Chocolate Baroque Teeny Weeny Meadow and Nestabilities - Mega Rectangles

I have another of my DT cards to show you today from the recently released Teeny Weeny Meadow stamp plate.  When I received my DT package from Glenda way back in January, I found so much I could do with them and also how well they combined with the Artylicious CD Esssence of Nature. 

Materials used:  6" x 6" card, blue & white cardstock

CB Stamps: Teeny Weeny Meadow (UA6GW0349)

EI Stamp: Sentiment - Essence of Nature (UA4SP0339)

Arytlicious CD Essence of Nature

Nestabilies: Grand Squares, Mega Rectangles

Distress inks, ribbon, dragonfly charm

  By cutting two or three of the mega rectangles it is possible to make a book embellishment. 

To make the pages curl - score 2 slightly apart lines down the centre of the cut, and fold  inwards, then  use an embossing stylus or similar to curl the edges backwards.  Use a ribbon to cover the centre lines in the manner of a bookmark.    The mini stamps were ideal for printing on the pages.

I was pleased with this effect and although unusual, I loved my blue trees!

Less is More - Challenge week 7

Hi, I have been a bit short of inspiration and energy over the last week, but managed to pull something together for this week's challenge from LIM - a masculine card.......

The sentiment is from Hero Arts (H4938) which I bought 12 months ago from the NEC  - another one of those purchases which I just had to have at the time and which has sat on the shelf since looking at me waiting to be used for the first time! 

You will perhaps recognise the car from the new Chocolate Baroque miniature stamps Curiosities.

The trees are from the EI Tall Tree theme plate (UA5SP0252)

To get this effect I stamped the car on scrap paper, then cut-out the image to use as a mask.

After stamping the car in Brown Archival ink on a piece of cream hammer card, I heat embossed the image with a clear embossing powder, placed the mask over the image and then stamped and heat embossed the trees as a background.   I love the effects you can get with this masking techique!

I used a Classic Large Oval die (size 2) to cut out the image.  By leaving the cut in the die, you can embossed the edge with a embossing pen, and  also use the die as a stensil to colour the centre panel. 

I then cut another oval in acetate, ran this through the Bug in the distress strips folder to give a more interesting look to the embellishment, and fixed with brads.  Unfortunately this was difficult to show on a photograph but it was worth the effort because of the texture and sheen that it adds!   The Bug cuts only a medium weight acetate (have yet to try it in the JT) and embossing caused no problems.  The swirls are from Marianne designs.

Another enjoyable challenge from LIS - thanks ladies for the inspiration to get off my butt!  Now what else can I do?????

Less is More - Challenge Week 6

Another very challenging challenge from the Chrissie amd Mandi at Less is More - these girls certainly make you think out of the box, and now they have gone "off the edge"

This is my interpretation.....

The stamps are from Elusive Images

Brocade Backgrounds (UA4SP0239)

Birthday Words (UA5GW0257)

I have stamped the image on white slightly textured cardstock, partly off the page in Black Archival ink and heat embossed with clear EP.

To get the sentiment in the right place I have used a stamp position.

I have to say that despite my reservations of stamping straight onto the card - I love the effect!

Thanks LIM for pushing me!

Elusive Images - Belle of the Ball

Today I would like to show you one of my last year EI DesignTeam cards that because we are approaching Valentine's Day ( nudge, nudge, Dave) seemed very appropriate.....

I really loved this card, it was so enjoyable to design and make.

Materials used: Black linen card, red card, red decorative paper

Elusive Images - Bell of the Ball (UA5SP0340)

C2U embossing folder - hearts

Nestabilities - Dahlia

Black Archival Inkpad

Black and Clear Embossing Powder

 Punch leaves, wire, ribbon

Now to finish my VC for tomorrow, see you then.  Thanks for dropping by.

"Less is more" Challenge.

Today I've made this card for the lst challenge of "Less is More"

The challenge is to make a card using Black, White and Pink  - simple and clean in design, and  an opportunity to use one of my new Elusive Image stamps from Essence of Nature (UA4SP0339). I also used my new Grand Nestie Squares.  I think these will prove useful to me as I find cutting squares accurately a pain (don't kown why - it should be easy!), and the first three sizes will go through the Bug.

To get the stamping in the right place, I pencilled round the square, then stamped.  I find it easier this way!The sentiment is computer generated .

News - Elusive Images, JOY Trouvaille and me

Hi, not sure where today has gone!  First a visit to the physio to see if he could sort out my back and neck pains - a bit painful but hopefully worth it!  Next a treat - lunch out.  When we arrived home, the post had arrived with some absolutely beautiful stamps from Glenda of Elusive Images - this lady certainly can produce some fab artwork!  If you are at EI fan - WATCH THIS SPACE - I will soon have some very interesting news!!!! I can hear many of you saying "teasing again" - NO, not teasing just keeping you informed  - the Design Team lives again and I'm so excited that I just had to say something!!!!! 

