Fishy Favourites

I made this card for my nephew, he has an aquarium, so wanted to make a card that used fish but was still manly (as he's in his twenties) and so not to cute.With some die cut fish, that I've had forever, I used distress ink to tint the edges to give them an aged look. With the distressing ink I stamped some leaves onto some cream card. Mounted it onto some gold mirri and dark brown card, then attached it to the main card blank. In the centre I cut some letters to make his name, aged the edges the same as the fish and mounted them onto dark brown card with some gold border peel offs.I then added the fish (shaped for extra dimension) with silicone glue and some die cut leaves (quickutz). I used gold half crystals to re-create the stones from the aquarium floor. Then I added a scallop circle and greeting. I'm really pleased with the end result, I love how moody the card feels.

Happy crafting.
Tracie x

A For Adorable

Don't you just love making something that stretches your creativity?
I've had a go at decorating candles loads of times, but did the usual stamping on paper and wrapping it around the candle. This time I used some dimensional stickers. Previously I've avoided using stickers on candles as they lay flat and don't do much to inspire me, but these new stickers from "Anita's" are dimensional. They have parts of the sticker that aren't sticky ... so they only attach to your project in certain places allowing you to shape the bits that don't stick down ... totally cool.
I purchased two scented candles (one vanilla, one berry) and removed the wrapping. I added the dimensional stickers but shaped them so that they stood out from the candle. Unfortunately they didn't stick to the candle very well and had to use glue gel to stop them peeling away. Once this was done, I stamped my sisters name onto the candle with black stayzon (A is her initial too).Then I made a gift bag to match, but silly me forgot to take photos before I packaged the candles ... doh. I added some of the stickers to the gift bag and a gorgeous die cut butterfly, with a scallop circle monogram to finish. I'm really pleased with how adorable they look.

Crafty hugs.
Tracie x

Anya Antics

I made this card for my friends daughter who was turning fifteen ... a cute card but not childish was in order and Miss Anya suited this criteria perfectly. I stamped her several times with black stayzon and coloured her with whispers brush markers. Then I cut out the layers to make my own decoupage.Some gorgeous papers for the matting and layering, some fabulous little silk flowers, I found at a market, a die cut scallop circle with some dinky sweet gems glued down in swirls. Finally I used chipboard letters coloured pink to match the card covered in crystal lacquer.

A sweet card for an extra sweet teenager.

Back soon.
Tracie x

Booty-ful Bunny

For this card, I used a kit ... yes I know ... I don't do kits, but when I saw this one by "Kanban", I totally fell in love with the whole concept.
Why didn't anyone think of this before?

Basically, you get the front and back of the image ... how cool. Kanban have come up with a whole family of characters called the "patchwork pals". In the kits you get scenes, greetings, character sheets and cards and envelopes to boot. And the quality is second to none, anyway ... on this card everything except the gems, flowers, peel offs and ribbon comes from the kit.As you can see the bunny has a front and the rear of the bunny is on the inside of the card ... how cool is that. Easy peasy to assemble. I used spellbinder nesty scallop die cut for the verse (computer generated) on the inside to mimic the circle aperture in the card.I'm totally in love with these cute little characters. And ... why didn't anyone think of this before, I wish it had been me, don't you?

Thanks for stopping by.
Tracie x

Mother ... Like No Udder

I love this card, made for mother's day, but they didn't want flowers on the card but a farm animal. Unusual I know, but so much fun to play with.

The card was stamped using "Kanban - wobbler's" stamps, a great little set with matching paper pad, but for this card i made my own background by stamping the image several times with distress ink and water colouring them. Then I stamped and coloured the main image several times and cut out decoupage layers, built the image up and matted it into a nesty scallop circle, inside a circle cut out in brown card with a border punched along the right edge. Then i was just a case of adding ribbon and a peeloff butterfly.

Different, I'll admit, but O what fun.
Happy crafting and have a great weekend.
Tracie x

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

Gorgeous Greyhound

I love this card, it was really fun to make, Lots of playing on "My Craft Studio", to get everything the same colour and tints. The dog was originally grey so needed to change her to the tan the Anita's dog is. The dog was printed out onto "MCS" pyramage die cut paper, so it just needed popping out and building up with 3d foam pads.Apart from that it was just a case of printing everything out and matting and layering, with some gold mirri card. I added some ribbon knots and gems and made an envelope to match.

