Smirk For Her

I have recently completed the first cards with the new Smirk For Her collection by Trimcraft. The images and colours are even nicer than with the earlier products. And the Smirk For Her products are just crying out for glamourous and girlie cards. It is really fun to work with the collection.

Full product listings and instructions for my first Smirk For Her cards are in my Trimcraft gallery.

And watch this space. More projects are to follow soon.

Masculine Cards with a 'Hint of Tim Holtz'

Many crafters know how difficult it can be to create cards for the men in our lives. Some of the Dovecraft Funky Vintage papers, Golden Oldies stamps by Art Impressions and some of Tim Holtz' techniques can help to give those cards a bit of an edge.

For the cards below I used Funky Vintage papers, the Art Impressions stamps 'Oscar' and 'Harv' coloured in with Derwent Inktense pencils and ProMarkers respectively, Tim Holtz distress ink pads, Distress Stickles in Clear Rock Candy, Tim Holtz embellishments and for the retirement card also a QuicKutz embossing folder, a brass tag, Adirondack alcohol ink in Espresso and Distress Crackle Paint in Clear Rock Candy.

The sentiments are stamped with the 'Get Well Soon' stamp by Dovecraft and a Hampton Art Studio G alphabet stamp set.

I hope you are enjoying the Art Impressions images as much as I do.

A Farewell to Rainy Days

After a glorious weekend the weather has now hopefully taken a turn to the better. But I could still not resist to work again with the 'Rainy Days' stamp from Little Claire. Their figures are just amongst my favourite stamps.



The Little Claire image is coloured in with ProMarkers. Other materials I used are a white A6 card blank, dark blue cardstock, white cardstock, two pieces of patterned papers, black Memento ink pad, paper flowers in blue and white, card candy, the Tonic Studios border punch system with an edger and an accent punch, We R Memory Keepers shaped corner chomper stubs/deco and adhesive.

I hope you like the card.

3D Spring Project 'Messy Rabbits in the Garden'

Over the last few days I dedicated some time to a more work intensive project - a 3D model.

The model itself comes from the new Crafter's Companion 3D builder, but instead of Flower Fairies I have used two Messy Rabbits for my project. It was a lot of fine creating it, and the finished object has now got a 'place of honour' at home.

Materials used:

• 3D builder 'Flower Fairies Friends - Fairies of the Garden' by Crafter's Companion
• 7 sheets of white lightweight cardstock
• 1 sheet of satin finish paper by Crafter's Companion
• 2 A5 sheets of acetate
• Tim Holtz distress ink pads in tea dye and walnut stain (both applied with the Tim Holtz ink blending tool)
• Joanna Sheen Messy Rabbit stamps 'Bath Tub' and 'Toadstool'
• Black VersaFine ink pad
• Derwent Inktense Pencils (used with Koi waterbrushes)
• Tim Holtz Distress Stickles in Clear Rock Candy (for the foam in the bath tub)
• Gold-coloured metal embellishments
• Gold-coloured jump rings
• 1 gold-coloured eye pin
• 1 antique finish eyelet
• 1 gold-coloured solid ring, 10mm (for securing the embellishment at the back of the pillar)
• Adirondack alcohol inks in latte, espresso and raisin (for colouring in the metal embellishments)
• Paper flowers
• Card candy
• PVA glue
• Dovecraft Hi-Bond Double-Sided Tape - 6mm

I hope you like the project.

Scottish Cards

It has been a while since I dedicated some time to making Scottish themed cards. But over the last days I compiled a set of birthday and greeting cards with Scottish images and tartan papers.

Items I used for these cards are Scottish stamps, sentiment stamps, mirri card from Southfield Stationers, paper flowers, card candy, Dovecraft adhesive gemstones and a 2 in 1 Royal Fleur corner punch by Tonic Studios.

Here are three examples. I hope you like them.

Feathered Friends Stamps

I just love the possibilities stamped images can provide. At the moment I am working with the new clear stamps from Dovecraft.

One of my favourite Dovecraft sets are the Feathered Friends images. A list of required materials and full instructions for the card below are in the gallery of official Trimcraft projects.



I hope you are enjoying this project.

Coming out of hiding ...

I am conscious that I have not made much of an appearance lately. A decorating break caused chaos at home, tested my nerves and accounted for serious 'cold turkey' when it comes to crafting.

Despite the necessary, but not voluntary break I have already managed to fall in love with three crafting products:

• Dovecraft Funky Vintage papers
• Card candy from Craftwork Cards and
• The mask template by WS Designs

And I have had already a good play with the mask template this week. Here are two examples.

The first card is made using black pearlescent card, Funky Vintage papers, the Dovecraft ribbon border punch, silver mirri card, card candy and paper flowers. I used silicone glue to attach the mask, so that I could slightly shape it and give it a more natural bend. The card candy on the mask is stuck down with 3D foam. The pieces in the centre of the flowers with silicone glue, as I wanted this to sit directly on the flowers and not as raised as the card candy on the mask.

For the second card I used black pearlescent card, papers from the Making Cards January issue, card candy and a black feather that I enhanced with a hint of Spray and Sparkle Silver Glitter Varnish from Crafter's Companion.