Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Week 157 - Stitch It Up

 

This is my entry for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge this week.  The challenge was to include stitching, faux, real, hand or machined, in the project.  I must admit I love pricking and stitching on cards and tend to go through phases of using it.  It's something I can pick up and set down without making the usual mess of creativity around me.  Well that's what I like to call it but my son has been heard to say that "the dining room looks as though a grenade has been thrown in it". The stitching on this card is meant to represent a picture sconce.  The inspiration came from the packaging of the pricking stencil used which was one of the Marianne design Suzy's Stencils - Suzy 008.

This card was an order for an art student's 21st birthday so I took art as the theme .  The Penny Black stamped image is Portraiture - 3202K and was stamped with Stazon and coloured with watercolours and Promarkers.  The paint splodges were made using a Quickutz die.

When making 21st and 18th birthday cards I like to include a little key somewhere and whilst writing this blog entry I realised that the tradition of giving a key, in some form, doesn't happen to the same extent anymore. Somewhere in the attic I know I have a box of boxed keys, number plates and cards which I received on my twenty first birthday.   I then wondered what the tradition behind giving the key was about and this is what I found.

"This tradition dates back to the times when children lived at home until they married, and were very much under the control of their parents. The voting age was twenty-one, when 'adult status' was officially conferred and a front door key was issued for independent access to the family home. As an adult, you were considered free to come and go as you pleased rather than according to your parents' wishes. Thus, you were now entitled to "the key of the door". (It's a British tradition.)"

I guess the more liberal age we live in nowadays has reduced the significance of this tradition.

Thanks for reading
Liz x

Happy Birthday Kathleen

Not only is it my friend's Pearl Anniversary on the second of July but it's also her birthday on the first and she and her husband are off to Bruge to celebrate both.  Such a lot of celebrations in this family this year with a twenty-first birthday, a graduation and an anniversary to celebrate.  These two cards are for my friend's birthday, one from me and one from the family.  The pansy one uses images from a Fred She Said download which also includes the co-ordinating backing papers.  This set also comes in purple tones which is equally pretty.  The pansy edging was made using Martha Stewart's pansy punch around the page corner and border punches.

The patchwork card was an idea taken from one of the Splitcoaststampers Weekly Tutorials.  The one inch squares were either punched from card stamped with the Hero Arts Silhouette Flower cling stamp, stamped pieces using the french script stamp from Stampin' up, embossed pieces using a daisy flower embossing folder and dark blue card sprayed with glimmer mist which was also used for the flower centres..

Pearl Anniversary

This was the second big project I completed this week.  These cards, box and tag are destined for my friend and her husband who celebrate their 30th Wedding Anniversary on Saturday the 2nd of July.  My friend and I went through secondary school and teacher training college together and even have children born on the same date.  On their special day thirty years ago I was honoured to be one of their bridesmaids.

If you read the previous post you'll find out what was used to make the shoe card, box and gift tag.  The card stock used this time was smooth and linen effect cream pearlescent card and a patterned pearlised cream card.  All embellishments were chosen to match the cream theme and self adhesive pearls were used to decorate the shoe and box to represent the special anniversary.

The card in the final picture is one for my family to give the happy couple.  This one resulted from one of our group crafting sessions when we tried out different ways to use our embossing folders and also use different types of cardstock.  I decided to play around with vellum and cream card and cut these flowers using the Tim Holtz tattered floral sizzix die and then emboss them with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder.  The flowers were put together by alternating the card and vellum layers and varying the number of layers used.

The card base was a 14.85cm square cream card

Papers used
Thick cream vellum from The Papeterie, Aberdeen
Cream card in various finishes, textures and shades of cream also from The Papeterie, Aberdeen

Tools used
Tim Holtz Sizzix die - Tattered Floral
Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder
Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Squares Large
Woodware half inch circle punch
Embossing mat and Glitter Girls embossing tool
Dawn Bibby Stamp - Warm Wishes from the set Warm Wishes DB010
Stampendous Detail Gold embossing powder


Embellishments used
Bling Bling self adhesive pearls
Crystal dot peel-off stickers

Top tip for this card would be to make the flower centres using a half inch circle, punched from card to match the project, and then laying it on an embossing mat and running a Glitter Girls embossing tool over it in circular movements until the card circle cups up at the edges.  The cupped circle can be stuck on using a foam pad.  The advantage of making your own cup shapes is that you can use the same card stock as used in your project and it's a great way of using up those little pieces of left over card.

