Guitar Boy

30th March 2012

Today's crafting has produced a card suitable for a teen boy.

The image is from Jenni Hamilton (Craft Mad Fairy) the star is also from Jenni.

I've coloured it with Copics.

The blue card used is Bazzil Linen in Navy and mid blue, the red is Stampin Up Real Red and I've used Cuttlebug embossing folders.
The sentiment is a Stampin Up stamp from the Hostess set of 2 called Happiest Birthday Wishes, (there are 11 gorgeous stamps in this set) stamped in Real Red Ink.
The pattern paper is from a 12" x 12" paper stack I bought a couple of years ago in Big W.

I used Spellbinders labels 21 to cut the backings for the image. and a corner punch on the blue background.

I really love this image, mind you I think I'm in love with ALL of Jenni Hamilton's images! they are all so beautifully drawn, and a joy to use.

I have entered this card in Simon Say's..... Anything Goes Challenge.

http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/simon-says-anything-goes.html


Happy Crafting

Hugs.

Beth

Easter Bag for Easter Treats.

29th March 2012

No crafting with Heather today, so I was left to my own devices.
Started tidying up my very messy craft room, then decided to tidy up heaps of unfiled paperwork as I couldn't find the printed tutorial I was particularly looking for the other day. Well I found the tutorial, and a heap of other stuff I'd been looking for recently, so now it's all in folders, labeled so I know what's in where. Shame there is probably twice as much STILL to do......

Oh well, that's life.

After all that sorting and work like stuff I simply had to MAKE something. and after making two and stuffing them up in one way or another, I finally came up with something I don't mind sharing with you.

Unfortunately it's EMPTY, would look much better with some choccies inside I'm sure, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

I used a Stampin Up Bigz die to cut my box, punched a couple of holes on each side for the handles and threaded ribbon through which is stuck down on the inside with scor-tape, (that won't be moving anytime soon)
The die cut medallion on the front is a combination of 3 different dies, I've used Spellbinders Beaded Circles, Fleur De Lis (one of the small dies in the set) and Eyelets. The little chick in the centre is a brad.

I think I'll fill this with some of those tiny little easter eggs, a combination of solid and filled, should be rather yummy for the recipient, at least I hope so.

Happy crafting,

Hugs,

Beth

Li-ann

28th March 2012

On this card I've used an image from Jenny Hamilton (Craft Mad Fairy) called Li-ann. I really had fun trying out my new Copic colouring skills on this image as the hair, jacket and skirt all allowed for shading to create depth, movement and highlights.

The papers I've used are Japanese papers from my stash, I've had them for so long I can't remember where I got them from, which is a real problem when I want to buy more. I do know that a couple of the papers are from a Docrafts paper pack (the red background behind the gold & silver patterned paper the image is mounted on, and the white and gold paper inside the card.

For the base card, I decided that with such bright colours, black would be the best background to show them off. the folded card size is 17.5cm x 12.5cm. I folded the front back on itself and this is adhered with double sided tape once the ribbon with the coins were added, this encloses the raw ends of the ribbon. I used tiny Stampin Up pearls around the frame which is a Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 20. on the front inside of the card, I used the same size die I used to cut the gold & silver pattern background for my image and cut a plain white piece, this is where the personal message may be written.

I have typed and printed out an Emily Matthews verse to mount inside the card on the white and gold section directly behind the label, I'll cut this out using the same die, I have a very good idea who I'll be giving this card to and will personalise it just for her.

I hope you think I've done this lovely digi image justice.

Happy Crafting,

Hugs

Beth

Hopeful

27th March 2012

The title of todays blog is the name of the Wee Stamps digi image i've used for this card.

I find these images totally irresistible, and so beautifully drawn, Says she who can't draw a straight line, I do so wish I could draw, but I can't, so I have to rely on the amazing talent of people like Sylvia Zet.

I've been practicing my colouring in techniques using Copics, and I really do think I've made a huge improvement over the past couple of months.