Happy crafting.
Tracie x

Candle Celebrations

I made this candle set for my sister's birthday in January.I diecut a spellbinders scallop & plain circles, stamped a "sarahkay" image into the plain circle and coloured her in with whispers brush pens. For the band around the candle I cut to rectangles and border punched each long edge and layered them on top of each other. I attached the band around the candle with silicone glue. Then I glued the stamped image to the band and used prima flowers, some ribbon and a plastic greeting tile.I made a box to match and decorated it with curly ribbon.

*Remember to stick a label on the box telling the recipient
to remove decoration ... if they wish to burn the candle.*
back soon.
Tracie x

All The Way To India

I enjoyed making this, it's not very often your asked to make a card for someone from a different culture. But the recipient of this card was spending Christmas in India and wouldn't be back here in the UK until after her birthday, which was between Christmas and New Year, so it needed to travel well.I wanted the card to reflect her cultural heritage and found some images on a cd from "my Craft Studio", the images were lovely and bright, just what i wanted. I printed out all the images, the backing paper was a tint of the original image of Indian deities. I cut the elephant out, decoupaged it and mounted it onto a nesty scallop diecut and highlighted the image with a sakura glitter pen. On the black mount I stamped some swirls with versamark and heat embossed with gold. A layer of pink, border punched with "martha stewart" arch, some flowers and organza ribbon and the card was done.

I made an insert to match using "MCS", with a lovely sentiment for birthday wishes across the miles.Thanks for stopping by.
Tracie x

Christening Shoe

I made it for my gorgeous great niece Lexie's christening. Wanting something different from the norm, I had seen this done on "SCS" and couldn't wait to try it. I cut the pattern out onto bazzil bling card in ivory and stamped onto it with pink die based ink and added glitter to the flowers. I followed the instructions to make the shoe up and added funky foam in bright pink for the sole. I used self adhesive braiding around the sole, to hide where it had been glued to the shoe, as it looked a bit messy. With a brad for the buckle and a few punched flowers and narrow (3mm) ribbon attached to the heel, the shoe was finished.I had to make a box from scratch, I added an acetate window, some punched border strips (martha stewart) around the base to emulate fencing, with grass and flowers to finish. I used quickutz die "pea pod" and nesties for a pretty embellishment and printed out the days details onto meltdust paper and heat embossed it using silver meltdust.I am really pleased with my first attempt, many more to come I think.

Hope your having a great day.
Tracie x

Winter Anya

Another digital download, this time from "The Greeting Farm",

aren't miss anya images just delicious.

I coloured her with whispers brush markers, wonderful colours easily blended and can be used as watercolours. A must have if like me you can't afford copics or promarkers.
I cut a rectangle border around her and did a doodle border around the edge and something for miss anya to stand on (so she didn't look like she was floating in mid air). Around the matt i used a spellbinders pendant die, cut loads and mounted them behind to add a pretty frame. Yet again I used a "FSS" poinsettia sprayed with glitter, with seed beads in the centre.

And finished with an organza bow.
Very simple, but then not every card needs to be intense to be fun.

Back later,
Tracie x

Santa's Little Helper

This card is using another cc designs downloadable image, I adore these cute little images. Again coloured with whispers brush pens and mounted onto an oval matt. I used spellbinders small pendant die to make the border around the oval. A glitter punched snowflake with a gem centre. Simply finished with an organza bow.A easy card with lots of impact.

Tracie x

Fight like a Girl

I've a friend at work who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and after seeing this image on splitcoast stampers, (a digi from whimsie doodles), I just had to make her a card.I used Fleur di lys spellbinder dyes and a ribbon with a flower and button, the image is coloured with whispers pens and I've added a few gems. Nothing more to say really.Just that all my hopes are with her.

Tracie x

Superhero Superpants

OK ... I've had requests for cards that I simply don't understand ... but this one had me giggling. When I was asked if I would be able to make it, I simply couldn't wait to get started. A little bit of research for the logo and colours and I was ready to plunge myself into the world of men's underpants.I used "colour my world" underpants template (same set as boobs & booties). I made the outer pants in red and did faux stitching around the edges, for the main fabric I used two shades of blue, a lighter one for the inside of the leg holes and a darker one for the main body. I used ink to tint the blue to make it look more like shaded fabric. I found a superman logo and printed it out the size I wanted onto card and used it as a template.Again I tinted the layers of the logo and added white sakura pen to highlight the it to make it look 3d. I then layered the pants onto yellow dotted card, tinted to match the underpants and added die cut stars. For the greeting/name, I used my cuttlebug to die cut my quickutz "metro" alphabet from yellow card and used butterscotch ink pad to tint the letters to match underpants and stars.
This card has been sooo much fun to make ...
and the response to it was fantastic.
Imagine the variations that are possible ... ummmmm.

