TIME TO FLOURISH

Hello again

I have been creating a range of projects with the beautiful “Time to Flourish” collection from @Graphic 45. It is a calendar style set of papers and I have based my creations around this. I started with a box kit from a UK based company called Oakwood Direct. This is the Accordion Handbag which comes as a set of two – in kraft and black card. It worked well with the Time to Flourish papers and was relatively straight-forward to put together.

https://www.oakwooddirect.co.uk/scrapbook-templates/accordion-inserts-handbag

There are instructions with the kit but I also filmed myself putting this handbag together which is available to watch on my YouTube channel

I had great fun making the Accordion Handbag so I picked another Scrapbook Template from Oakwood Direct called the Matchbox Camera

https://www.oakwooddirect.co.uk/scrapbook-templates/matchbox-camera

I am not quite sure why it is called a matchbox camera because it is certainly much bigger than a standard matchbox!

I was able to use the excess papers from the first project and added seasonal images throughout the matching notebook.

I still had the larger journaling cards left from the 12×12 sheets so then I adapted the box set above to create my own larger version. (The first photo shows a sleeve with the Flower Market papers. I will explain why in my video) As you can see from the photos every project is slightly different and it shows just how versatile “Time to Flourish” is.

I created a second video to show the inside of the Camera Notebox along with a tutorial on how I upscaled the idea to incorporate the larger journaling cards.

Just for your reference – here are the dimensions for the larger project.

Main book

Cut two pieces of A4 card – lengthwise by 5 1/4″

Score from each end at 2″

Cut the second panel in half to create two side panels (5 5/8 by 5 1/4″)

Cut 6 pieces 8″ by 5 1/4″ for the pages. Score at 1/2″

Mat sizes

Centre panel and back – 7 1/2″ by 5 1/8″

Side strips 1 3/4″ by 5 1/8″

Front covers 3 5/8″ by 5 1/8″

Pages 7″ by 5″

This is a glorious collection to create with. I hope my videos will inspire you to try them out. I am not affiliated to Oakwood Direct but I do recommend their kits as a great starting point.

I am a Brand Ambassador for Graphic 45 because I adore their collections. If you are based in the USA you can buy products from the Graphic 45 website https://g45papers.com/product/time-to-flourish-deluxe-collectors-edition/

If you are based in the UK you might find it easier to buy from your local stockists.

Happy crafting!

Love Elisabeth xx

Lisa Horton Crafts Edgecutz Flowers

Hello again

In these uncertain times, I have been dipping between crafting at all hours of the day and not wanting to go near my craft desk at all. I have told myself that these feelings are perfectly natural. I need to take each day as it comes and just do what i can.

Rather than making samples for the various Design Teams that I am in, I have opted to craft for friends. Most of these projects have been made using products from Lisa Horton Crafts. Yes. I am on her design team but I genuinely enjoy creating things with her products. The designs are fresh, clean and simple and the products are of good quality. I will link each item as I go.

This started off as one single card and quickly became a set of four cards with a matching box. I lightly stencilled a central background before layering up the butterflies on top with a little sisal.

Lisa Horton Crafts https://thatcraftplace.co.uk/collections/lisa-horton-crafts-dies/products/edgecutz-dies-butterfly-flourish

My next card was commission for a special lady. The stepper card was a blank sample (found in my stash) which I then built up with a range of Nested Flag dies. I know they were big sellers but I will leave you the link anyway and you will know when they are back in stock.

LISA HORTON CRAFTS – NESTED FLAGS DIES

Then I die cut the beautiful butterflies before stencilling on top with pale yellow and blues.

My final card allowed me to be a little creative with colours and stencils. I literally splattered Brushos onto a scrap of watercolour paper and spritized with water. I left it to dry while I worked on the tag. I inked up one of my favourite background stamps and die cut it afterwards. I added a touch of green Sisal underneath the banner which I layered up with foam pads. I cut as many butterflies out as I could and again layered them up as I arranged them.

Lisa Horton Crafts – Distressed Bubblewrap A6 Stamp Set

LISA HORTON CRAFTS NESTED BANNERS

My top tip for this card is – if you have a sentiment in mind then print it out with a trusted Dymo machine. I was literally singing this song as I made this card hence the sentiment!

My crafting mojo returned after I made these cards so it was back to the DT samples 😉

Until next time

Elisabeth xx

Cottage Garden

Hello again

I am back with a brand new launch from Craft Consortium which has been designed by Helz Cuppleditch. Cottage Garden is a delightful collection full of whimsical creatures and images.

