Life Is Better With You In It

 Hi guys! That is how I feel about all of you!  I never thought that I would enjoy blogging near as much as I actually do, but I really enjoy the connection that I feel with crafters through my blog. This card is dedicated to all of you!  Probably a bit corny, but it's life and you just have to have a bit of corny once in awhile, don't you!  I started this card by stamping the rye grass flourish all the way around the outside edge of some coconut white card using a clear perfect medium pad.  I heat embossed it with white powder for a tonal look.  Next I picked a piece of decorative paper I had that has little metallic butterflies all over it in a deep aqua green (I struggled to get the colour to come out in the pic).  I cut four of the Timeless Amour pieces (the abstract heart die in the set) in white.  I interlocked the curly bits on the sides and glued them to my background paper.  They make a pretty pattern in the very centre I think.  Next I cut four of the lacy heart from the Timeless Amour set, I used just the lacy edge for the card and set the four inside hearts aside for a later project. I folded each of the lacy edge pieces in half and glued them back to back using the Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue.  I then glued the back halves to the card over my white pieces.  These will fold flat to mail, but are 3 dimensional once the recipient takes the card from its envelope.  I stamped a sentiment and cut it out with the fancy tags two die.  I inked through the die lightly with Bundled Sage distress ink.  I mounted it with foam to the bottom of the card.  I cut a double white mat for my card and used the Cosmic Shimmer white PVA glue to create dots all the way around the edge to complete the card.  Finished dimensions are
7 1/2" x 7 1/2" in size.  All for now, Sue x

Black And White Simplicity

 Hi bloggers!  Black and white simplicity for today.  I started by embossing the background on the upper half of this card using the Floral embossing folder by Creative Expressions.  I cut a piece of white card for the bottom half, then wrapped some frilly edged ribbon around the bottom and taped the ends to the back.  I tied a double bow and topped it with a large black and white cameo.  I used both the scalloped borders and the bracket border die set to create this unique border.  I had previously used my scalloped border die to cut a piece of black card and the pieces were still in the border die.  That gave me an idea so I thought I would try it.  I put a little Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue on the back of all the waste pieces that were still in the die.  Next I place my white card over the die and cut and embossed it.  I removed the die cut by pushing it out from the front of the die.  Every piece that was left in the die adhered to the same spot in the white border, giving me a unique look.  They did not cut out because I had not cleaned out the die before using it.  I cut the top of the border with the bracket border cutting edge.  I stamped my Vine Scroll stamp in back on white card.  I covered it with a sticky self adhesive sheet and used Labels 30 to cut out the shape.  I peeled off the backing paper and micro beaded over the stamped image.  I stamped my sentiment on white card then cut it out with the Opulent Oval die.  I added a double layer of white card and pierced the inner layer.  A simple, elegant card for someone so special (as the sentiment says!)  Finished dimensions are 7" x 8 1/2" in size.  All for now, Sue x

Birthday Wishes

Hi guys!  See, nice and bright and light so a balance from yesterday.  Although I was pleasantly surprised that most of you actually liked yesterday's card even though it was dark!  Maybe I am secretly winning you over! LOL  Today's card was one of those that just had to be done as these Bracket Borders just screamed out to me to do it.  I started by stamping my sentiment in black archival ink on coconut white card and cutting each side with the bracket border lattice insert die and the bracket border cutting edge with it.  Next I picked a couple of varying shades of blue.  I cut one side of the lighter blue, then lined up the white card with it and placed the die on the other side so it was just touching the die cut area from the white piece.  That way, I didn't need to actually do any measuring (which I rarely do any ways!).  Once I had both sides cut I cut the darker blue on one side and did the exact same thing but used the lighter blue edge to line it up with.  I do hope that makes sense!  It is very easy, you just need to clean your die of all the cut pieces each time.  I taped all the pieces together and the then matted them on a darker navy blue card to help offset the colours a bit.  I placed it on a double mat of white card which I pierced the inner layer. To answer a question that I noticed in the comments yesterday, when I am piercing the edges, I use a 1mm diameter needle on my pokey tool.  This will fit through the holes on the Creative Expressions piercing ruler perfectly.   As a final embellishment, I added some swirly pearls around the sentiment for a bit of bling!  The same layout would work beautifully with varying shades of pinks, purples, greens, you name it, easily personalised for your recipients taste.  Finished dimensions are 7" x 8" in size.  All for now, Sue x

