Things with Wings

Today I would like to intriduce two more images from the animal collection by Crafty Stamps. They are both part of the 2014 launches.

The card above features the emu (AN149F). I coloured in the image using ProMarkers in mainly warm grey tones and deliberately limited the colours used for the background in order to have the emu as focal point.

In addition to the Crafty Stamps image I used:

* White 15cm square card blank with linen texture by Southfield
* Textured cardstock
* Neenah card for the stamped image
* Sue Wilson die set 'Umbria' from the Italian collection
* Sue Wilson die set 'Faux Quilled Blooms' from the Finishing Touches collection for the leaves
* Round cutting dies
* Forever in Time burlap daisies (distributed by Woodware)
* Adhesive pearls
* Tim Holtz design ruler for the pierced section

The second card features the new butterfly set 2 (AN145K). For the colouring I used again ProMarkers, but I also highlighted selected areas using a Sakura gelly roll pen in 'Clear Star'. The background is created with the help of an A4 Spellbinders M-Bossabilities folder to which I added small pearls of Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA.

Further 'ingredients' for this card:

* White 15cm square card blank with linen texture by Southfield
* Coloured textured cardstock 
* Neenah card
* Oval cutting dies
* Sue Wilson die set 'Filigree 3D Bow' from the Finishing Touches collection
* Paper roses and rosebuds

Big and Beautiful

 

No, not me and not the size of the cards ... Big and beautiful describes the amazing animals, which are depicted in these great images from the new animal rubber stamp collection by Crafty Stamps.

The elephant (AN148Q) is stamped in black Memento ink and coloured in using the ProMarkers Warm Grey 1, Warm Grey 2 and Warm Grey 3. For the card itself I opted for a colour scheme of kraft card and dark brown with a bit of dark green and a more rustic look.

Further ingredients for this card:
* Sue Wilson Spanish Collection - corner, border and tag die set
* Sue Wilson Finishing Touches Collection - faux quilled leaves dies
* Sue Wilson A4 embossing folder 'Illusion'
* Circle dies
* Burlap daisies, which are distributed by Woodware

The Highland coo (or Highland cow to stick with the official name/AN150Q) comes with a posher surrounding in white, red and black on a 15cm square white linen textured card blank by Southfield. The coo (or cow) is coloured in using the ProMarkers, Sandstone, Caramel, Warm Grey 1 and Pale Pink.

I also used:
* Sue Wilson Californian Collection - corner, border and tag die set
* Sue Wilson Finishing Touches Collection - faux quilled leaves dies
* Sue Wilson A4 embossing folder 'Celtic Flower'
* Tartan ribbon by Woodware
* Paper roses
* Black adhesive pearls

Crafty Stamps products are available from Crafty Stamps, their shop Stampers Grove in Edinburgh (in store and online) and today also at the Ross Papercraft Show at the Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh. Stampers Grove are also stockists of Sue Wilson dies.

Fun Fair by Helz Cuppleditch

 Fun Fair - Hooked On You

The original plan was to show you these cards on Sunday. But although I took photos for the main images I had to realise that I completely forgot about the second images, which show a bit of the insight of the cards. And by the time I did it was already dark outside and the light for photos was not very good at all ...

We had some awful weather here and I was really craving to work on some more colourful and cheery cards. The new Fun Fair products by Trimcraft with Helz Cuppleditch artwork is just perfect for that. Cute characters and plenty of colour!

Fun Fair - You're So Sweet

Product lists and step-by-step instructions for both cards are in my Trimcraft gallery. If you click onto the project titles, the links will take you straight to the entries in the gallery.

 

And for those, who are interested in the makes of dies and embossing folders: For 'Hooked On You' I used leaf dies from a Sue Wilson die set and a Cheery Lynn corner die. For 'You're So Sweet' I banked on the help of a Darice embossing folder and a leaf strip by Britannia Dies.

Meerkat

Crafty Stamps, the Edinburgh-based family business, have brought out some more great animal stamps. This cute meerkat is just one of many.

I was also quite keen to try out some more Sue Wilson dies and to see what the Foundations cardstock, which she is using frequently, is like. The result is this 5" x 7" card where even the card base is created from Foundations card.

In more detail, I have used:

* Crafty Stamps Meerkat (AN152B)
* Ginger Foundations A4 card
* Black textured cardstock
* Kraft cardstock
* Neenah Desert Storm card
* Sue Wilson background die from the Spanish collection
* Sue Wilson faux quilled leave dies
* Sue Wilson faux quilled blooms dies
* Tag die by Marianne Design
* Black Memento ink pad
* ProMarkers in Warm Grey 1, Sandstone, Caramel and Burnt Sienna
* Black self-adhesive pearls
* String
* Piercing ruler and tool

I hope you like the result.

Craft Stamps rubber stamps are available from Crafty Stamps, their shop 'Stampers Grove' and on 12 April 2014 at the Ross Papercraft Show at the Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh. Stampers Grove are also stockists of Sue Wilson dies.

Doilies - just that wee bit different

 

Dovecraft Curiosity Corner - Mother's Day

Thank you for all your good wishes last weekend. The cold is definitely better now, but I am still fighting it. Being at work every single day and getting soaked due to gales and torrential downpours last Thursday obviously has not helped ...

Chopping up doilies might be good against the frustration caused by a nasty cold. But to be honest, it was actually a much more deliberate action. Doily dies are not cheap, and intricate dies can bring their own challenges with them. Dovecraft have now got a good selection of doilies - white as well as lovely colours - within their collections. And they can be a quick and inexpensive alternative.

Dovecraft Curiosity Corner - Predominantly Doily

These two cards, which are created using the Dovecraft Curiosity Corner collection by Trimcraft, show cut up doilies used as decorative corners and decorative panels. Product lists and full step-by-step instructions are in my Trimcraft gallery and can be accessed via the links underneath the images.

By the way, Trimcraft also have a great forum and at the moment even a design team call. Many of you are so very talented. Could this perhaps be something for you?

More Curiosity Corner

 Curiosity Corner - A little love

This is not fair. Last Saturday I was at the SECC and left there keen to play with the new toys. As it is also the busiest time of the year at work with long hours and a lot of stress, a small daily dose of crafting would help to relax and to remain sane. But on Sunday I ended up flat on my nose with a whole range of cold and flu symptoms ...

I had to soldier on and was at work every day, but when I was eventually home my temperature was on the up and I ended up snuggled up on the sofa or in my bed. And how can you craft when you are coughing, sneezing and splattering? Going to work every day and getting wet and blown through at bus stops obviously does not help when it comes to shifting a nasty bug, but I hope that a quiet weekend will make a difference.

Curiosity Corner - Time for tea

At least I managed to finish off a card today and to write the instructions for this project and a further card. They are featuring again the beautiful Curiosity Corner collection by Trimcraft. And you can find product lists and step-by-step instructions in my Trimcraft gallery. Just click onto the links below the images.

Curiosity Corner Impressions

Curiosity Corner - Say it with flowers

The long and extremely busy hours at work are really starting to take its toll. At the moment I need to be careful not to start a card and to fall asleep right over it. But my brain never seems to stop working, so I do not even get the relaxing kind of sleep that helps to recharge the batteries.

At least I have managed to write the instructions for two more cards created with the new Dovecraft Curiosity Corner collection - although I must admit that this has taken me three nights instead of just a couple of minutes ... Just good that I can enjoy a four-day week in the office.

Curiosity Corner - Garden Girl

You can view the product lists and step-by-step instructions in my Trimcraft gallery by clicking onto the links below the images.