa is Weddings.  We're sponsored by The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop, which is just perfect as I ♥ ♥ ♥ pretty ribbon! There's some fabulous inspiration by the Design Team, so have a good rifle through all your old stash (you need to use at least one element that is over 6months old on this challenge and, if you mention it in your post, you could win a fab prize of embellement gorgeousness from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop) and come and join in!

This is first card using a Digi-Stamp! I realise I’m well behind the curve on this one, but I don’t use on computer a lot in my crafting (spend too long on the PC for work). However, I was so excited about the new House Mouse Triple CD, I just couldn’t wait to start on the digi-stamps included, and chose this so cute Love Wreath image.  Apart from this image, all the other elements on my card are from my existing stash and over 6 months old.

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Joanna Sheen
Colouring Mediums: Promarker Pens, Flexmarker Pens, Pebble Inc Chalks, Tattered Angels Glimmer Spritz
Paper & Card: Chiyogami paper, Stardream Opal, textured pearl card
Tools: Tonic Die, Spellbinder Dies, Dreamweaver Stencil, Silhouette Cameo, Grand Calibur
Embellishments: Präsent Ribbon, hand-made beaded Hat Pins, Pearls, Dome Sticker, hand-made Ruffle Ribbon Flower

I printed the House-Mouse Love Wreath digi-stamp onto Stardream Opal paper and coloured it with Promarkers and Flexmarkers. I really love the Antique White Flexmarker, when you’re using it, you think it’s not laying down any colour, but it does make a beautiful, subtle difference so suited to delicate blossoms.

I picked up on the blossom theme with my embellishments. I used a lovely Dreamweaver Cherry Blossom stencil, which I dry embossed using my Grand Calibur onto an offcut of Stardream Opal cardstock. I then chalked through the stencil to colour the branches and flowers, before spritzing the whole panel with Tattered Angels Glimmer Spritz. If you want to see how I made the large ribbon flower, take a look at my Ribbon Flower with a Twist Tutorial.

This gorgeous flourish has been die-cut with my new Tonic Studios Bird on a Branch die set and its blossom detail co-ordinates perfectly. I cut two in textured pearlised cardstock, to create a frame accent around my main image. The little charm was made by stamping and colouring a part of the wreath, then encasing it in an acrylic dome sticker and cutting out. Using my Antique White Flexmarker, I coloured the leaf behind my signature hand-made pearl hatpins. I also stitched glass pearls to the blossom centres on my favourite ribbon in the whole-wide world ever (made by Präsent and ridiculously expensive and lovely at the same time).

I cut my card base and layers using my Silhouette Cameo. My top layer is a Chiyogami paper which is beautiful hand silk-screen printed paper from Japan, using an ancient papermaking art. 

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Crafts & Me - Lots of Layers
Deep Ocean Challenge - Ribbons or Lace
Divas By Design - Friendship
Dream Valley Challenges - Animals
Fab 'n' Funky - Ribbon or Lace
House-Mouse & Friends - Flower Power
I ♥ Promarkers - Anything Goes
LEJ Designs - Dies or Punches
Moving Along with the Times - Embossing
Paper Crafting Journey - Photo Inspiration
Passion For ProMarkers - Anything Goes
Crafty Calender Challenge- Blooms & Blossoms

Hope everyone has a fabulous Bank Holiday weekend.  I'm desperate to get into the garden to do some cutting back, so please let the sun shine!  I do love to read your feedback, so please do leave a comment after visiting!

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Lucia Isabella Scrapbook Page

Today’s post is a scrapbook page. Regular followers of my blog will know that I became an Auntie in February and I am currently making a scrapbook for my Mum & Dad, who became grandparents for the first time in their early eighties!

Page Recipe:

Stamp: Tonic Studios Birdcage Set

Colouring Mediums: Encore Ultimate Metallic Ink Pink, Promarker Pens

Paper & Card: Karen Foster, ADT, stardream paper

Tools: Tonic Simplicity Dotty Border Punch, Tonic Label Die, Tonic Birds on a Branch Die, Grand Calibur, Tonic Super Trimmer

Embellishments: double satin ribbon 10mm

To make this page, I trimmed a 13cm strip of pretty heart patterned paper, then cut a decorative border using my Dotty Border Punch, which I then attached to a 12”x12” sheet of Karen Foster cardstock.  I made the title using an online word art programme, printed it out and cut out with my Tonic label die. I created the mat by tracing around the outside of the same die and cutting it out.  The mats were cut from white card and stardream paper, and I echoed the dotty border on the base mat of my main photograph.

