Craftworld, Belfast demo March 4th

 Good morning :) This is one of my Tonic Studios demo cards with dies which I'll be using at my demo in Craftworld next weekend. The papers, washi tape and gems are Dovecraft/ Trimcraft.

Time for the bin :(

I had forgotten this was at the back of the freezer in the garage so it's time for the bin now :(

It was an ice bowl which I made in the summer and added some flowers from the garden - lavender, daisies and Lady's Mantle with a few tiny campanula flowers. It's long past its best and I have really no idea why I didn't throw it out sooner but at least it was a pleasant reminder of summer on a dull and miserable day like today. Unfortunately I left it to melt a little too long before I took the photo so the top had thawed and is uneven :(

Demo at Craftworld, Belfast - March 4th

 Hi :) Just a reminder that I'll be demoing on Saturday 4th March in Craftworld, Belfast (11.00am - 1.00pm and 2.00pm - 4.00pm) if any crafters in the area are free to join me. 

I'll be deoing some lovely new paper collections with coordinating embellishments and dies from Trimcraft (as in the "Blooming Lovely" card in these pics) and more dies etc from Tonic Studios along with the new Painted Finishes from Plaid (Rust, Concrete and Moss) so there should be something to interest everyone :)

Color Shift paint from Plaid Crafts- quick video

I've just opened some of my new bottles of Color Shift paint from Plaid and it's amazing!! Even on a dull day like today the way it's catching the light is fantastic. I've bee playing with all the different colours and have various things on the windowsill to dry so I'll have more to post soon :)

Folk Art mini stencils from Plaid

Hello :) I received the cutest little mini stencils from Plaid Crafts earlier in the week and couldn't wait to try them out. There are 3 in each pack and they all work together. I used Folk Art Outdoor Paint on the little house with the stencils and added some Moss Painted Finish  - also from Plaid at the bottom.

Folk Art stencil and Chalk Paint card

Back again with a very quick and simple card which I made when I was experimenting this morning. I normally use my Chalk Paint on 3D objects eg wood, glass etc but just wanted to try it out on a card. I used two of my beautiful new stencil sets from Plaid - Lovebirds (3 different stencils in the pack) and a really cute little mini stencil set called Cottage Chic with Glacier Chalk Paint. I added a little detail with a black fine liner pen. 

I loved how easy it was to create a clean looking card and am pretty sure I'll be looking through my stencils and paints for more ideas later :)

Enjoy Today :)

 Enjoy today :)

A cute little card using Tonic Studios' "Marmalade and Minnie" stamps, Accessory die and stamp set 3, Eastern Oyster layering dies, Simple Stripes embossing folder, Flower and Heart strip die set, Enjoy Today sentiment and Crystal Drops.

I used the Glitter Aqua Flow pens on the lace of her dress and the balloon.

Win and Tonic February challenge

Hello :)
It's time for another Win & Tonic challenge where you can enter one of your creations and be in with a chance of winning a super prize from Tonic Studios.
You'll find all the details on the Win & Tonic challenge blog HERE
and you'll also see lots of other beautiful cards made by the rest of the Design Team.

For my card this month I've used the Lace and Rose Rounded Strip die set to make a pocket card. I've used papers and embellishments from Hunkydory which came with Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine :)

Carrickfergus Marina

Sometimes you just need a walk in the sea breeze to clear your head. Just a few minutes at Carrickfergus Marina this afternoon :)

Concrete and Moss painted finishes from Plaid

 I've been having a play with the Folk Art Concrete and Moss Painted Finishes from Plaid again - actually I always keep those and the Rust Painted Finish close by as I like to add them to all sorts of projects. This time I used them a large 3D letter and a little birdhouse. I've also used a Mod Podgeable Glass Dome on top of a circle of floral paper to create a dimensional tag at the top.

 I think I'm almost up to date now with my posts - I may be gone for a while as I've just had a delivery from Plaid and the stuff inside is absolutely gorgeous!!! My head is buzzing!!

Demo in Craftworld, Belfast

I'll be demoing in Craftworld Belfast on Saturday 4th March and would love to see some of you there. I'll be able to update with more details of what I'll be demoing there soon :)

March issue of Cardmaking and Papercraft (issue 167)

Back again - the post man has been and I've got my March issue (167) of Cardmaking & Papercraft Magazine. It's always lovely each month to see what I've made inside :). The magazine looks fab as always and I'm itching to stop and read it but I've so much to do I'll have to save that treat for later in the evening :)

Totally pawsome

 It must be near Valentine's Day!!

This is a quick card I made using Tonic Studios Fluttered Lace Idyllics Die and Embossing folder set, Blossomed Heart Corner die, Duals Heart Corner, Layering Hearts Basics dies. Marmalade's World Accesory set 5 (stamp and die) and the sentiment from the Pawsome Poodle die and stamp set :)

With Love - Painted blooms from Dovecraft

 Hello - I've got another card today with the Dovecraft "Painted Blooms" collection from Trimcraft -  lovely florals  for Spring :) I've also used the new Trimcraft  FE Nesting Blooms dies with embellishemnts from the Painted Blooms range.

Painted Blooms Pop out front card tutorial

I've used the new Doily  and Nesting Blooms dies from Trimcraft with the beautiful Painted Blooms collection to create this card which pops out at the front when you open it.

