Friday Die Day

Hello friends

Not long now to the big festive day!

This week I've chosen to use Snowman.

He is from the 2018 Spellbinders Holiday Collection 

along with  Reindeer and Santa - all back in stock!

Six dies in the set with approximate measurements of:

Snowman: 1.80 x 1.25 in 4.57 x 3.18 cm
Face: 1.65 x 1.45 in 4.19 x 3.68 cm
Scarf: 1.70 x 0.85 in 4.32 x 2.16 cm
Holly: 0.95 x 0.95 in 2.41 x 2.41 cm
Nose: 0.55 x 0.30 in 1.40 x 0.76 cm
Eyes: 0.30 x 0.30 in 0.76 x 0.76 cm

I've used a mix of white, black, red and orange cardstock to cut the pieces.

You'll notice the face gives the impression of where you place the 

eyes and nose - very handy.

I've glued them in place and used a pen to draw in the mouth.

Coloured the holly with distress ink, attached the berries 

and placed on his hat.

My card is going to be kraft with ivory and red square mats 

and a strip of patterned paper.

The finished card with the Snowman attached with 3D Foam Squares

onto an oval die cut.

I also added a typed sentiment and another sprig of holly and berries.

He looks quite friendly and festive! 

Items used today with links:

Snowman

3D Foam Squares

You may also like the following, 

we've restocked as they were so popular:

Reindeer (as recently featured with the charity kit)

and/or Santa

Are we all dashing around this weekend to get through those lists?

I'm heading up to Milton Keynes on Sunday to see my friends

so that will be a day of fun and relaxing, now Saturday is a different story!

Take care friends.

Giveaway Day!

Hello friends

It's Wednesday and that means...

Last week's giveaway was pack of glass cabochons from our 

Hope and Charm-ing range.  These feature the pretty Blue Tits

and would team well with many projects.

Thank you for all the comments and the winner is...

Debbie Siddle

Congratulations please email: 

hope-chances@live.co.uk

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

Now onto this week's giveaway.
It is a pre-loved die set - Coffee Woman.

This is one of the Cuppa Coffee, Cuppa Tea Collection,

all available on the website pre-loved here.

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.

(Please claim your prize within a month of announcement).

Shout out to Rainey's Craft Room who has not claimed last week's prize.

Take care friends, have a great middle of the week.

It's Glimmering on Hochanda today!

Hello friends

The Glimmer machine and plates will be the new

one day special starting on Hochanda later today.

Julia Watts will be doing the shows and she will be featuring

a mix of hot foil plates.

Along with foiling she is also showing dry embossing 

and letterpress techniques.

Plates featured will include Flourishes Frame.

Cartouche.

Thinking of You

Also featured will be Becca's designs including 

Elegant Rectangle.

Plus quite a few more.

We have a wide variety of the Glimmer Plates and all in our 

Bargain Basement.

Don't forget foils and the machine too.

Take care friends.

Hand Lettering - First Attempts!

Hello friends

First of all thank you for all the kind enquiries regarding Mum.

She has finished her course of treatment but

is a little under the weather.

I'm cooking a roast today to feed her up as she's lost a lot of

weight and really cannot afford to lose more.

She's been told to eat anything and everything - 

imagine that at this time of year! 

Earlier this week I mentioned I was starting something new -

brush/hand lettering.  

This is the book I purchased from Amazon basically because

 I liked the cover!  

I did also favour that it shows how to do the flowers and flourishes.

So here's my tiny bit of progress.

I posted the first picture on Instagram and one comment said

 I was very brave, I then thought 'oh no, it must be really bad!' 

I then switched to some lined paper and this helped for sure.

I found it hard to get that many swirly loops (technical term!) for the 'm'. 

Practice, practice, practice is definitely the key.

Right now I'm using one of the Sakura Micron pens.

It does feel nice but I'm investing in some Zig Brushable Pens,

good advice from a lovely lady at Spellbinders who also espied 

my efforts on Instagram!

So tiny steps with my new hobby but thought I would share.

I've had quite a few of you message me to say you are starting too.