I’ve just received the gorgeous new bird and birdcage dies and stamps from Tonic Studios, and the little hearts included in the designs matched perfectly with my little heart patterned paper. So to accent my page, I die cut a little bird and inked through the die to accent the die cut. Then I used the little heart and flourish stamps from the Birdcage stamp set to decorate the corners and under the title. I coloured in the hearts with Promakers to match with my patterned paper. These stamps are just so useful, they are going to get A LOT of use!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Thanks for popping by, your comments are always warmly welcomed! Pin It Now!

Paper Roses Card

It's time for the new challenge on an Oldie but a Goodie Challenge Blog and this fortnight it's inspired by a song.  The classic song Paper Roses has inspired my offering!

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Tonic Studios Chrysanthemum Clear Stamp 
Colouring Mediums: Memento Sweet Plum Ink Pad, Encore Metallic Ink Pad, ColourBox Fluid Chalk Ink Pad, FlexMarker Pens, Promarker Pens, Cosmic Shimmer Angel Mist
Paper & Card: Tonic Butterflies Beautiful, Elegance Satin, Vellum, Textured pearlescent
Tools: Tonic Studios Doily Square Die, Simplicity Doily Strip Punch, Petal Pairs Punch Set 1,Tonic Window Basket Die, Silhouette Cameo, Grand Calibur
Embellishments: double satin ribbon 3mm, crystals, pearl-ended stamen, hatpins

I used a double-masking technique to create the focal point for this card, so that the main stamped image came out as a relief.  After using the masks to colour the background, I then subtly coloured the main image using Promarker and Flexmarker pens.  Finally, I carefully painted gilding seize over the petals of the flower and applied a layer of clear embossing powder.  (Take a look at my step-by-step tutorial on this double masking technique).

The chrysanthemum image was stamped onto a topper cut using the gorgeous Simplicity Doily Square die by Tonic Studios.

I made the Paper Roses using four layers of petals punched from Punched Petal Pairs, and accented them with glue and crystal glitter. You can see my signature hand-made decorative beaded hatpins peeking out from behind the roses. The leaves were cut using the foilage dies that come with the Tonic Window Basket die set.

The pretty border strip was cut using the doily strip punch, through which I've laced 3mm double satin ribbon that I coloured with a promaker.  I then trimmed this with crystals and a satin bow.

The card base, patterned paper mat and vellum scroll background were all cut using my Cameo Silhouette, which, once assembed, I spritzed with Cosmic Shimmer Angel Mist.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Anything Goes - Shaped but not Sqaure
Country View Cards - How Does Your Garden Grow
Deep Ocean Challenge - Let's Sparkle
Dream Valley Challenges - No Squares Allowed
Fab 'n' Funky - Use Beads
Fashionable Stamping - Anything Goes
Fussy & Fancy Friday - Anything Goes
Joanna Sheen - Music Lyrics
LEJ Designs - Summer's Coming
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes
Paper Playtime - Emboss
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Sparkle, Bling, Ribbon

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Masking Tutorial with Stamps and Die-cuts

Today’s tutorial is using Masks to add interest and visual depth to your stamping projects. So, I’m going to take you through the step-by-step stages to creating the following stamped topper.

You will need:
Tonic Pick of the Bunch Chrysanthemum Clear Stamp
Tonic Simplicity Doily Square Die
Tonic Glass Cutting Mat
Tonic Kushgrip Art Knife
Ink Pads (Memento, Encore, Fluid Chalk)
Hero Arts Script Stamp
Cardstock
Masking Paper
Repositionable Spray Adhesive


First we need to create two masks, one for the Doily Square Die and the other for the Chrysanthemum Clear Stamp. To make to die mask, use an off-cut of strong card stock and a section of thin stamping cardstock. Layer the die up with the thin cardstock next to the die and the thicker cardstock behind it. This is because, ideally, you want to only cut out the die outline and not the lattice detail on your mask, but it this is not essential. Only use this double layer of card if your die-cutting machine will take this thicker sandwich without damaging it. Otherwise just cut out each single layer of card separately.

