Having fun

Well, I hope you've been enjoying the Weekend WOW shows with Fiona, in fact, she's on now!  I had such fun making designs for this show, these dies make getting inspiration really easy, and you only need to add a few bits to make a really stunning stand out card.

This first card is a tent card (it has a W piece of card at the bottom so from the side it looks a bit like a tent) and I've used the die (Jardin) to cut into a window in the card.  The backing paper behind is from Sara's Signature Collection Floral Delight, and the dies are from this collection combined with the English Country Garden collection.

This next card was made using the Marseille die (I think this is my favourite as I love peacocks) and is so fabulously simple combined with the Kimono CD and embossing folder.  The sentiment is from the Die'sire Only Words - Classiques collection & cut out of mirri card looks stunning (and much better than the old peel offs).

This collection and the others in the shows are really versatile & I cannot recommend them highly enough, I'd love to hear from anyone making cards/projects with these dies, so please send me a link and I'll come and visit your blogs.

Hope you all have a lovely crafty Sunday.

TTFN

Rach
x

PS for those that asked for a tutorial for my hexagon box, its now live on youtube here

And the winner is....

Well, Birthday week is all over - boo!

But that does mean the winners of the birthday week blog hop have now been chosen, so without further ado, the winner of my gift box stack is...

Suecar53!  Please could you email socialmedia@crafterscompanion.co.uk with details of your address and name so that I can get your prize off to you - Congratulations!, I really hope it doesn't disappoint in the flesh, but I will miss seeing it on my work table.  There is a full list of winners from all of the blogs here.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my blog, I'm so glad you took the time to take part.  I will be sorting out a tutorial on how to make the hexagon boxes so you can all have a go too.

Birthday week really was a whirlwind of new products and I tried to be strict with myself and not spend too much - ha! that lasted all of 5 minutes.  I'm now the proud owner of a full set of Spectrum Illustrators stored beautifully in their sparkly trays, and I could not resist Sara's new Birthday Party Signature Range either, so that has been added to my collection.

I was lucky enough to get to play with some of the birthday week products ahead of launch, including the new 5" Create a Card dies and card blanks.  Those blanks are such a godsend when you're in a rush but don't want to skimp on design - as for the dies, well, what can I say, FABULOUS!!!! they cut a out a dream and produce such stunning results, my absolute favourite, and I know it was everyone elses too (as it sold out individually) was the owl, so here are a couple of cards I made using this and the card blanks.

Same owl, but very different effects - the luxury card stock with the glitter card in it is just to die for, really, you must try it, you won't regret it, you might look like a loon when your partner finds you just staring at it as you twist it in the light to catch every last piece of sparkle..... or is that just me?!

Well, hope you all have a fabulous crafty day playing with your new favourite purchases & I'll be back soon & congratulations again to Sue.

TTFN

Rach

x

Big boxes

Well, I hope you're all enjoying birthday week - for those of you who have commented on my blog hop post, first of all, thank you, secondly, I will be making a video of how to create the hexagonal boxes so you can have a go too when you take delivery of all the lovely card that Fiona was showing last night on Hochanda!

Now, speaking of all that lovely card, here's one of my makes for the launch show last night:

This is made from one sheet of A3 card stock and some of the new A3 construction Acetate, in this case from the Decadence range, and is one of the designs on the new Big Score DVD, and before you think you couldn't possible achieve this result - you most definitely can, the videos on the DVD take you step by step through the projects.  When I made this, I had Sara on in the background and I watched each step, paused the video, went and completed that step, came back, watched the next bit and completed the project in this way, so please have a go, they are such great fun and with Christmas fast approaching, you could have the best dressed presents in town!  Just have a look at this next box:

Again, when you follow the instructions, this is so incredibly easy to do, but looks so incredible - go have fun people, these are brilliant!

Anyway, I must go take my sniffy, cold ridden self to work & spread my germs!

TTFN

Rach

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Happy Birthday Crafters Companion!

Well, it's finally here, the 11th Birthday party for Crafters Companion and everyone's invited!

OMG, you are so in for a treat, there are some incredible new launches coming (click here for the fabby brochure) - this is really amazing, it's their birthday, but we all get the presents!

