Layers of Floral - Spellblogger post for Spellbinders

Here's a nifty idea - the clever designers at Spellbinders designed this die called Layers of Floral - You get three dies, all of which can be stacked together, or even in different combinations......I couldn't wait to get started!

The photo below shows

 the base and middle layers

Here are the two flower layers stacked without the base layer........

and a finished card, using all three dies - a base of gold foil card, solid flower in navy, and the top layer in pale blue. I also used the Hemstitch Rectangles as a base for the card

This next card is an aperture card, with the pretty floral design as a lacy insert into the frame - for this card I left out the more solid base die, to get the pretty lacy effect (difficult to photograph!)

and lastly, another card using all three layers, with a bit of a twist. Base layer in sage green, middle layer in mid green, and the top layer cut twice in yellow. I cut out just the flowers from the yellow panel, and added them with a tiny foam pad on top of the completed panel - it gives even more dimension

Here's a look at the dies, which you can see HERE on the Spellbinders site

Masked Magic - for Daring Cardmakers

This week, over on Daring Cardmakers, the challenge is masking....I kept it fairly simple and stamped this little group of tigers (MFT stamps), while they were covered with their masks, I sponged a bit of colour onto the background, and decided to stamp the Grr and Roar sentiments around the frame. There was a bit of a gap on the bottom left side of the frame, so I stamped a little leaf and cut it out to fill the gap. They were coloured with Polychromos pencils (a medium I am still getting used to, but enjoying playing with them)

I always think there is something a bit magical about masking - stamp a little tiger, cover him with a mask, and stamp mum and dad tigers behind him. When the masks are removed it's always a bit of a surprise to see them all sitting together in a little group! Or is that just me? Do pop over to see what the rest of the team have come up with this week

Toolbox Step Card for Spellblogger/Spellbinders

Having fun with this die! I wanted to see if I could make a male card, the Toolbox set was a perfect addition to the Baby Step Block Card, I found the little screw brads in my stash, they look great on the toolbox. The letters were cut from the very useful alphabet from a past die of the month club (April). Read about all the monthly clubs HERE

I added a few extra tools to the little steps - well that's where I put stuff when I'm attempting to hang a picture, or some DIY project......

Here are the dies I used for this project

Dashing off to get a grip on some deadlines now - mind you, playing with paper is a pleasure when the weather outside is so cold. Ask Alexa for music...a bit of chocolate.....paper and ink, what could be better? 

Baby Step Block Card - Spellblogger post for Spellbinders

Good morning!  Today I am sharing a couple of cards made with the gorgeous Baby Step Block Card by Spellbinders

First up is this sweet little baby boy card. I love all the little elements that come with the die, the dummy, little onsie, duck, rattle, teddy....so sweet, and you get the letter dies to spell boy and girl as well. You just cut out two of the main step elements, that fit together perfectly, all done for you, no scoring, no measuring.......and it folds flat for mailing as well!

Of course, I couldn't leave it there. I was anxious to see how I could use the step card for all sorts of other cards as well, here's the first one I came up with, using the lovely Corner Poppies die, which I cut in white and again in red. I coloured the leaves with Polychromos pencils, and added the cut out red blooms to the piece. I wanted an accent for the steps, so I found the Tiny Floral die, and just cut out the tiny squares 

Here are the die sets I used.......

Baby Block Step Card

Corner Poppy Die

Tiny Floral

I have another idea buzzing around in my head, hopefully I will get it done tomorrow - how would you use your step card?

Black, White and a pop of colour.....

Good morning! Today over on Daring Cardmakers, the dare was set by Kathy who challenged us to use black and white with a pop of colour. I dug out some of the dies that came in my unexpected gift from a blog friend - I think I may have gone overboard a little on the stitched die thing, but I couldn't wait to use them!

The wonky rectangle dies are by MFT, the daisies are stitched daisies from Simon Says Stamp. I love the look of the red centers against the black and white, do you? Do go over to see what the rest of the team came up with for the challenge, and don't forget to join in if you can

It's been a bit of a cold week here in more ways than one, I have picked up a winter cold, so have spent the last couple of days snuffling and sneezing, if Rudolph hadn't retired until next Christmas, I would have been a good addition to Santa's team with my very unattractive bright red nose! 

Fiskars makes......

I recently organised a collaboration on

the Fiskarettes UK facebook page with a company called Katy Sue Designs, who had the really neat idea of bringing out a pad called Adventures in Paper Cutting. All you need is a sharp craft knife, and you can make beautiful paper cuts like these - I found it very relaxing, and a bit addictive! The first one, on the right here, I made into a card against a distress oxide background. The second one was a bit more ambitious, and I framed it in one of these floating frames, which when hung on my purple heather dining room wall, looked quite striking 

I also did a post for the Fiskarettes page on making chevrons out of the hexagon punch.......I love finding multiple uses for the same tools...I think the photos explain the process, just make sure you cut a strip of card the same width as the punch opening

 and as I needed a card for a teenager, the end result really fit the bill!

Last in the line up for today is this one, made with Fiskars three in one corner punch - I chose the little butterfly corner, and cut some ombre coloured squares - but then the tiny punched butterflies were so cute, I made a little flight of butterflies across the card. I even used the tiny punched dots as embellishments. Waste not, want not as my granny used to say

I also rather like the lined envelope I made (well I didn't make the envelope, just the lining). I'm on a bit of a mission to use up some of my mountain of scraps, so think I may sort out ugly paper and use them inside envelopes. Or that may be another resolution that bites the dust before January is even over....