Reindeer Landscape Picture

Hi Folks!  Well it's nearly time for "The Bells"  as we say in Scotland.  2014 quickly looming in!  I hope that you all have a wonderful start to the new year and that you are all able to be with the one's that you love.

I am going to sneak in a last post for a competition before the end of the year.  It is for my favourite challenge at  http://claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ .  The final challenge of the year is 'Scene Building' and this is my entry.

This piece is an Ink on Canvas.  Stamped using only Clarity Stamps.  I have used my favourite Tree and Leaves stamps along with my collection of Reindeer Stamps.  I have used Memento Summer Sky...for the sky. Memento Pistachio for the Background landscaping.  Archival Coffee and Memento Olive Grove for the Beech Leaves.  Coffee for the Reindeer.  Olive Grove for the trees and shrubbery in the foreground.

I achieved the shading with the aid of my trusty supply of torn copy paper and makeup sponges.  When the project was dry I mounted the canvas onto a Plastic Clip Frame.  ( these are the frames that you tape your canvas too then fold the already scored edges back, thus stretching your canvas ).

close-up of clouds

                             
List of stamps used:
Beech Leaf
Lone Spruce mini
Large Larch
Small Larch
Scotch Pine
Deer Scape
Grasses 1
Winter Wonderland Set
Making a Point Set

So as it is now 31st december 2013 this is definitely my last post of the year and once again I would like to wish all my Crafting friends out there a Very Happy New Year!

Hugs and Kisses to all

Emma xxx


 http://claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/challenge-10.html

White Christmas with Poinsettias

I will warn you all  now, that this post is likely to be a long winded one even though it was very simple to make the following cards...it's obviously in the way I tell it.

I was given a last minute order for 25 cards (hubby at his best) just before Christmas.  So breaking my own goal as to not make more than one of the same card I relinquished a bit due to time constraints.

I Have kept the design as simple as I could.  I began with a plain white A4 card, folded this in half and embossed the whole of one side with my dotty embossing folder.  I cut a length of Silver Glitter Paper Ribbon and attached this to the front of the card.  I then put a piece of White Pearl Card through my bigshot in a thin strip embossing folder, trimmed it so when attached it would leave a small silver border.

I attached a Metallic Leafy Swirl embellishment  from my stash ( I had made these a little while ago...this one from a coke can).  I then set about making a Poinsettia using my Marianne dies.  I cut out one large and two small petal rounds and I also cut out the stamen in white Vellum.  I cut a further round of petals in Pale green Vellum to cut up for leaves.  I smooched the petals with a Tumble Dryer Sheet then embossed the veins with a small ball tool. I also embossed the edges of the petals too.

I then glued three layers together with Perga Glue, glued in the stamens ( I had embossed just the tips) then added a Flat Backed Pearl to the middle.  Once dry I attached the flower to the card over the ribbon.  I cut the Pale Green Vellum so that I would have one single leaf and one double leaf (leaving two leaves left over for the next flower).  I once again used Perga Glue to the leaves and pushed them under the flower.  I attached a plain insert of Super smooth Paper.  That was the first one done.

close up of vellum poinsettia

So I set about Die cutting more Vellum Poinsettias and raiding my stash for all my Metallic Leafy Swirls and cutting Ribbon, embossing the Christmas Words Panel and embossing the dots.

I was getting a bit tired with repeating it all and I made a mistake while embossing the actual cards so I changed tactics and cut out rectangles  with my guillotine to emboss the dots.  I also changed the sizes of the Leafy Swirls (I hadn't cut 25 of the same size).  I even Die Cut a few Pale Green Vellum ones.  As a final little touch I used Holographic Peel Offs around the edge of the dotty embossed card.

coke can die cut

foil from Coffee Packaging

Large Vellum Die Cut

Small Vellum Die Cut

This last version was made using a sheet of sticky back green glitter.  I put a strip of white Vellum through the bigshot with the Christmas words folder.  Attached a pale green satinised ribbon behind it (it shows through).  I also used a pale green Flat Backed Pearl.

