Card Club

No cards in this post but some photos and an explanation for my card club ladies.

This was taken standing on the beach, very close to the Leisure Centre, can you see it?


In fifteen years of running card club I've only cancelled due to the weather on a handful of occasions. This morning was one of those.

I woke up at 5:30am, looked out of the window - freezing fog. My husband has to leave for work at 6:30am hence the early wake-up, he said the cars were thick with ice.

I need to walk the dog for at least an hour before I leave for club, that was my main problem this morning, Fletcher the dog did not want to go out! So as the time crept on I had to decide what to do, I can't leave him for over three hours unless he's had a good walk first.

So I am really sorry ladies but I had to cancel.

Eventually, the pooch got fed up of being indoors and we headed out to the beach. Thick fog and freezing cold still. All I could hear was foghorns and it was pretty creepy to be honest. The beach is just behind those bushes, I see it every day, not this morning. 

Funnily enough at this point Graham text me from work to say there was bright blue sky there and how was it at home? So I didn't want anyone to think I was skiving off for no reason, just shows how the conditions can change within a few miles.

Hopefully you're all cosy and warm and busy crafting at home. See you next week.

Varied Vases

Apologies for the poor colours here, in real life this is bright and zingy (SU colours Coastal Cabana, Lemon Lime Twist and Bermuda Bay)

Everything I've used on this card is Stampin' Up!
It's an offset gatefold, I've cut a piece of A4 in half lengthways and then scored at 4 1/8" and 10"

Just For You

Thought I'd have a go at a Double-Dutch card. I found some instructions on Mixed Up Crafts, a really good site for paper crafting tutorials, very clear explanations and easy-to-watch videos.

I used papers by Phill Martin, the sentiment stamp is by Stampin' Up! Butterfly dies are Impression Obsession.

Butterfly Frame

Thought I'd test some of my card club ladies with this one. I have an on-going joke that I only make easy cards so this one has a few more steps than usual.

I used a cream hemp effect card and stamped it with SU En Francais.  The butterfly stamp is by Indigo Blu, I stamped and then embossed with black powder. I coloured it with Cosmic Shimmer gilding polish that I'd watered down to make a sheer wash.

I used an Elizabeth Crafts die to make the 3-D frame, first time I'd used it and was pleased with the effect.
Pebeo gilding wax was then dabbed sparingly around the frame and also round the edge of one of the mats, it looks gold now but started off as tan card. Sentiment die by Tim Holtz.

The finished card is 7 x 7 inches.

Quilted

One of my ladies, Coleen, is an amazing quilter. She made each member of my club a quilted Father Christmas bottle topper plus a neat little lavender sachet. I cannot even sew a button on so am in awe of her skills.

For Coleen's birthday I decided to make her a quilted style card. I used some patterned paper from Hobbycraft with hexagon dies by Spellbinders.
The sentiment has been cut four times, layered, and coated with Glossy Accents then sprinkled with glitter.
Finished card is 8 x 8 inches.

Paper Boutique

In my previous post I mentioned being glad to see the back of 2018...we managed to fit in another A&E visit.

I also mentioned Paper Boutique, here's the last of the Christmas cards I made.

Paper Boutique

I'll be glad to see the back of this year.

I thought I had plenty of time left to make Christmas cards for my club ladies but a car accident put paid to that. Endless phone calls to insurance/ hire/ repair companies meant I had to rustle up something quickly.

I had, fortunately, already bought some paper pads with matching toppers by Paper Boutique. I'm not normally a fan of toppers but I really liked these (maybe fate was giving me a hint?).

I just added glitter, scraps of ribbon etc and tried to make each one slightly different.

I'm still driving the hire car and unlikely to get mine back before well into the New Year however just very grateful not to be injured at all (hit by a flat-bed truck at 70mph!)

Forest Frame

A couple more cards using the Sizzix Forest Frame die.
I've changed the colour scheme each time but always used pearlescent white card and added lots of Glamor Dust glitter.

