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!

 

 

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, 

 

WOYWW

Hi WOYWWer's, As you know my desk space is quite limited and I reached  a point yesterday where something had to move!  Sad to say, I didn't move that something quick enough and as a result my 2 bits and pieces boxes fell on my bit of space and then onto the floor!  All the scraps and labels, cut and never used, all my stamping experiments just thrown in the box lay scatter about me!!  Since I hadn't moved that something, something had to be done pronto!!!

I had to start by clearing up, then picking up, next after picking them up.... was looking through them, it was like finding old photographs....you have to stop, gaze and wonder all over again.  When did I do that? Why didn't I use it?  Can I use it now?

I ended up with dies, and odds and ends all over the place, and was still at a loss as what to do with them.

But, since I had been asked to make a few "Just to say" cards I followed this direction.  The cards needed to be useable for any occasion, including sympathy.....

This is one I made.  On looking at it again - I think I could have made two cards with one image on each.  How wonderful is hindsight! 

Hope to catch up with you soon on the WOYWW blog hop!

WOYWW

Good morning my WOYWW friends from a very bright and sunny North Staffs, hope you are all well and enjoying life.  When I walked into my craftroom this morning and looked at my desk ....

I was surprised by the lack of anything to show you but the remains of a very busy time crafting yesterday.  I made two new DT cards which are under wraps, and so because of this I thought you might like to see....

this illustration from the set of EI stamps that my Pie (on Monday) was from, which many of you liked and thanks for your lovely comments.  Stamping is a relatively new adventure for me, and having a colour guide is really helpful. 

This is my take on the boot from the same set.

I've used the Nestie squares for layering the paper from HOTP over gold card and a patterned vellum. Although the shaped labels are lovely, the basic shapes are really useful, so don't leave them gathering dust. The boot I coloured with Promarkers, cut out, triple embossed.  A few gems on the tassels, twisted wire, ribbon, foam pads - job done.  Oh, not quite - the lines were achieved by using a score board - this matched up nicely with the diamond pattern on the boot! 

Enjoy your day visiting - this week I hope to be with you earlier! 

Elusive Images and Joy Craft Corners

Another day, another card.....this one was a commissioned card for a lady celebrating her 90th Birthday. 
I have used this stamp from Elusive Images Floral Spray (link on side bar)  before as an A6 card, but this time I needed an A5 card.

Again I stamped the image straight on the card with distress ink (Forest Moss) and dragged the ink in on a few of the leaves, but

instead of the scored lines, used the corner borders from Joy Crafts

On a second stamping of the image, I cut away some of the leaves, coloured the flowers with Promarkers and triple embossed, added to image with foam pads

and the finished card....

Unfortunately the last two pictures are not showing the true colours, but I delivered the card yesterday before I looked at the pictures!  I don't like the bottom die, it's too heavy, but having stuck it on, on it had to stay!

Off now to play, that's after putting the washing out - back soon to show you some more lovely stamps.

 

It's Elusive Images again and Nestie dies

Although it's Tippy Thursday when I normally answer any questions and bring you tips, news and ideas, today I'm going to show you one of the cards that I submitted for the EIDT. This card is displayed on the Elusive Images Design Team Blog, along with other beautiful artwork from my new team mates, and although many may have seen this tutorial, many of my new readers may have missed it. So, with no more ado.....here it is.....


I think I have found my way in stamping!  This is what I like doing....

composing pictures with stamps on lovely paper.     

The stamps are from 2 sets of Elusive Image stamps: Daisy Butterflies and Eastern Grasses - absolutely great artwork giving perfect images. 

On DP from HOTP, I've overstamped the images in Adirondack Coffee ink to enhance the background. 

I made the topper with the same stamps and coloured the background with DI's and then triple embossed.

The insert....using a Nestie Label One and the same stamps

My finished card.....

 I have Andrea to thanks for her support and encouragement to stamp - when I met her 2 years ago I couldn't even stamp onto scrap card without smudges.  Thanks Andrea, I owe you!

 If you're a new reader to the Cupboard - perhaps from the Graphicus Guild or lover of Elusive Images, or the owner of a die cutting machine, I hope you've enjoyed your visit and that you will return as I've more projects following soon.  If you would like to follow my blog you will find the link on the sidebar, I'll be delighted to have you on board (pehaps I should say in the Cupboard?)  I'm happy to answer any of your queries on my work or help with any problems you may have with your Bug - just leave me a comment.

Thanks for dropping by - enjoy your day!

Spellbinders Impressabilities - and finally

Hi, hope you are still with me and have enjoyed looking at my adventures with the Impressabilitie die.

Today I want to show you these......

embellishments made by embossing and debossing the stencil into card coloured with distress inks and coated with embossing powder. 

 

This was embossed, then inked, then embossed with 2 coats of clear embossing powder.

These were coloured with distress inks, then triple embossed, THEN debossed into the triple embossing. 

The effects to me are stunning, but I admit to being a bit of a nut case when it comes to distress inks, triple embossing and the Bug!  You can start off with something like this...

a piece of scrap card coloured with ink and spray with water, and  finished up with

this! 

  There's always that element of excitement every time because every piece is different and until the colours come to life with the embossing powder you never know what you will end up with! 

