Trick or Treat?

Hello, I'm back to share an easy Halloween make I created for the Papermilldirect Design Team.  I’m teaming the fun colorflute card with black cardstocks for a traditional orange & black Halloween colour scheme.

I created a file in Cricut Design Space (link here: https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/45482082 ) to cut from Papermilldirect Black Smooth card, this is a lovely 250gsm weight and cuts like a dream on my Explore.  I cut the cobweb frame, Trick or Treat words and bats from the 250gsm card.

Adhere black cobweb frame onto a sheet of PMD Mandarin Orange Colorflute card.  I used a strong permafix tape for all 4 sides and some dabs of clear drying glue for the webs parts, pressing down to ensure adhesion.  Trim orange colorflute card to give a small border around the black frame.

Glue wording to sign using clear drying glue.  An easy way to line them up is to use the waste from your cut out as a template to adhere your letters through, when letters are glued carefully lift template away.

Glue bats as desired around ‘Trick or Treat’ sentiment.  You can also resize the bats or cut more if required to create your own layout.  Add eyes with a white gel pen.

Papermilldirect’s Extra Thick Charcoal Black card at 550gsm is the perfect weight for a backing to this sign, sturdy but easy to punch 2 holes into using a hole punch.  Use a combination of d/s tape and glue to adhere sign to backing.  Tie black and orange ribbons through the holes to finish and you have a Halloween Sign all ready to display.

I love the texture of the Colorflute card, it is easy to cut on my paper guillotine and the colours are bright and eyecatching, I've used the Mandarin Orange for this design but there is also a Lime colour perfect for Halloween makes too.

If you don't have a Cricut to use the file to cut, you can still make your own Halloween designs using the colorflute card and Extra thick cardstock, just die cut lettering or adhesive stickers for the greetings, bats are easy to cut out or try dies or punches, don't forget to share what you make over on the +Papermilldirect  facebook page.

Products Used:
Extra Thick Charcoal Black Card 550gsm – Papermilldirect
Black Smooth card 250gsm – Papermilldirect
Mandarin Orange Colorflute Card – Papermilldirect
Design Space File for Cricut Explore Link: https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/45482082
Adhesives: Perma Fix Tape or D/S Tape, Clear Drying Glue,
Black & Orange ribbons, White gel pen
 

Easter Chick Gift Box

Hello, Easter is approaching fast and the Papermilldirect DT are working on Easter Projects.   This week I’ve chosen to work with a pattern that is suitable for all crafters to use.  This file includes PDF versions of the patterns so that you can print out a template and cut by hand if you prefer (Cutting files in different formats are also included for those with cutting machines).  The file set is called ‘Trio of Chicks’ (all links at end of post) and has a card, tag and matching box and of course works beautifully with the Papermilldirect cards whether you are machine cutting or using scissors.

I cut the 2 main box pieces and 2 egg shell tops from Papermilldirect White Linen card to give a lovely texture to the egg.  The chick has been cut from Papermilldirect coloured cardstocks in Daffodil Yellow and Mandarin Orange, with black card for the eyes (or use googly eyes if you prefer).

The egg themed box is really easy to assemble, score along the fold lines and attach the 2 pieces together at the tabs using double sided tape or glue.

You can leave the chick as plain card or add some texture as I have done here by using embossing folders for the chick’s body, wings and feet.  Applying distress inks really helps to define the shapes and highlight the embossing too.

The egg shell tops are glued in place to the top of the chicks head, use one for the front and one for the back, lining them up at a jaunty angle.  Use 3D foam pads to attach the chick body inside the box, being careful to only apply foam at the bottom section, so it won’t show over the box.  Add the beak using 3D foam pads.

Next attach the orange feet to the front of the box, again using 3D foam pads to give depth, so they look to be coming out from the egg.  Attach the wings in place on the chick’s body and add the eyes to complete the face.  I decided to use googly eyes to add extra character.

Your little Easter gift box is now ready to be filled with Easter treats.  I added some coloured tissue papers to nestle some chocolate eggs upon. I think this would make a lovely project to make with your children too, especially as the shapes are easy to cut out with scissors and it's easy to assemble, they could have lots of fun decorating and filling them with treats.

