Best laid plans and all that...

Hello friends

Happy Monday to you and how was your weekend?

So when I said I was going to Milton Keynes for a crafty day

yesterday...umm that didn't happen.

Instead it was 9 hours in Accident and Emergency with Elliott.

Elliott came down with a cold last week, just a cold

but it seems his body deals with viruses very differently and

 it totally drained him.  He was admitted into hospital, wired up,

popped on a drip, given a chemist full of drugs and then allowed home last night..

Hospitals also like to take a zillion scans of his brain,

we have to joke and say it is the most photographed brain ever!

But goodness, I had my worry face on for many many hours.
Also his cat missed him, howled the house down for a while
but here they are reunited.

So today's crafty offering is a speedy card,
my idea of crafting for hours was reduced to about 30 minutes.
I can therefore absolutely guarantee this is a speedy card to make.
It features Kurbits 2, one of the Lene Lok designs.

I die cut the shape from white card and inked various areas with distress inks.

A double mat of kraft and red card.

Stamped sentiment and two enamel dots - finished in half an hour.

Kurbis 2 is available to pre-order on the website here.
The Folk Art collection is a very distinctive die collection
inspired by Lene's Norwegian background.

Take care friends, I should be back on track after a bit of a
crafting marathon today.

Cinch and Go Flowers III Frame

Hello friends

I've been putting together some projects to display at the trade show 

in Birmingham which is coming around way too quickly!

I love the design of Cinch and Go Flowers III and I got rather carried away

with making flowers for cards so I decided to pop some into a frame.

As set out in Friday Die Day a week or so back (full details here)

I used watercolour card to die cut the flowers and leaves,

added distress inks, spritzed with water and then shaped.

The background is a piece of textured card from DCWV and I've used a script

stamp over the top.  I then clustered the flowers, creating a couple of buds

and assembled.  I chose to use stamens again - I think I'm going through

a 'stamen phase'!

Some close up pics.

The frame is from The Range, they have a great choice of box frames in

white and this weathered wood beige colour.

I was aiming for an Autumnal look but got heavy handed with pink...

Cinch and Go Flowers III is in stock and on the website here.

Today I'm heading up to Milton Keynes for a crafty day with my friends,

normally I take something alternative to die cutting but with deadlines looming

I think I'll be cranking that handle! 

Hope you are keeping warm, I know it is cold outside

by the sheer amount of cats (and dog) that want to sit on my lap all the time! 

Take care friends.

Back to Florals with Filigree Veil and Cinch and Go III

Hello friends

Aww thank you so much for yesterday's comments,

it appears the Gears card proved very popular.

I'm doing something with Bolts and Nuts soon so stay tuned.

Today's card is Filigree Veil, one of the Elegant 3D Vignettes dies

designed by Becca Feeken and now in stock.

It is a three piece die set that works beautifully whichever way up you prefer.

I decided upon a pocket design for my card so flipped it up the other way.

I've teamed it with Cinch and Go Flower III - also in stock

and decided warm orange was the order of the day.

The papers are a US purchase when I was visiting last year, I adore the little daisies.

I slotted a tag inside with a larger daisy design and

mounted the die cut with 3D Foam Squares, the regular size fits perfectly.

The piercing design around the edge of the die is a lovely touch.

Items used today with clickable links:

Filigree Veil

Cinch and Go Flowers III

3D Foam Squares

As mentioned yesterday, we have taken early delivery of the Elegant 3D Vignette

dies and very timely Becca Feeken, the designer has uploaded a tutorial to

You Tube that shows you how to assemble these.

I've posted the video below and you can see all these dies on the website here.

I also wanted to say thank you for the wonderful feedback following the sell out

of the Hope and Charm-ing embellishment bags.

And also answer some questions.

The bags will be bi-monthly so next one is March.

Each time the bag design will match the contents.

There will be a minimum of 30 charms per bag, all high quality.

