Water Colour Resist

One of the on-line groups I belong to (Crafty NZ Card Makers)  has a monthly swap where we send a card to one of the other members of the group. The theme for the swap this month is water colour resist so I got out my Close to my Heart stamps and water colours and had a play. Very pleased with the result!

I stamped the top layer (water colour card from CTMH) using one of the stamps from the Brushstrokes set (C608) and Versamark ink, then used clear embossing powder to create the resist.

I used a wash of four different colours to create the background. I wanted it to be quite pastel so added extra water to the paints.

I then stamped the balloons and sentiments onto the top layer using Black Archival ink. These stamps are from the Happy Everything set (D1653).

To finish the card, I layered the top layer onto pale blue card then attached it to the base card, adding a blue ribbon before sticking it down.

I really need to keep using these watercolour paints as they tone perfectly with the CTMH range of cardstock and are so easy to use without getting too messy.

Lovely Layout for Paper Crafting World

The challenge this month over at Paper Crafting World is Anything Goes and the optional twist is to include a snowflake. Well, here in New Zealand at the moment, there is no snow (thank goodness) because it is the middle of summer and the temperature today was 28 degrees C!

So my contribution today reflects where I am  and has lovely flowers instead of snowflakes. I chose the Layout 614 cutting file from PCW and cut it using my Cricut Explore. I used a variety of cardstock from Close to my Heart including Colonial White, pomegranate and pixie.  I added perfect pearls liquid to the centres of the flowers.

I love the way the branches curve around the photo mat to emphasise the focal point of the layout!

The stamp used is a sentiment from a CTMH set - Your own kind of wonderful, which is still available for purchase from your CTMH consultant - Melin if you are in the USA and myself if you are in New Zealand!

Don't forget to visit the other posts by the talented design team this month!

Valentine Card

Hello again!
Today I wanted to share with you the card I made using the cutting file from Paper Crafting World available here. This week the cutting file is available for just $1.

For this card I used a white daisy base card, black layers, white daisy layers and pomegranate layers. All the card is from the Close to My Heart range.
The chevron striped card is from the La Vie en Rose collection also available from CTMH. The sentiment on the heart is from this mon th's Stamp of the Month - Beloved Bouquet available until 31 January from CTMH.

All layers were cut using the svg file and my Cricut Explore.

To complete the card I added some bling on the heart shape and the corner of the card.

This is a lovely simple design but so effective when it is put together. It would look lovely in other colour schemes as well.

Do go over to Paper Crafting World and check out the beautiful designs - cutting files, digital images and scrapbook layouts. There is a special on at the moment as well! Check out our challenge for this month as well.

Almost Christmas Again!

Festive Greetings to all my blogging friends!

Today's PCW contribution is a gorgeous Bear in a Stocking image that I used with the Print to Cut feature on my Cricut Explore. I have had my Explore for almost a year and I have used it almost every day since I have had it - except for the times when I have been away from home!

 I sized the image so the main image in the set was 3 1/2" and then I printed the entire set of images.

When the print was completed, I cut the image using the explore and you can see from the close-up photo below, that the cut is extremely good.

I added glitzy pen to some of the features on the images, such as the outside of the bows and ribbons, the candy cane and the stocking. I added liquid glass to the eyes and nose to make them stand out.

When I had completed the process of layering the bear using foam tape, I decided to put him on the outside of a gift box I had made recently from a Cricut Cartridge - CTMH Artiste. The box is approximately 2 3/4" square and will hold loads of Hershey's Kisses! I added some gold tape to the top and bottom of the box.

I hope this inspires you to explore the Print to Cut files on PCW here.

I wish you all a happy holiday season and look forward to being with you again in January, 2016!

Pink Angel

Hello everyone
This week, for the Papaer Crafting World blog, I decided to do a print to cut using a gorgeous angel digital image from here at PCW.

There was an option to use the coloured version or a black line version and I decided to do the black line version as I needed to get out my Copic markers again!

I used a  5" x 5" square card for this one and cut some music paper for the background. I then used the Cuttlebug and a scalloped square die to cut the top layer. I embossed it using the Cuttlebug then applied Spun Sugar Distress Ink to the card while it was still in the die so the white edge would show.

When I had printed the image, I put it back into my Cricut Explore to cut it out - and a beautiful job it did too! Saved a lot of fussy cutting by hand!

I coloured the image with copic markers then applied glitter glue to the top wings so they sparkle. I used foam tape to attach the angel to the scalloped layer and attached the greeting with foam tape.

My granddaughter loves anything pink so she will love this card.

Lovely Layout

Hello again everyone! Todays contribution to the PCW monthly challenge is a beautiful side pennant layout designed by Melin which is available for you to purchase here!

I have used the layout design to create a layout using red as a theme.

I used papers from Close to My Heart to create this layout. The colours were cranberry, whisper, slate, pear, black, white daisy and colonial white. I also used a red paper from the Fundamentals Adventure collection as the main backing paper. It is a cute design with white circles. To finish off the flowers, I used some pearl dots in the centres.

The stamps used are from the stamp set - Your own kind of Wonderful (D1627) available from Melin's CTMH shop or - if you are in New Zealand, my CTMH shop.

We would love to see you joining in our challenge for this month - Anything goes with a touch of red!

Red Challenge!

This month, Paper Crafting World is having an Anything Goes challenge with Red as a theme. So all you need to do to enter is to make up one of the many gorgeous files available at PCW and use red as one of the featured colours!

My DT entry for this month is a red poinsettia. The file is available here and is very easy to cut with any machine that uses svg files.

I made this poinsettia into a brooch as our singing group needed something a little different for our Christmas entertainments over the next two months and I volunteered to make these brooches for everyone.

I cut the file at 4" wide and it is just under 4" in height. I used a variety of cardstock to get the colours I wanted. When I had cut the layers, I embossed the red layers using the swiss dots folder in my Cuttlebug to give some added texture. I then shaped the petals using a pair of scissors to curve them gently so they give a more 3D look.

I added Kindiglitz to the yellow inner piece to provide some added sparkle and glued the pieces together in the centre and added them to the leaf layer.

To finish the brooch off, I added a brooch clip to the back using hot glue. I think it works well as a decorative brooch for us all to wear!

Pop over to PCW to check out the challange and the wonderful files that are available there.
Thanks for looking at my blog again!