Now, speaking of presents, one of the special events for this year's party is a blog hop, which begins at midday today, you need to head here to get all of the information and details of all the other blogs involved, but essentially we are playing pass the parcel with blogs.  When the music stops, you will be asked to go and visit a specific blog and leave a comment during the time period given.  From the commenters, a winner will be chosen...... and the prize, you get to win what's been made and shown on the blog post!  There are some amazing prizes on offer...

And so, as I'm taking part in this incredible event, here's what I've made for your delight:

 Please excuse the ton of photo's I took, but I really wanted to give you a sense of the size.  Each of these hexagonal boxes is 4 inches high (made with the brilliant big score), and they are actually independent boxes so if you win, you could use them as 3 separate gift boxes.  This gives you a taster of one of the launches during birthday week, which is some incredible (very strokable) A3 double sided Centura Pearl cardstock, two everyday (Decadence and Regency), which I have used here, the Regency is the purple/lilac shades, and I've included a bit of the Decadence in the flowers, this has gorgeous cream and gold tones.  I've also used flowers, swirls, leaves and butterflies from Sara's signature collections, and a little bit of glitter cardstock (from the Luxury Card Pack - Silver).

Well, I really hope you like my make, and I hope even more that you'll keep checking the facebook page and join us hopping.

If you're lucky enough to win (hop is open until 30th October), please email details of your address to socialmedia@crafterscompanion.co.uk , who will arrange for your prize to be sent out (within 2 weeks)  Please keep checking on the blogs (there will also be some stunning makes using other new products from the Birthday launches on everyone's blogs) and facebook to see if you've won.

Okay, well I must be off to work now - have fun and enjoy the party!

TTFN

Rach

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The only flowers I can grow!

I really am no gardener - my backyard is completely concreted, and my front is well, wild, well, completely livid really!  But I can have an incredible flower garden with my cards, especially when I'm using the gorgeous large edgeable Jardin die from Crafters Companion.  This was one of the cards I made for the recent launch of these fab dies.

I also used the lovely Downton Abbey range for the Rectangle mat inside, English Country Garden dies and papers, together with Core'dinations cardstock.  I had a complete blast playing with this range as it really does do most of the work on your card for you (if you want), just a little bit of paper and a sentiment and you're done.

Anyway, I suppose I'd better go and get ready for work - hope you've got your Edgeable dies and are having fun with them too, let me know if you are.

TTFN

Rach
x

It's that C word again!

Sorry but I love Christmas, everything about it, the tinsel, the glitter, the carols, the cozy nights by the fire with the tree twinkling away, people being much nicer to each other than the rest of the year (why do they do that?) and all the lovely food too.  And as a crafter I get to extend the festive season to the rest of the year by making cards - Yay!!!!!!.

I have had a template for a card for aaaaggggess, with every intention (you know the road to hell is paved with good intentions!!!) of having a go as I'd seen so many of my Crafters teamies playing with this and making it look absolutely amazing.  By the way if you want to have a go too, you can find the template here.

I haven't played with this collection for a very long time and with the festive season fast approaching, I thought it was the perfect time to dust of my Snowman and Snowdog collection from Crafters, together with some of the fabulous Christmas Die'sire dies and get cracking.

This card is absolutely HUGE - that's not the small Snowman and Snowdog dies I've used there, they are the full size ones, it's about 18 cm high by 27 cm long and so my next task will be to make a box for it to go in as it's not exactly flat either, probably not one to send in the post!

I had great fun making this, and even more fun looking through the Snowman and Snowdog CD for inspiration, you forget so quickly how much wonderful stuff there is on all the old CD's, think I may have to dig more of them back out and get playing, and if I've inspired you to have a go, either with your old CD's or to maybe get a template and have a play, leave me a message and/or a link and I'll have a look!

TTFN

Rach

x

Love isn't just for Valentines

Well, Crafters Companion have done it again, they are bringing some of the most incredible, large format, edgeable dies to us tonight on Hochanda!

Sometimes I cannot believe how lucky I am to get to play with these fabulous products before they go to air, but then they need average people (more like XXL!) to give their products the final test of craftability - and boy do these score high on that!  Wait until you see the rest of the teams samples AMAZING!!!

