Blossom Aperture

Good morning bloggers! Happy Halloween!  Although it's not a scary Halloween-themed card, I hope you enjoy your video card for the day!

All for now, Sue x

Congratulations

 Hello crafters!  Today's card was a bit of an experiment that I tried.  I started by covering a piece of white card with a sticky adhesive sheet.  I gilded it with Silver Dream gilding flakes.  I wasn't sure if I would be able to, but I decided to stamp the Leafy Background stamp by Justrite using a clear Perfect Medium on top of it.  So far so good, I covered it with silver embossing powder and heated it.  Much to my surprise, I was able to heat emboss it without the sticky sheet melting!  I love all the options that I can do now because this worked!  I cut the Exquisite Labels Eleven out of coconut white card with the centre cut out and glued it atop my gilded piece.  I added mounting foam to the back and mounted it on to another slightly larger piece of white card, then a silver mat.  I stamped my sentiment (Justrite stamps)and embossed it with silver detail powder as well.  I cut it into a strip, forked the end and matted it with a matching piece of silver card.  I attached it from the edge of my card across the gilded area and proceeded to create a rose using the tutorial method at the top of my blog.  I "sugared" the rose with Diamond Sprinkles and seated it with some white tulle.  The finishing touch was my usual double white pierced matted layers and flatback pearls in the corners.  Finished dimensions are 6 1/2" x 9" in size.  All for now, Sue x

Joy To The World

Hello bloggers!  Are you ready for another video?  I hope so!  Here it is!

 Finished dimensions are 7" x 8 1/2" in size.  All for now, Sue x

Best Wishes

 Hello my crafty friends!  I have really wanted to share this card with you, but not until the first video went live.  Since that was last week, I thought you might want to see another card that uses the same flower technique, but with a deeper rust coloured ribbon.  Isn't it gorgeous!  This is one of the new satin ribbons that Creative Expressions is carrying (Sam Poole has it in stock I know if you are looking).  To begin, I stamped the Dotted Fronds background by Justrite.  To do this, I dabbed the flake and glitter glue on it using a piece of cut 'n dry foam.  I stamped it quickly onto black card and set the card aside.  I cleaned my stamp thoroughly first to remove any of the remaining glue residue.  I used the Red Blaze gilding flakes and covered my stamped image.  I use a piece of Rubit Scrubit pad to move the flakes over the image, then I refine it by rubbing lightly in a circular motion.  This removes any excess flake so that the detail can be clearly seen.  I used the Grand Rectangles to cut a frame and then added in an additional die during the embossing phase for some added detail to it.  I mounted the frame on foam over my background.  I cut the rust satin ribbon down the centre and made two flowers following the technique on the October 22nd post video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu4JS2HlCb4  They look like rich autumn Chrysanthemums, don't they?  I finished my flowers with some black tulle and a Bella Rose swirl cut from black card.  I stamped my sentiment and embossed it in gold, cut it into a strip and matted it with black.  I cut the ends into a fork and mounted the end under my flowers then across the card, ending on top of the frame.  I finished the card with a double white mat with my signature piercing.  Finished dimensions are 6" x 8" in size.  Another video for you tomorrow!  All for now, Sue x

Gilded Christmas

Good Sunday morning all! It's a bumper day for prizes so please stay until the end of the blog post! First a rundown on the card, which, hopefully will be helpful to those of you working away on your Christmas card list! I started by embossing a piece of coconut white card with the Patchwork embossibility folder. I extended it to make a slightly larger background as it is easily realigned. I matted it with a thin black mat. Next I stamped the Striped Holly background by Justrite using a clear perfect medium pad onto soft gold card. I heat embossed it with gold powder for a tone on tone look.  I matted it with both white and gold card and then layered up on my embossed background. Next I covered a piece of black card with a sticky self adhesive sheet that was just large enough to accommodate the 2010 Heirloom ornament. I used Summer Meadow gilding flakes to gild the piece. Using the Justrite Heritage Christmas ornament stamp, I inked it using a black archival ink pad and stamped the image onto the gilding. I stamped the sentiment in the opening and used clear embossing powder and heat embossed the entire image. I cut it out with the matching die and mounted it on foam pieces and placed it in the centre of the card. I used a white gel pen to add dots around the design and sentiment.  I stamped the Festive Poinsettia by Justrite several times on to vellum using a clear Perfect Medium pad. I embossed them all with gold powder and cut them out with the matching die. I layered the flowers up, added a black flatback pearl to the centres and glued them to the corner of my card. I tied a messy bow with white seam binding, added a gold cord bow and finished it with one of the new crystal sparklers. A double mat of soft gold card was added to complete the card. Finished dimensions are 7" x 8 1/4" in size.

There are loads of winners in the Comment Game. We have several extra qualifying posts this week too!  The winners are:

Cardgenie!!!
BridgitCG!!!
JazzyLady!!!

From the extra qualifying post of Oct. 22nd, the winners are:
Clair Hughes!!!
Jane M!!!
Debbie Heenan!!!