Anyway, judge for yourself, I would appreciate your comments.

For this image I've stuck pretty much with the colours I used in the image.
The pattern paper I've used for the background is one I've printed out myself, no idea where it came from originally.

I have not added a sentiment to this card as yet because I don't know what occasion I'll use it for. My collection of cards already has a vast number of Birthday cards, so just for now, I'll put this one into my 'Don't know yet' category.

Happy Crafting,

Hugs

Beth

Baby Blue

26th March 2012

The image on this card is another one from Wee Stamps, it's a digi image called Angel Cody and I think it's soooo cute!

I coloured the image with Copics and Glitter pens. The cloud was coloured then I added some white flowersoft to get that soft cloud look and feel.

The lovely background paper came from a paper pack bought about 2 years ago from Big W, have not seen it for ages, I found 1 single page and have scanned it so I have it for future use.

The border Congratulations stickers are I think from the sticker store, see link at the right hand side of my page.

The ribbon is from Stampin Up.

My base card is that lovely ribbed card, and is available from Blue Edge Crafts. I cut both the base card and the pattern paper with a scalloped border punch from Stampin Up.

If you haven't seen the Wee Stamp images yet, go check them out! they are so totally adorable. http://weestamps.weebly.com/

Hope you like this cute little fellow!

Happy Crafting,
Hugs,

Beth

New Spellbinder Dies

25th March 2012

I got a couple of new Spellbinder dies this week, so of course I've been playing with them.

I have made two cards using each, with different colours
Firstly, using the new Shapeabilities 'Angle Approach die,
For Card 1,  I've used a dark red linen textured base card, which I topped with black paper. then added the die cut which was cut out of a 6x6" double sided paper from Blue Edge Crafts, I don't know what it's called as it came as a sample as did all the base cards I've used today. , I've created a double border on the black with silver border stickers, you can get these from the Sticker Store. then used my scrap border sticker bits to create a silver outline around the die cut. A clear crystal in the centre and a tiny tag with a scrap of black ribbon to finish.

For card 2, I've used yellows. I embossed the lighter yellow background with Cuttlebugs Swiss Dots embossing folder, which has to be the most used of all my embossing folders.I cut the die using a double sided paper golden yellow on one side, and bright  linear shapes on the reverse,  after folding back and tucking under all the cuts, I cut out a backing of emerald green high gloss paper and fixed it behind the die cut. I added a pink gem to the centre and emerald green gems to each of the overlapping sections.
I finished with a gold sticker border and sentiment.

Next I used my other new die, the Shapeabilities Aster Flower Topper die. Love this die, I can see it's going to be a favourite of mine.

For card 3, I used a deep apricot coloured card base and used a lighter peach to die cut the Aster flower, for this card I used the largest and middle sized dies, and layered them with foam mounts. I stuck a large clear crystal in the centre.

I used Shapeabilities Fancy Tags Two to cut a label for my sentiment using the same colour as the flower, then cut another in a much lighter peach, then trimmed it to create a centre to which I added a white sentiment sticker, this label was then mounted over double layer white ribbon.

For card 4 I used blue and very pale blue. This flower uses all three sizes of the Aster flower die, and I inked the edges and mounted each on top of the other with foam squares finishing the flower with a dazzler flower. The flower is mounted over a piece of very pale blue embossed and with the edges inked. I added a strip of blue ribbon onto which I added a silver sticker greeting and finished with a flower cut with the last die in the Aster flower topper set with a blue gem flower in the center.

Almost forgot to mention that I cut the edge of the base card with Martha Stewart border punch. (scallop and dots)

It's been a productive crafting day today.

Hope you have as much fun as I do!

Happy crafting,
Hugs,

Beth

Wee Fairy

24th March 2012

This card screamed to be made. I recently found "Wee Stamps" http://weestamps.weebly.com/ Just LOVE this fairy.

