Quick and Easy cards created for Chocolate Baroque

Good morning. Today I am sharing some quick and easy makes using Wisteria Lane, Tranquility and Artistic Affirmations stamps from Chocolate Baroque.

My first card is a small 7 X 13cm card. The background was from my inky stash of papers created by spritzing inks onto cartridge paper and dropping on dishwasher salt crystals. These were then brushed off when dry. I tend to create batches of these papers so that I always have something in my stash for a quick make. Alternatively a printed background paper could be used.

The images from Wisteria Lane and Artistic Affirmations were stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with detail white powder. Versamark was rubbed down the edges of the paper and sparkly silver embossing powder applied before sticking to the card front.

My next quick make is a 15cm square card. An 11cm square of white stamping card was quickly painted with watercolour inks (orange and yellow). Images from Tranquility and Artistic Affirmations were stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with gold powder. Sparkly gold powder was used around the edges. Water was applied to the blossoms and onto the background to create sky texture and the moon, blotting off dissolved ink with tissue. The flowers were then over coloured with alcohol ink pens and sparkle pen brushed over for shimmer. A 12cm square black card mat was cut for framing and mounting onto the card front.

My last quick and easy makes are a 15cm square card and small gift bag to co-ordinate. I cut my mini gift bag from smooth white card using my Silhouette electronic cutter. You could use a die cut or ready made plain bag, or a make simple gift tag to match. Images from Tranquility and Artistic Affirmations were stamped with Majestic Blue Versafine Ink and quickly coloured with water based blue sparkle pens, blending colour using a clear sparkle pen. The topper was edged with blue alcohol ink marker to frame. Small sticky pearls and a bow were added to finish.

The End–Halloween Mixed Media Canvas created with Powertex

I just love a bit of Halloween Fantasy. Have you seen the FAB new stencil – ‘The End’ – from Powertex? Perfect for Spooky makes.

I used Easy Coat decoupage medium to apply stamped images from the Chocolate Baroque ‘Texture Fragments’ to the background. I also used Easy Structure Paste applied through the stencils and some onto the background and impressed with the stamps for added texture.

No fabric was included in this one but I used a lot of paper cut shapes treated with Transparent Powertex; great for stiffening, gluing and sealing the embellishments.

I hope that you enjoy my spooky scene.

Materials Used:

• 30 X 22.5cm stretched canvas
• 30 X 30 cm Stencil (The End)
• Powertex Hardener (Transparent and Ivory)
• Easy Coat Mat Medium
• Easy Structure Paste
• Bister (Green and Yellow)
• Chocolate Baroque Stamps (Texture Fragments)
• Brusho Powders (Lemon and Leaf Green)
• Alcohol Markers
• StazOn Inkpad (Jet Black)
• Gilding wax (gold)
• Tissue paper, card (white and black)
• Electronic cutting files were used to cut the bats (Silhouette), spiders (JM Rush Silhouette Store) and ferns (Tattered Lace Brother ScanNCut USB). The skeletons and vines (Sheena Douglass), and Pumpkin (Sizzix) were cut using dies.

Butterfly Screen Card created for Chocolate Baroque

Good evening. This was another of my show samples for the butterflies stamps recently featured on Hochanda from Chocolate Baroque.

 

Materials:

• Just Butterflies and Patchwork Butterfly stamp sets
• Plain card (black, blue, white)
• Tattered Lace ScanNCut shaped cards USB 1
• Brother ScanNCut electronic cutting machine
• Sparkle pens (blue, gold, clear)
• Versafine Inkpad (Onyx Black)
• Fine tipped pen (black)
• Pencils (white, black)
• Circle template for drawing the moon
• Spellbinders Blossom die set
• Glitter glue (Stickles Icicle, and blue)

 

How it was done:

1. I cut the main card blank in black card (A4 sheet) and trimmed out the trellis from the central panel.
2. The background panel was cut in blue card. The swirls were stamped on the left and right hand sides of the panel. The rest of the scene was hand drawn in using the fine tipped pen and pencils. I used a circle die as a template for the moon.
3. The butterfly was stamped onto the background and coloured with the sparkle pens. The background panel was then glued to the card blank.
4. The blossom and branches were cut from blue and white card and the blossom coloured with sparkle pen.
5. The butterflies were stamped onto blue card, coloured with sparkle pens and pencil, then cut out.
6. The cut out elements were then glued to the card. Thin foam pads were used for added dimension.
7. I finished with dots of glitter glue for added sparkle.