Once you have cut out the die, put aside the thin card die cut layer and reposition back into the die the thicker cardstock layer. Flip this over, and lay it down on your Tonic glass cutting mat. Using the Kushgrip Art Knife, cut out the centre section of the die cut. Trim close to the die edge with your craft knife, but it doesn’t need to be absolutely exact. You will now be left with a frame that matches your die cut. Spray the reverse of this with Repositionable Adhesive.

You can now place this mask over your stamping cardstock die-cut. Ink up the Chrysanthemum Clear Stamp with Momento Ink (I used Sweet Plum) secured to a clear acrylic stamping block. Stamp into the centre of the frame. As you can see, the stamp is slightly larger than the frame aperture, but your mask means that only the centre will be stamped. Remove the frame mask.

Re-ink your stamp and stamp out the image onto a piece of Masking Paper. (If you do not have Masking Paper, stamp onto an offcut of paper and once cut out, spray the reverse with repositionable adhesive). Cut out this image using your craft knife and glass mat. Take care not to cut into the stamped image and remember to cut-out any land-locked elements.

Carefully place the flower mask over the stamped image and use an ink pad to colour the die cut.

Finally, replace the die cut frame back over the coloured image, leaving the flower mask in place too. Ink up a random script stamp with a different coloured ink, and stamp over the entire die cut.

When you remove both masks, you will have your stamped flower in relief, a coloured frame and background script on the inside section of the die cut only.

To finish this project, I coloured the flower stem with a promarker pen, then used an embossing pen to fill the flower petals, then used clear embossing powder to heighten the relief effect of the flower.

Although there are several stages to this technique, if you follow them step-by-step, it is not too difficult. And you can use the masks you’ve made time and again. Just store them carefully for the next time you need them. Please let me know if you’ve had a try at this and how you got on. Pin It Now!

Pretty Peonies

Hello, hopefully the sun will shine on you this Bank Holiday weekend.  I've been busy in the garden which was the inspiration for this pretty peony card. Unusually for me, I've not used any patterned paper or ribbon/lace.  Not completely comfortable about that, though!

Card Recipe:
Stamp: PSX Botanical Peony
Colouring Mediums: Memento, Promarker Pens
Paper & Card: Centura Pearl card, Glitter Card
Tools: Tonic Super Trimmer, Spellbinders, BigShot Pro, Crafter's Workshop Mask
Embellishments: Handmade pearl hatpins, mulberry gardenia, cherry blossoms and tea roses, Butterfly charm, rhinestones 

To make this card, I scored an A4 sheet of  Centura Pearl card in half.  I then trimmed a piece of heavy duty glitter card (it's actuall more like box board!)  to 20.4mm x 14.2mm and another piece of Centura Pearl to 19.8 x 13.6mm.  These create mats with just a 3mm border between each layer, so a good quality and accurate trimmer is essential, step in the Tonic Super Trimmer!

For both mats, I placed spellbinders nesting dies in the centre to create an aperture, the green glitter layer had the smaller die (but still large enough to create a big enough aperture for my image).  Once I had cut through the aperture on the top pearl layer, I placed my Crafter's Workshop Mask over the top (ie not next to the blade side) so that when I embossed the layer it created an embossed frame.  The top layer is adhered using Gell Glue, which both adds dimension but also is a strong bond to the glitter layer.

I stamped my PSX Botanical Peony stamp with Momento London Fog ink and coloured with Promarker Pens.  I love these discontinued stamps, and I have to confess that I bought this rare Peony stamp in an Ebay Auction and it was the most I've expensive stamp I've ever bought!!!!

To finish the card, I added mulberry flowers and my own my handmade crystal and pearl hatpins, (don’t forget to take a look at my creating hatpins tutorial).  The metal butterfly charm came with the slots to add your own crystals to, so I can always make sure it co-ordinates with my card by adding the appropriate colours.










I am entering this card into the following challenges: Pin It Now!