Thanks for reading
 Liz

Silver Wedding Anniversary

This has been another intense week of crafting but for special happy occassions.  The first project is for the silver wedding anniversary of my crafting friend Janet and her husband Nick who are celebrating their silver wedding anniversary on the 28th.  At least once a month a group of us meet together at Janet's and craft, chat and indulge in her home baking.  Her chocolate cake is absolutely scrummy.

I have made this card layout several times in the past, for anniversaries and weddings and in various colour combinations, but never tire of putting together this "elegant shoe" from a template designed by Coppernob.  Pictures of some of them are in the Toe Tapper section of Coppernob's gallery.  Although time consuming to make, the end result is really effective.  The flower embellishments are made using a quilling pattern I found in a Craft Creations project for a rose basket.  I use a one inch and a half inch punch to make them.

As time has gone on this project has expanded from a card in a box, to a card in a decorated box and finally to a card in a decorated box with a gift tag.  Lots of different techniques are used to make this one including one of the first ones I used when starting to make cards - paper pricking.

The base card is A5 in size

The sizes for the layering panels are

Layer one - 14.5cm x 21cm

Layer two, before embossing and trimming, 15cm x 21cm

Layer three, before embossing and trimming, 12cm x 21cm

Centre panel - 6.5cm x 21cm

Papers used

White pearlescent card

Pink heart paper is from a Cuddly Buddly download - Cuddly Buddly Cottage Collection - Rose, printed on pearlescent card

Pink paper is a canvas background paper from the Secret Garden CD by Joanna Sheen, printed on pearlescent card

Silver mirri-card from Create and Craft

Tools used

Romance embossing board from the Glitter Girls

Elegant Shoe Template by Coppernob

Ornare Pricking Template

Pricking pen and mat

Woodware 1 inch circle punch

Woodware 1/2 inch circle punch

Woodware small heart punch

Quilling tool

Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Squares Large

Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Squares Large

Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Circles Large

Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Circles Large

Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Hearts

Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Hearts

Quickutz Single Die - RS0156 - Scalloped Tag

PSX Stamp - F-270 - Happy Anniversary

Versamark Ink

Stampendous Detail Silver embossing powder

VersaMagic Dew Drop Chalk Ink - Pink Petunia

Embellishments used

Silver wavy line peel-offs

Silver hearts peel-offs

Silver double hearts peel-offs

Silver alphabet and number peel-offs

Bling Bling self adhesive crystals

Flower sequins, silver metallic embroidery thread and white pearl beads

Pink Paper Roses

Pink Satin Ribbon

Silver Elastic Cord

Top tips for this card would be

1. Sponge the petal edges and flower centres with an ink colour to match the backing papers of the project.  Pearlescent ink gives a lovely shimmery effect and if you go over it with a clear Sakura glitter gel pen afterwards it sparkles even more.

2.  When embossing layers from the Romance board butt one side of each layer to the top of the board and when embossing the other side butt it to the bottom of the board.  For some strange reason the panels layer on top of each other better if you do this.

3.  I cut another sole for the shoe slightly smaller than than the decorated one and attach underneath with the really sticky double sided tape.  This gives the shoe more body and holds the wrapped over peel-off ends in place.  I also use the really sticky red tape to attach the shoe to the card.

Thanks for reading

Liz x

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Birthday Blog Hop

This is my entry for this weeks Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  This was a birthday card for one of my crafty friends who really loves cats and her one means the world to her.  The image was stamped with black Stazon ink and coloured using water colours and shimmer paints.  The card layout was from a challenge set by Linda on the Cuddly Buddly forum.  The sentiment is from a Hero Arts stamp stamped onto white card with black Stazon and then chopped into three sections.

