Off the starting block - It's Christmaaaaas!!!!!

Thought I'd share with you my first Christmas card, only took me two evenings (well one evening to lay it all out and a half an evening to stick it all down). Basically because I was on my own in the house this afternoon, so was left to concentrate without anyone saying 'what we having for tea' or the tele blaring out in my ear and my side table tucked up under my armpit whilst trying to craft, to avoid blocking someone's view of the tele (heaven forbid!!!!).  If you saw my crafting area in the corner of our lounge, by the tele, you'd know what I was up against!  

I had this card in mind when I bought the Tonic dies of the Stag and Sleigh, but at Alley Pally on Saturday saw a card on display that inspired me.  The original was similar but I embellished a little with the Sue Wilson Christmas Trees and the message is from one of Phill Martins' stamp sets.

When I started it I planned it as red and gold, but then it went to gold and purple, but then it ended up being all gold.  Nothing ever ends up being the same as the idea in your head does it?   

What I found amazing, is that us crafters spend loads of money on our crafting stash, must have the latest trends, can't live without them, I bought loads of stuff at Alley Pally last Saturday, spent loads of pennies (well pounds really but don't tell anyone!) , couldn't wait to get home and play and the first card I made was done by using stuff I already had!  Ironic really, lthough the stag die and sleigh hadn't been out of the packet since they arrived in the post in July!!!! Never mind I'm sure I'll get to use my other new stuff sometime or the other????

Ooh the one thing I did use from Alley Pally was the Starlight Paints from Imagination Crafts, these are amazing and I used them on the background to get the pink and gold shimmer, by using a brayer.  All good fun :)

Once again, thanks for popping by and don't forget to leave me a message to let me know you popped by (unless of course you're my bank manager......)

Take care and see you soon.  

49 years together and still going strong!

Just wanted to share a card that I've made for my Sister and Brother in law on their 49th wedding anniversary today.  Can't believe they've been together so long, but they do make a lovely couple and are two of the nicest people I know. 

I love making cards for either of them as they are always greatly received and my brother in law always takes my card as shows it to everyone every birthday (must really get on people's nerves, but they're always so polite!). However, sometimes it can be difficult trying to think of something different every time and this one was no exception.

I started making a card last week, got an idea in my head and wanted to use brown and cream, so made some flowers and laid the card out, using some spellbinder dies and my Nuevo glitter but it just didn't look right,  I kept laying it down, walking away and then going back to it but still wasn't happy.

Then one night, I was flicking through the TV channels (as everyone else had gone to bed and I had control of the remote (for once!) and came across Phill Martin (Creative Expressions) on the newish craft channel Hochanda.  He was making a Christmas card and I really liked it and suddenly thought I could do that as an anniversary card.  Hence the picture of the end result.  

Although I didn't have the stamps he had, and obviously don't think my sister and husband would have appreciated 'Merry Christmas' on their anniversary card (although it may have meant they would have got a Christmas card off of me, but that's another story!), I used what I had in my stash and hence the final result.  I was pleased with it and my sister and brother in law were delighted with it.  

Hope you like it too.  

Thanks for popping by, see you again soon.

Trudi

Exploding Boxes - Cooper Albert

I cannot believe I have not posted on here since January of this year and now it's August - where does the time go?

Thought I'd like to share two exploding box cards I have made recently.

I 

  The baby boy one was to celebrate the arrival of Cooper Albert, my great nephew who arrived on 24 July weighing a very slight 10lbs 2ozs (definitely made my nieces eyes water lol!).

I was especially proud of the pram in the centre of Coopers' card which I made off my own back (the thought came to me in bed one night - why is it that's out have ideas on the weirdest of places?). 

I must admit I enjoyed making the one for Jenny.  It's always easier to make cards for girls isn't it.  Again the cake in the middle was made using my own idea and my way was definitely easier than some I've seen on you tube etc.

  

I have made a couple of these cards before and always refer back to a video from YouTube by dawns inspirations http://dawnsinspirations.com.  It's a really informative and unhurried video and you can stop it and start it as you craft along.  There is nothing really difficult in any part of these cards apart from choosing the colour of card - that's always the hardest part for me.

Hope I've inspired some of you to have a go at these cards as they are very striking and very rewarding.  Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to leave a comment, love to know what your thoughts are.  Bye for now xxx

Isaac's Ark

Hello my little blogging friends, long time no see.  Can't believe that it's 2015 already, blinked and you missed 2014!

Well what a start to the year by being asked to make a card for a 1 year old little boy.  I wasn't sure at first what to do, but wanted to do something colourful.  I then remembered that I had some Kanban stamps of animals, and so the creative juices started flowing.   

First of all I cut a circle from Kraft card (actually it wasn't exactly Kraft card, but a light brown card, and then scored it down the centre (using my Hougie board) and then at 1 cm intervals towards the outside edge, I drew vertical lines and dots to make it look like planks,  then folded it in half.  

I then cut two more circles the same size but slightly larger than the brown one, (one using the Spellbinders Grand decorative circles and one using a Spellbinders plain circle, scored and folded these in half (this was basically to give a bit more stability to the structure) you could probably get away with one circle if you're using heavy weight card.  The edge of the decorative circle was coloured with distress ink pad (using Salty Ocean - or something like that, sorry can't remember off the top of my head).

I then cut a rectangle (I used a Tonic scalloped edge) and a slightly smaller straight edge to make the cabin.  Cut out four little windows and glazed them with diamond glaze,  I then cut a slot in the top of the brown circle, (along the crease) so that I could slide the rectangle into it.  If your following these instructions Don't stick anything down until you're happy where the animals are going etc., depending on how you want to decorate it!  

As I said earlier, I stamped the Kanban animals onto white card and then coloured them in (using Promarkers) and cut them out,  The bunting was stamped on white card and coloured in along with the Number 1 and also covered this in Diamond Glaze.  'Isaac' was stamped using a Clarity Stamp set, with Sprinkles blue glitter glue round the edges,  

The cabin is actually stuck to the front underside of the light brown.  This means it's at the right angle and not leaning forward.  Hope this makes sense.  

If you have any questions about making this card please feel free to contact me.  It's funny but I've had this idea in my mind since I got the stamps, but never actually got round to making it - but now I have I'm glad I did.  Isaac's Mum loved it and hopefully so will Isaac.  Just leaves me to say 

"Happy Birthday Isaac" and thank You for checking out my blog.  Take care and see you all again soon xxx