Materials List:
White Linen Card – Papermilldirect
Daffodill Yellow Card – Papermilldirect
Mandarin Orange Card – Papemilldirect
Black Card - Papermilldirect
Trio of Chicks – cutting files incl. PDF – My Scrap Chick
Embossing Folders - Swirls, & Dots - Cuttlebug
Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Tea Dye, Black Soot
Googly Eyes, Coloured Tissue, Chocolate Eggs
Double Sided Tape, Cosmic Shimmer Clear Glue, 3D foam pads

This project also appears on the Papermilldirect Inspire blog link here: https://www.papermilldirect.co.uk/inspire/post/easter-chick-gift-box

Vintage Rose 'with Love' card - Moroccan Spice & Gold Foiling

Hello, welcome to another Blog post and time to share another of my Trimcraft DT makes with you.  I do love those vibrant warm colours in the First Edition Moroccan Spice papers and thought the orange would look great for a vintage style with some gold foiling using the First Edition Foiling products.  

I rolled a simple rose from the papers to accent the sentiment.  The edges of the papers have been distressed and inked with an orange ink to complement the papers and gold colours.

Step By Step:

1. From the Moroccan Spice 8x8” paper pad cut green paper to measure 6 ¾” x 4 ¾” and orange textured paper to measure 6 3/8” x 4 3/8”.  Distress edges with scissors and then ink around with orange ink.  Mat orange paper onto green paper centrally using double sided tape to adhere.
   From the Moroccan Spice 6x6” paper pad cut green paper to measure 5” x 3” and green pattern paper to measure 4 ½” x 2 ½”.  Distress edges and ink as before, mat smaller piece onto larger piece with double sided tape.
   
2. Using a 5 x7” Kraft card blank with the fold across the top, adhere larger mat centrally onto card front.  Add smaller mat at an angle.
   
3. To create rose, cut a circle of orange double sided paper (Moroccan Spice) and cut into it to create a spiral, then roll up starting from outside edge.  Secure rose with glue at the bottom and press into place to dry.
   
4. Using the FE Foliage die set, die cut 2 large leaves from the green paper, pass through your die cutter again with a rubber mat to emboss the veins.
   Add gold foiling to leaves and rose by applying the FE Foil Transfer Glue and leave to become tacky, then place the foil on top and press and rub firmly before lifting the foil. 
   
5. To create the foiled sentiment, die cut ‘With Love’ (Modern Sentiments set) using the FE Foil Applicator Foam.  (I find it easier to peel the backing and adhere the foam to white card before die cutting).  Remove paper from die cut and place gold foil on top, pressing down as before to transfer the foil onto the sentiment.
   
6. Cut an oval of orange card (I used the oval waste from the frame in the Belle & Boo die set) distress and ink edges of oval before adhering to panel on card front.  Glue foiled sentiment on top.
   Glue rose and 2 leaves to top left of panel, bending and shaping the leaves first before gluing in position.
   
7. To finish I die cut a flourish from the FE Doily die set and cut it in half, inking in orange ink and then tucking 1 piece to top left of panel and 1 piece to bottom right, gluing in place before adding 2mall orange adhesive gems to flourishes and 1 larger adhesive pearl to centre of rose.(Dovecraft).
   
   
   
   
   Products Used:
   First Edition 8x8 FSC Paper Pad Moroccan Spice
   First Edition 6x6 FSC Paper Pad Moroccan Spice
   First Edition Dies - Foliage
   First Edition Dies - Sentiments Modern
   First Edition Dies - Doily
   First Edition Foil – Gold
   First Edition Foil – Foam
   First Edition Foil Glue
   Dovecraft Kraft 5"x7" Cards & Envelopes
   
   
   All products used are from +Trimcraft Ltd and this project also appears in my Trimcraft Design Team Gallery link here: http://www.trimcraft.co.uk/projects/121434/vintage-rose-card-with-first-edition-moroccan-spice-papers-and-gold-foiling
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Be Your Own Sunshine...with Papermilldirect

