Father's Day Rosette Card

With Father's Day next week, I thought I would share a really quick and easy Father's Day Card Idea, that none the less looks very effective.

Card Recipe:

Tools: Tonic Studios Indulgence Tea Party Square Base Die, Round Window Pour Me Die and Family Sentiments Die Pack, Scallop Circle Layering Dies, Grand Calibur, Super Trimmer 
Paper and Card: Linen card, Stardream
Embellishments: Crystal Rhinestones

To make my filigree card base, I used the new Indulgence Tea Party Square Base Die following my Filigree Card Base Tutorial. This just makes such a delicate but striking card base.  Just because it's a card for a man, doesn't mean it can't have a little bit of bling, with some topaz coloured crystal rhinestones.

For the topper, I used the outer circle from the Pour Me dies. Then I cut a 3cm wide strip of card from the same card as I had used for the card base and scored it using the Super Trimmer to create a concertina fold.  The rosestte is created by simply glueing the two ends together, then pushing it flat and adhering to the card.  I covered the hole in the middle with a small scallop circle.

Finally, I used the Dad from the Family Sentiments Dies.

Hope you all have a great weekend! Pin It Now!

Swirly Whirlies Owl Family Card

I just love owls, so I couldn't resist this wonderful Swirly Whirlies Owl Family stamp, it is just too cute, especially when paired with some lovely First Edition paper and kraft cardstock.

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Swirly Whirlies Owl Family (Little Claire), Happy Circular Sentiments (LOTV)
Colouring Mediums: Memento Cocoa Ink Pad, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad Antique Linen, Promarkers
Paper and Card: First Edition Spring Feast, Kraft Card
Tools: Spellbinders Labels 8 Diet Set and Vintage Lace Accents, Tonic Studios Layering Squares and Layering Circles, Grand Calibur 
Embellishments: mulberry flowers, May Arts ribbon

I stamped both the main image and the sentiment using a Memento Cocoa Ink Pad, then coloured the main image using muted-coloured promarker pens, picking up the colours from the First Edition patterned backing paper before lightly tinting the background with a dusting of Antique Linen.
You can just see the beautiful embellished May Art ribbon that I used as a trim peaking out behind the stamped image. For a fun little detail, I added an offcut of the trim to the swirly branch. The stamped image and it's Kraft Card mat is cut using Spellbinders Labels 8 Diet Set, a really useful shape for cutting out landscape stamped images.

As I can't resist adornment, I created a corner cornucopia 0f mulberry paper flowers, mixing a variety of sizes from tiny cornflowers to a statement gardenia along with cherry blossoms, all in colours to coordinate with the First Edition background paper, which came from the Spring Feast collection.

Finally, I die cut the LOTV Happy Birthday stamped Sentiment using my ever-handy simple Layering Circles die, combined with the more ornate Spellbinders Vintage Lace Accents, which I think work together really well - but what do you think?

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Buttons Galore!

It's my little niece's first birthday soon and I wanted to share with you a Button Initial Name Picture that I've made for her new bedroom using an inexpensive photoframe and lots of buttons!

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Framed Lattice Card

It's no secret that I am a big fan of Tonic Studios Dies but often I like to make a bigger card especially if it's a "special" birthday, and the Tonic Dies can at first appear too small. However, you just need a little creative thinking in your crafting .....

Card Recipe:

Tools: Tonic Studios Indulgence Boudior Square Base Die, Square Layering Dies, Scallop Circle Layering Dies, Every Day Sentiments 1 Dies, Verdant Vines Dies, Delicate Lattice Ovals Die Set, Grand Calibur
Paper and Card: Stardream Card
Embellishments: Flatback pearls and crystals, handmade hat pins, double satin ribbon
You can watch a youtube video I've filmed on how to make this card here:

I created the main focal point by cutting the Boudoir Base (without the outside cutting edge) straight into the aqua stardream card stock.  Then I cut a frame from white card and a matching scallop circle mat, to frame the lattice and to create a mat for the sentiment.












