Pocket Letter

In this digital age, it is still lovely to

send and receive snail mail.

I love it and what's great, is I have a pen friend.

 Marion & I worked together over 10 years ago for about 14 years.

We keep in touch the old fashioned way.

Its great to sit and write as I often only ever

signed my name all day at work.

I also fancied trying something new and below are two

pictures of my first ever pocket letter.

Back of letter;

I stamped in Altenew Ink.

Image: Stampin'Up (a previously loved image)

I used an Avery Elle Stamp pocket

& created the individual pockets with my

WRMK Fuse Tool.

I punched a hole to tie.

Inside;

Flora imagery,

Summer colours

& sequins.

My letter went in the top left hand side.

I used Altenew / Concord & 9th

Creative Stamping & another previously loved image

of Macaroons which I believe is Impression Obsession.

I absolutely love those colours.

 

Wedding Anniversary card

Today is my sister's Wedding Anniversary.

She loves muted colours and CAS designs.

Not so certain on the clean & simple but it

is relatively plain for me!

I stamped Natalie Kabach texture stamp 

in Nougat Fresco chalk paint (PaperArtsy),

then over stamped Kaisercraft Dictionary stamp

randomly in Evening Gray ink (Altenew).

This was then overstamped and offset slightly

with the same ink & Kaisercraft Flutter stamp.

I also stamped the greeting from a free set with same ink.

I die cut leaves from plain paper & vellum

to add movement to the card (Tim Holtz Garden Greens)

Adding Resting Birds (Poppy Stamps Dies) before

splattering a little Gold Shine spray on the main image, 

adding shimmer to edges of leaves & birds.

90th Birthday & Encouragement Cards

First up we have a 90th birthday card for Eve. 

I am not 100% certain what I used to make this.

Background is a Heidi Swapp Stamp.

Die cut is Sue Wilson.

I can't locate the book with the sketch & materials list.

This card is again for my friend, Kate.

Encouragement was the aim of this card.

She had a wedding to attend and a certain dress she 

had to fit into. This card was sent to remind her

she only had a tiny way to go.

Images are free from creative Stamping.

Paper pieced using bits from my scraps box.

I added Anita's 3D gloss to the hearts.

 

The New & The Old(er)

This first card is the First Wedding Anniversay

for my friends, Kate & Paul.

I embossed the front with a Brenda Walton Folder.

I die cut the heart from an already die cut piece.

Banner & greeting - Stampin' Up.

 This is the card I made for the wedding.

This image was not lost. I was a witness along with my Dad.

The wedding was conducted in secret, we were the only two

who knew! So I have not shared until now.

I used free magazine stamps & dies.

I had to add the dog in the back window as straight after

the wedding, they collected Skye, the labrador, and shot off 

to the Lakes, where they then told family and friends!!

Mother's Day Commission

I made this for a former colleague, Kim.

Various photos show the card.

First up the side view. Doesn't look much!

This is the inside when you first open the card.

It is held closed by a magnet.

 

Under the wording at the top of the last photo,

I created a mini card for Kim to write her message.

 

This final shot shows the front.

I used grape card stock and Stampin' Up thinlits.

The heart was a button I think and the jewels from

my stash.

Pop Up Box Commission

My brief for this commission was quite simple.

Teapot, 60 and wording provided by Lorraine, (the commissioner)

So to begin, I picked my favourite tea time paper

by Lucy Cromwell. Then, raided my stamps for tea themed items.

I decided to do something interactive and to make the 60

less obvious.

This shows the card closed.

This is with the two front flaps down,

giving a peek at the design.

 These next two pictures give you angled views 

of the card.

This last picture shows the card viewed 

when the box opens.

All the stamps were from a free magazine cover gift.

Wording written by Lorraine was computer generated.

Another found image

Here is another card made in 2016!

It is such a relief to recover these

"lost" images.

This was for my friend, Kate's birthday.

Background created by stamping the image

by Natalie Kalbach & blending from the centre out.

Original distress inks Worn Lipstick and Pumice Stone. 