The base card is a 21cm square card made from two pieces of A4 card 

Papers used
Black and blue card from W Enterprises, Aberdeen
Yellow card from W H Smith
Gingham paper from a Cuddly Buddly download printed on greyscale setting - A Patchwork of Papers  - Blue
White card for stamping

Tools used
Penny Black Stamp - 2243K Bee Costume 
Hero Arts Stamp -  1494E Purr-fect Day...
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Ovals Large
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Squares Large
Shimmer paints from The Works
Watercolour paints - Winsor and Newton Cotman Water Colours

Embellishments used
Blue ribbon from John Lewis
Crystal dot peel-off stickers
Woodware brads - pastel and bright
Paper flowers, sequins and beads from stash
Silver wavy line peel-offs

Thanks for reading
Liz x

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Week 156 - One For The Boys

This is my entry for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge this week and I only just got it finished in time to meet the deadline.  It's for my friend's son who graduates on Thursday.  A very special day for the family and one which his Dad is travelling from Kazakhstan to attend.

This is an easel card and the image I've used is from the Margaret Sherry collection, 2071J - A Scholar!!, and is coloured with Promarkers.  I had terrible problems trying to colour this simple image.  After having been at two of Debbi's Promarker classes I decided to try and use the grey shading techniques she'd taught us on the mortar board but kept failing and I ended up doing a block colour of black with a grey edge instead. The picture below shows my many attempts. More practice and a few more shades of grey pens are needed so that I'm not going straight from black to grey 4.  I was quite happy with the hedgie though and have worked out which of my colours to combine for the skin tones.  That's because the one thing I did successfully learn from Debbi is not to be scared of using a bold colour and then tone it down by going over with another colour.  Also in the picture you'll see the images which Debbi helped us to colour.  The teddy is a Kanban image and was coloured using shades of grey.  The girl is a stamp from Funky Kits and is called Pillow Talk from the Simply Sassy range. On this image we practised colouring hair and skin.

The base card is a black 14.85 square card folded to make an easel card.

Papers used

Black and red card

Small piece of grey card for the end of the diploma die cut

White card for stamping

Mirri card from Create and Craft

Congratulations backing paper created in a word programme

Diploma backing paper created with a Hobby Art stamp

Tools used

Penny Black stamp - 2071J  A Scholar!!

PSX stamp - F-2593 Congratulations Graduate

Hobby Art stamp - LT916B  Diploma

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Spellbinders Nestabilities - Petite Ovals Large

Spellbinders Nestabilities - Petite Scalloped Circles Large

Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Circles Large

Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Ovals Large

Spellbinders Nestabilities - Petite Scalloped Classic Ovals Large

Quickutz Double Die - KS-0159  Graduation Cap

Quickutz Single Die - RS-0158 Diploma

Woodware 1" circle punch

Embellishmaents used

Assorted silver star peel-offs

Crystal dot peel-offs 

Stampin' up  Real Red grosgrain ribbon

Narrow red ribbon for small bow

Top tip for this card would be to sponge silver metallic ink along the edge of the top of the cap to give the die cut some dimension.

Thanks for reading

Liz x

Silhouette Flower Number 4

Sandy's Birthday

Yesterday was a full on crafting and cake day.  I was lucky enough to be drawn as a prize winner in last week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge and, because I only live five minutes away from Kath, I was able to go and collect my prize, have a cuppa, meet Buddy and visit the Cubbyhole.  The show of talent, inspiration and crafting goodies in that room has to be seen to be believed. Thank you Kath.  I aspire to be as tidy and organised as you some day.

As if that wasn't good enough it was our Crafting Bee in the afternoon with a lovely and generous crafting friend Carol who opens her house to us once a month and makes us welcome any time we feel the need for company and crafting.  It had been Sandy's birthday at the weekend and because it had been a special one we had our own celebration with her yesterday.  Ruth made carrot cake muffins with muffin candles on the top, Carol make a special butterfly cake and we all made cards with butterflies on them.

