Digital Paper

I have been in love with the Copics or Promarkers for quite a while, and although I had some card and paper that work well with it, it was not perfect. Then, on Monday I saw Julie who gave some sheets of the new digital paper/card from Craftwork Cards.

I expected to like it, but not be wowed by it as it is plain thick white paper. Wrong. It is just so smooth, it's ultra smooth so the stamp detail shows so beautifully, and not too thick, perfect to make stamped and colored panels to add to cards.

To be honest, when I got home I quickly stamped this image (Magenta stamps) and colored in. Cutting took a while and as soon as I started I wished I hadn't as I am not the most patient of crafters.

Large sequins

Simple, quick and easy. You can use die cuts instead of the large flower sequins.

Sometimes...

My Spanish roots show in my card making. I did this cards a few months a go for an article that never got published, so I thought I would share it here.

I used Dawn Bibby's flourishes.

Yesterday I went on air again at QVC, first to talk about the TSV on the Morning Show, and then at 11:30pm to do the rest of the hour after Dawn did the TSV. This time around I wasn't as nervous as last time, although I still was nervous. I do need to improve so many things, though!

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!

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.

One of my favourites

Well, since I just made it yesterday it is bound to be today's favorite card.


I just wanted to play with what I had on the table, mostly Craftwork Cards stuff plus some little extras like the ubiquitous self adhesive pearls.


Since I love the acetate cards I decide to use the sheer delights scallop circles and pink wraps which are exactly the same shape, festive/spring flowers.


Usually I don't post photos of the back of the card, but I wanted to show how I covered the scoring line that comes on older Wraps. I just used a ribbon and card candy to cover the eyelets that maintained attached the acetate to the card, because attaching thick acetate to card is difficult other than with brads, eyelets or something similar.

All products by Craftwork Cards.

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 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.

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.

Introducing Floral Christmas

Strictly speaking these Floral Christmas papers are collaborating effort between Julie Hickey and myself. let me explain. I design some flowers to make a floral tree that the Sue from Craftwork Cards made into a stamp set. Julie then used the stamps to create backgrounds so nicely done that they were made up into patterned papers. See, a collaborating effort.
Using this papers
I will be using these papers tomorrow at the Craft Barn, or if you are near Harrogate you can buy them at the Craftwork Card stand at the Great Northern Papercrafts Extravaganza but you can find them online here.

More woodgrain

Like the other card the other day, this one is done using the same Hero Arts stamp. Nothing much to say...

More stars and QVC

I think you must be tired by now of this card and versions of it, but I am not. I did this one for last weekend for my demo at The Glitter pot. I used all Sizzix dies, the large Scallop Rectangle album for the main card and the of course the Stars 2 and messages inCircles.



Yesterday I helped Dawn Bibby at QVC. A few months back there was a competition in Paprecraft Essentials -UK based cardmaking magazine- to make Dawn a birthday card with her favorite things. the winners prize was for them to come with a friend and spent a day at QVC with Dawn. Sam and Andrea, the winners, enjoy a two hour masterclass with Dawn in which I gave them a hand playing around with some of the kits that would be later featured in the two hour live show.



The lucky ladies enjoyed also a manicure by Nails Inc, we then had lunch and head for the bright lights of the studio. As always the two hours passed so quickly.



Simon Biaggi was the presenter so after show we took some photos with Dawn and him. Above you can see Andrea and Gill, Dawn and Simon.



And here Sue and Sam -mother and daughter.
Then we went to Regent street as there were some things that Dawn and JJ needed. Then we went for dinner to a really nice restaurant, one of our favorite ones actually, but an unfortunate event happened. No one was hurt or anything like that, but it meant that we got a free meal and Dawn got a slight shock. I hope she is ok today!

Routines

Today and tomorrow I will be demonstrating at the Glitter Pot Die cutting, Sizzix products, along with a long list of demonstrators.
That means that i had to wake up at seven. Seven? That is super early in my books!!!!

I like routines, I actually like them a lot, almost need them otherwise I am completely unproductive. But, the job of a freelancer is anything but routine. From week to week everything is different, and I still find that hard. I have been trying to establish myself some kind of timetable, yet I always fail to maintain it. I am trying as well to post daily in the blog, but often I run out of things to say as my life is pretty boring, which I am totally fine with it.