Thanks Ever So Much

 Hi crafty friends!  This card is really one of my favourite layouts as it so simply shows off the dies at their best.  I love the backing paper and in my usual obsessed style, I covered it with micro beads for a nice textural look.  I know that I always split the comments when I do the dark cards, but I just love the sultry feel to these so I just can't stop myself, sorry!  I used the Adorning Square die set for this one.  It is quite intricate and beautiful, almost the look of an old fashioned handkerchief to me.  I cut two of them in the soft gold card using the three largest dies.  I offset them to create a lovely but simple focal element for my sentiment.  I stamped the sentiment on black card using a clear perfect medium pad and heat embossed with gold detail powder.  I cut it out with the smaller dies in the set and glued it in the centre of my offset squares.  I tied a double bow using the black silky crush ribbon and adorned the centre of the bow with a metal button from my craft stash.  I added stick pins as a further accent and decided to lift it a bit with a gold mat before adding my double pierced black mats.  A trio of black pearls in the upper corners completed the card.  Finished dimensions are 7" x 8 1/2" in size.

  Now for the winners of the big Blog Candy Contest!  They are coming around faster all the time aren't they!

The winner of the THIRD PLACE PRIZE is......................
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Samantha Wade!!!

The winner of the SECOND PLACE PRIZE is...............
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Val Lloyd!!!

The winner of the GRAND FIRST PLACE PRIZE goes to.
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Nurse Nelly (Danella)!!!

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

Special Day Cascading Heart Card

 Hello everyone!  Thank you so much for your patience.  I had a great nights rest and then hit the ground running again today getting everything put away from Ally Pally and sending out the charity auction cards too!  Speaking of the auction, I forgot to tell you who the winner was that guessed the closest amount.  From the auction of 15 cards, I raised  (insert drumroll here) £802.11 !!!  I was given another £170.00 as donations to the charity but not part of the actual auction.  I was so completely thrilled that we were able to raise that amount, I was over the moon with that!
After checking everyone's comments closely, the winning guess for the 15 card total was made by Michelle with a guess of £767.55.  However, I have decided to include a prize for Mary at Doghouse because her guess was £804.30 a mere £2.19 over! So both of you please email me for your prizes please!  Thank you again for all your support.

I'll give you a quick rundown of this card, then list all the winners for the comment game this week.      
I started by embossing a piece of coconut white card using my new Cascading Hearts embossing folder (so perfect for a wedding card, isn't it!)  Next I used the Filigree Delight die and cut it out in white, using the inner oval die to cut a frame.  I cut a piece of silver card that was exactly the size of the filigree delight and glued the white piece to it.  I then used the oval die to cut the centre out of it.  I used mounting foam and placed it to the left side of my background on the card.   I stamped the Cathedral Lace stamp on white card using a clear perfect medium pad.  I heat embossed it with silver powder and used the oval to cut that shape out of the centre of my stamped image.  I rubbed it with Pewter gilding wax and then glued the oval in the centre of the frame, recessing it.  I stamped my sentiment on a strip and embossed it in silver.  I used the brushed pewter distress stain to edge the strip and then I cut the ends into forks.  I mounted it across the card and embellished the edge with a sugared rose, tulle, swirls and leaves.  I pierced the edges to complete the card. Finished dimensions are 7 1/2" x 8 1/2" in size.

Now, comment game winners for the week are:
Hayley Johnson!!!
Liz Hardman!!!
Beverley West!!!

From the extra qualifying post of Tuesday the 9th, the winners are:
Helen Garrington!!!
Sheila-Ginger!!!
Brenda Hanlon!!!

For the extra qualifying post of Wednesday the 10th, the winners are:
Norah McPhee!!!
Pauline A!!!
Snowqueen 62!!!

