Yuletide Greetings Wreath..

Hi folks... I know, two posts in a week!! What's going on!! Wouldn't get too use to it though!! But seeing as inspo is with me at the moment I'm just going to ride the wave...
Every year I seem to be drawn to making my personal cards for friends and family using a wreath image of some sort!! I think it must have something to do with the symmetry of the project.. No, I don't come out in hives and cold sweats if I don't make a square card, but not far from it!! If it ain’t a right angle it’s a wrong angle in my book!!
So, since I've had a chance to play with some newbies which have arrived here at Pinnacles, including the Tonic Studios Yuletide Greetings Die (640e) I think I've settled on my design....

Although it is so far from my colour comfort zone that I could meet myself coming back, I love how it has come out!!

Somehow every element seems to work, from the Mat and Layering, the Sentiment, (obviously) the wreath and even the Whopping great big bow, (didn't have any thinner Tartan Ribbon!)

In my last post I also used the Yuletide Die, but only the outer two layers. This time I have used all three.

Again, weaving some Ribbon between the slots created by the middle sized Die...

Incase you are wondering about the Ribbon, No! It’s not a wonderful technique I have used to create the two tone effect..

It’s just a wonderful two tone Ribbon!

I mounted the wreath onto my prepared base card.

Just for a change I have used a Satin finish Mirror card as opposed to the normal shiny one as it was just that little bit softer!! And made for easier photography!!

Cutting out the sentiment from the Yuletide Die set in both Green & Red to compliment the Mat and Layering...

Sticking them together, slightly offsetting the Green as a drop shadow and

positioning it low down in the centre of the wreath

so that when the Ribbon was added it didn't obscure the sentiment at all..

So, I've settled on my design for this year, just gotta churn them out in a few different colour ways now... Watch this space....
Thanks for checking us out.
See you soon.
Andy.

Merry Christmas, Cream & Gold

Hi folks.. Well, it's taken me a little longer than I had hoped to settle back into my routine after my holiday.. Boy am I missing my afternoon siesta!! But, I'm getting there!!

Today's offering is a little mishmash of a selection of Dies, which I hope you'll agree have worked quite well together to create this little project..
Whilst I was away we received a selection of the November release Sue Wilson Dies, which included the Ornate Octagons Striplet Die (CED1614)..

No big secret as to how this stage of the project was achieved.. I.E just cutting the "innie" part of the Die three times into some Cream coloured card stock and then mat and layering it onto some Gold Mirror card..

For the centre image I took the Tonic Studios Die 640e Yuletide Greetings, taking the two outer Dies and cutting them into a Cream piece of card... The joining of these two outer images lends itself to a bit of ribbon weaving! Well, it did to me anyways....

Adding a Bow to hide where the ribbon weaving started and finished.

Adding my Sentiment (ULT157302) Merry Christmas Script which I had cut out twice, once in Cream and one in Gold card stock,

sticking them together but slightly off setting them with a drop shadow to break up the colours

so the sentiment stood out a bit more.

Lots of Mirri card really doesn't help with the photography, will I ever learn not to use so much!!? Probably not..

Defo a better looking card in the flesh than my mediocre photography skills show..
So, if you're popping along to Club Members Weekend this weekend then it'll be out on show for you to taker a better look..
Thanks for checking us out, see you soon.
Andy.

A crafters Mantra...

Hi folks... Well, here we are in a new Month, and that must mean some new goodies to play with as part of the Creative Expressions Design Team...

When I first saw this sentiment it made me chuckle and immediately think of all of our customers and the way we can all loose a little self control when it comes to our crafting goodies, myself included..
Watching Big Brother the other night they read Rudyard Kipling's Poem "If". One of the lines is "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters just the same". This quotation is inscribed above the player’s entrance to the Centre Court at Wimbledon.. I'm wondering if I should get this stamp sentiment inscribed over the door here at Pinnacles??!! We'll see...
Thanks for checking us out, see you soon.
Andy.

Happy New Year!!!!

Hi folks... No, don't worry... You haven't dropped off to sleep and woken up 37 days later and missed Christmas and New Years Eve 2014 altogether!! It's just the title I've given to today’s post which consists of this week’s Creative Expressions Design Team Project...
It's the last one to feature their Dancing Stamps...., as I have new goodies to play with for my December projects....

So, New Years Day Luncheon che Pinnacles will have a Strictly Come Dancing theme... Well, it is being held at Joanne's (Sister) house... Her house, her rules....

