Of being sick and Oscars night

I really hate having a cold. I imagine that is not that rare to do so. However, when the time comes, usually once a year, of being sick and tired of being in bed all day I realize how lucky I am to work from home. I can do all urgent work, albeit a bit less intense, and still rest enough.

Now I am on my fifth day of being sick, and I don't like it.

The card above was done in celebration of Oscars months for an article in Cardmaking and Papercraft that featured ideas for this past month. I used Movies Stars stamp from Stampington and for the message I used one of my mixed sentiments. Although I made it a few months ago, it would have been perfect for someone to send it to me today, as I have been thinking about Movie Stars and needed the cheering up.

Yesterday was Oscars night. Did you watch it? I still remember the only two time that I got to watch the whole thing. I forgot when it was except that I know it was in the UK and in the old house, so probably 2003 and 2004. I remember I was so excited to finally see it live, yet I do not remember who won for which movie, not even actors and actresses.

I guess I have grown out of that phase and don't care anymore about movie stars giving thanks to people I have never heard of and making silly crying speeches.

However, I still enjoy the Red Carpet arrivals as it showcases fashion and fab jewels. It is the only time -well at the Oscars and the rest of the Awards season- that we get to see amazing gowns and epic fashion and taste fails. I find Fashion really inspiring for my papercraft work, it is all about design concept, shape, colour and execution. Pretty much the same as in paper crafting.

Hits: Cameron Diaz in Oscar de la Renta, Helen Mirren, Kristen Stewart. Special Mention Gabourey Sidibe, big girls can glam up with the right shape and colour, JLo -one has to be very brave to wear that dress.

Near Hits: Anna Kendrick -perfect dress, bad colour for her-, Elizabeth Banks -perfect colour, not so good design-, Kate Wisnlet -perfect bottom half of the dress, top although beautiful not very flattering -, Miley Cirus -perfect bottom half of the dress very, very poor top half.

Epic Fails: Diane Kruger -Chanel!!?, Charlize Theron -Dior!!?

PS: Thanks for the comments. I do appreciate them very much. I specially like the ones that link to your own blogs, because then it creates a kind of community and I get to know you too.

And also, I welcome comments that can improve my work or the contents of this blog.

All Year Round Punch Tutorial

Just a quick one today showing how the images fit in the circle punches.

1 3/8" circle punch by EkSuccess.

1 1/2" circle punch by EkSuccess. Woodware does make the same sized punch which looks like the one below but obviously straight edge.

1 1/2" scalloped circle punch by Woodware. Although Marvy has manufactured the scallop 1 1/2" one in America, in the UK was almost impossible to get it until now. (Note to retailers: do stock it, is a brilliant size, perfect for the InCircles as well as for so many different stamps.)

All Year Round Tutorial

The reason I went into designing clear stamps was because I was tired of never finding wording stamps that featured a whole set of messages that were all small and without any restrictions of style.

All Year Round features the following images:

As any clear stamps are to be used with an acrylic block - simply peel the stamp away from the plastic backing sheet and mount onto an acrylic block. After use, replace the stamps on to the plastic sheet for storage purposes and clean with soap and water. When they come to you the clear stamps come between two clear sheets of acetate plus an extra one that has the printed images of the stamps, so the first thing I did is to transfer all the stamps into the printed acetate, it is easier to find the right message and also check if one is missing.

So now that tutorial:

First, stamp the circle message onto the white card. I used Spanish Moss Versafine ink.

Select the event and ink it up.

Stamp it inside the previous stamped image using a darker ink or just the same. This is the beauty of the clear stamps and of this set. You can customize your sentiment with different messages and different colours.

If you are using pigment inks which work better with clear stamps, let them dry for a few seconds before punching out.

Punch out using a 1 3/8" punch. Highly recomend EKSuccess punches.

The finished stamped image.

And finally incorporated into a card.

At the minute there is a wait list only option at QVC, and these sets wont arrive to the shops till the end of March. So, if you got it now, you are lucky!

The Comfort zone

When I struggle to come up with a striking design for a card, I always go back to my comfort zone arranging the elements of the card or layout. And that design is a horizontal line across the card with a decorative element and/or the greeting on top.

A few years back I decided that it was ok to go back and repeat it as long as I introduce something new every time, or if I really struggle for whatever the reasons, time usually. So, I tell myself now, it is not laziness on my behalf is time efficiency.

Craft Day, Exciting!

So today, if everything goes according to plan I will be on air with my own stamps (19:00h), how cool is that? And they have my name on the product! Check it out!

Be loved, part 4!

So, this is the front of the card.

The inside of the card is what is really elaborate.

The last page.

A close up of the inside detail.

