Can't Wait To Share

Hello bloggers!  I have been very excited to share with you something completely new for me.  I have had a go at designing my own paper pad and it has just been launched at our trade show this past week.  I didn't get to see it until I returned home recently and I have to say that I am over the moon with the way it has come out!  I had a bit of time after the trade show and sat down to create a few cards with it to share with you.  Here is the first one featuring the soft blue colour and one of the pattern designs.  The pad is called Classic Elegance and consists of three major patterns that have three coordinating patterns so six in total and they are all done in four colour choices, with four of each to use.  They are all pastel backgrounds with patterns printed in white for a very soft look and they coordinate with our Foundations card very nicely too.  There are 48 sheets in total and the pad is 8" x  8" in size.  It is now available to ship to your favourite retailers, so if you like it, please ask them to carry it!  I have included a picture at the end of the post of what it looks like too.  For today's card, I cut an aperture in the upper part of the blue patterned design using the Lauren die.  I cut the decorative part of that die out of white card and added a piece of white card behind it that I had glittered with Diamond Snow.  I raised the background piece up with foam for dimension and added the decorative piece behind.  I cut a white on white Ravello Striplet to use under the focal element.  I tied a messy bow out of white seam binding and then created a flower using the same decorative paper as the background.  I used the Complete petal Peony for this and added the matching white edge to it.  I seated it on my bow and added a few Lace Edged Leaves around it.  I stamped my sentiment and cut it with the smaller oval die from the Lauren.  I cut a glittered mat for it to sit on using the slightly larger oval from the set.  I cut two more smaller flowers out of the decorative card, with matching white edges to seat on the top of the sentiment.  The card was completed with a pierced white mat, a thin blue mat and another white mat.  The finished dimensions are 7" x  8" in size.  I will try to get another sample up for you this week showcasing a different pattern and colour from the paper pad.  Well, what's the verdict (she asks sheepishly), do you like it?  All for now, Sue x

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Someone So Special

 Good Sunday morning!  A black and white beauty for today's offering.  I prepared the background of the card by covering a piece of black card with a sticky adhesive sheet then coating it with Ebony Ice for a pretty bling.  To the lower portion of the card, I added a scored white strip.  I cut the Delicate Filigree Buckle Bar die twice out of black card.  I lined the filigree section with white card before connecting the buckle sections.  I attached the border to the card right where the upper and lower portions of the background met and then I tucked the ends around to the back of the card and taped them.  I stamped the Alexandra Rosebury Toile stamp in black and cut it out with the Alexandra die.  I created a black and white frame using the Grace die and seated it over the stamped sentiment.  I attached it to the centre of the decorative stamped die cut to complete the focal element.   I also added white flatback pearls as accents to the buckle bar feature.  To complete the edge of the card, I paper pierced a white mat, added a thin black mat and a final white mat layer.  The finished dimensions are 7" x  8 1/4" in size.

The winners of this week's Comment Game are:

sonya_w!!!
Bente Sorflaten!!!
Pat S Witney!!!

Congratulations all!  Please email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your prize.  All for now, Sue x

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Criss-Cross Frame

Hi all!  Today's video card just shows you a different sort of idea that you can achieve using the Ornate Frame Just Because die set. It blends quite nicely with the configurations too.   It is always nice to see die sets in a new sort of light.  I hope the tutorial helps you with that!

The winner of this weeks Wednesday Card Giveaway is:

Wheely Bad!!!

Congratulations!  Please email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your card.

The finished dimensions are 7 1/2" x  7 1/2" in size.  All for now, Sue x

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Today & Forever

Hi guys!  It's soppy hearts for today's card.  I do have an admission to make though, I just love hearts!  My favourite necklace is a heart (I actually have it in a few colours I like it so much!)  I think I am just a big old romantic at heart and that is why I love hearts!  LOL  Anyways, you can see why this card is just right up my street!  I started by sort of creating the background by cutting the decorative die from the Heart Of Hearts die set just to use the fall away pieces on my background.  I think I cut it four or five times out of dusty rose card (from my stash).  I covered a piece of coconut white card with a sticky adhesive sheet.  Next I decided how large I wanted my focal element to be and cut the mat and main square.  I went ahead and stamped my sentiment on it and embossed it in white, then attached the piece with foam to the centre so I knew where my edge started and ended.  From that point, I just laid the heart fall away pieces down randomly all the way around the border edge (it is about 3/4inch wide)  I used all the sizes and sort of pigeon holed them in, starting with the largest sizes then filling in spots with smaller pieces.  Once they had all been put into place, I coated the remaining open area with Diamond Snow to cover the remaining sticky adhesive sheet that was exposed.  I cut a heart using the outer die from the set out of coconut white card and embossed it with the Bed of Roses folder.  I inked the edges with Victorian velvet and glued two small hearts to the upper corner and attached it to the centre of the card.  I finished with a white pieced mat, a thin rose mat and another white mat layer.  The finished dimensions are 7" x  7" in size.  All for now, Sue x

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Striplet Channel Card

Hi crafters!   Channel cards are one of my favourite go to card layouts.  They can be created in so many ways, but today's video shows you how to use the Ornate Octagon Striplet to create a lovely channel in your card.

 The finished dimensions are 7 1/2" x  9" in size.  All for now, Sue x

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Wednesday Weekly Card Giveaway

 Hello there!  Today's giveaway card uses a my Peek A Boo technique that shows a stamped image on two levels.  I started the card by preparig the background.  I used the Ornate Octagon Striplet decorative insert die three times to cut the design into a piece of Iris card.  I added mounting foam to the back to raise it for dimension.  Next I stamped the Scrolls and Squares stamp to die for in black on to a piece of coconut white card.  I cut it out with the Alexandra die and inked through the die with Shaded Lilac distress ink.  Next I used the decorative insert die to cut the design out of the  piece.  This die cut through some of the stamped image so that it was lost when the fall away pieces were removed.  Next I stamped the image again and lined up the top piece so that the pattern showed through the cut out areas, then taped my outer die back into place to cut the bottom piece out so that they matched.  Once cut, I added mounting foam to raise them, but it still allows the image to feel complete because you can see through the cut out areas on the top die cut, thus the peek a boo effect.  I stamped a sentiment and cut it out to add to the centre of the die cut.  I completed the card with a pierced white mat, a thin Iris mat and another white mat.  The finished dimensions are 8" x  8 1/4" in size.  Please leave a comment if you would like to be included in the drawing to win this card.  The winner will be announced on Saturday's blog post.  All for now, Sue x

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