Exciting News and a Project to share

Hello, I have some exciting news to share with you.  I've been a member of the Trimcraft Design Team for the past 2 years and I am absolutely thrilled to announce I will be staying with them as a member of their brand new Design Team  for 2016-2017.  These are exciting times for Trimcraft with lots of new product launches to look forward to and I can't wait to share my projects with you.

Here is one of the projects I submitted for my DT Application:

Hideaway Peekaboo Z fold pop-up box card – First Edition Christmas Promise papers & First Edition Dies.

I’ve chosen this card to show my love of making cards that ‘do’ something and are fun to display.

I created my own hybrid of a z fold card and a pop up box card using all Trimcraft products throughout.

I like a story, so the shy rose gold foiled deer are hiding in a Christmas snowy woodland scene, carefully obscured by trees and snowflakes with the card closed, until the card is opened to reveal a dimensional scene with the deer hiding amongst the trees.

I have made a little video here:  https://youtu.be/dhhQxptMd6s  to show the card opening and closing and from different angles. 

 Step By Step:

1. Take a Dovecraft 6x6 white card blank, score & fold front only.  Cut a 2^nd card blank down to create a strip of card and score & fold to match front. Use waste card to create the 2 supports for the box section.
   
   
   
   Decorate all panels using First Edition Christmas Promise papers, matted onto Grey paper (Dovecraft Colours) and adhere with D/S tape and glue.
   Assemble card by adhering the strip across the card only adding glue where it joins the front and back panels.  Glue supports in place in the box section and test by closing and opening.
   
   
2. Using FE Christmas Promise papers and Dovecraft pink glitter card, die cut Merry Christmas, hearts, snowflakes, trees, robin, foliage and star. Layer snowflakes to make flowers and colour gems with Dovecraft metallic marker.
   
   
   
   
   Adhere robin & foliage to last panel on strip, colour a gem for the eye using Dovecraft Metallic marker.
   
   
3. Add glitter stickers (Magic & Sparkle) corners to top Left front and top back right of card.  Add a frame sticker to front panel and glue a layered snowflake flower inside.  Glue 3 glitter hearts along bottom of card front.
   
   
   
   Thread metal snowflake charm onto invisible thread, add clear beads and adhere to right of Merry Christmas sentiment.  Top with a layered snowflake flower.
   
   
4. Fussy cut out 5 rose gold foiled deer from the Christmas Promise paper and add 2 to acetate strips, along with 3 trees.  Carefully position the trees and deer into the pop up box section so that the deer will be hidden from view when the card is closed.  Add 2 glitter snowflakes to acetate and add those to box section.  Glue some trees and a deer to back panel of card to help build up the scene.  Glue a pair of deer on the box strip to left of robin.
   
   
5. To finish decorate card with adhesive gems and glitter glue as desired.
   I have made a little video here:  https://youtu.be/dhhQxptMd6s to show the card opening and closing and from different angles. 
   
    Materials Used:
   
   
   First Edition 12x12 FSC Paper Pad - Christmas Promise
   

   FEPAD125X16

   Dovecraft White 6"x6" cards & envelopes

   DCCE025

   Dovecraft Paper Pack - Colours (6inch x 6inch)

   DCDP61

   Dovecraft Premium Magic & Sparkle Metal Snowflake Charms

   DCMTL006X16

   Dovecraft Premium Magic & Sparkle Glitter Frames

   DCTOP015X16

   First Edition Dies - Christmas Border Dies

   FEDIE125X16

   First Edition Dies - Foliage

   FEDIE019

   A4 Glitter Card - Princess (Pink)

   DCGC09

   Dovecraft Metallic Marker Pens

   DCMK04

   Dovecraft A4 Acetate Sheets

   DCBS106

   Dovecraft Double Sided Tape (12mm)

Your Dreams Take Flight - Gelatos Tutorial

Hello I'm back to share a new +Papermilldirect  DT project and step by step with you.  This week I'm testing out the new Papermilldirect Hopsack textured card along with some Gelatos to create a backgound for my Kite themed card.