Be loved in acetate. part 3

This is another card I taught last Thursday at The Glitter Pot.

As before, I used Be loved papers and Martha Stewart punches.

Since the card is made out of acetate, I needed to cover up any elements
that were glued on the front.

And the inside.

More of Be Loved

Well, since the brief of the class was Martha Stewart Punches, I used some of my favourite ones, which include that amazingly beautiful butterfly.

Of course, the Be Loved papers dictated the color combo.

All the materials are available from The Glitter Pot: Sizzix Die, Papers, Stamps, and Martha Stewart punches, Monarch Large Butterfly, Classic Butterfly, Around the page Eyelet Lace and scallop punch.

My new favourite card?

Well, it does not featured Basic Grey papers, nor mini albums, but as a card, this has to be one of my favorites.

Why? because it features one of my favorite shapes, that fancy scroll edge but also I love this color combo, courtesy from Be loved by My Minds Eye.

I decorated the inside with stamped sentiments from my Wording Stamps set.

You can see here the spine of the card.

I forgot to take a photo of the card flat, because the beauty of the card is that when flat the three pages are spaced in between so you can see all the edges in the different colors.

All the materials are available from The Glitter Pot: Sizzix Die, Papers, Stamps, and scallop punch.

Recycling Wrapping paper - Part 3

Attach the wrapping paper to chipboard and then die cut it using a Stars die from Sizzix.

Message is part of my Mixed Sentiments stamp set.

Recycling Wrapping paper - Part 2

Emboss it with a Cuttlebug folder and punch some circles out with matching papers.

Message is part of my Mixed Sentiments stamp set.

Recycling Wrapping paper

Use small amounts and glue them to thick card!

When it is cold and snowy outsite

It's the best time to stay in and color in! Using Copics I colored in this Chipboard circle and scalloped framed. The stamp is from Penny Black and the message is one of my Essentials Circles. The main card was a 12 x 12 die cut paper from Yellow Bicycle that is really thick so can be made as the blank card.

By the way, the Fiskars trimmer I reviewed the other week is available online now.

Square Essentials + punches

As I have already posted the other stamps and their possible combinations with punches. So now it is the turn of the Square Essentials. If you click on the photo you will see a larger picture which will show details.
The ink I used is Versafine, Deep Lagoon.

Using leftovers

Because of my work, I often finish off with a lot of leftovers which are small pieces of very pretty paper. Because I am a true craft hoarder I find hard to get rid of them, so I keep them for a while until I have a clear out urge. Then I go through bits and pieces that I have and I give away any that could be used. This time, though, when I found three little pieces of Wisteria papers -from Basic Grey, the top one of them I had already been embossed and scuffed with the Cuttlebug-, I fancied making a card with them so I did this one above. To add the message, I just stamped the Miss you -from the Circle Essentials set-. To find a matching ink was a bit of a challenge, I think it was what it took me the longest time. The one I ended up with is not perfect by any means, but close enough for me.

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.

Wording stamps and punches

As I did with the Circle Essentials, here you have a the stamps from the Wording Stamp set combined with a selection of punches.
Because this set contains so many different shaped messages (all related to Birthdays) there are a range of punches that combine with them. The two circle messages are smaller than the ones on the Circle Essentials, which means that if you would like to have a white line around it the best sized punch is the 1 1/16" -orange Eksuccess medium punch- and scalloped circle the best one is the Martha Stewart one.

Circle Essentials and the punch sizes

Last week I got the parcel containing my latest stamp sets. One of them being the Circle Essentials.You can find them in shops all around the country including The Glitter Pot and Artbase. They look like this on the web:

Unfortunately, I have been extremely busy with deadlines and family so I haven't had the rpoper time to actually play with them -ie make a card-. But I could not resist stamping all of them to check they all work! So, I decided to show how the circles fit into the different punches and nesties. I know there are more combinations but this is using the punches or dies that I had at home.


They all can be punches with 1" but they wont have a white edge around them. If you would like that effect the best sized punch is 1 1/8", which are manufactured by Eksuccess. the bottom examples are used in combination with different shaped punches: star (Stampin Up, large) Square 1 1/8" (EKsuccess) and Scallop Square (StampinUp).

They are all in this set the same size which is slightly larger than the ones in the Mixed Sentiments and also larger than the two that appear on the Wording set - the birthday set.

If you have make any cards using any of the products I have designed whether it is Craftwork Card stuff -Messages In Circles or Buttons, Floral Damask or Floral Christmas- or the stamps -Mixed Sentiments, Circle Essentials...- please leave a comment with the link. I would love to see what people are creating with them.

