I am still feeling pretty rough but improving daily – so yesterday I wanted to see how well I would cope at sitting at the desk and decided to do some simple crafting – and so I chose to make a Christmas card and play along with Martin’s #30daychristmascardchallenhe day one.
Merry & Bright was the theme – well I ignored the actual bright element and went quite dark!
But I love the card I made. The foiled panel has been ready to use for ages – I added lots of black soot to it to darken the blue colour so it looked better with the stag die cut that I cut from black.
I die cut the label panel from shore and then stamped and embossed the sentiment.
What the photos don’t really show is the holographic nature of the foiling – it is so pretty in real life.
I love how this card finished up! I added a couple of gems to the flower centres on the dies and inside a strip of the offcut foiled panel.
So how did the test of sitting at the desk go? Well I took myself back to bed after this, recorded the voiceover for the video, uploaded the video to YouTube and fell asleep for 3 hours from the exhaustion. ☹️ didn’t even have the energy to write the blog post!
So it’s unlikely I will make a card for everyday of the challenge and so expect to see more DT sample posts – especially as there was another two hours on Hobbymaker showing my samples last night – so think I have quite a lot I can now share with you!
But for now I’m off to take paracetamol and then hopefully get myself some breakfast to help build the strength up! This virus really has knocked me for six! 😢
I know first of the month is usually my patterned paper based projects and often using Kendras card challenges but for the last week I’ve had an awful virus that has floored me completely! So instead I’m sharing more design team stuff … hopefully normal service will resume soon and I can get back to crafting!
I love texture on cards and an embossing folder is an easy way to achieve that … and using these small ones in the Bitsy machine is so easy! and it also creates some focal elements – not just backgrounds!
Here are the samples I made – but be prepared to see these folders popping up in my Christmas (and in some cases non Christmas makes) in future!
Card 1 – I started with a panel just smaller than my card base of 6×6 and used a couple of folders and different green colours of the adhesive cardstock and embossed the holly strip and the word panel.
I also added some tiny strips of the red foiled adhesive cardstock to just add a touch of shine!
Then I sanded the top of the embossing to expose the white core! So effective!
The beautiful poinsettia cluster is also an embossing folder from the kit. I embossed the white and then fussy cut it out and then used ink and water brush to add the colour to the embossing – so pretty!
I added a scrap of green ribbon and then added this to the top with foam adhesive and love how this one came out. All the texture and the delicate floral – love it!
Card 2 and I decided to focus on the baubles folder and made this very shiny dramatic card!
After embossing the black cardstock and lightly rubbed over the top just trying to pick up the raised baubles with versamark. I then added the copper embossing powder I got recently, trying to brush away the stray powder from the background a bit and then heat set it. Next I did something a bit different and splattered the whole panel with water and then added the gold embossing powder. Once heat set this really did make the panel special – I always think if it looks a bit messy – go intentionally messy! It seems to really work as a way of making the card look arty rather than clumsily made! 😂
Then I added a base layer of gold glitter adhesive card stock to sit behind the panel and added it all to a black card base.
Love the baubles – loved the metallic finish!
Card 3 I carried on with the embossing theme but this time I embossed the debossed aide and used the two snowflake themed folders.
I chose a teal coloured cardstock and then the pearl embossing powder and created the two panels. I mounted them on pale blue and then layered them onto the card front. Then I grabbed one of the Christmas word border dies and die cut it three times – once from the teal for the top and then twice from the pale blue which I slightly offset from the top one to give a shadow type layer.
I snipped the sentiment border so it was shorter to fit on the front (I popped the little house on the inside of the card) and glued it in place.
Card 4 I moved away from the heat tool and instead created the two panel with the pinecones background embossing folder. I inked them both with green and then added some dots of the red glitter glue.
Next I embossed the cardinal image and then watered coloured the image before sticking it back into the embossing folder to reinforce the dimension.
I chose a patterned card for the card blank – a fun red check. I layered the two panels on the top and then the bird element I added dimension with foam tape and added a little ribbon to add contrast and some different texture.
Final card I went with a grid design – I embossed four panels and inked them in the peach and teal and then cut them into 1” squares. Then I added them to the panel for the card front.
I did try and keep them straight and aligned with the aid of a ruler!