So, we have crackers for the Men in the family

and for the ladies......

And for a very special lady.... Yes, even Holly the Dog has her own New Year Cracker.....

Well, like everyone else in the family, she has a Christmas Day cracker too...
In fact, I think I am all Cream Crackered out!!!
I hope you've enjoyed this Month’s Creative Expressions Design Team Posts and that they have given you some inspo to put your Stamps to good use?
Thanks for checking us out.
See you soon.
Andy.

Happy Birthday Sis....

Hi folks... I knew these new Creative Expressions Stamps would come in very handy!!!

Today is Joanne's (Sister) Birthday. And as she is an uber Strictly Come Dancing fan they fit in very well with the card I have made for her....

Happy Birthday Sis, hope you enjoy your day. xxx
Thanks for checking us out and see you soon.
Andy.

Top Hat & Tails Stamp
Step by Step Sentiments Stamp
Small Circle Dazzlers
Tonic Die - 637e Keepsake Frame - Dragonfly
Creative Expressions Large Embossing Folder - Quilted Flower (EF-017)

Where's Wally? I mean, Holly....

Hi folks... So, I guess most people have heard of "Where's Wally"?
Well, every Morning after our first stroll of the day we some how end up playing "Where's HOLLY"...

She's defo in this first pic somewhere waiting for her ball... Can you see her??

Well, she had better come out of hiding in time to enjoy the contents of the cracker I've made for her!!!!

If you couldn't see her,

these last few pictures should help you....

Happy Halloween folks, hope you enjoy your day whatever you are up to....
Thanks for checking us out, see you soon.
Andy.

Back to Basics....

Hi folks.. One of this week’s lessons here at Pinnacles is taking us all back to basics.. I say "one" of the lessons, as we have 9 lessons running this week, covering 3 different topics and techniques! Jeeze!!!

So, our back to basics is all about matt and layering... I think we are all a little bit guilty of sticking to our normal style of matt and layering, me included!!

For me, I prefer a traditional "proportionate" style where all the layers are pretty much the same distance apart...
But, every now and then I feel the need to ring the changes just a little bit and trying something a little bit different!!

Disproportionate Matt & Layering,

Slightly to one side

or even on the wonk!! Not it's technical term, but I think you catch my drift?

As you can no doubt see, all pretty much the same design, but completely different in their own right!!!
Go on, be brave and change things up a bit on your next project!!
Thanks for checking us out.
See you soon.
Andy.

Tonic Studios - 644e Wreath Bauble
Sizzix - Holiday Greens (658759)

Feeling a little bit austere....

Hi folks.. Just starting to prepare some samples for our upcoming Demonstration Day on the 01st November...
Felling in quite an austere mood, so thought these would tie in quite nicely...

They really do have that "homemade/handmade" feel about them!

And that's because they were!! Handmade that is, not homemade! I literally have NO craft stuff at home; I struggle to find a pair of scissors!!!

I've admired this Kraft Card/country look from a far over the years, but never really got round to doing anything myself, until now..

I guess in the right setting, it should look pretty good?!
Back to Jury Service tomorrow, so not sure when our next offering will be, but I'll try and make it a goodie!! Thanks for bearing with us...
See you soon.
Andy.

Tonic Studios Square Cracker Die 622e
Tonic Studios Pillow Box Die 370e
XCut Do not open Tag XCU 503929
Bottle of Jack Daniels... Andy's own private supply!!!

Going crackers!!!....

..... but I think we all knew that anyway!!
Hi folks.. So, not much crafting has been going on I'm afraid as I have been on Jury Service this week!
I doubt "His Honour" would be too impressed with me taking my Grand Calibur into court! All I can say is thank God the ipad was invented!! So much waiting around!! zzzzzzzzz

I have however managed to churn out a few of these in my down time when I have been released for the day!!

And no, they don't go BANG!, YET!

I'm working on that one...
Thanks for checking us out, see you soon.
Andy.

Lantern Box....

Hi folks, Just a quick reminder from us that Pinnacle Crafts Club Members Discount Weekend starts in store Today.. Doors open at 9am Today...

Lots of goodies delivered this week, including Graphic45, New Tim Holtz Distress Ink Sprays and lots more Tonic Dies,

including these little beauties!! (Lantern Boxes)..

Didn't realise how easy they were to make, can't put the blooming things down now!!

We look forward to seeing you over the weekend if you are popping along...
Thanks for checking us out.
See you soon.
Andy.