Crealies Creatives

Introducing you to Crealies - Creative flower dies......

These dies are now being stock at Graphicus, the range covers flowers, shapes and leaves.  On receiving  my No.10 die, I just had to have a go at cutting them.  I was impressed!  They cut at least 3 layers of decorative paper in one go.  Using different papers this would give you 3 very interesting flowers!  I also tried a heavyweight hammer cardstock - result - a clean cut with only one passing through the Bug.  The shapes are unusual designs and can be layered either on top of each other, or alternated as I had shown in the piccy.

The dies are very thin, and the Bug sandwich is the same as for Nestabilities:  A / C / die / card / B.

Nestabilities - Squares, Snowflakes and Crfts 2 U folder

My tutorial today is based on Nestie Squares and finding a different look.

To make this card you will need:
A4 Cardstock: Cream Hammer
Decorative paper
Nestabilities: 2 large classic squares (size 4 & 5)
                    2 Create a Snowflake dies

Crafts 2 U: Snowflake embossing folder
Gems, ribbon

Base Card:  cut a 6" strip from the A4 cardstock and centre crease.  Place the embossing folder to the centre crease and emboss.  With scoreboard create two lines to finish the pattern.  I have debossed the folder so that the inside of the card is more interesting.

Place the smalliest snowflake die in centre of the plain panel (low tack tape will help hold it in place) and cut out.  Reposition and make two further cuts. Save the cutouts.

 

Cut a strip of DP and add to the inside of your card.

The embellishment:

Cut l square from the largest die in a matching cardstock to your decorative paper.

Cut l Cream square from the smaller - you can cut this from the strip left over from making the base card. 

Cut another of the small squares from the decorative paper used on the inside of the card. 

From the cream square - cut out the snowflake and add the decorative paper behind, then layer on coloured cardstock....

You will see I have used one of the cutouts from the base card and a red gem in the centre of the snowflake.

With a red gem added to the centre of the small snowflake cutouts your card will look like this.....   

As I said yesterday, an easie peasie card, but classy.  AND, a great way of using those leftover bits of decorative paper that you just cannot bring yourself to throw away!

Hope you like this one.   If you use the design and blog it, I would apprecaited you linking back to the cupboard - I started the Cuttlebug Cupboard to share my experience and knowledge with you - please help me to share it with others by spread the word.

                                                                           

New Elusive Image Stamps - Earth Spirit

Hi, I know many of you popped over to Graphicus yesterday to view the new Family Christmas stamps and I hope you enjoyed looking at the gallery of the DT's artwork.  Did you get any ideas for your own Chrissie cards? 

Today I want to show you the new Earth Spirit stamps.

  

These are very interesting  images to work with and unfortunately as yet there are only a few examples on the gallery, which you can view here.  BUT, here's a peek at one of my pieces.

With the effects of colouring with distress inks and triple embossing I just had to call  this "Sun Blaze".

Today I'm working on a Christmas card using square and snowflake dies and an embossing folder - it's easy peasy and useful for using up those scraps of decorative paper that you love and just cannot throw away!  I'll have it ready for tomorrow, so hope you'll have time to drop by. 

Enjoy your day!

New Stamps - Family Christmas and Earth Spirit

This week sees the release of  new stamps sets from Elusive Images.   Earth Spirit  and Family Christmas.

You can  view the Family Christmas stamps  here.    AND, by clicking on the gallery tab on the same page you will be able to see the artwork created by all of the EIDT.   If you would like to see which of the artwork is mine, you can go to gallery section on the sidebar, and click on my name.   As with all EI stamps, the quality and value is superb, so working with these stamps was a real pleasure and I hope our work will inspire you with your own Christmas crafting. 

Spellbinders Holiday Hopping

Fancy some blog hopping?  The Spellbinder Holiday Hopping starts today.  Pop over to  http://spellbinderspaperarts.com/blog/ and pick up the links - even if you are not lucky enough to win, you will pick up some great ideas for using your dies.

Tippy Thursday - Nestie Labels 2

Of late I've been unable to maintain my TT post, but today I wanted to share this idea with you. 

The words "Just to say" can be used for many occasions - from saying hello, thank you, or that you are thinking and caring for someone. 

I used this card as a thank you.

Not a difficult or complicated card to make - 2 pieces of decorative paper, punched leaves and flowers and a tag.

The tag was made from the Nestie Labels 2 - there are 6 dies in this set, and starting from the smallest die, I used No.1 for the sentiment and No.2 for the backing.  The script is Amaze 22 which fits nicely into the die.

I have been asked on occasions which editing programme I use. Mine is so old that I can't recommend it or any other, but actually you don't need a programme other than your ordinary software programme for producing documents.  Just open a new document, type the words and print on good quality paper or card.  Hope this answers your queries. 

Nestabilities - Squares

I think the basic squares are soooo useful, and can be made to look different if you can conbine it with other  square shapes. 

Here I have cut a red large classic square, then with a smaller big square scallop die, cut out the centre to make a frame. If you want the stamp the edge of your square, don't do as I did - stamp before you cut!

With another square of decorative paper behind the frame you have.....

You will notice that I have embossed only part of the Craft-2-U snowflake folder straight onto the card base and added two lines to finish the pattern.  At a busy time of cardmaking, this is a useful technique!

If you have not done this before, my tip is to place the folder on the card where you want the pattern to be embossed, then place the second B plate on the edge of the folder and guide the uncovered back through first.  If the folder should mark the card, THE LINES WILL COVER THE IMPRESSION.   Scoreboard scores again!