Leafy Trails card and gift box created for Chocolate Baroque

Good morning. I am excited to share one of my samples for Lesley’s first TV shows on Hochanda at the start of the month. Lesley demonstrated several sets of stamps from Chocolate Baroque featuring a romantic theme with gorgeous roses and heartfelt sentiments. Great for creating projects for loved ones, Valentines Day, Weddings and Anniversaries too.

I have used the Big Bold Backgrounds Leafy Trails stamp to create this card and to decorate a small gift box to match. I embellished using the Rose Stem Script stamp and a sentiment from the Words of Love set.

Materials:

• Big Bold Backgrounds Leafy Trails, Rose Stem Script, Harlequin Rose (small border) and Words of Love stamp sets
• 6 X 6 inch scalloped white card blank, white stamping card
• Small gift box (white card)*
• Inkpads: Versamark and dye based (teal)
• WOW embossing powder (Metallic Gold Rich Super Fine)
• Alcohol pen (teal)
• Water based sparkle pens (teal, pink and clear), watercolour pen (dark pink) – Spectrum Noir
• Fine ribbon (teal)
• Spray varnish with mica (Crafters Companion Spray & Sparkle)

* The gift box is a purse design from Silhouette – I think that it came included with the Silhouette Studio software

How to make:

Stamp the leafy background with Versamark and heat emboss with gold powder. Trim stamping card to fit the card blank leaving a small border. Round the corners with a punch or scissors. Edge with the alcohol marker.

Open out the box and lay flat. Mine was cut on the Silhouette Cameo, but you could use a die cut or a ready-made plain box. My box measured approx. 30 X 21 cm when opened out. Stamp and emboss the box sides with the leafy stamp.

Colour the card front and box with sparkle pens. Spray with a coat of sparkle varnish. Glue the background mat to the card front.

Cut a strip of card, stamp the sentiment and small border with teal ink. Trim and edge with alcohol pen. Attach to card front with 3D foam.

Stamp the rose panel in Versamark Ink and emboss with gold powder. Colour with watercolour and sparkle pens (both are water based so can be used together). Cut out the rose and lightly shape. Tie on a ribbon and glue to the card with 3D glue gel.

Harlequin Rose card and gift box created for Chocolate Baroque

 

Good morning. I am excited to share one of my samples for Lesley’s first TV shows on Hochanda today. I am looking forward to being able to see more fabulous demos from this talented lady. Lesley will be bringing some gorgeous sets of stamps from Chocolate Baroque featuring a romantic theme with gorgeous roses and heartfelt sentiments. Great for creating projects ready for Valentines Day, but also suitable for Weddings and Anniversaries too.

I have used stamps from the Harlequin Rose set to create this card and to decorate a small gift box to match.

Materials:

• Stamp Sets: Harlequin Rose and Words of Love (small heart stamp)
• 19 X 15cm white card blank, white stamping card and die cut tags
• Small gift box (white card)*
• Inkpads: Distress Ink (Victorian Velvet), Versamark and Versafine (Vintage Sepia)
• WOW embossing powder (Metallic Gold Rich Super Fine)
• Water based sparkle pens (teal and clear)
• Fine ribbons (teal) and fabric rose (pink)

*I used a GSD cutting file and cut the box on my Silhouette Cameo electronic cutting machine (CD86 Party Favour Boxes from Cocopopart).

How to make:

Trim stamping card to fit the card blank leaving a small border. Stamp the decorative border with Versamark and heat emboss with gold powder.

Open out the box and lay flat. Mine was cut on the Silhouette Cameo, but you could use a die cut or a ready-made plain box. My box measured approx. 20cm square when opened out. Stamp and emboss the box sides with the border stamp.

Colour the card front and box with Distress Ink using a sponge. Colour the border flowers with teal sparkle ink.

Stamp the sentiment onto the card front with Distress Ink. Stamp the mini border with teal ink. Distress the card edges and glue to the card front. I used the edge of my scissors to do this.

Stamp 2 mini tags with the small heart and emboss with gold, emboss along the edges too. Colour with Distress Ink and then with teal pen. Add ribbon and fabric rose and glue in place on the box and card.

Stamp the rose panel in Versafine ink and trim fit on the card front. Ink the card edges with Distress Ink and roughen.

Colour the leaves with teal and clear sparkle pens. Colour the rose with Distress Ink; applying to a palette and picking up colour with a water brush. Brush over the highlights with clear sparkle pen. Attach to the card front with 3D foam.

Lace Edged Parchment Card created with Tattered Lace Best of 2016 Brother ScanNCut USB

Today I am sharing some instructions, as promised, for my latest TV show samples created for Create & Craft TV and the Brother ScanNCut.

