Happy Birthday Cat

Happy Birthday to my very good friend Cat who is erm.... one year older today ;)!

In my mad rush to get out of the UK back at the beginning of February I was frantically trying to get all my cards made for people who's birthday it was whilst I was away.  I didn't realise I would be back earlier than planned, so this card was a quick and simple one.  I'm sure Cat won't mind as my crafting skills are being taken advantage of put to good use by her over the next few days, so I will make up for it ;)... 

If you would like to place an order, don't forget about the colour refresh that is coming up in the new catalogue - so stock up on any of your favourites before they go out of stock.  See further details here.

Another Vintage Verse

Today I have another card created by Amy using the Vintage Verses stamp set that is available during Sale-A-Bration...

The base is Old Olive, to which Amy has added Crumbcake (embossed with the Square Lattice embossing folder), circles of Early Espresso layered with smaller circles of Old Olive, Crumbcake and Cherry Cobbler. The sentiment has then been chopped up and scattered across the card to finish.  A simple yet very effective idea.

Chinese New Year is almost here

Chinese New Year starts on 10th February this year!  And for those born in 1928, 1941, 1953, 1965 or 1977 it is likely that you will too be celebrating the year of the Snake?

I had to find some alternative images for creating this years cards as snakes are not something that Stampin' Up! includes in any of it's stamp sets; not surprisingly as they are exactly cheery looking characters!

Here is one of the cards I came up with...

It's impossible not to use red and gold on a Chinese New Year card so of course I have opted for Real Red card stock for the background.  I've then embossed a strip of Gold Mirror card (non Stampin' up!) with the Square Lattice embossing folder and added this to the base before fixing the image, printed on Whisper White and cut out with one of the Labels Collection Framelits, with a co-ordinating border panel.

I still have a bit of time for commissions so if you would like to order any handmade Chinese New Year cards from me please get in touch at jadedcrafter@gmail.com.

B is for...

...Baby of course!

And here is a cute little baby card made using the Alphabet Occasions stamp set that I am offering as a prize in my January draw, just place an order with me during the month of January to be in with a chance of winning (details here).  

The card is a Bashful Blue base, and I have adhered a panel of Very Vanilla which has been embossed with the Square Lattice embossing folder using the Big Shot machine.

The DSP is from the lovely Patio Party paper pack and then I have added the cute little baby from the Happy You stamp set (hostess only) without the sentiment and punched this out with the Curly Label Punch. The border was created from 2 Curly Label punch shapes cut form Bashful Blue card...

...finally a button from the Naturals Designer Buttons pack to finish, tied with linen thread.  I always like buttons on baby and cards for men, what do you think?

I would love to see some other ideas using my favourite Alphabet Occasions stamp set, there are so many choices for these lovely sentiments. I just love 'em!

Happy birthday Lee

Like me, my sister loves the colour purple... so for her birthday I of course had to include this on the card I made for her!

I've used a Wisteria Wonder base and coupled Rose Red and Perfect Plum along with Shimmery White card along with the Perfect Postage Stamp set.

I've also embossed the Rose Red Perfect Postage punched shapes and used Versamark ink and White embossing powder to add some variety to the card.

Happy Birthday Lee, I hope you have a great day :) x

My other hobby

If you don't know already, other than my obsession with all things crafty, I am also a very keen walker.  In fact I still have a large number of the 214 Wainwright mountains to climb in the Lake District, but fortunately the rest of my lifetime to try and achieve them :).

 

I'm currently in Lake Garda for a long weekend, hoping to collect a few more geocaches and hence the relevance of this post - ish!  Check out my travel site here if you are interested, which I will update with my travel posts as soon as I can.

 

Last year I got properly introduced to the world of geocaching which is a outdoor treasure hunt game, and have been completely addicted ever since.  Whatever the weather you will often find me out and about somewhere, if I'm not crafting the hours away, that is.

 

In August I collected my 1000th geocache, just over a month before the 1st year anniversary of my first find, back on 23rd September 2011.

 

And what better way to mark both those occasions than to combine my other hobby with my love of crafting and create something for my scrapbook?

 



You will see that Stampin' Up! products have got some use on these pages, with the Open Sea stamp set featuring on the background papers (if you look closely?), inked with Marina Mist.  I've also captured the geocaching logo colours using squares of card stock in So Saffron, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise and Calypso Coral, embossed with the Square Lattice embossing folder.

