Happy birthday Mum

For all the fancy folds and techniques and papers we have- sometimes the best creations are those simple ones.
I love this card that Stephen made for the him and Tom to give to nanny for her birthday.  Stephen chose all the elements, and embossed the card himself (he is only 4 and can use the cuttlebug), after he coloured in the character from one of his favourite TV programmes, octonauts.

Here is Stephen using the cuttlebug, in a true crafters style, spread out all over the floor !!



Extended Folded Frame Card

As a follow on to the last post, explaining how to make the folded frame - here is the original card, that prompted me to detail the instructions.

As a theme, I have tried to picture the seasons, using Tim Holtz distress inks and images from Clarity Stamps. The paper is from Tim Holtz Idealogy range, Vintage Shabby (again, can you tell I'm a fan ), and was perfect for this project.
 Because these paper stashes have been put together to incorporate all the paper popular paper sizes used in paper craft - the co-ordinating patterns where available in the sizes I needed. 12x2" for folding, 6x6" for the insert and hinge, and the ATC sice (3.5x2.5") to create the seasonal topper.

Here is how the card came together as whole, from the beginning

Basics put togther first, and then inked with Victorian Velvet distress ink, to unite all pages.

Toppers where created using various distress inks and Clarity Stamps

These were the basic components for each seasonal theme, before being assembled on the page.

Hope you like it, and fancy having a go yourself. It really is quite straightforward once you get going.

Folded Frame Card

I have been busy trying something different, and working on some special projects for special people, and will share in time, so as not to spoil any surprises.

I used stamps in this project that I have had for years and with promarkers they have been given a new lease of life. I am really pleased with the colouring, and discovered that it is so true, that if you get the right paper, shading with the promarkers just sort of happens.

I had the idea to try this because I caught the end of a show on Create & Craft with Mel Heaton, who created a beautiful sample and had just demonstrated how to make it.
As I only caught the very end of the demonstration and saw her final creation, I set about working out how to make it - it took me an evening (and many sheets of scrap paper).

I was quite chuffed with the results and it is another unusual idea for a mini album/scrapbook. Its also a great idea for a really special birthday for someone
I have attempted here to explain how it is made, because honestly it is not as complicated as it looks.

Take a piece of square paper and score at the 1/4 intervals, both horizontally and vertically. So for this 12x12 sheet, the score lines are at 3", 6", 9" & 12".  Score also the diagnal lines as shown.
 It is worth scoring all lines on both sides of the paper, with a bone folder, to help with the folding later on.

If you are using a double sided sheet of paper, set the paper down on the table with the pattern you would like to be seen, table side down.
Fold down each corner to the first diagnal fold, and for the purpose of this explanation I have stuck these corners but there is no need. Also I have labelled each 1/16th (individual squares) to try and help the folding process coming next.

Set the paper with the folded corner at the top, and the labels in the configuration above. If you have scored and folded on both dised of the paper the next folds will happen easier - manipulate the folds so that the 2 triangles labelled 'A' lay down covering square 'B'.  The contrasting colour of triangle 'C', will be facing upwards.
See the next photo so show how you paper should look at this stage.

You should be at this stage, having made the folds at the first corner.
Move the paper round and fold each corner in the same way. Ensuring that the 2 'A' triangles fold downwards onto their corresponding 'B' square.

Your paper should look like this after 2 corners have been folded.

When you have folded all 4 corners, your paper should be looking something like this.

When flat make sure all folds are crisp with a bone folder and this will help the paper keep its shape. it will not lay completely flat at this stage and it may be worth putting it to one side with a weight on top (I put mine under my glass mat) to carry on to the next stage.

Measure and cut a square of contrasting cardstock that is just a few millimetres smaller that the square shape of the folder paper. Insert this square under the corners of the folded piece, in a 'photo corner' kind of fashion. It is this that will make the whole piece keep its shape and hideaway the folds in the centre.

So that you can make a double folded frame (as below), you will need to make a hinge. Measure the length marked 'x' in the photo, and use that measurement to cut a square of co-ordinationing cardstock.
Make 2 score lines, about 0.5mm apart, either side of the point to point diagnal line. Again make the score lines crisp with a bone folder.

Insert the hinge within the folds of each folded frame, so that it is almost hidden. With the frames in front of you you will see where the hinge needs to sit, and give you the double frame as below.

Well done if you have reached this stage. You can go on to create another 2 folded frames and hinges to give you 4 hinged frames. You can link as many folded frames togther as you require. Work in multiples of 2 so that you will always have a from and back.

This design is a lovely way to display multiple photographs, or sample of stamp sets or even tell a story. The possibilites are endless and a lovely way to use the gorgeous 12x12 scrapbook papers you have collected.

Why not use 8x8 papers that are available to make little handbag sized albums as gifts, or a lovely reminder for you to carry holiday snaps.

I hope I have managed to explain this for you in a clear way, and you enjoy making something different.

Pink Ribbon - Hope

As it is Breast Cancer awareness month, I wanted to share a couple of cards that I have made. It is such a worthy cause, and when you speak to people you realise how many people are touched by this. The constant awareness and advances in research are making the lives of those affected so much more helpful.

These are a bit of a departure for me, as these cards are the first I have made with a digital stamp. I have to say thank you to Deena who drew these beautiful images and tempted me away from my conventional stamps. Check out her blog, it is a beautiful and offers me lots of inspiration. Deena will kindly be donating funds from the sale of this image to cancer research.

I thought this image was very feminine and very pretty.

Thank you for looking,

Silver Birch and sentiment

Just a quick card with a new set of Clarity stamps that arrived this week. I have been practising alot with the brayering technique that Barbara Gray teaches and demonstrates. I follow the online lessons that she gives and thoroughly enjoy them and learn so much in a relatively short space of time.

 I am hoping that with practice it will become almost second nature to me because the effects that it is capable of producing are stunning. So as I was saying, if I keep practicing I'm hoping that I can start to develop a style of my own and give all of my stamps a new lease of life.

Having said that however the range of designs available from Clarity Stamps is gorgeous and I'm sure a few here and there will be added to my collection (I currently have my eye on a carousel horse !)

I hope you like my efforts so far, and thank you for popping by to look.