Time for tea!

For this card, I used a Hobby Art stamp, which funnily enough is called "time for tea"

The brown card measured 21cm x 14.8cm and was scored along the long edge at 2cm 4cm 17cm and 19cm. The first score line (each side)was valley folded and the second mountain folded to form the shop front. I cut an aperture into the front of the card, (see picture) then I took a piece of acetate and applied peel-off strips to it to create the windows. (TIP - it's best to make up the windows before sticking the acetate onto the card so that the panes don't end up too small...use your cutting  mat as a guide for placing the strips)

I stuck the acetate into the back of the brown card. Then I stamped up my time for tea sign and stuck it above the window. I also made strips for each side and a sill for the bottom. I marked the base of the card with faux bricks. I then used one of the stamps to make some bunting and stuck it inside the window to look like a fancy blind.

Next, I cut my white card to 14.8cm x 17cm. I drew a box onto the centre of it, so that my stamping pattern would fit nicely. (some of it will overlap the edges so that there would be no gaps showing when you look through the window of the card.) I stamped each image separately, using the masking technique and then coloured the design with pro-markers. I like anything I make to be standing on a surface so I drew lines in pencil either side of each item, except where they overlapped.

I applied double sided tape to one short side of the brown card between the edge and the first score line. I stuck this to the short edge of the white card with the stamped design. (check its the right way up first!) I put double sided tape on the opposite short side of the brown card as before. Fold this strip at score line and flatten the card as you stick it to the opposite side of the white piece.

NOTE: -  If the marker pens you have used have "bled" through the white card (at the back) add a further piece, cut to the same size and stick one on top of the other.

Hope this hasn't left you feeling totally confused, and that you will try a bit of masking for yourself.

Until next time,
Happy crafting   x

Cone card

When the Great Gatsby film was released earlier this year, it inspired me to create this card using a Kanban stamp.
I drew out the card shape and then made a smaller version in black. The fold is on the left hand side and the card is joined by a "tab" on the right. The front and back is the same shape. Peel off lines were stuck onto the black part of the card to form sections and all the way around the edge.
 The figure in the middle was stamped onto a separate piece of card. It was coloured with pro markers using a flesh tone and different shades of ONE other colour. I then curved the figure a little and attached it to the card with 3d pads. Gems were applied to each section, one either side in the middle and one in the centre of each other panel.
The card stands when the whole thing is formed into a cone shape, but when flattened fits easily into an envelope.
A little bit of class

Till next time
Happy crafting x

Stencils part 3

I took a piece of copy paper, folded it in half, and drew a simple butterfly shape on it. I then drew sections within the top and bottom wings. Using a craft knife, I carefully cut out each section making sure that the blade went through both pieces of paper at a time. I opened the folded paper out to form my stencil.
 I took a piece of white card, and attached the stencil (with masking tape) I didn't want to use the full image this time. (see image)  I applied inks as before overlapping the colours to obtain different shades. I repeated the same thing in the opposite corner of the paper. I then inked 2 more bodies (on a separate piece of paper) so that I could attach them later.
I cut around the butterfly wings and folded them towards the body. I then stuck the centre of the butterflies to my base card,with glue and attached  the wings with 3d pads. I also put pads on the extra body pieces before attaching them to the butterflies.
 I made the daisies from lemon card and embossed them along each petal. I punched out a small dot (from another piece of card) and used this to stencil through to form the middle of each flower.
It was nice to do some more designing and I bet you would never guess that I'm a big fan of butterflies!

Till next time
Happy crafting x

Stencilling part 2

 I made a further stencil as before. This time I drew through all of the sections and made a Zentangle pattern. Can you  remember the old idea called "taking a dog for a walk?" It consisted of drawing an overlapping squiggle on a page and then filling in all of the sections with a different pattern. Well its a bit like that. When I was designing my butterfly, I realised it was a good idea to repeat each pattern on the top and bottom wings to bring the design together. I then blacked out the centrepiece a little so that the sections became fused in the middle.
I feel that the time making the stencil was well worthwhile, considering the different effects I achieved, and because of this I decided to have a go at making my own butterfly design.

Stencilling part 1

I found a pattern for this butterfly in black and white on the net. I cut out all of the black pieces to form a stencil. I took 3 different shades of distress inks and applied then through the stencil onto my card allowing them to blend together here and there. This was the finished effect.

