When the Red, Red Robin.....

Good Morning All and a very Happy Wednesday!

Well, here's today's offering for the Creative Studios Blog.

For this card I've used the Robin and Wreath Singles Stamps as well as the A6 Mistletoe Background Stamp.

As always, I've put the full instructions with photos on the Creative Studios site.

Although I've painted the bird as a Robin, you could use this stamp all year round by changing the colours.

Anyway, apologies for a flying visit today!  I'll be back next Tuesday with a project for Creative Expressions.

Many thanks for visiting and leaving comments.

A Partridge in a Pear Tree?

Good Morning All and a very Happy Wednesday!

Just a quick posting today with a photo of a card I've made for the Creative Studios blog.

I've used the Partridge Singles stamp and also the Tree stamp.  Both are available from the Creative Studios Shop.

As always, I've posted the full instructions with photos over on Creative Studios.

I hope you like it!

Many thanks for visiting and leaving comments and I'll be back on Tuesday with a project for Creative Expressions.

Tree Decoration

Good Morning All and a very Happy Wednesday.

Today is my Creative Studios Project Day and I thought I'd get away from cards and make a decoration for the Christmas Tree.  It would also make a nice wall decoration.

I've used the small Poinsettia from the Festive Wreath Singles stamps designed by Sam Poole for this.

As always, the full step by step is on the Creative Studios blog so I do hope you'll visit there and take a look.

The flowers were very easy to cut out so it didn't take too long to make.

I hope you like it!  Many thanks for visiting and leaving comments. 

The workshop for the 6th September is sold out but there are a few spaces on the 27th.

Until next time, have a happy, crafty week.

Prickles the Hedgehog!

Good Morning All, it's Wednesday and that means I have a project using one of the stamps from the Very talented Sam Poole at Creative Studios to show you.

I've used Prickles the Hedgehog for this one...he is just so cute that I had to use him more than once on a card!!

I've put the full "how to" on the Creative Studios Blog so please visit there for the instructions.

I think you'll have to agree though, that he is gorgeous!

Anyway, that's it for today, just a short posting.

Many thanks for visiting and I'll be back next week with more ideas for Xmas!

Dasher Deer!

Good Morning All and may I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

No, I haven't completely lost the plot, but I do want to introduce you to one of the new Xmas stamps from Sam Poole at Creative Studios!!

The stamp I've used to make the card below is "Dasher Deer" and he is just so cute.  If you loved the range of Woodland stamps Sam did earlier in the year, then you're in for a treat this winter.

I'm afraid that my photography isn't showing how well this came out.  I'd love to be able to pass it around you all.  If you're coming to the October workshop at Martells, not only will you be able to see it, you'll be making it too!
Of course, there are the step by step instructions on the Creative Studios Blog.

There is a hedgehog, robin and partridge as well as some trees and a poinsettia.  I'll be blogging those over the next few weeks but if you can't wait, I'll have all the stamps for you to see on Crafty Sunday (3rd August).

So, until next time, have a fab week!

Black and Gold

Good Morning All and a very Happy Tuesday!

Well, this is the last July DT piece for Creative Expressions using the gorgeous Masks I was sent to play with so I thought I'd come up with a real "classy" number!

Anyway, here goes.......

Cover a piece of Teresa Collins paper with Creative Expressions Double Sided Adhesive.

Apply Perfect Medium to the mask to help it release and apply Micro Beads.

Remove the mask and sprinkle Cosmic Shimmer Aurora Crystal Sparkle Emboss Powder over the paper and heat carefully.

Cut out with Spellbinders Grand Circle Dies.  Matt and layer with Teresa Collins Paper cut with the Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Circles.

Emboss a piece of Coconut White card using the Creative Expressions A4 Heart Lattice Folder.
Matt and layer with black card and the same paper as the main design.  Add a length of Black Crushed Satin Ribbon.

Use 3d foam pads to attach the circle to the card.

Make "faux" pearls around the edges with Cosmic Shimmer Golden Pearl Coloured Pearlescent PVA Glue.

 

Using Black Card, die cut the Faux Quilled Blooms and the D-Lites Fantastic Flourish 1.  Cut the flourish into smaller sections and glue to the card.  Glue the flowers into place and add the Coloured PVA Glue to the flower centres.