Feel free to message if you have further questions.

I'm thrilled they've proved so popular.

Take care friends, have an enjoyable Saturday and if you live anywhere

near me...don't leave home without your brolly!

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

With Valentine's Day on the horizon I thought this week's Friday Die Day

should be a bit 'love..y'!

But look no flowers - I've gone with a manly card featuring the

Die D-Lite set - Gears.

It is a 6 piece die set, approximate measurements are:

Large Spokes Gear: 1.40 x 1.40 in. 3.70 x 3.70 cm

Small Spokes Gear: 1.00 x 1.00 in. 2.50 x 2.50 cm

Gear 1: 0.80 x 0.80 in. 2.10 x 2.10 cm

Gear 2: 0.80 x 0.80 in. 2.00 x 2.00 cm

Gear 3: 0.80 x 0.80 in. 2.00 x 2.00 cm

Gear 4: 0.60 x 0.60 in. 1.40 x 1.40 cm

I rummaged and found some of the Royal and Langnickel engraving card,

it's the same as those scratch art kits where you reveal the metallic colours underneath.

I cut multiple gears and got busy with an emery board.

I deliberately left some of the black and over rubbed some edges to age the die cuts.

I then clustered them in a heart shape and glued each gear to the next.

I then used Classic Hearts nested to create a frame, positioned this over the top

and glued in place.

Mounted onto a kraft card mat and then a kraft card front.

The finished card with a typed and die cut sentiment.



Some close up pics.

Really pleased with how this one turned out,

I guess I can occasionally make a card without a flower or butterfly!

Die set featured today with clickable link - Gears, in stock now.

Also very pleased to say that we have managed to get some of the 

3D Vignette dies earlier than the anticipated March delivery date.

These are the gorgeous designs by Becca Feeken.

If you've pre-ordered they will be on their way.

You can check out the in stock items on the website here.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend - what are you up to?

I'm visiting Bexley Library tomorrow, the author Ben Aaronovich is

going to be there doing a talk and I am a real fan.

If you like crime novels with a bit of magic then check him out.

I will then be back crafting, of course!

Take care friends.

Golden and Floral Photo Frame

Hello friends

Today I'm featuring Floral Photo Frame,

one of the dies from the Flower Garden Collection designed by Sharyn Sowell.

The frame has decorative corner cuts so you can slot a photo inside 

and there is also the very pretty floral strip panel.

I chose to place this under the frame.

The flower is Textured Flowers and I should mention who is inside the frame...

that's Imogen.

She's the oldest pet member of the Emberson household, she's 18 this year

and let's just say she's rather spirited.

She was given to us by our local vet when she was found dumped in our town.

The vet warned us she was possibly part feral,

I've always enjoyed a challenge!

I've mounted the frame on patterned paper and a dark brown card base.

Perfect for all cards to include a special photo (not necessarily a part-feral cat!)

or can be adapted for home decor too.

Floral Photo Frame is available to pre-order on the website here.

I'm at my city job today, dressing warm because goodness it is cold.

Please stop by tomorrow, it's Friday Die Day.

Take care friends.

Hump Day Giveaway

Hello friends

It's Hump Day Giveaway Day!

Last week's giveaway was a pre-loved

set I'll Have a Slice

And the winner is...

Wendy L

(Alicante, Spain...bet it's warmer there!)

Congratulations Wendy, please email: 

hope-chances@live.co.uk

with your details and we will post your prize out to you.

If you missed out it is possible to purchase
 I'll Have a Slice pre-loved here.

This week's giveaway is a pre-loved set 

Get Well Soon Scalloped Circle

It's a very pretty and indeed useful die set.

Teamed with flowers it looks beautiful.

If you would like to win this week's giveaway

please leave a comment on today's post 

A winner will be picked and announced next Wednesday.

It is also possible to purchase Get Well Soon Scalloped Circle here.

Take care friends - have a super Wednesday!