To make this card you will need:

Dovecraft Let's Picnic 6x6 card

Dovecraft Painted Blooms 6x6 paper pad

Dovecraft Painted Blooms die set

Dovecraft Painted Blooms mini bows

 Dovecraft Painted Blooms plastic button

Dovecraft Painted Blooms gems

Trimcraft First Edition Nesting Blooms dies

Trimcraft First Edition Doily dies

white card

black ink

Crafters glue

double sided tape

die cutting machine

 1. Cut a 14.5cm x 14.5cm square of diagonal striped paper and attach to the card front with double sided tape. Attach the 9cm diameter doily die to the centre of the card front and pass through the die cutting machine (make sure you open the card out first!)

 2. Cut a piece of white card to 15cm x 22.5cm. Score and fold in mountain and valley style at 7.5cm and 15cm. Cut 2 piece of card measuring 6cm x 2.75cm and fold in half on the 6cm side.

 3. Attach the right panel of the folded card to the right edge of the card blank with double sided tape.

 4. Glue the folded tabs to the left panel as shown. Put glue on the back of the tabs, close the card over and hold in place.

 5. It should look like this from the front.

 6. Cut 2 pieces of patterned paper measuring 15cm x 7.25cm and attach to the left and right panels on the inside with double sided tape.

 7. Close the card and apply glue to the semicircle showing through the aperture.

8. Use the doily shape which was left when the aperture was made in the front of the card to stick to the glued area, matching up the notches carefully. Die cut the smaller doily shape with patterned paper and glue on top.

9. Die cut the Nesting Blooms die which fits into the doily and stamp "Especially for You " in the centre. Glue to  the centre of the card.

10. Add a mini bow, button and gem to the top left of the stamped area. Die cut the flower and glue to the bottom right of the card and add gems.

11. Die cut the dragonfly and glue to the right panel of the card.

Playing with Dovecraft foam

 This is the full card - I showed a little bit a few days ago. I'd been wanting to try making flowers with some of the foam I already have in my store so it was a good chance to use the new Trimcraft Nesting Bloom dies. I die cut the foam and heated with my Dovecraft heat gun, then twisted the petals to give shape..then glued the layers together.

I've also used the new Bunting dies (I love that some of them can be layered on top of others :)), Painted Blooms embossing folder. background die, border die, Simply Creative leaves and a wooden frame which I sanded lightly and coated with Plaid Concrete paint.

!2 x 12 Scrapbook page with Trimcraft "Storyteller" papers - TUTORIAL

I've used lots of Trimcraft's dies along with the beautiful Storyteller papers to create a 12 x 12 scrapbook page with my niece's dog, Banjo, when he was a puppy.

All the steps are shown below so you can try it for yourself.

You will need:

Trimcraft First Edition 12 x 12 Storyteller paper pad

Trimcraft First Edition 8x8 Storyteller paper pad

Trimcraft First Edition Nesting Doily dies FEDIE164

Trimcraft First Edition Border dies FEDIE160

Trimcraft First Edition Bunting dies FEDIE161

Trimcraft First Edition Alphabet dies FEDIE156

Trimcraft First Edition Tag dies FEDIE165

Trimcraft First Edition Cat themed dies FEDIE148

Trimcraft First Edition Dog themed dies FEDIE149 

Mod Podge "Podgeable Shapes" by Plaid

Simply Creative pearls 6mm SCDOT057

Crafters Glue

Mod Podge

white card

twine 

kraft tag

die cutting machine

How to make it:

 1. Cut 2 pieces of patterned paper measuring 10cm x 20cm and 17cm x 20cm from the 12 x 12 pad and glue to the piece of 12 x 12 paper at an angle and overlapping as shown.

 2. Mount the 6x4 photo onto a piece of larger contrasting paper and add glue to the centre of the back, leaving an unglued area all around the outside to tuck other pieces into. Position in the centre of the page.

 3. Die cut 6 borders - 2 white, 2 lime and 2 green. Glue 3 behind the right side of the photo and 3 below  the left panel of paper at the bottom. Die cut the 2 largest dies from the Nesting Doily set together from white card to form a frame, remove the bottom and glue the top part behind the top left corner of the photo so that the edge overlaps. Keep the other part of the die cut for later.

4. Cut out the banner die from white card and the heart banner from lime paper.

5. Glue the hearts directly on top of the banner, add aqua pearls and glue to the top right of the photo.

6. Die cut the name and glue to the bottom left of the photo. Tuck the other part of the doily die cut in behind the bottom right of the photo and glue in place.

 7.  Die cut 2 small tags - one from white card and the other from lime paper and add pearls on top. Attach a piece of patterned paper to the back of the small square Mod Podgeable with Mod Podge and add a pearl on top. Attach all three to the doily die cut with a small knot of twine.

 8. Cut a piece of patterned paper to fit the kraft tag and distress the edges with a pair of scissors. Glue onto the tag and add a small rectangle of contrasting paper (also distressed) on top at an angle.

 9. Die cut the smallest doily from lime paper, then die cut the paw print from the Cat themed dies and glue on top. Attach the circle Podgeable on top with Mod Podge to glue in place. Die cut the bone from the Dog themed die set and glue to the bottom of the tag.

10. Glue the tag to the bottom right of the photo and add a little glue to the twine.