On the JT front - there's no news!  I think tomorrow I will be making a noise in Holland.

I'll be doing a TippyThursday post tomorrow - so see you then.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Temporary halt to crafting!

As I mentioned the other day, my desk is in need of some TLC......

so crafting is somewhat limited today and I cannot finish my intended project - hopefully tomorrow all will be back in place!

It's time for a tidy up, not to mention having to hoover out the drawers for bits of sawdust! 

In the meantime I thought I show you  a card that I did recently for EIDT that features getting more use from your scoreboard  ......

How's this for a nice dress! Stamped in black and embossed then colours with various green distress inks.

My lady making a grand entrance down a panelled staircase.

The rolled back effect was achieved by first making a diagonal cut plus an extra 1.1/2" to the front of the card. Then with the right  side facing upmost, I scored several lines very close together, leaving a wider section near the edge unscored.  This looks wrong because the embossed lines are on the wrong side, but it is actually right!  On the first score line, turn back the lines and make a good crease.   Next I added a foam strip for padding (the depth of this depends on the effect you want to achieve) along the lines and on the unscored section added double sided tape.  Stick the lined panel down.  I was aiming for this to appear as a bannister, so to complete I added more lines and some stamped and embossed swirls. 

Hope this makes sense, if not shout!!!!!   I think I might do a tutorial base card when I have my desk back, but until then enjoy your day and thanks for dropping by.  

By the way my draw for a scoreboard is still open - check it out in the post immediately below.

Simplicity and a New Blog called "Less is more"

 On a grey day - a cheerful card to lift my mood.....

This stamped panel was another of the "bits" I had lying around, so being in my messing about mood, I decided to do something with it.  Again, not a good day for photography! 

The stamps are one of my favourite sets from EI. The main panel : stamped in black stazon, coloured with various distress inks and then triple embossed.  I went for a (bold for me) straight stamping onto card for the background again with distress inks.

There was a reason why I when for a simple, clean card today, and that was to practice for a forthcoming venture by my cuttling mate Chrissie, who along with her friend Mandi are setting up a NEW weekly challenge blog called "Less is more".  This is a technique which I like and so I hope to join in with their first challenge on Saturday 5th February.  If you also like this style of artwork, why not pop over to their new blog and join in - you will be find some very interesting and talented crafters at work, and Chrissie and Mandi would be real chuffed to see you.

To everyone who has left comment over the last week, you have cheered up me no end!  Thank you soooo much, I really do appreciate your support.  Today has been a much more positive day, although my desk has yet to be glued!  I have even had a thought or two outside the box - it must be your encouragement!

 

 

Elusive Images Stamps and Nestabilities - Create-a-flake

Elusive Images recently released their Family Christmas theme stamps. The DT had the opportunity to work with these stamps and you now can view their artwork in the gallery at EI. and Graphicus If you follow the Christmas link it will take you to lots of ideas that will inspire you in your crafting.  Also, you will now find projects in the gallery and this is why today instead of my usual tutorial  if you follow the above links you will find instructions on how to make this card ...... 

 A robin, holly and snowflakes....this was one of those cards that just made itself!  You can well image how chuffed I was to find my work on show in both the EI and Graphicus galleries. 

Thanks for dropping by, hope you are well and keeping warm in this cold spell.  

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. 

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, 

 

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

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.

halloween - Take 4

Hi, thank you all for your lovely comments yesterday, and just to let you know that I'm working on a tutorial for making my trick or treat boxes.  In the meantime I thought you might like a look at this really spooky card.......

this is the stamp plate I used - it's called SPOOKYLICIOUS!!!!!!

The raven and verse were stamped with a clear Perfect Medium inkpad, and embossed with a fine black embossing powder.  The background paper from the Artylicious CD Essense of Nature and distress inks added a bit more colour. I punched the leaf shape out of the paper to show the black of the base card.

Promarkers and glossy accents helped give dimension to the moon and clouds and

my finished card - really enjoyed making this one.

One day to go before the winners are drawn, hope you find the candy...did I say where to look?

  No, well pop over the the EIDT blog - even if you don't find the candy there are lots of cards and ideas on show.

"When black cats prowl and pumpkins glea

May luck be yours on Halloween."

See you tomorrow, enjoy your day

ikki

Halloween - Take 3

Hi, welcome to my blog of this WOYWW morning. If you have not heard of Julia and her group of exposing crafters, pop over to see her from the link on my sidebar.  Today is also my third Halloween  post this week, again if you've not heard of the Elusive Image Design Team  Blog Hop - why not bat over there and join us - there's candy about!