I used a heavy weight A4 dimple card stock available from Blue Edge Crafts for my base card. I punched one edge with Stampin Up's doily border punch. I used Docrafts Papermania Premium Shimmer textured Card stock 'Moulin Rouge'  in Lilac and a dusky pink and pale pink. On the dusky pink I layered a pattern paper by Cristina Re, onto the pale pink I layered a rose patterned paper by Joy Crafts which comes in a pad.
I coloured my digi image with copics, and the wings with 'At you Spica' pens. The image was then die cut with part of the wings outside the die using a Spellbinders Deckle Edge oval die, layered onto classic ovals in plain and scalloped.

The tag is another Spellbinders die from the Fancy Tags Two set, and I used a Stampin Up scallop oval punch for the white centre as the size fitted better than the spellbinders ovals. The sentiment is a Kaiser Craft rub on.

I finished with Stampin Up gems, Pink and white bakers twine, and ZvaCreations pearl flourish.

The images from Wee Stamps are so lovely, I just couldn't resist them.

Happy Crafting,

Hugs.

Beth

Fairy Bubbles

23rd March 2012

Getting away from men's cards for a while, I have used Joanna Sheen CD called Enchanted Dreams, featuring paintings by  Josephine Wall. This image is so beautiful, and the colours are amazing.

I printed the 3 pages needed for this image onto 200gsm card using standard settings on my epson Artisan 730 printer.

After cutting all the elements out, I used copics to ink all the edges so there are no white edges showing.

It's a 3D image mounted straight onto the black base card.

There are so many truly beautiful images on this CD. Love them all.

Happy Crafting,

Hugs

Beth

Computer Man Male Card

22nd March 2012

As Heather was way too busy to craft today :-( I've been left to my own devices.

Spent most of the day out and about, we went up to  Stonyfell Winery as they have a weekend of specials coming up starting today, Bob of course decided that at those prices we had to go and stock up, (not that he's in any way short of a bottle of wine or several dozen....... we came home with 3 1/2 dozen more bottles to add to his collection. I said we will need to have ANOTHER wine rack built...... he just smiled, I think he really misses his wine cellar since we moved here. (Retirement Estate houses dont' come with wine cellars!!)

Anyway, back to crafting, I made this card earlier this week. it was was made for someone who loves tinkering and playing around with computers. The image is  from Jolly Nation.

I've used a ribbed base card, and used Stampin Up 'Night of Navy' and 'Bashful Blue' I embossed the Bashful Blue with a script embossing folder from Cuttlebug.

The next layer is again Night of Navy onto which I've layered a retro blue paper from my stash, it originally came from a 12 x 12 pad of decorative papers, but the cover is long since lost so I can't tell you who makes it.

 I stamped the stars  onto the paper to add a little extra something. The 3D image I changed slightly, the original had the image with blonde hair, I recoloured it and added spectacles simply by drawing them on the layers.

The sentiment is stamped onto Bashful Blue and layered onto Night of Navy.

Both the star and the sentiment stamps are from Stampin Up's So Happy for You set.

Hope you enjoy this latest card in the Male series.

Happy Crafting

Hugs.

Beth

Another Mens Card

21/3/2012

Here is another card in my drive to create for the Males. This one is out of my comfort zone, I love beautiful, and embellishments, and bling, bling, bling. As you can see, this is grunge!  I challenged myself to create something NOT beautiful, NOT blingy and I think I've succeeded.

I've not added a sentiment as yet, but plan on using this as a birthday card.

I used cor dinations card stock for the playing cards and the wood panel behind, then sanded them back to the inner core. then used distress inks in frayed burlap  to make them look more dingy.
The backing paper is from my stash, no idea where it came from. I distresed and tore the edges and again inked them with distress ink. The base card is Stampin Up basic black, and I used SU's Real Red behind the wood panel.

It feels really strange posting this after the card I posted for Merry. I don't think I'll be doing a lot of grunge, it just doesn't sit well with me. So tomorrow I'll be back to beautiful.

Happy crafting
Hugs

Beth

Happy Birthday Merry!

Happy Birthday Merry!