With love
Tracie x

Cinder's Celebration

Every girls dream ... to grow up and be a princess and Katie is no exception. She loves all of Disney's princesses ... so naturally she had to have one on her card.

It took me weeks finding the decoupage on the Internet, but finally found a company that supplied them, thank goodness. The castle is made using a template by "Colour My World" (available from good craft stores/websites - UK company so not sure if available worldwide). I used three different types of card to make the castle (glitter/plain/patterned). Then added dots with a white sakura souffle pen to define the towers and white seed beads for the window sills.The front of the card is acetate, because I wanted it to look like Cinder's was standing away from the castle (I think it worked OK). Then I added a die cut sentiment and punched flowers to finish the card ... very girlie.

My sister used the same template to make a pink castle for a scrapbook page.
Happy crafting.
Tracie x

Wolf Wilderness

I love wolves and huskies, so when I was asked to make a card with wolves on ... I had to do it.This is another cd card, using "My Craft Studio", it just let's you manipulate any jpeg image and I'm addicted to this program ... I recommend everyone has this program, especially if your a little pc challenged.
I designed the whole card on my pc and printed out all the sheets. I did three images in different sizes and mounted them onto silver mirror card and layered them at different angles on the base card. I used my cuttlebug to diecut scalloped nesties and do some spirelli with black cotton, to tone in with the card. I added a greeting tag to finish.
Ever since I started using "My Craft Studio", I've become quite taken with making inserts and envelopes that match the outside of the card. And I've sold a lot more too.

Love to you all.
Tracie x

Champayne Celebrations

Turning 65 ... what a milestone for this guy. I've used this layout several times ... I simply adore it, so classy for a man too.I stamped the background using brown dye ink and water coloured using whispers brush markers. I mounted this layer onto gold mirri card and then onto the black base card. I used Arty Farty's celebration bottle template, cut out all the pieces in co-ordinating colours and layered the pieces together, then I just added some quickutz stars and ribbon.

I made a quick envelope box to match, very sophisticated for the older gentleman.

Back soon, take care.
Tracie x

Classic Christening

Good afternoon, Ladies ... well I've had a busy morning. My sister popped round for a cuppa and ended up having a go at stamping. She has recently started scrapbooking and caught the bug really quickly, so is now driving her family as mad, as I drive mine, lol.

So today I have made a christening card, using a Kanban, pyramage kit. The card that came with the kit, I cut up so that I will be able to get two cards from the one kit (typical crafter). I used three layers of the pyramage and placed it in the top right hand corner so that I could get some flowers on the spine. I added a chunky cream and gold bow to the card, with a ribbon slider cut from gold mirri with scallop nesties and a computer generated greeting. Then I wrapped the ribbon around the bottom of the gold card, before attaching to the main card.I didn't have any flowers in the right colour, so I made the flowers from some handmade paper using scallop nesties and cutting each circle into flower petals and shaped them with my Leone em tools. I finished the card with pearlescent blue ash branches.
Time for a cuppa tea ... phew! Enjoy your day, ladies.
Tracie x

Soccer Sensation

I don't know about everyone else but I just love school holidays! Mmmmm ... who am I fooling, the first couple of days a great and then they slowly start to become a nightmare. Now that mine are teenagers, you can imagine, boredom, bickering and the tiniest amount of friendship, the only thing they ever agree on is food and they seem to graze constantly. Well, we're half way through half term ... roll on monday!

Anyway back to today's card ...
I woke this morning to a text asking me to make a card today, for someone I work with, whose Dad's birthday is this weekend. Nothing like an urgent make to get the blood pumping.

As his Dad is a big Wolves fan and that they won promotion the the premiership next season, I thought that I would use this to my advantage. So black and orange, sorry gold and football it is ... oh dear (I'm a Birmingham City fan ... so this is gonna be fun!!).
I started by matting a piece of swiss dot green card onto black and placing on an orange base card. Then I decided on the size of the football (this one is 10cm) and cut both layers from a template in black and white and glued them together. I used quickutz grass die in two tones of green to add some depth and layered the grass and football onto the card.

For the trophy I used a decoupage sheet from "My Craft Studio" - A Carousel of Classics cd-rom set (1960's world cup trophy) and adapted it to become the Championship trophy for Wolves. I cut all the layers out, decoupaged them up and added the team colour ribbons to it ... just like the real one. Then by adding labels 2 greeting and some quickutz stars in co-ordinating colours and a few dots here and there, finished the card off perfectly.

Hope your surviving the school hols too!
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