Fancy Packaging

Every so often the local Stampin Up demos meet up for training, crafting and cake! This time we did a secret Santa thing and we were encouraged to dress is up prettily. So here's my little pressies:

Sorry for the winter sun light!

Fancy enough? Supplies I used below.

Hope you like it!

Helen x

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Gift bag and a seal of approval from Thomas

Who doesn't love a posh little bag as much as the presents inside?  Well I do! So when a friend requests 'no presents' at their birthday then it is really hard to obey orders. So I decided a small bag of thorntons and a hand cream didn't really count as a present and wanted to make it look a bit special. So how about this:

I was using up some free goodies from Stampin Up from the sale-a-bration event so that even more counts as 'no presents' :-). It was quite a tall bag, using a full sheet of 12x12 paper, with a simple ribbon tie and tag:

The beauty of the paper is that it also has a snazzy inside:

And one of my little friends had to come and give his seal of approval. Thanks Thomas x

Hope you like it as much as Thomas.


Helen x

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

A few more everyday cards

Very simple buttons and sentiment with some faux stitching.

I found this topper I'd embossed ages ago. Loving the ribbon!

Craftwork cards flowers and candy with a patterned Kate Knight paper inside. Oh and trios of liquid pearls again.

That's it. Short and sweet but glad the crafting bug is continuing. Hope you are in and keeping warm in this dreadful weather.

Helen x

An Irish Blessing

As I've mentioned in a previous post, I love this saying.  Living in Oxford means that a lot of people come here for a short time and then move away, and a good friend of mine was leaving this weekend for Scotland. I wanted an understated but stylish card suitable for a man so the challenge was on. Having been ill for a few months, which has kept me out of the craft room, I was dying to get my fingers all inky again!

Kraft cards couldn't be better for me as they fit well with my nature themes, and appropriately this card has turned out quite autumnal.  The background is stamped with a stampin' up set. I loved the transparency of the skeleton leaves, as well as the 'splodge' stamp which made it look like water drops had splattered on the surface. I used distress inks in walnut stain, vintage photo, and bundled sage.  Here's a little close up, along with buttons (bargain pack from The Works!) which are the perfect non-blingy embelishment for the guys.

The main image has been built up using Claritystamp  products, and techniques demonstrated by the wonderful Barbara Gray.

I purposely kept the background quite stark so the words would be the part to draw the eye. As a first foray into the inky world for some time, and being in a bit of a rush, I was quite happy with how this turned out. Wouldn't mind having a play with the stamps again to see how I could improve things. So you never know I might have a new post up again soon.

Helen x

Well Hello Dolly

As regular readers of my blog, and crafty friends will know, I kind of love all things that come from the Craftwork Cards company :-). I won a privilege club membership a while ago and the goodies were so good as a member that I kept it up.  I've really enjoyed the member kits and the challenge to try new things. Nearly every card I made includes a craftwork cards card blank, as well other key embellishments or Card Candi. One of the latest ranges to come out is a lovely collection called Dolly Mixtures.  I knew I had to get some of the dollies and papers as soon as I saw them and you can find them here. Not all my friends would appreciate some of the cuter images that are around in craftworld at the moment, but I still love my colouring in with alcohol markers, so these more grown-up images hit the mark. 

I've made 3 cards to showcase each of the Dollies.  I hope you like them as much as I do!

Amy

Here's the first of the dollies:

Amy has been matched with the Coleen papers, which includes lots of pretty pinks and greens (of course my favourites!).  The stepper card blank is also CWC, as are the flowers and sentiments etc.  Here are a couple of close ups:

Coleen

I just love this Dolly with the little scottie dog in her bag.

Again another stepper card using the Coleen papers, along with some snazzy spotty washi tape from Paperchase. Again a close up of the side view and you can see my favourite paper of the bunch on the back step - lots of funky little scottie dogs:

This card has already gone off to my friend Karen who is having a rough patch at the moment. Hoping and praying the appointment to sort out her medication goes well this week!

Cheryl

Last but not least is Cheryl in all her elegance!  I love the big flower in her hair.

Not as big as the ones Kirsty Wiseman has been making but I think Cheryl's been following her blog ;-)

For this card I use and elegant square card blank to form the easel card, and jazzed up the heart with a bit of glossy accents and stickles. I gave her auburn hair to match the colours coming through in the papers.  I'd love hair like that!

