Simplicity

Sometimes, my Christmas cards are not very Christmassy. The case in hand above, with this past Christmas cards. I miscalculated my times and left with only a day or so to make all my Christmas cards so i ended up going for extreme simplicity cards. Like the one bellow, which was the one I sent to most people, apologies if you thought it was too simple, but at least it was a handmade card using first rate products: Fabriano card, Making Memories paper and glitter card.

Fabriano Medioevalis is the most gorgeous card, perfect for stamping with a chalk finish ink pad. It used to be available from The Craft Barn, although they do not have it on their website at the moment, so I am not sure if they do still sell it.

For someone really special

I made this card, which is a Christmas version of this one. It takes me about an hour an half to make just the one card, so you will understand that I didn't do this one for everyone on my list.

Another Christmas Card

Some of you may get one of this!

Tree card

Featured a few issues back in Cardmaking and Papercraft!

Some of this years Christmas Cards...

Using printed acetate, but I forgot from which company!

Red Snowflakes

Chocolate Wrappers

Sometimes Christmas Cards are not enough and a little extra is needed.


And this is what is inside.
I used 12 x 12" Die cut cardstock from Craftwork Cards and Eskimo Kisses patterned papers.

Eskimo kisses bubble

I usually buy the Basic Grey Collection Packs, you know the packs that contain one sheet of each plus the patterned stickers and the alphabet ones. Most of times I don't use the letter stickers, so when I can use any of the ones I have I am more than happy to go overboard and create backgrounds like this one that contains different Christmas words.

Did you watch The X Factor final? I didn't, to be honest I hardly see any of those programs live. Usually, I will watch a couple of performances after one of my friends mentions how good or bad someone was. However, I had watched a couple of shows while I was Up North with Dawn and JJ, and thought that Joe was going to win although I kind of preferred Olly as he made me smile. I do think that Joe is much better singer, but Olly is much more of a charismatic performer.

I also watch Strictly on the iPlayer while I work on the computer because I just love dancing. I would love to learn how to dance properly, specially the tango -specially the Argentinian which is for me the proper one- and of course the Paso Doble. Last year my favorite was from the very beginning Tom Chambers, with Austin as a close second favorite, because Tom seem to me the most natural dancer the one who seem to enjoy dancing the most, although maybe not as technically good as Rachel, but good enough. Rachel instead was very good at the coreography but she seem a tad robotic, without any real happiness in dancing. This year is Ricky Whittle for me, technically very good but also very natural, I can see that he is enjoying dancing maybe more than the show aspect of it. I know he is not likely to win, but a second place is for me this year top spot, just because Rafa finished second at the ATP world tour rankings. Last year I was very lucky, all my favorites ended up at number one, so for this year ending at number 2 is not bad either after such an amazing year.

Simple Jack Frost

Finally I got my email and blog account sorted, so I can resume regular postings.
So, I thought I would share a quick and easy card I did for a workshop at The Glitter Pot a few weeks back.

Square Patchwork

Today I went to the post office and the lady before me was sending off some Christmas Cards to Canada. She had chosen a medium sized card but it was over the 20 grams for just a letter post, so she had to pay an extra 30p. Ok, not much, but if you have to send more than the odd one abroad it adds up. And I rather spend that in lovely card, that this make mean?

The actual size of the card is 4 x 5 inches counting the excess over top edge, you know I like small cards. I just use the Woodware -Marvy Uchida for those in America- 2" Scallop Square punch. If you are into punches you will know that this particular one, *5

Childs Play Card

Sometimes, my cards look like a child has made them, with crooked house and all!

More Eskimo Kisses

Every year when December arrives, I start to panic. You see, I do think the Holidays Season is more about the preparation than the actual holidays. As a culture we have lost the meaning of Christmas, everything is now about shopping, food, parties and decorations, nothing wrong with that but it puts a lot of pressure on having a good time, getting the right present - for others as well for ourselves - it all means that disappointment is a sure thing.

But, if there is something about the Holidays that I like -apart from the true meaning- is the cards. I love making Christmas Cards in batches, although I do start making them a bit late, I usually manage to make them all and send in time.