For myself I saw this gorgeous Rococco design and fell in love with it (pardon the pun), it cuts and embosses beautifully and because of it's size creates the most stunning edge to the card (well, that is what it's designed to do!).  Unfortunately on this card it doesn't show very well, but I have also used Empire Gold gilding wax to highlight the edgeable.  So beautiful, so elegant, with a card like this you really don't want to go saving up all the love just for Valentines.

I've also used Sara's Signature Collections Together Forever and Love and Romance for the dies and embossing, a match made in heaven and so incredibly fun to do.

Anyway, I must away to the day job now, but don't forget to tune in at 8 pm tonight to watch Leann on Hochanda with these fabulous new dies!

TTFN

Rach
x

Crackers for Christmas!

I love making cracker gift boxes, they are so easy to do and so effective.

I was watching Fiona on Hochanda yesterday and she was demoing the new Create a Card cut in sentiment dies, which I had the pleasure of playing with prior to the launch, and while I hadn't thought of it while making my samples (doh!), it suddenly came to me that these dies may fit onto the cracker panels, and they do!

So, not only have I made several (they take no time at all to make once you get into the swing of it), I have created a tutorial so that you can all have a go!

One slight problem, I have created the document in both word and pdf format, but stupid blogger will not let me insert this into the post, so I'm going to pass the tutorial on to the powers that be at Crafters Companion to see if they can do it.  

Also if you would like to leave me a message at the bottom of this post, I will see if there is any way I can email the instructions to you.

Hope you're enjoying this lovely bank holiday weekend, the sun is coming out down here in Plymouth so I may even get my washing dry!

TTFN

Rach

x

Diamond Press

Well, if you can get to watch Hochanda this afternoon (will make a change from the Olympics, which in our house is driving us all nuts!) at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.  they will be bringing you the Diamond Press and some lovely accessory sets.

 You really can't beat this fabulous little machine for making quick cards to get you out of a last minute hole (and we've all been in those!), and best of all you can take it anywhere it's so tiny!

I had such a blast making samples for the show & these are just two.  The arrows forming the corners for the 'You're Invited' card were done using the stamp set that comes with the Diamond Press starter kit, in fact the only thing that isn't in the starter kit is the words which are from the Block Alpha die set.

This second card is purely using the starter kit with some splodging (technical term!) in the background with my Spectrum Aqua pens (I saw Nicky Hall using this technique and it's so much fun!).

Anyway, I hope you can get a moment to tune in, this is a fabulous tool and sits with me at my table all the time.

TTFN

Rach

xx

Christmas is on it's way!

Yes, I know I said the C word! but it really is, we are past the longest day of the year and so the days will start to draw in little by little and before you know it you'll be drinking mulled wine and singing carols round the tree!  And so with that stark warning, you are going to need to get going on those Christmas makes, we all know that we make more cards/gifts etc... for Christmas than any other time of the year.

Crafters Companion have outdone themselves this time and are bringing out some brand new Cut In Create a Card Dies, which will allow you to cut out the design as I have here so that it can be used to create the decoration for a card (these are a really good size too!), or you can cut the design into the card, which gives a whole new world of possibilities - ooh and wait till you see all of the incredible designs.

This design is a gorgeous little, okay not so little, tag for your amazing gifts and can be made really quite quickly.  The tag shape is the Stacey Create a Card Base, which I then embossed with one of the snowflake embossing folders from Sara's Signature Collection Festive Wonder and then went over with gold gilding wax.  I cut the 'Ornate Snowflake' from kraft card and then the smaller snowflake (yes you get really good value out of this design) in black and went over that with the gilding wax too, then it was a simple task to just layer them up with some glue gel, bit of ribbon and your done! 

Well, hope you all like this & you'll be able to watch all the shows

TTFN

Rach

x

Special Day

Well, I hope you all love the new Grand Create a Card dies that launched recently.

This next card is a personal favourite of mine - I love shadow box cards, they fold flat for posting but have so much depth and dimension (really simple to create as well).

