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Gift wrapping with scrapbook paper...


The lights are up and the shopping is done, now it's time to wrap the gifts.  Sharing some inspiration I found on Pinterest for wrapping those small awkwardly shaped gifts, each make requires just one sheet of 12 x 12" scrapbook paper.

A gift box - great size for homemade cookies or sweets


A clutch bag - for jewellery or cosmetics


A small square gift pouch - for a gift card or cash






Papers: MME Sleigh Bells Ring

Card making for a #diyxmas...


The Christmas countdown is on, but there's no need to panic, there's still time to have a #diyxmas

There's nothing quite like making your own cards, gifts and decorations at Christmas time.  But it can seem a bit daunting when you're faced with such an array of  products in the craft stores and time is running out.

Just by keeping your design clean and simple you can have a batch of handmade cards in around an hour, less time than it will take you to go to the shops.  Even a card making novice can create a unique and stylish handmade card in no time at all.

First, and most important, gather your supplies


A6 white card blanks.
patterned paper, wrapping paper or last year's Christmas cards
Double sided tape runner
PVA glue
Sequins
Felt hearts

1.  Cut paper into strips about 1.5cm wide and varying lengths.

2.  Assemble a tree by arranging 5 strips of paper on the front of the card.


The trick to this design is that the paper strips are not placed perfectly straight on the card front, giving it a quirky and contemporary feel.

3. When you're happy with the arrangement stick the strips to the card front.

4.  Then stick 3 sequins on the tree and a felt heart on the top.  Use a strong glue like PVA so they don't fall off in post.

In the run up to Christmas Preloved are sharing tips and tutorials so that you can give your Christmas that personal touch.

You can find out more about the Preloved #diyxmas campaign on

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Your Handmade Home...


Issue 9 of Your Handmade Home is packed with beautiful festive home updates and gorgeous gift ideas! 
Don't miss stylish stockings, Mary Berry's Yule log recipe, simple tree decorations and a tote bag designed by Cath Kidston! 
Order today with free UK P&P from www.buysubscriptions.com/HMCK9 or call 0844 844 0388 and quote 'Your Handmade Home 9'.

So thrilled to see my crackers on the cover!

It's beginning to look a lot like...


Autumn and that's the theme for our challenge over on Let's Craft and Create.  Pop over to the blog for inspirational card designs and details of this month's prize.

For my card I've copied one I made earlier here.  You don't have to come up with a completely new design for each and every card you make, just changing the colour palette can transform a card and give it a whole new look, try it with one of your designs.

Dies:  MFT Mini hybrid heirloom rose and cArt- Us Nested Hearts, Papers: MME Indie Chic-Nutmeg

How to make a confetti envelope card


All you need to make a simple confetti envelope card is your pc and a few simple supplies

Table confetti or small punched shapes
White cardstock - 300 gsm
C6 See -through envelope
Parcel tie, twine or narrow ribbon
  1. Cut white card to 105 x 148 mm (A6) and print a greeting using a handwriting/calligraphy style font on you pc.  Write your message on the reverse of the card
  2. Tuck the card inside a see-through envelope add confetti and seal.  
  3. Then finish with twine tied in a bow


My translucent envelopes were  from a sample of   C6 white translucent envelopes from All Colour Envelopes

Blogger Challenge for Made.com



I'm taking part in The Made To Be Blogger Challenge hosted by the Verything, you can read all about it over on the Verything blog HERE..

You'd think it would be easy, but I've had a real job picking just one of the snazzy MADE.com items on the Blogger picklist, they'd all look great in my craft zone and although I'd love the Doble Chair in red, there's not much time for sitting and relaxing in my craft room what with Christmas fast approaching (Yes I know!) so I've chosen the Treasury Floor Lamp in mole grey so when the nights start drawing in I can craft on into the night!


Smile...


I'm grinning from ear to ear to see my cards in the September issue of Craftseller magazine, what a joy.  I'm feeling very lucky!
They're made with the 'Hipster' paper collection that comes free with the mag, there's a step by step guide to make this snap happy camera card and a back to school house-shaped card.
I've just finished working on some Christmas cards for the November issue, looking forward to seeing them in print too!

Ribbon or twine...


Who doesn't like ribbon or twine.  It's a cardmkaing staple right, so no excuse not to pop on over to the Let's Craft and Create blog and take part in our latest challenge.for a chance to win a lovely set of heart dies by Lawn Fawn . I just might enter myself, love that die set.



Ribbon: American Crafts Amy Tangerine Yes Please; Punch: Stampin Up;  Paper: American Crafts Amy Tangerine Yes Please

Dainty flowers for sad times...


For me, the most difficult card to make is for a friend who's lost a loved one.  Simplicity is the key here, it just doesn't seem right to load the card down with embellishment.

 I've printed a line drawn digi stamp straight onto the front of a recycled  A6 card blank from Paperchase, adding just a hint of colour with chalks. 

The flecks of colour in the recycled card give texture, warmth and add interest to an otherwise simple and some might say bland design.  I love it!

Digi stamp: Pink Petticoat (retired)  Font: Mister Sirloin BTN Rare;  Colour medium: Dovecraft chalk palette - Earth tones

Reviewing a new die cutter...


I was happy with my old Cuttlebug embosser and die cutter, apart from a paper trimmer and craft mat it was the first considered paper crafting tool I purchased.  It has stood me in good stead for the past 5 years and I wouldn't be without it.  Although being a lurid green it looks out of place in my neutral toned craft space!

