Peel-off Cards from Bury

Morning all

I had a fab time at the Suffolk Papercraft Show at Bury St Edmunds yesterday.  I met lots of lovely crafters and got to share crafting with you all day!  Here, as promised, are the sample cards I made.  These have all been created using Peel-offs stickers (from Woodware) and Promarkers.  Some of them have been accented with Memory Box Dies, Marianne Designs Dies and a few Spellbinder shapes too.

The peel-off designs were a roaring success... and all of these designs sold out - but don't worry we'll be restocking as soon as we can - so keep an eye on the website in the new stock arrivals section  Our P&P is only £1.95 so if you want to treat yourself to a few peel-offs the postage doesn't work out too expensive.

see you soon!

Jane

Such a Hoot!

This is Hoot!  He's a Woodware stamp.  I made this card a little while back so fans of our Facebook page or visitors in store may have already seen him, but as I've just got this little chap back in stock I thought I would give him a bigger audience!  I've coloured him in with Promarkers and cut him out with a Spellbinders Label Die and added a swirly accent with a Memory Box Blooming Vine Die.  The backing papers are an odd sheet of Kaisercraft that I had in my stash.   The greeting is part of the same stamp set.

I'm busy preparing for the Suffolk Papercrafting Show which is at the Leisure Centre at Bury St Edmunds this Sunday and Hoot may just make an appearance! I'll be demonstrating with Black outline Peel-offs and Promarkers and I have some fab bold designs to colour.  So in my next blog I'll share one of the sample cards I have made ready for Sunday.

We've had lots of goodies delivered from Woodware, Wild Rose Studio and Crafty Individuals ready for Sunday... we'll have a big choice of stamps, paper pads, dies and masks as well as loads of Peel-offs and lots of other goodies too!  But don't worry, if you aren't local or can't make the show all the new designs are being uploaded onto the website over the next few days so you won't miss out on the new designs!

happy crafting
Jane

I'm in my happy place!

Sometimes you create a piece of artwork that you just love!.... and this is one for me.  Perhaps I shouldn't be so complimentary about something I've created myself... but I just love this tag!!  The shading just worked well.  It has that right mix of vintage and modern and is a clean crisp design.

Firstly I covered some white cardstock with torn pieces of a very old (1930s) damaged dictionary that my friend rescued from a bin in a charity shop so I could recycle it.  I've just stuck it down with a Stix2 Gluestick.  I then cut it out using the Sizzix Super Scalloped Tag die.  Firstly I went over the surface of the tag using Antique Linen Distress Stain.  I've used Gathered Twigs Distress Ink to ink up the edges - applying it with Cut N Dry Foam.

Next I added some dots to the bottom scallop with a black fineliner pen.  Then I stamped using Archival Jet Black ink using a greeting from the Artistic Affirmations set from Chocolate Baroque.  I then cut the butterfly swirl using the Memory Box die - Butterfly Vine Border.  I inked it up using the gathered twigs and then going over to cover most of it up with the black ink.  I've stuck it down using Dries Clear Cosmic Shimmer Glue.  Next I cut out both a Pippi and an Isabella Buttefly from the Memory Box range which match each other perfectly.  I coloured the base butterfly with the gathered twigs and the top and body with the archival black ink and then stuck them down.  Finally I have added some white highlights using a white gel pen to make the elements stand out.

I hope you like it as much as I do!

happy crafting
Jane

Colourful Butterflies

I've seen quite a few cards around on blogs and on facebook which are using different bright colours in simple designs and really like the effect they give.  So I thought I would create my own version.  I've used two Memory Box Dies - Isabella Butterfly - which is the solid shape butterfly and the matching Pippi Butterfly which cuts out the filigree detail - but is perfectly sized with the Isabella design so the two can be used together to create beautiful layered butterflies.  These are both available on the website along with many other Memory Box designs. 

I cut out five of each butterfly out of white cardstock.  I then used memento dewdrop inks to colour the matching butterflies - the colours I used are Lady Bug, Tangelo, Bahama Blue, Bamboo Leaves and Lilac Posies.  They dry very quickly as they are being applied onto a matt cardstock.  I used a dab of Dries Clear Cosmic Shimmer glue in the centre of the top filigree butterfly and stick onto it's matching base.  I then arranged all five butterflies at different heights and angles onto a piece of white cardstock. The body of the butterfly is coloured with Memento Tuxedo Black and then stuck over the top of each butterfly.   Finally I added a 'Birthday Wishes' greeting using Archival Jet Black in and a stamp from the Woodware Salutations set and then mounted it onto a dark brown cardstock and onto a DL card blank.  You could add a little glitter to the butterflies for some extra bling!

I hope this inspires you to create your own colourful card - if you do - be sure to share your projects either on here - or post to our facebook page here.

happy crafting
Jane

Gilding Flakes and Butterflies

I've had such a lovely couple of creative days.  It's so nice when you have both the inspiration and the time to create!  I had a lovely morning with the ladies of Fressingfield creating the tags that were on my blog yesterday - and we all had great fun!  It's always so fulfilling when you see people who tell you that 'I'm not artistic' and 'I'm not really very creative' then follow your guidance and be brave and create a beautiful piece of artwork.

So I came home full of inspiration and continued to create lots of pieces today... but I'm going to be mean and make you wait to see them!  I'll be blogging every 2-3 days putting up my new projects over the next few weeks - so check back regularly for the next batch of pictures!

Today's project is what I've created for our Indigoblu and Gilding Flakes workshop at Attleborough this Thursday evening 6-8pm.  We still have some places available - if you would like to come and learn how to make this card - then give us a call on 01953 454976 or email me at aldridgecrafts@googlemail.com.

The stamp used is 'Love is' by Indigoblue.  The flakes used are 'Morris Dance' and the butterfly die is the 'lacewings butterfly' from Crafty Individuals.  I've created the scallop mask using the sissiz Bigz super scallop crescent die and I've used a mix of Distress inks to create the inked background.

I like the contrast of using a love heart stamp with a grungy brown background - but by using the metal flakes, the heart still jumps out on the design.

Happy crafting
Jane

Cute scallop tag cards

I have been getting ready for a die cutting workshop this morning and set myself the challenge of creating a card using no rubber stamps.. Just dies which is unusual for me! I used the large sizzix scalloped tag die that Sarah kindly lent me along with her sizzix bird die and the crafty individuals birdcage die. I cut out the tag and used my distress stains (antique linen and vintage photo) to create a background along with pearl and bronze blush misters.

I created three variations of backgrounds either by applying the stains directly, or onto my craft mat and sprinting with water before dabbing the card in the ink. I then gave each of the tags a border with a fine liner pen. I cut out my birds and embossed one with a polka dot folder and again decorated with distress stains and fine liner accents.

Finally I cut out the birdcage And inked with the vintage photo stain and then spritz with the bronze blush mister .. This creates a good rusted look I discovered! I then assembled my tags and cut a tag in white to stick on the back ... Just at the top so it is hinged to create a card. Great fun! I created a few more projects today. But I will blog them later this week... Don't want to overload your ideas bank!
Happy crafting
Jane