Monotone Card

I found some inspiration for this card and wanted to share it because I am very proud and pleased with how it has turned out:

I scored a square card blank in half and folded it back to create the step. I border punched the edge and added some papermania capsule collection from the black and white pad. You can't see it in the picture but I also added a strip of black card behind the border to make it stand out when folded down flat.

The main image was heat embossed onto grey card using WOW embossing powder in black gilt. I then mounted it onto black card and added some small cream brads for decoration.

The backing paper is from the Papermania bookprint paper pad and I added some black polka dot ribbon. I then heat embossed two butterflies in white powder onto black card and cut round them. A grey adhesive pearl was then added to the top butterfly.

I think it looks very stylish and different and would make a great card for any occasion.

New year, new techniques

I love learning new techniques when it comes to card making and all things paper crafts and when I look back at the cards I first made, I can certainly see how much I have learnt.

At the moment I like making as much of the card as I can without the help of pre-printed papers, peel-offs etc. I bought some stamps before Christmas and didn't have much time to try them out but in the last few days I have been experimenting, with some rather good results I think.

Here is the one card I made with the stamps back in November and everything is created by me:

For the background I stamped the words stamp onto some pink card several times. I then inked up the flowers stamp and took the ink off with my brayer. I then brayered the image over the words in a purple ink. The picture at the forefront was stamped and embossed with clear powder and then cut out. The same was done with the butterflies - first onto pink card with pink ink and then the larger butterfly was embossed with purple ink, cut out and stuck onto the first image. I bent the wings to give a 3D effect and added some pearls. This is my most favourite card so far.


Then I tried my other set of stamps and here is the result:

For this card I stamped the image onto plain white vellum and dried it with a heat gun. I then coloured it on the back with pro markers and heated it to dry again. I then had to flatten it under a book as it had bent slightly. It was mounted onto a scallop square which had been inked with a bronze ink, and secured with red brads. The sentiment and small bird were also heat embossed with bronze metallic powder. The backing paper (which unfortunately I didn't make in this one) was mounted onto core'dinations card and sanded over, which gave the white edge to the paper. Then the ribbon was added.

The other technique that I absolutely love at the moment it painting onto black card. I received some vintage paints for Christmas which I tried out on these cards:

For the main images on both I heat embossed them onto black with black glint embossing powder. I then coloured in the images with the vintage paint. The corners on each card were black peel off's which I stuck to black card and painted in co-ordinating colours. A different take on the monochrome look I think.


And following on the same theme is the last card:

I had already made several calendars using the butterfly stamp but this time, instead of using a white embossing powder, I used the pearlescent green one. Again it was coloured in with the vintage paints and mounted onto mint green pearlescent card. The swirls behind the butterfly have been embossed with the same green pearl powder but because they are on white, the effect is much more subtle. The sentiment was embossed in the same powder and used to prop up the easel card.


Now, back to the craft table as I have lots more ideas in mind to try - watch this space!

Heat Embossing

I have spent the week experimenting some some heat embossing techniques for a new project I am trying out (I won't let on until I know it's happening) but I thought I would share some of the cards I made with you.

This was my first experiment:

I had a set of silhouette stamps which I hadn't used yet. The thank you was stamped with purple ink and then embossed with clear powder. It doesn't show much in the picture but it gives a shiny, almost wet look to it. It was then cut out and mounted onto a scallop circle and perfect pearl drops were added to each scallop. The flourish at the side was done in the same way onto a pink paper. It's a very simple card and I took the ideas and built on them for the next card:

I had been meaning to use my white embossing powder for a while and the flourish was screaming out to be stamped onto black card and embossed with the white powder, so this is what I did. I re-stamped it 3 times next to each other to create this beautiful black and white background. The topper has been stamped with black ink and embossed with clear powder and then the ribbon and stick on gems were added as a finishing touch.

The next card also builds on an idea that I have tried before: a silver embossed wedding cake.

Previously I had embossed the cake on it's own and mounted onto a white card blank, but it's not been that popular, so I have added to the design. I mounted it onto pink and then silver card and placed on a square card blank which had been covered with pink card and then silver congratulations paper. I embossed the sentiment in the same way - with the silver embossing powder as well as the two hearts. I am very pleased with the result and hopefully this one will sell slightly better than they last version.


The next card is my favourite. I read somewhere that someone had tried embossing peel off's. I had this peel off in my stock and hadn't used it but felt that it was in need of some glitter embossing powder, so that's what I did:

Again, it doesn't show up very well in the picture, but certain areas of the peel off have been embossed with sparkly powder. The same was done with the butterflies and they were then cut out and stuck onto the card. The wings have been slightly bent to add to the 3D look. The flourishes in the corners were stamped and embossed with white embossing powder as well as the sentiment.

And then there is this one, which again is very simple but it looks so effective and pretty.

The topper and sentiment were stamped with blue ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. The border along the bottom was stamped with blue ink and embossed with the sparkly powder. The mirri card which has been used for mounting the topper and sentiment, and for the flourishes, adds a certain sophisticated look to the card.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my cards as much as I have enjoyed making them, and I hope that they will bring inspiration to any who want to try heat embossing for themselves.