Prick n Stitch

I love prick and stitch cards for a change now and again and there are some really pretty designs on the market nowadays.
This one comes from a book I have had recently. It looks a bit busy when the pricking is complete and you first remove the paper, but once you get used to the pattern it soon comes together. Its mostly worked in straight stitches but the centre of the flowers and the outer stalks are completed with French knots. If you fancy having a go at the knots, its well worth learning to do it properly. Trust me, it makes all the difference!

Keep on crafting!

 

buddleja card

A Buddleja bush draws all of the summer butterflies to the garden and I wanted to capture this moment when I made my card.
I used a 14.8cm white card blank and added a deckled purple matt (14cm x 14cm)and a central white square (10x10cm)
Using a "Joy" die I cut out all of the flowers and stuck them to 2 cone shapes I had created. I adhered the first flower to the card with glue and the second over the top using sticky pads.  I coloured the edges of the leaves with purple ink to make them look more realistic and I rendered 2 of them in 3d. I then added gems as shown.
True to say, it wouldn't be very practical to put this card in an envelope so I will have to make a box for it. It will have to be for someone really special!

Toadstool (new home)

Here's a "New home" card that I made for my daughter when she moved recently. I thought that a shaped card would make a nice change from the norm. I designed it all myself keeping the pattern as simple as possible and added a few details afterwards. I really enjoyed making a card from scratch

(that never ending commodity) There's even been some interest in the pattern!

Keep on crafting guys!

love Pat x

 

OSMO the Owl

Now and again its nice to design something from "scratch" and to that end I made this owl using heart shapes.
The back heart wraps over the front and there is a gusset in the middle so that it stands up. The face is also a heart shape stuck at the back and overhanging the front. The beak is a triangle and the eyes are circle punches with a little v cut into the dark part. I made a pattern for the hair and feet (which are an upside down "m" shape)
I've shared the design with some of my friends and so far the response has been very positive! Its amazing how much can still be made from simple shapes.

 Until next time

Happy crafting x

layered sewing

 

While I have actually got  few moments, I thought I'd add this "Mother's Day" card idea.

 

I stamped a text image (Marion Embersons Love Story Script) onto a piece of paper. I tore the edges  and inked them. I applied it to a piece of card( approximately 17cm x 12cm)  I pricked out a daisy pattern and worked through the card AND the paper at the same time to complete the design. It was  then matted and layered onto an A5 card blank as shown.

 

I was very pleased with the finished effect and it made me think of doing something simular, (perhaps with a musical notes stamp or pre printed paper) in the future.

 

Until next time,

Happy cardmaking,

lots of love

Pat x



 





something for Jackie

These next 3 pictures are for Jackie (you know who you are! and sorry its taken me so long!) I dont know what this style of card is called because I took the idea from a birthday card I received some time ago, (as you do!) Anyway here goes...

 

This is the "wrap" part. Its made up of a piece of double sided 12" x 12" paper cut to measure 20cm square. Measure 5 cm inwards at each corner and score a line from edge to edge.  Fold each corner backwards as shown. Stick the corners down with a 3d pad and thread ribbon through each slot.

In this sample the card is made using a mandela peel off. Each layer is applied to a different side of the backing paper and cut out. The panel in the centre of the card measures 7cm square. Some of the remainder of the "wrap" paper was used to complete the design.

I hope, that if you havent already made a simular card to this in the past, you wil have a go. Its really effective!

This is the finished card with the wrap tied around it. The papers are from one of the"my mind's eye" ranges. 

 

Anniversary Roses

I recently made a special card for some friends of mine who were celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary.
 It was made up almost entirely of "circular roses." Simply cut a circle, cut a spiral into the centre and roll it up, working from the outside inwards. (This is easier with a qilling tool) I made a heart pattern by folding a piece of paper in half and cutting it out. I then cut the pattern in half again and drew it onto the card. I made different sized roses and applied them to the heart shape. I punched out some small leaves and added some peel off swirls. I completed the card with peel off edges, corners and the greeting.
You could make something simular for Valentines Day using shades of red.... let me know if you try it!

lots of love
Pat x

Something blue

On these very snowy days its nice to think of flowers again and to use different colours from red, green and white! This is quite a simple card using a combination of techniques. The flower is made from 4 circles, measuring 3" 2 .5" 2"   draw around a 2p for the smallest one in the centre. The first matt is the same colour as the flower.The second matt is made using a Hugie Board to create a lattice-work layer. The leaves are also made from circles cut into crescents and shaped. I added some quilled swirls, gems and the greeting to complete the card.I'm looking forward to sharing some more of my work with

 you this year and will do my best to keep up with the blog! (n.b. this is not a New Year's resolution!)

Bye for now and thanks for looking.

love Pat x