For the extra qualifying post of Thursday the 11th, the winners are:
Deborah H!!!
Cats!!!
Magpie!!!

Congratulations to all!  Please email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your prize.  I will get the big Blog Candy Drawing done and post the winners on Wednesday!

 I know the post is getting rather long, but I just wanted to add a little about the weekend show.   I am still spinning from the weekend at Ally Pally, but it was great fun with record attendance too!   I want to thank everyone for stopping by and saying hi, introducing themselves and chatting with me, I really enjoyed it.  A really big thank you goes out to those of you that braved the queue at the stand as it was crazy how long it was on Saturday.  I do hope you have fun with your new goodies and I will do my best to show you loads of card samples using the products we were selling!  Since they moved into the larger hall there last year, it still had plenty of room so you never felt cramped so the weekend was a sheer joy!  I have decided that it must just be an English hospitality thing, because I did stamp shows like that in America for 17 years, usually about 20 shows a year.  Never once can I ever recall being given a handmade card, chocolate or other gifts.  I was absolutely showered with such gifts this time and times before.  It is so lovely (and a bit embarrassing!) to feel so appreciated.  I just want to say a great big collective thank you to everyone who took the time to stop by the stand and tell me how I have affected their lives through my crafting.  Never in a million years would I have expected my life to have such an impact on anyone else's lives and you will never know what that means to me!  That is the essence of life in my world, thank you, I am truly blessed!  All for now, Sue x

You Mean The World To Me

Hi bloggers! I returned from Ally Pally later than I had expected and far more exhausted too from an incredible weekend!  If you will bear with me for another day, I will get caught up on the comment game winners on Tuesday and then the blog candy contest on Wednesday!  I'll tell you a bit more about the show on Tuesday also, but I am going to keep this post short and about the card for now (need to hit the hay as they say! LOL)
 I had the pleasure of making samples with quite a few beautiful dies and this one, Elegant Labels Four, was one of my favourites.  I probably picked it up too often, but it is just so.....elegant!   It looks great turned either direction, cut out, simply embossed or layered with other dies, what more could you ask for in a die!  I cut the two largest dies in the set to create this pretty frame in lavender.  I used the inside die again to cut an aperture in a piece of white card that was just slightly larger than my frame.  I glued my lavender frame atop my white aperture and added 3D mounting foam to the back.  I cut two of the Grateful Lattice background in white.  I turned them in opposite directions and overlapped them to create a unique pattern.  I glued them together then on top of a pretty piece of decorative paper in lavender tones.  I mounted the frame over my latticed background piece.  I stamped my sentiment and cut it out with the oval from the Radiant Rectangle set.  I inked it very lightly with Dusty Concord and mounted it vertically across the centre of the frame.  I made a rose from lavender card and sugared it with Rock Candy Dry glitter.  I tied a messy bow out of  white seam binding and added the rose to the centre.  I finished the card with a wide double mat with my paved pearl technique as an accent.  There is a tutorial on this at the top of the blog if you want to see more.  Finished dimensions are 6 1/2" x 8 1/2" in size.  All for now, Sue x

White On White For You

 Hello my crafty friends!  It has been a bit since I have shown a white on white card.  High time I think!  I used the Lattice embossing folder from Creative Expressions to give texture to the background.  I had to do it twice to create the size that I needed but it lines up very easily so it wasn't a problem.  Next I cut two of the corners from the Gold Elements One set and glued them in the top corners, slightly overlapping.  I cut a large Stately Circle as the backdrop for my focal element.  Then I added the next size down in that set.  I stamped my sentiment and  heat embossed it with silver powder.  I cut it out with the next smaller size die in the set.  I used a bit of Brushed Pewter distress stain on a piece of cut 'n dry foam to ink the sentiment piece while it was still in the die.  I layered them up to create a simple but elegant focal element.  I tied a double bow out of white silky crush ribbon and attached it at the top of the card with an organza ribbon rose in the centre.  I cut one long length of it and cut it down the middle to create two tail that run under my focal element to the end of the card.  I cut small forks in each end.  I double matted the piece in white and added whit PVA glue dots all the way around the edge as an accent to finish my card.  Change the sentiment for your occasion and you have a simple card that only looks like it took ages to complete.  Finished dimensions are 6 1/2" x 8 1/2" in size.  Don't forget, the comment game winners will be announced in Monday's post! Be sure to check back then to see if your name was drawn!  All for now, Sue x

