Blog Hop Fun!!...

Hello, hello!!

Over at WOW! Embossing Powder this week we have a special event going on - a collaboration with 3L Scrapbook Adhesives.  Today is Day 2 - if you missed yesterday then you need to get over there and check out the talent!  Don't forget to pop back in each day this week to see all of the DT's projects :)

Here are my cards using a combination of 3L's awesome adhesives and WOW!'s wonderful powders - what a match...made in heaven!

For this first card I embossed the background using the Vintage Wallpaper stamp and Metallic Gold Rich powder. I then die cut the trefoil pieces for the 3L 3D Foam Creative Sheets and used Metallic Gold Rich and Metallic Copper powders to create the central embellishment.  It gives a really lovely effect - it's so tactile and full of texture - I don't know why I hadn't tried it sooner!

Here's a wee close up...

I also made this second card...

I don't think I will ever need to buy embellishments again!!  I was really pleased with how well the 3L Dodz took the heat embossing.  I have experimented with opaque and the more translucent powders - they both give a fantastic finish.  The opaque powders create a more matt finish, akin to enamel dots, whereas the translucent powders give a higher shine and you can still see through the dots partly, like glass beads - awesome!

ETA - Completely forgot to add that this card was made based on the CAS(E) This Sketch sketch!  Doh!  Well, I've remembered now, better late than never!  (seems to be a recurring theme lately?!)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  ;)

Supplies - Card One

3L Adhesives - 3D Creative Foam Sheet

WOW! - Vintage Wallpaper Stamp

WOW! - Express Yourself Stamps

WOW! - Metallic Rich Gold Powder

WOW! - Metallic Copper Powder

Spellbinders - Fleur-De-Lis Motifs, Parisian Motifs

Card - Paper Mill direct - White Super Smooth, Teal, Pale Turquoise

Ink - Versamark

Supplies - Card Two

3L Adhesives - Dodz

WOW! - Primary Apple Red Powder

WOW! - Opaque Primary Mandarin Powder

WOW! - Opaque Primary Sunny Yellow Powder

WOW! - Fluorescent Green Powder

WOW! - Opaque Pastel Blue Powder

WOW! - Earthtone Grape Powder 

Spellbinders - Classic Edges Two, Classic Decorative Inserts Three

Ink - Windsor & Newton - Black

Love, love, love...

Hello, hello!

How are you all?  I hope you all had a fabulous weekend and got a chance to get some crafting in :)

Well, all has returned to normal here.  We are both home, myself from visiting family and DOH from sunny Australia.  Bless him, at the wedding he got heat stroke and nearly passed out!  He was fine after a while though and by all accounts was well looked after by his nearest and dearest in my absence :)  He had a fantastic time and I know he wished he could've stayed longer, but that's life I suppose.  We're planning a trip over there, hopefully this year, to spend some quality time with his family :)

But now, it's that time of year again when I wish I'd bought a heart die!!  Every year I think, 'this would be easier if I had a heart die, I'll make sure I get one of those' and yet here we are, another year has passed still with no die!  Stars, that's another die set on my list...maybe one day I'll get round to it ;)

I have made two cards today (the withdrawal of being away from my desk has put me into overdrive!) both of which are for Valentines Day :)  This first one is for my DOH and is for THREE challenges!  It's rare that I make a card that is eligible for that many challenges!

This idea has been floating around my head for a little while now...I'm not entirely sure where it came from?!  I also wasn't sure how I was going to make it into a reality so I just went with it and here's how it ended up!  It really doesn't require an explanation so I'll not bore you!  The only thing I will say is that yes, the sentiment is handwritten :)  I haven't used the Gothic style font for ages...when I first started calligraphy it was absolute favourite so I thought it was time I had another go at it :)

I am entering this card into the following challenges;

Cas-ual Fridays - Over The Edge...the little heart is trying to make a bid for freedom!

Addicted To CAS - Love...that's pretty obvious I would've thought!

