Friday Die Day

Hello friends

This week's Friday Die Day features a few dies but the stunning prominent

golden one is Untamed Heart - one of the Rebel Rose collection

designed by Stacey Caron for Spellbinders.

I've kept Elliott busy and he has created a video showing how I put this card

together.  You can view it below or please visit my YouTube channel

here - getting a little collection together now :)

I've rather fallen in love with Untamed Heart, it does look particularly

pretty cut from foil card, the design looks rather Victorian too.

The other dies featured are Rebel Jewels and Labels 56.

Feel free to check out Stacey Caron's dies here.

Wishing you all a brilliant weekend, what are you up to?

I have no plans aside from crafting...of course :)

Take care friends.

That pretty piece of patterned paper...

Hello friends

Today's card features Marisa Job's Thank You Pop Up die.

I've chosen to use it flat but having the pop up option is a nice alternative

especially for decorating boxes and making table favours.

I based the whole design around the blue bird on the patterned paper -

do you ever do that?  Work a project around a particular piece of paper?

One day I intend to see the bottom of my scrap paper box but not sure when!

I added lots of blue flowers and the foliage is Sprigs.

Distressing the paper is something I always used to do and had stopped,

nice to revisit these techniques occasionally.

Just heading to my cabin, at the weekend I tidied up the stock room

and Elliott has given his approval(!)  I should carry on and tidy my craft area

but somehow the actual crafting is a lot more fun!

Thank You Pop Up is available on the website here.

Take care friends.

Craft, Congrats and Climbing Fences

Hello friends

Today's blog post is a little later due to escapades last night! 

Ridiculously I managed to lock myself out (yes again!)

In my defence...it is a new front door (still getting used to it!)

I forgot that a top window was open and a gust of wind blew down and I heard 

a tiny click (not even a satisfying door slam)

and that was me stuck outside in shorts, shirt and flip flops.

At this point I reassured myself that the back door is wide open,

I can just reach over and unlock the back gate.

I live in a mid-terraced property so to gain access to the 

back of my home you walk down an alleyway - a very

overgrown alleyway!  At my gate I realise there was probably a good reason

why I fitted turnbuckles and extra bolts that are unreachable but 

it isn't helping me now!

I look at the fence and wonder if I can climb that (in flip flops!?)

Ten years ago I probably could have I ponder...

Then I remember I'm up against a time limit here -

I'm due to pick Elliott up in thirty minutes and I have no phone to

contact him.  I then hit upon the idea of my neighbour, Micky.

Then real hilarity ensues - she has a ladder, yes I can climb a 

ladder to the top of my fence and yes I can balance on a wall opposite 

the alleyway, but then lowering the ladder on the other side of the 

gate and me having to leap across to climb down....ummm...no way! 

While this is happening Bella is totally confused, barking at me

and then stopping thinking 'I know that person trying to break into our garden!'

We revert to modern technology, through the medium of Facebook.

We eventually get a message to Elliott who in turn manages to contact my 

Mum on her mobile and then my lovely Dad drives round with the spare key.

I'm actually only an hour late picking him up, Bella is still looking 

perplexed and I look like I've been pulled through a hedge backwards.. because

I pretty much have been!

So lessons learned and surprisingly I'm not aching too much today from

running up and down ladders! 

Finally a crafty offering...you deserve it for getting this far!

Today's card features Congrats a sentiment die designed by Marisa Job

for Spellbinders.

It is actually a Pop-Up die so has two sides but I've adapted it 

to place on the front of a card.

I found some pretty patterned paper, distressed it a little and inked the edges.

Created lots of flowers and also added curly foliage from Sprigs.

Congrats is available on the website here.

Take care friends, enjoy your day.

I'm hoping for an uneventful one! 

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

First - congratulations to Ann who had the winning ticket

for this month's charity kit :) 

Second - we celebrated Bella's birthday yesterday,

I did post it quite a lot on social media (!) but I will be sharing 

photos here tomorrow.

Third - it is Friday Die Day!

I intended to do another video this week but my cabin was

way too hot so instead I'm revisiting one of my favourite dies -

Pointed Mini Envelope.  A die set designed by

Tammy Tutterow for Spellbinders.

I adore little envelope dies!

 

 

The approximate measurements are:

Envelope: 3.00 x 6.50 in
Insert: 1.75 x 2.25 in

 

This is what it looks like cut/embossed.

 

 

I chose to use cream card stock, as soon as you emboss you can see the fold

lines - so simple.

 

Also nice that you have the insert die, the perfect size.  I used a script stamp for

decoration but you of course could write your own note.

 

My card base and Anna Griffin - Lovely Layers paper die cut with

Pierced Rectangles - (these are now back in stock).

 

I've stamped across the envelope and attached a little flower and leaves.

Placed this centrally on my card front.

 

 

 

 

Some further images.

 

Pointed Mini Envelope is available to purchase on the website 

both new and pre-loved here.

 

So...what are we all up to this weekend?

I'm not travelling so I'm going to catch up with crafty projects

and if it is cool enough tackle some ivy that is growing madly in my little garden.

 

Take care friends - have a good one whatever you are doing.

 

Warm, Winner and Thank You

Hello friends

The heat is slowing me down, apologies no blog post yesterday.

My eldest son is suffering the most, his room is in the loft 

so he experiences extremes of hot/cold throughout the year.

I can recommend Amazon for selling fans at reasonable prices!

Firstly today I want to share with you a beautiful thank you card

I received from Wendy.

She also very kindly included a donation for Ronald McDonald House.

