Popcorn Passions

I made this card using a "Crafter's Companion" cd rom - "popcorn romance". Popcorn is a gorgeous little teddy, that's been used for cross stitch for years and recently they started their range of knit-able soft toys. Around eight months ago "Crafter's Companion" did a triple disc set of popcorn for birthdays, then another set at Christmas and for valentine's day a romance set.I used the images in "My Craft Studio" and changed the colour to brown (it was various colours before). You can't see from the photo, but the contrast background paper has little horseshoes on it. I cut the backing papers diagonally, mounted the sized pieces onto gold mirri card and added thin gold peel offs for that luxurious feel. I used 1" wide ribbon around the bottom mount.Then for the top, I used nesty petite scallop circle in gold mirri card and mounted it to the card with 3d foam. Then I added the decoupage to the die cut circle and added each layer with silicone glue. I prefer silicone glue for decoupage that has a natural element, so people, animals and flowers for example wouldn't be flat in actual life, so to make them look more real, I shape each layer of the decoupage, by using silicone, I get just the right depth and shape I need, that I wouldn't be able to get if I used 3d foam pads. However each product has it's uses, for pyramage/invertage and my mats/layers, I use 3d foam pads.

Then I added a peel off greeting and a few gold gems, I made an insert to match and rounded the corners, like I did the main card. Rounding corners not only gives the card a more professional finish, but can help soften the look of a card, which is great for ladies and romantic cards alike.

A little late in the day for me, be back tomorrow.
Thanks for popping in.
Tracie x

Elegant Engagement

At Christmas my niece and her boyfriend announced their engagement. So I could wait to make a card for them.I made the topper, insert and papers on "My Craft Studio", then printed them all out onto photo paper for good quality images. On the topper, insert and design paper, I used a sakura glitter pen to highlight the flowers. I used small prima flowers with gold gems on the topper and mounted it onto gold mirri card.

To make the card I used cream ribbon tied in a bow and wrapped around it around the design paper on mirri card. Then added the topper on top. A three layer butterfly in various colours and sprayed with glitter, with gems for its body. And an extra few gems to add dimension next to their names.
Hope you've had a great day.
Tracie X

Pyramage Passion

Today's card ended up totally different to what I had planned, maybe because I had flu when I made it last week and my head wasn't totally with it. I just imagined it would look different somehow, anyway ...

This is another CD card made with "My Craft Studio" all designed on my PC and printed off ready to make. The background paper is one piece mounted onto gold mirror card and matted onto a black base card. The greeting was also matted onto gold mirror card. For the pyramage, I mounted the bottom layer onto mirror card and rounded opposite corners (just to be different). Then I added each layer with foam pads, the glittery effect on the pyramage was done using "Crafters Companion" - gold glitter spray (this took around 1 hour to dry). I finished the card with a couple of gold bows, hearts and a matching insert.As I said not what I thought it was gonna look like ... but I'm happy with the result.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tracie x

Sweetest First Kiss

I love Sarah Kay stamps, they take me back to my childhood. This stamp "first kiss" is so sweet, perfect for any age and many occasions.

I wanted to keep this card muted with a splash of a bright colour. I stamped the image with black stayzon and coloured it using whispers brush pens, then I embossed around the image with a gorgeous template I had cheap during a craft sale in my local store (it had no packaging ... so I don't know the manufacturer). I lightly tinted the embossing with pale green chalk, just to high light the embossing and then mounted it onto brown card and cut a thin border, just to lift the white from the cream layer beneath it. It isn't very clear on the pic, but the cream layer has been stamped with pale green hearts.I added a ready made greeting and pearly hearts from my stash. Used organza ribbon across the card, with a bow to match. The large flower is a poinsettia (a digi download from "fred she said"), but in this colour I think it can be used for any occasion. I shaped the flower with a ball tool, sprayed it with "crafter's companion" - silver glitter spray and used white seed beads in the centre. Punched some brown leaves, green branches and tiny white flowers and decorated around the card to add more interest.I think it turned out OK, it's maybe a little overworked ...
I've always had a problem knowing when to stop.

Happy crafting ladies.
Tracie x

Monochromatic Elegance

Today I've made a card for my cousin and her husband who are celebrating their 2nd wedding anniversary.
I've used decoupage with silver foiling and kept the card colours monochromatic (black, silver and white).

I did a main mat with white (swiss dots), then backed that with a narrow border of black and then silver. I rounded the corners, to give the card a softer look. Then I used my scallop nesties to make two mounts for the decoupage and greeting. I also diecut a ribbon slider, for the wedding anniversary number.I used the ribbon slider on white organza 1" ribbon and added a a double bow to match. Then I used some silver gems to finish the card.

Thanks for stopping by.
Tracie x

Guitar Hero

Hope you've all had a good day.
Today I've done a little cd crafting on "My Craft Studio" using the "Hollywood Greats Collection".