And here's a quick look at the inside:

So there are my 3 lovely ladies. Hope you've enjoyed seeing them.  Back soon with a boy card :-).

Helen x

The Gorjuss Obsession Continues...

Yet another one of my Gorjuss Girls stamps had to make an appearance on the blog:

 

This was for my sister's birthday so I wasn't too worried about using some of my favourite bits and bobs as I know she'll post it on the wall in her office with the others. Do you get what I mean? You just know some people don't really 'get' your homemade cards and the effort you put into them and they are soon in the recycling bin.

One thing I'm trying to do more of this year is to decorate the insides as well. This one is very pretty!

 And here are a few of the details from the front:

The flowers were originally white petaloo flowers that have been coloured in alcohol pens, and are layered on a Marianne die cut flourish. The frilly border is a martha stewart punch, and the ribbon is inspired by the Molly Blooms creator, Clare (I got the Christmas magazine/kit and loved her style!). All other bits and bobs and the usual Craftwork Cards goodies - 8x8" card, embossed kraft cardstock, sentiments and borders etc.  Trying to use up lots of the Craftwork cards bits and bobs I have bought over the years.  It's difficult but I'm trying to get over my stroke and keep my favourite papers habit :-)
 
The images were coloured with the trusty pro and flex markers:

 I just love the little foxes and owl.  Really appeals to my love of nature.  In fact I've been making friends with a fox that must be living alongside the canal.  When I've come out of an evening or early in the morning I've caught little Foxy-Loxy mooching around the gardens and he's spookily been looking me right in the eye for a moment before scampering off on his business. The first time it happened I had to pinch myself as I couldn't quite believe it. I love the special nature moments I encounter outside my canalside home.

Anyway, before I turn this blog into SpringWatch part 2, I've made a whole stream of cards (and other crafty projects) recently that haven't made it to the blog. As soon as I get them photographed I'll get them up here. And you never know, Foxy Loxy may stay still long enough for me to get a photo of him. Here's hoping!

Thanks for all the lovely comments you leave me.  I just wish I had more time to get around to visiting more blogs and commenting on them but things are a bit of a challenge at the moment. 

Bye for now!

Helen x

A Christmas Wreath (Julkrans)

Hej hej (Swedish for hello!)

This weekend I had the pleasure to go and visit some lovely friends in Lund Sweden. It was starting to feel a lot like Christmas as we visited a traditional crafts fair, and tried lots of festive Swedish foods like saffron rolls and sampled different kinds of glögg :-) .  Other highlights included popping into visiting the cathedral and walking in on a concert rehearsal of Mozart's Requiem which was sublime, and getting a warm welcome at a local church.  I must admit I love Swedish design and some of the crafts at the fair were amazing. I'm a sucker for all the red and white, and wood carving, paper star lights and little elves.

So it was a bit of a risk taking a homemade present as a thank you to my friends, but thankfully I got a great idea from my friend Nicky from craft group of a paper wreath. She made one here in black and cream, and it really is stunning.  As a Stampin' Up demonstrator Nicky always has some great ideas so it is definitely worth looking at her blog http://www.cavaliercrafts.co.uk/

Well here is my version, which I made with a polystyrene ring, Anna Griffin Christmas papers, and a whole bunch of pins.  I was a bit worried that the pins would set off the alarms at airport security but thankfully they didn't.  It was just me that had to go through the body scanner!

They liked it that much it went straight up on the door. Phew... Here's a close up of the ribbon and the paper curls.

I've plans to make a few more as Christmas presents so you might see them popping up here again in different colours.

Vi ses snart! (Swedish for see you soon)

Helen x

Seaside cards for the men using Clarity Stamps and ProMarkers

I know it is always a bit difficult making cards for men. Since I've invested in some Clarity seaside and lighthouse stamps the cards I've been making have seemed to go down pretty well! I've also been developing my promarker style and love using them for moody backgrounds, landscapes and seas and have really enjoyed using them in a bit of a different way to what we normally see on crafty cards.  Some other examples can be found here and here. To me they are just another medium to exercise my love of colour blending to achieve depth and atmosphere.  Let me know what you think - would love to hear your comments...