Usually, I spent my mornings -not very long ones as i wake up pretty late- on the computer, checking emails, answering them, doing invoices or chasing payments, writing the instructions for articles... that sort of boring but essential stuff.
After a light and late lunch, I head to my studio. You see, there is no point of me going to studio before 4 pm unless I have something super urgent, I am totally uncreative in the mornings, so heading to studio before then is a waste of time. I can stay up creating until late, and by late I mean ten or eleven pm, sometimes is even past midnight. As my husband comes back from work pretty late every day, I usually have dinner late too. Rare is the day in which we go to bed at midnight, usually we go at around one or two. That sort of weird hours is what works for us right now.

And, as a post without a photo would be boring, here you have this one.

I used, like in this case, three wraps from Craftwork Cards and then this Hero Arts stamp, green ink and Crystal Embossing powder, and of course one of my Incircles -from Craftwork Cards too!.

A touch of Glamour

Craftwork Cards has done this stamp set with chandeliers, which I love. I did this quick card using a colour combo I love, bright pink and teal. With such strong colours I like to keep the rest to a minimum.
Simplicity sometimes works best!

Stars, stars

So, two weeks ago I shared this card that I have made inspired by the super talented and wonderful friend, Julie Hickey. When I like something, I keep doing it. So when I had to do a workshop on cards for men, I decided to take a feminine card and convert it for a boy. The easiest way to transform it is by switching flowers for stars, they are as versatile and combine really with the lovely papers from Pebbles Inc.

This stars can be cut two ways either with the Sizzix die -my preference as you get 4 different sizes for just £8.49 and will cut chipboard as well!- or using two Stampin up punches. Or you can use the ready die cut and emboss ones by Craftwork Cards - they are called Starry Night that come in ice white and mirri gold and silver and you get 32 in a pack for £3.50. So, you have got plenty of options when it comes to this shape of stars, although there are even more stars with more rounded or less striking edges.

I kept the same colour scheme as before, that is Richie from Craftwork Cards. I think Sue had a moment of big time inspiration putting these together.

I am useless!

In many ways I am useless, but specially with internet related things. I have not been able to solve the issue I have so that I can post pictures again in the blog. I have come up with a solution for the time being, so I use Picasa web albums.


This card is one of the ones I taught at The Glitter Pot two weeks ago. It was part of the All about Circles workshop, which featured only circular products. The Acetate Scallop circles and card ones are from Craftwork Cards, and papers by Pebbles Inc.

More wraps and Richie

Another Richie card, this one uses a wrap (elegant square), foiled paper, spring die cut flowers, card candy and of course one of my In Circles.

More Craftwork Cards

this card is another card i did last week. It is inspired on the one Julie Hickey -who works for Craftwork Cards- did here. In my case, I used Richie papers and Spring flowers and the large scallop square maps as the main card. Like yesterday's card, thanks to the fact that the srping die cut flowers are made out of thick card you can link them together and make them hold the thin strip of card a the right edge. To finish off the card I used one of my messages in circles.

I am off to prepare friday's classes at The Glitter Pot and also finish off some articles as their deadline is fast approaching!

Over the edge cards!

This is one of the cards i did last weekend while I was demonstrating Craftwork Cards products at Dawn Bibby's store.
I used two Simply Scallops Marshmallow to built the blank card. I trimmed the bottom of both of them, after I score only one of them on the left hand side and glue them together by applying the glue on the scored flap. Then, I used Lots of Dots daisies in Suzie. As they are die cut out of quality thick cardstock, you can glue them together and position them flying off the edge! You could not do that with paper as they would not stand upright.
To finish the flowers off I used card candy, yes, they are brilliant and cheap as well. To add some detail I attached a self adhesive white pearl to some of the card candy.

Butterflies, can't live without them!

I always have loved and used flowers, but there is a limit on how many flowers you can use in your cards. Butterflies, well I liked them but now I love them. It seems that I am in Butterfly mode and almost every card I make lately has got one, or more.
I think this is the card that started this phase in my cardmaking. I made it before Christmas last year as part of an article for the now defunct Quick & Crafty magazine. (I miss that mag, it had a lovely feel to it!)
After this card, there was no looking back: butterfly mania is well established in my studio.

Inspiration

One of the reasons I love to demonstrate at big demo weekends is because like everyone else attending as a customer I get to see what other demonstrators do and learn and be inspired by them. Last weekend at The Glitter Pot was no exception. Stamping Caz taught me how to do a cool thing with the Cuttlebug folders that I had trying to learn but very lazy to actually research it. Francoise Read showed me her latest release of stamps and I could not resist one set, the one that contains the image above. Gaynor was doing lovely stamping and decoupage technique, she makes so beautiful. So I combined what I learnt from the three of them to create Omar's Birthday card (last Tuesday).
Yes, you may think it is a girly card, but he seem to be very pleased with it since I Wasabi seems to be in the card!