Hope you have a truly wonderful day, and all your wishes come true.
Here's my card for this very special Birthday Blog hop, hope you like it.

I got the layout idea for this card from Ispy sketches.
I used White ribbed card for my base.
The pattern papers are a selection from Joanna Sheen, Stampin Up, Kaszazz, My Minds Eye and Joycrafts.
The Flower is by Prima and I've used woodgrain buttons with kitchen twine.
I've also used Spellbinders Scallop Circles and Floral Flourishes, the gems are from Stampin Up and the lace trim is from Kaszazz. The cream gros grain ribbon is from Blue Edge Crafts.
I added a little stickles to the flower, no such thing as too much bling.

The sentiment is computer generated.

Hope you like it.

Happy Birthday Happy Birthday Happy Birthday Happy BirthdayHappy Birthday Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday Happy Birthday Happy Birthday Happy Birthday Happy Birthday Happy Birthday

Happy Crafting,
Hugs,
Beth

Old Jalopy cards for the men

18th March 2012

I'm still on my making cards for men drive.
I've had this Tim Holz Alterations Old Jalopy die for some time now, way before I joined Blog land and have never made a satisfactory card using it till now, and now I've made 3 that I'm happy with.

The Black cardstock used is Bazzil basics linen. All the other card used is Stampin up in Real Red, and Crumb Cake.
The pattern papers are from two sources, the Black car and the Crumb Cake cars are on papers from KaiserCraft 6 1/2" paper pad called Little Toot. The Red car is mounted onto glitter card from 'The Glitter Stack by DCWV.

The sentiment is a stamp from Stampin Up's So Happy for You set.
I've embossed the red and cake crumb cards with Cuttlebug embossing folders.

Hope this helps inspire you to make those difficult mens cards.

Happy Crafting

Beth 

Crafting with Heather

Monday 12th March 2012

Since Heather and I couldn't do our usual Thursday crafting last week, we decided that today would be a suitable substitute.

We had decided a couple of weeks ago that we were going to do one of the Kaszazz Master Class projects.
To book one of these workshops will cost you $60 for a 5 - 6 hour workshop where you will make the following cards and their boxes. While that cost may seem somewhat high, the amount of products used warrants that price.

We had a really GREAT time today, the project was absorbing and very pretty. We both made 3 cards, each with it's own presentation box.
The photo's below show only one card in it's box as all the boxes are the same.

All products used are Kaszazz.

Shabby Chic and beautiful.
Happy Crafting

Hugs,
Beth

More Mens Cards

10th March 2012

I've been making some more cards for men. The first two are from a kit supplied by Cardmaking.net and are their March project.

Great idea, easy and quick to do, and opens up a whole new way of looking at stickers. At least I think so.

The third card is a design by La Pashe (2010) called Tall Ship and comes under their Framin' Cards category.
I've  cut out and mounted all the elements for the 3D image, framed it and then mounted the whole piece onto a base card. Really happy with the finished result.

 Black & White

Red & Black 



 Tall Ship

The stickers are stuck onto plain white card, then sections are coloured in with Sakura Glaze Pens. Very effective.

Hope this inspires you to revisit the use of stickers. If you're looking for picture stickers you wont' go wrong by having a look at the Sticker Store.  www.stickerstore.com.au

Happy Crafting,

Hugs,
Beth

Mosaic Shimmer

3rd March 2012

This is not my original work, I made these two cards, but they and the products used are from a kit supplied by cardmaking.net as part of their February 2012 card of the month. They are so pretty that I thought I'd share them with you for a change. (I get these kits each month)

For information and to buy the kits yourself go to www.cardmaking.net the March card is now posted. (haven't got mine yet though)

I enjoy paper tole, and the colours in these are so pretty. I have sufficient in the kit to make another two cards, but may change them so they quite different.

Went to Heathers last night, Heather who is my Thursday crafting partner, was holding a Kaszazz workshop, I went because any excuse to craft is acceptable to me.
Had a fun evening, and watched with amusement as a first time cardmaker got hooked!  I remembered back to the days when I was oh so new to this totally absorbing craft and also got hooked. Ahhh memories......

