Monday 28 April 2014

Die storage


Like all lovers of dies, I have struggled to find a way to store them. The ready made storage solutions always seem so expensive and uninspiring. As a stop gap, I started to store them in an old index card case. I then hit upon the idea of making little pockets on index cards to slip the dies (stuck on magnetic sheets) into. 

Of course the index card cases are not very attractive and so I decided to decorate it:

The first...

Inside


I have to admit that the above decoration was the second attempt as the original paper pieces didn't stick so well. Collall glue did the trick the second time around.

The decoration is made from randomly cut and stuck pieces of paper (edged with a spectrum noir pen). The border, embellishments, bow and butterflies were all die cuts and I added a few gems as well.

I didn't decorate the tops as I may need to stack them.

As time went by and the stash of dies increased, it was necessary to add another (two) card cases. I could then sort the dies into different types.



The second... 


The third.


I will soon need another.

And here is a picture of them on my desk:

All in  row


As you see lots of die cut pieces of paper left over for other projects.

Sunday 27 April 2014

Blue and Purple

Butterflies and flowers

The base card was embossed, but not cut, using the Spellbinders Picot Edge Circle die. Using masks the embossed shape was coloured using shaded lilac and tumbled glass distress inks.

The flower stamp is from the Dylusions "how to grow your garden" set and is coloured with faded jeans, dusty concorde and olive green distress inks.

The butterflies are die cut from centura pearl card using the HOTP butterflies dies.

The sentiment is from the Clearly Handstamped set.

I am entering the card into the following challenges:

Less is more sketch challenge

Charisma Cardz Purple & Blue challenge

Saturday 26 April 2014

Handmade flowers

A profusion of flowers

Its that time of year when the flowers in the garden are beginning to show and you can see the promise of summer (if we get one!).

The above card is made using the HOTP a tree for all seasons die. The flowers on the tree and the larger ones are all from the Sizzix Tim Holtz Tattered Flower Garland strip - cut from various odds and ends which I had lying around - and decorated with gems.

A bit of matting and layering for the background using some centura pearl card.

Finished off with a tag from the Spellbinders Back to Basics Tags and a stamp from the Clearly Hand stamped set.

I am entering this card in the Crafty Cardmakers A profusion of Handmade flowers challenge.

Saturday 5 April 2014

A Touch Of Turquoise

Easter card

A simple card for Easter. I made to templates from two separate sizes of Spellbinders label one dies. Using the smaller "hole" I inked through with Tumbled Glass distress ink. I removed the mask and placed the larger "hole" over the first one and inked through again to get the two tone effect. The sentiment is from a set of circle sentiments from Lily of the Valley. The butterflies are a Fiskars punch. A bit of stickles added for a bit of bling.

Are you ready for your close up?


I am entering this in the Less is More Colour challenge 166.