Today I'm making Halloween gift boxes and on my desk......

are some of the bit and pieces that I had left over from various projects and decided must do something with!

In the background,  are a few more spooky things that will fly in over the next two days. Friday is the day when the winners will be drawn. 

Here are my boxes that I'm going to fill with tricks and treats for my grandchildren - I thought if I made a few (and they are easy) it would make a great suspense game - have you chosen a treat or a trick?  Ooohhhh, what's inside????

 

These little boxes are made from a square of 6" x 6" paper.

Would you like me to do a project showing you how to fold them?

Back to the Blog Hop and the candy - as Lin said

Eye of newt and ear of bat

put my name in the lucky hat

You will find my Halloween teamies lurking over at the EIDT blog waiting to welcome you! Why not come over, make them jump with a big BOO and put your name in the hat.....

More Halloween.....Can't stop

I've been playing with my Halloween stamps again and although it's a dark, grey, wet morning, I feel relaxed and happy having enjoyed being creative with these creatable stamps. 

This is the stamp set I used

I took the spooky house and with a clear embossing pad stamped the image onto my charcoal glimmer card, then added black embossing powder and heated.

  The windows and cobweb are highlighted with a glitter pen - spooky hey!

 I created a tag to make a ledge for the large

scary cat to stand on.

 He seems to be saying something like "watch out - something's about!"

  

My finished spooky card - bats and all!

Thanks for all your lovely comments yesterday, and a warm halloween welcome to those of you who have joined the Cupboard followers.  Hope you all enjoyed visiting the EIDT blog and my Design Teamies.  Wonder where that candy this!?!?!?  Did you find it?  If not, it's still lurking out there, may be under a toadstool!  Why not pop over there -  today you'll find even more Halloween inspiration. 

On my WOYWW desk tomorrow I'll have another project to show you.

Have a great ghouly day!

Elusive Images and Halloween Stamps

Halloween!  Time for some fun crafting! 

I have to say that I have never made any Halloween cards before, but when presented with the stamps from Elusive Images celebrating this time of year, I was hooked!  What fun - soooo creative - they allow your imagination to soar with the bats, grow with the  pumpkins, candles light your way through the cobwebs to the spooky houses and much more..... you can check out the designs available from this Elusive Images link.

The Design Team has been busy making cards and today we have a blog hop for you.  Why not join us and see our work and on the way you may find some candy ?  Feeling interested; feeling lucky - pop over to the Elusive Team Blog (link on my side bar) you will see all the DT blogs listed for easy assess.

This is the card that I made for the Blog Hop - it's not my spookiest, but I thought this would look good in the Cupboard as although it's a halloween theme, the layout is adaptable to other occasions and the techniques useful to you.

Materials used:

A4 Black linen and Bronze pearlised cardstock

Stamps: Elusive Images

Nestabilities: Squares Classic Large and Big Scalloped Large

Marianne Creatables : Swirls

Inkpads: Black, Clear Perfect Medium

Bronze Embossing Powder

Glue

Scoreboard

Method:

Fold A4 card in half to make a landscape card - emboss 2 score lines along the top edge

Die cut:  2 Black  and 2 Bronze squares  (I used the 2"die)

Emboss the edges with an embossing pen  or tan mat.  ( I like this finished, but it is not necessary )

Make a frame from the 2 Bronze squares using a scalloped die - save the cut-outs

Make the same  frame from 1 on the Black squares - save the cut-out

Stamp the cut-outs black on bronze/bronze on black using clear Perfect Medium inkpad, cover with embossing powder and heat.

Fit the cut-outs into the appropriate squares.  Decide where you would like to position the squares, and add another 2 scores lines underneath.

On a rectangle piece of card, stamp the sentiment with clear Perfect Medium inkpad, over with embossing powder and heat. 

On the edges of the rectangle - with a prit stick glue (or similiar)  run round the edges in a thick  irregular pattern, cover with brozne embossing powder and heat. 

Die cut swirls from the Bronze card and assemble on card with the sentiment tag. 

Hope you have a go a this, it sounds lengthy when reading the instructions, but it's a design that all can use whether you are a beginner or an advance crafter.  If you don't have the dies - you could use a punch.  I'd love to see your work,  if you leave me a comment I'll come over and visit. 

NOW, my Design Teamies have some great cards to show you and I wonder where that candy will be????? 

To be in with a chance to win, here's what you will need to do:
1. Become a follower of The Elusive Images Design Team Blog and all the DTmember blogs
2. Leave a comment on my blog and all the teamies blogs.

The winners will be chosen by Random Org at the close of the Blog Hop on Friday September 17th and the winner will be announced after 5.00 p.m.

Come and enjoy some ghouly fun with us!