Gelatos are a creamy soft medium that come in packaging that's a little like lipbalm! Take off the cap, twist them and they are ready to use direct to card etc, you can also apply with fingers, sponges, brushes and being water-soluable can be used to add colour to your projects in different ways, today I'm blending them with a baby wipe as this is an easy way to blend and dilute the colours without adding lots of water making them ideal for working on cardstocks without warping or pilling.

Step By Step:

Cut a piece of Papermilldirect White Hopsack textured cardstock approx 4 1/2" square. Scribble across the top using blue Gelatos (I'm using 2 shades of blue).  Take a baby wipe and blend the colours across the cardstock using circular motions, you'll see they blend so easy and you can scribble in extra colour if you need to.

 

Continue working down your square of hopsack card scribbling lines of different colours across and blending each time with a baby wipe until the panel is completely coloured.  I'm graduating from the blue through pink, orange, yellows and greens but you can use less colours if you wish.

Using black memento ink, stamp a decorative diamond stamp (Oak House Studio) onto PMD white Hopsack card.  Have fun colouring in your stamped image using alcohol markers (I'm using a selection of First Edition markers)

Add highlights or extra details to the diamond using a white gel pen.  Stamp sentiment words onto white hopsack card using black Archival ink.  The words I'm using are from Oak House Studio and I have cut the phrases to give individual words of: Your, Dreams, Take, Flight to fit with my Kite theme, ypu could of course use your own wording and either stamp or print out to suit your theme.

Create a card blank by scoring and folding an A4 sheet of PMD white hammered cardstock, trim down to create a square cardbase that will be just under 6"x6". Mount gelato panel onto a slightly larger square of PMD black card using d/s tape and then again centrally onto the card front.  Use d/s tape and glue to attach a length of blue & white twine to the Diamond to turn it into a kite. Use a black pen to outline each stamped word.

I have used a white chalk ink to stamp some subtle circles onto the gelato background, just to add a little extra depth before attaching the kite using 3D foam pads.  Tie pieces of twine onto kite string and trim to create ribbons, dabs of glue will hold the twine in place on the card front.  Using a clear drying glue, arrange words to spell out the sentiment and glue in place.

Gelatos are a fun way to add colour and can be blended with your fingertips or diluted with water or added to other mediums as well as being used with a small brush to add colour to your stanped images, you can even use them to stamp with too.  I love how easily they blend on the Papermilldirect Hopsack textured card to create quick and colourful backgrounds. 

Materials List:

White Hopsack Card - Papermilldirect

White Hammered Card - Papermilldirect

Smooth Black Card - Papermilldirect

Decorative Diamond Stamp - Oak House Studio

Sentiment words & Circles - from stamp sets - Oak House Studio

Alcohol Markers - First Edition

Black Memento Inkpad, Black Archival Inkpad, White Chalk Inkpad

D/S Tape, Clear Drying Glue, 3D Foam Pads

White Gel Pen, Black Fineliner Pen, Babywipes

Gelatos - Brights Set - Faber-Castell

Star Fairy Shaker Card – Simply Creative Lavender Dreams

When I saw the new batch of Dovecraft Value Dies from +Trimcraft Ltd I knew I just had to have the Fairy die set.  This little set also includes some stars too and so a theme of stars teamed with my favourite purple colours was the inspiration for this Design Team card.  The Simply Creative Lavender Dreams papers have lots of purple shades and were perfect for this Star Fairy Shaker card.  I have positioned the fairy as if she is watching the top star whilst the other stars are falling from the sky, or perhaps she is just bathing in the starlight.

 Step By Step:

1. Take a Dovecraft 6x6 White card with fold across top.  Cut Lavender Dreams pattern paper approx. 5.5” square and mat onto slightly larger square of purple paper (Dovecraft Colours pack) using d/s tape.  Adhere to card front.
   