I started by making the insert and spiral Elvis pyramage, (to be truthful I had so much fun, it probably took me twice as long as it should have, I just couldn't stop playing). I thought it would be cool to make the front of the card in the shape of a guitar, so I also printed a background that looked like wood. Then using fiskars circle templates I cut an aperture in the card and insert, with red and black circles for the guitar.
Apart from that, it was just a case of cutting the shapes out, adding red cotton for the strings over the circle aperture and making up the pyramage.I really enjoyed making this card, it was fun. Happy crafting.
Tracie x

Anniversary Quickie

Today I have a real quickie ... I suddenly realised this morning that my friends wedding anniversary is today and I hadn't made a card!So I quickly went through my store of bought cards, that I keep when we have been sent them for our birthdays etc. I found this beautiful silver embossed heart and thought I would use it. I simply cut it out and matted it over some oil on water vellum torn gently and wrapped down the spine of the card, finished with a silver peeloff border on the back to hide the cut edge. Then I punched some flowers from the vellum, added silver gems and placed them on the heart. With a peeloff heart in the botton right corner, just to balance the card.

Quick, easy and simple, yet clean and elegant ...
and just in time, as she arrived just after I had put it in the envelope ... phew!

Enjoy your day.
Tracie x

For the Love of Lauren

I made this card for my son Ashley to give his girlfriend for valentines day. I used spellbinders labels 2 dies to cut out a single layer of decoupage and the outer frame. I simply added these to a 5" square card that I had swiss dotted. The frame was raised with foam pads.

I used quickutz metro alphabet for the love sentiment, cut from red to match (though on reflection it may have looked better in black, to balance the card a little better?) I used black silk flowers, with a silver finding and a brad in the centre, with the ash branches in yellow. I added a heart ribbon bow to complete the card.

Isn't young love sweet!

Tracie x

Rose Entwined Hearts

I made this card using the Keepsake Romance Board. I embossed the hearts on silver mirri card and interlocked them. I made paper roses using a quilling technigue and used my cuttlebug to diecut quickutz branch dies from white pearlescent paper the same as the grey paper used on the bottom half of the card. I then used burgundy organza ribbon to divide the front of the card added the hearts and used silver peeloffs for the names and greeting. To finish i added the roses and leaves.

Nice and simple ... to warm the heart.

Tracie x

Ruby Roses

This card was made for the a lady I work with to give to her hubby on their ruby wedding anniversary which made it a little more difficult to do ... men just don't do romance do they!

I went with masuline colours, obviously, but just did several layers of matting and layering of different colours and textures ... didn't want anything to pretty, but it still needed to be romantic.I added thick chunky knotted ribbon with beaded strung hearts, an entwined set of hearts (quickutz) mounted on gold mirri card and cut out, with a handmade rose embellishment and gold peeloff sentiment. With a matching personalised pillow box.

Tracie x

Breathless Passion

I adore this design, I've made so many variations of it, it simply ticks all the boxes for me.

It's incredibly easy, just layered wide satin ribbon over a card base, some prima flowers in contrasting colours layered and attached with a brad (you could quite easily use stamped flowers instead of silk ones), the ribbon is gathered and stitched under the flower corsage, which gives it the gathered look that shows really well on this card. On this particular project I made leaf branches using punched rose leaves and sugarcraft wire (three leaves per branch ... note to myself - must do tutorial). With pearl ribbon and a couple of pearl hearts ... this card to me is breathtaking and always warms the heart.
Tracie x

Quilled Wedding Bells

I don't know about you but I like to try different crafts within my card making, I've done several cards with quilling on and thoroughly enjoyed the end results. The quilling technique book I purchased had some gorgeous 3d examples in it that were stunning, so me being me I had to something 3d for myself.
These came about because I wanted something unique to give as a bridal gift. Blimey, they took forever, I worked out the first bell took me twelve hours and the second only eight, as I had already worked out the pattern with the first bell.

Every shape is hand quilled from 4mm wide white strips of paper and so are the ninety-six roses, forty-eight on each bell and then painstakingly glued together into the bell shape, which I did by using a sugarcraft bell mould, as a pattern to build around.

To help waterproof it, I sprayed them with paper varnish, the kind you can use on paintings to protect them.

I was pleased with them and everyone's response on the big day was of amazement, that I had made them, would I do it again ... probably not ... I'm to impatient, lol.

What do you think?

Tracie x

Bodacious Butterflies

So I'm new to blogging ... actually it feels a little strange, but Janet at Pink Gem Designs, said go for it ... so here I am ... if a little tentatively. It's taken me a few hours of playing to get the hang of what I should be doing and I should be ok ... I think?

I have so many photos of cards that I've made, I thought that I would post a few everyday for a while, so you can kind of get to know me and my card style.

I used the Keepsake Bookatrix Board to make this card. I embossed and cut out the three largest pages in different shades of card, I used a K & Co paper cut up for the top page. I edged each page with pearl trim and bound the pages together with a strip of the backing paper edged with the pearl trim.

I used K & Co stickers for the decoupage and daisy punch for the layered flowers. Then finished the card with three quickutz tags decorated to match and a couple of acetate butterflies.

I hope you enjoy visiting my blog, I have so many ideas ... I can't wait.

Tracie x

Romantic Roses

I made this card a while ago now, but as this is my first entry, I wanted to make it a special one.

I wanted to show you my crepe paper roses. My Mum is a sugarcrafter and it was her suggestion I tried to adapt her technique to paper. After much playing with different mediums I found crepe paper to be the best for roses, poppies and carnations (so far). The small white flowers are simply a mini flower punch threaded on to floral sugarcraft wire and taped together in bunches.

I made a double aperture card, with one oval larger than the other, both layers have 3d foam squares between them, so the card is roughly 2" deep, once the flowers are added on.

I will do a tutorial for the crepe paper roses at a later date.

I'm new to the blogging world, be gentle with me!

Tracie x