Happy Christmas

Just to wish all my family, friends & followers a very Happy Christmas.  Have a fantastic day today !

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Festive Shadow Box

Here is wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year in 2013 !!

It's been a long time since I posted on my blog and it has been sadly neglected.  The gap has been caused by major re-furbishments to my home which caused havoc.  I still can't find most of my craft stuff .......... it is all there but in a mish-mash of boxes etc.  I will get this sorted in the New Year and I very much need my craft fix again as I have really missed it.

This little 6 x 3 inch shadow box and stand is made from chipboard and contains no stamping at all.

Papers used are from Prima (North Country 6 x 6 stack), trimmed and applied in the compartments as shown.  The box was given a couple of coats of bronze acrylic paint beforehand.

Various embellishmnets were added to give a bit of dimension, some stickers, a brad and metal charms.

Some maroon gingham ribbon was added around the box and some ice Stickles added around the front edges.


Sid xx

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A Smiley Pear

Here is a little card I made using some digi papers from Cosmo Cricket, some diecuts and a bit of stamping and spraying.

The background was printed, trimmed and stuck in place.  I used dies to cut the two oval mats. One in Brown and one with a pear design.  These were layered directly onto the card.

The pear stamp (A Stamp In The Hand) was stamped in Archival sepia ink and trimmed out, then coloured with a lime green alcohol ink pen.  This was mounted on foam pads.  The flower was made from printed cardstock which was die-cut using my Cricut and once assembled was sprayed with Green Dylusions spray.  This was stuck in place at the top of the card.

The mini tag was diecut and stamped with Papertrey Inc stamps and dies.  This was also mounted on foam pads after applying a brad. before colouring with the lime green alcohol ink pen.

The two flourishes were also die cut with a Sizzix die and stuck in place as shown.  Because of the dimension of the flower the card will be packed into a box.  I have entered this into the Simon Says Challenge too !

Sid xx

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Isn't it Cool !

Doesn't happen very often does it? But it's great when it does !!

Here is another entry into my small Moleskine journal.  The background was started ages ago and incorporates Dylusions sprays and acrylic paints applied through stencils with a sponge.

Some arrows were added with a stamp and some more yellow acrylic paint, later on.  The background can be seen at the end of the post.

I thought the jigsaw pieces represented bits of life very well and these were stamped with Memento onyx black ink and coloured with alcohol ink brush in lime.  Red dots were added with a Posca marker.

The edges of the pages were stamped with a border stamp in archival black ink to define them.  Words were printed out on the computer and trimmed to size.

Further doodling with Posca pens and the final shot shows the background before the words and embellishments were added.

Sid xx

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Hot Adoration

 

She does look a little hot and is being fanned to cool her down ............... hence the title !

Here is an sandwich board card I made where the inside picture hangs and swings freely between the front and back of the card. The base is Kraft and the inside has been trimmed down with the top die-cut with a sizzix border die. This has been passed through an aperture cut with a craft knife at the top of the card.

The front and inside is decorated with papers from Pion and the front panel was trimmed and the paper applied before passing through the sizzix with a Nestie die to make the aperture.

The 'adore' stamp is from Papertrey and the pink velvet ribbon has been threaded through some rose pink eyelets and tied in a bow.  The HOT is rub-ons.  The butterfly has been held in place with a rose brad.  Some pink Stickles glitter glue has been added to finish the card.

Sid xx

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Summer Garden

Seeing as we seem to already have had our Summer in the UK, here is a card I have made to remind us of what it can be like.

The card base was made from white textured cardstock and when scored and folded measures 17 x 17 cm.

The central frame and corners are die-cuts out of a printed paper by Kaisercraft.

The central panel and text sentiment are from a set of seasons stamps by Beth Hughes.  Once stamped  on cream card in Memento tuxedo black, the frame was coloured with Marvey alcohol brushmarkers and all elements were stuck in place with a glue pen.

A very simple card.

Sid xx

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My Little Red Heart

Here are a set of Twinchies, made in the theme of 'My Little Red Heart' for a swap over on UK Stampers Forum.  They have digital images, stamping, stickers and penwork on them. I've also entered these into the Show us your Twinchies Challenge blog.

Sid xx

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Day of the Dead

How macabre?  This is a little card I cut with my Cricut using the Autumn Celebration cartridge.

Very easily made with the addition of glitter in his one eye and Sakura glaze and souffle pens to highlight.

Sid xx

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Fit for a Queen

Here are three ATC's which I have made for a swap over on UK Stampers Forum.  The theme this month is 'Royalty' so I chose two stamps from Studio 490 by Wendy Vecchi and a flourish by PaperArtsy.

The backgrounds are digital papers and I have stamped the flourish in yellow and red Memento dye inks.  This has been accented with a gold Posca pen.

The words and crowned lady have been stamped in Memento Jet Black and a little colour added direct to paper with more Memento dye ink.

The letters at the bottom are trimmed papers and the ATC's are edged in crimson chalk ink.

Sid xx

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It's A Gift !

Here is a little gift bag I have made to house a little gift for a friend.  It's not often that I do anything without stamping but this one definately does not have any.

I have used my Cricut Expression to cut a box from some pretty printed card using the Bags, Tags, Boxes & More cartridge.  The cutout was then assembled into the bag with sticky glue. The edges were gone over with yellow ochre chalk ink. 