   
   
   
2. Die cut Repeat Pattern borders (FEDIE122) from white card and back with striped lavender Dreams paper using clear drying glue’.  Adhere borders across lower section of card.
3. Create a star shaped shaker using the largest and 2nd largest dies in the nesting star dies set (FEDIE137X16) to create a star shaped frame.  I have cut frame again using Dovecraft Foam to create height (or you can use 3D foam pads). Add Dovecraft acetate on top of foam, trim to size and then adhere the Lavender Dreams paper frame on top.  
   
   
   
   Turn star shaker upside down and fill with silver and purple sequins and white glitter card stars cut using the Dovecraft Fairy die set). Adhere a star shaped backing to the shaker using card covered with Lavender Dreams paper to seal the shaker.  Attach shaker to card, with point to the top, using d/s tape and glue.
   
   
4. Die cut a fairy (Dovecraft Value Dies) from white and purple glitter cards, using the purple to infill the wings. Glue Fairy to bottom left on shaker card.  Glue large star to top point.
   
   
   
   
   Use Simply Creative Silver alpha stickers to spell out ‘STAR’ and position to top left. 
   To finish decorate card with die cut stars and glitter dots.
   

Materials List:
Simply Creative FSC Paper Pad 6x6 Lavender Dreams

SCPAD026

Dovecraft Die – Fairy DCDIE065

Simply Creative Alphabet & Number Stickers - Skinny Glitter Silver SCSTK014

Dovecraft Paper Pack - Colours (6inch x 6inch) DCDP61

A4 Glitter Card - Amethyst (Purple) DCGC10

Dovecraft A4 Glitter Card - Stardust (White) DCGC02

Dovecraft A4 Acetate Sheets DCBS106

Dovecraft Small 3d Foam Squares DCBS01

Belle and Boo II - Glitter Dots BBDOT002

Dovecraft Bohemian Sequins DCSEQ002

Dovecraft Double Sided Tape (12mm) DCBS05

 

Mirabelle ‘Waiting’ Bow Card – Santoro Mirabelle collection -Trimcraft

Hello, Sharing a +Trimcraft Ltd  Design Team project with you today.  The characters in the new Santoro Mirabelle collection are simply stunning, I particularly love the stamps and for my first stamped design I chose the ‘Waiting’ character.

For the bow on the front, I created these templates on my Cricut Explore in Design Space (followers of my Blog and Facebook page can message me for the file link) or you can create your own bow shape using loops of double sided Mirabelle paper or use a template if you prefer.

 Step By Step:

1. Score & fold white card to create a card base measuring approx. 8” x 5 ¾” in landscape position.  From the 12x12 Mirabelle paper pad, cut rose patterned paper to cover the front panel, inking around the edges with a brown ink before attaching with d/s tape.
2. Cut a smaller rectangle approx. 6 ½” x 4 ¼” of grey patterned paper, ink with brown ink and then adhere to card front using d/s tape (positioning this panel more towards the top of the card).  Tape a length of Mirabelle ribbon to just go over the edges of the card front, fish tail ends, and then glue in place along the bottom of the smaller paper panel.
   
   
   
   
3. Cut the Bow parts from double sided Mirabelle papers, pink rose for the top box and brown stripe for the bottom bow.  Again ink all cut edges with brown ink and then bend and glue the loops into place onto the card front.  Add 2 bow tails.
   
   
4. Stamp the ‘waiting’ girl character onto white card using brown ink and colour with First Edition markers.  Add extra highlights with a white gel pen and edge around the image with a light grey marker pen.
   
   
   
   When complete, glue a frame around her (from Decoupage pad) and trim card flush with edges.  Apply a little brown ink coming into the white around the girl from the edges of the frame.  Adhere stamped image to centre of bow on card front using layered 3D foam and a dab of glue.
   
   
5. Cut satin ribbon (from Mirabelle Satin Tags) into 2 different size lengths, fish tail 1 end of each piece and add to card front at each side of card front, coming down from the top.  Add a Glitter glue dot to the end of each.  Add the satin tag ‘Just for you’ across the stamped image and onto the bow at RH side.
   