The "flower" is made from the smallest die from my Delicate Lattice Ovals Die set - sometimes you wonder what to do with these smaller dies but the symetrical design of this little die makes is perfect to layer up to create a filigree flower.

Finally, I had to add a couple of handmade hatpins, don't forget to check out my two tutorials on Creating Hatpins and the aptly named follow-up, More Decorative Hatpins for a simple guide to creating your own embellishments.

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1 Today Baby Girl Birthday Card

I've been waiting ages to show you this 'Lucia 1 Today' card, so I do hope you think it was worth the wait!

Card Recipe:
Image: Joanna Sheen House Mouse Triple CD
Paper and Card: Textured, DCWV, Stardream
Tools: Tonic Studios Happy Birthday Sentiment Die Set, Layering Squares, Love Arches Punch, Fanciful Flourish Die Set, Grand Calibur, Silhouette Cameo 
Embellishments: lace, seam binding, lace heart, pearls and crystals

I made this card for my parents to give to their first (and only) granddaughter on her first birthday, so it had to be special!

The focal point is this lovely sweet House Mouse digi image from Joanna Sheen''s House Mouse Triple CD.  I die cut with my favourite layering squares dies and mounted it onto a fancy square from the Happy Birthday Sentiment die set on DCWV luxury cardstock.









I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the 'Lucia 1 Today'  motif and  highlighted the 1 with flatback pearls.  The pretty lace heart is from the Tilly Daydream collection.

I'm generally of the view that more is more, I do like fussy and fancy cards, so some of the extra detailing on this card include:
* a cyrstal embellished florish swirl die-cut
* a seam binding bow
* handmade decorative hat-pins
* a lace border, layered with a cardstock border punched out using the Love Arches punch.


If you would like to have a go at making your own decorative hat-pins, I have a tutorial here that is a great starting point. 

I used the Happy Birthday frame as a mount for the message inside the card.




















Here's one final look at this card.

I do really love hat-pins, lace and House Mouse - what about you? Pin It Now!

Ornate Elegance Header Black & Ivory Wedding Invitation

With the wedding season upon us, I thought I'd share with you an contemporary idea for a Pocketfold Wedding Invitation using the new Tonic Studios Ornate Elegance Header Dies.

Card Recipe:
Tools: Tonic Studios Ornate Elegance Header Dies, Boudoir Square Base, Scallop Circle Layering Dies, Grand Calibur 
Paper and Card: Stardream, Conqueror
Embellishments: narrow double satin ribbon, flatback pearls, crystals hearts

The beauty of this design is that the shape of the lattice heart header die makes it so easy to line up centrally, so I used it to die cut both the top of my pocket and also the pocket flap.  I then threaded narrow double satin ribbon through the punched hole border and accented the central heart motif with crystal hearts.

I then created a coordinating invitation using my favourite die ever (but I think my regular readers know that!), the Boudoir Square base, with I decorated with flatback pearls, and then topped with the wedding invitation wording die cut with a the scallop layering dies.

Here's one final look at this invitiation set.  Although black as an accent colour may not be to everyone's taste for a wedding invitation, I think it gives a lovely contemporary, chic effect.  What do you think?

Finally, please do take a look here at my post about my friend Milly's exciting new venture, I would very much appreciate just a minute or so of your time to take a look.

Thank you and I hope you all have a lovely weekend. 
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Filigree Fae Fairy Card

My regular followers will know I've currently got a bee in my bonnet over filigree cards, and this has got to be the most simple filigree card ever, but isn't it just so delicately lovely?

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Pretty Rose Circle Doily Inset Card

This is a really quick sneak peek of the new Tonic Studios Rose Circle Doily and Deep Edge Punch set, which is part of the very lovely detailed Intrica Verso range.

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Baby Lucia's Filigree First Birthday Card

Gosh, where did the last 12 months go?  I can't believe that it's my niece's first birthday this Sunday.  So, it is going to be a series of Baby Birthday blog-posts at the moment, we've had the Button Wall Art last week, now it's the Baby First Birthday Card, and there's the cake to come too!