Hello!!  Today I'm sharing one of the two designs I've made using this week's Papermilldirect Special Offer Tangerine card.  This card uses the Cricut Explore (another post will feature a card created with a manual die-cutter and dies).  So first up is this little Layered Quote which uses the ‘Be Your Own Sunshine’ quote set from within the subscription images in Cricut Design Space (or the intricate quotes cart or image set if you have that instead). I sized this design to measure approx.  5” x 7” so that it would fit a 5x7 envelope as a card or can be used as a small display piece as I have done here.  You can of course cut this one as large as you wish for displaying.  (I have provided my Design Space link below if you wish to cut to the dimensions I have used).

 The design consists of 3 layers, the main image has been cut from this week’s special offer ‘Tangerine’ cardstock.  Using Cosmic Shimmer clear drying glue I added blue denim effect paper behind the girl silhouette to add a pop of extra colour and interest, blue being a great contrast to orange colour tones. Just for a little extra definition I did edge the sections that make up the girl figure with a Versa Mark pen, it's quite subtle and  I highlighted the word ‘Sunshine’ using detail sparkle in ‘White Shimmer’ and left to dry.
When dry I assembled the quote design as follows,  using double sided tape to adhere the Daffodil yellow card (middle layer) onto the Bright Orange card rectangle (bottom layer).  The top panel of Tangerine was then carefully positioned on top using 3D foam pads to give height and depth to the image.  I really like the zingy colours teamed with such a bright and cheery sentiment.
    
Materials Used:
Tangerine ‘ Special Offer’ card - Papermilldirect
Daffodil Yellow card - Papermilldirect
Bright Orange card - Papermilldirect
Denim effect paper is from Me To You Tiny Tatty Teddy paper pack
Detail Sparkle ‘White Shimmer’ – Imagination Crafts
Versa Mark Pen (optional)
Adhesives Used: Cosmic Shimmer ‘clear’ glue, 3D foam pads, double-sided tape
Cricut Explore  - my Design Space Link: https://uk.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/31695738

Papermill Design Team:
if you have a moment, please do pop over and check out the other papermill teamies blogs and see what they got up to this week: 

• Barbara 
• Lisa 
• Ruth 
• Sylvia 
• Sandie
• Nessa 
• Nicole
• Papermilldirect Inspire Blog 

Click Logo to go direct to papermill

Black & Orange, perfect for...

Halloween makes of course!!  I love black and orange and as a colour combo it has become synonymous with Halloween. Many of us will be thinking ahead and planning on making our own decorations and now is the perfect time to get your materials together as Papermill's special offer this week is a mixed box (10% off at just £7-36) containing approx. 40 sheets of black and 40 sheets of bright orange card, that's plenty to keep your own little monsters busy making their own special creations.

But for now, I will share a few of my own creations using this card mix.  First up is a Pumpkin Card, this little card rocks as it has a rounded base.  

 Next up is a really quick and easy Bat shaped card, it has googly eyes and a white pen adds some cute details. I cut this on my Cricut but it's a simple shape that you or your child could draw by hand easily to make a cute fun friendly looking bat.

And finally the hanging 'Happy Halloween' sign' which has been decorated with stickles glitter, liquid pearls and has a polka dot ribbon to hang it up.

If you're wondering about the ornamental gourds in the pictures, they are real ones, grown in my garden and I thought they would look right at home with the Halloween designs.

As always I love to read your comments and answer any questions you may have, and thank you so much for popping by today.

Materials List
Black & Bright Orange card - Paperill Direct Special Offer
Forest green and Christmas Red card - Papermill Direct Colours
Googly eyes
Stickles Glitter Glue in 'Mercury Glass'
Liquid Pearls in 'Onyx pearl'
Polka Dot Ribbon, Black & White Bakers Twine
White Pergamano Pen
VersaMarker Pen


Why not pop over and see what my fabulous papermill teamies have got up to this week?:
Barbara
Lisa
Ruth
Sylvia
Sandie
Sharon