A busy day ahead.....

Hi Gang. All ready here at Pinnacles for today's demo day with Andy Skinner.

Can't wait to see what he has in store for us all.... As I stated in yesterdays quick post, the new November/December Do Crafts promotion has arrived.. It was unpacked, checked off and priced up, and then we had to do the usual impossipuzzle to fit it onto our already bulging shelves.. But fit it on we did!

Looks pretty amazing no?! Like I said earlier this week, I was lucky enough to have a little play with the goodies before they actually came in..

So here is my second sample for you. Although the promo is pretty nondescript in the fact that it does not cover any particular season. This one I have made into a crimbo card.

So, after the usual gubbings of stamping the image, colouring with my Copics and glazing with Glossy Accents

I cut the image out, lobbing off the fronds from the ladies hat! There was just no way that I could cut that fine detail,

but I replaced them with some feathers... Christmas is such a busy time for us all, especially card makers! So, anything which can make the job easier, and above all, quicker is always a bonus.

This particular Embossing Folder (Xmas Joy to All from the Ho Ho Ho Collection from Couture Creations) fills those needs. Not only does it have a nice embossed image, but the sentiment is also part of the folder. Double whammie!! So, once embossed,

I matt and layered it

before adding my stamped image

and mounting it onto an Acetate base card to finish it off.. Simple dimple.... See you later if you are popping in for the demo, and don't forget, it's 20% off in store today for all Pinnacle Crafts Club Members (usual exceptions apply), time to stock up me thinks!! Thanks for checking us out. See you soon Andy..

If nothing ever changed....

Hi Blogland. I hope you are enjoying this wonderful springtime/summer weather we are having here in the South East at the moment? After all the rain we have had over the past few weeks, it sure does make a pleasant change, even if it is a little too hot for some...

With Father's Day here in the UK just around the corner, I thought I'd make a few projects in colours and themes suitable for this and other male occasions, but also could be adapted for anything else! Today’s project is quite a quick one really. Well, it's really quick to put together, but I guess, as always, it's coming up with the idea's that really takes the time. How many times have you been asked to make a card, and the event is Tomorrow?!

So, for this project I started off by cutting out the Cheery Lynn Lace Flourish Butterfly (DL132) into some Black Mirror Card. I also cut out the Cheery Lynn Lace Butterfly Angel Wing (DL132a) in Gold Mirror Card

and layered the two pieces together...

Next, I cut out the Sizzix Framelit Die, Ironworks (657556) in Black and Gold Mirror Card.

Popping out the pieces from the Black version

and adhering the frame to some Green card,

cutting around it

and then inserting some of the excess pieces from the Gold frame

and adding a couple of Green Gems.. How Art Deco is that?!

Next, I added my stamped sentiment

and the layered Butterfly

before mounting the topper onto my prepared base card. See, I told you it was a quick one.... Have a great day everyone, and enjoy the sunshine (while it lasts!) See you soon. Andy.

An Art Deco Birthday...

Hi Blogland.. Today is the Birthday of another very special friend to us here at Pinnacles, Mrs Harrison...

And here is the card I made for her...

To start off with I printed my Art Deco image from a Debbie Moore CD,

cutting out the images

and then layering them all together.

As much as I like the Art Deco theme, I can't be doing with cutting out all of the fine detail on her hat and waistband. Instead, choosing to cut these elements off of each layer and favouring making my own embellishments with some Fibres and Beading.

The inspiration for this particular project stemmed from a new Sizzix Framelits Die I was given. It's called Ironworks (657556) and has Art Deco written all over it (not litterally!) and is suitable to be used through the Sizzix Big Shot, Cuttlebug and Grand Calibur Machines. So, I cut it out on some Silver Mirror card,

and mounted it onto some White Card Stock which I had sprayed with Stick and Stay.

I then cut the die out onto some printed Vellum

and filled in the spaces with the waste from the Vellum onto my Silver image. As the White card stock was still sticky, these pieces were held in place.

I then cut off the excess white card stock.

Continuing the Vellum theme through the project, I mounted another piece of the Vellum onto a flourished piece of card stock; you can just see the design coming through the Vellum I hope? This in turn was matt and layered onto a piece of Silver Mirror card and adhered to my base card.

