» Listings for 2014

1. Red and White Butterfly by Caroline Shinnie

   Posted on 2:08pm Friday 16th May 2014

   A brilliant idea from Caroline - emboss your envelopes!!  This is something that hadn't occurred to me but it looks really fab and unusual. 

   Stamps used: A5 In Stitches, A5 Happiness Is Ink pads: Memento Rhubarb Stalk Other items: Country Mask, die cuts swirls, buttons, 6 x 6 inch card blank and envelope

   For the background, firstly stamp the stitched ring from In Stitches and the butterfly from Happiness is in Rhubarb Stalk in the center of your card blank.  Next, cover it with the Country mask and run it through an embossing machine. Stamp the small flowers in the debossed squares. For the embellishments stamp a butterfly and 3 each of the flowers in Rhubarb Stalk, then cut them out and distress the edges with the same ink. You don't need to cut out the butterfly's antennae since you've alredy stamped it on your base card. Add the butterfly over the other one just by gluing the body. Shape the flowers and put the smaller ones into the centre of the larger ones. Add to the card with some die cut swirls and buttons for the flower centres.

    

   If you are giving your card in person, why not decorate the envelope? Stamp the butterfly twice on the front of the envelope and one on the flap. Then simply run the envelope through a embossing machine using a Country Mask.

    

    

    

2. Busy, busy, busy!!

   Posted on 8:46am Wednesday 14th May 2014

   I find myself apologising again for the lack of posts recently - sorry everyone, I try hard but sometimes it's not easy to keep up with all the demands of running the business alone and trying to have a little time for a life!  

   That said, I am so lucky to have found not only a wonderfully talented card designer but a  great friend in Caroline Shinnie.  She has been making samples for me since we first began the business back in 2012 but since finishing her job at the stationers and craft supply shop in Worcester, she has been helping me out more and we have got to know each other much better.  She has always made wonderful cards (the first lot of samples she ever did for me were so wonderful that they actually made me cry!) but it seems she has been hiding her light under a bushel!  She can also draw.  Why didn't I know this before I ask myself, still I know now and we have been working together on some fabulous new designs which will be released very shortly.  

   I can't quite believe how similar our tastes and styles are which has made it very easy to come up with some wonderful designs which we both love and are having great fun making lots of samples with ready for the launch in a couple of weeks.  

   I hope you will all bear with me as we continue to get ready for this and the Create and Craft show which is provisionally booked for 14th June at 11.00 am.  I will do my best to continue to share the blog cards that Caroline has been making for me, but sometimes other things may have to take priority and it may slip again for a few days.  

   Thank you to everyone for your patience and support over the last eighteen months - I feel like I have really got know some of you as friends even though we have never actually met. I really appreciate not only your custom but the time and effort that you go to to share piccies of your cards and projects, it makes me so happy to know that you enjoy the products we bring you and have seen many of you really grow in confidence and skill with your crafting.  It also means I always have something to post even if I haven't done any myself - so keep them coming!!

   Anway enough rambling from me now, time to get on with some real work!

   Sarah x

3. Vellum Flower Card by Caroline Shinnie

   Posted on 8:23am Wednesday 14th May 2014

   Stamps Used: Time Flies   Inkpads Used: Memento - Teal Zeal, Bamboo Leaves, Morocco (Potters Clay would work equally well.) Brilliance - Pearlescent Thyme, Sky Blue   Other items used: Mask - Clockface Clear embossing powder, Green and Blue Vellum, Stripy ribbon, Jewels, Brad, White card, Kraft Card Blank.

   Take a 6x6 piece of square card and stamp the large stamp using 3 different colours, Teal Zeal, Bamboo Leaves and Morocco, heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Then, using the Clockface Mask, run it through an embossing machine. Ink the edges and raised areas using cut n dry foam and Teal Zeal ink to bring out the embossed detail. Attach to your card blank tucking a length of striped ribbon under the edge at the fold side of the card.

    

   To make the flower topper, use the dragonfly stamp, and Pearlescent Thyme and Sky Blue Brilliance. Stamp 3 of each colour onto vellum. Cut out just the centre and the wings, pile them all together and secure in the centre with a brad. Fan the petals out to make a flower, also curl some of them inwards. Attach to the card over the ribbon and add some small self adhesive jewels for detail.