4 cards made this week

its been a couple of weeks since I blogged, and I have spent this week making 4 cards. Needed to make a birthday card for a friend's husbands birthday, found some gardening decoupage and also used some lovely buttons I bought whilst in Canada, its 1 6" x 6" scalloped edge card.

I have a very extensive collection of peel-offs which had gone unused for many months apart from the occasional peel-off greeting but I recently bought a box full from a friend on DO craft forum and thought they would make useful cards to start building up my card box where I can just pop in and pick up a card when needed, used to have lots in reserve but recently have only made cards when specifically needed. I am away from home a lot caring for my 6 year old niece whilst my sister is abroad on business and I cant take much craft stash, so peel-offs, backing paper, gems, DST and glue as well as the cards themselves are about all I can take, along with some decoupage to cut out and layer up.

I really enjoyed finding papers to back the peel-offs onto then cut them out and then make the new toppers onto cards along with patterned papers, holographic card, gems and pearls. I also have an extensive stash of card and paper off-cuts divided up into colour, style etc and hadn't dipped into them for months, so as my aim this year is to really start using what stash I already own but had forgotten I had, I used 8 different papers and card off-cuts (from 6" x 6" to small offcuts) on these 3 cards.

The first card is a small gatefold card  from my made up card stash (4.5" x 3.5") and to co-ordinate with the oriental dress topper I used Wild Rose Studios 'In Love with Japan' floral paper, along with holographic paper and pink glittered card all from my stash. As half the back of the dress is showing inside the card, I used the same paper to cover the back to make it look neater. I finished off the card with 14 pearls bought in Canada.

 

This second card is a 6" x 6" card, the pink paper was free from a craft magazine last year, not sure which one, spotted paper which made the handbag topper also from my scraps stash, the gems were bought in Canada last year, the purple holographic card was also from my scraps stash and the lilac paper is from Wild Rose Studios 'In Love With Japan' 6" x 6" paper pad. Finished off the card with gems bought in Canada.

 

This last card is a get well card for my friend Ginny who had a hip operation today, all papers are from my scraps stash, all on an A6 purple card base. finished off the card with gems from Canada.

 

thankyou for any comments, Fi x

Finally confident using my Big Shot after having it almost 2 years

Hubby bought me a Big shot for my birthday 2 years ago, but apart from one crafting session last February with a crafting friend, it has sat unused as I was so scared of breaking it. I was slowly bit by bit buying dies and embossing folders when on sale or from craft friends on docrafts forum, and when my friend learnt I was afraid to use it she came back round this week and got me to use it all day and it took away the fear and we had a very enjoyable day.

We embossed lots of Couture Creations and Crafts-Too embossing folders, but once we tried the Sizzix Bigz Christmas Ornament, Light and Stocking die we were hooked and used that repeatedly. We used lots of combinations of mirror, holographic, pearl and glitter card and adhered the pieces together using Anita's tacky PVA glue, its fine nozzle was essential to stick the small elements.

the stocking had 2 elements, the collar and the main stocking but I thought it needed something more, so cut out lots more of the curly decoration that came on the ornament and cut by hand a toe for the stocking. On the pearl lights I also added the same swirl to create the brightness.

It was a very enjoyable day and now I shall have to hunt for more dies and embossing folders.

I am staying at my sisters house next week to care for my 6 year old niece whilst her mum is in Poland on business, so I shall take some craft stash and use my made up dies to make lots of small Christmas cards with the 5" x 5" scalloped cards I bought at The Works last week, will upload them once I get home.

Thanks for any comments and happy crafting, Fi x

thanks for any comments