This year, I am loving Eskimo Kisses, so if you are on my Christmas Cards list, you will probably get some.

Recycling ideas

I believe strongly that one should repeat card designs that we like, specially if we scraplift our own work. I do that constantly because when I like a design, I really really like it, I can't stop reproducing.
So I took a card I did this summer using a floral range and converted into a little Christmas Card. If you ever been to one of my workshops, specially a Christmas one, you will know how much I suggest to make smaller cards. Yes, large cards have got more of a Wow factor, but small things can be delicate and cute and they are much easily fit in living rooms full of Christmas cards.
The pink scallops are from Craftwork Cards and the patterned paper is from the Eskimo Kisses collection (Basic Grey). All the materials are available from Dawn Bibby's shop.

Finally, a card

Yes, finally I am home, so i can start posting photos again! I will leave you with this diorama card that I taught at Dawn's Residential last week. I used Eskimo kisses papers - Basic Grey - and Nestabilities for the apertures and snowflakes.
All products available from Dawn Bibby's Design Studio.

Christmas acetate

Will I make my Christmas cards out of acetate this year? Well, not a hundred percent sure, probably I will do some like this one which I love using Craftwork Cards stuff/ I used so many different items that I wont list them, too tired for that.


If I mentioned that I am tired is not for sympathy. It is that tomorrow I have a workshop at the Glitter pot. Last week I was sent by post a parcel containing the items for me to design and make the cards. As the postal strike was in full swing, the parcel has not arrived yet. Thank goodness for plan B. But plan B has been a bit challenging, maybe a bit of a stress made me uncreative.

Also yesterday I had my hair cut and... it didn't go that well.
Haircuts. I have had a few, most of them pretty standard ones. It is not that I have been over the moon with many of them, more like I have been satisfied with the results. To be honest, I can only recall two haircust made me feel really good. The first time, eight years ago when I went back to professional hairdressers after a few years of home hair cutting, and the second time was last year in LA, in a proper Hollywood saloon.

Why hair makes us so miserable? I mean when its good its great, we feel on top of the world, but when it's bad it's really bad.

Yesterday I had my hair cut short, I just wanted a jaw sort of length. The problem this time is that I had it cut so short that there is nothing I can do, the back is super short -she actually shaved the neck- and the very front and some top layers are very short too.
I liked the salon -a lot actually- and it is a good hair cut but it is so short!

Well, you live and learn. One haircut at the time.

Some times the simplest cards have got the most wow factor. I like to think that this is one of those cards. If you are thinking how that card is going to fit an envelope, well let me tell you, you use one of 8 x 8" -from Craftwork Cards.
I know this card is not for everyone, this one is over three edges not just the one!

Simple Joy

Simple cardmaking is what I find easier to do, but simple doesn't mean necesarly easy, although there may be people who think that. The key of cardmaking for me as a crafter is design rather than technique because I always think that is easier to learn technique than to learn design, as to learn a technique is to learn a process, whether design it is either based on an instinct or on pure theory. Anyway, either way, crafting is a hobby, so whatever you prefer is fine by me as long as you enjoy it!
This simple card I made for a demo. I had some paper left overs on my Christmas papers folder and decided to use it to highlight the beauty of this set of alphabet dies. I first covered with other bits of paper I had the mount board -yes, thick Sizzix dies will cut mount board even if it is covered with thick patterned paper- and then I put it through the Big Shot. Because of the thickness of the mount board it was a bit harder to roll it through but I was not difficult.
I used one of the Martha Stewart edge punches to add some interest to the card as well as some silver pearls to highlight the pattern of the paper. By the way, the papers are from Basic Grey, although not a hundred per cent sure from which collection as they were bits of paper, I think it is Figgy Pudding.

Floral Tree

These November days are not good. By the time that I get round to take photos of last night card it is too dark to take daylight photos, so I end up with bad photos like the one above. Granted the card is not my best one -nor my worst one either- but still the photo does not justice to the card.
I use Dawn Petler's idea of decoupaging with circles some of the flowers of the tree but then I decoupage properly the larger ones.

