Crafty As L

It’s another exciting new release day over at Visible Image, this time to celebrate Hobbymaker’s birthday.   This new collection comprises four stencils and four stamp sets to cover you for cards for all kinds of life events.  You can shop the collection  here . For my card today, I’m using the Birthday Glow stamp set and I started by stamping and gold heat-embossing the large sentiment. After trimming the sentiment, I cut a 5¼” square of black card and marked in pencil where the sentiment would go.   This gave me the frame to work around whilst stamping and gold heat-embossing the row of candles. The row was perfect for the height but a bit short for the width of the sentiment so I had to repeat stamp, masking the area I didn’t want stamped with a sticky note.   I filled in the little gaps at the corner with my Versamark pen. To get the candle glow, I blended Delicata Golden Glitz ink over each flame using a small blending brush. Metallic waterco...

I’m continuing with my Anita Jeram fix this week but stretching my stash and using a Valentine’s stamp for a birthday card. As I was going to use alcohol markers to colour the mouse, I stamped with Versafine Onyx Black and clear heat-embossed. The mouse was then coloured quite simply and then die-cut with the matching die. I die-cut a filigree edged circle and a plain circle to mount the mouse on.   The circle seemed too plain so I repeat stamped the birthday sentiment from one of the other Anita Jeram sets in Versafine Clair Sand Dune ink. To provide a little subtle interest to a 5” square white card blank, I repeat stamped the mouse in the Sand Dune ink. The mouse and the circle were both attached using foam tape.   This card seems quite simple but it took me a while to get the balance right.

I’ve been looking through my stash lately and have rediscovered the lovely Anita Jeram stamps by Colorado Craft Company.   I enjoyed the colouring I did for last week’s card and needed an anniversary card so Lots of Love was just the ticket. As usual, I began by clear heat-embossing the image.   Whilst I do have a hybrid ink pad, which is suitable for use with alcohol markers, I prefer to heat-emboss. I used the package images for colour inspiration and then cut the bunnies out using the matching die.    Whilst I was at it, I stamped and clear heat-embossed the sentiment and cut that out, together with another three so I could stack them together. As this was an anniversary card, I decided on a shaped card and die-cut some hearts.   I stamped some hearts from an old Stampin’ Up! set around the white heart in ink to match. To make the card base, I die-cut two green hearts.   For the back one, I scored about ¾” from the top to make the hinge and trimm...

It’s time again for my Design Team post and I’m making a bright and bold spring birthday card.   To begin, I stamped and clear heat-embossed the large tulip from SketchedTulips , sprayed them with Distress Spray Stains and Spritzes and set aside to dry. For the background, I stamped a 5¼” square panel with the rest of the stamps in the set, using Versfine Onyx Black so that I knew it would be waterproof.   Putting the panel into my spray box, I used the same colours as above to add colour. Next for some texture, I used the new Logic stencil and applied Distress grit paste in areas around the panel.   Whilst the paste was still wet, I sprinkled on gold embossing powder and heat set, allowing the paste and powder to bubble up. For the topper, I gold heat-embossed the sentiment from Birthday Wishes .   I tore around the edges and dragged the edges through a Versamark ink pad and heat set with gold embossing powder.   I fussy-cut some of the tulips and glue...

This card was for a male friend’s birthday whose birthday is around pancake day.   This set is predominantly aimed at Father’s Day so it was good to use it for another occasion. To begin, I stamped the images from Colorado Craft Company Dad’s Cooking and clear heat-embossed them. The images were coloured using alcohol markers. Whilst there is a birthday sentiment on the set, I wanted something pancake related so decided on some hand lettering.   I sketched it out on my graph paper first and then traced it using my light box. The panel was matted on some corrugated blue card that matched the jacket and then mounted on a 5” x 7” card blank.   I stamped, coloured and die-cut another pancake which was attached using foam tape, adding some movement lines with a black fineliner.

It was Mr L’s birthday last month and rather than just buy him “stuff”, I bought him some things to do too – with me, of course! We’ve already enjoyed the Soulful Soundbath , which was a deeply relaxing experience accompanied by classical harp and Tibetan bowls and we’ve got to wait until December to see Kevin Bridges stand-up show.   The third activity that I bought was a pottery workshop to make a Green Man at Misty Ceramics studio.   If you don’t know what that is, the Green Man is an ancient figure, usually a face peering out of or composed of leaves, which symbolises nature, rebirth, and the cycle of seasons. On arrival, Karen gave us a quick briefing and showed us some examples that she’d made, then we were off.   We started by rolling out the clay and cutting out a circular base.   The wooden sticks were to ensure the base was a uniform thickness. The next stage was the most challenging for me – making a realistic face.   Fortunately, Karen offered b...