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
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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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