Egg!

Hello friends

It must be time to show those Easter egg wraps again!

These are so easy to make and it really jazzes up a regular egg.

This one features Create A Daisy and the bunting is created with 3D Foam Pennants.

There is a full tutorial on how to make the Daisy flower here.

A piece of card isn't quite long enough but easy enough to put the join to the back

or hide with decorative paper.

It's a great way to really personalise an Easter egg.

Thank you for all the comments on Sunday Giveaway,

a winner will be announced before Easter so please check back.

I was AWOL yesterday as busy taking Elliott to hospital for his

MRI check, he needs these every six months.

We passed some of the waiting time playing cards - I won!

Elliott has battled with anxiety ever since he became ill and has coped really well,

but sadly yesterday he experienced some real panic attacks in the MRI so we've 

chosen to postpone it for a week or two.  

It's a hiccup but we will be back on track again soon, in between I pop

a cardboard box on his head each evening - yes... seriously!

This 'therapy' (recommended by a psychologist) worked brilliantly last time so we are going 

for it again - I'm tempted to decorate the box with a few Easter flowers and butterflies!

Take care friends - happy crafting!

Sunday Giveaway

Hello friends

One hour less!?  I needed that for crafting!

It's been a little while since a giveaway so making amends today!

Following on from Friday's feline theme today I'm giving away a set of 

Kitty Play - a gorgeous set of dies featuring three cats, mouse, wool,

paw prints and a fishbone!

When I featured these dies recently I showed you the beautiful cards

that Yana from the Spellbinders Design Team had made.

 So effective using the silhouette of the die.

  Adding some coloured card behind.

All you have to do is leave a comment on today's blog post and 

mid week Elliott will pick out a winner.

Take care friends - enjoy your Sunday.

Bird Houses

Hello friends

Spring is here and Easter is just around the corner so I thought I would share the bird house
project I created last year.  This is a nice idea for mini eggs. 
 

There is a template that you can download and print here.

  For the bird house, if you can, print directly onto your coloured cardstock -
this saves time sticking a printed copy sheet onto cardstock and cutting around.
You do also need to print one onto normal copy paper (I will explain why later).

You then need to decide if you would like your birdhouse to have a straight edge sides
or a curved bottom (!) this will dictate where you score. Cut out the template.
You need to cut the circle, I've used Standard Circles Sml.

There isn't a template for the roof, but it is very simple - cut a piece of card 

measuring 6" x 3¾", I chose to use kraft card.  

I wanted a pretty roof edge and used the scallop edge from Classic Edges One. 

 Fold the roof in half. 

 From the additional print of the template on copy paper just cut out the
front section of the birdhouse.  You can then achieve the weatherboard look by cutting
strips of card and adhering across.

 You may want to ink the edges slightly - I chose white.
Keep adding layers until you've covered the front.

 This is how the reverse looks.  Once dry trim around and die cut the circle.
You will be overlaying and attaching this to the front of the house.

 Returning to your template, score along the dotted lines, fold and assemble.

You can then pop the roof on and attach some decoration. Done!

And if you are Ann Morris you may need to make one for each of your 13 grandchildren!
I think she's done a fantastic job - they look superb, well done Ann and congratulations
on two more grandchildren on the way!

Take care friends - I'm back tomorrow.

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

It's Feline Friday Die Day!
This week I've chosen Pawing Around - Cat.

This very cute set consists of 5 template pieces measuring approximately:

Hearts - 7cm x 6.2cm
Paw print 1 - 1.9cm x 2.2cm
Paw print 2 - 1.3cm x 1.3cm
Paw print 3 - 0.9cm x 0.9cm

This is what they look like cut/embossed.

I've chosen to make a cat sympathy card.

I noticed most shops now stock sympathy cards for the loss of a pet.

 

I used the heart featuring the cat face, traced around the heart shape and cut out to create

a cream card backing.

My card base - a strip of dotty patterned paper adhered down the left hand side.

It was then simple...stamped the sentiment down the right hand side (Lawn Fawn stamp),
placed the heart bottom central to the card front. 
Added a paw print (middle size) and flower - the flower is Marisa's Bouquet -
this set hasn't left my craft desk, I love the assortment of flowers and leaves.

Pawing Around - Cat is available on the website here - a special price today!
Pawing Around - Dog is also available here, again at the special price.
Of course, the card design would work equally well for both cat and dog.

Take care friends - wishing you all a 'purr-fect' weekend!
 

The Bomb and Sunflower!

Hello friends

I'm pleased to say no risk of the WW2 bomb in London today,
instead they brought it just a few miles from my home and detonated it!
We heard the 'boom' and was shocked just how loud it was.
I read somewhere that there is still many bombs under the streets of London
and fine if left undisturbed...!

Okay..back to craft!

Today's project is a gift box, it's a recycled box that I covered and decorated.

It features Create A Sunflower and the label shapes are Labels Thirty Eight.

Some time back I featured Create A Sunflower as Friday Die Day and there 

is a full tutorial here.

There is a new range of Create A Flower dies, just in time for Spring, they include:

Hydrangea

Camellia

Carnation

Zinnia

Orchid

and Peony

These are all available on the website (just click on the flower name) at a bargain price 

and previous Create A Flower dies are reduced too.

I will be doing tutorials on the new flowers soon, possibly videos if I enlist the 

help of Elliott (but he is rather engrossed in his new computer!)

And talking of Spring and flowers, yesterday when walking Bella I discovered so many 

bees buzzing about.  I'm so pleased Spring is here.

Also, yesterday's post showed Bella napping and I received a few enquiries

regarding my flowery bedding - it comes from Ikea and is called Rosali.

Take care friends and stop by tomorrow for Friday Die Day.

It's A Wrap!