Spritzed with perfect pearls water.

Other stamps;

HOTP - feathers/stars/sentiment

Feathers were coloured with Altenew ink;

Rose Quartz & Sand Dunes

New Baby Card...

...except she will be two on 11 November 2018!!!

This was made for my colleague Andy & his wife Rachel

to celebrate the birth of Austen.

Beter late than never, but I can assure you they got

it when it was made!!

I began by creating the basic easel &

die cutting the circle & bookplate.

I then stamped all the imagery

& coloured with Inktense pencils.

 I then set about handmaking the paper.
I had nothing in my stash that spoke to me.
So I used my favourite technique
Stamping and covering with perfect pearls.
I forget the colours used but the stamp was Tim Holtz.
Other stamps from Creative Stamping issue 22.

The star die cut below was another magazine
freebie but it was meant for Christmas
& I decided it was suitable for baby.

 This just shows another closer look at the card.
I die cut mini clouds from XCut to add depth.
I love how this turned out.

More of 2016!

This time I have a November birthday to share.

This one was for my friend, Donna Dale.

I masked off a piece on the card front & stamped

all over the area in Cherry Blossoms (Lakeland)

using Versamark and heat embossed with white.

I then blended over regular distress inks in 

Shaded Lilac, Wlited Violet & Dusty Concord.

(Oxides had not been born yet!)

I then stamped the bird on the branch

and cut out. I coloured all the flowers using gold

then added the tiny butterflies.

This is one of those designs that looked

far better in the hand than in the picture.

October 2016 Wedding Anniversary!

I thought this card had been blogged,

searching the blog, I can't see it!

This was my sister's 10th Wedding Anniversary Card.

 To create the front I stamped Tim Holtz Brocade

Stamp onto Watercolour paper using Versamark and

clear embossed the design.

I then blended Antique Linen & Pumice Stone

regular distress ink over the panel.

Spritzed with pearlised water and allowed to dry.

Once dry I added some gold spray.

I die cut Tim Holtz Wildflowers

fromorange/yellow card & spritzed those

with perfect pearls in water and then gold.

Added a Tim Holtz Celebrate die cut

and added a simple piece on the inside.

 

Happy Birthday Katie

Today is my hair stylist, Katie's birthday.

She has two gorgeous horses,

so my theme was easy.

 I wanted to use the fabulous card design 

Inside Shadow Box which I saw

made by the fabulous

Jennifer McGuire 

I have already made a square one Icreated after this one.

 

 I felt this original card size worked best to

show the horses running in the sea.

Horses Stamp Set by Inkadinkado

Sea and Birds - Cherry Pie

I kept the horses black & white so

the details were not lost.

 

Clean & Simple from 2016

A nice clean & simple masculine design.

Another of the lost 2016 cards.

This one for my Step-Nephew, Oliver.

 He was 18.

Kraft card with white panel embossed 

with a gorgeous tree.

Motorcycle stamp - Deep Red.

Picture a tad blurred at the bottom!

 

Another of the lost designs of 2016

Another fancy fold design.

This time for a 30th Birthday.

Hollie used to work with me, before leaving

to have her beautiful family.

This card begun as two square Kraft card blanks.

They were joined to make a gatefold.

The fronts were then folded back to create "doors"

from which I die cut the scalloped circle,

creating a window into the middle.

A die cut banner holds them closed.

I coloured Tim Holtz die cut Wildflowers

using Lindys Stamp Gang.

 

Inside was the main attraction! 

All imagery stamped from free magazine covers.

Creative Stamping issue 26 & 29

You can even see the date on my sticker!!

A Card from 2016!

I thought I had lost the photos

of this card (& 4 others)

I misplaced the SD card from the camera.

I have two and use one for cards etc,

the other, the largest card is photos.

So over the course of a few days,

I will share the lost work.

This was made for a friend who was

a train buddy, Joanne.

 I was very much into fancy folds

(still am) when I made this.

Joanne is a Manager for Wallis Clothing,

hence the fashion theme.

 Cardstock - American crafts Purple

Die Cut panels of watercolour paper.