So when Cricut got in touch and asked if I'd like to sample the new Kirstie Allsopp Cuttlebug I jumped at the chance.  Swayed by the new streamlined profile and retro styling, but mainly, if I'm honest, that the machine was designed in Kirstie's exclusive duck egg colour, a much better fit in my craft space, and that my 'B plates were getting kinda worn and needed replacing!!


I've been using it regularly for over a month now and I've found it gives great results with both cutting and embossing.
It comes with an 'A' plate, 2 'B' plates and instead of a 'C' plate as my old model, a rubber embossing/cutting mat which works better than the 'C' plate for cutting with thin metal dies - Spellbinders, Sizzix, Xcut and cArt- Us.


I love how the handle tucks away when it's not in use!


It comes with a little starter pack of Cut & Emboss Dies three piece set: Tags
and an A2-size embossing folder: Polka Dot Frame. 

There's a further six brand new Cuttlebug folders designed by Kirstie.  Each set includes an A2 embossing folder and 5" coordinating border. They're available from various stockists you can see the whole range here at Cutting Edge Crafts .  My favourite is the Zig Zag

Overall it's a BIG improvement on my old machine
  • Smoother operation - handle easier to turn
  • Improved results with thin metal dies
  • Sleek styling  - handle tucks away
  • Not forgetting the duck egg colour

All opinions are my own.

Custom made rubber stamp from Speedy Stamps...


Speedy Stamps got in touch recently and asked if I'd like to review one of their custom rubber stamps, made to my very own design.  Of course I jumped at the chance and after deciding on a stamp of my blog header, promptly sent off the artwork.
Within a couple of days I received the stamp along with a nice new juicy black ink pad.


It's a well made sturdy stamp, love the wooden handle!


I've found it gives a perfect impression every time


and a professional finish to my handmade cards.

If I ever get around to setting up my Folksy shop and selling the mountain of cards I'm accumulating I can use the stamp on the packaging too!

Mini camera card with the envelope punch board...


My next adventure with the Envelope Punch Board.  A quick and easy mini camera card, an ideal size to hold a gift card.
The tutorial I used to make the card base is here.  I just sized up the whole card slightly starting with a rectangle of card 21 x 8 cm.

The possibilities with this tool are endless!


Papers: Echo Park Here & Now  Punches: Stampin Up mini tag, 2" circle and 1 1/4" circle

The sky's the limit...


We've launched another challenge over on Let's Craft and Create with a rather loose theme of 'Transport' so let you imagination run wild and join in with the challenge, there's a fabulous set of Sizzix dies on offer to the lucky winner, pop over to the blog for all the information you need to enter.



Papers:  Echo Park - Here and Now; Die: Xcut Build a Scene Vintage Balloon

Tab tie gift box...


When I first saw the Envelope Punch Board I thought, I could live without it.  Who needs yet another tool to just make envelopes, not me, how wrong was I.

Thanks to all you ingenious and talented paper crafters,  there's plenty more you can to do with it, just take a look on Pinterest or Youtube if you're still not convinced.

Here's my first project, a cute little tab tie gift box, the tutorial is here - so simple. I've used bright and summery papers, a gift from Stampin Up USA, that I've been saving for the perfect project.

You're going to be seeing a lot more of my adventures with the envelope punch board.



Papers: Stampin Up Quatrefancy; Stamp Set: Stampin Up Mosaic Madness; Punch: Stampin Up Mosaic

Paper Bow Tie - How To...


Forget the fancy dies and punch boards you can make a simple paper bow with just the standard tools any card maker or paper crafter has in their tool kit.  A trimmer, scoring board and bone folder.


1. Trim patterned paper to measure 14 x 6 cm.
2.  Score and concertina fold along the longest side at 1 cm intervals.
3.  Trim a small strip of paper 1 cm wide and wrap around the centre of the bow securing with strong glue.


Use to decorate cards and gift wrapping.



Stampin Up Top Note Die; First Edition Neroli paper pad; vintage pearl buttons

Lavender and Lace was a challenge...


Spring has sprung here in the UK and I'm looking forward to seeing more flowers in the garden, but for now I''ll settle for making them.
I'm late posting my card for our challenge on Let's Craft and Create, the theme is 'Lavender and Lace' and to be honest it had me stumped at first. But determined not to give up, I persevered, dug around in my scrap box and pulled out every piece of lavender-ish coloured paper, then spotted the new Cart us flower dies I still had out on the desk, and I had the makings of a card - simple!


Embossing for a challenge...


I can't get enough of stitched cards right now and I'm lovin' how this appliqué-style balloon card turned out.  It's not always the case that a design idea in my head translates this well to paper so I'm celebrating!

There's a little ink embossing on the sentiment to fit with our 'Embossing' challenge over on 'Let's Craft and Create'.  Check it out on this page.



Papers and Die Cuts:  Kaisercraft Confetti

Fabric and felt for a challenge...


Challenge time again over on Let's Craft and Create challenge blog.  Our theme is 'Fabric and Felt'.  Just use a little of either, or why not use both, in your card/project design to be in with a chance of winning a lovely 'fabric' inspired prize!

Entry details are here



Papers: Kaisercraft Confetti; Fabric Brad:  Tilda; Felt Leaf:  Stampin Up (retired)

Sending you sunshine...


We could all use a little sunshine, right?  And as if by magic the sun has come out as I write!
Just a quick post, as I'm up to my eyes in an exciting new project designing wedding stationery, to let you know that we launched the 'Masculine' challenge over on the Let's Craft and Create blog.  You still have almost two weeks left to enter.  Check out this page for all the details plus some lovely card designs from the LCC team.