Fun fold Friday Caroling Mice

 Woo Hoo it's  almost the weekend...but first its fun fold Friday!! Today's fold is one that give you lots of surfaces to play with but isn't toooo difficult... in fact it's really rather easy 😅 I chose to end the week with the cuties from the Caroling Mice .

I knew I wanted to also create a card that is bright and bold in it's colour palette. I also wanted to showcase some of the gorgeous patterned paper from a host set called Celebrate Everything.  

Soooo fun fold ✅ colour palette ✅ pattern paper ✅ now it was time to make it!!!

The fold is easy take a piece if card measuring 14.85cm x 10.5cm and put to one side . Then take a piece of card measuring 10.5cm x 28cm and score it at 4.5cm, 9cm, 19cm and 23.5cm. The score lines are then folded as mountain, valley,  valley,  mountain.  This panel is the adhered to the center of the first panel. You then need 2 pieces of cardstock one measuring 10.5cm x 11cm and the other 10.5cm x 5.5cm.  The are then adhered to the first of the panels on the card base.

You can see in this picture how it comes together to create a free standing card.

Then the fun begins.... decorate to your hearts content!!

 

I used some iridescent trim to tie the card closed. I think it looks a bit like a present don't you? 

All the fun of a present in a card!!!

As the card opens you get to see glimpses of whats to come...

Aren't  they cute singing their little hearts out for the recipient!!

And I didn't forget that you're going to need to write a message so I went the whole hog and decorated the back too!!..

...After all I did say this fun fold offers you lots of surfaces to play with 😁

Any way that's all from me this week I do hope you've enjoyed the start to my Christmas card making.

Please join me next week when Gill will be sharing her inspiration with us all. 

Have a great weekend what ever you're up to. Fingers crossed you can get some crafting time.

Have fun

Cary xx

Throwback Thursday Caroling Mice

 Where oh where did the time go??? I'm very late posting today 🙃 but hopefully this cute card will help 🙂 Made using the sweet Caroling Mice it uses some of my favourite techniques masking and blending.

I stamped the little mouse, who for some reason reminds me of Fielel from An American Tail (1986)!!, onto a mat and onto a piece of Masking Paper. I then cut the mouse out of the masking paper and covered him up. Next I stamped the lamp post over the masked mouse so that it will be behind him.

I then stamped and cut the lamp post on masking paper too.

 I then stamped the musical notes and cobbles. Now it was time to grab my blending bushes and inks and apply all over the card mat.

The masking paper protects the images so that once the blending is finished they can be removed to reveal the stamped image. 

I used alcohol markers to colour the lamp and mouse.

Finally I added some white highlights using a white gel pen. And as I'm  writing this I realise that I didn't add a sentiment 😱 ohps sorry 😏. Any way please join me tomorrow for the final card of the week which hopefully will have all the bits it should have 😅

Watercolour Wednesday Perched in a Tree bundle

My card for today is again using the Perched in a Tree bundle because it's just so gorgeous 😍. 

I knew I wanted to make a Christmas card that would also work as a winter card for those who don't celebrate Christmas.  I  do this because I live in a multicultural town and have neighbours of different faiths who I like to give cards too at Christmas time. 

Now it was time to decide upon a colour palette. 

Silver or gold? What is your go to metallic for Christmas cards?  Me it's  all about what coloir you're putting it with.  So the decision was made once I'd  created my watercolour panel in shades of blue.... it had to be silver!

I used the stunning brushed silver foil paper from the   Silver foil pack.

I created a watercolour panel by wetting the watercolour paper with a spritzer filled with water.  I then added drops  or reinker in 3 shades of blue, a light, a mid and a dark shades, onto and acrylic block and dropped a very small amount of water into each. I  wanted the ink to be very fluid 

I then took my waterpainter and dripped the lightest shade of blue called tahitian tide onto the wet panel. I then did the same with the mid tone, pacific point, and the dark tone, starry sky. 

By keeping the paper and ink wet it allows the colours to run across the paper to create beautiful unique backgrounds . I dried this layer then added more ink and water where I felt it needed it.

Once the panel was dried I used the lead dies from the bundle on bothe the panel and thw silver paper. This created the beautiful focal points for my card.

I used a white card base which I stamped all over with the speckle stamp in tahitian tide, the light blue ink, using both first and second impressions to give a subtle colour. 