Claire

New Card Designs

Having run out of inspiration with the existing card making materials I have (and there are a lot of them!) I went and bought some more and my inspiration has returned.

I was looking for a flower silhouette stamp to stamp on background paper. I didn't find exactly what I had in mind but I did get this stamp which I have been experimenting with.

This card was stamped with black ink and then embossed with clear embossing powder - both the flower and the flourish behind is done in this way, and then some pearl dots and glitter were added to brighten it up.

I then used the same stamp and some brown ink. I then used my shimmer chalks and perfect pearls to create the background. A piece of yellow ribbon and some pearl dots finish off the card.

I also bought an unmounted rubber stamp - which I have not used before but I really liked the design so had to have it. Again I have made two cards so far with this stamp.


This card was made with the rubber stamp, stamped in clear ink and then brushed with purple perfect pearls. It went a bit splodgy but it adds to the vintage effect.

I then stamped the image with my brown ink pad and using a sponge, distressed the background card and edge of the blank card with the same brown ink.

I have also fallen in love with a company called Little Claire Designs (no it's not me - it's just a coincidence). I found some gorgeous peel off's to suit many different occasions and here is what I made.

This one is for a wedding, with a stained glass window as the main feature. The flourish was embossed in all 4 corners and some bells and peel off hearts added at the end.

I was also looking for some ideas for children and found these peel off's. They are coloured brown, so rather than just have the outline of the image I used my transfer sheets (which I have finally found after hunting around for ages) and transferred the whole image across.

There were some lovely hedgehog images too which I have made up into small cards measuring only 4 inches square. Again I used the whole image rather than just the outline.

And finally, some peel off's for men were found and I used this car image to make a male birthday card. This time I did take just the outline sticker and colour it in.

These are just a few of the new bits I bought so watch this space for some more new cards!

Claire

Handmade Cards and experiments!

 The shop - Prestbury Crafts and Gifts (for all those who don't know!) has now been open for just over 6 weeks.

I have been hard at work making cards, among other things and they have been selling very very well. I have even had a few requests from people to make really special handmade cards for them.

Here are a few that I have made - I don't have time to take pictures of them all anymore but those ones I am proud of and want to remember have been pictured.

We went through a week with different anniversary cards, of which I didn't have any at the time so here are the ones I've made - I think they have all sold now so I need to get making some more:

Then came mothers day and again I was busy making cards. It's quite hard to predict how many were going to sell and I was still making them on the day before. Here are 2 of my favourites:

The last one here is made on brown recycled kraft card which gives it that unusual look.


This one is my favourite easel card which has now sold:

One of my colleagues wanted me to make her a card for her friends baby who had just been born. She sat with me for ages telling me what she wanted but I think she now has the card making bug as well. (The baby was Polish just in case you were wondering!)

New baby cards have also been popular and although I haven't had much inspiration for them I did try a few cross stitched cards:

Heat embossing has also featured quite heavily in my card making - it's fun getting messy and watching the glitter melt (!). I discovered my white ink pad and coloured card as well and here are the results:

I also experimented with printing on acetate and creating window cards. It didn't work quite how I wanted it and was very fiddly but the results aren't bad:

And then I got a stencil and had a go an inking through the stencil with my Big and Juicy ink pad. I couldn't find a sponge to use in the village until I had an idea to use a washing up sponge - it worked just as well and here are the results:

Here is another cross stitch card that is prefect for the spring/summer weather we are having:

I bought some shimmer chalks and experimented with the distressed look on this card. It certainly is cheaper than buying distress inks which are very popular at the moment:

I also bought some black magic core'dinations card which can be sanded to reveal the colour underneath. I tried that with my butterfly embossing folder. It worked quite well apart from I squashed some of the embossed parts when I was gripping it:

Another technique I tried was colouring in on black card with my metallic pencils. I don't think you can see it very well in this picture but the outcome was stunning and I am very pleased. It's just a shame that I only had one of these peel off's!

And then there were the nestabilities I bought. I'm not sure I like this card but I love the shapes the die's create and they will feature a lot more in my card making.

And last but not least are the Christmas cards (yes they were made on one of the hottest days of the year but there is nothing like starting early!). I have had these peel off's for a while and they have been itching to be used. Again I experimented with acetate to create window cards and I think the results are stunning. They produced a very unusual contemporary card and I have more plans for them still .... watch this space!

These are just some of the cards I've been making - I've been extremely busy. I'm afraid there are no cards on the website yet but if you wanted anything please send me an email: claire@prestburygifts.com. I can make cards to order and post them out to you. And for all the budding crafters out there have a look at our website for some great card crafting products: www.prestburycraftsandgifts.com

Getting closer to shop opening - more cards made ready!

Here are just a few of the cards I have made recently - I have made so many and keep forgetting to take pictures of them!

The last one is my favourite - I have borrowed a heat embossing gun and I love it! The end result is very professional and it makes a good wedding card.

Now I need to think of a name for my craft part of the shop - any ideas welcome! I have a few but am not quite sure yet.