So I ended up with quite a few versions and I am very happy to report that they went down extremely well.  These of course were for the 'girls' and I ended up having to make other cards for the 'boys'.....they do say that there is no rest for the wicked!


Hugs

Emma x

challenges:

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/chnc-challenge-extra-for-december.html
http://bellichallenge.blogspot.co.uk/
http://feelingcraftychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

http://4kraftygirlzchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.kis-challenge.blogspot.ca/

Teal teddy Shaker Card

So for another of my Christmas cards.

I began by cutting out the background shape using a die from my collection and white card.  I then had a play with some of my new stamps that I had purchased from my comment candy win from http://barbaragrayblog.blogspot.co.uk/.  This set is from the remountable leaves that go with the Naked trees of Africa.

I made a background using copy paper, makeup sponge and Faded Jeans distress ink.  I then stamped my leaves.

I had cut out an image from my Forever Friends Christmas Collection CD and I decided to colour in the Teddy's jacket with Teal Zeal Distress Marker, I gave the little robin a coloured scarf to match.

I cut out the same die shape on Silver Foiled card and Acetate ( I like to use the kind that has protective film on it as acetate is so easy to scratch ).  I used two dies to cut out the foiled card so that I would get a thin frame for the front of the finished card. I mounted my teddy onto the background. To get the depth that I would need, I actually attached my Foam tape sideways onto the background.  I achieved this by sticking double sided  tape to the edge of the foam tape and then arranged it around the edge of the background.  (I did this as I only had a small area to work with for my chosen shape and using the double sided tape held the foam tape in position).  I then took off the protective cover from the inside edge of the FOAM tape and dusted it with Talcum Powder to De - tack it as this was now the exposed area.



Then I attached the acetate to the silver frame.  Before attaching this to the base I poured in some white crystals to form fake snow.  I used a silicon glue to attach the front frame.  I then removed the protective cover from the outer edge of the foam tape and attached a pale blue ribbon from my craft stash.

I cut out some leaves using a Marianne die and also a label from my spellbinders labels 4 die.  I very lightly distressed the edges of  the label with faded jeans distress ink and stamped the greeting in Teal Zeal Memento ink. I arranged the leaves that I had cut out from satin card, vellum and white card ( which I had coloured to match the jacket ) around the main image and added a few sprigs to the label.  I then added two pieces of the same pale blue ribbon that I had added to the edge.  I mounted this to the top of my base card.

And there you have it...a Teal Teddy Shaker Card

Hope you like it,

Hugs 

Emma x

Competition entries:

http://ready-teddy-gochallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  

December 2013 Challenge #29 - "Contemporary Christmas"

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

Last minute Christmas cards or any not shown already

http://craftingbydesigns.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/anything-goes-double-wrap-it-upnew.html
Double Challenge Part 2, It's All New

http://lothiancrafts.blogspot.co.uk/ "Christmas using your dies"


http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/chnc-challenge-extra-for-december.html
Anything goes

20 minute cards

Hello Everyone!   Hope you have all survived you Christmas festivities.  I had a very quiet day.  Not complaining it was nice just me and the hubby, unfortunately he is off work with an injured back, he is usually working Christmas Day as he is a chef.

sledging

So now that all those Christmas Cards
have been sent I can now do a few posts on them.  The first is going to be of a couple of little cards that only took me about 20 minutes to complete for both of them.

I used two ATC blank cards to make these.  I began with making the background using copy paper, makeup sponge and Faded Jeans Distress Ink.

I have used Clarity Stamps for the images, only using The Faded Jeans distress ink.


I have used ATC or Mini stamps Lone Spruce, the children Sledging, The Snowflake corner and the Happy Christmas to make the top card.

I have used the same masking techniques as in the first card and the same ink.  I used the Small Larch, Reindeer, the Star of Bethlehem and the Snowflake Corner

I also used leaf stamp for the bottom and side of this card from a remountable leaf set for the Naked trees of Africa.

On both cards I used 2nd generation inking ( stamping onto copy paper before stamping onto card).

I mounted the main images onto a small card and then stamped directly onto the card.  I added Holographic Peel-offs to the edges of the main image just to give it a bit of a sparkle.