I then took a panel of cardstock in the dark blue, starry sky,  and die cut the tree silhouette.  I then adhered this with 3d foam to the card base.

Next it was time to stamp my sentiment in silver and mount it onto a piece of silver. I also die cut the single tree branch in the dark blue cardstock. 

Placing the die cut leaves along the branch was done randomly until I was happy with the results. 

All in all I'm  really please with the way my Christmas/  Winter card came together. I did wonder if blue was the right colour for the leaves but I love them!  What about you? Are they your cup of tea? Or are you more of a traditional colour leaf person?

Tips tricks and techniques Tuesday Perched in a Tree

 Ohh boy has it been crazy busy here in my small part of the world!! We've had classes and card and a cuppa and training and.... and the list goes on 🤪 Soooo I've decided to share the card I created for the card and a cuppa session. It uses a stamps and die bumdle that is just gorgeous.  Called Perched in a Tree bundle it's a great set that can be used for all sortes of occasions. 

I wanted to create a winter card. That for me means lots of white. I used white cardstock and a very subtle layer of the most amazing vellum. The vellum is both flocked and foiled in iridescent.  Called Snowflake vellum and is simply stunning 😍 

I chose to use a piece of the white flocked Snowflake vellum to sit behind the die cut trees. The effect is subtle but in real life gives a gorgeous effect.

I used basic grey to stamp the bird and branch images as grey is softer than black in my eyes. 

I coloured the bird as a British robin. Now I'm no artist and struggle with realistic colouring.  But this time I'm  really rather pleased with the way it turned out .

 

For sentiment the sentiment I decided to cut the stamped image apart . This allows me to seperate it and spread it over the card front. I also stamped this in basic grey again because of its subtly.

I love the pop of colour the Robin Redbreast gives to this card. He is a symbol to many of missed loved ones as well as a very welcome chirpy chappy in the winter garden.

Make it simple Monday Caroling Mice

 Thank goodness it's #makeitsimplemonday!! After an exceptionally busy weekend I realised it was my turn to create for the blog!! This is when keeping it #simplestamping is perfect! All I had to do was choose a stamp, grab some ink and paper and set to. The stamps I chose are the sweet singing mice from the Caroling Mice host stamp set.

I love the cute characters in this set. They are great for colouring in.  All the othe stamps will help me to create more fun projects to share with you this week but for today I kept it simple.

As you migjt have noticed the stamp set doesn't have any sentiments so I had to look at others in my stash to find just the right words. I found this one in the Perched in a tree. Can't you just hear them singing away?

Any way I'm off to host our monthly Card and a Cuppa session and then to get ready for our weekly Facebook live over on our page here at 4pm BST.  I'll be unboxing the latest Christmas kit from Stampin' Up! If you can join us please do if not I'll add the link to the video later 😉 

Here's the video link 

Throwback Thursday - DSP - Tea Boutique DSP

 Today's card is very like the cards that Cary made on her live yesterday. She made 4 beautiful cards and I decided to follow her same design but just changed this one a little. I had some strips of paper left from other projects just as Cary had earlier yesterday. This time I have used the Tea Boutique designer series papers from Stampin' Up! I started by cutting the strips of paper to the correct size and added them to White mats. Trying to decide what colour to use was tricky. I knew I didn't want any more yellow or even a plain white card base but I ended up with one more that I rarely use surpringly. I chose the strong Garden Green for the card base and I'm pleased to see that it works well. I added a strip of the white crinkled ribbon threaded around the centre panel, knotted and stretched across the outer two panels. A few simple sentiments and a few more lemons on the inside to complete it.

 

Watercolour Wednesday -DSP Designer Series Paper

Today I have not made a water colour card! Sorry! I was taken with how the gorgeous Abigail Rose DSP papers from Stampin' Up! are simply stunning. I chose 2 different colours of papers and off-set the black and white against the beige colour of the Sahara Sand patterned paper. No colours other than the paper and a simple Basic Black mat under the DSP and on the inside too. Sometimes, simple is all you need. 