All images free with Creative Stamping 28

Dresses all paper pieced from glitter & patterned papers.

 

Happy Birthday to Fran

Our neighbour Fran had her birthday

and as she is never out of her garden,

I made her this.

 The papers I used were free with a magazine

some time ago. They are Botanical Collection Craftwork Cards.

The stamps & embossing were all using

another magazine free gift.

 This gives a better view of inside the window.

This is another card inspired by the amazing

Jennifer McGuire

This is the Inside Shadow Box Card.

I have already made one of these in the size

shown in Jennifer's video but I can't share it until 

21st July. This one I worked out the sizing

for myself to create a square card.

Handcutting all the sunflowers took a little time but

I felt the impact was worth it.

 

Happy Birthday....

to my sister, Tracy.

She had her birthday at the end of last week.

I made her two cards.

This first card uses the gorgeous stamp from

Concord & 9th, Hello Lovely.

I stamped this in versafine clear onto 140lb 

watercolour cardstock. Heat embossed Ranger Rose Gold.

I coloured the image using

Prima Watercolours - Shimmering Lights. 

Finishing touches were Nuvo Drops

Morning Dew & Honey Gold Glitter.

 The second card was made to give her

from Kia, the cat.

Tracy originally adopted Kia and now she is

a senior animal she wants her own space.

So, I adopted her just over two years ago.

I chose this card design after watching the video 

by Jennifer McGuire

I think she is amazing and I learn so many 

new ideas watcing her on You Tube.  

This card uses Cool Cats stamps & dies

by My Favourite Things.

Greeting was from Simon Says Stamp 

 

Happy Father's Day

To my fabulous dad!

I made him this hidden slider card.

The slider is the lawnmower.

Cutting grass is one of his

favourite hobbies.

Trellis was made using a

Boxed kit Die Cutting Essentials

Issue 5 &

Hunky dory kit issue 3 was

The shed, hanging basket

& Lawnmower stamp.

Father's Day - Die'sire die

Happy - Avery Elle - Elle Ments.

April Christening Card

I was commissioned to make

a quick Christening Card back in April.

Time was short so I purchased a Digi

Stamp from Lily of the Valley.

Teamed it with this gorgeous

Roses deep embossing folder

& Scrap piece of ribbon.

Added some pretty die cut pieces for

the date & name & my

Easel Card was complete.

Couple of Cards

Just popping by to add more cards.

This first card was made in March.

I make these but then they go unshared

because I hate editing!

CAS Get Well.

I covered the front of a square card with

Stampin' Up So Saffron cardstock.

I then die cut a square of heavyweight

Stampin' Up Whisper White using my

Die'sire Edge die Victoriana.

The bow die was from The Works
cut twice in white backing it with the saffron.

Inside I used magazine cover free stamps.

I really love this one.

This next one was for a May birthday.

The recipient is another Queen Bee Salon lovelie.

Liz loves all thinks sugar skull & motorcycles

my inside source informed me.

So I made this.

The skull is a stamp made by a delightful little 

UK company Azeeda 

https://www.azeeda.com

Motorcycle by Stampin' Up.

The background was coloured using

the smoosh technique with

a piece of acetate & distress inks.

Frame layered 3 times.

Think it is part of my Union Square set.

Mama Elephant.

Back with more art

Firstly, I am sharing the last page 

I made in my Dictionary Journal.

I shared Spring twice in error & not this

Summer one.

I plan to do 4 more pages to fit within

my homemade binding & will share

them soon.

This next piece is a card

for my ex train buddy, Claire.

I made it using Tattered Lace book dies.

I wanted it to be like a story book of friends.

These free stamps were perfect as she went

on holiday with her BFF's to celebrate her

Birthday.

 This one is also for my other ex train buddy, Rod.

He shares his birthday with Claire.

This was made with a favourite Cherry pie

waves stamp, some distress oxide 

beach blending & a previously loved 

Stampin' Up set Wetlands 

( gotta love second hand)

That is all for now but I will

be back soon as I have more

art to share 😊