 

I am so glad to see the Open Sea stamp set back and included in the new main catalogue... it's ideal for me and my travels and many other occassions...

 

Remember if you want to place an order just contact me at jadedcrafter@gmail.com, I will be back on Monday evening so can place your order then.

 

Elmo and cookie monster

The cards I have to share with you today were quite fun to make...

 

There are endless ideas for Sesame Street characters all over the web and most of them can be created using the Scallop Circle punch.

 

I've created Elmo/Cookie Monster using the Scallop Circle punch from Real Red and Pacific Point card stock and then the features were punched using the Owl punch (the mouth is the base of the owl).

 

Hopefully you can see that the square panel is embossed using the Square Lattice embossing folder and raised up with dimensionals over the strip punched with the Scallop Trim Border punch, from Calypso Coral card (above) and Crumbcake card (below).

 

 

The sentiment is from the Petite Pairs stamp set, inked in co-ordinating Real Red and Pacific Point ink on each card respectively, then punch out with the 1 3/8 Circle punch with a co-ordinating circle behind to create a 'shadow' effect. 

 

Just 3 more days until the weekend and I can go home :(...

New home's

It seems quite a few people I know are moving home or have moved recently.  Tonight I'm going to a long over due house warming dinner party with friends.  So of course I had to make a card, in fact I have had to make three New Home cards in the last couple of weeks, so I went with similar designs but in different colours and with a slight twist on each...

I hope Marie and Matt are very happy in their new place... looking forward to seeing it later.

You will see that I have used Marina Mist for the base and co-ordinated the lettering cut with the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies.  I've attached these to the background panel, created from Very Vanilla card stock run through the Square Lattice embossing folder.  And then of course the little cuckoo that comes from the Easy Events stamp set that I have cut out and coloured with blender pens and then adhered to the base with dimensional sticky pads.

Next up is a card I made for a friend at work... she hasn't moved in officially yet but the purchase completed last week so hopefully there is a mantle piece or suitable worktop for the card to go on soon x.

For this card I have used Perfect Plum for the base and lettering and then stamped the cuckoo image directly onto the Shimmery White card stock that I have used in background.  I've coloured the image with blender pens in the same way as the other card, but the shimmery card creates a lovely effect.  Notice the corners of the panel have been punched out with a petal from one of the Boho Blossoms punch flowers and I've added some Basic Rhinestones to finish.

Then finally, a card for my cousin and his wife.  They haven't actually moved yet either and my Aunt/Uncle are helping them out with the move over the bank holiday weekend... but they have the keys!

I've changed the background panel by using the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder and then added some Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon, and in stead of the cuckoo... the little bird in it's cage, from from the Every Little Bit stamp set.

Chocolates

Happy Monday!

My next class is on the 7th July at 10.30am and we will be using the Big Shot machine to make 4 cards for a variety of occasions.

If you don't have the luxury of a Big Shot machine or have recently bought one then this class is for you as we will be having a play with a number of the dies and embossing folders available from Stampin' Up!

Today I have a card to share with you that uses the Top Note die, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies and the Square Lattice embossing folder...



The base is A5 in size created by folding an A4 piece of Pool Party card stock.  I have then cut a Top Note die shape from Pink Pirouette embossed with the Square Lattice embossing folder (ensure you emboss the card first as it shrinks, and then run through the die) and trimmed the edge before mounting onto mirror card (not Stampin' Up!).  I've also used a strip of the embossed Pink Pirouette card along the base of the card, mounted onto mirror card as well.

Before attaching the Top Note 'chocolate box, I have added some Chocolate Chip Grosgrain ribbon and then some little chocolates which were created with the 1 inch circle punch and some 1 inch squares (cut by hand and with the corners rounded).  I have raised these up with dimensionals onto a Perfect Postage punch shape (not in current catalogue) cut from Basic Black card.  The 'icing' was cut by hand.

The numbering is from the Timeless type Junior Alphabet dies cut from mirror card and then I have added a sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set and 'Mum' from For My Family, inked with Versamark and then embossed with silver embossing powder using a heat gun.

I was quite pleased with the finished card as googling a card with a chocolate theme resulted in no suggestions that were suitable, therefore I have come up with something entirely original :).

If you fancy coming along and joining in some crafting fun I have a Come and Craft session planned for this coming Sunday from around 2pm, after attending the Bracknell craft show in the morning - contact me for details.