A Bit of Bargello

Evening,

I've recently been playing again with Bargello. 

It is an old design used in quilting, but I also used it years ago in Paper Crafting since it is a great way to use up some of those strips of background paper that we all have lurking in our stash.

It can be quite time consuming, especially if you make the mistake of cutting your papers into very narrow strips. Ask me how I know that one lol.

But it is very satisfying when you have achieved a usable panel.

All I did to finish this card was to add a few die cut floral silhouettes and a sentiment strip.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

I got a Bit Carried Away

Evening,

Sometimes I get sent something to play with in my Design Team box, that I find hard to put down. This happened recently with a beautiful 3D Embossing Folder from Creative Expressions.

I spent ages trying out a variety of techniques that I have picked up over the years. None of them were particularly complicated, but they highlighted the fabulous detail to be found on the embossing folder.

There are loads of samples, but it would take me a week if I tried to write about each one, so I will just leave you with a picture heavy post and a suggestion that you message me if there is anything that you would like me to explain.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Floral Panel Dies

Evening,

And it's turned into another chilly one here.

I do love dies, and Creative Expressions have released some real stunners over the last few months.

These dies are from a Floral Panel release by the wonderful Sue Wilson.

They are such delicate panel dies

which I have used over some handmade background papers. This one is from the Cosmos set CED2051.

They come as sets of two dies in a pack, 

with this one from a set called CED2056 - Buttercup.

Now as crafters, who doesn't like a 'Twofer', and these are perfect for that.

I have layered this beautifully delicate sentiment die.

This is the leftovers from the previous card

which I added to an embossed panel. The perfect easy 'Twofer'.

Thanks for stopping by.

With Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Hello Sweet Fiend, Let's Celebrate

Afternoon,

Another trip out for me today. I've just spent a lovely couple of hours sitting in the local Wetherspoons.  Before you start to worry that I've turned to drink, I was nursing a very nice cup of coffee lol. It was the monthly get together of a Carers group that I belong to. A much-needed chance to chat with other people that know exactly what you are going through when caring for someone.

Here are a couple of cards made a while ago for the lovely Janice at SirStampalot.

I used the framed background die and an embossing mat to create the background to this card. I then used my ink blending brushes to add colour to the resulting piece of embossed card stock.

I die cut the frame from black cardstock and stuck it over the coloured and embossed panel using wet glue. I used some floral elements and sentiments to embellish the finished card. 

I used the frame die again for this second card. I used white cardstock and an embossing mat to create the background and then cleaned my brushes on the embossing to give a soft finish to the panel.

I added a fine black line around the embossing with a micron pen.

Once again, a couple of floral embellishments

along with a die cut sentiment and a little bit of bling.

No galivanting tomorrow, unless you count a trip to the local co-op for some milk lol. I certainly don't want to go anywhere at the moment, it's p...ing down!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

A Happy Hello from Altenew

Evening,

Please tell me that it is going to be fairly warm tomorrow. This refit at work feels like it has been going on forever, and now they are coming to replace all the chillers...................well most of them, one isn't ready yet!! As a consequence, we have to spend tomorrow serving through the night pay hatch. Last time they were replacing something and we had to do that it was freezing, so I am hoping for an unseasonally warm day tomorrow.

I finally managed to get a card finished using one of the lovely Altenew stamp, die and stencil sets that we were playing with on Saturday.

This is from the Elegant Motifs set which is part of their Craft Your Life Project Kit which I have signed up to. I found a gold die cut frame and black faux stitched panel in my stash and added the coloured panel to the corner to hide the pine branch. You can just see a little of it poking out from beneath the flower.

I added a tiny stamped and white embossed sentiment along with some pearls.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Foliage Stencils

Evening All

I have so enjoyed playing with my stencils this week. They are soooo useful, but I tend to forget about the drawer full of them that I own, so it was nice to dust off the cobwebs and play with them.

I was showing the Girls how to stamp over the top of a stencil, as well as highlighting the image with a micron pen.

I cut the panel in half, having shown them what it looks like with and without the pen highlights.

The card layout was inspired by something that I saw on Pinterest, one of my favourite places for inspiration and a mojo kick start.

I added an embossed panel, using a Lisa Horton folder, to the base card,

before adding the stenciled piece.

For finishing touches I added a sentiment strip and some die cut foliage.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

 

I Love Saturdays

Evening Everyone,

I do love a Saturday. Of course it is the weekend and I don't have to be at work, and every other week I get to be with the littlest Grandchildren, but then on the other week I get to spend several hours crafting with some lovely ladies.

Today was one of those Saturdays. We drink copious amounts of tea and coffee and eat biscuits even though we shouldn't, but most importantly we chat, laugh and play with crafty goodies.

Today it was stencils, like the one used in the background on this card.

I always try to make sure that there is something for everyone, and so this time as well as a drawer full of stencils, I took along some stamp sets that have matching stencils to help make colouring the images that much easier.

This particular set called Choose Hope is from Pink Fresh Studio and has a co-ordinating die available as well as layering stencils.

I think you will agree that it makes a rather lovely focal image on a card. I added some extra die cuts for added dimension, along with some gems and a sentiment strip.

Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time, and I have loads of extra bits to finish off, which is going to be my homework for tomorrow, so I had better get some shut eye now.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

I've Done My Homework

Evening All,

I hope that you have all had a good weekend, even if the weather has taken a turn for the worse. I could have done with it being a little cooler yesterday when we were at class, but as usual it was boiling hot then, and much cooler today.

At least I have been able to get my homework finished, and a little bit of sorting out as well.

We did a class on Multiple Resist on Saturday only we used Distress Oxides which led to a slightly more chalky finish to the panels.

I used up every last bit that I had created while showing the Girls the technique.

It works particularly well with leafy stamps, and not necessarily what you might think of as leafy colours.

I even found a card in my stash that I made years ago using normal dye based ink pads and a wood mounted stamp.

Amongst my pieces of homework is a card created from a panel that one of the ladies created, but didn't like. It was going to be consigned to the bin so I asked if I could make something with it. I hope that she likes it.

Oh dear, look at the time, I really must get to bed if I'm going to be up on time tomorrow. It's been a long time since I got up at 3.30am. I will be shattered by the end of the day.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx 

Black Magic Masterboard

Hi All,

Another slow but productive day in the craft room.

As you know I am still on a mission to use up bits and pieces from my craft room, so I want to try and keep on top of the classes now that they are back on.

Thankfully I had several stamped pieces in a folder from a previous class on the Black Magic technique, so I was able to do colouring during class, rather than stamping out loads more pieces that never get finished.

One of the things that I found, along with a few previously finished cards, was a whole sheet of stamped images just waiting to be coloured in.

Having finished the colouring in class, I decided to chop the panel up to make several different cards.

I even used up some of the scraps along with a small square die for this card,

and this one.

I even managed to use up a piece of embossed cardstock in the background to this card.

These last couple of cards were made using a couple of precoloured pieces that I found in the box.

I do love this technique, and as several of the ladies couldn't make the first class, I am sure that we will be repeating it at some stage.

For the moment it's back to working on something a little bit hush hush for Janice and Andy.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx