Baby Bear Centre Step Card

I have been very busy designing some baby cards which I will be selling. This version is a centre step card with a personalised greeting featuring my sitting down Boo Bear, here's a close up I think he is so cute!

Greetings changed to your requirements!

The centre step card base is created using good quality white linen card which has been embossed with swirls then the pretty mock lacy blanket background is cut and embossed using baby blue card, baby feet, stars and the banner are also cut from the same pastel baby blue card

The cross is cut from white card. Faux Pearls accentuate parts of the finished card

as you can see this card is made with a greeting for grandparents to give to their baby grandson on his Christening day

But I can make this greeting for the occasions of

Birth, Dedication, Christening, Baptism, Adoption.

The baby names will appear on the banner as supplied by the customer when ordering but if the names are too long the font or font size may need to be altered to make them fit!

the greeting can be changed to 

"Congratulations on the Birth of Your Beautiful Bay Son

or anything else that fits

The cross will only be added onto

Christening, |Baptism, Dedication cards. 

or by customer request on birth or other cards

I am just going over to Etsy now to create a listing for this card

and my other cards as I finalise the designs

all of my cards unless otherwise stated are available in white with pale blue, pale pink, lemon, lilac and pale mint green accents

other card designs will include..

baby pram  die cut

baby in a sling die cut

baby bear stamped images

baby bear die cut (as this one is)

Boo Bear (die cut) with age numbers for children

die cut bunting names

watch this blog for more information 

and samples as the become available

All of my cards are created in my smoke free studio 

I have a West Highland Terrier (LULU)  but she doesn't play 

with my card making stash as she doesnt have any thumbs1

Independance Day Step Card

I'm sharing an Independence day card with you today....
Two weeks ago I was searching for a suitable balloon die for the new baby cards I will be selling soon. (all will be revealed lol), While searching I found a die set from Sizzix designed by Stephanie Barnard, I watched a youtube video to find out more

I bought this set which arrived last Thursday. There are 23 dies in the set. In comparison with buying just one balloon die I really have found myself a bargain. In the set are the main dies for creating the base and an L shaped layering piece for the front, then 3 different sized balloon dies and three shadows for them. also 3 different tails for the balloons, There are also 3 dies to cut patterns in the balloons and a die which cuts a tiny row of balloons too. The words "Happy, Birthday, For, You" and their shadows complete the set, such a versatile collection of dies.
So the first make with this set had to be a card for my American friends who will celebrate Independence day on July 4th

Stars stripes and plain scrapbooking papers were used to die cut the balloons and other pieces after cutting the main piece from plain white card, 

a star punch was used for the star embellishments and my Sizzix Alphabet Framelits set was used to cut the letters and numbers. The card came together very easily, I am very happy with the results

I am entering this card into some challenges as follows...

Crafty Creations: Red White and /or Blue #292
Pile It On: Flag Colours #75
Creative Craft Cottage: Spots or Stripes #42
Craftin Desert Diva's: Red White & Blue

Magic Window Card

 I love it when I find a shape or technique which I have never tried before. This week I found a magic window card, I found inspiration for this card from You-Tube. After Googling it I realised that some folk called it a shutter card too! I knew this interactive card would be just right for the encouragement card I needed to make for friends who are going through some painful health problems.

I followed a tutorial HERE at first without embellishing it to just make the card and learn how the shutter part worked, but it was a bit small at 4"x4"so I made it again to measure 6 x 4, a size I felt happier with.

I love the way this magic circle (or shutter) card works ...as the card is opened the shutter inside opens to reveal the "Thinking or You" message, it reminds me of a camera lens shutter in slow motion, . I found it hard to stop playing with it LOL! The "think bubble" was made using a die from an X-Cut speech bubble set which looks a bit like a cloud, I cut it from a piece of card then cut around it to make a frame around the aperture. I used tiny flower and scalloped oval punches for the bubbles!

The dark blue and green colour combo is one of my favourites especially when the green is somewhere between sage and lime!
I had a dotty theme going on inside with the scrapbooking papers and embossing folders I used, all the papers were from K&Company "Hopscotch" 6x6 scrapbooking paper pad.

This was also a good opportunity to use the fabulous Owl Builder punch from Stampin' Up, I love this cute little owl it's fab for using up the scraps of card and papers which I cant bear to throw away! I used tiny black sticky flat back pearls to complete the eyes, are these owls cute or what? they always make me smile LOL
I also used the Stampin' Up embosslets butterfly folder which die cuts and embosses 5 different butterflies at the same time, such a useful thing to have! I layered the butterflies and used flat back gems to complete them. The bellyband (first picture) uses the Stampin Up framelits labels collection and the matching pricking template.

The "We Are",   "Thinking of You"  "& Praying" were all computer generated. I didn't want the card to become too fussy and lose the simple message that "We Are Thinking of You & Praying" so I didn't add any more embellishments.

I find it hard to see family and friends go through stuff, I wanna wave my magic wand and make it all better and easier for them. but I don't have one!!! I do have something far far better though.....My faith in God! and the power of prayer! and the hope that brings.

I'm entering this card into some card making challenges...
Get Creative: "Butterflies"
Creatalicious: "Butterflies"
Dragonfly Journeys: "What's the word, Bird"
Crafty Hazelnuts: "Patterned Papers"
AAA Cards: "Woodlands + Something New

Cards Galore: "Anything Goes"

Craft Your Passion: "Anything Goes"
Sisters of Craft: "Anything Goes"

I think I have ticked all those boxes! I have butterflies, birds, the woodlands is an owl and the something new is the magic circle card itself, I have used patterned papers and yes anything goes!

here's hoping for a win! but have to say i had mega fun wth this one.

thanks for dropping by, I love  to see who has visited so please leave comments, God bless you and all you set your crafty hands to do! xx

Accordion card for Barbara

I am very pleased and proud of this Accordion Birthday card which I finished yesterday. I love it...

This one took an age to do mainly because apart from knowing I wanted to have Barbara's name running through it I couldn't decide on how to embellish it. so just stared at it for quite some time LOL

Then I raided my collection of dies and punches and found inspiration to bring it all together. Once I actually got going I really enjoyed getting back into my creative card making flow.

so here's what I did...

The base was cut from white card seven times. The framelit type die set is the Elizabeth Craft Fancy Labels Accordion Dies by Karen Burniston. this would give the card stability! I then cut the same die shapes again with scrapbooking papers eight times, (the extra cut was for the other side of the first one! I then cut the centres from the frames and stuck them on to the base card mixing the patterned papers. I didn't want to use big bold papers because the style of the card needed to be more feminine, kinda soft and elegant just like Barbara.

I used the smaller label dies from the set using pink and white card to layer onto the centres and used my set of Sizzix Sizzlets Curlz alphabet to cut the letters for Barbara's name..... then I was a bit lost for a while but finally after thinking for far too long! I used the Petite Petals rubber stamps from Stampin' Up with the matching punch to create the flowers they are just the right size for this project. The bird builder punch was just right for creating the leaves and  I added sticky back pearls for the flower centres (I noticed one had fallen off before I gave it but after the photo's had been taken ggrrrr!!).
After sticking all the little tabs to assemble the concertina of the
accordion card I used my Tattered Lace Rose corner die for the swirly bits and used the Tattered Lace Dove, and a Butterfly die on top I also used my Marianne Design little bird on branch die and some more butterflies some of which were cut using the Stampin' Up Butterfly Embosslits such a useful little thing which cuts and embosses at the same time 5 differently sized and styled butterflies.
I chose not to put happy birthday on it as first planned so that if Barbara choose to, she can display it after her birthday  the final step was to print a message for the back of the card and job done!

This was quite a time consuming card so I don't think I will ever make them to sell but to be honest Barbara is well worth it...Happy Birthday Barbara. I always make her a very different card, last year it was a box card with lots of sunflowers in it but to be honest I haven't a clue how I will beat this one!

