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

       

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

      

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.

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

     

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