Amongst all the cake eating, craft shopping and chit chat there was some crafting going on and almost a calamity too as Carol tripped going out the front door and ended up with black and blue toes.  It had been her second trip of the day so hopefully she got to bed without any more mishaps.  I think Linda gets the prize for being the most industrious of us all and was in full swing making a production line of ballerina toppers.  It was almost ten o'clock before I called it a day, gathered up my bits and pieces, and headed home.  Looking forward to meeting them all again next month.

The card in this post is the one I made for Sandy and I based it around the Stampin' Up colour Marina Mist pulling in other bits and pieces from my stash which toned in.  The main image is a stamp from Stampendous called Agapanthus Cluster.

The base card is a white pearlescent A5 card.

Papers used
Stampin Up card - Marina Mist
Darker coloured card from The Papeterie, Aberdeen
Patterened paper from a pad from Create and Craft
White card for stamping

Tools used
Stampendous stamp - P107 Agapanthus Cluster
Stampin' Up greeting stamp from the set Sincere Salutations
Sttampin' Up ink - Marina Mist
Ringbinder Paper Punch
Woodware 1/2" circle punch
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Swiss Dots
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Petite Ovals Large

Embellishments used
Stampin' Up grosgrain ribbon - Marina Mist
Butterfly peel-offs
Bling Bling self adhesive pearls
Gold uppercase peel-off leters
Crystal dot peel-offs

Top Tip for this card would be to give the butterflies dimension by sticking them onto acetate, cutting around them and then folding up the wings at each side of the body before supergluing them onto the card.

Thanks for reading
Liz x

Another Fizzy Moon

This is another Fizzy Moon stamp I've "had " to treat myself to.  Our son applied for his first passport recently and through the process he had to have an interview.  The office in Aberdeen has closed so we had to travel through to Inverness for this.  The appointment was for quarter past two and he had to attend ten minutes before, which he did, and reappeared again before the big hand had reached twenty past.  The passport came through a few days later even though he fluffed some of the questions.  Just wonder how relevant this was, but never mind, it gave me the chance to visit the craft shop inside Howden's Garden Centre, Stoneyfield Business Park on the outskirts of Inverness.  Well worth a visit if you're in the area.  I usually manage a trip there once or twice a year as we head north to visit family in Orkney.  We went there before the interview and I was quite restrained, just some card, ribbon and the embossing folder I've used on this project, but I requested another visit  on the way home again where I bought the things I had resisted on the first visit and this fellow was one of them.  One of my bargains of the day's trip had to be a plastic storage box with a carry handle from Poundland which holds my Promarkers perfectly.  So I can be frugal when it suits and it was such a bargain I bought two along with some foam tape and pads.  It was a good craft retail therapy day.

Fizzy Moon is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured with Promarkers.  The pink, green and purple combination in this project isn't everyone's cup of tea but I quite like putting it together

The base card is a 6"x6" square scalloped card by Craft UK Limited, from the Papeterie, Aberdeen, and is edged with purple Encore metallic ink

Papers used
Pink and lime green pearlescent card from The Papeterie, Aberdeen
Purple and bright green card from W Enterprises, Aberdeen
White card for stamping

Tools used
Spellbinders Nestabilities Regular Squares - Large
Sizzix Tim Holtz die - Tattered Flowers
Woodware 1/2" circle punch
Glitter Girls's embossing tool
Foam mat
X-cut Botanical Embossing Punch - Beech Leaf
Tatty Teddy, Me to You embossing folder - Primrose Background
Fizzy Moon Celebrations stamp set - Little Messages
Fizzy Moon Celebrations stamp set - Thanks a Bunch
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Encore metallic ink - purple

Embellishments used
Smirk grosgrain ribbon
Woodware brads bright and pastel
Bling Bling self adhesive crystals
Gold wavy peel-offs

Top Tip for this project would be to make your own candy dots for the flower centres using a 1/2" circle punch and shaping the punched circles on a foam mat by making circular movements over the back using the Glitter Girls's embossing tool until they cup up. They can be attached using a foam pad.