The design inside the gates was created with the spring/summer range of die'sire classiques which you can get here.  I used a gold card for the actual card which is very similar to Centura Pearl so cuts a dream (these dies cut beautifully and all the little bits just fall out) and then on the sides used Downton Abbey Regency Borders dies cut in the same card to create a lovely extra detail on the sides.  The wording is from the die'sire Only words classiques collection and Sara's Signature English Country Garden collection made an appearance with the flowers.

Well, I hope you all like this (I say all, I may be just rambling to myself - please say hi if you drop in) and I'll try and be back with some more soon.

TTFN

Rach

x

Gift Box

Hi, well hope you’re all enjoying this brave new world we all find ourselves in since Brexit – feel any different?  No, neither do I.  So lets carry on and craft!

I’m showing today a make using the fabulous new Grand Create a Card dies.  This one uses ‘Grand Candelabra’ and makes the most fabulous gift box, especially when teamed with white and black centura pearl – yes I did say black centura pearl.  I discovered this when I went to the pre-opening of the Crafters Companion store in Newton Ayecliffe (fab place & absolutely on my must visit list if ever I am up that way again).

The box is made using A3 Centura Pearl and I’ve used construction Acetate to back the die to give the whole thing strength.  The detail round the edge was created using Sara’s Together Forever Signature range and the ‘Graceful Swirls’ dies, which I highlighted with silver gilding wax, in the same way I highlighted the main die.

Hope you like how this turned out and will have a go at something similar – these dies really are ideal for box making.

Anyway, hope you all have a great day & see you again soon.

TTFN

Rach

I love Hybrid Dies!

Well, I hope you've loved Leann's shows with these incredible Hybrid Dies, I've got them recorded as I was working (boo!).

I wanted to show you a couple of cards using the Vine Leaves die, thinking inside and out of the box.  The die cuts into the card, so it's great for creating panels, but the vines can also be cut out so can create their own stunning decoration on a card, box, home decor, or whatever!

 This card was created from an A3 sheet of Centura Pearl cut down to create an A5 Tent fold card base and then I used the Die to create a central panel which I then backed with Printed Vellum from Sara's Together Forever signature range.  I also used the dies Celebrate and Forever In My Heart, Matt Mirror Card and the A4 Luxury Foiled Card from the range for the other elements as well as some bling and a double organza bow (made on my Ultimate Pro's bowmaker)

For this card I used Centura Pearl and cut out the Vine Leaves design, inked through with distress ink (pine needles) and then cut out the central leaves design.

I've used the Kimono CD for the topper and backing papers, Downton Abbey Feather Brooch Die for the feathers (coated liberally with Spray & Sparkle Iridescent).  I used my epiphany 25 (for the first time in aaagggess) to create the button, and finally I used the Die'sire Only Words Classiques - Thinking of You die.






Such an incredible range - I really hope you've managed to get your hands on these dies, they really are so stunning and versatile, but if you get them you can find that out for yourself!

See you soon

Rach
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More In my Heart

Well as I was saying before, these dies are so incredibly versatile, I thought I would show you the other sample I made with the In my Heart Die.

 I have used the die to create a beautiful and elegant front for a wedding invite, the design for which was an interpretation of one on the Ulti-Cards DVD from Crafters Companion.

I can see this being made in a colour to match the theme for the wedding as Crafters do so many wonderful colours of Centura Pearl there is sure to be one just perfect for it.

If you would like a tutorial for this or any of my other makes, please just leave me a message and I can get that sorted.

Hope you can watch Leann with this fabulous collection (10 a.m. Hochanda today Friday 3rd June), I can highly recommend getting your hands on this early!

TTFN

Rach
x

Create a Card

Or something else.... A whole host of lovely Create a Card dies are launching on Hochanda tomorrow at 10 a.m.  And it was my absolute privilege to get to play with some of them to make samples for the show, they are really versatile though and Create a Card really doesn't do them justice!

I have used one of the new designs 'In my Heart' to create the flap for this wonderful handbag gift bag, I inked through with some distress ink which has created the most wonderful delicate hearts and swirls patterning.  I combined Sara's Signature Collections - Love & Romance and Together Forever for the papers and decoration, and used some button magnets for the closure.

