Another musical card

Hello

As I mentioned previously I was asked to make some musical cards for a friend of mine's partner.  I made a few as I liked the idea.  Here is one I made using Sheena Douglass' Day of the Dead Danse Macabre stamps.

I started off cutting a 6 x 6 card using the A4 black card from Crafter's Companion.  I die cut a circle in the centre.  Then taking the guitar stamp I heat embossed it in gold onto a piece of black card and cut it out.

The 'stream' of music stamp I heat embossed it in gold straight onto the card.  

For the stars I used Jayne Nestorenko's Cute Companions Wish upon a Star stamps which I also heat embossed straight onto the card.

I put a piece of gold mirri card behind the cut circle and stamped and heat embossed the sentiment directly onto it, positioning it carefully!

I also made the same card using silver instead of gold, but I didn't like it as much.

Thank you for looking.

Liz x
   

Cup cake K-card

Hello

I was flicking through my pictures of cards I have made and came across this one.  I had come across a sample of a K-card, probably from Crafters' Companion!, and decided to have a go.

I had just bought the Create-a-Card cup cake die and thought it would make a brilliant K-card.

So, I used a pink glitter 6 x 6 card from my stash and cut the cup cake die from some pretty paper I also had in my stash.  Luckily the glitter card was pale pink on the inside.  You do need to use double patterned card as the die needs to have a contrast on the inside.  

I liked the way the glitter card showed through the die cut, adding glitter without me having to.

Then I cut another cup cake into the centre of plain A4 white card, which I had folded into a zig-zag shape, and carefully folded the cup cake in half, pointing upwards.  I also embossed the card through the die using pink ink and added some pink glitter to the flowers.

I fixed the die cut at the sides, leaving the cup cake free so it could pop out when the card is opened.

I added some more glittery card which I had in my stash over the ends of the card, hiding the white card.

The 'Happy Birthday' letters were just cut outs I had and I popped them on the card using Collal decoupage glue so they would stand proud.  I must say it was quite difficult fixing the word 'Birthday' down one side, but somehow I think it works!

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

Special Baby card

Hello

Today I thought I'd show you a Special New Baby card for a baby who was desperately wanted.

This is the end result with the envelope I made as well, using Crafter's Companion Envelobox, as I needed it to have a little bit of depth.  I used Centura Hint of Silver card and  cut a couple of sticky velcro dots to close it.

I had cardboard cutouts of the letters to make 'baby' and thought it would make a lovely card.  I am sorry I can't remember where I got it from as I've had it for quite a few years.  

I cut out the letters using Bazzil card stock as I didn't want it to be too thick and heavy. You can see the letters have an extra length of card so you can punch holes in to fix the card together.   

I then cut out matching papers and used the template again to cut out the letters, attaching the paper on top of the card as I wanted.  

I added a bit of ribbon too to delineate between the end of the paper and where the letter begins.

This is the back of the letter 'B' which I covered too.

I decorated the plain letters with some faux stitching, using a fine marker pen to make them stand out more.

On the back of the card, on the 'Y' template part of the card I stamped the Crafters Companion baby stamp onto white card, coloured it in using my watercolour pencils and matted it with darker card.

I had a few little baby stickers in my stash so added them to the various letters, adding some Glossy Accents onto parts of the paper.

I used matching ribbon to thread through the holes and tied little knots on each one, which you can see on the finished card picture at the top of the blog.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this card and I hope the receiver was pleased with it too.

Thank you for looking.

Liz x  

Arty Farty guitar card

Hello

I have been asked by my friend to make a special birthday card for her partner, who is celebrating his 70th birthday next month.  He plays the guitar and loves busking.  He does a lot of travelling, busking for charity.  We decided I should look out for a guitar card.

Not long after we had been talking Arty Farty came on the television with this guitar template!  So I sent off for it.  I have used her templates before and she explains things very simply with both written and picture instructions.  (Just what I need!)

The pack comes with templates for two guitars, small and large together with a presentation box and also a guitar stand.  So to start with I decided to make the small guitar first.  You choose the colours of the card you want to use.  All you need is card, peel offs and brads.  Everything is so well explained and I was able to follow very easily.  

The detail is quite incredible.  The 'bits' at the top of the guitar which adjust the tension of the strings (you can tell I know very little about guitars nor technically minded!) are made using brads.

The frets are peel offs and I have threaded silver thread to make up the strings.

The template for the box has a little handle just like a real carrying case.

I attached the guitar to some matching card, matted onto gold card and added some gold peel offs to make it into an actual card.  The case fits the card perfectly.

Apparently the large guitar doesn't fit into the box.  That is what the stand is for.  I'm going to  try and make the larger one with an acetate stand and if it comes out OK I'll show you.  I need to make a few examples of different cards so my friend can choose.  What she doesn't want, I can always use!

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

Cat lovers

Hello

This is the last Loralie Design card for the moment, I promise but I do find the stamps are so useful for hard to make for people!

I had to make a card for my son's father-in-law - what the heck do I do?  I knew they had several cats so thought the Spice Cats stamp would work.  I coloured the image in using my usual watercolour pencils, which I do love.  I find them so flexible and feel in control of my colouring.

Matting the image onto red card I added it onto the straight line background, using the Hougie board, which I had matted onto red card again.  I then added some Craftwork Cards card candy.  The whole image was then put onto a deckle edged card which I found in my stash.  