   
6. Take 2 green leaves (Simply Creative) and a Mirabelle yellow rose, ink the rose with brown ink and assemble with the leaves at bottom RH corner of card.
   To finish add a Pearl Charm to top left of card and 3 glitter dots to bottom left.
   

 Products Used:

SANTORO®’s Mirabelle A4 FSC Decoupage Pad

SNDPG001

SANTORO®’s Mirabelle Clear Stamps- Waiting

SNSTP004

SANTORO®’s Half Ribbon Box 48 pieces

SNRBB001

SANTORO®’s Mirabelle Pearl Shapes

SNTOP002

SANTORO®’s Mirabelle Satin Adhesive Tags

SNFAB001

SANTORO®’s Mirabelle Paper Flowers

SNFLW001

SANTORO®’s Mirabelle Glitter Dots

SNDOT001

Simply Creative Paper Leaves

SCFLW005

First Edition Twin Marker - Blender

FETMK101

First Edition Twin Markers - Greys

FETMK001

First Edition Twin Markers - Skin Tones

FETMK002

First Edition Twin Markers - Purples

FETMK006

First Edition Twin Markers - Yellows

FETMK007

First Edition Twin Markers - Pinks

FETMK008

First Edition Twin Markers - Browns

Ballet Shadow Box Birthday Card

Hello, I've had a little break from blogging for a couple of weeks, but I'm back and raring to go, so here's a new project to share with you.

I like to find ways to create interesting cards that display nicely but also fold down to fit into an envelope for posting.  This shadow box style seemed perfect to display the Ballet Dancer character ‘on stage’ from the Whiz Kids collection.  Such a cute collection of co-ordinating papers and embellishments in modern bright colours and patterns, perfect for children’s makes.

Step by Step: 

1. Create a simple shadow box base as follows: cut 2 pieces of pink card approx. 14.5cm x 24.5cm long.  Place card on a scoring board long ways across and score at 3” and 5”, turn card and score the other end the same.  Do this to both strips of card, scoring and folding a mountain and valley fold at each side.
   Cut Star Pattern Whiz Kids paper to cover the centre panel of 1 strip, cut striped Whiz Kids paper approx. 5 cm high and cover bottom of star paper using d/s tape to adhere.
   
2. Take undecorated strip of pink card and carefully cut a circle into the centre panel (use a circle cutter or die approx. 10.5 cm dia. Take pink heart pattern paper and cut a scallop circle into the centre, (FE nesting dies FEDIE071) slightly larger than circle aperture. Adhere paper to card front so the circle aperture is central, trim paper flush with card.
   
   
   
   
3. Cut 2 strips of pink ballet & princess pattern paper to cover end panels each side of card front piece.  Use Dovecraft silver glitter glue to edge around paper panels on sides, card front and top of striped paper stage.  Apply dots of Pink 3D enamel effects around the scalloped circle and leave to dry.
   
   
   
   
4. Assemble die cut ballet dancer using 3D foam pads and stick to a strip of acetate using clear drying glue.  Glue acetate strip to back of aperture circle ensuring dancer is positioned centrally, trim off excess acetate.
   
   
5. Decorate inside shadow box by using Whiz Kids stickers direct onto the star pattern paper.  Add a decoupage cat onto the ‘stage’ too.
   
   
   
   Assemble Shadow box by simply adding adhesive to the 2 long strips at each side of card (with pattern paper on them) and adhering to their matching back strip at each side.
6. Finish decorating front of Shadow box by die cutting a ticket (FE Fun Fair dies FEDIE058 ) and layering using Whiz Kids papers, adhere to bottom Left of card front. 
   
   
   
   
   Apply Happy Birthday sticker across bottom of aperture.  Cut bunting out from pattern paper and glue across top of card front, leaving edges to curl up.
   Thread a length of twine with heart shaped buttons and glue across top right of card, leaving space for bunting to be added.  Use bright yellow bunting and add a heart sticker to each, using 3D foam pads to hold bunting in place.
   
   
7. To finish glue 3 Simply Creative large heart buttons to bottom right and top each with a clear adhesive gem.
   
   
   
   If you press down on card front, it will bring in the sides to enable the card to fit into an envelope.
   