I can see this bag filled with some very gorgeous chocolates, jewellery or a well folded scarf.

I always love seeing the different creative interpretations from my fellow teamies and I can tell you you are in for a real treat with this collection, I'm sure when you get your hands on it you too will find so many different ways to use these dies.

Well I'll be back later with more of these fabulous dies - don't forget, Friday 3rd June, 10 a.m.

TTFN

Rach

x

A taste of the Orient

Hi again, only little old me, sorry I've been a bit quiet, I have been crafting in the background but just haven't got around to posting too much.  I also have some amazing, exciting and fabulous news (well I think it is), which I will save for the end of this post.

First to my card, which was actually made a while ago & I'm only now getting around to posting it.  I decided to use the Kimono CD, which I have massively under used although I regularly drool over the collection, I suppose it's like the favourite dog eared paper pad that you get out every once in a while to stroke and then put away because it's far too good to use!  Well, this time I printed off one of the card companions and a matching backing paper and set to making a card.  I used card from one of the Core'dinations packs to matt and layer, and also used this with the Kimono blossom branch die, I then created coordinating purple blossoms with gems at their centre.  The butterfly, although you can't see it in the picture has been sparkled up using the clear Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen, which I absolutely adore and add to anything that stands still long enough!

Hope you like it!

And now to my news..........(insert drum roll)............ I've been accepted onto the Die'sire design team with Crafters Companion!!!!!  I cannot believe how lucky I am (not lucky enough to win the Euro millions yet, but that's another story), if you hear of lots of happy dancing, that will be me.  Soo looking forward to getting started.

Anyway, suppose I'd better go and get ready for another day at the office (got to fund my crafty hoarding somehow!).

TTFN

Rach

x

Something for the boys

Yay!!!! It's Friday again and a long weekend for all of us that aren't in retail or service industries (sorry for those of you that are).

I am really looking forward to doing some crafting (I have some new goodies due to arrive today so will have plenty of stuff to have fun with - not that my home isn't already crammed to the rafters with craft goodies!).

Today's cards are made using the recent Sara Signature Collection Just for Men, which I've fallen in love with.  Normally I hate making cards for men, they are just so difficult to make for, but this collection does make it really easy.

The first card is a really fun tool card, I started with a top opening A5 card which I cut the corners off to make an apron shape, I covered the front with a couple of the papers from 6x6 urban pad and used some ribbon to cover the join.  The pockets were made with Kraft card and then embossed using the checker plate and pop dotty folders and added some distress ink.  I then put some of the tools in the pockets and I even used the centre of some of the cogs to create the buttons, then finished off with the lovely Happy Birthday sentiment.

The second card, I used the superstars dies on a piece of copier paper to create a stencil and then used some nearly dried out ink pads to create the starry background, then I used the rockstar stamp in black to create a fab silhouette, the music notes and sentiment, then embellished with the guitar and flames dies and some more of the stars.  Mat and layer onto your card base & all done.

Well, hope you are all looking forward to the holiday weekend and find some time to get crafty.

TTFN

Rach

x

Sunglasses & elegance!

I would suggest sunglasses before you look at this card, it's quite bright, and what you can't see in the photo is the pink card has a shiny satin finish.

I've used the incredible Downton Abbey 2016 Die collection for the card, cut using Kraft card with the bright pink background, the sentiment is from the Die'sire only Words collection, which I cut in the same pink as the base card.

The card base is A6 and as the bow stands out quite a lot, I've even created an envelobox to put it in (but didn't take a picture of that - sorry).

Well just a short post today, but after I've hurt your eyes with the the brightness, the least I can do is let you go away and recover quickly!

Hope you enjoy your soggy Friday (how quickly the weather changes!)

TTFN

Rach

x

Dead Mans Chest

Well, I've just realised how long its been since my last blog post - I'M SO SORRY!!!  I get so busy having fun, I forget to show what I've been making.

Having realised that I have so many stamps that I've bought over the years, stroked and put away, un-inked that I'm trying much harder to use new products before I put them away, and to this end, the next project was born.

