Crafty As L

The brief for my Visible Image DT post this week was to make shaped card and to use stencils.   My last post used stencils to do embossing but this time, I’m using them in their traditional role.   For the shaped card base, you can use almost any shape and layering die sets are particularly useful for this. To begin, I selected two dies for each card, one for the card base and the other for the decorative panel. I cut the heart panel and blended Wild Honey and Picked Raspberry Distress Inks through the Entwined Butterflies stencil and set it aside to dry. For the next panel, I blended Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink through the Lava stencil. The next stencil, The Cat’s Whiskers was placed over the top and Gathered Twigs Distress Ink blended through the gaps. After peeking under the stencil, the cat’s face didn’t seem to stand out enough so I went over the face using texture paste in black for the face and gold for the eyes. Once the pastes were dry, I outlined t...

For my latest Visible Image Design Team post, I had free-rein so decided to revisit another way to use stencils that I’ve not used for a long time.   I like being able to stretch my stash and being able to dry-emboss a stencil gives a whole new look. To emboss a stencil requires an additional bit of kit – check your machine’s accessories.   I’ve got a Sizzix Big Shot and I used an Impressions mat together with a silicone rubber mat in the following configuration: impressions mat – silicone mat – card – stencil – cutting plate I flipped it over so the cutting plate was on the bottom and ran it through the Big Shot. Here’s a close-up of the embossed panel using Squared stencil.   It’s not deeply embossed but it's definitely textured. Next, I trimmed a bunch of squares of white card in various sizes and stamped the focal images onto them, clear heat-embossed and coloured with alcohol markers.   The images are from Little Ladybirds , Bee Happy , Antisocial But...

For my Visible Image Design Team post this week, I’m sharing the card I made for my very dear friend who was awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours list this year.   As well as being a talented crafter, she also founded Project 71, a support group for WW2 veterans and the award is in recognition of this.   Lorie has worked tirelessly raising funds, organising events and marshalling her band of volunteers and the award is very well deserved.   I’m very proud of her. She was presented with her medal a few weeks ago and had a little shin-dig to celebrate with the volunteers and show off the medal. Lorie likes autumn colours and also knitting so I decided to use these as my inspiration.   I stamped the Birthday Balloons in orange and yellow tones of Distress Inks, spraying the ink on the stamp with a little water before stamping. The balloons were cut out with the matching dies and then some were decorated with the star and dots stamp in the set an...

It’s time for my Visible Image DT post and this week I’m sharing a card I made for the hospital ward staff who looked after my Mum when she broke her hip and needed surgery.   Mum has advanced Alzheimer’s and the staff treated her with kindness and dignity which I really appreciated. For the background, I had a piece of inky mop-up lying around on my desk.   I can’t remember what I used on it but it’s a combo of yellow and green with some gold metallic on it too. Using the Rotation stencil and Mowed Lawn Distress Ink, I added some stencilling in patches around the panel. I clear heat-embossed the daisy from Daisy Days and fussy cut.   I used the solid petal stamp partially inked and Weathered Wood Distress Ink to add a little colour to the petals.   I used the solid circle to add colour to the centre but decided instead to stamp the flower centre on the little off-cut of inky background and cut that out. To make some stamens for the flower, I wound some ver...

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...

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...