This one is created by embossing on parchment. I have then done a little hand embossing to add some whitework ‘shading’, and some colour with alcohol pens. I love this new feature of the ScanNCut.

This one is another fairly simple make using the Brother ScanNCut USB, Best of 2016 from Tattered Lace (cutting files in FCM format). A fabulous set of files that sold out very quickly. This has to be my favourite set yet. Well worth grabbing a copy when it returns.

Materials:

• Tattered Lace Brother ScanNCut USB 8 – Best of 2016
• 1.5mm embossing tool, embossing tool holder and mat
• Butterfly Garden strip embossing folder (Tattered Lace)
• Hand embossing tool approx. 3mm and parchment embossing mat
• A5 card blank, parchment and card (purple)
• Alcohol markers (light green, brown and pink)
• Pergamano sticky ink
• Extra fine glitter (white/clear) and PVA pearls (Vintage Plum)

How to make it:

1. Load the Lace Edged Rectangle 2 design. Delete all but the outer frame and resize to approx. 6.38 inches high. Load the bow from the All Tied Up set. Cut from purple card. Settings will depend on your card thickness and density (I used speed 5, pressure 1, standard blade depth 5.5).
2. Load the Lace Edged Rectangle 2 frame again, group all the elements together and resize to fit inside your cut purple mat (approx. 6.34 inches high).
3. Next load the Cherry Blossom design. Resize, flip and rotate it to fit inside the Lace Edged design. Using one of the built in machine fonts write the sentiment. Finally group everything together and mirror flip it ready for embossing. You need to do this a designs are always embossed on the back of the parchment.
4. Load the parchment and emboss the design using the 1.5mm ball tool. Again settings will vary depending on the brand of parchment that you use. I used a pressure of -4 and speed 1. If desired emboss again on a higher pressure (-2) to get whiter results (do not unload the mat until fully finished). Note: I rubbed over the parchment with a used tumble dryer sheet before embossing – it helps the tool to glide better.
5. Hand emboss on the back of the design to add ‘whitework’ shading. Add some colour with alcohol pens. It could be cut out using pricking tools and traditional Parchment techniques. I used scissors to cut around the outer embossed line.
6. Note: I find it tricky to cut the parchment on the machine after embossing as it doesn’t stick down well or lay flat on the cutting mat. Probably it would be best to cut out the parchment first, then place on the embossing mat and scan in the mat to work out where to place the embossing design. Not tried this but you would need to leave a bit of extra room around the edge so that the tool doesn’t directly hit or get caught on the embossing mat or edge of the parchment. I need to experiment a bit.
7. Cut the small plain butterfly from parchment (Essential Butterflies) and emboss the texture with the embossing folder. Colour lightly on the back.
8. Glue the parchment to the backing mat using tiny dots of glue behind the flower centres (where it will not show through). Glue to the card front and stick on the bow. I added some little vellum ‘waste’ cut flowers to hide a couple of small tears in my parchment. Glue down the butterfly body leaving the wings free for shaping.
9. Finally finish with glitter (using Pergamano sticky ink) and PVA pearls. Note: sticky ink is not as wet as PVA glue which can cause curling of the parchment.

Pearl Doily Clock created with Tattered Lace best of 2016 Brother ScanNCut USB

 

Today I am sharing some instructions, as promised, for my latest TV show samples created for Create & Craft TV and the Brother ScanNCut.

This one is not a working clock as it was created as a sample – but it could easily be adapted, real clock fixings are readily available to make it into a working piece. I may make another in different colours to fit my décor with an MDF backing. Spray varnish would also protect it and make it into a more durable piece of home furnishing.

This one is another fairly simple make using the Brother ScanNCut USB, Best of 2016 from Tattered Lace (cutting files in FCM format). A fabulous set of files that sold out very quickly. This has to be my favourite set yet. Well worth grabbing a copy when it returns.