Anyway, here's the first - a 60th birthday card for a friend who loves messing about on boats!

Decorated with a bit of faux suede cord tied in a reef knot (can you tell I was a girl guide!) and a little punched and stamped 60.

Close up of the colouring. Having just got back from Anglesey, the sky and sea are pretty accurate - not exactly Mediterranean blue in this climate!

The second card is for my cousin who moved to Anglesey last year and being a rocky island there are plenty of lighthouses around the coast.  So Barbara's lighthouse stamp was perfect!  I wanted to achieve a bit of the stormy atmosphere around the lighthouse that we often get there so lots of dark blues and greys.

There is a lighthouse just of Penmon Point (one of my favourite places on this enchanted island) which really inspired me - wonder if Barbara has been there too?!

Not sure if he's got it yet but hope he likes it!

Would to hear what you think of these cards. I know I don't have many followers but I do appreciate everyone who takes time to to look at my little creations.

Helen x

A little box of blessings

It is so hard to find contemporary Christian images or quotes in the crafty world.  Most look so old fashioned or ugly, but I finally found some really cute stamps.  I wanted to make some notecards for a friend of mine who is a really big encourager who sends little  notes to her friends all over the world.  The art of the written word has not been overtaken by email in her world! So here are the cards.

And a close up of the images which were coloured with pro-markers (of course).

They were just crying out for an little box so out came the Envelobox board again, along with some lush Amy Butler paper from K&Company from my stash, topped with some satin ribbon and a cute peg.

I'd like to make some more of these little notelet sets as presents so watch this space...

Helen x

A Gorjuss Stepper Card

Earlier in the year I got invited to a Teddy Bears Picnic (they are not just for little girls, although there were quite a few there as well).  The organiser, who happens to be one of my closest friends, had a birthday this month so I just had to use the Gorjuss Girls stamp with the little bear.  So cute!

I added to the image to a stepper card similar to my previous one .  The pretty paper is Kate Knight, and the flowers are craftwork cards (as usual!).

Here's a close up of the flowers on the stepper.

It has been coloured with my trusty Pro&Flex Markers.She's such a nice stamp to colour as the image isn't too fiddly.

Such an embellished card needed an extra special envelope.  So I had to whip out the Enveloplus Board from Crafters Companion. Such an easy tool to use to make super envelopes like this:

At least it made a bit of a first impression and the card was very much appreciated. Hope you like it too!

Helen x

Ruby, ruby, ruby, ruby

OK back to some papercrafts (I feel a couple of posts coming on so beware...). First off my friend's parents have just celebrated their Ruby Wedding.  In talking to the Dad who doesn't usually send cards, I persuaded him to send one if I made one for him! Hence the following card to 'wife'... It has to be better than the card my Dad sent to my Mum once that said inside 'Masel Tov on your Bat Mitzah' (which he obviously hadn't read!). Needless to say that went down like a ton of bricks...

Pity the red mirri card is a bit too reflective for the camera. Then there was a card I made for them from me.  As they've recently enjoyed some dancing lessons I couldn't resist using some of the Jolly Nation characters I had in my stash. I jazzed up the dress with a bit of red glitter pen to match the glittery background. Totally Strictly! 

Hope they went down well with the happy couple.

I'll be back soon.

Helen x

Any excuse for an excess of pink....

So Mothers' Day has loomed thick and fast after my Mum's birthday and had to get my act together to bring a card together.  I'd been inspired by some Lili of the Valley  projects in Papercraft Inspirations this month, especially with the free digi stamp images.  So here is my attempt:

As I said in the title, any excuse for an excess of pink. 

Here are a couple of close-ups of the detail:

 The white flowers have been made from the Tattered Florals die, the little purple ones were a gift from Karen, and as usual the image has been coloured with pro-markers and flexies. What a dinky image hey?!

And finally the card got the seal of approval from Thomas along with a little kiss before it was popped in the post:

Thankfully, Mum loves it, although it did take her about 5 attempts to work out how to stand it up! I'd helpfully drawn a little diagram on a post-it for her, but then forgot to put it in the envelope - typical me... Anyway, hope you like my version of the card.

Helen x