Wednesday 31 October 2018

Paper Wreath


Hello and welcome!

OK, I know it's only Halloween, but since the clocks went back and the weather turned colder I'm definitely thinking that the festive season is just around the corner and crafting for Christmas is the order of the day!

I've seen a few versions of this paper wreath.  It's very easy to make.  This is the kind of craft where you can do a lot of the work sitting watching TV.  As long as a grown-up handles the sticking-down part (especially if using a glue gun) children could help make it.  I liked this version because it uses rolled up circles.  See how I made it here-


I've made it in traditional Christmas red and green, but it would look lovely in blues and silvers or pinks and purples!  

See you again soon,

Keep crafting,

Keren


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Saturday 27 October 2018

InspireINK Bog Hop - Autumn

Hello, and welcome!

It's Inspireink Blog Hop day, when this blog links up with others the challenge to bring you lots of inspiration!  This time the theme is  -

I've made a double-gatefold card, featuring a wreath of punched leaves and sprigs autumnal shades (I used Cajun Craze, Mango Melody, Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Curry with a touch of Soft Suede and Mossy Meadow here and there.)  It's great way of using up scraps of card.

via GIPHY
I embossed the front panels with the Tin Tile  dynamic embossing folder and dry-brushed them with Bright Copper shimmer paint - I took a tiny amount of paint on a dry brush with stiff bristles, wiped most of the paint off, and then lightly brushed what was left  all over the panel.   (The secret of success for this technique is less paint, more brushing!) The dry-brushing helps to make the texture stand out.

I chose "Give Thanks" as my sentiment.  We don't have a Thanksgiving holiday here in the UK but we do have  harvest festivals, so I thought it was a suitable message.  The copper embossing looks good on the Pool Party card, don't you think?

OK, so that's enough waffling from me! Time to see what Verity's been creating - just click the button below.

Keep crafting,

Keren


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Wednesday 24 October 2018

Jumpin' Jack ...Frost!


Hello and welcome!
 I’m sharing a pop-up card today, just because I love a good action card.   I also love these Spirited Snowmen, they make me smile!

(Oh, and did you notice those die cut snowflakes?  They are from a set of thinlets that will only be on sale in November 2018, so if you love them, don't wait too long!)

The pop-up mechanism for this card is the parallelogram.  I’ve made hollow cubes of card that are glued to the card base and the pop-ups, so that when you open the card it lifts the pop-up piece.  


It's easy to do - even if not so easy to explain!

It's probably easiest to understand if you watch the tutorial - 






I used a Wobbler spring to make my snowman appear to be jumping over a snow drift.  These aren't easy to come by in the UK. I do have a couple of do-it-yourself versions that you might want to try.  Here's an extra tutorial for you.

Keep crafting!

Keren

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Saturday 20 October 2018

Mad as a box of frogs!

Hello and welcome!

I find ideas for my projects in all sorts of places.  Sometimes it’s a combination of colours I like, or it might be a picture on Pinterest of Facebook.  Other people’s YouTube is often a source of inspiration too, as it the Stampin’ Up! Catalogue (lots of good ideas in there – definitely worth taking a look) and crafting magazines.

The inspiration for today’s item was the paper from the Toil and Trouble DSP, which made me think of the phrase “mad as a box of frogs”.  So I made a box of frogs (with a frog inside, too!)

I thought I’d share the process I go through when calculating how big to cut my card when I’m making a box for an irregularly-shaped object.  Here’s the tutorial.


I want to thank Dawn Griffith for the idea to use the Fox Builder punch to make the frog embellishment – I meant to say so in the tutorial but I got a bit carried away and forgot to do it. Who would have thought that the punch is so versatile? 

So that’s it for now, but I will be blogging again soon.  

Meanwhile, keep crafting!

Keren

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Wednesday 17 October 2018

Snow scene

Hello and welcome to my blog.
Today's project is a single layer card. This isn't something that I choose to make very often. In fact, because I am a bit of a rubbish stamper, I'm not usually brave enough to stamp directly onto my card background.

Today, though, I have been brave and this is the result!
See that lovely snowflake shape?  I made a stencil using a die from a new set that will be available only in November 2018. They are totally gorgeous, so be on the lookout for them!
I had some help with the stamping. I used my Stamparatus, which gave me the confidence to add the sentiment and the fir tree after I'd done the colouring. I would never have been brave enough to attempt the stamping without the Stamparatus as I would have been certain to stamp in the wrong spot or to smudge my work.  As I said, I'm a rubbish stamper

Here's how I made my card..




I'm very happy with the way it looks and I really hope you like it.  

Keep crafting,


Keren


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Saturday 13 October 2018

Love never melts

Hello, and welcome!

How cute are these snow people from the Spirited Snowmen set?  I'm not usually much of a coloured-innerer but I did enjoy colouring this stamp in with my blends.  And I had lots and lots of fun colouring the background using glycerin to help the inks blend smoothly!  

I've never come across this technique before (thanks Gail O'Neill for the YouTube video that put me onto it).

Here's the tutorial -

I love that this isn't necessarily just for Christmas.  I think this card would be great for a winter wedding, engagement or anniversary.  What about you?  

Keep Crafting,

Keren



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