The lilac and purple was my favourite until I made the navy and red version. It's a darker navy than shown here and is pearlescent too, I've added red glitter to the hearts.
Each card is 8 x 8 inches.

Christmas Wreath

I've had this circular ribbon die for absolutely ages but had never got round to using it until a few weeks ago.
It's by Marianne, again I'm not sure what make the sentiment die is (Crafter's Companion maybe?)

I'm on a mission to use up old stash and I had several packets of price-reduced red card blanks so the gatefold card was made using two of them. I cut three inches off the front of each one then glued the cards back-to-back.
I had scored some simple lines on the card front but it looked too plain so added the die-cut snowflakes, die is by Crafter's Companion.

Forest

I love this die, it's Forest Frame by Sizzix.
I did debate whether to buy it or not as I felt it was a bit limited in how I could use it, I'm glad I did though.

The die's quite large, it just fits in a Cuttlebug/ Big Shot.
Card here is 8 x 8 inches. I've printed my own sentiment and added lots of Glamor Dust and that's about it really.

Cinnamon Wreath

A recent project at the club
We used 7 x 7 card blanks and folded the front back on itself, adding a red layer inside.

Wreath die is by Tonic
Can't remember who makes the sentiment die (I really must start writing these things down, I do keep meaning to catalogue my dies...)

Birthday

Papers are very old Chatterbox
Flower dies from ebay
Large birthday die is by Crafter's Companion
Happy die is (I think) Clearly Besotted

60

One of my lovely ladies has just celebrated her diamond wedding anniversary, an amazing achievement!

I used Cricut 'Songbird' to cut the numbers from white shimmer card.
The patterned paper is by K & Co and I used a glue pen and Glamor Dust to highlight the pattern, also round the edges of the numbers.
Metal hearts are from Docrafts.

Noel

A project we made at card club recently. A plain kraft wine bag decorated with white shimmer card embossed with a Sue Wilson A4 folder.
Alphabet is from ebay (just search for 5cm alphabet dies to find similar)

Then a card to go with it.
The star embossing folder is by Crafter's Companion. We embossed it twice on the white shimmer card and once on silver mirri, the straight edges of the star make it really easy to cut the star out to layer up.
Since making the one shown here I have bought a matching snowflake die that fits perfectly in the centre of the star, also Crafter's Companion.

After embossing we added plenty of Glamor Dust.

I'm hoping to be able to get into regularly crafting and blogging again soon. My dear dad had an accident a couple of months ago and with one thing and another I've simply had no free time.

A bit scary to realise how close we are to Christmas!

Bow Card

Bow card made with Dovecraft/ Trimcraft papers and a Phill Martin sentiment stamp.
The card is simple to make but involves lots of cutting out!

80

I haven't had any time for crafting recently but couldn't not make my mum an 80th card.

I wanted to use colours other than pink/ purple/ lilacs so decided to use copper and brown for an Autumnal feel.

The card is 8 x 8 inches and the background paper I've used is Stampin' Up!
Number dies are from eBay, I cut four times and layered them up before adding Glossy Accents and just a touch of chunky glitter.
Letter dies are by Tonic, other dies are Spellbinders.

Birthday Wishes

Papers are by Graphic 45
Flowers from Hobbycraft
I think the die is Tonic
Card is 8 x 8 inches

Nativity

Nativity stamp by Woodware
I've used Colour Cloud inks for the background. Inspired by a card on Pinterest.

Let It Snow

The start of this year's Christmas cards!

I've used a sentiment die from Lawn Fawn with snow-foiled acetate by Hunkydory
Deer/ tree die from eBay.
The acetate layer has been cut larger than the mat it sits on and scored each side to give a bowed effect.

Kath

Card made for one of my lovely ladies, Kath.

Papers are by Graphic 45
Embossing folder is SU
Alpha dies by Tonic