Dress Tag Card with Mannequin

Hello all, back today with a classic Dips' card - a Dress Tag with Mannequin.

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Katy Sue Designs 
Tools: Tonic Studios Elegant Vine Square Die Set, Mannequin Tag Die, Simplicity Dotty Border Punch, Layering Square Dies, Fanciful Flourish, Grand Calibur
Colouring Mediums: Promarker Pens, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads
Paper and Card: Tonic Studios Watch the Birdie, Conqueror, Stardream, Textured Pearl
Embellishments: flatback pearls

I think you all know I love a dress card especially when paired with a mannequin too!  I've reached for this Mannequin Tag Die so often but I do like to do something a little different each time.  So this time I used the mannequin die to cut out a mannequin form in plain oyster card, then I cut it out again using an offcut of patterned papper and trimmed off the stand elements and then pieced the two together.  You may just see that the patterned paper is also used as a background layer behind the Elegant Vine Sqaure base that I've used for the main focal layer.

To create the main stamped image tag, I traced around the tag die and then extended it slightly at the base.  I cut it out and then used the my dotty border punch to create the scalloped edge.

Finally, I also used off-cuts of card to cut out several swirls using the Fanciful Flourish die set, which I scattered randomly on the base card, and you can see them peeking out from behind the main mat.  It's a great way to create subtle texture. Pin It Now!

Autumnal House Mouse Big Apple-tite

Autumn is my favourite season. I know that the Summer is fab but I just love Autumn, the colours, the leaves, the Harvest!  This time last year, I was lucky enough to be visiting the wonderful Autumn colours in New England, so this is my homage to the arrival of Autumn!

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Joanna Sheen House Mouse
Tools: Tonic Studios Elegant Vine Square Die Se, Gothic Border, Tim Holtz Paper Distresser  Grand Calibur
Colouring Mediums: Promarker Pens, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads
Paper & Card: My Mind's Eye, Parchment, mulberry paper, Satin Elegance
Embellishments: Raffia, String, Baker's Twine, Sheer Ribbon, Buttons, Skeleton Leaves

Do you recognise the die set that I've used as a mat for the main focal image?   Yes, it's the Tonic Studios Elegant Vine Square Die Set.  Previously I've cut the top die from vellum and laid it over a pattern card, this time, I've cut the filigree layer in patterned card and layered it over a semi-translucent textured mulberry paper.

Plus, you'd never know that there is a tag in the centre of this die set, my focal image hides it completely, those clever, versatile Verso dies!

Do you find it difficult to shabby things up?  I know I do!  However, I've been playing with my Tonic Studios Tim Holtz Paper Distresser and had a good go at distressing all my edges, before inking them up with Tea Stain Distress Ink.  I think I like the effect, what do you think?

You can also see the edge I've punched with my Simplicity Gothic Border Punch - I think it works great on men's cards.



This card is also my Design Inspiration over an Oldie But A Goodie Challenge of us Dies and Punches.  So, the "Oldies" that are over 6 months old on this card are:
My Mind's Eye Card ● Buttons ● Twine ● Raffia ● String ● Ink Pads ● Elegance Satin Stamping card ● Promarker Pens ● Skeleton Leaves ● Mulberry Paper

Here's one last look....

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Cards for Men - String It Up

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Subtle Spots & Stripes

Spots and Stripes is the theme for this fortnight's challenge over at an Oldie But A Goodie Challenge, and we're sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps.  As I've done a couple of quite bold spots and stripes cards over the summer, I really wanted to do a more subtle interpretation of the theme this time around.  What do you think, can you "spot" the spots and stripes?