I looked at the Day of the Dead range and I could see not only Mardi Gras but also pirates and the skull and crossbones, well I decided that you could combine the two.  I remembered that on the Advanced Construction Techniques DVD there was a treasure chest and so I used the gorgeous Renaissance A3 Centura Pearl for the box with Purple straps and a Pearl Paper Pen to create the rivets and then just had some fun with the Sugar skull (coloured with Spectrum Noir pens), and the dancing skeleton (head only) coloured with distress ink.  I also used the Floral Fiesta flowers cut out with copier paper and coloured with Spectrum Aqua pens.

Well, I hope you like this & hopefully (no promises) I'll be back soon.

TTFN

Rach

x

Amor

Yes I know valentines day is over, but I have been having fun playing with the Sheena Douglas Day of the Dead range.  OMG! these stamps are amazing, I'd never tried the technique that Sheena showed on the telly of stamping in a distress ink onto stamping card and then drawing out the ink with water on a brush, but I decided to have a go and the card below is the result.

I wanted to keep it simple as the image is just so stunning, so I just created a background using distress inks and then stamped with some of the stamps from the Floral Fiesta set (again from the Day of the Dead range).  for those of you interested in such things, the ink used for the main image is Brushed Corderoy.

I'm sure many of you are already using, but I've only just discovered Sheena's Stamping Card - Wow! that stuff is brilliant.  I looked at it and thought, well it's only card, how different can it be?  The answer is VERY DIFFERENT, it really is a good weight card for a start, takes a stamped image brilliantly, and handles water so well without warping or pilling (well it did when I used it, I was quite sparing with the water).

Anyway, hope you have a lovely Wednesday & I'll be back again soon.

TTFN

Rach

x

Perfect Day

You know the song by Lou Reed, well by the end of yesterday, I could not get it out of my head.  I had such a brilliant day, they don't come along that often so when they do they are to be treasured!

It started first thing, I'd been unable to get my usual shopping delivery slot of 9 - 11, so I went for 10 - 12, only my usual delivery driver did not see that and turned up at 9.20!  Fabulous!!  This meant I had time to go out in the morning with hubby and get another broadband wireless extender (problem of living in big old victorian houses with thick walls, wi fi does not get through easily), and managed to get one for half the price we were expecting.

Then my lovely friend Alison came over and we had an incredible afternoon of crafting and I actually made 2 cards from start to finish (believe me that's a record), the ideas were just flowing brilliantly and I had an amazing time - thanks Alison!

Tea was home made pizza's, mine was ham and pineapple with a garlic base as this is my absolute favourite and it was gorgeous, the day just got better and better, then to top it off England won the Rugby - RESULT!!!!

Like I said, a perfect day :)

Anyway, enough waffle, you want to see the cards:

The first was made using the Downton Abbey range from Crafters Companion, the sentiment is from the CD, the paper from the 12x12 pad and I also used the Feather Brooch, Chandelier and Elegant border dies, a really simple card to make but I think really stunning.

The second card uses Sara's Signature Collection "Together Forever", the backing paper inside is from the 6x6 pad, I've used the Indulgence and Champagne Flute dies, a sentiment from the stamp sheet and the tag is from a really old set I believe it's scalloped tags, and the embossing was done using Decadent Damask from the together forever collection.

Well, hope you like them, I'm off now to see if I can make Sunday as good as yesterday was, and hope you all have a good one too!

TTFN

Rach

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Verity Rose

Well, I hope you're all enjoying Crafters Companion moving across to Hochanda, I think it's fab (even if I can't see the programme on the telly as I have Virgin - I just have to watch on the computer).

They are back with the stunning Verity Rose collection again, and here's a card I made for the launch shows using the Starlet collection.  This used the embossing folder, paper pad, accessory stamps and dies, die cut toppers set and a sentiment from the CD.

I really hope you like this collection as much I and the rest of the design team do, they are such gorgeous little characters and I think we all know someone we can associate with each of the different girls.

Well, just a quick one from me this morning, must be getting ready for work in a minute (insert sad face).  Hope you all have a lovely Monday.

TTFN

Rach

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Cupcake anyone?

