Enjoy making a frame

This is a card that started out as going to be something quite different but I'm really pleased with the finished card. I wanted to show you how easy it is to make the Double Pierced frame so I have done some step by step photos for you.

It really doesnt matter what size die you start with, but you need the two sets of Double Pierced Squares to achieve this particular frame. So, to start choose three of the dies, the largest and the smallest die would be from Set A Double Pierced squares and the middle die would be from Set B Double Pierced Squares. 

Take the largest one, and tape to the card, paying particular attention as to where you put the tape. It must be ALONG the edge, not over it.

Next, add the middle die, taping in the same way, along the edge and finally the smallest die in the same way. The reason that you should place the tape like this is that you need to remove the middle die BEFORE cutting and placing the tape like this allows you to do that easily.

Once the three dies are in place, run them through your die cutting machine with the tan mat and embossing plate.

Carefully remove the centre die and you will see the embossed image. If your machines plates are very strong, it may have cut through in places in which case just add a bit of tape to the back of the frame to ensure its kept in place. You then need to run the two remaining dies through using the cutting plates.

Here is more of a close up of the frame, do give it a try, its much easier than you think!

Dies used today

Double Pierced Squares Set A and B

Teardrop Adornment

Enjoy

Exquisite Poppy

Delicate fronds

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A very Special Thank You card

Todays card is for a very Special person, my Bestest Friend in the Whole Wide World!

It therefore had to be a very special card, to thank her for all my wonderful birthday pressies. Flowers seemed to be the order of the day, paper ones that last so much longer than the cut variety, a splash of glitter, a leaf or two and must not forget the butterfly!

So I chose the Delicate Daisies Complete petal die set in various sizes for the centrepiece. I love to 'mould' these flowers, they work so well. I then cut some Dandelion Clock dies and popped a spot of cosmic Shimmer Aqua Twinkles on each seed head.

The leaves are both Orange Blossom leaves and Delicate Fronds, Wow what a selection!

The butterfly charm is from a friends craft shop, so beautiful! The background die is the Scalloped Petite Adornment , its gives a lovely effect just peeping out from the background. 

Finally, the card is a simple Oval Easel card made from Aqua Foundation card using the Double Pierced Oval die set. 

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Thank You Sweetheart

I needed to make a small production line of thank you cards this week and decided to use the New Zealand Background die and the matching flowers from the Sweetheart flower die set. It was so simple to make a 'posh'looking card just by die cutting with these two sets, I sort of got carried away and made them in Periwinkle Blue

and again in Aqua

and again in Baby Pink

and finally in Lilac. Cant decide which I prefer, they all look really pretty and I will be making these cards with my Chichester Craft Class in September so we shall see which colour is most popular.

New Zealand tour

Totally different colours for me again today,

 Aqua with Coconut White and Mocha Foundation card. 

I cut the Auckland die without the outer edge directly into the Aqua card which was cut from the Double Pierced Rectangle dies. Unfortunately these Rectangular dies are not the standard rectangular sizes that we are used to here in the UK, so when using them its necessary to make your own card blank rather than use a standard one. However, I love the way these dies take the hassle out of getting neat layers.

I wanted to give the Auckland die a little more impact and so cut the shape once more from Mocha card and placed it behind the Aqua layer, fractionally off centre, giving a shadow effect which really enhances the detail of the Auckland die. Continuing along the tour of New Zealand I have used the Hamilton die set as the centre piece and sentiment from Phill Martin's Blossom sentiments.

Finally, I am so pleased with the way these flowers turned out. There are some fantastic ready made flowers on the market to embellish your cards with but I find making the flowers not only very therapeutic but also the colour match is perfect as you can use exactly the same colour card.

So, I saw some flowers on Pinterest made by a very expensive company and I thought 'I can do those'. I have used both the open and complete Camellia petals dies plus Dandelion Clocks. Instead of placing the open petals directly on top of the complete petals, I have simply turned them a few degrees round and then put a Dandelion clock in the centre. Love the effect and will be doing this one again for sure.

Snowflakes in August

Snowing in August?! Well it is here today, but no matter what time of the year, snowflakes are just so beautiful and with the Bold Snowflake Frame that I have used today, snow is the order of the day.

The die really does do all the work for you. The centre die not only cuts a snowflake out but it also gives a pierced pattern all around the snowflake, really effective. Then pop a colour behind, in this case periwinkle Foundation card and its just so pretty. 

I do like a bit of bling too, and this is what I call bling! The matching stamp, Midwinters Eve, has been stamped with Perfect Medium and then embossed with Brilliant Sparkle Silver embossing powder. When the name of the product suggests something very sparkly, this one doesn't disappoint, for a change, i think even the photo does do it justice. A delicate Heart Cluster embellishment, backed by one of the snowflakes and an organza bow.