Hello friends

Yes I'm back and focusing on chocolate!
This wrapper features Hearts A Flutter, such a pretty die and I love the birds in flight.

I've added some flowers and gemstones and the cream card is embossed with Impressabilities.

This is one of my demo pieces, again because it is quick and really highlights the die.
Hearts A Flutter is available on the website here.

I think someone is pleased I'm home - she's taking a few liberties and
napping on the bed!  Oh well....

Back to City job tomorrow, I had better get my skates on and prepare Friday Die Day!
(That's assuming they have defused the unexploded WW2 bomb which is quite near where I work!)
Take care friends.

Home from Durham

Hello friends

A later blog post today as got home quite late last night and fell into bed

feeling tired but happy.  Also had a rather excitable Bella on my hands!

 I had a brilliant time at the Crafty Nook in Durham.

Susan Platten is the owner of this craft oasis situated in Durham Indoor Market.

It may look a little shop but believe me lots and lots is crammed inside.

That's Susan in the front of the photo with a plate of sandwiches - she had 

provided lunch for everyone who came along to the demo, I couldn't quite manage

a ham and pease pudding sandwich - I'm just too much of a Southerner!

 I managed to snap a shot of the market, it is busy and bursting with stalls.

I miss markets like this, my own town market is un-visited and fallen into decline.

 And as I was leaving Durham the sun shone beautifully.

It is a wonderful place and I hope to visit again later this year and fit it some sight seeing time.

Thanks to all the lovely ladies that came along to the demo and especially to 

my blog followers - (Linda, your card and treats for Bella are truly lovely).

My next tour stop should be Chester, but keep checking as more venues are coming in.

Take care friends.

Humming Birds

Hello friends

Today a card that really shows off the die cuts, they are definitely the main feature.
I've used Floral Assortment to create a double frame for my humming birds,
(Graphic 45 paper) against a background of pale blue cardstock.

This card is travelling to Durham with me as I really think it shows off this die perfectly.
It is also available on the website here.

My bags are packed - I have a new suitcase, it's quite large!
Travelling by train this evening so I'm ready and raring to go at
The Crafty Nook in the morning.
Very much looking forward to meeting those who can get there.

As for other venues, I'm updating the tour schedule and I should be at
The Glitter Pot in Burgess Hill on Saturday and Sunday 2/3 May,
The Artistic Stamper in Faversham - Saturday 11 July and
Colemans in Rushden on Saturday 3 October.

Other bookings in between Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire and Buckinghamshire.
I'm certainly travelling the country :)

A Spring Sale has appeared on the website, more items added and of course don't forget
to regularly check out the Pre-Loved - always a bargain there.

Take care friends, enjoy your Sunday.

Biggest Fan

Hello friends

Today sharing a card that has just appeared on Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L blog.
'I'm your biggest fan!' features Photo Corners - Kraft, Blossom Fan and Blooms Four.

The full details of this project are over on the Scrapbook Adhesives blog here.

If you have a moment would truly appreciate you popping over there and leaving a comment.

Did you see the solar eclipse?  Far too cloudy in Kent so had to make do with the BBC news.

Incredible and we've got a few years to wait until the next one!

Wishing you all a great weekend - what are you up to? Crafting?

Take care friends.

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

This week's Friday Die Day is Bow Couture, one of the Victorian collection dies.
There is a total of 6 die templates, each bow has an outer die and an inset.

The measurements are:
Bow 1: 1 7/8 x 1 3/8” (Inset: 1¾ x 1 ¼”) 
Bow 2: 2 ¾ x 2” (Inset: 2 5/8 x 1 7/8”) 
Bow 3: 2½ x 2¾” (Inset: 2 3/8 x 2½”)

This is how they look cut/embossed using both the outer die and inset.

And just using the outer dies.

It's no secret that I'm not a big lover of bows, you rarely see them on my cards,

occasionally a small one and maybe a twine bow but I find this die set rather charming.

I especially like the smallest bow so I decided to design my card using that one.

I die cut three from white card and one from bright pink.

The banner is Grommet Tags and I printed the wording on my computer.

And here is the card. A white card base, 6 x 6 Matting Basics A and B
for the pink and white matting.
I positioned the bows with 3D Foam Squares and added the tag along the bottom with
matching pink pearls.

Perhaps in black and white without the pretty inset piece for a gentleman's card?

Bow Couture is available on the website here.

Have a lovely weekend, take care friends.

Window With Love

Hello friends

Today, I'm sharing another project that I made with the craft group in Milton Keynes.
This is a favourite card design of mine that I just slightly altered for the class.
It features Window One, Sprigs and Sentiments Three.

It's such a simple design and I especially like the leaves winding their way through the window.

I've been busy again and more pre-loved dies have been added to the website here.
I did take a little break last night as the boys wanted to take me out for dinner,
a belated Mother's Day gift.
This is a first and it felt so strange (but lovely) when they asked for the bill!

I'm hoping this is the first of many dinner treats! ;)

Take care friends.

Chocolate...

Hello friends

As mentioned, my trip at the weekend was to Milton Keynes to see a very 

special friend of mine, best selling author Carole Matthews. 

We decided to have a craft day and invite a few ladies along who were 

interested in learning all about die cutting.

It was a fantastic day.  Here we are not crafting at all, enjoying lunch! 

We made quite a few projects including a chocolate wrapper.

 Decorated with Sprigs, Pretty Petals B and Pretty Petals D.

The paper is Anna Griffin, it looks like it has been stamped which I think is gorgeous.

And here are the ladies holding up the sticky note project.

I think the ladies are hooked on craft now ...my mission was a success! :)

This week I'm a busy bee again - more pre-loved items have been uploaded to the
website here and I'm getting ready for my visit to Durham, I'm never bored!

Take care friends.