Spellbinders Octagon Nestabilities

I'm beginning to get my head round the fact that Christmas is not that far away and I need to start making a few cards.  I had this idea for a quick card to get me going......

I cut  2 dark green octagons from the largest scallop die and a smaller white plain octagon.   On one of the green scallops, I ramdomly stamped a few swirls and snowflakes in silver, covered with clear embossing powder the heated. 

On the other piece of dark green ( the back ) I did this....

made a line and folded.  Now the two pieces can be joined with a strong glue.

Next I embossed the white shape with the winter scene folder, and embossed the edge with an embossing pen instead of putting through the Bug again.  With  a touch of distress ink in bundle sage round the edge and a sentiment stamped in the same shade, all that was needed was  a bit of  glitter, a ribbon, a star, and a few foam pads.

The card stands up well and is certainly a quick make.

Thanks for dropping by, 

News of interesting goings on!

Morning all, I picked up this news from my Spellbinder post and just in case you missed it thought I'd post the details. 

"Holiday Hoppin’ with Spellbinders!
Announcing the Spellbinders™ Holiday Hoppin’ Blog Hop! Come hop along with us and our Partners as we show off our Holiday designs!

On November 18 and 19 we will provide a list of Designer Blogs to visit. Simply leave a comment on one or more blogs to be eligible to win! The more blogs you comment on, the greater your chance winning (one comment per blog please)! One winner will be randomly drawn from one blog each day.

Our fabulous Partners have generously donated these prizes, each worth at least $20! One winner each day will win the entire prize package, valued at over $500!

Each Holiday Hoppin’ blog will accept comments for 48 hours. One winner will be randomly chosen from one blog each day. The winner’s names will be announced on the Spellbinders Blog on November 22, and have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.


Check back on November 18 for the first day of Holiday Hoppin’!"  POSTED 11/11/10 on Spellbinders Blog

SO, IF YOU LIKE BLOG HOPPING - DON'T FORGET TO MARK THE DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR. 

ALSO,  if you are a Barbara Grey fan - Create & Craft 11am to 1 pm today. 

I will defo be tuning into this one, the footie recordings will have to wait, and lunch could be late!

Hi my friends, I send you all greetings and my very best wishes on this World Kindness Day!

A day to say thank you for the kindness you have shown in caring and thinking about Dave and myself over the last two months when life was painfull, and difficult.  Your kindness in sending messages from all over the world has been a great comform and very much appreciated by us both.  I hope on this day that life is well with you and yours and that kindness surrounds you.  There is a saying "little things mean a lot!" - how true we have found this to be!! 

It seems that I have not been posting a great deal of crafting or tutorials of  late.  One reason, although being on the EIDT is a fab experience and I'm enjoying the challenge, it is time consuming and because we are producing samples of new stamps I'm not able at the time to share them with you.  So, I was very excited to learn that the new Family Christmas stamps are being released soon and you will be able to visit the gallery and see what we have all been up to!?!?!?

In the meantime I thought you might like to see one of my Christmas cards made with EI stamps 

I have used 2 sizes of  mega rectangle dies - one larger stamped, coloured with distress inks and Promarkers and then triple embossed.  The smaller embossed with the Swiss Dots folder.  The circle is another Spellbinder die stamped, coloured and guess what?  Yes, triple embossed.  Although these dies may have been about for a long time, they are still useful aids to crafting, and by combining different dies you can certainly make interesting cards!  Have you looked at your old dies recently?  Have you tried combining different shapes?  Have you any interesting examples to show me?  Would love to hear from you! 

Thanks for dropping by, kind regards, 

 

Marianne Dies

I have just been watching C&C this morning and the are selling Marianne dies.  I have some of these and this is a peek at a card I have recently made for EI where I used a couple of these dies

As they say the dies do cut and the shapes are lovely, but their prices are high.  If you are interested pop over to see if Liz at Make a Lasting Impression has any, if not email her and see if new stock is arriving soon - the prices are much, much better and with free P&P you can't go wrong. 

Sorry I can't show you all of my card - will asap, but the papers are from the Artylicious CD Essence of Nature and the stamp from Crafty Individuals.

Back again and thinking of Christmas

Hi, I'm back to crafting after a lovely few days in Llandudno.  The change did both Dave and I the world of good, but unfortunately as you do, I did too much and so when I returned home I was really off colour again.  BUT, things are improving - my bruising has nearly gone, the pains from my dent have also gone as long as I don't do much, but I soon get out of breath (lol - a big change for me)!   We were very lucky to go last weekend the colours were just beautiful.  This is Bodnant Gardens - 10.30am, peaceful, calm, quiet - just after a short shower - boy was I glad to be alive!

Now down to some crafting - my granddaughters and friends were so pleased with thier Halloween boxes, that I thought I'd make a Christmas Advent Box Calender for them! 

So with some help from my little elf  Dave, we've made a start - he has taken to crafting a treat and so far we have made 50 tops and 30 bottoms - nearly there! But, then so is Christmas!!

Thanks for dropping by, I'll by back soon with some news and tips.

Take care and enjoy your day!

Border Folders

Border folders can be frustrating if they crease your card!  Julie recently asked if I had any tips - why not try this method that I posted wayback in January 2009 - it works a treat.

http://ikkiscuttlebugcupboard.blogspot.com/2009/01/this-is-my-first-attempt-at.html

You will find other tutorials on using these useful folders on my sidebar - Label section under: Border Folders.

Hope this helps Julie.