There's more great 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 6 months old on this challenge) and, if you mention it in your post, you could win a fab prize by Bugaboo Stamps - so come and join in!
Card Recipe:

Stamp: Stamps Happen Glorious

Colouring Mediums: Promarker Pens, Memento London Fog Ink Pad

Paper & Card: Bo Bunny, Prima, Pearlescent, Vellum
Tools: Tonic Studios - Elegant Vines Square Die, Petal Pairs, Grand Calibur

Embellishments: Lace, ribbon, crystals, creative expressions pearl swirls

So the spots are on the background to the Tag as well as in the handmade flowers (using my Tonic Petal Pairs punches set 5).







There is a stripe pattern to the background paper on the tag but I also echoed the stripes by embellishing the background mat with strips of ribbon and lace woven with ribbon.  I used a pro-marker pen to custom colour the 3mm satin ribbon that I used to thread through the lace. 


Ever since I've had my Tonic Studios Elegant Vine Square Die Set, I wanted to recreate an effect that I've done previously with my Cameo Silhouette, that is; to create an ethereal vellum cut out layer.  Very pleased with how it worked here and much quicker than carefully peeling a similar design off a sticky cameo cutting mat!

I stamped the dress image onto coloured paper, but then coloured over parts of the image with pro-marker pens.  Finally, I added some pearl embellishments, a pretty swirl flourish by Creative Expressions and some pearl strands that come from a florists supplies outlet.

My oldies in this card are the stamp, ink, promarkers, brad, gems and pearls. However, in order to join in the challenge of an Oldie But A Goodie all you need to do is use one item from your stash that's over 6 months old. Hope to see you over at the challenge.

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Sneak Peek - Tonic Studios Elegant Vine Square & Bauble Tag Die

HoHoHo - would you like to see what Santa's delivered early to Tonic Studios Towers? It's their new Elegant Vine Square Die Set which I've used with Bauble Tag Die, combined with the Antique Frame Tag Die.  

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Joanna Sheen House Mouse, Kanban
Colouring Mediums: Promarker Pens, VersaMark, Encore Metallic Ink Pad, Peebles Inc Chalks
Paper & Card: Stardream, HOTP, Mirror, Glitter
Tools: Tonic Studios Elegant Vine Square Die Se, Bauble Tag Die, Antique Frame Tag Die,  Grand Calibur
Embellishments: Sheer Ribbon, Crystal Button, Jingle Bell,  crystal beads, pearls, pins, brads, eyelet

As I've admitted previously, I'm not really a Clean & Simple (CAS) card-maker, I really enjoy using lots of different techniques and effects on my cards, and this one includes the following (can you spot them all?): 

Paper piecing ● Ribbon threading ● Stitching ● Dry Embossing ● Stamping (digital and traditional)●  Manual Die Cutting ●  Eyelet Setting ●  Masking ●  Accenting ●  Decoupage ●  and (of course) Hat Pin Making!

So let's have a closer look at some of these.  To create the focal point, I used a Joanna Sheen Digi-stamp which I resized to fit onto my tag.  I printed the image out three times, twice onto Elegance Satin stamping card and once onto a small piece of patterned HOTP paper. I coloured the image in with Promarker pens, decoupaged the mouse, then cut out and paper-pieced the ribbon from the patterned paper.  Then, I masked the image, chalked the tag with shimmery Peebles Inc chalks and rubber stamped small snowflakes all over the background using the gorgeously rich Encore Metallic ink pad in purple.  Finally, I printed the Merry Christmas sentiment onto an offcut of stardream card, with I die cut using the tag element from Antique Frame Tag die set.  The tag has been mounted onto the new Tonic Studios Elegant Vine Square, and I used a craft knife to cut into each side of the tag so that I could thread my sheer ribbon through it.

Do you like my bling-tastic ribbon embellishment charm? I've had some glittery Jingle Bells in my stash for ages, and I attached one to the crystal button using jump rings before stitching it to the ribbon bow.  I made the hatpins myself and if you'd like to have a go, take a look at my Tutorial on More Decorative Hatpins.

I love to know who's visited my blog, so why not leave a comment and tell me what you think of this card, it would be much appreciated!

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