Twisted Squirrel....

Not a real one, just the type of card!! Hi Everyone, I hope you are well?I just wanted to share with you another Digi from Wee Stamps.. This one is called Fluffy on a Lily!..I printed the image quite a bit smaller than I usually do, this was so that I could cut around the image using some of our new Nesties. I tend to print my images quite large so that I can get some shading on the image. However, this usually means that I can only use the largest shape in most sets of Nesties and therefore am unable to matt and layer the shape. I know many of you will say, well draw around the large shape again and cut it out by hand which will give you another layer.. MMMM, of course you are correct, I could do this, but never do.!So, once coloured and glazedI cut out "Fluffy" with the second largest die from Labels Twenty One which is one of the latest Spellbinders releases. Matting it onto another piece of card cut using the largest die from this set.I then embossed a piece of Matt Silver card stock using the Lattice Embossing Folder from Creative Expressions. Be careful which kind of card stock you use when using the folder. I found that due to the deep etched straight lines on this folder that it actually cut through most of my standard card stock as well as embossed it. A nice effect, but not what I was after!!!Once embossed I decided to cut out the individual Squares within the shape to form a trellis work effect.I then layered it on to some blue card stock, inserting some leaves I had punched out using the Martha Stewart Frond Punch... Doing this reminded my of the current Waitrose advert, where Heston inserts Rosemary and Anchovies into a leg of lamb!! Who knew Anchovies and Lamb went together?? Well, perhaps I'll find out on Easter Sunday when pop's dishes up!! Tummy rumbles...mmmm
Anyway, back to the card!!We're all looking for new ideas and shapes for our card making and the new kid on the block seems to be the twisted easel!!
So, taking my folded A5 card I scored from corner to corner on the front side of the card and folded it in half.Adding the Lattice embossing image and the coloured image to the outside.For the stopper for the Easel I just cut another piece of the Black card stock in a triangular shapeand added it to the inside.I finished the project off by cutting out one of the dies from the Fancy Tags Three (S5-031) set.Adding my sentiment before popping it onto the card.
The card lays down quite comfortably, but with the image hanging over the edge it will probably require a much larger envelope than normal. Well, at least that will allow me to put some instruction in for the recipient as to how to make the card stand up as it should. I see "non crafty" people in the shop all the time trying to figure that one out!!
Have a cracking! Easter weekend everyone, looks like the weather is set to be hot, hot, hot! I remember a couple of years a go it actually SNOWED on Easter Sunday!!! And this year according to the BBC it's expected to be 21c.. Not good weather for choccie eggs!...
Thanks for checking us out, see you soon..
Andy.

Happy Easter...

Hi Everyone.. I hope that you had a good weekend and are looking forward to a shorter working week this week with the Easter Bank Holiday weekend approaching... Don't forget, Pinnacles is open all over the Bank Holiday Weekend - Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Bank Holiday Easter Monday 10am - 5pm....
Although I don't really celebrate Easter it's a great time of year to use all those spring like colours..So here's my project for today.. And of course a step by step if you fancy giving it, or something similar a go...I printed my image from a Digi Stamp from Wee Stamps..The image was then coloured using Copic Pens and glazed with Glossy Accents.I then cut the image out using the second largest die from one of the new release Spellbinders dies Reverse Wonky Rectangles (S4-307). Matting it onto some Lilac Mirror card cut with the largest die from this set.Using my Gypsy machine I selected some egg shapes from the Easter 2010 Cricut Cartridge. Laid them out and sized them to fit within a rectangle shape. These images were cut out 4 times using 225gsm weight card stock.Each layer was stuck together using Stick and Stay from Crafter's Companion.
Having made my Embossing sheet, it's time to put it to good use. I am building up quite a collection of these sheets and they are becoming a great addition to my crafting stash...So, to emboss them through the Cuttlebug, place the image on your A plate.Add your card stockfollowed by your No Shims Mat and your C Plate. This particular embossing didn't require any additional shims which I have used on past projects...Eggsraordinary, Eggceptional even... Ok, I'll stop now...I cut the image to size and matt and layered it with some of the Lilac Mirror card.Adding it and the coloured image to my base card.Now for the little flowers. This is the same technique I have used in the past using the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Die. However, the Flowers made with that die were going to be far to big for this project so I decided to use the Marianne Designs Creatables Flower Set (LR0145).I cut out the 3 larger flowers from the set in some Lilac Paper.These dies can be easily used through the Cuttlebug. And to save time I cut them all out at once. Place the dies on top of your paper which will need to be placed on top of an A and B Plate.Add your C plate and pass through the machine.There is little point in embossing these dies as there is nothing to emboss!!..Take the largest flower shape and cut a slit to the centre of the shape.Overlap the 2 open edges and stick together, I used Glossy Accents.With the next sized flower, cut away one whole petal.And the overlap the open edges and stick as before.For the smallest Flower, cut away 2 petalsand stick together as before. This process will give you the main 3 layers for your flower.With the single petal and the double petal which were cut from layer 2 and 3, roll them in on themselves to form the centre of your flower.Glue all the layers together to form your flower...I then punched out some leaves using the Martha Stewart Frond Punch,before adding them and the flowers to the card using some Pinflair Silicone Gel.The left had side of the card was looking a little bit bare! So, I found some Ribbon which had just come in.. But how do you stick something like this down? It has 2 strands of Ribbon and beads intertwined!!My solution was to attach it using an Eyelet... And then finishing the project off with a Peel Off sentiment...
Have a great week folks. Looks like the wall to wall sunshine is set return.
Thanks for checking us out.. See you soon.
Andy.

Acetate Cards....

Hi Everyone. Inspo has slowly started returning.. Yey!! By way of some new crafting toys!! And some blog hopping.. There really are some truly talented individuals out there who openly share their talent with all of us. So, gaining some much needed inspo from Sue over at PartiCraft..here is what I have come up with this week..I started off by cutting out and embossing each layer of the Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Squares in White card stock.And then cutting and embossing every other layer from the Spellbinders Large Squares dies in Blue card stock.These were layered together using foam tape to give dimension.You may be able to tell that I have got a new camera. These close up shots are far better than the ones I used to take!!!You'll notice the the centre layers have been off set, just to add a touch of interest... The stack of shapes was mounted onto an Acetate card with a piece of ribbon added down the side...Just to ring the changes a bit I decided to cut out the more intricate Fleur de Lis shape in a coloured card stock,layering it with plain edged white card stock...I have no preference which one I prefer as I think they both have equal qualities!! In the right colour combination I think that these would be suitable for both male and female cards, and also pretty much any occasion.....
Hope you like em... Enjoy the weekend, and thanks for checking us out.
See you soon.
Andy...