Sympathy Card

Every now and again I go through my box of cards to tidy them up a bit; make sure they are in their proper categories and  replenish sections which are running low.  This time it seems to be sympathy cards which are needed so I've made a couple today.  I resisted the urge to put any further embellishments onto this one because I felt it would then be suitable to send to a man.  The cream panels were die cut and the kraft card cut  to fit using a guillotine before being embossed.  The sentiment has been stamped and punched.  I might show the second one in my next post.

Cream panels - cut using Tonic die
Kraft panels - cut to fit and embossed with Cuttlebug folder
Shaped pieces - Sue Wilson French collection dies
Sentiment - Stampin' Up stamp and large oval punch

More Stamping

While these stamps were still on my table I've made a second Christmas card using them and I must be careful not to put them away too safely otherwise they will disappear into the depths and not be used for ages!  I must point out that what appear to be smudges on the white areas are in fact marks on the scanner glass which needs a good clean - mind you I often do get unwanted marks on this style of card and have to start all over again.  I'm always reluctant to add stamped greetings direct to cards which are almost finished in case I get them crooked or messy in some way, always safer to stamp on separate card and punch or die cut.  However this work is actually all on one layer but it does seem strange not to have die cuts somewhere.

Christmas Wreath

Despite the fact that I already have a huge collection of stamps, I was tempted to buy more at a show on Sunday when I saw them being demonstrated on the Card-io Stand.  The demonstrations appeared to use stamps from numerous stamp sets but I did stick at buying two - a twiggy one and one of the Christmas ones.  However this did mean that when I came to make a card I had to search through my collection to find something to add to the wreath and also had to improvise a bit with the Christmas trees (should have got that set as well I think).  It seems ages since I made a card without doing any die cutting but this one is all stamping and on one layer for a change. Small amount of distress ink and crystal glitter added.

Wreath - Card-io twig stamp (oriental)
Additions to wreath - from some discontinued See-D stamp sets (years old)
Snowman and chalets - Card-io stamps
Trees - improvised using tips of a tree stamp
Greeting - from a freebie Christmas set in my stash

Make My Monday

The Make My Monday challenge this week is to make something using die cuts and/or punches which just ties in nicely with a card I've made.  The sentiment is computer generated the sentiment and the remainder is die cut using Tonic dies which I must say do cut beautifully, even their more intricate ones cut well.  I used some background paper from my stash - had it ages but it seemed just right to go on this card.

Background - paper from Artlicious (now Chocolate Baroque) probably discontinued
Main Dies - Tonic Studios
Sentiment -  computer generated and Sue Wilson French collection dies

Pixie Snippets challenge 144

My card for the snippets challenge this week is one which I CASE'd from Sue Wilson's blog although mine isn't exactly like hers.  It involved loads of cutting various die shapes from the French Collection sets, even as far as cutting the centre layers in half and rearranging them within the outer window which frames them.  I won't be making too many like this because it took me simply ages cutting and then assembling the various shapes and then of course there are the flowers and leaves. but I do like the final result.

Dies - Sue Wilson French collection dies and ovals from Austrian collection
Flowers - Sue Wilson's faux quilled blooms and grand vinery dies
Background - rose embossing folder

Home Decor

This project is another one of my demonstration samples and this time I used a box frame which I'd had hanging around for quite a while - I buy these things when I spot them and often don't get around to actually doing anything with them immediately.  What is it they say about roads being paved with good intentions - that's me!!  I spotted the quote on an item in a shop recently and quickly jotted it down - something I often do rather than trying to remember until I get home.  This was reproduced on the computer using a variety of fonts, then cut out with a die.  The fancy die behind the quote is quite a large one so I cut it through the middle and removed part so that it would fit the space (join is hidden by the quote die shape).  A die cut bow and a few flowers were added - this now sits on my mantelpiece at home - fun to make and in my opinion nicer than the plaque from which I 'borrowed' the quote.

Background - Hessian embossing folder from Crafters Companion
Fancy die - Spanish Collection by Sue Wilson
Bow - Itty Bitty Bow dies by Sue Wilson
Flourish - Grand Vinery die by Sue Wilson
Flowers - Small ones hand made using small flower punch (Tim's rose style), daisy punched from                   scraps

Butterfly Box Card

This 'card in a box' which surprisingly folds flat for posting was another of the samples I made for my recent demonstration days.  Apart from the piece of card for the main body of the card, everything else is cut using pieces from my bits boxes.  The panels on all the flaps were embossed and sponged with ink to show up the pattern and I've added stamped flowers (punched) and die cut butterflies.

Embossed panels - Couture Creations embossing folder
Butterflies - Spellbinder dies
Leaves and small flowers - Sue Wilson Faux quilled Blooms die set
Stamped Flowers - Stampin' Up stamp set with matching punch
Greeting - computer generated on Sue Wilson California set dies