The embellishments are like glazed tiles, and difficult to photo to show them off

but here's a tag mounted onto an embossed card I showed you in an earlier post 

To summarise:  My thoughts on the Impressabilities dies have changed, I can now see that they are a useful piece of equipment to have in the Cupboard. 

If you have a Wizard or Big Shot, you'll not have had the problems that I've encountered, but the Bug is not as sturdy and adjustments are needed to get a good impression of a heavier weight card.    It seems from the comments I've received that various sandwiches work.  You need to try different ones until you get the clarity of embossing you are looking for as all machines are different.  Again the Golden Rule - never force or you'll break!

Impressabilites can be used for embossing and debossing die cuts for matting and layering. You can use techniques like letterpressing  or stenciling to colour them. You can use them in the whole.  Or like me - cut them up so you can embossed different  patterns straight onto your card base or make your own unique embellishments.  The only problem I've now got is.....where did I put that little butterfly?

Thanks for dropping by, hope you have found the week interesting and useful.

Nestabilities - Big Scallop Squares make corners

Need a quick but interesting card? 

This stamp from Elusive Images called Tulip Script suit the task well.  I used Promarkers to colour the image and distress inks to colour the background, then added 1 layer of embossing powder.  The corners are actually two big scallop squares.  Job done! 

Make a fold-back edge card - part 2

As promised earlier, I have my finished card to show. 

The stamp I used for making this embellishment is from Rubber Stampede and is called Solidago Sprig.  Not sure what the technique is called, but I stamped the main sprig and two shadow sprigs onto a background I'd created by misting water onto distress inks.  It  looked ready for the bin until the magic of embossing powder brought it to life.  This technique has me hooked!   

If you have not read my earlier post on how to make the base card, you will find it below.  However, since one of my friends has accused me of being naught for tempting her to buy more stash - I will add that you can make this card with a border punch if you don't have a borderabilitie die. 

Thanks for dropping by.

Nellie Snellen Rectangle Frames

I recently changed one of the Nestabilitie squares into a rectangle.  Today I thought I'd see if it was possible to change the Nellie Snellen rectangle die into a larger rectangle....the answer is yes you can!

For my card I used:
6" x 6" Cream card
Patterned vellum
black cardstock
CB folder: Texture
Nellie Snellen Medium Rectangle Die
Stamp: Elusive Images - Tulip Script
Ribbon

For a classie look this gold embossed patterned vellum gives a beautiful base layer

Next I embossed a piece of black card with the Texture folder - place the die on the card, but only cut 2/3rds.  Now reposition the die on the other end of the card and cut 2/3rds again.

Just noticed I've not push out all the bits!  The NS dies cut best if you place the die cut face up with the paper on top.  If your plates are bent....use the edge of the plate.

Sandwich:  A  /  C  /  die cut face up / card  /  B.

My finished card with added image....

This is a great image to colour with Promarkers and distress inks, and the triple embossing enhances the colours and compliments the richness of the cream vellum and embossed mat.

Have a good day!

Nestabilities - use the small dies

Hi, it's sunny again - perhaps summer has returned!  I have today managed to finish planting up my tubs and hangind baskets now they need a bit of warmer to bring them on, and in the meantime I'm back crafting.

I sat on the sofa last night and coloured!  I had a new stamp from Elusive Images and although Glenda had supplied a coloured image for guidance, I found it a challenge with my Promarkers.  After three attempts I was pleased with the colours and the shading of the leaves.  On I went this morning to triple embossing - but the card was too thin and the result was poor in places.  I liked the image so much that I wondered if I could salvage it in some way.  The answer was YES!

I stamped the image straight onto the front of the card and edged the centre fold with three lines.

 A few of the leaves I watercoloured....

then added my cut down embossed image and a sentiment cut

 with the smallest circle die.

So from disaster came a card that I had no idea that I was making!

Now I know why I don't like throwing things away!!

Make Nestabilitie Squares into Rectangles

How many times do you have a stamp that doesn't fit any of your Nestie dies?  I have a stamp that needs a rectangle mat, but no rectangle dies!  Well some dies can be changed - you can make your squares into rectangles.....

so, taking a piece of card with a straight edge.......

position your stamp and mark  with a pencil

position your square die and tape into position

your rectangle mat......

with a stamp positioner you can now use your stamp and be sure of getting it straight!

This stamp is a Charles Rennie Mackintosh design, which is difficult to colour unless you emboss it first.  This done, with the left over bit of card as a stencil  (as shown) and a make-up sponge and ink (or chalk) you can create  a straight line round the edge of your mat. 

I picked up this tip from Barbara Grey on one of her C&C shows.  Thanks Barbara, it's easy and works well - a good tip worth trying!

Things were going swimmingly up to this point....but.....then....disaster....

Being a meanie type of crafter, when my first stamped image had not embossed equally and not wanting to start again, I had stamped and embossed on the other side of the card, and...drat...it showed through the triple embossing, which also went pear-shaped because I'd somehow got some black bits in the powder!?!?!  So now I do have to start again, but  thought I'd show you this to make you smile, even laugh out loud - the principle works but on this occasion I didn't.  Oh, well - back to the cupboard!