I really do have to get myself a photo booth as by the time that I had gotten around to taking photos the light had gone and the pictures are not that great so I do apologise for this.  The 2nd generation inking gives the cards a faded look which I like but they are not as faded as they look in the photos.

I shall post another Christmas Card tomorrow.

Hugs

Emma x



competition entries:

http://feelingcraftychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.kis-challenge.blogspot.ca/
http://4kraftygirlzchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/
http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/

Merry Christmas to One and All

Just a little post to wish everyone of my Crafty Friends a Very Merry Christmas.  I hope you all have a wonderful day!

We have all been busy with our projects especially on the lead up to Christmas and I think we all deserve a pat on the back (and a little tipple if you have a mind to...I'm going for the tipple).

I have really enjoyed writing my blog and also meeting other crafters albeit online. (forgive me if I have rambled on too much at times...I spend 14 hours every day on my own talking to myself).

I have really appreciated the lovely comments to my posts and the advice that I have been given.  It has also been a pleasure to read other blogs and to find out what is going on in this crafting world of ours.

I have picked up loads of tips, been inspired and laughed.  I have been picked twice now for a top 5 placement for my cards and I have also won £50.  Who knew that that was gonna happen!

So I have had a good year and I am certainly looking forward to 2014.  We are moving house at the end of January and this means that I will finally have a proper Craft Room again Yippee!  I have so many plans for how it will be arranged going on in my head and what new things I will buy to fill it up.

I shall let you all get back to your festivities with a big THANK YOU to my friend Irene McKendrick who made the lovely set of Festive Mice for me.  (They were sitting on a sheet of cotton wool but my cats stole it!)

Hope Santa was good to you


Hugs n Kisses from

Emma Burns
Handmade in Scotland

Hi Folks!  Still making Christmas cards!  So last post I passed on my tip for making a fringe for the end of a paper scarf using thread.  At the time I had not fully made up the card...I was trying to get a production line going but not succeeding.  But I have finally got that batch of cards finished and mailed, so now I can take a little time out for blogging!

So to recap, after building up my image (Forever Friends Teddy). I cut off the paper fringe and added the blue thread and left it to dry.

So while the glue was drying I cut out two layers.  One was a blue striped backing paper, the other was a piece of hammered card from my stash and I began building up a background scene using Copy Paper, Ink duster, Memento Summer Sky ink pad, and a moon mask.  Once I had built up the colour to the shade I wanted, I began to stamp up some plant life.

I of course reached for my favourite stamps which are of course Clarity Stamps.  They have quite an extensive range of stamps and are of the very best quality.  Part of their range is the Mini stamps which are great for doing mini landscapes or for even using them as a seal with wax on the back of an envelope.

I used two Clarity Stamps both from a Leaf set for the Naked trees of Africa.  I stamped them using Distress Ink - faded Jeans.  I layered my two pieces onto white card, put in my insert and then added my topper.









I then used a glue pen to add some Glamour dust to highlight the scene.






I have made two sizes of this card.  I have also matted one onto plain smooth white card and the other larger one onto White Pearlescent card.  The blue background paper was cut out using a Spellbinder and a Nellie Snellen Die.



















So over the next few days I will post the last of the other cards I have made for Christmas that I actually remembered to take photos of to share with you all.

Hugs to all

Emma xxx

  

Quick Fix for Decoupage

Hi Folks!  Most of you will have done all your Christmas shopping and finished of all your Christmas cards and I bet you are feeling quite happy about that.  Well I have to say that I am rather jealous of you all.  As I have been suffering from the flue over the past few weeks I am still playing catch-up with all of my Christmas chores ( not nice making cards when you can't stop coughing and sneezing) and to top that off I am having to move house.  ( I have until the end of January to find a new home as the current home has been sold).

So as it stands I have still to make about 35 cards and shop for presents for about ten more people and get everything delivered before Christmas...glad I don't have to worry about Christmas dinner as my husband takes care of that, I haven't cooked a Christmas dinner in 29 years!