Thanks for reading
Liz x

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Doodlebug

This is my entry for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Week 154.  The image I've used is from the Margaret Sherry Collection and is Mice Day - 1551K.  It was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured with Promarkers.  The challenge this week was to add some doodling to your project. I'm afraid I'm not very good at creative freehand work so the doodled stitches around the edge were kept in check by using a ruler.  Not a fan of doodling but the faux stitches worked well with the sewing theme of the project.  I really enjoyed putting the card together and used my favourite colours too.

The base card is a 6"x6" scalloped square from Crafts UK Limited

Papers used
Purple and lilac cardstock from W Enterprises, Aberdeen
Tan and silver card from The Papeterie, Aberdeen
Happy Birthday paper from a Cuddly Buddly download - A Patchwork of Papers - Purple

Tools used
Martha Stewart Doily Lace border punch
Quickutz Single die - RS0136 - Scalloped Corner
Quickutz Double die - KS1012 - Cotton Reel and Needle
Stampin' Up greeting stamp from the set Sincere Salutations
Personal Impressions needle and thread stamp from the set Lace and Thread - PICSA6219
Encore Metallic ink - Purple
Memento Black Tuxedo ink
Spellbinders Nestabilities Standard Circles - Large
Spellbinders Nestabilities Petite Scalloped Circles - Large
Spellbinders Nestabilities Petite Ovals - Large

Embellishments used
Woodware brads - brights
Crystal dot peel-offs
Small flowers from stash

Top Tip for this card would be the use of the Martha Stewart Doily Lace border punch to make decorative strips to edge the stamped image.  By cutting at regular intervals into the punched strip it can be pleated so that it follows a curved edge.  By adding the lace border I hoped that the image, although flat, appeared as though it was set in an embroidery frame.

Thanks for reading
Liz x

TYTT - Trash Your Table Tuesday

When I read Kath's blog on a Wednesday her entry relates to what's on her workdesk for that day.  A group of ladies send in links from their blogs to "What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday" .  This isn't something I've taken part in yet but yesterday, when I looked at the mess I'd created around me, I thought about starting my own group called Trash Your Table Tuesday and here's why.

 

The reason behind this chaos was the adrenalin rush of actually getting around to creating a scrapbook page after all these years.  When I first started card making my intention had been to scrapbook after being inspired by an Anna Griffin demonstration on QVC but apart from a double page spread, which I made under supervision at a class, that's as far as Id got.  Recently a lovely lady called Linda joined another little craft group I meet up with.  Along with all her Stampin' Up inspired cards and projects she also brought her scrapbooks and offered to help us get started with our scrapbooking.  Prior to our first meeting Linda sent us a sketch which gave us the opportunity to choose a photo and prepare the papers and embellishments we might want to add to our page.  I thoroughly enjoyed the session last night and everyone worked away on their own project and produced very different pages based on the same sketch.  

Here's the sketch which Linda chose from the June selection at Page Maps and also my interpretation.  As you'll notice I turned the sketch around to suit the photo I'd chosen.

I just knew that unused Harry Potter gift tag would come in useful one day.

This is a 12"x12" page

Papers used
Plain coloured cardstock from the Papeterie, Aberdeen
Patterned papers were printed from the Docrafts Daisy and Dandelion CD
The title was created using the graphics programme in the Daisy and Dandelion CD
The Hogwarts badge is a gift tag

Tools used
Quickutz Single Die -  RS0168 - Square Tag
Quickutz Double Die - KS0257 - Treat Bag
Quickutz Single Die - RS0088 - Jack-o-Lantern
Quickutz Double Die - KS0322 - Shield
Woodware 1" circle punch
Woodware 1/2" circle punch
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Circles Large
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Petite Scalloped Circles Large
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Squares Large
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Rectangles Large
Stampin' Up border punch - Scalloped edge

Embellishments used
Crystal dot peel-offs

Top Tip for this project would have to be the rik-rak ribbon I managed to create using the Stampin' Up scalloped edged border punch.

Thanks for reading
Liz x