From the extra qualifying post of Oct. 23rd, the winners are:
Cinders61!!!
Kerry Beard!!!
Digit!!!

Congratulations all!  Please email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your prize!  What a fabulous week it has been with all the kind words about the new videos, thank you so much!  There are plenty more on the way!  All for now, Sue x

Slatted Lilac Butterfly

Hello my crafty friends!   For the visual learner, here is today's video card:

Just click on the button above if you would like to purchase any of the products used in this video.

I also want to announce the winner for the Wednesday Card Giveaway.  The name drawn was :

DarcyDayDream!!!

Email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your prize.  Sunday's post is going to have loads of Comment game winners, so don't forget to check back tomorrow!   I hope you enjoy the video!
Card dimensions are 7" x 8 3/4" in size.  All for now, Sue x

Tomorrow Is Another Day/ Blog Candy Winners

Hello crafters!  A black and white day today!  I have to make a confession, whenever I feel a bit stumped where to start, black and white is my go to colour combo.  I just love the way it looks.  I started by stamping the Leafy Background stamp by Justrite using a black archival ink pad on coconut white card.  I decided to cover it with a self adhesive sticky sheet and cover it with micro beads.  I matted it with black card and cut a Bracket Border  One into the bottom of it .  I used some white card behind it and cut the bottom with one of the matching decorative edges.  I added a piece of white card below that I scored every 1/8th of an inch vertically.  I stamped my sentiment from the Justrite Labels 20 Get Well set.  I cut it into a strip with a forked end and matted it with black card.  I added it across the card between the Leafy background and the border.  Using black felt, I cut a couple of flowers from the Spiral Flower three die.  I added them to the end of the strip with some white tulle and a white swirl cut from the Bella Rose die set.  I matted the entire piece with a thin black mat then a final double white mat with a pierced inner layer.    Finished dimensions are 7" x 8" in size.
Now for the blog candy drawing...finally!  I thought I was going to have to do a separate post, but I was able to get everything caught up to get the drawing done in time for this mornings post!  So let's get to it!

The winner of the THIRD place prize is......................................................................
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Jane Smith!!!

The winner of the SECOND Place Prize is:............................................
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Susan Clifton!!!

And finally, the winner of the GRAND FIRST place prize is:...................................................
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Sam Smithard!!!

Congratulations all!  Please email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your prize.  The next blog candy drawing will take place when we reach 4700 followers!  All for now, Sue x

Let It Snow

Hi bloggers!  Here is today's video card!

Just click on the button above if you would like to purchase any of the products used in this video.

Finished dimensions are 7" x 7" in size.  All for now, Sue x

Wednesday Weekly Card Giveaway

Good morning crafters! Thank you for all your amazing comments about yesterday's video release.  It wasn't without a few glitches with the link button, but that couldn't be tested until the videos went live on my blog.  I think they have now been ironed out and the link should take you directly to the products used on the video.  I have also had the Pinterest button removed from the blog body and I am hoping to be able to get it set up on the side of the blog for those of you that would still like to pin any of my cards.  And I wish I could say that was my craft room in the video, but sadly no, but wasn't it pretty! LOL
 It is time again for the Wednesday card giveaway!  Leave me a comment today if you would like to be entered in the drawing for today's card. The winner will be announced on Saturday's post.   Almost white on white this time with a pop of aubergine coloured felt and ink.  I started with the background, using the Interlocking Circles folder to emboss it with for texture.  I cut two of the Filigree Corner dies from the Becca Feeken set by Justrite stamps.  I glued them in place in the two lower corners.  I used the Majestic Labels 25 die set to cut the decorative piece for my focal element, adding in the smaller die during the embossing stage for added detail.   I stamped my sentiment (Justrite stamps)using a black archival ink pad and cut it out with the smaller oval die from the Vintage Labels Four die set.  I inked it with Eggplant Adirondack ink while still in the die.  I cut the larger oval as a mat, inked it as well and put them together with mounting foam in the middle of the other die cut.  Using the Bitty Blossoms dies, I cut three felt flowers and rolled them.  I added them around my sentiment with some inked leaves and Bakers Twine as an accent.  I added small flatback pearls to the centres of each flower.  Further pearls were added to the upper corners, the sentiment and the corners for a bit of the bling.  Finally a double white mat with a pierced inner layer finished the card.  Finished dimensions are 7 1/2" x 9 1/2" in size.

I wanted to mention that, like our Nigel May, Joanna Sheen has written a book that is available for purchase here http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00F8H73NC    called "A Sticky End".  What talented people crafters are!

I have also had an email from The Papeterie saying that they are having some difficulty getting in touch with some of the people that left their names for the Charity DVD from the July Scotland demo.  If you haven't received yours, or would still like to order one, please get in touch with them and they will get it sent out to you.  The DVD is £6 and the proceeds go to charity.  The phone number for The Papeterie is 01224 802337

I see that we have reached our goal for the blog candy contest.  Give me until Friday and I will post the winners then!

Check back tomorrow for another episode of the video series Crafting My Style!  All for now, Sue x