Materials:

• Tattered Lace Brother ScanNCut USB 8 – Best of 2016
• Standard pen holder and black pen
• 12 X 12 card and paper: pale pink polka dot paper, cream card, dark grey card and 4 sheets of grey board (recycled from 12 X 12 paper pad back covers)
• Versamark inkpad and clear heat embossing powder
• Glitter pen (gold), alcohol marker (black and light grey)
• Cosmic Shimmer glitter glue (Autumn Twinkles) and PVA pearls (Black)
• Gilding Wax (gold)
• Brad to hold the hands

How to make it:

 

1. Load the Precious Time numbers and clock hands and cut 4 sets from cream card. I created a file to cut all in one go from a sheet of 12 X 12 card. Settings will depend on your card thickness and density (I used speed 5, pressure 1, standard blade depth 5.5).
2. Glue the elements together to make thick ‘chipboard’ components. Use a fast grab wet glue spreading the glue thoroughly so that all layers are well stuck down. Leave to dry.
3. Colour the numbers and clock hands with black alcohol marker. Coat with Versamrk ink and heat emboss with the clear powder. Lightly rub over with a little gilding wax to give a slight aged effect.
4. Glue together the 4 greyboard sheets and leave to dry. This makes a good strong back for the clock.
5. Load the Pearl Doily design, centre on the mat and cut from grey card. Keep the central doily for another project.
6. Load the smaller Doily designs, centre on the mat. Draw the designs onto the pink paper using a black pen and the standard pen holder.
7. Glue the drawn background mat and frame to the base backing. Leave to dry.
8. Hand colour the image with gold glitter pen and grey alcohol marker. Note: the machine does now have a colouring fill function. The way that I have coloured my clock would be a bit tricky to programme into the design as I have coloured negative spaces and just outlined some of the shapes.
9. Punch a hole into the centre of the clock (I used a long reach Cop-A-Dile) and fix the hands with a brad. In a rush for the post, could I locate my brads? No! I ended up using a jeans button with prong fixing as it was all I could find before rushing my samples to the post office – tee hee.
10. Glue down the numbers.
11. Finally finish with glitter glue and PVA pearls, plus a little gilding wax.

Meadow Sweet Card created with the Tattered Lace Best of 2016 Brother ScanNCut USB

 

Today I am sharing some instructions, as promised, for my latest TV show samples created for Create & Craft TV and the Brother ScanNCut.

This one is another fairly simple make using the Brother ScanNCut USB, Best of 2016 from Tattered Lace (cutting files in FCM format). A fabulous set of files that sold out very quickly. This has to be my favourite set yet. Well worth grabbing a copy when it returns.

Materials:

• Tattered Lace Brother ScanNCut USB 8 – Best of 2016
• 8 X 8 inch white card blank, cream and white card, floral background paper (Victoria Nelson – Village Fete)
• Tattered Lace 8 X 8 Rose Garden and Calligraphy Script strip embossing folders
• Glitter glue (clear) and PVA pearls (Cosmic Shimmer)
• Large ball tool and embossing mat to shape flowers
• Distress Ink (Victorian Velvet)

How to make it:

1. Load the Meadow Sweet background mat design and cut from floral paper. Settings will depend on your card thickness and density (I used speed 5, pressure 1, standard blade depth 4.5).
2. Enlarge the mat by approx. half an inch and cut again from cream card (my card needed blade depth 5.5).
3. Edge the mats with Distress ink and glue together, offsetting the cream base mat to create a ‘drop shadow’ effect.
4. Emboss the card front with the Rose embossing folder and a strip of cream card with the script. Lightly apply Distress ink to bring out the texture. Glue the strip in place, then the panel mat using 3D foam pads for added depth.
5. Next load the Meadow Sweet floral frame and sentiment and cut from white card. Lightly shape the flowers with an embossing tool and pull up some of the petal details. I used a thicker stamping card so it would hold its shape (increasing blade depth to 6.5).
6. Finally glue the floral frame and sentiment to the card front and finish with glitter glue and PVA pearls.

Rose Garden Gift Bag created with the Tattered Lace Brother ScanNCut Best of 2016 USB

 

 

Today I am sharing some instructions, as promised, for my latest TV show samples created for Create & Craft TV and the Brother ScanNCut.

I created this floral gift bag large enough for a presenting a hat & scarf set or jumper etc. I hope that you like it.

This one is another fairly simple make using the Brother ScanNCut USB, Best of 2016 from Tattered Lace (cutting files in FCM format). A fabulous set of files that sold out very quickly. This has to be my favourite set yet. Well worth grabbing a copy when it returns.

Materials:

• Tattered Lace Brother ScanNCut USB 8 – Best of 2016
• 3 X A4 sheets pink card, 2 X A3 sheets blue pearlescent card, 2 strips white scrap card approx. 2.5cm wide (A3 length)
• Tattered Lace 8 X 8 Rose Garden embossing folder
• Glitter glue and marker pen (pink)
• Large ball tool and embossing mat to shape flower
• Recycled handle (removed from card packaging box), small piece hook and loop tape (Velcro) for closure

How to make it:

Load the Rose Garden Panel design and cut twice from pink card at approx. A4 sheet size. Settings will depend on your card thickness and density (I used speed 5, pressure 1, standard blade depth 5.5).