I may follow my friend Fabrizio's advice and get myself a light tent, but I kind of know that I will buy it and then not use it enough. What I need to try is to experiments with the daylight bulbs that I have.

More Ornate Cards

I said I loved this die didn't I? To make the aperture I used one of the Standard Circle Nestabilities sets, but only once I had cut the ornate card. If you are a Nestie wizard, I woud suggest to cut at the same time the smaller circle -for the Christmas pudding inside of the card- and the larger one -the aperture on the front of the card-
Since it is quite thick patterned paper and the finished size of the card is not very large, I figured that I could make the main card using this lovely glittered Christmas paper from K &Company. The letters are cut using the Serif Essentials a fantastic Bigz die set, perfect to cut thicker, like really think materials such as book board or thick chipboard.

Gap Cards

As soon as I saw this die I knew I could do a gap card with the Noel. As it is an intricate die cut, I cut two, one of the patterned paper and another one out of the plain green card. Once the card was done, I glued the green card Noel in the inside to strengthen the gap. I just added the scroll from this decorative scroll.
However, I think I over did it a bit when I inked the card with distressing inks, it became a bit too dark for my liking.

Gold Leaf - Part Two

This one belongs to the same article as the one posted yesterday. The technique for this card is simple. Apply to the card or acetate double sided adhesive, it could be just tape or sheets that you can die cut or just trim. Then, I just stamped the Winter Scroll with black StazOn Ink on the front of the acetate so it floats.

Gold leaf - Part One

Last year this card was featured in Craft Stamper as part of an article I did on gold leaf, actually the fake stuff, as it would be a bit too expensive to use the real stuff.
For this particular card, I use Stamp and Bond embossing powder, something I did not get on at all until the super stamper Kim Reygate taught it to me, do not over heat it and the fresher is the powder the better -ie old powder no good. Also, it was Kim that told me to use gold Perfect Pearls over the top to cover up any gaps without gold leaf.
The message is a PaperArtsy stamp and the Scroll is from Penny Black called Winter Scroll.

Letterpress effect

I did have a system so I could know which cards I had posted photos of and which ones I had not. However, when I had some trouble with blogger last time I decided to use online albums, Picasa to be exact, which works great. But I did that hastily without thinking about my system.
The result is that now I have got loads of photos online and in my computer and I am not sure which ones I have shared. So, from now on you may see some repeat cards. It is not you it's me!
I wish I had more time and energy to actually explain how to make cards, but the truth is I hate writing instructions so I only do when I need to, ie for an article just because that is part of my job. But I can share that the background were don with the Snowflake Impresabilities.

Do you watch Stricly Come Dancing? It wasn't until last year when I started to watch it from my computer -we don't have a tv!-. It was my friend Julie -as in Julie Hickey- who actually talked me into by passing comments here and there about how much fun it was. Last year I was home for week one so I watched it online. I soon became addicted because I LOVE to dance, not ballroom as I don't know how, but pretty much everything else. I really enjoyed series Six and was quite happy with the outcome.
This year I am watching it again online either live or on the iPlayer on the Sunday and I am enjoying it as much or even a bit more than last year just because in each couple I like either the celebrity, the pro, or actually both. Yesterday there was a bit of an upset as one of the clearly better dancers was voted off. Personally I could not warm myself to the celebrity, but I like very much James Jordan the pro dancer not as best pro dancer but because he is one of the few -with Vincent and maybe Brian- who has some masculinity dancing. The other dancers are great, I consider some of them even better, but I don't see them as males dancing just as dancers, if it makes any sense.
The funny aspect about all this Stricly thing is that once I watched about ten minutes of the Spanish version, Mira quien Baila, and it confirmed what I already suspected: UK TV rules! Spanish, unfortunately, is a thousand miles behind.

Sequins, again

A few weeks ago, I posted a card that featured sequins from an article in Cardmaking and Papercraft. Well this is another card from that set. I must apologize for the low quality photo, often happens that I finish a project and it is very dark so natural light available, and the artificial that I have is not very good for accurate colors.
By the way, the paper I used for this card is a Pebbles Inc one that it is from either last year or from the year before. I love the color combo and the delicate patterns.