 

 

And there's the finished card!

 

I hope you like this one, it's not inky at all which isn't like me!!

 

Well, that's it for today.  I'll be back in the morning with a Creative Studios project so I do hope you'll stop by for a look.  Many thanks for visiting and any comments you leave.  Just a quick reminder that Crafty Sunday is on 3rd August at my place....usual times (although you can stay after 4pm so warn your husbands!!)

 

Hope to see some of you there!

Tour de France!

Good Morning All and a very Happy Wednesday!

I'm back with a project I've made for Creative Studios.

I think I must have been inspired by the "Tour de France" for this one although their bikes are a bit more hi-tech!

I've used 2 sets of stamps; "Timeless Journey" and "Carte Postale".  They are both available from Creative Studios and designed by the very talented Sam Poole.

I've posted a full "how to" on their website so please pop over there for instructions!

I hope you like it!  Lots of fun to make and not too messy!

Well, that's all for today except to remind everyone that it's "Crafty Sunday" at my place on August 3rd.

So until next time, have a fab week and thank you for visiting!

Your Journey

Good Morning All and a Happy Wednesday to everyone.

I'm back with another project using some of my favourite Sam Poole Stamp sets.  I haven't used these for a while (guilty again of letting them get to the bottom of the stamp drawer!), but I know I'm going to keep them out now I've re-discovered them!

Anyway, the sets I've used are "Carte Postale" and "Up, Up and Away" and they're available from Creative Studios (as are all the products I've used).

I was pleased with how the colour scheme worked out.

If you head over to the Creative Studios site there's a step by step with photos and, I have to say, the first photo didn't look that promising!!

Well, that's all for today.  I'll be back on Tuesday with a Creative Expressions Project so until then, whatever you're doing, hope you have a great week and thanks for stopping by.

Just a Note!

Good Morning All, it's Tuesday so it's Creative Expressions Blog Day!  Hope you all had a great week.

The Design Team were sent some Masks to play with this month and it's been terrific fun trying to come up with new ways of "playing" with them!

This week I've gone for Distress Inks.  Anyway, enough chat, let's get on with it!

Place the mask over a piece of Coconut White Card.  Ink through the flower head parts of the mask with Cut 'n Dry Foam using Squeezed Lemonade, Barn Door and Rusty Hinge Distress Inks.  Move the mask around to put the flowers where you want them.  Add in some of the leaves.
Distress the edges with Rusty Hinge.

Matt and layer onto white and orange card.

Using orange card, cut out Spellbinders D-Lites Medallion 2.
Stamp "Just a Note" with Black Archival ink onto Coconut White Card and heat emboss with Cosmic Shimmer Clear Powder.
Use a Spellbinders die to cut out.  Leave the die in place and distress with Rusty Hinge Ink.
Attach to the Medallion with 3d foam pads.

Attach to the background card with pads.

Using Coconut White card, die cut flowers from the Spellbinders Finishing Touches Faux Quilled Flowers and leaves from the Faux Quilled Leaves sets.  Cut the leaves to make smaller pieces.  Glue to the card with Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue.
Add a few of the flowers with 3d foam pads.
Add some Creative Expressions 8mm faux pearls to the flower centres to finish.

And there's the finished project!

It's the same mask that I used last week but looks completely different.

I hope you've enjoyed this week's project.  I'll be back tomorrow with another project for the Creative Studios team.

Many thanks for visiting and until next time, have a happy, crafty time!

Multi Coloured Stamping

Good Morning All and a very Happy Wednesday!

I'm back with a quick card using a stamp that I haven't played with for a while.

I think we're all guilty of that.  We buy a stamp, get excited, use it once then put it away.  It usually ends up under a pile of newer stamps and gets forgotten about (or is that just me?).

Anyway, here's todays offering for the Creative Studios Design Team.

As usual, I've put the full "how to" with photos on the Creative Studios Website.

It's a lovely, quick card to make that would be great for a man (and we all know how difficult they can be!!).

Well, that's it for today.  Many thanks for visiting and I'll be back next Tuesday with a new Creative Expressions project.

Until then, have a happy, crafty week!

Just a Note

Good Morning All and a very Happy Tuesday!

