Happy Halloween All

Hi everyone, today I'm in Llandudno hopefully feeling much better for a break from the recent debilating events that have pledged Dave and I for the last 6 weeks. 

Just thought I'd drop by and say Happy Halloween to you all and especailly to Caitlin and Megan who I hope enjoyed opening their little boxes.

Hope whatever you are doing,  you are enjoying doing it!  Thanks for dropping by, if I find a craft shop I may be back soon.

Halloween quickie

 With the use of grey glimmer card , clear inkpad and black embossing powder a quick base card.  Then with a small silver square die with a black big scallop square cut out of the centre and stamp and embossed with .....anything appropriate...in my case a web....and you have a very quick card.

If you want to fancy it up.....a few beads on a thread and an attached label.....simply, but effective. 

Thank goodness for the Bug and Nesties and Elusive stamps!

Back to my halloween cards

When the new Halloween stamps by Elusive Images were released, the DT were priviledge to play with them.  What fun!  It was great to be let loose on colours and creativity images which you don't usually have the opportunity to use.

This is another of my samples:  

Just one more to show you on Saturday - it's an quick and easy one just in case you have to make one in a hurry!

See you , ikki

Unanswered questions

I realised that over the last few weeks I have received a lot of queries and questions and because of my various problems I have failed to answer them for you.  Sorry about this, and if I have missed your comment would you please remind me and I will try to put it right.

I have received one query from my post yesterday from Ann.   Ann asked how I'd acheived the top circle on the card without cutting the rest.  This is a little trick I use regularly and it is useful so I will try to explain.....

If you want only part of the die to cut, it's best to use low tack tape to attach the die in the right place on your image.   Then when making the sandwich  only place the top C plate on the part you want to cut, and feed the unplated part of the image through the Bug first.  Sometimes you have to cut the sides down to match the shaped top if you don't have the correct size die.  Have a look at this link it may help to explain it better.

 http://ikkiscuttlebugcupboard.blogspot.com/2010/08/nestabilities-label-4-aternative-cuts.html

Hope this helps Ann, and to you all again my thanks for your patience and understanding.

Halloween approaches!!!!

Hi again, second time I've been here this week - things must be improving!!  Fingers and all else crossed.

I have just remembered that I promised to show you something spooky.....

Really enjoyed doing this sample for Elusive Images - used a mixture of mediums - distress inks, Promarkers, embossing powders, glossy accents,  Of course, Nesties crept in - the top was shaped with a large circle die and the vintage corners gave is a sort of gothic look - well to my mixed-up mind anyway!

Elusive Images - Stamp random giveaway - and me

Hi Friends, thank you all for your kind and caring messages, I really appreciate you visiting and taking the time to write, but life has been somewhat painful and stressful this last couple of weeks and I have been unable to cope, but Dave and I are getting better slowly despite the many difficulties that we are trying to solve at this time. 

Anyway, I have some good news for you for a change!      Elusive Images have just introduced 3 Elegant Ladies themeplates, each of which features a beautiful lady in a fabulous evening gown. Accompanying the lady on each of the plates are a lovely mix of swirls, ornate corners, chandaliers and candelabras. You can see the new stamp sheets in their full glory over on the Elusive Images Design Team Blog where, if you are lucky, you might win one of the themeplates in a random giveaway. You will also get to see some of the beautiful creations made by my fellow DT memebers to give you some inspiration. We all agreed that these stamps would be very pretty to use for wedding themes, making lovely cards to give to the bride and bridesmaids etc, but their versatility does not end there, as the samples shown on the EI DT blog show!

This is one of my cards - I thought this made a lovely thank you card which I would like to dedicate to you all for your good wishes.

Where I've been!

Hi Friends, you may have noticed that I have been missing this last few days, and this is just a quick note to update you of what has happened to me.  On Thursday last week I had an accident in the car and I was extremely lucky to walk away with only a damaged breast bone and an very colourful bruise from the seat belt.  Although both conditions are painful and I have been affected by the shock of it all, I'm just about coping but life is difficult at the moment for both Dave and myself.  Hopefully, I will be back soon!  Thanks for dropping by.

Eazi score

I love lines on cards which is why my Eazi Score is one of my most useful tools.  You may have this product, or you may have another make, but whatever you have you can work it! 

This is another of my easy simple cards for a sometimes difficult occasion when you want to let someone know you care.

Useful Fonts

I have been asked about the fonts I use on my work, so I have compiled a list of the fonts that I use when printing straight on to cardstock.  I thought is would be most useful to use the same words and show the font and the size.  If you don't have any of the fonts on your PC, there are sites that offer free downloads, just do a Google search.

I have also been asked about my printer.  I have a Lexmark P6350.  I'm sort of happy with it, but do find that when printing photographs the colour is poor and ink replacement is quite expensive.  I have recently printed out papers from a CD and that worked fine with no problems.  Printing onto my cardstock is also not a problem - there is not adjustment from paper to card as I had with my old Epsom, but I do remove all the copy paper and replace with the sheet of cards to be printed. 

All of the above fonts print well and you should be able to download to your PC for further reference.  I have never thought of keeping a copy of the fonts that I use until now, silly really because the list will save me time and I will be able to quickly check which font suits the card style without trailing through the font list.  Hope you will find it useful too, there are more to follow for Halloween and Christmas!

Thanks for dropping by,

Artylicious - Nestabilities - Marianne Creatables

Printing my own paper background is a new venture for me, but since I now have the Artylicious CD : Essence of Nature, today was playtime

This CD has a beautiful collection of designs,   this one called Windsong....

The butterfly is one of the Marianne Design Creatables cut in a patterned vellum and a patterned paper.

and I love the inserts you can print - althougth I might have got a bit carried away with inking!

I finished my card with a Nestabilies small plain and scalloped oval with a PC generated sentiment. With a few added swirls and a quick inking round the edge, who would think that this was just white copy paper.

The font is:  Amaze - size  18

I've received a number of queries about  fonts and printing sentiments and this is something I'm working on. 

Hope you're having a good Sunday, here in North Staffs the rain has stopped AT LAST! It's defo been one of those days when you can craft and forget about those gardening jobs waiting out there.  All in all it's been a good weekend, Dave's health is much improved - his body seems to be fighting the infection now and the DN's have been wonderfully helpful calling in daily to do his dressing.   I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the coming week be even better!  Thanks for dropping by.