Finally, some more snowflakes, drenched with even more bling, Iced Snow and topped with a clear Dazzler. You can even catch even more snow all around the edge of the base layer. Wow, what a lot of snow for an August day, have a great Sunday x

www.maximumcrafts.com

Christmas on a Greek Island

How do you fancy Christmas on a nice little Greek Island? Sounds quite perfect to me, and how about that in August? Well, here is my version.

I have used the Kekalonia die to cut out the Christmas Rose frame stamp as the centre piece for todays card. The Christmas Roses are stamped from the Christmas Rose Element stamp set using Perfect medium ink pad and then embossing with Cosmic Shimmer Detail Silver embossing powder. This powder is very very fine and picks all the detail of the flowers.

The Christmas Rose die set also comes with the leaf die I have used here, I have embossed the die to get the detail of the leaf and I love the effect. Just slotted behind the two smallest roses here, leading your eye into the centre and softening the harsh corner.

The delicate Ivy corners are from the new stamp set by John Lockwood Borders and Flourishes which has all sorts of stamps both Christmas and for everyday. I have again stamped this with the Perfect Medium and then used the Detail embossing powder.

The frame is a nice wide one made from the Double Pierced Squares die set and the embossing folder used for the backgound is the A4 Eternal Ivy using Steel Pearl Foundation card. The other card used today was also from the Pearl Foundation card, Icicle. The set may be called Christmas Rose, but I think you will agree, its not just for Christmas! 

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How do I use these? Masks and Stencils

There are so many lovely masks and stencils on the market these days and even more heading our way with the new Christmas ranges, but how do you use them and what can you do with them?

I have chosen one of the new Christmas range from That Special Touch called Nordic Christmas. It is made out of durable plastic and can be used with many different mediums.

They cane be used with Dye based inks as a stencil, Texture Paste, Paint, Cosmic Shimmer Polished Silk Glitter, Gilding wax, Micro Beads, Gilding Flakes, Perfect Medium and embossing powders and many more.

Using removable tape, the mask was taped onto the card to keep it in the right place. I would certainly recommend taping it when you first try this technique. There is nothing worse than almost finishing the project and then it all moves, everything smudges and youre on to Plan B!

I have used Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle Texture Paste in Berry red on Bright White card stock. using a palette knife applied over the mask, wiping off the excess and then carefully removing the tape before removing the mask. It takes a couple of hours to dry, depending on room temperature of course! A beautiful finish.

The masks and stencils can also be simply embossed to leave a subtle background. Here I have used Bright Gold pearl Foundation card stock. The mask was placed onto the card and taped in place. The sandwich of plates that I used in the Grand Calibur machine was: Base plate, mask, card, tan embossing mat and finally pink embossing plate.

Finally with a different mask, I added a smooth texture paste first in the same way as above. removed the mask and then sprinkled Clear Micro Beads onto the design, again leaving for a couple of hours or so to completely dry, this gives not only texture but in different lights, it shimmers beautifully.

The masks are a relatively cheap craft item, so why not give it a go?

www.maximumcrafts.com

Looking through the window

As promised another card using the Presscuts book die, this time as an accent only rather than the main card. I have cut the smallest two dies out and then, for a thinner border, I have drawn around the larger of the two dies used and cut out by hand. Its a simple line to follow so not too difficult to do. The smallest shape was then run through an old embossing folder I own with music on which I felt lent perfectly to the theme.

I used Steel and Icicle Pearl Foundation card stock, oh, what a super quality card, such a sheen to it too. Peeping from the background you will see my 'windows', made from the Lattice window die and cut from the Steel card in the front and backed with the Icicle card.

 Finally the flower. I really enjoy making flowers from paper/card, it might be sad but I find it quite therapeutic. I used the Steel card again and cut two large, one medium and one small flower from the Orange Blossom Complete Petal die set, layered them up and then applied Cosmic Shimmer glue all over each petal, then covered in Iced Snow. Once it dries, the glue is completely clear and sooo sparkly. I cut the Orange Blossom leaves die from Icicle card not forgetting to emboss it as well getting the full effect from your die. Not every die needs or benefits from running through the embossing mat as well as cutting, but with the leaves it really is a must.

Todays recipe

Lattice Window die

Presscuts A4 book die

Orange Blossom Complete Petals die

Orange Blossom leaves die

Mr & Mrs Shadow Box die

Embossalicious Music sheet embossing folder

Eternal Ivy embossing folder

Steel and Icicle Pearl Foundation Card

www.maximumcrafts.com