I'm entering this creation into some challenges as follows
Fantastic Tuesday : Anything Goes + Flowers
Crafty Gals Corner : Flowers
Wags N Whiskers : Lots of Layers
Penny's Paper Crafty : More Than One Fold
Pink Gems : More Than One Fold
Inspiration Destination : Anything Goes
Suzy Bees Bloomin' : Anything Goes + Pink
Sister Act : Anything Goes
(click on the challenge name to go to their website)
Well its definitely pink, has some stamped and die cut flowers and much more than one fold and lots of layers!...
here's hoping for a win, I find it so encouraging when i win even if there's no prizes :o)

thanks for dropping by!
please leave a comment before you leave :o)

One card base , four different cards

I was truly blessed this Christmas with prezzies I really liked, lovely jewellery, nice new outfits and fabulous crafty prezzies YAY.
I admit I sent Kev an email with links to things I like but he still got some unexpected goodies for me which was lovely. So I have been playing over the last couple of days with some new dies and stamps. I designed a card base then set myself the challenge to make for different cards from the same base, what fun ;o)

Each card started with a white 5" square base, at the bottom of each card I used my scalloped borders die set to create a pretty border I chose four colours, lilac, blue, pink, and aqua green for the die cut lacy bits and each one was embossed using embossing folders, I used my new framelits from Stamping up along with the absolutely gorgeous set of stamps called Stippled Blossoms, wow I am so pleased with this prezzie (thank you Kev xx) I also used the stampin up set Apothecary labels (which I bought 2nd hand last month) on two of the cards

This was a wonderful exercise for me, it made me think a bit more about how to use colour etc....
The first card to share is in lilac / purples I used Momento Grape Jelly ink and teamed it with lilac card and delicate pearls, the little daisy type flowers were enough on this card which is quite simple but has an elegant feel to it.

The second card is the pink one, I used the big bold rose stamps using Stampin' Up inks Blushing Bride with Melon Mambo I love the colours and the blooms but would not use the same "happy birthday" die cuts next time its just too big and silver was not the right choice.

The swirls were made using the Tattered Lace rose corner die, I used tiny pearls in the rose centres to finished them off.

The third card used the same roses in a very similar position but I wanted to use a monochromatic colour scheme with stampin up Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana and Soft Sky,

I love these colours with crisp white card. I used the Apothecary label stamped background on this one and a Martha Stewart branch punch too.

The fourth card in pale blue uses a scripture stamp by Our Daily Bread Designs and a praying hands die cut which was made using a sizzix sizzlet die (this was one of the first dies I bought)

I kept this one simple by just using two daisies from the stippled blossoms set but this time I used icy blue gem centres and the same gems accented the bottom of the card.

I enjoyed this session of creativity and was glad to do something unrelated to Christmas for a change
I am entering my cards  into some challenges,

 the hardest bit is deciding which one to enter! decisions decisions.....
I will enter this one o the left into the following challenges...
click on the names to go to their challenge blogs

Stamping Sensations.....Dies and Punches
Sweet Stamps.....Something New
Red Rubber Inspirationals.....New Stamps
My Time To Craft.....All Things New
Cute Card Thursday.....Anything goes

I am planning to enter a lot more challenges this year so its good to get off to a good start, I had some other dies for Christmas so I guess I better get the big shot out again!

have a great week eveyone and a fabulous 2015

God bless you
Crafteresa UK

Poinsettia Christmas Table Papercraft

I mentioned in my last post that I have been busy making table and individual name place settings for my church Christmas fellowship meal, We had a fabulous time this evening, I really enjoyed celebrating Christmas with my church family. I love them all at Fylde Christian Service Church in St Annes, Lancashire.

 Firtly it was so encouraging to see that the same colour theme of red gold and green had been used for the table runners and crackers etc. 

Here's a close up below of an individual place name setting..

I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the poinsettia and a punch for the holly leaves. the sizzix banner die cut in gold holographic card made a good background for the name which was printed using my laptop with castellar font onto cream card. Inside each one I stuck a tiny envelope (which I made using a punch) with a scripture inside...

the table names were made with the same poinsettia and holly but the lovely lacy gold background was cut using a spellbinders die (ornate squares) I just made a kind of triangle to make it all stand up

We had a lovely evening which was finished off with singing carols.
The organising had been seamless, everything ran so smoothly, the food was lovely and everyone was blessed. Many of us at church have had struggles and trials this year. we have loved, prayed and encouraged each other through it all just like a family should. we have cried and we have laughed together as we have celebrated many victories and happier times too. none of us are perfect (not even me LOL) we have all contributed somehow to the church using our gifts which God has graciously given us and this is one of my gifts, the creative ability to make stuff thanks you God for that x