This months in Carrdmaking and Papercraft

This article has 12 different cards all shaped in Christmas trees, bubbles or presents. I was lucky enough to use Eskimo Kisses for it as when I did the article the line had not reached the shops. Now is available in most shops that stock Basic Grey, which are many.

Diorama Card

This is now my latest favorite card. I did it this week for my recent class at The Glitter Pot.
I can not take credit, obviously for inventing such a fun paper engineering structure. The best thing about it is that it folds completely flat, or as flat a any other card.


A view from above may help to see how it is all assembled. If you would like to learn how to make this type of card you can click here for a wonderful tutorial by Diana Gibbs. I have done a few things differently -size, apertures and center piece- but more importantly the way I assembled it, because I glued the left side first then the right one.



The apertures are cut with Nestabilities and the Snowflakes as well. The paper has become one of my most used ones, it is from My Minds Eye, click here to see it. It is more like card than regular patterned paper, has a lovely texture and is double sided. Pure lush.
The little holes on the paper are not part of it, I just made them using a Screw hole punch (Japanese style).
Also, in other news, my new sets of stamps are now available in craft shops around the country.

Lace effect

Love the edge punches, and I know I am not the only one! So I did this quick and easy card using just edge punches and thin white powder.
Today, I am teaching at the Glitter Pot, which is nice as I have a lovely group of ladies who regularly come to my workshops. I really enjoy teaching them!

Blue Jack Frost

The super talented and amazing Julie Hickey design this lovely snowflake papers that come in a pack of 12 papers -6 designs, 3 snowflakes, 3 of my floral Christmas patterns-.


And I decided to decorate the inside as well.

QVC

Today I am working with Dawn Bibby helping out to set demos and stuff at QVC, since it is a Craft Day and loads of hours of craft. I have done some cards for the Slice cartridges some of which I am really proud of. Also it will be the first time that I am there when some of the Craftwork Cards Kits are shown although I do not think that anything I have designed will be in them. Anyway, it is always exciting -and exhausting- going there to work for a day from time to time.

By the way, have you watch any of the intro videos? I mean those few seconds that they use to introduce the hour. Well, the ones last night were featuring quite a bit of Craftwork Cards products and among those ones are my very own In Circles. You must be very tired of me going on and on about my designs, but I usually I don't expect my stuff to do well, lack of confidence I suppose -I do like what I create, I just wonder if the others may like it too. So when I see my designs used by others in blogs, demos or QVC, I feel that I am doing something right.


This photos are of a card I made last Saturday while demonstrating die cutting, specifically the Big Shot and Wizard/Nestabilities dies -labels 8 and Snowflake Wonder. I used some of the My Minds Eye paper that I used a while back for a class. I still love it, the subtle pattern on one side and the notebook ledger style in the other, perfect for those like me that find difficult to write in a straight line.

Last year's Christmas Cards II

Another batch of Christmas Cards. Sometimes I like to use products that I have had a long time and haven't been able to use for some reason, usually because I like them too much or because they are not readily available to buy -an important requisite when you are making cards for magazines and so on. I had this lovely printed blank cards from Savvy Stamps which used to be easy to find in the UK. Never really got round to use them so I had 8 left. Because of the lovely soft turquoise coloured I decided to keep it monochromatic and used USA Stampin Up products.

Last year's Christmas Cards

Every year I make several batches of Christmas Cards. Usually I make several, 10-15 cards very similar or nearly identical to each other, then I do another different batch.

This cards above where the biggest batch I did last year as I really enjoyed making them. I used Fabriano cards (pre-scored), a cuttlebug folder, patterned paper, punches and stamp.

The thing about Fabriano card is that, although it has a lovely handmade texture, is still perfect for stamping, specially using chalk finish ink pads such as Fluid Chalk or Versamagic.

Over the edge cards

Using die cutting products I produced this card for a workshop for The Glitter Pot last week.