By they way, I used Versafine Ink Satin Red (there is a reason, as I used Spanish Moss for the Wording Stamp and Blue Lagoon for the Square Essentials). And

New Stamps: Circle Essentials

This is the third set from the new stamps. As always it is a clear unmounted set that contains 12 circles with the essential messages. The only images that are both on the Mixed Sayings and in this one is Thinking of You and Best Wishes due to the mishap explained on the previous post. The Happy Birthday and Birthday wishes are very similar to the ones that come in the Mixed Sayings, but in those ones have a dotted ring around them.
As you will imagine, they are manufactured and distributed by Personal Impressions which means that you should be able to find them in a craft shop near you at the end of October.

New Stamps: Wording Stamps or Birthday set

This is the Birthday set -although is just called Wording Stamps, PICS066- for those who only need or want stamps to celebrate Birthdays.

You can see that this tamp shares images from different sets. Well, there is a good explanation for this. I put together this set and the Mixed Sayings the first of all as a sampler of my style to Personal Impressions who decided it was nice enough to make an actual set of stamps. I then prepared some other sets using the images that I liked the best from them without realizing that these were already into production! That is why some images are repeated, something that I did not intended to do and will try to avoid in the future.

However, I think that for under £5 retail, is good value as you will get 6 stamps that are not in any other set which are the ones on the bottom.

New Stamps: Square Essentials

This set is called Square Essentials as it contains some of the most essential sentiments that a cardmaker will need in squares that fit into scallop punches. As the other saying stamps this set is manufactured by Personal Impressions and will be available in a shop near you at the end of October.

Introducing Floral Damasks

Craftwork Cards has now produced this foiled sheets that contain 9 rectangles -8 the same size, plus the long one. It is very versatile as you can color in the flowers using any method including Copics or Promarkers.

You can cut the rectangles in to different sizes, some of which will fit nicely into rectangle punches or die cuts.

In each pack, you get two sheets of the Black & White and two of the Purple and Black.

Check Lousette's new blog, is worth it!

More Frost

The outside:


The inside:


Not the best photos i know, but nontheless good enough to make yourself an idea of what they look like in cards those Jack Frost papers!

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.

Update on Mixed Sentiments

I have heard that it is hard at the minute to get hold of my Mixed Sentiments stamp set as they are selling out fast in the shops. Right now there are in stock at The Glitter Pot. But you should be able to find them in a shop near you as Personal Impressions -manufacturers and distributors of the stamps- supply to most craft shops.

Also, to answer Fiona from the previous post:
I used white StazOn inkpad and the Christmas Baubles clear stamp set from Artemio all available from The Craft Barn.

In other news, have you been checking out QVC this week? the trend week event is been so far great and still there are two shows left (every week day at 18:00). Well, it is been extra special even though I have not been there some of my designs have been on sale specifically the Messages In Circles, rescue Words and Elegant Messages as part of this kit - the picture is not that great, so if you can watch the presentation video do so. From last Monday, QVC carries Craftwork Cards, so look out for loads of great kits that are going to be featured this week and in coming months. Sue and Julie have been working really hard to put together amazing value kits.

Floral Christmas Stamps

This is my effort to make the background using the floral stamps from the Floral Christmas set. Then I used card candy in the centers of the larger flowers and then I added a crystal to each center.
You may think that this card lacks a message. I sent this card to my sister. In Spain we hardly sent cards, maybe ten or so for Christmas, so where I got the passion for cardmaking, I am not sure, but I started to make cards when I was eleven or twelve. For years, I used to do cards without a message. Now a days that is difficult for me.
But I don't have little messages in Spanish. So I did this card without a message. I just hope my sister likes it.

Customizing stamps

I just wanted to share a tip for my Mixed Sentiments stamps.
The With Love and Best Wishes positive stamps -that is the lettering in black, rather than the circle itself- are linked to the circle line. But I like the idea of having the line separate from the message. So, I cut them.
All right, it scared me the first time, what if I mess up the cut? Well, It is just a stamp. So I went for it and got now both options.

Showing off

Well, since yesterday I introduced my messages stamps, I thought it would be good to show how they look on a card and also how they fit punches and nestabilities dies.



This photo shows how the messages fit in the circular punches. The messages without the circles all fit the 1" circle punch and the Martha Stewart scallop circle punch. Some of them even fit the 7/8" as seen on the bottom right hand corner. The circular shaped stamps all fit in slightly larger punches 1 1/8", and if you like a white edge around then the 1 1/4" punch is perfect.



And of course they all fit the smaller sizes -not the tiniest, though!- of the Nestabilities but also some Quickutz dies like the fancy shape at the top.
I hope that you will like to use them as much as I did yesterday.
Today, I am off to QVC, Leonie is on holiday so Dawn requested my help for today's show. The ladies who won the card competition will be there which will be nice, I love to meet up with crafters.