Next I used one of the Christmas border word dies (I really love these and suspect they will be a firm favourite for reusing in my craft stash!) cut it from teal and then added that.
I added a teal layer to the front panel and then adhered it to the cream card base – love the different colour scheme I chose for this!
So lots of different ideas for using these fabulous embossing folders for adding texture to your cards – and no doubt you will see them again in future makes but more as backgrounds than the focus!
For today’s #scrappinsaturday I have a sample I made using the nested scalloped flag dies that were released on Hobbymaker.tv last weekend. So yes this is an as seen on tv page!
It’s a very bright and colourful page with the strip of die cut scalloped flags down the centre.
I loved putting this together using a mix of the patterned paper and the solid cardstocks.
This created the perfect place to both add the title and the journalling!
It was also good to get some patterned paper from the #100patternedpaperchallenge pile!
A bright flowery page with that added texture using the dies – love it!
I had quite a few bits of stash I could have used today and ended up with using the Hip Kit Club kit my lovely friend Helen gifted me a while ago. Goodness me it is such a cute kit and love the pastels …
And of course the cutest fox in a sweater as the focal point!
I did go die cut heavy with this but that’s because when making it I was very aware of how much stash I have and need to be more generous in my makes to attempt to ‘use it up’! 🤣
Of course I am also a more is more kind of crafter!
Inside I went with some scraps and another die cut.
The final embellishment of the silver nuvo drops I think helps finish off the card!
I love making notecard sized cards from the slimline papers that Kingston Crafts make. They are perfect for 4×4 cards as all you do is chop an inch off and there is the card base!
These two I made from the same papers for the base and then added similar sized panels of the nutcracker design paper (isn’t it the cutest nutcracker?)
Then I used scraps left from other projects that were sitting on the desk to make little horizontal strips – I decided to punch the wider one for interest!
Then I added the nutcracker chipboard piece a bow from some waxed thread and a sticker sentiment.
Simple and cute and I just added a little white insert for writing on – imagine how many cards you could mass produce from this massive stack of slimline papers if you went with cute little cards!
Today I have a dramatic looking card that was super easy to make!
Just a few layers of cardstock framing the fabulous patterned paper that has the encapsulated glitter.
I then added another panel of the yellow with a fun die cut sentiment. I die cut the sentiment three times to stack it up and give it dimensions I think the big sentiment works well with the dramatic boldly patterned paper.
I finished off with some gems on the front and then a panel of white with a strip of the paper on the inside.
Bold and beautiful- love it! 💛🖤💛
I did actually slightly amend the final card before I sent it to my cousin for her birthday with an additional happy birthday sentiment on the front – but forgot to take a photo! Doh!
This set of embossing folders is great set for combining images and finishes – and I think great for cards suitable for males as well as females.
So for this one I embossed the cake image onto the panel and then inked it up to show the detail. I decided that I wanted to turn the panel into a tile though and so embossed it with clear embossing powder in two layers which made it shiny and fun.
Then I layered up with a couple of layers of cardstock.
The back panel I embossed some green cardstock which has a white core – I sanded back the texture to show through the pattern. Then layered that onto the navy card blank.
I love how this looked. I decided to then also use the word border die from My Dimond Press to layer over the elements on the card base.
I added the enamel gems to the card as finishing touches.
I love how this card came out – love all the textures and of course I loved playing with the techniques too!
Hello! I needed to make my fabulous crafty friend Karen a birthday card so decided to make a video and do it as a #colourcubechallenge so you can check out the process video.
Here is the final card with the ColourCube card 498 and some of the supplies I used!
I grabbed cardstocks I thought worked as the colours on the card although the middle one was a bit more orange in my version but close enough!
I chose to use the Big Dots cover plate die and stamp for the sentiment and then Jofy stamps for the flowers.
It was lovely to put together the different cardstocks and definitely pushed me into using a colour combo I wouldn’t have thought about using before.
And I think it works so well!
Adding dimension in for the different layers of course helps to make it interesting.
And the sequins scattered across I also love.
Inside I added more of the die cut circles and again pulled in the petal pink for a layer too.
I am really pleased with this card and I hope Karen loved it too!
Now I could have made a whole heap of Hedwig inspired owls (I am a BIG Harry Potter fan) with this set of dies and stamps – I was certainly tempted to – but decided to make myself make some other owl based cards for these samples instead.
