Friday 27 November 2015

A Patterned Paper Wreath, For You

Hi everybody,

Jill here, and this week, I'm building a wreath...


Using Patterned Paper and Paper Smooches.


I used the brilliant Paper Smooches Wreath Builder Dies, with the beautiful Simple Stories Claus & Co 6x6 Paper Pad to create my wreath.  These Paper Smooches dies are amazing.  They're designed to 'Build-a-wreath', obviously, but you could use them for so much more - Christmas Trees, Winter Sprigs, all year round foliage, they're incredibly handy to have in your stash!  
I cut the various dies from a mixture of papers from the Claus & Co pad alongside a simple 'ring' shape, and built up my wreath.  Once I was happy with how it looked, I adhered all the pieces down.
I then cut my sentiment using Lawn Fawn's Scripty For You die from white card, and heat embossed in red, giving it a couple of coatings to achieve this really high gloss effect.


I dry embossed a panel of white card, using a wood grain folder from my stash, to use as a backdrop, and added a twirl of bare twine before sticking everything in place.  I then decorated my wreath with a scattering of pearls and gems, and added a simple twine bow to finish.

I really hope you like it, and only wish I'd had a more time to really stretch what these little cute dies can do!

As always, everything I used is linked below.

See you next week.

Jillx


 Wreath Builder Dies   Simple Stories Claus & Co 6x6 Paper Pad   Scripty For You Lawn Cuts





Tuesday 24 November 2015

Snowflakes and Sequins...

Hi everybody,

Jill here, and this week, I am eventually facing the fact Christmas is around the corner!


I've noticed a lot of projects around blog land using a striking red and teal colour theme, and really wanted to try it myself, (there's a couple of cards in particular which I took inspiration from, so will link them at the bottom of my post), and here is my effort... 


I started by inking up a piece of watercolour card using Distress Ink, (Peacock Feathers and Broken China), creating a dark to light gradient, and adding a shimmer by spritzing with water mixed with mica powder, finishing with a few flicks of white.  Once I was happy with my background, I took my Lil Inker's Snowflake's Die, and cut three from my background, (leaving me 3 pretty snowflakes I can use on another card).  I was going to simply add a layer of vellum behind, but when I see a chance to add a wee little shaker to my card, well, I just can't pass it up!  So added some sequins and glitter behind each little flake. 



I cut Mama Elephant's Merry Script Die and coated in a couple of layers of red embossing powder to give it a really high gloss.  I finished my sentiment by white heat embossing a simple 'Christmas', from Lawn Fawn's Trim the Tree, on black card, and cut into a banner.
I added a wrap of bare twine and a cute little bow, and adhered my greeting over the top.  I added some silver Stickles around my snowflakes, and a scattering of sequins to finish off, and there you have it.

I really hope you like it, as always, everything I used is linked below, and below that, the stunning creations that inspired my project.

See you next week.

Jillxee

Snowflake Dies   Merry  Script - Creative Cuts   Trim The Tree


Inspo:  This, (which I think might be one of the most beautiful cards I have ever set eyes on!), and This stunner from the amazingly talented Debby Hughes -
and this beauty from Giovana Smith.

Friday 13 November 2015

Spring Blooms in Winter...

 Hi everybody,

Jill here, and this week, I'm hoping to bring some Springtime vibes to your day...


With some 'no-line pencil colouring', on kraft.


I used Wplus9's 'Spring Blooms' , and Paper Smooches 'Happy Birthday Words Dies' to create my card.
I started by masking off a border around my panel, and stamping out my design, using a selection of the beautiful blooms and foliage from the Spring Blooms set, in a light ink (I used Antique Linen Distress Ink but you could afford to go a little darker than that as your pencils will cover it - trust  me - it was blumming hard to see where I'd stamped!).  Once I had my design in place, I went in with my pencils.  I used the Spectrum Noir pencils, but use what you have for a similar effect.  I followed the outline of my stamping to give me an idea of where I was going, then blended my pencils in light to dark shades.  Once my colouring was complete, I outlined the whole piece with a white pencil, just to help the images 'pop'.  I then took Paper Smooches 'Happy Words Die' and cut it from the front of my card, over my main design.  Initially, I was going to just build up my die-cut using cream card, and in-lay the piece back in, but it didn't stand out enough, so decided to cut the piece once more from vellum, and add this over the top using 'Stick-it', so no adhesive showed.  I love how this turned out and think it adds a real prettiness and softness to the masculinity of the kraft card, whilst still allowing the design to show through.


I added some white highlights to my blooms and foliage, using a white gel pen, and added a scattering of tiny Glossy Accent dew drops over the whole piece for a little added interest.
And there you have it.
I really hope you like it, as always, everything I used is linked below.

See you next week.

Jillx

Spring Blooms  Happy Birthday Words Dies   Stick It Die Cut Adhesive Sheets (pack of 5) Large

Tuesday 10 November 2015

Faux Cross Stitch Cutey...

Hi everybody,

It's Jill here, and this week, I've got a little bit of cross stitch for you!


I've been so excited to play with this Neat and Tangled Hoop die for a while now, and it is BACK IN STOCK!  So perfect time to show it some love.


I thought it would be fun to create a little cross stitched scene, using another stamp set, within the little hoop, so chose the Playful Pups set from Mama Elephant.
I found a piece of patterned paper that had a grid on it, so was perfect, but you could definitely create your own, or pick up a cheap pad of grid paper.  I stamped my cute little Playful Pup out, and created a little scene around him using elements from Mama Elephant's 'In My Heart'.  I then coloured my little scene by drawing a tiny little cross in each box, in various colours, exactly like you would 'stitch' in an actual cross stitch.
I cut the Hoop Die from some kraft card, which I had stamped with a wood grain background, so it looks like a real wooden hoop, and cut the screw part from a piece of card I had heat embossed in gold powder.


I wanted my card to look like it had been lifted directly from a wall in a small old cosy cottage, so stamped my background panel using a wallpaper-esque design, and aged using Distress Ink.  My sentiment is from Mama Elephant's Bloomsies set and is stamped onto cream card and fussy cut.  I added a doily and a twirl of twine behind my cross-stitch, and mounted it all onto my background panel, embellishing with a scattering of pearls, and adding the whole thing to a kraft card base. 

I really enjoyed this little project and can only begin to imagine how many possible 'cross stitches' we could all create using our collections!
I hope you like it, and that you give it a go!

As always, everything I used is linked below.

See you next week.

Jillx

         Hoop Die        Playful Pups  
Bloomsies  In My Heart