Here are just a few of my favourite cards which were made as samples for the launch of Cottage Garden on Create and Craft TV on the 5th March 2020. You can see more of the collection on my YouTube Channel. I have tried to show you close ups of the 12″x12″ papers, stamps and embellishments.

You can purchase all of the items shown directly from Craft Consortium Ltd.

https://www.craftconsortium.com/shop?Collection=Helz%20Cuppleditch

This video includes close ups of the Cottage Garden range and includes tips and ideas on how to use it.

This was the first card I made using one sheet of the harlequin patterned paper and an upcoming Dienamix Premium Cutting Die from Craft Consortium. I used one of the decoupage elements to create the sweet lttle birdie in the bottom right hand corner.

This card began life as a box frame. I simply cut away the top half of it to create my fence posts. The image is taken from another of the easy to use decoupage toppers.

My final card was made with Mothering Sunday in mind. I began by creating a little seed box. I then used the stamps to decorate the top and adhered it to the main card with a glue dot.

If you would like to see more of my creations using these creative collection then please take a look at my Pinterest board.

My fellow Design Team members and I also run the Facebook Group – Craft Consortium Network. I would encourage you to join as we share a wide array of ideas and are building up a supportive group of crafters.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/989114164562461/

Thank you for popping by

Elisabeth xx

LISA HORTON – GET OUT THE FLAGS COLLECTION.

Hello again,

Lisa Horton is “getting out the flags” and celebrating the launch of another brilliant set of cutting dies, stencils and stamps. It will launch first on the 28th February on Create and Craft. Thereafter it will be available to buy directly from Lisa herself.

Lisa kindly sent me a few goodies to play with. Here are a few of my DT samples.

Ideally use a stamping platform for this style of card but it is still achievable by hand stamping. The Four Point Bloom stamps precisely and clearly.

Again use your stamping platform to create this wreath style card quickly or mark a feint circle on the background before stamping by hand. I stamped the leaves first. Then the flowers were stamped, coloured and stuck with small sticky pads.

One last card for today. This time I used the Pennies in a Line stencils for the backdrop. I used several bright colours to lightly ink in the design. Then I highlighted a few areas with the In the Loop stamps. Next I die cut a Nested Banner in vellum and laid it centrally across the card. Before stamping up and cutting out the Polka Dot Numbers and text.

I hope you will have the opportunity of watching Lisa’s shows i will include the link to all the products below. Don’t forget in a few more weeks you can buy directly from Lisa.

https://www.createandcraft.com/gb/tvschedule

For further inspiration head over to Facebook and join Crafting with Lisa Horton. My fellow DT members post plenty of inspiration and are always happy to answer any questions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/468312444069507/?ref=share

Until next time

Elisabeth xxx

Strawberry Moon Nature Box 01

Hello again.

Sue Taylor the inspiration behind Craftwork Cards has recently launched a crafting style box full of papers, glitter card, frippery and two sets of stamps. She named it Strawberry Moon – Nature Box (Autumn)

Here are a few of the cards I created with this stylish autumnal collection.

I made the little paper pumpkin by punching out four circles, folding them in half and sticking them back to back.

The background papers match perfectly together and the toadstool stamp makes a great topper.

The pumpkin paper reminded me of Cinderella so I added a golden glitter card shoe (die cut with an old Tonic die) The glitter card cuts perfectly and doesn’t shed either.

I wanted the majestic stag to stand proud in this card so I matched all the embellishments to him. It is a stunning but simple card.

Strawberry Moon is a newly launched venture for Sue. You can find her on Facebook by looking for Strawberry Moon by Sue Taylor.

Much love x Elisabeth x

Over the Hedge II

Hello again

My blog post today is nothing to do with the film but everything to do with Craft Consortiums stunning new paper collection – as designed by Melissa Lowry

https://www.craftconsortium.com/shop

I wanted to make some cards that used bright colours ,making them appealing to children. The character stamps of Olivia the Owl, Harry the hedgehog and Henry the fox were perfect for this task. I used the blackest ink I could find – Versafine Clare and set about stamping parts of the creatures onto 2cm squares.

I wanted to give the illusion that Olivia was flying through the card in slow motion.—-

Henry is hiding behind a tree trunk playing peek-a-boo…….

And poor little Harry has been startled and is rolling into a ball.

As you can see all 3 stamps are beautifully illustrated and the ink shows up the design to perfection. Each card is finished off with a small piece of the 12×12 paper from the stunning pad.