So Thankful

Hi bloggers!  How much more simple can it be than this card featuring the Good friends stamp from Justrite?  When I first saw this set, I just wanted to stamp and colour it as I thought it was truly lovely.  I decided to just showcase it on a white embossed background so as not to take away from it at all.  I embossed the background using the Valor embossibility folder.  I needed to do this twice to create a larger enough background, but the folder lines up very easily for this purpose.  I tied some white seam binding around the opposite corners and tied a messy bow.  I used a piece of white net tulle behind my bow.  I made a rose using the tutorial that is now at the top of my blog (thanks to help from Diane in Scotland!) and I sugared the flower by coating it in glue and using Rock Candy dry glitter on it.  I stamped my focal element and coloured it using distress markers.  I cut it out with the matching labels 29 die and stamped my sentiment in the centre.  I mounted it in the middle of the card and paper pierced around the edges of the double white mat to complete my card.  Oh so simple, but I really like it even if there isn't any fancy layering on it.  I hope you do too.  Finished dimensions are 7" x 8" in size.  All for now, Sue x

You Made My Day

 Hi Crafty friends!  A bit of a guy card today, but always useful I think.  I started with a striped piece of decorative paper from Graphic 45 as my background.  I cut two strips of card for accents on the side, one from some Teresa Collins papers and the other one just out of black card.  I used an embossing folder to give the black strip texture.  I cut forks into the ends of both and taped them to the side of my background.  I cut the large Ornate Square die out of the copper core black Engraving board. I used the smaller die in the set to actually cut it into a frame.   Using a fine sanding block, I sanded the black off to reveal the copper core on some of the die cut.  I strategically added foam mounting to the back and mounted it in a diamond formation on my card.  I stamped the Happiness Ornate Square stamp by justrite on to the same paper I used for one of my strips.  I hand cut around the inside edge of the design to make an interesting mat for the centre of my focal element.  I stamped my sentiment on the matching paper from my background and cut it out with Vintage Labels Two by Justrite stamps.  I inked it lightly with black soot to create a shadow for my sentiment and mounted it in the centre of my frame.  I used the smaller die in the Ornate Square set to cut an accent piece out of the engraving board.  I lightly sanded it to show the copper centre and glued a button (from my stash) on it.  I added it to the top of my strips in the upper corner of the card.  I used two of the victorian metal corners and covered them with clear perfect medium.  I used copper embossing powder to change the colour on them and glued them in the corners of my card to the right.  Since the background was a bit dark, I added a white mat to lighten it up a bit and finished with a double black pierced mat.  Finished dimensions are 6 1/2" x 7" in size.  All for now, Sue x

For You

 Hi guys!  Well I finally got my hands on the Gold Elements One set!  Isn't it a beauty!  I love playing around with the corner and yes, you will see it in every conceivable arrangement in the next coming weeks!  I picked a wedgewood blue  and white for today's offering, so clean and crisp, I just love these colours together.  I cut four of the corners in blue and layered them in the corners, but overlapped them.  Can you spot my boo boo?  I used Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue to adhere them and it went off so quickly, I didn't have time to fix it!  So the last corner, which was supposed to get tucked under the corner of the first one, didn't!  Oh well, it just wasn't worth cutting four more corners and starting again.  I cut the largest size of the Stately Circles in white.  Then I layered up the Celtic Motif with mounting foam and finished with a smaller Stately Circle with my sentiment stamped in Cobalt blue Archival ink.  I used a bit of the ink to very lightly sponge the centre while it was still in the die too.  I added 5mm flatback pearls to the Celtic Motif as accents and in the four corners too.  I pierced the edges of the inner white mat to finish the card.  Yes, it is pretty and girlie, my kind of card!  Finished Dimensions are 7 3/4" x 7 3/4" in size.  All for now, Sue x