Happy Birthday Tom

Hi again, the summer holiday has meant that I have neglected my blog for a bit. Tom has 10 weeks off school, and at the beginning it loomed ahead of us - can you believe now that he only has 10 days left. He can't and the thought makes him very glum.
I do remind him howver of the fun we have had visiting friends in Wales. A fantastic time in Spain with Grandparents, and now his birthday tomorrow and a week in Mallorca to top it all off. Not bad going really is it ?!!!

Anyway to the subject in hand, this is a quicky post because we are off to the airport in a few hours and I realised that I had not made Toms birthday card. snorkelling is his main topic of conversation this summer, but unfortunatly I have nothing related. So a beachy surfing theme was the next best thing, and I am pleased with how it turned out. Being 10 (arghh into double figures) he thinks he is all grown up, so hopefully this will help him on his way out of younger boyish things.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM xxx

Memory Book

Cricut Imagine Cartridge - Elise & Country Carnival

Chipboard book from stash

Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Crackle Paint - Milled Lavender

Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Milled lavender

Embellishments from stash

This project was originally goingto be a monogram birthday card for my friends daughter, but as you see it developed into a memory book spelling out the name. It is a project that I have been hoping to do for a while now, and this was the ideal opportunity.

I painted the chipboard pages initially with kaisercraft eggshell paint, then coated the outside edges with the distress crackle paint, giving it a lovely lilacy glow. The crackles of the paint were accentuated with the co ordinating distress ink in the Tim Holtz range.

The lettering is from the Cricut Imagine cartridge Country Carnival and I managed to transfer the patterns from the Elise cartridge, for a really pretty girly colour pallette.

Each page has a space for journalling for my friends daughter to record memories of best friends, family, special times, and favourite things.

I apologise that the quality of the photos are not great, I am in the process of learning, and for some reason these just did not work. I am really aiming to improve.

Thanks for taking the time to look.

 

Blue Cameo Card

 

Cricut Imagine Pattern Cartridge - Elise

Cricut Cartridge - Heritage

 

This card originally came about because I designed the flourish frame on the Cricut Gypsy. I then continued with the Gypsy to ensure that all layers of central piece were in proportion with each other, before plugging it into the Cricut Imagine and cutting the elements from the patterned paper also printed on the Imagine. Using the pattern cartridge Elise, I could ensure the continuity of colour even though various patterns are used. I printed onto a lightweight, textured, off-white paper, and this gives a lovely soft vintage feel to the overall card.

To give the aged vintage feel, that I always associate with the era of the Cameo, I inked all paper edges with Tim Holtz Walnut stain distress ink.

Because I had printed onto a pliable paper I was able to make the rosette flowers with the gem centres.(I will post a demonstration of this next).

I have included 2 photos, because I am learning also how to get the best photos that make the most of the cards. I feel that the second photo is much better, having re-read the advice I was given by Dad and not using a flash. I still think the lighting is a bit bright, but there is a much greater sense of the dimension on the card.

Thanks for looking

Quickest Card Ever!

Kaisercraft paper for card base

Robotz Cricut Cartridge

JT Imagine Cricut Cartridge

This card is probably is the quickest card I have ever made - but I like it, and Tom was pleased with it on first impression and happy to give it to his friend.

Having had a busy day, a Tom going to a party after school, I made it in 10 minutes. Thanks in all honesty to the Cricut Imagine - I was able to print and cut all the robot layers at once (so no swapping lots of bits of paper). I also have to admit to finishing in the car, adding the peel offs and placing the robot on the front - hence the photo taken in the car !! (giving a hint of the absolutely terrible weather we have had today - so where is summer?)

So - a question - Does it look like the quickest card I have made, or does it just about work? hehe

From my Niece - Elena

This is a card that my 6 year old niece Elena, made for her Dad on Fathers Day. It is all her own work, with a tiny bit of help from Mum to tie the yellow ribbon. Its a beautiful card Elena well done xxx

I set Elena a little fun challenge to make some of her cards for me to here on the blog. Elena has quite a stash of card making goodies herself now, rubberstamps inks, cutting and embossing dies for her cuttlekids machine plus loads of paper, glitter, ribbons etc etc. So I shall look forward to seeing more of her creations.

Finally # 3 - From Me

I really enjoyed making this for Dad, I was able play around with my stamps and inks, the creating that I really enjoy.
Apart from the tiny background newspaper print (printed from the Imagine country carnival cartridge), and the text on this card, it is all stamped and inked.

I was naughty a couple of weeks ago and succombed to another set of Tim Holtz stamps (well they were in the sale and it would have been rude not to !!?!), and I put them to good use here, the bike, clock face and chequered numbers had a vintage London feel to them - perfect for Dad.   The London theme of course, not the vintage......how could you think such a thing ! hehe (only joking Dad x)

I used the faux herringbone stitched ribbon rub-ons in the background (that was a mouth full).
I made the scrolls in the cluster around the photos and stamped and embossed in copper the padlock and key.

Really love those stamps, so keep an eye open, they may crop up some more!

Thanks for looking, bye.

With Toms help...

For some reason this card didn't photograph particularly well, and looks much better in real life.
I didn't stamp the bottom images very well, i applied too much pressure so they aren't as crisp as they should be. But I persevered because Tom created the lovely background with distress inks for me when he was playing and making his Fathers Day card.

Thanks Tom, the colours are perfectly me (and my blog, and my kitchen, and bar stools and kitchen blinds......well you get the picture ! hehe)