Little chicken

Happy Easter to everyone who visits my blog this week!

This is my virtual Easter card just for you.

Isn't it the simplest and cutest little chicken ?

I spotted a card on pinterest made by Sharon Burkett and I simplified the design down to this.

 My little chicken is made using the 1 3/8 inch (that's 3.5cm) circle punch and the bird punch (wings) with Daffodil Delight card stock.

My background is a technique called masking. Where you punch out two scallop circles and use them as a mask while you sponge a soft blue ink. Gradually moving the scallop masks downwards till you cover the page with fluffy white clouds.

Card Recipe:

Stampsets - Teeny tiny sentiments, Nature walk

Cardstock - Certainly celery, whisper white, Daffodil Delight, Concord Crush, Poppy parade (for the beak and legs) I was using up paper from my scraps box.

ink - Baja Breeze, Concord Crush

punches - 3.5cm circle, two step bird, Word window

and scallop circle for the cloud mask

big shot - Adorning accent edgelit

ribbon - Daffodil Delight stitched

Honey comb embossing folder meets nature walk

This card is one I dreamed up in my head as soon as I saw that honey comb embossing folder in the Seasonal mini catalogue. It is Autumn atlast the bees have been and gone from our garden. And I am noticing a few Autumn leaves on the footpath when we walk to and from school each day.

The honeycomb embossing folder is going to be a favourite.

The bee is from Nature walk (on page 79 of the main catalogue).

The honeycomb embossing folder is really easy to cut patterned paper (after its been embossed) as the embossing is very deep and pronounced. It looks great if you emboss some of our Core'dinations cardstock and sand the surface to reveal the lighter coloured core.

Middle of Spring ATCs for Crafters Anonymous

 Each season this year a group of lovely ladies have swapped Artist Trading Cards with me

featuring the Four Seasons in Australia.

The ATCs are always due in the middle of each season.... so this is my Spring ATC.

Inspired by the swarm of bees buzzing around our front garden.

 ATC Recipe:

Stamp sets: Simply soft, Nature walk (bee).

Cardstock - Concord Crush, Naturals Ivory.

Ink: Concord Crush, Wisteria Wonder, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Lucky Limeade.

Dazzling diamonds, 2-way gluepen.

Big Shot, Striped embossing folder,

Aquapainter, sponge.

Nature walk and the Botanical gazette

 

The "Nature walk" stampset is another favourite from the Autumn/Winter mini catalogue.

There are 7 stamps in the set featuring the realistic natural designs you would find in a vintage botanical gazette or nature magezine.

At Melbourne Convention, Sophie Zadeh from Stampin up demonstrated this card. I love how the cage hangs from the top of the page and is collaged with the Elements of style roses.

 Tenealle Williams made this gorgeous card on stage at Convention. She has lightly sponged the Bird and cut it out, layering it over a circle and sponged it all to perfection.

 On the display boards in Melbourne were beautiful tags, cards and projects combining the botanical gazette paper and stamp images in trendy colours like Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive.

 Vintage Style stamping is all about torn edges and layering of patterns and papers.
Dont you also love the amazing way that the bevelled window frames the stamped image!

 I love the vintage style of these images that you can change the style of just by stamping in different colours and adding a textured border.

 Vintage Easter cards in Melon Mambo and... 

...another example of  Masking on the above Thank you card.

I will certainly miss this stampset and Designer series paper.

Fabulous Folds - Nature walk card

These are the kind of rich colours that resonate with me:
Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, combined with vanilla cardstock and River Rock (because like Sahara Sand, River Rock also goes with everything!).

 Fold them into a zig zag fold and you have an interesting and attractive card for any occasion.
This one is so simple to do (Yes you noticed it has a bit of Big shot embossing on there) for texture.

 I have also used the crimper for texture behind the taffeta ribbon and the Eyelet border punch for the edge of the turned back piece.
The Little labels are punched and then stamped with "Youre a Gem" stamps
Love Life, Live Life ...

Spinner card with Crafters Anonymous!

Each Monday night I attend an online class with Crafter's Anonymous

 ... its for people who have an obsession with crafting

 Monday is stamping and card making night - we made a Spinner card.

A very easy way to make a fun and interactive card.

 Materials needed to make this card:

Card front (A5) in Early Espresso Cardstock

A piece of patterned paper (I've used the Designer series paper: Botanical Gazette, stamped with the matching stampset: Nature Walk)

Word window punch

2 x 5 cent coins, dimensionals, sticky strip and stamps, punches and ink to embellish with.