I hope you're all well and had a great week.  I'm busy working on the projects for September's workshops and also the Xmas ones in October....aargh....I've used the dreaded "C" word!!!

Anyway, let's get on with a project for the Creative Expressions Design Team.

For this one, I've used the Decorative Elements Mask.  So let's get started....

Cut a piece of Foundations Teal Card to size.  Place the Decorative Elements Mask over the top and tape into position.
Using some Cut 'n Dry foam, dab Cosmic Shimmer Flake and Glitter Glue through the chosen corner of the mask.
Remove the mask and apply Cosmic Shimmer Harvest Moon Gilding Flakes.
Do the same on all 4 corners of the card.

Stick some Creative Expressions Double sided adhesive onto a piece of white card.
Using the Spellbinders Italian Collection Calabria Die, cut out.
Remove the protective covering and apply the same Gilding Flakes as before.

Glue onto a piece of Teal Card and cut to size.
Cut a circle of White Card with the Spellbinders Grand Circles.  Matt and layer.

Matt and layer the Teal Background with White and Teal Card.
Attach the circles with 3d foam pads.

Using the Spellbinders Italian Collection Decorative Frames Dies, cut a circle from white card.
Cut from Spellbinders Peony Dies a piece of Teal card.

Stamp "Just a Note" onto a piece of white card with Black Archival Ink.  Heat Emboss with Cosmic Shimmer Clear Powder. Cut out using the Spellbinders Peony Dies.

Matt and layer.  Add to the card with 3d foam pads.

And that's the finished card!

I do love Gilding Flakes....just remember not to sneeze, leave a window or door open and everything should be fine!!

Well, that's it for today.  I'll be back in the morning with a design for the Creative Studios Design Team.
Until the, have a happy, crafty day!

Ship Ahoy!

A very Happy Wednesday to you all and welcome to this weeks offering of a design for Creative Studios.

As always, I've put the full "how to" complete with pretty pictures on the Creative Studios website.

I've used my favourite colour combination of Teal and Brown....you can't go wrong with that as far as I'm concerned!

I will just say that, if you're coming to the workshop in September, this may very well be one that we'll be making!

Well, that's it for today.  I'm off to pack for a festival...yay!  I get to be an ageing hippy for the weekend!!

So until next time, have a happy, crafty week!

Collage Background

Good Morning All and a very Happy Wednesday!

I'm back with another project for Creative Studios today.

Sometimes you just can't find the right papers to match a project and it's just easier (and faster if you've got a craft room like mine!) to make your own!

I've made a collage background for this card using stamps from "Weigh Anchor" and the A6 Background Map.

I've posted the full "how to" with step by step photos on the Creative Studios Blog so please pop over there to have a look.

Just a quick one today as I've got stacks to do!

Many thanks for visiting and until next time.....keep crafting!

And the Winner Is......

Many thanks to everyone who took part in the Creative Expressions Blog Hop.  Your wonderful comments blew me away!

Unfortunately, there can only be one winner on this blog and so, using my husband as the random number picker (blame him!), the winner is..................................................................
............................................................................
........................................................
...................................
...............
Nicola Belshaw.

Many congratulations and a big thank you again to everyone for entering.  Please go to the Creative Expressions News Page to find out how to claim your prize,

Now onto other things!

I've put a full "how to" on the Creative Studios Blog for this weeks project.

I've used Sam Poole's new Singles Nautical Stamp "Just For You" plus stamps from other sets I already had.

All of the products used are listed on the how to.

Don't forget that Crafty Sunday is this week at my studio.  Please contact me if you'd like the address.  I'll be open from 10am-4pm.  There's lots of new stamps to try as well as Texture Paste and Masks.

Well, that's it for today.  Please head to the Creative Expressions Blog for a full list of winners from all of the hops.

Hope everyone has a very happy, crafty week!

A Father's Day Project

Good Morning All and Happy Wednesday.

Today is my turn to blog for the Creative Studios Design Team so I thought I'd show a Father's Day card using the new Singles stamps.

This one has used the Lighthouse stamp which comes with the sentiment...good value for money!

I've also used the Net Mask and the anchor has been cut out using Spellbinders Nautical Accents Dies.

I've used the waste from that to create a mask for the anchor in the background.

