Author: Catherine

Another two cards made in my series of using up a magazine kit and I do like the final results but it was one of those sessions where it didn’t quite go to plan!

Two totally different designs and colour schemes – let’s start with the lilac one!

I added embossing and inking on this one – also the large fuschia image as the focal point which I’ve not used often in this series of using up the magazine kit.

Added the gems and the ribbon for the top of the card.

Trimming it down to fit the standard A6 UK card size also worked quite well.

Next up the peach themed card.

I added the papers the wrong way round so the sketch isn’t quite right but it’s close enough!

I added stencilling to the background panel and then trimmed off the final layer again to fit the UK sized card blank.

Added the lovely little crochet flower and leaf from the Hey Little Magpie embellishment kit ‘overflow’ box! Really cute and the colour works well.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Back with the pastel cardstock and my samples for the Kingston Crafts Hobbymaker show that Martin did a few months ago now – but my blog has been busy so only just catching up on blogging some now!

This card came about as I wanted to see how the cardstock handled glimmer foiling for larger than just a sentiment – and the result is a resounding success!

I chose two different lilacs from the pack to make this card and the main foiled panel I also inked with distress inks – again this was me testing out what works and – yes inking works along with splattering with water!

I added this panel to the card base I made from the cardstock and then on the lighter coloured lilac I embossed the two flower images and coloured them with watercolours.

I kept this card monochrome which I think was nice to show off the purples!

The sentiment is also embossed with the purple embossing powder to keep it all similar!

Love how this came out and as the pack of cardstock is huge you can probably imagine how much amazing foiling and inking I am going to do using this stash! ❤️

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Back with another design team project using the fun Summer Fun kit. I decided to go for a simple card layout with a couple of the papers and then a cluster of the die cut elements.

I made the base from the solid coloured paper – the weight is heavy enough to make a card base in my opinion.

I then added a panel of the flip flops and a smaller panel of the loopy waves. For both of these panels I distressed the edge to expose the white core – I love this about the Kingston papers and cardstock.

I then made a cluster of the die cuts – those surf boards and the parasol is so cute!

I raised some of the elements up on foam adhesive to give dimension.

Inside the card I also added some more of the paper and some white for writing on – and of course another die cut.

Love this summer card!

Have had so much fun with all of the die cuts in this kit – they are so lovely!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Another scrapbook page made for my design team samples for Kingston Crafts featuring my friends dog Barney.

He is such a cutie! I thought the blue rug under Barney would work with the blue base colour in the Everyday paper pack – I must say calling this paper is wrong as I think it is a lovely weight and more than strong enough to make a base layer for a scrapbook page or card blank.

I then added the two bright layers of patterns in a ‘triangle’ shape across the page – well not quite triangle but you know what I mean!

I added a layer of yellow just peeping out behind the photo and then die cut some rings using circle dies to go across the page.

I decided the title needed to be Barney Boy but I wanted bigger letters than the dies I have in my stash so instead stamped and embossed them using Paperartsy stamps.

I added some doodled lines around the blue and then the journalling on those bumpy borders I had added beneath the photo for some interest. I also added the circle tab I die cut for the date.

To finish off I added some Tim Holtz stickers which I felt worked with the theme of the page and the photo.

Such a fun layout and I love these patterns which are perfect for any theme!

My friend says she’s going to get Barney an agent as he turned up on tv three times on the day Martin was on for Hobbymaker at the beginning of September – including this page! Clearly he’s a famous dog now!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

I decided to start another Kendras Card Challenge – this time using the new template she’s released for Oct-Dec 2025 #KCC20

I decided to use the papers from the Kingston Crafts Christmas paper pad and so videoed the process of cutting and organising them.

Then I stuck the video on for putting together the first three card sketches…

I used the acetate pieces from the kits to embellish and I love how all three cards came out.

Sketch one I decided to mount on a 5 3/4 inches square card I made from another panel of the paper … and there is loads of texture and dimension on this with raising the panel and the circle element up on adhesive foam – and distressing the edges.

The second and third cards I didn’t distress the edges but I did go to town with the embellishments…

I love the sparkly twine and those bauble elements.

Adding the embellishments on the foam adhesive works so well at making the card special.

On this one (sketch 3) I popped the two bauble panels up on foam as well as the central panel. This gave it a different look.

Again the twine helps to add a different texture with all those acetate pieces and the papers.

I did keep both these cards as the US size 5.5 x 4.25 inches and I made the card blanks out of the same papers to coordinate. I also added some acetate pieces to the inside to help bring the front to the inside.

