A Glimpse of Spring

I really felt this week that Spring was just around the corner – well I hoped it was!!! My entry this week for the Papertake Weekly Challenge therefore has a springlike theme. My build up to the card this week followed my receipt of a newly purchased PSX retired stamp from America and could not wait to find an excuse to use it. I decided that I wanted to sit Tilda in the Clematis Heart vine and found that she fitted in beautifully. The papers I chose were a digital download from Designer Digitals, Katie Pertiet, Botanist No. 16. So I had the papers, the image, and now all I needed was the sketch!!!

At the moment, due to my work commitments I am only managing to put together one card a week!! – not very prolific I know, but I put all my energies into the one card. My cards just recently have been quite heavily layered and embellished and were getting to the point where my usual handmade envelope was stretching at the seams – so to speak. So I played around in the week and managed to make a really cute little box style envelope, which perfectly fits a 6 x 6 inch card that is quite thick. I have put the detail below of how to make this.

So now armed with my image, all coloured and ready, my papers, and even my matching box, I was really pleased to see that the sketch from Dawny P fitted in well with my image. I layered the papers up, cut out the vine stamp and layered that again with a cut out Tilda sitting on top. The flowers are Mulberry, the ribbon from Ribbon Oasis and the butterflies are made with a Martha Stewart punch. The inside of the card features the lovely papers from the kit, and another Tilda sitting on a matching frame.

Dimensions for Card box envelope : I use the Enveloper Pro. I printed out my card on A3 paper, setting the paper dimensions at 26cm x 26cm. On the Enveloper Pro, score the card at D and again at D1 on all four sides. This then forms into the 6 x 6 box with a height of over half an inch, perfect for the embellished cards. On the other side of the envelope I punched two holes in the flap and a corresponding pair in the bottom part of the envelope and threaded ribbon through to make a pretty bow.

I would really welcome your feedback if you visit my blog - I love to read your comments. Thank you xx

Big, Bold and Beautiful !!!!!

My entry for the Papertake Weekly and 2 Sketches 4 You Challenges this week features another ‘off the rails’ humorous style stamp called Agnes from Art Impressions. I love these unique stamps as much as the cute ones from say Magnolia or Sugar Nellie – so I tend to swing from one style to the other each week. The brief this week for the Challenge was to use the colours pink, orange and brown. My papers are from a selection from my digital download stash, and the image has been paper pieced and also coloured with Copics and Pro Markers. I machine stitched the layers and embellished the card with a satin ribbon from Raspberry Ribbons.

I decorated the inside of the card and made a matching envelope. The envelopes are really simple and easy to make – but it does require an A3 printer to get the paper to the required 25cm square, printed on both sides – otherwise use 12 x 12 craft paper cut down. I then use the Enveloper Pro to score the envelope to fit a 6 inch square card.


I made the card with a special friend in mind – I hope she sees the funny side of it – lol. xxx

A Vision in Lilac!!

This week I have been putting ideas together to use the fab stamp from Stampotique, Moth Fab – well you either love it or hate it, there must be a weird side of me, because I really love her. The stamped image is quite dark and heavy, so I decided to use rich shades of plum and lilac as the theme. Her dress is coloured with Copics and Pro Markers and then embossed with black sparkle.


I made a matching envelope and used a heart stamp that followed the design through from the front of the card, to the inside, and the matching envelope. On the other side of the envelope I have stamped a swirl design around the edge and placed a heart with a bow in the corner.


The papers I have used are all Pink Petticoat, the main design paper being from Lola’s Boudoir set. Thanks very much for looking – let me know what you think of the stamp xxx

Dressed in Roses Gift Set

The theme for Cute Card Thursday is Spring and the Papertake Weekly challenge was to create a Matched Set, a card and an envelope, or gift box. I decided to create my card with a lovely new stamp called Dressed in Roses and used the theme to follow through with really pretty papers from Nitwits Possibilities and Tea Party from Krista Designs


The dress was coloured with watercolours which gave a very soft dreamy effect as opposed to the harshness of Markers. I followed the theme through with a bunch of delicate paper roses, and ribbons from Ribbon Oasis. I made an envelope to match and lined this with the check paper.



I made a matching gift box to finish off the set.


Unfortunately by the time I finished this off the light was really bad for photographs.
I would love your comments if you stop by to have a look.
Thanks xx

A Valentine with Heart entwined envelope

Well following on from the success of my Valentine card last week, I was so inspired this week to create the elements for another Valentine card. I fell in love with the envelope with entwined heart seal which I found on Splitcoast Stampers. To make this envelope is really quite simple, although it looks quite complicated. To fit my card I cut a square 24.5 cm, then folded all corners into the centre. I then scored another line one quarter of an inch inside the first fold lines. I then cut out the corners, and created a box frame that would carry the height of my card with all the elements. I then stamped Stamping Up Always heart several times and attached this to the flaps, only gluing on the left hand side, to enable the hearts to be locked into each other.


I embossed the frame for the main card and another heart with gold. I coloured my image with a mix of Copic pens and watercolours, just to get the right shades I wanted.


The inside of the card has the same hearts joined with ribbon. The papers I have used are a digital download from Katie Pertiet called Engraved Birds from Designer Digitals.


I made the inside of the card up and embossed and coloured all the elements over the weekend and waited for the Papertake Challenge this afternoon to assemble the front of the card. My design I hope is acceptable, although I did not use the squares for the image and the shape underneath, I used the frame and heart instead - I hope no-one minds!!! The card also links in well with the A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge this week featuring doodles and scrolls.




If you drop by and take a look, please let me know what you think, I really do appreciate all the comments. xxx

Roses and Lace Valentine

I have had a fantastic weekend creating a valentine card. My idea for the card started off with the heart template which I got from Splitcoast Stampers, then I thought how nice it would be to create the heart with a flower effect and with an image inside it, so I chose the cute little image from h'Anglar. This led me to the beautiful Botanist papers from Katie Pertiet which is a download from Designer Digitals, and then my creativity went wild. It was the first time I have put together a card with a fully finished inside and a matching envelope, and I have to say I am really pleased with the finish effect. Hope you like it xx

Chill Out – Take a bath!!!

My entry this week for the Papertake Weekly Challenge is using a cute little stamp from My Favourite Things called Chill Out and the layout is from another gorgeous Dawny P sketch. The papers are all pulled together from my digital stash, so no particular range or pack to quote. I tried to pull the themes together for the bath, with the flowers and the spots, and then just grouped them all together. The jumbo brads and the ribbon again are all from my stash. The sliding ribbon tag was made with a Nestabilities die.
If you stop by, please leave your comments, I really do appreciate them xxx