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A Gaggle of Gift Tags using Tonic Studios Indulgence Pop Up Sentiments

This is a great little project for using up offcuts of card left over from your crafting projects, and I'll do a step-by-step on making these in a week or so.

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Diamond Wedding Anniversary

It's my parent's Diamond Wedding Anniversary in a month and I wanted to make a real show stopper.  This colour combination of platinum, greys and champagne is one of my favourites, and I think it's softer and more elegant than the traditional white and silver.

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Be Still My Pleated Heart Card!

Apologies for the pun title, but I think you will forgive me when you see how pretty the pleated background looks on this heart card (I hope so anyway!).

And it fits perfectly with the Valentine theme over at an Oldie But A Goodie Challenge this fortnight.  My "oldies" are my designer papers, card and gems, which I have combined with my brand new Indulgence Affections Dies from Tonic Studios. 

Card Recipe:

Paper and Card: Textured, Prima, Stardream
Tools: Tonic Studios Affections Square Heart Base, Affections Heart On Mother's Day, Pillow Box Die and Sentiments, Scallop Layering Squares, Grand Calibur 
Embellishments: flatback pearls and crystals

How to Create the Pleated Heart Focal Point

The focal point for this card is the pleated background to the central heart section. To achieve this, I first die cut and embossed my patterned paper using the following sequence:

1. Die cut and emboss outer two detail dies from Affections Square Heart Base (but not the edge dies), outer detail and inner heart edge dies from Affections Heart On Mother's Day
2. Remove dies and waste, then cut out the outer edge using the largest scallop layering square
3. Die cut a piece of pink stardream paper using the outer edge cutting die from the Affections Square Heart Base
4. Carefully position and adhere the patterned paper to the pink stardream backing paper.  Resit the inner heart edge die into the central section and die cut to create aperture.
5. Cut two 3.5 cm wide strips of coordinating 15cm patterned paper, score these every 0.6cm and concertina fold.  Adhere the two strips together.  Take the pink "waste" heart die cut from the aperture and coat generously with wet glue.  Push the centre of the concertina strips down onto the glue to form a rosette.  Place a light weight on top of rosette until glue has dried
6. Apply a thin line of wet glue to the reverse of the heart aperture on the topper and adhere to the rosette.  Apply a double depth of 3D foam tape around the edge of the reverse of topper and mount onto your card.
7. Decorate with flatback pearls and crystals, and add your die-cut sentiment

I've also subsequently filmed a step-by-step video tutorial on how to make this card from start to finish, just click on the picture below

Here's one last look at this card.....

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Fruit of the Vine Men's Card

My Dad spent a lot of his working life in the wine trade, so what could be more apt than this card for his birthday.  Cheers! 

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Stamps Happen Wine Collage
Colouring Mediums: Memento Black Ink, Promarker Pens, Flexmarkers,
Paper and Card: Creative Imaginations, Textured, Joanna Sheen's Elegance Satin
Tools: Tonic Studios Gothic Square Die Set, Tonic Studios Gothic Border Punch, Tonic Studios Verdant Vines Die, Corner Rounder, Grand Calibur
Embellishments: Raffia, Buttons, Twine, Glossy Accents
The main image is stamped with a Wine Collage stamp by Stamp Happens - it's actually an oblong, but I just chopped off one end to make it square shape as that's really what I needed for my card.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and washed the background with Flexmarkers (you just can't see that in the photo though). Finally, I used glossy accents over the glass bottles and wine glasses (again, really difficult to pick up in the photograph).

This stamped image has a very peculiar graphic in the bottom left corner, I have no idea what the artist meant if to be, so I just stuck my sentiment over it!

My corners are (appropriately) cut using Tonic Studios Verdant Vines corner dies to echo the wine feel of the card, and topped one off with this grapes on the vine button that I've had in my stash for years.

The wine papers are also old stash, from Creative Imaginations, I think that they work really well on this card.  

Some raffia and buttons tied through with twine add so additional accenting to the card.



I'd like to enter this card into the following challenge:
Moving Along with the Times - Birthday Boy











So here's one final look

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