Glue the two panels together along the long edge, then glue to an A3 sheet of blue pearlescent card. The join will be along the bottom of the finished bag.

Load the teardrop from the machine basic shapes and resize to approx. 6.5 inches high. Copy and cut 2 from blue pearl card. I increased my blade depth to 6.5 to cut this thicker coated card. I have shown the shapes on the ScanNCut canvas screen so that you can see them – but I actually created it on the machine. Trim off approx. 4cm from the teardrop tips to create the bag sides. You could create the fully finished shape in ScanNCut canvas if you want to save it for future projects. I was working in a hurry to finish my samples to post for the show so just quickly cut with a craft knife while designing.

Next create gluing tabs for adding the sides. Score the white scrap card strips down the centre and glue one side (i.e. half the strip) to the back edge of the bag sides. Snip horizontally along the strip overhanging edge enabling the bag to curve around into shape. Sorry that I don’t have a picture to show of this but I was designing and making this an hour before I needed to rush to the post office! Tee hee.

Curve the bag into shape and start gluing the tabs to the teardrop base – working gradually up each side. You need a fairly quick grabbing wet glue for this. It is a bit fiddly, just ease it around the side panel as you glue a few tabs at a time. Trim away the tabs that extend up and beyond the bag sides.

Next load the bag top from the machine basic shapes and resize to approx. 8 inches high. Cut from pearl card. Again I have shown a picture of the shape on ScanNCut canvas so that you can see it. I simply loaded it from the machine basic shapes.

Use the rose embossing folder to emboss the rose texture. Use the pink marker to edge the shape. Faux stitching may look nice too but I ran out of time to do this. Score a section in the centre wide enough to add the handle and fold into shape. Mark the position of the slots to insert the handle and cut with a craft knife. Attach the handle and glue the back panel to the bag. Add some Velcro strips to make a closure.

Load the Floral Layers Rose design. You will need 4 sets of each of the petal elements to make up the rose. Cut from the other sheet of pink card. Using an embossing mat and ball tool give some shape to the petals and make up the flower, layering larger petals to the outside, reducing size towards the middle, finishing with a folded up bud shape in the centre.

Finally glue the rose to the bag front, finish with glitter glue for sparkle.

Goldwork Lace Rose Card created with the Tattered Lace Brother ScanNCut Best of 2016 USB

Today I am sharing some instructions, as promised, for my latest TV show samples created for Create & Craft TV and the Brother ScanNCut.

This one is another easy make using the Brother ScanNCut USB, Best of 2016 from Tattered Lace (cutting files in FCM format). A fabulous set of files that sold out very quickly. This has to be my favourite set yet. Well worth grabbing a copy when it returns.

Materials:

• Tattered Lace Brother ScanNCut USB 8 – Best of 2016, Floral Layers CD-ROM (Tattered Lace)
• Floral papers (from a Tattered Lace magazine)
• 8 X 8 inch white card blank, A4 sheet light gold holographic card (Create & Craft), A4 sheet smooth white printing paper
• PVA pearls (Cosmic Shimmer, gold) and glitter glue (clear)Large b
• all tool and embossing mat to shape flower

How to make it:

1. Trim the patterned paper to fit the card front leaving a small border. Glue down.
2. Load the Goldwork Lace Floral design from the USB and cut from gold card. Settings will depend on your card thickness and density (I used speed 5, pressure 1, standard blade depth 6). Glue to the card front with 3D glue or foam pads for added depth.
3. From the CD-ROM print the sheet to create the yellow rose. This is a really easy to use CD-ROM – just Click, Print and Go. Scan the printed sheet into the ScanNCut. Use a low tack mat for paper (or a well used mat with less stick).
4. Overlay and resize the Floral Layers Rose file elements over the scanned image. This is fairly easy as the bleed area around the printed images gives an allowance – so you don’t need to be super accurate. There will be four sets of petal elements printed on the sheet. Work on one set first and when happy with the placement and sizing of the cutting files, group them together and save the file. You will then not have to repeat the procedure if you want to cut out more sheets in the future. Then simply overlay 3 more sets of cutting file over the remaining images. Cut out (I used cut speed 5, pressure 0, standard blade depth 3).
5. Using an embossing mat and ball tool give some shape to the petals and make up the flower, layering larger petals to the outside, reducing size towards the middle, finishing with a folded up bud shape in the centre.
6. Finally glue on the rose, add PVA pearls, and finish with glitter glue for sparkle.