I started with the biggest die first to have the tree and then put together a brown themed owl to sit in the hollow!
I mean!
Giving me 100 Acre Wood vibes … but I did decide not to add the glasses for this one!
I die cut all the pieces and did my usual inking to give them texture and depth.
The background panel I inked through one of the stencils to give some subtle pattern of the leaves.
Then I stuck everything together.
I did double up on the beak as the original colour I used wasn’t obvious enough. But adding the pop of the mustard yellow worked well especially when I die cut the sentiment from the same colour!
Such a cute card and scene and I didn’t think it needed anything adding! I did add some glaze to the eyes which gives them a little bit of shine. Glossy accents would have been better but mine has dried up so need to invest in some more!
Ok onto card number two – and this time I used the smaller owl.
I went for a slightly crazy look with the wonky eyes! But still very cute!
I decided to die cut the leaves from different colours of the card stock and then created a sort of wreath for the branch to sit over the top of.
I love that the die for the leaves is one die so it’s easy to die cut multiple leaves in one pass of the bitsy/ bitty machine from My Diamond Press (spelling of the machine is different for UK from US! The reason for that is probably obvious for UK readers!)
Again I added that glaze glue to the eyes for a bit of texture.
I decided against the sentiment for the outside of the card in this case … just thought it made a fun all occasion type card and didn’t need one!
Now for card three I carried on with the die cutting of leaves using the scraps I had on the desk of leaf kind of coloured cardstock.
And made a fun background! Whilst it seems a little time consuming if you use the adhesive cardstock you can get from My Diamond Press it is easier than you think! Unfortunately not all my scraps were adhesive so did have to fiddle with glue for bits and pieces.
I then added some foiled cardstock for both the mat layer and the sentiment.
I decided it needed some separation between the sentiment and the background so I gave the sentiment a shadow layer and also the banner I cut from two colours to give a shadow layer too.
Offsetting them worked well to give dimension too!
I wrapped the panel with the waxed thread and then tied a bow and layered the whole panel onto a yellow card base with foam to give more dimension. Such a fun way to use that one die to give so much interest to the background. I’m thinking an ombré look would be good too cutting different shades of the same colour and placing them dark to light across the panel! So many ideas!
Next I went with the other owl shape that the die set gives us …
This time I went with a night scene using the gorgeous star stencil over and inky background and some white embossing.
I created the black card base and the black panels but added the contrast of the pink and the purple elements too.
I love the font on the sentiments – such fun!
And the final sample I went with the full leafy background stencil and some texture paste. I decided to make this into a funky and fun colour owl card!
This is one of those more is more cards I quite often end up making when I don’t know when to stop!
I added stamping to the oval I had die cut from the previous card. Then the sentiment stamped onto that.
I added the dimension to behind the eyes of the owl. And then the fun colourful owl!
The set has some fun sentiments in and I thought this one is perfect for the fun card!
So many fun ideas on future cards to make with this set!
My Mum turned 80 last year and there are loads of photos still to scrap so perfect to use these number balloons for a scrapbook page.
I did break from tradition and went with an 8×8 size page rather than my usual 12×12 but I wanted something to pop into my 8×8 album for a change!
My Mums favourite colour is yellow so I started with the yellow base and then found this SU paper I bought last year and haven’t got around to using yet so cut a 7×7 square and then ruffled the edges with my distressing tool.
Then I found this aqua colour worked well with the paper and the photo and a lovely contrast with the yellow so decided to mat the photo with it and cut the balloons from it too.
I raised the photo up on foam adhesive but kept the balloons flat. Then used some waxed thread to add strings for the balloons and loop it round.
I did add dots of glue to keep the loops in place but then when I added the journalling strips this did the job nicely of also securing them.
I cut the title from one of the My Diamond Press everyday word border dies and tucked it round the photo panel. I love how this looks.
Just a bit of coordinating ribbon scrap for the edge of the photo and some gems for added texture and decided this page was perfect!
Of course I’ve now realised I need to add the date so will go and add it! (Aug 2025)
These balloons have got me wanting to go and print out lots of birthday pics now … maybe one for every birthday M has had and make a special album for her 21st? Hmmmm… too many ideas, not enough time – think there are not enough days left before her birthday to add this to my task list! Plus I also have all the 80th birthday pics from Dads birthday this year to do too!