 

Technique Tuesday - Designer Series Paper or DSP

 First of all, I must apologise for no posts yesterday. It was the funeral of our beloved Queen Elizabeth and I love our Monarchy and all it stands for. It was a beautiful service. Back to today. This week, I am going to play with paper. Specifically Dsp or Designer Series Paper. This first card I have used the gorgeous Splendid Day papers. These in Stampin' Up! we call DSP but it also stands for double sided paper. Each sheet has another pattern on the reverse. 

I have shown the reverse of the pattern on this card. Beautifully shiny on the front that has leaves all over in Fresh Freesia. The other side, is also Fresh Freesia but a different pattern and softer shade. Below is a picture of the papers the papers.

 

I have coordinated it with one of our retired, Saleabration stamps called Calming Camellia. I have to say, I am in love with this, well, you decide, front or back. Which would you use?

 

 

Fun fold Friday Yeti to Party Perfect Partners

 Today's sample was inspired by a card in the mini catalogue. In fact it was this card that sold me on the Yeti to Party stamp in the first place! The dies just happened to be a great added bonus. So what was it that attracted me, besides the uber cute yeti of course, ? Well for me I'm  very influenced by colour. I just love the colour palette of this sample in the July to December mini catalogue.

So I took the colour inspiration from this card and went to town with the mountains! In fact I ended up stamping, colouring and die cutting 19 of them 😱. And no it wasn't a hardship because I love colouring especially when I can use alcohol markers that allow me to create ombre effects!!

So once I'd stamped, coloured and die cut all the elments for my card I set to work creating the card base.

I started with a piece of card measuring 10.5cm x 29.7cm.  I marked it at 2.5cm in and up on both sides. I then marked it at 2.5cm in at 18cm. Next I cut between the two marks on each side.

 Then it was time to do the scoring. I scored each side at 2.5cm , 4.5cm and 17cm upto the cut line. I scored between the cut lines at 14.85cm. The first score line is folded as a mountain fold the second as a valley one and then the third as a mountain. The center fold is also a mountain fold.

If you prefer imperial measurements or use US size card stock theree are plenty of tutorials to be found out there 😉 

Once the card base was made it was great fun to decorate using all the elements I'd already made. One additional thing I did was to add white mats that I embossed using a 3d embossing folder called Timber.

I think that in real life using  an embossing folder when layering same colour cardstock onto each other creates a great effect. Sadly it doesn't photograph so well for me .

I hope you've enjoyed this weeks inspiration using the uber cute Yeti to Party bundle. Don't forget if you'dike to purchase the bundle , or the dies if you already own the stamps, then you need to order before the end of the Perfect Partners promotion on the 30th September 2022!!!

Next week Gill will be sharing her talents with us all here so please remember to pop by and join me in seeing what inspiration she shares. 

Have a wonderful weekend hopefully full of crafting and laughter. 

Have fun 

Cary xx

Throwback Thursday Yeti to Party Perfect Partners

 Now don't think a yeti is just for Christmas... he's for all year through!!! That's right I've used the uber cute Yeti to Party bundle to create a fun birthday card.... or invite to a party 🤔 it could work for both 😁!!

I'm particularly keen on predominantly white cards and that suits yeti cards so well thankfully 😀 I also like to use different sizes card bases soooo I made a card base in white and a slimline/dl size.

I used the die from the set to create appatures in a white mat that I then popped it through the embossing and die cutting machine with a 3d embossing folder called brick wall.

I popped the mat up on 3d foam so that I could place elements that I stamped, coloured and die cut out.

For the Yeti's I used a fun product called Snowfall Accent Puff Paint. This fun white paint puffes up when you appy heat with a heat gun. I love the way it adds texture to a project perfect for my Yeti's. 

All thought there a quite a few components to this card its not a difficult one to make and would make a fabulous party invite or birthday card 😀 

Watercolour Wednesday Yeti to Party Perfect Partners

 Today's inspiration using the delightful Yeti to Party bundle doesn't even have a yeti on it!! I created this card to show how useful the coordinating dies are. 

Dies are such useful tools. They give you a wonderful way to find your inner creative.

I used the dies that cut out the mountains to create ice creams. I also used the snowcap dies to become the sauce ontop.

 As you can see I cut a spoon myself, it's not great but it does the job 😉. I used the large semi dome die to create the sundaes dish. 

I love how you can take some die cuts and create a whole new world!

So next time you purchase something remember to look out side the box you migjt surprise yourself.