I have then cut out a few layers of several of the same flowers from a piece of matching printed paper and edged these with Copic marker before applying over the bag and securing with small yellow brads.

The little gift was surrounded by pale pink crumpled tissue and placed in the bag and a piece of pink stitched grosgrain ribbon tied round the handle.

Sid xx

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Bead Weaving

A short while ago I bought a bead loom as I had been meaning to have a go at bead weaving.  This one uses four colours and is 13 beads across in a traditional American indian design. The beads used in this piece are a bit large but for a first attempt I liked the design and the colours.  I think I will incorporate this into a card design as an embellishment going forward.

I intend using some smaller more even seed beads to do a more complex design next.

Sid xx

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The Only Way Is Up !

Hasn't the weather in the UK been horrible lately ........... hardly Summer in my opinion !  This creation hopefully will bring a little colour into these dull and wet days we are experiencing at this time.


This is a postcard (6 inches x 4 inches) made from mountboard as part of a monthly swap at UK Stampers Forum.  This months theme is 'In The Air' so I have loosely interpreted the theme in my creation. The card was trimmed to size and coloured with Ranger Dylusions sprays in vibrant turquoise, pure sunshine and cut grass. These were dried with a heat gun.

Next the pennant stamp (Lynne Perrella - PaperArtsy) was stamped top left with Archival black ink. The background was also grunged with  spot and fleck stamps in Ultramarine Impress ink.

A Marriane diecut was used to cut a garland from white paper and this was trimmed and was added in a couple of places as shown. A Cuttlebug cut'n'emboss folder was used to diecut the hand from dark green paper.  This was sprayed with black spray ink, blotted and rubbed over with the black Archival ink to highlight the relief.

The words were half printed and half hand-written in Posca and the same pens were used to edge and highlight the images on the card.  The card has to travel to its recipient 'naked' in the post.  I have sealed it with a light spray of cheap hair lacquer.

Sid xx

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Pretty Face

Here is a card I have made recently incorporating the colours of turquoise and orange.  The card measure 15 x 15cm and is made from stout white card.  The card has been covered on the front with a piece of digital backing paper with an abstract orange/blue colourway.  It is available in my Etsy store.

The mat has been made from turquoise linen effect card and has been punched with Martha Stewart around the page punches.  A piece of narrow orange grosgrain ribbon has then been threaded through the edging and tied in a bow at one corner before mounting onto the card.

The girls face has been stamped with Memento black ink, cut out with a circular die and then coloured with alcohol ink brush markers.  The orange dots have been added using a Sakura Aqualip pen.  The image has been added in the centre with foam pads to add relief.

The 'On Your Birthday' foiled plate was also added on foam pads.

Finishing touches were added by edging with orange chalk ink.

Sid xx

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Happy Birthday Bunny

Gorgeous sunny day here in Manchester UK so to bring a little sunshine into your life if you are not getting any sun here is another 15 x 15 cm cute card handcrafted from me featuring 'Warren' the bunny.  This time he is offering the birthday present of 'Carrots' ....... well I suppose for a rabbit that's appropriate.  He has been coloured with Copic markers.  The card is available HERE in my Etsy store if you would like to own it.

He is layered onto an embossed die-cut frame over some candy striped card with a sparkle.

The card is embellished with a lime green grosgrain ribbon and bow.

Some lime green pearls have been added along the bottom of the card to finish.

Sid xx

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Just For You !

I don't do cute usually, but had some images which I have coloured with Copics and layered with embossing , papers and ribbon to produce this 15 x 15 cm square card.

Sid xx

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'You Rang Sir? '

Another little whimsical birdie ATC !  Collaged with stamps and penwork. This one is another available in a frame for sale in my Etsy Store. Hope you like it !  I can also do made to order framed ATC's.

This piece also fits the bill for The Artful Times challenge !

Sid xx

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'By Yourself' ATC

One more ATC made as a framed collaged piece using images, stamps and penwork.  It is available for sale on my Etsy Store.

Sid xx

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'Stars Shine' ATC

Here is another ATC which was available framed in my Etsy Store but has now sold. It was collaged style using images, stamps, inks and penwork that have all been used in its making.

Sid xx

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Framed ATC's

These two unique, hand-made collaged ATC's are now available in a framed version in my Etsy store.  There will be a series of framed ATC's in the store going forward and I am happy to make you a custom version if you wish, just click the link to Etsy on the right of my blog or on this post to view what is in offer.  Thanks so much for looking ......... and hope you like what you see.

Sid xx

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One a Day

Here is a 3D postcard measuring 6 x 4 inches.  This one would be very challenged going through the post without losing some of its components in transit so this was done as part of a swap over on UK Stampers where we could send our dimensional postcards in an envelope or padded bag to preserve their art through the post.

The background is of teal stained wood and is a digital print I have applied some Viva gold paint in splodges to the background also on the left.  This has been embellished with some black chipboard frames with inchies behind.  I have also done some flourish stamping in Memento tuxedo black.

The flourishes are die-cut using a Sizzix die and these have been edged with a black fineliner pen.  I have also used some moss green floral Washi tape, gold Posca pen and some gorgeous green flat backed cabochons.  Finishing touches were to add some Versamagic chalk ink in touch of pesto around the edge and some faux stitches.

Nice sentiment as we all learn at least one thing each day don't we ?

Sid xx

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