A fun set of cards and so nice to revisit these papers and embellishments – I had so many ideas when I made the samples for using these I am so glad I still have so much of the kits left to now bring them to life outside of the confines of design team work and keep playing with them!

Of course I now have another 12 sketches to play with – but for now this is me done for this weeks Festive Friday!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Hello! I have a simple card for today’s blog I made for the samples for Hobbymaker.tv for Kingston Crafts.

Because the patterns on the card bases are so pretty it seems a shame to do too much to them and add layers like I normally would – so I decided to make this simple one by just embossing the background and adding a sentiment!

The pattern I chose is like a brocade design in a very pale pink so I thought embossing the large floral down one edge in gold would work nicely.

I then gave it a splatter with the shimmer ink in champagne too which added some delicate texture.

Next I heat embossed the sentiment and a panel for a mat layer.

I then decided to add the silver thread too which added another metallic texture but really I could have kept it more flat and just left that out!

Love that brocade background and then gold floral and that the sentiment then pops off the card with more shine.

Seriously these card bases are so easy to use and create something simple but fun!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Hello there! Welcome to my little patch of the internet where I share my makes! Today’s is one using some dies I bought a while ago from both Concord & 9th and Lawn Fawn to make this cute and fun birthday card because that is our challenge over at Addicted to stamps and more where I am part of the design team.

I used a mix of Kingston Crafts products too … pastel cardstock for the rainbow die cuts (Concord & 9th dies) and the die cut sentiments and then the spring slimline cardstock that I created the striped background panel from.

The sentiment I made from both the Playful Alphabets dies from SU and then the scripty birthday die from Lawn Fawn that I love! That font is so cute!

I added the yellow glitter glue to the happy letters to give them some additional texture and of course sparkle!

I love the rainbow dies from the Concord & 9th set and after making this card I have a few rainbows left for future makes so will pop them in a pouch and make sure I get to use them soon!

Love this cute birthday card!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

I really couldn’t decide when working with the pastel cardstock kit from Kingston Crafts which colour I liked the best – so I stuck quite a few onto this card as a sample having done a few more monochrome type projects.

I started with the pale peachy pink and then used four different colours to die cut the leaves and then the sentiment label and the sentiment.

Even without the embossed background this made for a pretty card – but when I embossed and sanded the brocade pattern on the background panel – it just looks so elegant!

I finished it off with a few gems for sparkle but really this was such a simple card to put together because the colours of the cardstock work so well together and are so … I can’t think of another word except pretty. I am sure you agree!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Like last month, I wanted to use up the paper left from the first of the month project for my UK stampers forum decorated tag swap.

After patch working the background I got my glimmer out and foiled the background with the fancy plate and then the sentiment onto some white.

I then die cut the sentiment panel out ready to add later.

I then took flowers left over from when I did a lot of stamping for my first use of the Stampwheel. These have sat on my desk ever since awaiting the perfect project – and this seemed like it was it!

I also die cut some tiny flowers from the paper with some pink flowers and added fun gems to their centres. These added the perfect finishing touches.

I added scraps of pink and purple ribbon to the top and decided this was a finished piece of work – what do you think? A fun and elegant tag!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

The massive stack of cardstock that comes in the pastel card kit is just stunning! I love all the colours and the quality, just like with the everyday cardstock kit I’ve had previously, is just great! Perfect for techniques and for the basics!

This card is one of the first samples I made and I wanted to revisit an idea I’ve used previously with the embossing in the background and the floral element on top – very much inspired by a card by Liane on Instagram ages ago – so you have seen this idea before … but this time in pastels and white embossing.

I used some magazine stamps and white embossing for the background and kept it sketchy rather than full coverage and also added some splatters too.

I then tore the edges of the panel to expose the white core in the cardstock. This looks great with the white embossing.

Then I stamped and embossed the main focal image and added watercolouring to colour the image.

The cardstock coped with this small area watercolouring fine and didn’t buckle or pill. It has a smooth finish that might be slightly coated and that might be why it copes with the watercolouring so well.

I fussy cut the floral element and stacked some scrap cardstock behind to raise it up a little – I didn’t want the full depth of the foam adhesive.

I also stacked some scrap behind the embossed panel too before adding it to the cardstock base I made from the same pale blue cardstock.

I just love how this came out.

The sentiment I foiled and die cut from the same blue and added with foam adhesive on the one side so it would be raised up to a similar level as the floral element.

This cardstock is so fabulous for working with – just love how well it copes with die cutting, embossing and foiling – as well as the watercolouring too!

Happy crafting!

Catherine