   
   
   
   Materials List: 
   
   
   

   Whiz Kids 6x6 FSC Paper Pack

   REPAP003
   

   Whiz Kids 8x8 FSC Decoupage Pad

   REDPG001
   

   Whiz Kids A5 Stickers- Double Sided

   RESTK001
   

   Whiz Kids Die Cut Bunting

   RETOP002
   

   Whiz Kids Gems

   REDOT001
   

   Dovecraft Enamel Effects Box

   DCBS98
   

   First Edition Dies - Scallop Circle

   FEDIE071
   

   First Edition Dies - Fun Fair

   FEDIE058
   

   Simply Creative Plastic Heart Buttons- Pink

   SCBTN003
   

   Simply Creative Plastic Heart Buttons- Purple

   SCBTN004
   

   Dovecraft Double Sided Tape (12mm)

   DCBS05
   

   Dovecraft Small 3d Foam Squares

   DCBS01
   

Autumn Themed Card - Step by Step Tutorial

Hello, another week has gone by so fast, these hot lazy days of summer won't last and soon it will be Autumn.  In preparation this week the Design Team are working on the themes of Autumn or Custom Backgrounds and are working with a Special Offer ‘Gold Sandgrain’ card , the featured stock card this week is ‘Mocha Brown’.  I have chosen the autumn theme using the Gold Sandgrain, Mocha Brown, and White Linen card along with some simple stamping and water colouring to create a Thank You card.
The Sandgrain card is a lovely gold colour and has a beautiful textured effect, it die-cuts perfectly through my Big Shot machine (even with my worn out plates) and doesn’t lose any of its texture.  I have used it here to highlight the leaf panels, adding a touch of luxury to the design and complementing the gold detail embossing.  This is a really great card to have in your stash and will be especially good for Christmas makes as well as autumn and all year round really.

Step by Step:

Take a scrap piece of card (I am using an offcut of PMD White Felt embossed from my stash)  Apply Watercolour inks in autumnal shades swishing over the card randomly, I am using Oak House Studio Bramley Apple Green, Vintage Sepia & Juicy Orange diluted with water.  Use a brush loaded with diluted vintage sepia and flick it onto the card to create extra splashes of interest.  Leave card to dry or speed it up by using a heat gun.

 Using versamark ink, stamp 3 different leaves onto the water coloured card.  Sprinkle with gold detail embossing powder, tip off excess powder and emboss using a heat gun until the powder has melted.

Use Scissors or a craft knife to carefully cut out each leaf leaving a small border all around.  Using nesting dies (I’m using FE torn edge dies) cut 3 larger squares (approx. 2 ¼”) from Papermilldirect Gold Sandgrain and 3 smaller squares (approx. 2”) from PMD Mocha Brown Card.

Layer the smaller squares centrally on top of the gold Sandgrain squares using glue or d/s tape.  Add a leaf to each matted square using 3D foam pads.  Shape the leaves a little so the edges ruffle up to give texture.

Create a card blank by scoring & folding an A4 sheet of Papermilldirect White Linen card and trim to create a 5” x 7” standard card base.
Cut a strip of Papermilldirect Mocha Brown card and cut a fancy edge along the bottom using decorative scissors (I’m used Victorian Edged).  Stamp a Thank You sentiment at RH side using versamark ink and heat emboss with gold detail embossing powder.  Adhere strip across bottom of card using double sided tape.   Arrange the 3 leaf panels on card front overlapping them and the the sentiment strip.  Glue down when happy with placement.

This is a simple card design that could easily be adapted for other occasions, the autumnal colours would work well for a male themed card. 

