Santa's Workshop has opened

Oh, is it not lovely when you plan to get some crafting done, to write up some project instructions, to prepare photos for the web and to create some blog posts only to find that your Microsoft Publisher seems to be on strike with message that it is not even installed or seems to have deactivated itself. It took me hours to find out that the latest Windows update during the week seems to have caused havoc with Office 2010 and to work out ways how to get still into the software that is in fact still installed and activated. I just feel like screaming now ...

And please do not get a complete shock, but I have actually started my Christmas cards! The cute Santa's Workshop collection designed by Helz Cuppleditch and manufactured by Trimcraft has made it easy to turn the corner.

And I have also found another favourite project. I really dislike glittering my entire environment and myself when working with glitter or glitter card. I found now the A5 glitter card sheets from Trimcraft, which are apparently not shedding glitter. I cut sheets with my guillotine and even used them in my precious Cuttlebug. And it really works! The glitter stays on the card and just there. I think I need to get some more of these sheets, as I am hooked.

A product list and step-by-step instructions for the card above can be found in my Trimcraft gallery. And the Trimcraft website has just re-launched with a really fresh and modern look. It would be great, if you could have a peek and would check out the new look and features.

Bubble Bloom

I thought that weekends are supposed to bring a bit of relaxation, but this one was just busy, busy, busy ... But at least I found a bit of time tonight to chill out with a bit of cardmaking.

The card is something a wee bit different, as I picked up my Woodware bubble bloom 'Clarissa' stamp. I bought it a while ago, but had so far never the time to use it. I so like this image and the combination of colouring with alcohol markers and card candi. And the good thing about Woodware products is that many independent craft retailers are stocking these products and can order in what they might not have. So it is even a chance for us crafters to support independent retailers and our local craft shops.

I worked with the following products:
* Woodware bubble bloom stamp 'Clarissa'
* Sentiment stamp
* 15cm x 15cm linen textured white card blank by Southfield
* Glass-smooth white cardstock by Southfield
* Textured cardstock
* Tonic Studios Verso dies set 'Gothic Border'
* Grand Nestabilities circles
* Corner rounder
* Black Memento ink pad
* Spectrum Noir pens
* Candi
* Adhesive pearls
* Organza ribbon by Woodware
* Natural fibres

Lillibet and a new toy

A new toy has found the way into my office/craft room, as I just could not resist the small handheld sewing machine by Joy! Crafts. I just had to try it out today, but we are not friends just yet. It works like a stapler and dragged the cardstock into directions I did not want it to go, so a lot more practice is required.

My products of choice for the card are once again the beautiful Lillibet products by Trimcraft. I just love the wide range of gorgeous embellishments, which can be combined so nicely with other items from the collection or can be used to give other projects that perfect finish. The only other items that I added to this card are flourishes created with a Die-namics die.

A list of required products and tools as well as full step-by-step instructions can again be found in my Trimcraft gallery.

Scottish Teddies

This weekend I really wanted to have a play with my Tonic Studios delicate lattice dies. I have had them for about two weeks but not sufficient time to try them out. The large dies work well with the oval Spellbinders dies. And the space in the centre seemed to be just perfect for super cute images of Scottish teddies.

For the teddies I used the rubber stamps SC167F (Teddy) and SC4S (Westie and Teddy Set) by Crafty Stamps. I stamped the small teddy first. Then I created a mask of the small teddy from sticky notes, covered the small teddy and finally stamped the larger teddy. As colouring medium I referred back to my trusted ProMarkers, as the ultra-fine nibs are just perfect for small sections of stamped impressions. I mounted the image onto metallic DCWV cardstock from my stash and then the pearlescent delicate lattice die-cut.

For the background I decided on pearlescent Moondust cardstock in 'Crystal' from Southfield embossed with an Embossalicious folder by Crafter's Companion and mounted onto beige pearlescent cardstock. The card blank is 15cm square and linen textured from Southfield. Embellishments are paper roses from Wild Orchid Crafts and Trimcraft (I used packs from the Lillibet and Santa's Workshop collections). The small dies from the Tonic set and the metallic cardstock took care of additional accents amongst the flowers.

Scottish Wedding

This weekend has been dominated by the Edinburgh Book Festival, but I finally find the time to share a Scottish style wedding card with you that I made this week.

The image is the small Scottish wedding couple WD162M by Crafty Stamps, which I coloured in using ProMarkers, a FlexMarker in 'Soft Mauve' as well as a Sakura gelly roll pen in 'Clear Star' for some accents. For the background I used white linen textured cardstock from Southfield and the Marianne Design die set LR0242. But I decided against a completely white-on-white card and mounted the die-cuts onto lilac textured cardstock, which also frames the stamped image. I opted for a 15cm square linen textured card blank.

As embellishments I opted for white adhesive pearls, white paper roses, a decorative pin and in line with the Scottish theme also white heather and thistles.

Rubber stamps by Crafty Stamps are available from their shop Stampers Grove in Edinburgh, the Crafty Stamps and Stampers Grove websites and at the Ross Papercraft Show at the Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh on 5 October 2013.

Crafty Stamps' Domestic Goddess

It was really time again to pick up those wonderful Domestic Goddess stamps by Crafty Stamps. I love them so much, but have not worked with them for far too long. So many ideas, so little time ... Sometimes I really wish the day had more than 24 hours.

For the card above I used the stamp 'Groceries' (DG105M), which I coloured in using ProMarkers. Additional products used for this card are a Joy! Crafts stencil, a Darice embossing folder, paper roses and rosebuds, paper blossoms by Dovecraft as well as a Joy! Crafts die from their Vintage Flourishes range. After a very long time I actually used my lightbox for the embossing with the stencil - and it was so great to experiment and built up the embossed sections. With an embossing machine the entire shape will get replicated whereas I can choose areas and work on effects when I use a lightbox.

The second card features the stamp 'Cooking' (DG102M). After colouring in the image with ProMarkers I combined it with a coloured lace doily and paper roses from Trimcraft's Lillibet collection, twine, brown adhesive pearls and die-cuts created using memory box dies (kitchen utensils) and a Joy! Crafts die (swirl) to create the card. I also used an Embossalicious embossing folder.

More from Lillibet and her Friends

Lillibet - Country Life

What can be a nicer start into a Sunday than dedicating some time to finishing off craft projects whilst sitting at the window and watching the birds enjoying themselves in the sunshine?

Lillibet - Just For You

And as a result I can now share with two more projects created with the lovely Lillibet collection by Trimcraft. Product lists and step-by-step instructions are also available again.

Click here to see the details for 'Just For You'. The tag is created using a Die'sire tag die by Crafter's Companion. And just click here to see the instructions for 'Country Life, for which I used an Embossalicious embossing folder for Crafter's Companion. The ink pad that I used is a Tim Holtz distress ink pad in 'walnut stain'.

Have a lovely Sunday!