Although the Art Deco style is more about straight lines and concentric shapes, I could not resist using my Cheery Lynn Flourish (B-169 Mega Flourish Two) again!

Mounting the Art Deco topper over the centre of the Flourish,

and the adding my Decoupage image.

Completing the project with a simple little bow in the top corner.. Happy Birthday Mrs Harrison, we all hope you enjoy your day xx... Thanks for checking us out, see you soon. Andy...

A Wedding Classic?!...

Hi folks.. How's it going? Today I would like to share with you another sample Wedding Card I have made for a friend’s wedding in June.It's very classic looking, and out of all of the samples I have made to date, this one is my fave....The image came from a die cut topper set from Hunkydory.I wasn't too keen on the edge which came with the topper, so I chopped it offand matt and layered it with my own choice of edging. This was put to one side whilst I prepared my base card.To start off with I cut out two edges in Gold Mirror card using a die from the Spellbinders set Persian Accents (S5-078). I've used this die on a previous project (which is on display in the shop), and at that time I used it on the Cuttlebug using the standard sized plates. Knowing full well that the die was longer than the plates I still proceeded to use it. And low and behold the edge of the standard Cuttlebug plates made an indentation in the Spellbinders die, although it cut perfectly well I can only think that this indentation will have weakened the die. I really would advise you to be careful when using a die which is bigger than your machines plates. Either treat yourself to longer plates or use these longer dies through the Grand Calibur machine, which is how I cut these images out.I then adhered them to my base card, which was part of the set which came with the Hunkydory die cut.This in turn was matt and layered onto some Gold Mirror card to keep the Black and Gold theme going throughout the project.I then added my topper.
As I had placed it to one side on the project, this left a big wide open space! Far too big for a sentiment.So, I cut out a shape using the Cheery Lynn Mega Flourish Two die (B169) in Gold Mirror cardand placed it on the project to finish it off.Now, that's one classy looking card me thinks!! Even if I do say so myself..
It will be on display in the shop this weekend, so if you are a Pinnacle Crafts Club Member and you are coming to our discount weekend this weekend then you can take a look at it in the flesh then..
Thanks for checking us out.
See you soon.
Andy.

In the deep mid Winter...

Frosty winds may blow... Hi Blogland.. After a brief hiatus for the Christmas and New Year Holidays the Cuttlbug Blog Spot Challenge is back.. This weeks theme is Winter.. And although we here in the South East of the UK are basking in somewhat unseasonably warm January weather we are most definitely in Winter.. Just wait until it starts turning colder at the end of the week bbbrrrrrrr...
So, that's the theme of this weeks challenge. Winter... using texture, buttons, twine, ribbon etc...I could have gone with a wintry scene as requested, but I just kept on seeing Christmas, so I decided to go with some frosty flowers instead... Now, I know this main picture doesn't capture the frosty nature of these flowers! But, just wait and take a look at them a little further down this post to see them encapsulated in all of their frosty glory.. Sorry, I've been watching too much of Nigella over the holiday's!! She just loves an exaggerated description or two don't you think?!Any hoozlebee's, starting off my project was quite simple.. I chose an Art Deco image from a Decoupage set from the Glitter Girls and cut it out.. It was the Blue of the dress that caught my eye and gave me the colour theme to work with...To cut my flowers I used the Spellbinders Die Spiral Blossoms #1 (S4-351).Cutting out the shape and then Quilling (rolling) them into shape securing them with Pinflair Glue.Next, I took some fibrous cordand inserted it into each flower to give them a frosty look...To continue the "Art Deco" theme, I embossed a piece of Matt Silk card stock using the Deep Sea Diver Embossing Folder which is part of the World Fair range of embossing folders from Couture Creations.. Deep Sea Diver!! Where do they get these names from!!?Once this was embossed I added it to my wintry swirl background paper,adding my Deco Ladyand frosty flowers...Finishing off the project with some complimentary "Deco" Buttons...Very apt for a wintry Birthday I think.. Don't forget to hop on over to the Cuttlebug Blog Spot to see what my fellow Design Team Members have come up with under this theme, and whilst you are there why not take part in this weeks challenge?!
Thanks for checking us out...
See you soon..
Andy..