Paper Mill Direct - create a Valentine's card...and I used Paper Mill Direct card, as always!!

The second card I have to show you today is the same as one I made last year, in May I think?  The only difference is I swapped the lime green for red as requested by my brother as a Valentine's card for his partner and I thought I'd share it anyway :)  It has a completely different feel to it actually, I was surprised at what a difference changing one colour made!

Thank you very much for stopping by guys, I appreciate it :)  I will catch up on commenting I have missed and I shall certainly have a browse of blogland as soon as I can because I've missed y'all!!

Supplies

Card One

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Grey, Black, Bright Red

Stamps: Hero Arts- Valentine Flourishes

Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium; Windsor & Newton - Black

Other:    Cosmic Shimmer - Berry Red Aurora e/p; rhinestones

Card Two

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Grey, Black, Ruby Red

Stamps: Hero Arts - Valentine Flourishes

Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium

Other:    WOW! - Ebony e/p; Spellbinders - Classic Edges One, Circles; pearls

It's Autumn!...

Hello peeps!

How are we all?  Well I hope! :)

I don't know what the weather's like where you are, but it's definitely turned to Autumn here in England!  Brr!  I'd forgotten what it was like to wear jumpers and a pair of slippers!  There are a few good things about Autumn though, one of which is the Design Team Call going on over at the Paper Mill Direct blog.

For as long as I can remember, I have bought Paper Mill Direct card over all others.  I used to love going into their shops, picking up my box to fill with as many different colours as I could lay my hands on! (and that would fit in the box!)  It was like an all-you-can-eat buffet for paper addicts!  Brilliant!  I was so upset when they had to close down their shops, however, I could still get my fix online...and that I do!!

So, imagine how excited I was to see that they're after a new member for their Design Team!!?  ;)  I would love to be a part of it so I'm going to give it a go :)

The theme for the entries is 'Autumn'...see where I was going now?!  I LOVE autumnal colours, they're so warm and comforting...but I'll be honest in admitting I rarely use them, they're not my 'go-to' colours so this was a great challenge for pushing me out of my comfort zone if nothing else :)

Here is my card based on the theme...

For my card I used, of course, Paper Mill Direct card!  The colours I used were...Ruby Red, Bright Red, Citrus Orange, Primrose Yellow (which I haven't seen on the website for a while but I LOVE this colour!) and of course, White.  The quality of this card is second to none.  It's heavy enough to do the job, and the colours are so vibrant...can you tell I'm a fan?!  ;)

For the leaves, I used Verve - A Cut Above Elegant Leaves die and clear embossed them.  I then fanned them out so they looked like a pile (a TIDY pile!) of Autumnal leaves.  Even the ribbon has an apt name - it's 'Pumpkin' seam binding from Crafty Ribbons.  I scrunched it up and spritzed it with water and then dipped it in some Vintage Photo Distress Ink to break up the solid colour and add a bit of interest.  It actually reminded me of the colour of leaves when they've fallen into a muddy puddle!  ....Maybe my imagination is working overtime...?  

I also had the opportunity to use my new embossing powder from WOW! for the sentiment which is called 'Halloween' and it is a black embossing powder with a copper/orange glitter in and looks FAB!

The sketch originally was based on this Retro Sketches layout...it ended up being a loose interpretation I have to admit but it provided a great jumping off point!

So there you go...I think I've rambled enough now, I don't want to bore you all!  I'm off to link my little post up to the DT challenge on Paper Mill Direct's blog and I'm going to wait with my fingers crossed!  :)  If you fancy joining in too, get yourself over there!

Thank you for stopping by guys!  ;)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White, Ruby Red, Bright Red, Citrus Orange, Primrose
Stamps: Verve - Wishful Elegance, Bloom & Grow
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium; Distress Ink - Vintage Photo, Antique Linen
Other:    Verve - A Cut Above Die Elegant Leaves; WOW! - Halloween embossing glitter; Crafty Ribbons -
             Pumpkin seam binding