We could have a a 'write-along'? 

Take care friends, it's weather for ducks out there at the 

moment so definitely time to stay indoors.

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

This week's Friday Die Day is a tutorial using one the 

adjustable Shadow Box Frames

(I got around to it at last!)

I've chosen to use the smallest one 1/2 inch border.

So these dies may look a little confusing at first, hopefully this

tutorial will clarify how they work.

Within each set is 5 dies - 4 make up the adjustable 

frames and the tiny one is a hinge/corner piece.

The 4 adjustable frame pieces come in two designs -

they mirror each other so ensure you use matching ones.

Here we go...

First of all decide what size frame you would like,

this decision will dictate the lengths of your card that you cut. 

Next, the lengths of card need to be the width of the dies.

With this 1/2" set I cut my card widths to 5.5cm.

Aligning the dies - spot the little corners?

Becca refers to these as 'bump outs'.

Align that 'bump out' with the corner of your card,

I've placed an arrow for clarification.

Here's the dies positioned and taped to the lengths of card.

This will create two sides of the frame so you'll need to do this twice.

Run through your die cutting machine, no need to emboss.

Remove the dies, repeat until you have 4 pieces - two of each design.

Next, use a score board or if you haven't got one, a ruler and a scoring tool.

Notice the die has already imprinted lines top and bottom?

You are scoring so those lines join up.

All 4 pieces scored. 

You get faster as you do more!

Affix a strong tape to each panel,

I used Extreme Double Sided Tape, it is 'extreme' - sticks perfectly!

Now fold along all those score lines, remove your tape and fix each side down.

You will then have 4 frame pieces, two look straight and two mitred.

The mitred ones have sticking out tabs.  Arrows on picture to indicate.

Those tabs tuck inside to give extra reinforcement.

Also cut 4 little hinge pieces, again no need to emboss.

Now to join all the frame pieces.

Alternate mitred with straight pieces.

Fold the little hinges in half, apply glue and slot into the end

of each frame piece. Take your time so the line in the hinge 

aligns with the top of your frame piece.

You'll then find you can slot each frame piece in at right angles.

Tip: make sure you have all the fronts of your frame pieces in a 

line when assembling, it is so easy to get this wrong! 

Alternative method with hinge pieces -

if you prefer you can affix these on the outside to hold the corners, 

they are decorative and would look good perhaps if you are

creating a gold/silver frame - it is entirely personal choice.

Once all pieces are glued you can use your score board to gently

push your frame into the corner to align.

It's really quite robust, clever engineering!

Attach a back piece of card and your frame is done!

This was my very first attempt and I can see a very slight misalignment 

in one corner but overall I'm very impressed with how these dies work.

And of course, you can make frames to whatever size you need.

I do intend to put something in mine so stay tuned :) 

So if you fancy a Shadow Box Frame the

1/2" Border is available here

3/4" Border is available here

Extreme Double Sided Tape

We have currently sold out of the 1" frame,

I confess I do like the slimmer ones! 

Take care friends, have a brilliant weekend,

who is doing festive stuff?

Giveaway Wednesday and trying something new...

Hello friends

It's Wednesday and that means...

Last week's giveaway was a pre-loved die set
 From Heart and Hand.

Thank you for all the comments and the winner is...

Rainey's Craft Room

Congratulations please email: 

hope-chances@live.co.uk

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

Now onto this week's giveaway.
It's a pack of glass cabochons from our 
Hope and Charm-ing range.  These feature the pretty Blue Tits
and would team well with many projects.

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.

(Please claim your prize within a month of announcement).

We have more new Hope and Charm-ing items over on the website here.

So here's my new purchase and my 'try something new'.

My plan is to do this in the evenings instead of sitting at my 

computer working, it's hard to switch off so this might do the trick.  

I like the idea of learning how to do the scrolls, flowers as well

as the lettering (it's not as posh and disciplined as calligraphy).

I purchased the book and pens from Amazon and I'll keep you posted

how it goes.  Let me know if you've tried this and have any tips please.

Take care friends, have a great middle of the week.