Well, it's nearly time for the launch of the Verity Rose collection from Crafters Companion and I really don't know how they do it.  Every release just gets better and better, and in this case bigger too, not only is the CD jam packed, there will be dies, embossing folders, embellishments and die cut toppers too - you are in for such a treat!

Here's my first card to give you a taster, made using the Cupcake section of the CD, yes there are lots of sections to the CD each with their own character and personalities (these sassy ladies definitely have their own personalities).

This lovely easel notepad uses items only from the CD, the easel card shape is one of many templates on the CD, and this has then been topped off using designer papers and embellishments also from the CD, a simple but effective gift and card in one!

Well, I'll be back tomorrow, in time to remind you to watch the launch show (9 a.m. Saturday 27th February on Create and Craft).  Until then, have a fab crafty day!

TTFN

Rach

x

Where did the month go?

Wow! I keep blinking and weeks disappear - I know, stop blinking!

Well, as I've finally remembered that I have a blog and I really should be updating it every once in a while, I thought I'd share another of my makes for the A Country Life CD launch.

This is a corner card (I'll show you the inside in a minute which will explain the corner bit) that was made using one of the blended companions on the CD, I always love these sections on the CD as they can make really quick cards to get you out of a hole, or you can really go to town on them and turn them into really special works of art.  Not sure where this one sits on that scale but I do love it anyway.  I also used some of the coordinating papers and the Bebunni Cabbage Rose die along with some Easy Crystals.

Now to show you why it's called a corner card.....

Gorgeous isn't it, the bottom piece folds across the diagonal inside the card when closed but it makes for a really sturdy card that can't fall down, and gives you extra space for decoration.

Well anyway, hope you all have a lovely day & hope to be back soon.

TTFN

Rach

x

Well, it's Monday AGAIN!

Boo! I hate Monday's, it means I have to stop playing with my crafty stash and go and earn some money - you know, that sensible adulting stuff we all hate!

Anyway, on this dull and dreary Monday, I thought I'd share another of my makes using the fab new CD 'A Country Life', this uses one of the Heart Easels on the CD, there are 6 of these, all ready for you to cut out and put your own interpretation on.  I used some of the dies from Sara's Signature Series 'Butterfly Lullaby' for embellishment (flit and flutter and the fancy flourishes dies) together with some rose embellishments.  Unfortunately it does not show up in the photo but I also used my clear sparkle pen from the Spectrum Noir Sparkle pens on the butterfly and if you catch it in the right light it glistens beautifully.

Anyway, whatever you are up to today, hope it's a good one!

TTFN

Rach

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A Country Life

Wow! Twice in one week, must have fallen and bumped my head!

But I'm back for a really good reason and that is to remind you all to tune in to Create and Craft at midday today when Fiona will be bringing the pick of the week, which is a stunning new collection from Morgan Fitzsimons (yes the same lady who brought the INCREDIBLE Flights of Fantasy collection).  There is a fabulous CD full of the most amazing images to cover so many occasions and then some beautiful stamps too so you can get colouring with all your Spectrum goodies!

This card was made using one of the Card Companions from the CD, together with one of the backing papers.  The flowers were cut from Centura Pearl using the Die'sire Forget me Not dies, I then coloured the flowers using Spectrum Noir pens (PL2 and PL4), shaped using a ball tool, layered and added a gem to the centre, some ribbon and a double bow (used the bowmaker on my Ultimate Pro) and your good to go, well once you've added an insert to the inside of the card, and there are some really lovely ones on this CD as well as some really lovely verses for your cards.

Well, make sure you tune in at MIDDAY TODAY and grab yours early!

TTFN

Rach

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Just a quickie

Well, I'm trying to post slightly more often as I've been very quiet recently, still crafting but not getting it online.

This is a card I made for my daughter to take into the place she had been doing some work experience, it's a really simple card made using the Spectrum Aqua pens.  I just put some colour onto a piece of acetate (Teal, Gold & Red Violet), spritzed with water and then put the watercolour card on top, give it a wiggle and lift, then matt and layer onto some coloured card (I used Core'dinations) and add a die cut sentiment from the Die'sire Only Words range.

Well, hope you like it - it can be adapted in all sorts of ways, in fact I have already made another card in this sort of style which I will show soon....

TTFN

Rach

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