Materials Used:

Gold Sandgrain – Special Offer Card – Papermilldirect

Mocha Brown – Featured Card – Papermilldirect

White Linen Card – Papermilldirect

Torn Edge Nesting Dies – First Edition

Victorian Edged Creative Scissors – Dovecraft

Bramley Apple, Vintage Sepia, Juicy Orange – Pure Colour Chemistry Inks – Oak House Studio

Winter Leaves Stamps – Oak House Studio

Script Sentiment Stamps – Oak House Studio

Gold Detail Embossing Powder – Oak House Studio

Plus, D/S Tape, 3D Foam Pads, Glue, Versamark embossing pad

Twist Turn Card - Step By Step Tutorial

Hello, I have a new Step By Step Tutorial to share with you.  This week the Papermilldirect Design Team are working on the theme of ‘Twist Turn’ cards, these are great little cards to make adding an extra fun element to your designs.  There is also a new Special Offer card:  Natural White Matt 260gsm which I am using to make my Twist Turn card this week:

Step By Step:

There are lots of videos and instructions online for Twist Turn cards, (this version is adapted from the June Issue of Quick Cards magazine) Trim an A4 sheet of PMD Natural White Matt (special offer card) to measure approx. 21.5cm x 14cm.  Daw a central line across the sheet, then mark a line down at 7cm and another at 10cm.  Draw the diagonal lines from 7cm to centre line at 10cm and do the same in reverse for the bottom diagonal.  Score and fold all lines: the 7cm line down will be a mountain fold, the 10cm line down will be a valley fold. The small diagonals will be mountain fold. And the centre score will be mountain fold to create the card base.  Crease folds firmly using a crease mouse or flat scoring tool.

Take a pieces of PMD Natural White Matt card and watercolour, I’m using Peacock Green Colour Chemistry inks and a water brush.  Add random spatters of Jubilee Blue and Vintage Sepia inks by flicking them from the end of a brush.  Blot with a paper towel, then leave to dry or use a heat gun for speed.

Stamp text onto 1 piece of the water coloured card using Triple Blue Skies inkpad to give an ombre effect.  I am using the OHS ‘English Garden Words stamp’ as it is a nice size to fit the card panels.  Leave to dry or speed up using a heat gun.

Using versamark ink, stamp a medium sunflower image onto scrap PMD Natural White Matt card and sprinkle with gold detail embossing powder.

Tip off excess embossing powder and pour back into pot for next time.  Use a heat gun to heat emboss the image until all the powder has melted and it has turned a lovely gold colour.  Colour the sunflower with shades of yellow and orange, I’m using the Triple Sunshine Yellows inkpad, along with Citrus Yellow, and Juicy Orange inks.

Continue adding as much detail to the sunflower as you wish with the inks, I have used a reddish brown colour ink to make the centre darker and add more shading to the petals.  Add a colour wash around the outside edges and when dry cut around the sunflower using scissors or craft knife.

Ink around the card base edges and outer folds using orange inks to add definition.  Trim the text stamped panel to approx. 10.5cm x 6.5cm and adhere to card front, add a matching panel (without text) to the back, adhere using d/s tape and /or glue.  Add 6.5cm squares of water-coloured card to the 2 square panels and small triangles to the LH inner folds if desired.

Diecut a ‘Thanks’ sentiment from PMD Black Card and add to text panel using glue to adhere.  Add 3D foam pads to back of sunflower and add to the front square of the twist turn card.

I was really impressed with how the Papermilldirect Natural White Matt card takes the watercolour inks and the heat embossing with no pilling or warping,  it scores and folds beautifully and is a perfect weight for these card styles, so it’s a versatile all round card to have in your stash.

Have you made any Twist Turn cards using papermilldirect cardstocks?, don’t forget to post your makes over on the PMD facebook page, so we can take a peek, Angela x

Materials Used:

Natural White Matt Finish Card - Papermilldirect

Smooth Black Card - Papermilldirect

English Garden Words Stamp - Oak House Studio

Medium Sunflower Stamp - Oakhouse Studio

Triple Pigment Ink Pads, Pure Colour / Colour Chemistry Inks - Oak House Studio

Gold Detail Embossing Powder - Oak House Studio

Thanks Word Die - Clearly Besotted

Plus: Versmark Inkpad (or embossing inkpad), D/S Tape, Glue, 3D foam pads