It is lovely, I am always very honoured when I receive handmade cards.

Next announcing the winning number from this month's Charity Kit.

Please check your kit bags and see if you have number...

If you do...Congratulations!!

Please email me -

christine.emberson@blueyonder.co.uk

with your address details and your goodie bag will be on its way to you!

If you missed this month's kit (or would like to purchase previous kits)

Elliott has uploaded them to the website here.

Take care friends, city working day today -

comes around far too quickly but very grateful for the air con!

I'm Back Home!

Hello friends

I hope you are all well?

I'm back home after my time away in Coventry,

I'm most definitely missing the air con that we had in the hotel and venue!

The event I attended was hosted by AFCI (formerly CHA UK)

The One Big Show.

This was an opportunity for designers, retailers, suppliers etc

to get together, share information, listen to inspiring talks and more.

It is absolutely invaluable if you are in business or considering

launching a business or perhaps designing a product - 

definitely check out their website for more information.

I got to spend some time with Stacey Caron from Spellbinders...

and also I demoed some cards I designed using her collection,

specifically Rebel Rose.

Here is one of them...

Labels 57 for the aperture.

And the gorgeous die cut to the middle is Untamed Fleur,

A inked flower and leaf set to the middle for an injection of colour.

All dies are available on the website so please feel free to 

pop over and take a look.

I'll be back tomorrow with more, just catching up with things

at home and regularly hugging Bella!

Take care friends.

Coventry bound and Layered Tile

Hello friends

 

As mentioned, I'm setting off for Coventry today to the Ricoh Arena.

The car is packed to the rafters with crafty items to display

to retailers but I do hope to grab some photos while I'm there to share with you all.

I also hope to post a few things to Twitter and Facebook,

also getting to grips with Instagram at the moment -

I have to mentally tell myself that not every photo needs to be of Bella!

 

Today's crafty offering features Layered Tile,

a design by Marisa Job for Spellbinders.

It is a two piece die set that can be used separately or overlayed together,

I've used a combination of four and added ribbon and a sparkly flower.

 

Quite possibly the largest card I've ever made! Well by my standards,

I tend to go diddy small!

Layered Tile is available on the website here.

Whilst I'm away Elliott is back in charge of processing orders and any queries...

go on make him busy.. I dare you! ;)

 

Take care friends, enjoy the sunshine - I think we are all going to

get some sunny rays this weekend.

 

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

This week's Friday Die Day features 

Flowers and Leaves embossing folder.

I've done a video (with lots of help from Elliott)

that shows the technique of using embossing folders with matting dies

and also decorating envelopes.

I hope you like it, here's some photos of the finished project

including Stanley Bear.

A photo at this angle looks like he needs a new nose!

The flowers are from Marisa's Bouquet.

Flowers and Leaves is available on the website here

and there's also the option of buying it in a bundle offer here.

Take care friends, I'm heading to Coventry this weekend to 

demo Spellbinders at the Richo Arena.

It is a retailer event and I'm thrilled that Stacey Caron from Spellbinders

is flying in to be a guest speaker.

We are trading goodies - she is bringing Lucky Charms (breakfast cereal),

Reeses goodies and Nerds in exchange for Galaxy chocolate -

we like to get the important stuff sorted! 

Have a lovely weekend everyone and take care.

Perspective...

Hello friends

I got up yesterday morning with the intention of typing a blog post,

heard the news of the terrible fire in London and stopped typing.

Blogging paled into insignificance.

My heart ached for those people, family and pets caught up in such a tragedy.

Fire terrifies me (as I'm sure it does others),

I cannot and honestly do not want to imagine what those people 

went through and what they suffered and will continue to suffer 

while rebuilding their lives.

I do not want to be maudlin and I rarely stick my head above the parapet and 

voice an opinion but doesn't it throw things into perspective?

I am rich today, rich beyond words because I have a roof over my

head and my family and pets are safe.

I wanted to shout this from the rooftops yesterday

when I heard petty trivialities in the supermarket and read similar online...

So that's my words today with just a little crafty offering...

Hug those closest today.

Take care friends, it is Friday Die Day tomorrow and that boy of 

mine has been working on a video...

A bit of tiling!

Hello friends

Today back to sharing with you one of the samples I made recently for

Create and Craft.

This features Flower Tile.

I've used four Flower Tile die cuts for my design and then added

squares of scrap paper to the open areas.

I managed to find some papers that looked a little like Moroccan tiles so that helped.

The flower and bow are created with the flower dies from 

Window of Memories - 

it's very OTT for me but fun to step out of my comfort zone occasionally. 

I also enjoyed using the little stamens - available from Amazon. 

Flower Tile is available on the website here.

What is everyone up to today?

Bella and I are out for a walk, meeting up with another gorgeous 

pup called Frankie.

Shhh...little secret - Bella's real love is a poodle called Billy, 

although her idea of wooing him is continually running in circles! 

I guess love does that to you sometimes :)

Take care friends.

Winner Time

Hello friends

I hope you all had a good weekend,

pleased to announce no more hamster traumas here!

Today I'm announcing the winner of last week's midweek giveaway -

a pre-loved set of Floral Swirls Strip.

I used this die for a Friday Die Day post and video,

getting back to shooting more videos this week,

bless Elliott and his endless patience! 

Now the important bit - thank you to all those who left a comment,

the winner is...

KITTY DAVIES

Congratulations Kitty!

Please drop me an email hope-chances@live.co.uk

with your address details and the die will be sent straight out to you.

Leaving you with this little message...

Take care friends.