Well the panic is starting to settle in and there is no sign of Santa's Little Helpers so I will just have to get my head down.  Try for no distractions...turning phone off and not answering door... as for the presents, that will have to be a last minute dash which I hate to do but I have no choice.  I did go for a little walk with my son to clear my head, but I was so tired that I fell asleep at 4.30 today and didn't wake up until after 9pm.

I did get to feed the Wild Boars and the Goat today so it wasn't a complete failure.

 I have been crafting (playing) but not really getting anywhere.  Being ill has affected my mojo.  I did come up with a clever little fix for a decoupage card that I am making and I thought that after I had done with my rant I would post about it.  So here goes......

One of the problems about cutting out is that some of the finer bits don't come out as you would like. For instance -the tassel / fringe at the end of a scarf. My solution to this problem is to cut the offending article off completely then take some WHITE cotton thread and wrap it around a pencil a few times (for a thicker look use embroidery thread).

Take a Pro-Marker of the colour that matches your design and colour the thread and leave to dry for a few minutes.


Roll the thread off the pencil and cut at one end (as the thread will be in a loop).  Now all you have to do is to turn your piece over and stick down the thread to the back with some craft glue ( tape doesn't really work as you have to make sure that all the thread is going to stay in place).  Leave to dry and you are left with a soft fringe / tassel

So now that that is done I can get on with making the card up...just got a background to finish for this one and also to finish layering up the little guy then mount him on a card and do an insert and make an envelope and get him handed out...only 34 more after that!

Can you guess what my new year resolution is going to be?

Yup, make at least 5 Christmas cards a month, every month.  Or maybe I should just go for one design and copy that for everyone.....nah couldn't do that, I would rather give up!

Hugs to all xx

Christmas Parchment Fairy

I was asked  to do a few Christmas Fairy cards and I thought I would show this one.  I had borrowed the image of this Fairy from a friend.  I had stamped the outline in black ink knowing that it would look lovely in Parchment. So I had my image which I traced onto parchment with my finest ball tool.  I had decided to keep it quite simple and keep the design to whitework and gold and then add some colour by using a patterned christmas paper as a frame.

I also decided to make a rosette to hold the sentiment 'Have a Magical Christmas'.  I took a small piece of gold Vellum, a small piece of a wine coloured patterned paper, two Slider Dies and put these through my Bigshot.  I used another piece of Gold Vellum, stamped my verse in Plum Adirondack, then pierced around it with my large two needle tool and then cut this out with my parchment scissors.  I added a red Organza ribbon and then attached this to the card.

                                        

To give the fairy depth, I worked on both sides of the Parchment.  I added the contrast to the whitework using Tinta Pearl on the underside of the 'skirt' and Tinta Gold to the ribbon, twigs, hair and slippers. 

                                                                  Once I was happy with the depth of the whitework I matted the Parchment onto a brown pearlescent paper. I then used a gold ink pad and a bronze ink pad directly onto the exposed edge of the paper...it is quite difficult to match up golds so my solution is not to try but to add a complimentary shade randomly.  It seems to work.  I matted the Frame over the Parchment, I then matted this onto the coloured paper. I trimmed the excess paper so that there was an even overlap.  I then matted this onto White card, added the ribbon and rosette.  There you have it, one Christmas Fairy!

Hope you like it,  Hugs to all xx

Santa Shaker Card

Hi Folks! My blog has been a bit quiet of late due to illness.  It wasn't feeling very well and had managed to have a relapse of the Flu.  On the mend so it is about time to get another post on the go! I also have to say THANK YOU to all my Crafty Friends for their warm birthday wishes. Hugs to all xx

So I have a little shaker card to show today and these are just some of the items used in its making.
For my main image (santa) is a stamp that I managed to pick up from a car boot sale earlier in the year. I also used a small snowflake stamp from Clarity Stamp which I stamped lightly in the background.
But before I did my stamping I cut out the shapes that I wanted using my bigshot and spellbinders labels 4, Theuva Card, Film coated Clear Acetate.

