Blooming Marvellous Birthday Blooms

Last night I decided I would christen my new cuttlebug and what better reason than to make my mother's birthday card. Given I only started the card late at night it invoed some quick thinking, so I decided to use a 'patchwork' sheet of paper from Papermania's Exquisite Paper Collection, embossed a piece of scrap peach pearlescent card with the Cuttlebug embossing folder, attached and layered two prima flowers in beige and pastel pink with sticky dots to the centre. I then stamped Magnolia's Tilda with Magnolia flowers onto cream cardstock, several times to create layers (head and shoes) and watercoloured the image with W H Smiths Watercolour pencils. I decided against using prisma/ gamsol tecnique as I was extremely short of time (aren't we all! LOL) and would have had to wait for it to dry before glueing. Once dry, I stuck Tilda with sticky dots and then layered the pieces. Finally I thought I would add an epoxy/ dome Papermania Heart and embossed the 'love' heart using my new bug friend on antique gold pearlescent card and cutting it into shape. Inside the card, I stamped a 'Happy Birthday' sentiment (All Night Media Stamp which I love dearly!) with a Whispers Port Wine ink pad. A simple but effective card! Now its posted I hope she loves it just as much as I do!

'Taylor' Your Christmas!

Hi Folks! Last night I was unable to sleep sniffling and coughing so I gave Taylor's TECC44 Sketch a go using my treasured 'Colour My World' Christmas Papers. I finally found out who had manufactured them having raided 'Lorimers' a couple of months back and also they're available online through selected retailers - CraftAtHome & CraftworkCards. I've only managed to get hold of a few sheets in some of the ranges which have some fab names: Tutti Fruitti, Winter Wonderland, Plum Pudding & Cupcakes! When I saw Taylor's sketch I couldn't think of anything I would rather use for it. If you want the sketch, it on her blog under Fri 11/28 post.

Other materials used in this include Anitas Snowflake Peel Off for the centre, Selected Papermania Adhesive Gems, Pilot Pink Gel Pen (Stitching Effect), Silver Glitter Card, Kanban Pearlescent Rose Card, Liquid Applique, Iridescent Glitter Glue, Papermania Glittered Vellum, to make the circular frame I used a die cut, covered it in Ink It Up Silver Pigment Ink & Heat It Up Holographic Embossing Powder before melting. Sorry for the long list of materials but I do believe you should share how you've managed to create something - rest assured it isn't a marketing plug!

All things merry and bright!

Well, this week has been uneventful having been ill at home and not working. Off for another week after having flu and a chest infection until next monday so I made this card whilst resting in bed. I used up a tiny scrap of a sheet in the discontinued Papermania Contemporary Christmas (Red/Green), hand cut into a circle. This was then glued onto a pillarbox red paper (velour texture) and then I stitched around it by hand using pillarbox red embroidery thread found in the bottom of a sewing drawer! Decorate with prima flowers in lime green, glitter red & white and Papermania snow gems where the paper features snow falling. To create the band running along the card I split a sheet of the velour type paper (join disguised by the circular topper), dry embossed a piece of iridescent vellum and glued the Papermania Ho Ho ribbon using double sided tape (less messy than using glue and glue pens). The greeting at the bottom is heat embossed using a See D stamp. Ink the stamp up with Ink It Up Red Pigment Ink and liberally sprinkle Heat It Up Red Tinsel embossing powder. Gently tap with your index finger the card to remove excess or use a make up brush before using the heat tool to heat it up. Hey presto... simple modern christmas card!