Promarkers on Acetate

For this poinsettia I used acetate die cut flowers -from Craftwork Cards- and run it through the herringbone Cuttlebug embossing folder. Then, I used a Promarker marker to colour in the acetate by using the medium broad end of the marker. I am no coloring expert, but I love my Promarkers, love the colors, the easiness of how they work and how great they are to do shading. I do like the Copics too, but I do prefer the Promarkers as the colors are more intense, fresher colors. Just the other day, it was announced that they have launched 56 new colors. which means that you can get 148 colours. I am saving to get the whole lot!!!!

More Christmas

Stamping on acetate using white StazOn is one of my favorites at the minute I love the etching effect, but if you add Perfect Pearls over the stamped images then it is even better. Just dab with a dry brush over the stamped images with generous amount of the micro fine powder in Pearl color which is just the colorless shimmer which looks like white.


To add some extra details I added self adhesive pearls, one of those things that I used to dislike and now I can't get enough of them.

More Acetate

Yesterday I took the day off and what did I do? I went to the Craft show at Sandown, pretty much a busman's holiday! I knew that Richard and Julie would welcome an extra hand for coffee rounds and things like that.

As my Sat Nav wasn't working properly so I got lost, well not quite lost, but missed several times the right turn so I ended up doing almost twice as many miles as I should have. By the time I got home it was past six o clock, just in time for Dawn's QVC hour which again feature one kit containing some of my die cut messages I did for Craftwork Cards. Dawn is so sweet she always mentions me when she gets to them, I don't think most people could remember mentions like that on camera. That is one extra reason why she is so great doing this job. You may disagree with me on that, but trust me, I know many many people in this industry and not one could do the job Dawn does. HONESTLY.

Jack Frost

If you know Craftwork Cards stuff you will know that one of their specialties is gold and silver foiling into beautiful card or paper and as you may know I have been designing some stuff for them, but it's the first time I designed papers. First I designed the Floral tree image and flowers which developed into the Floral Christmas patterned paper pack, and then now you can get the foiled Floral Trees in 8 x 8" packs as well called Jack Frost that also feature Julie's beautiful Snowflake papers (the three patterns on the right of the photo).
Although I designed the floral tree papers -meaning I was well acquainted with the motifs- when I saw them in real life with the silver foil and all, I was surprised on how beautiful they came out.
You have got two options the silver foiling into white pearl card or the silver foiling into dark/light blue pearl card.
I know I am a bit over the top with my recent products, but the truth of the matter is that I absolutely love how all of them have come out. I guess I surprised myself!
I can't wait to play with those papers!!!

If you can't wait either, then you can go to Sandown Racecourse -Esher, Surrey- this weekend as there is craft show going on and Craftwork Cards is there exhibiting.

Alcohol Inks and White stazOn

Only a card to share today, as I am busy working in some new designs. I am not sure if they are going to come to anything but so far I love them.

Materials
Card: Elegant Square Scallop Wrap
Paper: Love the Look - Low Lights - printed paper in lovely colours that coordinate perfectlly with other ranges from Craftwork Cards, so you can emboss and sand it if you would like the white showing through or just leave it plain for stamping.
Die Cuts: Sheer Delight's Poinsettias -Acetate flowers in the bottom one I used acohol inks and on the top one I stamped with white StazOn.
Stamp: Christmas Bubbles from Artemio.
Message: In Circle Message Christmas, Black.
Card Candy: Truffles pack -it contains this very gold green color- and Winter Wishes -for the red one, but there are other packs that contain it-.

- all available from The Craft Barn or Craftwork Cards (not the stamps, alcohol inks nor the White StazOn).

Floating Frames

As you can see Christmas cards are going be regular in this blog from now on, but of course they can easily be adapted to everyday occasions such as birthdays or anything else.


This card I did for last weekend demo at The Craft Barn. Basically I made a blank card out of thick acetate to measure 6 x 6. then I used ready cut and emboss frames - click here for more info on them - and attached one to each side of the acetate.


The patterned papers are from the Floral Collection.

All materials can be found at The Craft Barn, also most of them can be found at Craftwork Cards.

More Floral Christmas

Tired yet? Not me! This version of Julie's/Paula's Gap card is done using the Floral Christmas Papers from Craftwork Cards.


And this is the inside. I choose the green paper to go inside to make high contrast when it is closed with the red flowers in the front.