Dies used

I placed two of my dies onto the A5 Theuva card and put through the bigshot at the same time - one inside the other.  (I only wanted the outer layer to begin with.)  I then took the inner die and traced it out on Theuva card and then cut out around it.  I also used this same die for the template for the clear Acetate window.  

outer Die and Acetate

So I now have 1 x outer frame, 1 x inner plain piece and 1 x Acetate window. (Both the Acetate and the inner frame are larger now than if I had cut them out using the bigshot...the reason for this is that they now fit behind the outer framework by about .5cm)  I coloured the frame using my ink duster and Memento Teal Zeal.  I used double sided tape on the back of the frame around the inner edge and then attached the Acetate.  (Remember to remove one side of the protective film from the Acetate...the side being attached to the underside of the frame)

Taking my inner piece of card I stamped my Santa image in Cool Piri Adirondack ink. I coloured the image using Pro Markers -  Duck Egg, Soft Green, Blush.  I used Cool grey 1 and a Blender to shade in the beard and hair.








I masked parts of the image while I shaded in the background with Memento Summer Sky and Teal Zeal and this is when I stamped the snowflake.  I used a quickie glue pen to attach White Flocking to Santa's Hat, Cuff, Jacket and top of his boots.

Once I had this all done I began to put it all together.  I removed the other layer of protective film, attached double sided foam tape around the edge of the acetate.  I laid down a small clump of Dry UTEE over the Santa image and then laid down the framework.  (I usually use Micro Beads but I didn't have enough for what I wanted so I substituted with the UTEE).
Now my Santa was standing in a nice deep pile of snow.

I  cut out 4 small swirls from a pale blue Vellum using a leafy swirl die from Cheery Lynn.  I stamped out Merry Christmas (freebie from a magazine) onto printable vellum with Teal Zeal.  I then pierced around the words and then cut out using my parchment scissors.  Using Tinta Pearl and my nib pen I coloured the inside of the lettering.  Once this was dry I then mounted these pieces onto my framework using Pergamano Glue.  I had already put in my insert and mounted the framework to a plain white card so all I had to do then was to shake the card to make sure it was sealed properly (It was thankfully) and take a final photo before putting it in its envelope.

It is my first shaker card made for christmas this year, I have a few more to go so I had better get on with them.  I hope you like this one and I hope I didn't ramble too much.  Thank you for reading xx

Crafty Hugs to all!

Emma

Rose Panel

Hi again Folks!  So today I got my Comment Candy Win and I have started to play with it.  My first play is with the New Rose Panel Stencil from who else but ClarityStamp 

I began by cutting an A4 sheet of Double Sided Tape down to 10.5 x 24.5cm.  I took the Rose Panel Stencil, smooched it with a Tumble Dryer Sheet and placed this down onto the Double Sided Sheet, removing the top protective layer first, which I then had to put back in place.  I then took a Small Ball Tool and went over all the edges of the design then I went around again with a pencil.  I removed the protective layer and proceeded to cut out the Leaves and the Roses.  I replaced the protective layer back in place. 

Once the tedious stuff had been done I got out my Gilding Flakes. I used Large Gold Gilding Flakes on the exposed Leaves and the Roses.  I gave them a bit of a Burnish with my Finger Sponge and then I removed the Protective Layer and got in about the edges with my Large Copper Gilding Flakes.  When I got around to Burnishing I did it from the outer edges inwards.  I then laid down more Copper Gilding Flakes and Burnished the lot.  I then removed the Rose Panel Stencil and I took a paint brush and brushed in Pearlescent Wine (Perfect Pearls Beautiful Earth Collection).                                                   

My next step was to mount this on to a piece of 300gsm Pearlescent Mauve Parchment.  I trimmed this using my Perfect Layers Ruler. (If mounting sticky sheets it is always best to gently lay down in the middle while keeping hold of the ends and then slowly lay these down).  I finally layered this onto a piece of  350 gsm Matte Black Card from my stash and the result is .....

I think I will have to look for a frame for this as I really like it a lot, I hope you do too!

I am away to play again!

Happy crafting!

p.s.  Thanks once again Barbara Gray for picking out my name xxx