Just got a round to this card!

Isn't Gillian a pretty little die? So delicate and versatile. For todays card, I have used a circle stepper card blank from Whichcrafts and decorated with a sheet of paper from Blossom Paper pad.



 The flower is made from the same paper pad, on the plain side and cut from Orange Blossom Complete Petals die. I have used the Orange Blossom leaf die and then on top, a couple of dandelion Clock die pieces with a dot of Cosmic Shimmer Frosty Blossom PVA on each strand.

Finally sentiment from Creative Expressions Mini Baroque Sentiments stamped using Distress Inks Mahogany.

 

 

Todays card is made up from the beautiful Dainty Lace Edger die and the Happily Ever After set

 The finished card is 8 x8 so one of the larger cards I like to make. I have used Coconut White and Iris as the colour choices for cardstock. The flowers are the lovely Exquisite Poppy coloured with Colour Cloud ink called Indigo Mist. I used the small silver dazzlers as the centre, giving a little sparkle.

Behind the flowers is the Beaded Flourish die and the butterfly is from Marianne dies.

To twist or curl?

How many different flowers can you make from just the one die set?
Obviously, papercrafted flowers will all look very different just by colour of card or paper chosen to make them.
However, I thought I would show you how simple it is to make different flowers, using the one die set just by twisting or curling the petals in different ways.

 

the die set used today is the Delicate Daisies Complete Petal die set, I have used 4 die shapes for each flower. The first picture shows the basic shapes with no moulding at all.

 

Here are the same shapes, with each petal curled upwards. A bone folder is a good tool to do this with but fingers are cheaper!

 

This time, each petal is curled downwards. To give extra texture, I have teased a few petals together to form a deeper flower

 

More 'Daisy' like this time. As I was working with a small flower I have used my piercing tool to make these, but with a bigger flower, the edge of a bone folder works well too. Resting the flower shape on a stamping mat, lay the piercing tool in the centre of each petal and gently push into the foam, giving a 'fold' line in the centre of each petal. Despite using a piercing tool, it is not to make holes in this case, just needing a thin item, it works well.

 

Finally, my personal favourite. I have used a bone folder and taken each petal, starting halfway down the petal and simply curled it, pulling away with a twist at the end. As with all techniques, practise makes perfect, but this one provides a really full bloom. Which is your favourite?

 

Delicate Daisies Complete Petal die set available at Maximumcrafts

 

 

 



Colouring Flowers

 

For todays card, I have used Distress inks to tint the flowers and was really pleased with the result.
The flowers are my favourite ones for this type of card, Orange Blossom Complete Petals die set with Shaded Orange Blossom stamp set stamped in black
I know that stamping in black is a little harsh for flowers, but I wanted impact with this design as the flowers are the focal point and needed to stand out. For a more subtle look, it would be nice to stamp with the Distress ink onto the white card or even onto Lilac card for another slightly different look.

 

So, how did I achieve this design? Well its a basic 8 x8 white card blank. I have then used the Double Pierced Circle die set to cut a circle from the centre of the front of the card. The front piece was trimmed to size from Lilac cardstock and, using the next size up circle die, I have cut a circle from the centre BEFORE embossing the card using the Tied Together embossing folder from Couture Creations.

 

For a really easy way to colour the flowers, I stamped the flowers first and then using a Smoothie and Seedless Preserve Distress ink, coloured the end of the petals and THEN die cut the flowers. A little less messy way of doing it really. The corner embellishments come in Crystal and then I have simply used an alcoholic marker, such as Promarker, Spectrum Noir, Copic etc just to add any colour you want, in this case black. Finally, I have cut some Heart Sprays to pop behind the flowers and stamped a flag sentiment for the aperture.
Coming soon, I have a selection of different flowers, all made with one die set.

Recipe for todays card
Orange Blossom Complete Petal die set
Shaded Orange Blossom stamp set
Double Pierced Circles die set
Tied Together embossing Folder
Diamante Corner Embellishments
Small Black Dazzlers
Small Black self adhesive pearls
Heart Spray die set
Pierced Flags die set
Pierced Flags sentiment stamp set

All available at Maximumcrafts

Easel card

I really like easel cards and once you get the hang of them, they are really easy and fun to adapt to all shapes and sizes. I can remember when I first saw the design a few years ago, I searched everywhere for instructions on how to make them. I wanted precise measurements and wherever I looked it just seemed to say fold one half of your card in half and Voila!, well, I can tell you, it took a while for that to sink in!

Todays Sunday Special over on my Facebook page features this card and so, in case you are wondering, here are a few photos to help you achieve this unusual easel card.
First take the outer plain die from the Brussels die set and place, just overlapping the edge of a folded card base as shown in the photo

Run through your die cutting machine, it will probably need a couple of runs depending on the thickness of your cardstock

This is how it should look when its done. fold one half of this card, in half and burnish with a bone folder to give a nice crisp fold

 

This will then produce your easel base

 

 Next cut one complete die shape from cardstock

Add some glue to just one half of your card base as shown

add your complete shape directly onto the card base

 

I then cut out the Brussels die and decorated with Exquisite Poppy Flowers, Heart Spray and Majestic Butterflies all available on Maximumcrafts

 

 

 

Exquisite Poppy

Sometimes when you see a new die you can be a little uninspired by it and then you see a few designs and decide to have a go yourself. The Exquisite poppy die may just be one of those dies.

 

 

The set consists of 13 dies; 6 flower dies, 3 stamen dies and 4 centre dies.

 

To make a simple poppy, cut two of the largest flowers and one of the next size down.

Look what difference it makes when you run these through your die cutting machine once more to emboss the flowers. Not all dies need to be embossed but this one certainly does.

 

 

Gently take the flower shape and ease the petals upwards with either a bone folder or simply your fingers. Place a small dab of Cosmic Shimmer Glue in the centre of one of the shapes and stick the other largest flower, slightly of centre. Repeat with the smaller flower shape. Cut one of the stamen dies from black card, and, again gently ease the stamens upwards, to give a little dimension. add this to the centre of the flower. I have then added a small black Dazzler to the centre.

 

Finally added as an embellishment to a simple card.

 

Recipe for todays card

 

Exquisite Poppy

Zurich

Trailing Ivy

Pierced Flags with matching sentiments stamps set

Tied Together embossing Folder

 

All available from 



Maximumcrafts

Crafting Inspiration

Don't think about making Art, just get it done.
Let everyone else decide  if its good or bad
whether they like it or not
And whilst they're deciding
Make even more Art      Andy Warhol