Anyway, the next three cards are part of a Kaszazz 2 hour workshop, I made two very small adjustments to mine, because that's what I do!

For further information re these or any other Kaszazz products contact Heather Blencowe at hblencowe@bigpond.com and she will be only too happy to help you.

I changed the sentiment on this one

I changed the sentiment on this one as well.

Happy crafting!

Hugs,

Beth 

Thursdays Crafting with Heather

1st March 2012

Can you believe it it's MARCH already!!! I'm positive time is marching along a whole heap faster than it ever used to.

Anyway it's Thursday again, and if you don't know by now, Thursdays is crafting day with Heather.

Today as usual, we had no idea what we were going to do, so over a cappucchino we discussed our options and settled on cards for men.

A Brief Change of subject:

I have a real bee in my bonnet at the moment about the lack of men's cards. I can knock up any number of very nice feminine cards, and the Internet is loaded with beautiful cards for women. But finding nice cards for men is not so easy, not by a long way.

I've also been contemplating starting a blog challenge for Mens cards only, to try and rectify this situation, I'm currently pondering who to ask to join my Design Team for this project.
If any one who reads this blog is interested, please contact me with a sample of your mens cards, it will be a case of (initially) anything goes, stamping, papertole, quilling, iris folding, tea bag folding, anything, just HAS to be for men. Some men are more masculine than others so we should be able to come up with a reasonably wide range of styles and types. What do you think? would you like to be a part of this? 
I've since discovered that there is already a site for cards for men. So since I don't believe in re-inventing the wheel, I'll join that site and not worry about starting another. (unless anyone has strong opinions otherwise)

Back to my Crafting day with Heather, we made three cards for men, and we are both very pleased with the end result of our work.

Product wise, we have used a combination of Stampin Up products, as sold by me, and Kaszazz products as sold by Heather. There are also a some odds and ends of no name brand, e.g. Ribbon and brads. All the layouts for these cards are by Kaszazz, with only minor adjustments to suit our personal taste.

This card uses Rich Razzelberry card stock (Stampin Up) as the base card, More Mustard and black as the layers. The Kaszazz stamp ( 825LI Bi Plane large) is stamped onto SU DSP First Edition in Memento Tuxedo Black and black embossed, then layered onto black then More Mustard card, a little colour has been added with  SU Write Markers in Rich Razzelberry and More Mustard. The ribbon is from a stash of ribbon most probably bought by the metre but no idea where from. the stamped sentiment comes from SU's stamp set called 'Heard from the Heart'  and is stamped with Distress ink Vintage Photo. and the punched edge is SU's scallop border.

This card uses SU Not quite Navy and More Mustard for the base card. The train image is from Kaszazz and is called 1535LJ Train, again it's been stamped and black embossed onto First Edition DSP then layered onto black card. two lengths of white stitched black ribbon are fixed to the More Mustard layer and then the train topper mounted over with foam squares. The sentiment is from SU 'Happiest Birthday Wishes' Stamped with Distress ink Vintage Photo. A tiny bit of colour was added to enhance the steam, in SU Basic Grey, and a touch of Always Artichoke to the train.

This final of the three cards we made has SU More Mustard as the base card. The Kaszazz image is called 8014LK Car Large and has before been stamped and embossed in black onto First Edition DSP.  For this one I stamped the image onto the text at an angle and cut a couple of corners to get away from all straight edges. The ribbon used here is SU very vanilla and an unknown brand of black and white check layered through the centre. The ribbon label is a Spellbinders die, and the more mustard centre is cut with SU's Slot punch, the sentiment is from SU Just because stamped in Distress ink Vintage Photo. the only touch of colour in the image is the More mustard used on the upholstery of the car.

These cards are a fusion of products, and dont' they work well together?

Hope you like them as much as Heather and I do.

Happy Crafting!

Hugs,

Beth