These are the items I used

You can follow Craft Consortium on Facebook and Instagram. Check out their FB Group too for great inspiration

https://www.facebook.com/groups/989114164562461/?ref=share

Much love x Elisabeth x

“Over the Hedge” launch.

Hello again

I have been lucky enough to make a few samples for the launch of “Over the Hedge” designed by the talented Melissa Lowry in collaboration with Craft Consortium Ltd.

https://www.craftconsortium.com/shop

The colour palette of these papers is gloriously autumnal and you will just fall in love with the characters OLIVIA the Owl, HARRY the Hedgehog and HENRY the Fox.

Today I will focus on the stamps and how I coloured them in. I’m not an experienced colourist but these stamps have such a clear, open image that it is hard not to want to colour them.

First up is OLIVIA the Owl. I based my colours upon those used in the papers. Melissa uses vibrant warm colours. I picked 3 shades of brown and taupe for the feathers; grey for her chest; and greens for the leaves. It was just a matter of losing myself in the process.

I stamped the leaves in a circle and then layered up extra ones between the gaps. In hindsight I wish I had coloured in Olivia’s beak but overall I still love this sweet little card.

https://www.craftconsortium.com/product-page/over-the-hedge-stamp-set-olivia-the-owl

Henry is such a handsome little devil. Once again I used shades of browns. I tend to colour light to dark but you will find far more experienced colourists than me on the dedicated Craft Consortium Design Team.

https://www.craftconsortium.com/product-page/over-the-hedge-stamp-set-henry-the-fox

Harry is such a fun little character. I placed him as if tumbling in the autumn leaves. The flora in these stamps are just so well drawn. They are a joy to work with.

https://www.craftconsortium.com/product-page/over-the-hedge-stamp-set-harry-the-hedgehog

These cards will be aired on Create and Craft when they launch “Over the Hedge” but you can buy the collection directly from Craft Consortium and their stockists.

https://www.craftconsortium.com/

If you want further inspiration then check out the Craft Consortium Facebook Group or Instagram

https://www.facebook.com/groups/989114164562461/?ref=share

https://instagram.com/craftconsortiumltd?igshid=vf0zrcbq67h

Much love x Elisabeth x

Crafting indulgence

Hello again.

The papers I am crafting with today are a pure indulgence for me. I love the collections from Craft Consortium so much that I usually buy two pads. One to keep and stroke and the other to work with. These papers are the ones I use when I am creating just for me. I also use these papers as backgrounds for my photos. I believe the designer Katy Hackney has won awards for her wallpaper illustrations so I’m in good company. For my crafting indulgence today, I have used The Riverbank papers and stamps. ( I must admit I’m not ready to cut into the kingfisher papers yet !)

My first card was made in loving memory of Mama. She loved gardening and irises were one of her favourite flowers.

I started off by heat embossing the flowers in lilac and coloured them in inks and flowers. To achieve the background I stamped with distress inks and washed down the flower heads.

More stamping, inking, washing and blotting down on this card. Then I cut an aperture before adding a sentiment inside the card.

I know it’s unusual to make green flowers but I was inspired by the hellebores I spotted at West Dean Gardens (bear Chichester). This paper actually depicts tiny frogs on lily pads but I liked the colour tones so used it for the top layer of the flowers.

Nobody produces a stag image better than Hackney and Co. I laid out the hexagons so that the scene was still visible. Once again the stunning background papers make the card pop.

These cards will be sent to fellow card makers who will appreciate the artistry in these beautiful papers.

Until next time.

Much love x Elisabeth x

Vintage Ephemera re-visited …

Hello again

In an effort to stop spending quite so much on my crafting stash, I am working through the papers I already have. It is really noticeable to me that my style has changed since the first time I used these feminine papers. Therefore these cards I made using the Vintage Ephemera papers from Craftwork Cards are completely different to the ones I made over five years ago.

I used a Beauty cutting die with one of the background papers and then cut it again with pale pink card-stock. Two layers adds more interest and depth.

These perfume bottle toppers were included in the collection and can be used on their own. I simply added a stamped sentiment.

Even the offcuts work well together.

Or you can cut down one corner of the papers to create a focal point.

The papers are so pretty. They make the perfect Mother’s Day Cards. I know my Mama would have loved to have received a card like this one.

I cut the background papers down to three panels and used pink card to lift up the design.

Wishing you all an enjoyable Mothering Sunday (in the UK)

Until next time.

Much love x Elisabeth x