This time the main stamp comes with a smaller image of a cat, the face of another cat and a little flower.  Really good value for money.  So I used the face of the cat on the fly leaf of the insert.  Card done!

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

One for the ladies

Hi

Having found the Loralie Art Stamps I must show you this one which I thought was perfect for a lady who loves to shop or party!  This one is called Party Girl, but I think it could be shopping or partying.  The stamps are just that little bit quirky.

Again I used my water colour pencils to colour the stamp and then matted the image onto green card.

I do like my Hougie board which makes it so easy to draw straight lines using it onto Centura card.  It is such an easy background to make and is something different.  I matted  this onto green card again and then popped it onto a plain card.  I added some matching card candy and I was done.

This time the main stamp comes with several smaller stamps  such as flowers, bows and parcels so I added a parcel onto the inside leaf of the card.  I think it makes the card look that little bit special, don't you?

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

Different man's card

Hello

Today, and for a couple of more blogs,  I thought I'd show you a range of stamps and cards I discovered a while ago.  The stamps are Loralie Art Stamps and there are a great variety of quirky designs which at first, I wasn't sure of but when I had to  make a couple of cards for men, I thought fitted the remit rather well.

The first card I had to make was for my son.  He does love cooking, when he's got the time, experimenting and bar-b-ques etc and he and my daughter-in-law love entertaining.

So I chose this stamp, called Beau as I thought it was a rather appropriate and not too feminine.  I used my watercolour pencils to colour him in, and I thought it came out rather well.  I matted the stamped outline onto black card, having distressed the card slightly.  I then used some card which I had embossed using the Hougie board, drawing straight lines across the whole card and then distressing it to match the card.  This was also matted onto black card.  The whole thing was then mounted onto Crafters' Companion Hint of Silver Centura card.  I then added a few Craftwork Cards' card candy to match.  The sentiment stamp was one I bought in Australia.

This is the inside page as the stamps give you more than just the main element.  You have the facility to re-stamp the burger, the shoes and also the hat which would lend itself to decoupage too.  Brilliant!

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

Part 2

Hello

I really must get myself sorted!  I usually manage to prepare several blog entries at once so I'm ahead of myself.  For some reason I can't catch up!  I'm determined to knuckle down and sort out some more.

OK.  Re-reading my last blog I realised I didn't identify the name of the actual place we stayed.  It was called Thorpe Forest holidays near the River Thet and had only been opened in May 2014.  Their link is www.forestholidays.co.uk if you're interested. 

This was a bald eagle (I think).  Unfortunately we just missed the demonstration and only came upon them as they'd finished!  Story of my life!  Anyway he was so magnificent I couldn't resist taking a quick picture.

The last picture (you'll be pleased to know!) is of my daughter with the girls.  Behind them is the model of a dinosaur which every so often, starts moving his head and let's out this enormous roar!  You can imagine how he made everyone jump the first time they walked past!  Once they all realised he wasn't coming to get them, everyone wanted to have selfies with him.

Right, having bored you enough I'm going now!  I promise that'll be enough of my doings and back to my makes etc.

Thank you for looking.

Liz x

Me again!

Hello

I am sorry I have missed a few weeks of blogging.  I've had a very busy time.  My daughter and son-in-law invited me to go with them as a surprise to Norfolk.  It was a brilliant cabin and beautifully done.  It would sleep 10 people and it also had a tree house and a Jacuzzi.

We took it in turns to sleep in the tree house which was just at the end of the cabin.  Completely independent from the cabin and self contained.  It looked out into the woods and was as if you actually in the trees.

The weather was ideal - a bit cloudy but not too hot.  Occasional showers but not enough to spoil our outings.

This is us at the dining table.  There was only six of us so we had plenty of room.

On the first full day we decided to go to the nearby zoo.  We didn't think it would be very large, but in fact we were very surprised at the number of animals they had.  We were there all day.  

As we walked through into the zoo itself we came across this on the wall.  It was such a good idea.  Crayons were supplied and everyone could doodle or colour in whatever they wanted.  Afterwards the board could just be wiped clean ready for the next family.

  

Then on the other side were these three camels, all decorated up.    

I've seen the numerous  painted cows all over the country but never camels.

They were very unusual.

We were in time to see the feeding of the penguins.  It was very cleverly laid out in that we could see right down onto them as they toddled along under the bridge we could all stand on.

The next stop was the butterfly house.  There were quite a few butterflies. but the flowers were absolutely stunning.  I think this was was the Bird in Paradise flower, but I'm not sure.  They were so striking though.

Then we saw the Snow Leopard - at first he was camouflaged so well he was hard to see but he looks so relaxed and cuddly (not!) !

The next day we decided to go 'geo-caching'.  Something none of us had done before.  We found it great fun, and very clever.  We found all the items, deciphered all the clues and our reward was free hot chocolates, coffee etc!  Very yummy.

Behind the cabin there were lots of fallen trees and bracken, just waiting for us to build a camp.  Such a lot of fun and mucky enough to please the children.  

Then back to the cabin for tea and a soak in the jacuzzi!  Absolute bliss. 

For some reason I can't import any more pictures to this page, so I shall start another one with the rest of my pictures - not too many, I promise! 

Thank you for looking.

Liz x