 When you tilt the card to the side, the label, attached to the spinner,

 spins to the right and then back to the left... an attention getter for sure!

I used the Stamp sets: Bring on the cake, Nature walk.

Stampin up markers: Marina Mist and Pretty in Pink

The large oval punch and the Decorative Label punch, also behind the spinner I used the
 1" circle punch.

With a piece of the luscious Marina Mist taffeta ribbon on the corner for a bit of balance.

And I cut out my stamped hand with the ever incredibly sharp "paper snips".
Hope you like this one - Enjoy!!!!

CASEing that gorgeous little bag that Jenny made.

I so loved the square shopping bag that Jenny Adams sent me I just had to have a go at CASEing it. (That's Copy And Share Everything: CASE).

 My version is in Cherry Cobbler cardstock and Nature walk Designer series paper.

It's a gorgeous little bag (or is it a box?).

Made with an A5 piece of cardstock (21cm x 12cm).

Scored at 3cm, 10cm, 13cm and 20cm, (leaving a 1cm edge to seal the box)

Then turn and score at 3cm from the bottom edge.

If that doesn't make sense, send me an email and I will give you detailed instructions. You can make nearly any shaped box by varying the score lines.

This one is so textured because I ran it through the

Big shot machine

 using the Vintage Wall paper embossing folder.

The Enjoy is from the new "Youre a Gem" stampset in the Autumn Winter mini and the Paris stamp is from the "French Folliage" stampset.

The miniature paper daisy has been sponged with Cherry Cobbler ink and has a rhinestone in the centre and the handles are made with chocolate chip taffetta ribbon.

It looks even better when you fill it with chocolate!

Botanical Gazette

 This designer series paper is like leafing through a vintage book of botanical pictures. I love vintage in a modern style with the birds and plants, bees and butterflies that are lovely images to work with.

The Botanical Gazette patterned paper coordinates with a stampset called Nature walk. My daughter has already sent out some cards with the eggs for Easter.
The colours in the paper are Old Olive, marina Mist, Cherry Cobbler, Not quite navy, Early Espresso, so saffron and Vanilla.

I think these will be very versatile: its warm, its muted, real and natural.
To give my card a feminine twist I added the new Framed tulips embossing folder on Blushing Bride coloured Cardstock.

 I water coloured the flowers on the paper with marina mist and Old olive inks, then added the crystal effects on top to give a glossy dimensional lift.

 So much on this card. Note the new Decorative label punch that can be used in a variety of ways to make frames for our sentiments.

And lastly, I have used the Boho Blossom punch flowers to make the Vanilla, Marina Mist and Blushing bride flower with some sponging and a pearl for its centre.

Card Recipe:

Paper: Botanical Gazette (12 double sided sheets) $16.95

Cardstock: Blushing Bride, Marina Mist,Very Vanilla

Ink: Marina Mist, Old Olive.

Tools: Decorative label XL punch $33.95, Boho Blossom punch,Word window punch.

Big shot machine $179.95, Framed Tulips embossing folder $15.95

Crystal effects $11.95, half backed pearl jewells, sponge.

Nature walk in luxury

Fresh from the new Autumn catalogue:  the Nature walk patterned papers and a stampset with six beautiful botanical style images of a bird, bee, flowers, eggs and a butterfly.

 I have stamped in Concord Crush and Pretty in pink ink....

They are such stylish images I have added the "lap of luxury" designer paper at the base of the card with a bit of sponging around the edges.
Can you pick the other two new products used on this card?

A new Decorative Label punch that fits the scalloped oval into it perfectly.

And a new Big shot embossing folder called Framed tulips.

Autumn is here with a new mini catalogue!

It's here!  the Autumn Winter mini catalogue runs from 1st of April until 31 July 2011.

Just click on the photo above to see an electronic copy of the mini catalogue.

If you'd like a paper version just email me and I will put one in the post for you.

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There are two new hostess sets for you to choose when you host a workshop.

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If you like to coordinate your stamps, your patterned paper,buttons and trim with a sewing theme you are going to love the Sew Suite.

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If youre into chocolate there is Eat Chocolate.

You can create your own Cupcakes with a new punch and  stampset! 

And then take a Nature walk to burn it off.

 Nature walk comes with matching designer series paper in gorgeous Marina mist, Cherry cobbler,Not quite navy and Old olive.
Big shot  fans will love the new Framed tulips embossing folder...

I will be back to show you the French Foliage cards I have made... Autumn is a wonderful time of year to be inking.

Send me an email Nerida_carter@hotmail.com if you would like a mini catalogue posted to you, or leave a comment to tell me your favourite stampset or product.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.