I've posted a full step by step over at Creative Studios so I won't repeat it all on here.  Please do pop over there and take a look.  The rest of the Design Team have done an amazing job with all the projects they've come up with using these lovely Nautical stamps.

Well, that's it for today.  I'll be back next week with more ideas so hope you can join me.  Until then, many thanks for visiting and have a great week.

Another Lantern!

Good Morning All and a very Happy Wednesday.

I'm back today with another Creative Studios Design Team project.

For this one, I've used the Singles "Lantern" stamp.

The biggest problem I had with this one was that I didn't have a mask that would give me the effect I wanted of the rays of light.

As you can see, I got around that one!  I've put the solution on the Design Team blog over at Creative Studios with a full "step by step" tutorial.

The ships wheels are from a set called "Weigh Anchor" from Creative Expressions.

Well, that's all for today.  We're getting ready to head off to a comedy festival at the weekend...a whole weekend of laughter...just what the doctor ordered!

I'll be back on Tuesday with another project for Creative Expressions.  Don't forget that Crafty Sunday will take place on 22nd June at my studio.

Many thanks for visiting and until next time, have a happy, crafty week!

Just For You!

Good Morning One and All and a very Happy Wednesday.

I'm back with a card a made as a sample for the shows that Sam had on Create and Craft a couple of weeks ago.

This is one of my favourites from all of the cards I've made using the Nautical Stamps.

I've used the Singles "Just For You" stamp and the waves are from the Spellbinder Nautical Accents Dies.

As always, I've posted a full step by step tutorial on the Creative Studios Blog.

We're off to be ageing hippies today at our first festival of the season so I'll love you and leave you as we're leaving shortly.

I'll be back on Tuesday with another project from Creative Expressions.  So until then, whatever you're doing, have a great time and many thanks for visiting.

You Light Up My Life Part 2!

Good Morning All and a very Happy Wednesday.

I'm back with another project using one of the new Nautical Stamps by Sam Poole at Creative Studios.

This time I've used the Lantern stamp.

I've also made a background that looks bright and a little bit fiery to match the flame in the lantern.

As you can see, I've made a handle from gold Jewellery wire.  I thought it added a bit of interest.  What do you think?

I've got the usual full "step by step" with photos on the Creative Studios Design Team blog so please pop over there if you'd like to see how to make this card.

I'm off to the studio now to play with some new stamps!  It's a hard life but someone has to do it!!

Until next time, have a happy, crafty week and many thanks for visiting and leaving comments.

You Light Up My Life!

Good Morning and a very happy one to you all.

It's Wednesday so that can only mean one thing, my turn to showcase one of the gorgeous new Nautical Stamps from Sam Poole at Creative Studios.

I do hop you managed to catch Sam's shows on Create and Craft last Saturday.  So much inspiration for using these stamps and lots of fab techniques.

My project this week is using a chipboard tag and the Lighthouse Stamp.  I've used the sentiment from the Lantern set for this one.

You can also see the Background Netting Stamp has been put to good use.  I think I'm going to be using that stamp quite a lot and not just with the Nautical Stamps.

The tag has been painted with Distress paints and there is a full "how to" complete with step by step pictures on the Creative Studios blog.

That's all for today, very short and sweet, but we're taking a friend to hospital and it's going to be pretty much an all day outing.

So, until next time, have a happy, crafty week and thanks for visiting.

Father's Day!

Good Morning All and a very Happy Wednesday!  Wasn't the weather glorious over the Bank Holiday and doesn't that make a change!!

It's not long until Father's Day so I thought I'd make a card using the new Nautical Singles stamps from the very talented Sam Poole at Creative Studios.  They're not really singles as there's a sentiment with them so they're brilliant value.

Anyway, as usual, all of the step by steps are on the Creative Studios Design Team Blog so I'll just show you the finished card here.  Hope you like it.

I've used the Ship in a Bottle stamp as well as the new A6 Netting Background Stamp.  Everything can be ordered from Creative Studios (except the shells, they were a little bit of fun that Sam sent us to play with!)

Sam has 2 shows on Create and Craft this Saturday where she'll be demoing the new stamp range.  I do hope you'll join her.

Don't forget the open day at my house this Sunday.  It'd be great to see some of you.  Please phone or e-mail for details.

Well, that's all for today.  So until next time, have a great week and keep crafting!