It's Been A While!

Whilst I haven't been blogging for a long time, I have still been creating and thought it was time to share a few of my recent creations.

I saw a design similar to this on Pinterest and loved it. I had the dies at home and decided to give it a go. I loved the finished result. 

Jacqui from Kookaburra crafts also loved it so this pink version became a class card. Unfortunately due to time constraints making flowers in class isn't always a good plan so we went with purchased flowers. 

A friends sister was getting married and my friend also liked the design so the blue and yellow version was created.

All 3 cards use the Creative Expressions Australian Collection Background die CED8101 for the background. 

The pink and the blue have use Creative Expressions Frames & Tags "Grace" CED4313 for the sentiment panel. The purple card uses dies 2,3 & 4 from the Australian Background.

The bride and groom from the pink and blue cards is Creative Expressions "The Happy Couple" CED9401.

The flowers on the purple and blue cards are handmade and unfortunately I don't remember which dies I used.

These 2 are for classes and the emphasis was on the inking technique used.  We used brushes similar to shaving brushes and distress inks to ink the backgrounds.  Its an absolutely fantastic technique for creating lovely soft coloured backgrounds.  

This treasure was made for a friends daughter.  She's cat crazy and we have our suspicions she may well be a future "crazy cat lady".....lol

This one was made for the above mentioned girls, brother for his 16th birthday.  I got my inspiration from one of Kookaburra Crafts class cards that Jacqui made.  I struggle with male cards and fell in love with this design.

The background for this card was created using Ultimate Crafts "Diamond Geometry Background Die" ULT157865.

My daughter has claimed this cutie to give to her boss for Christmas this year, in fact, several who have seen it have dropped hints that they'd love it as their Christmas card so I may just have to make a couple more.  It ended up being a class card at Kookaburra Crafts.

Again I've used the Australian Collection Background die CED8101 for the background and the absolutely adorable bear is by Cottage Cutz and is called "Peeking Santa Bear". I've die cut him in smooth white cardstock and used various inks to colour him.  The Christmas tree was a freebie from, if I remember correctly, Australian Simply Cards magazine.

I believe the poinsettias are from an older (but timeless) spellbinders poinsettias set, the background is an embossed using and embossalicious holly embossing folder.  For the focal centre I've used Creative Expressions Festive Collection "Holly Lattice Frame" CED3125 and the square frames are also from Creative Expression Noble Pierced Squares Set CED5509 and Set B CED5510.

Again I'm pretty sure the poinsettias are from Spellbinders. and I've used the same Creative Expressions die for the central focal piece only this time I've die cut the white without using the frames in the set (Holly Lattice Frame).  The border die is also from Creative Expressions Festive Collection "Garland Edger" CED3108. Another one for card classes.

I love this Christmas card and so did a friends Mum who's has put dibs on it....lol  It has also gone on to be taught in classes.  I have again used the Spellbinders poinsettias, Creative Expressions "Holly Lattice Frame" (just the outside 2 frames) and the "Garland Edger".  The embossing folder is "Falling Snow" EF-074 by ....you guessed it .....Creative Expressions.

The Merry Christmas sentiment is  a hot foil stamp from Artdeco Creations CO725571. It uses the Go Press and Foil machine from Artdeco to heat the metal stamp and then you run the plate with the hot stamp, foil and cardstock through you die cutting machine.  I think I could become addicted to hot foiling.....lol

For this one I've die cut an aperture from the top layer using Creative Expressions Indonesian Collection "Bali" CED14004 then embossed it with the holly embossing folder from embossalicious.  The sentiment stamp is from a Penny Black set called Season's Gifts 30-316 and it has been stamped with versamark and heat embossed using Ranger's Queens Gold embossing powder.  The poinsettias are from a couple of older die sets from Marianne and the holly flourish is from a Cheery Lynn set.  I've made the pearl border using "Gloss White" Nuvo Crystal Drops.

I've used shaving brushes and distress inks for the background.  I really love the lovely soft effect you get with this technique by very slowly building up the colour.  Even the brightest of colours comes up soft.  The flowers are handmade and I'm sorry I don't remember which set I've used.  The die set for the background is Creative Expressions Belgian Collection Background CED9203.

I was trying to come up with a wedding card for my nephew and his wife and was struggling a bit, this was one of the cards I came up with.  I think it really would be better as an engagement card.  The dies used were Creative Expressions Caribbean Island Collection Background CED5201 and Creative Expressions Frames & Tags "Lauren" CED4314. The flowers were ready made ones purchased from Kookaburra Crafts.

So this was the end result of my playing and trying to find just the right design for my nephew and his wife.  I love this card.  The inspiration came from a design I saw on pinterest.  

Dies used were all Creative Expressions dies, Striplet "Stacked Diamond" CED1609, Caribbean Island Collection "St Kitts" CED5204, Indian Ocean Collection "Mauritius" CED10014.

I had sooooo much fun making this card.  I saw one similar on pinterest and this was my take on it.  It required a bit of thinking to get everything to line up, but it was so worth the effort because I just love the finished product.  I have to say the reason I love Sue Wilsons dies by Creative Expressions is they make cardmaking easy. They are beautifully designed and they just work together effortlessly.

The dies used are Atlantic Ocean Collection Background CED 13001, Finishing Touches "Striped Nasturtiums" CED 1465 and Configurations "Petite Arched Adornment" CED6301.

Ok I have to admit I made this card because I fell in love with the paper. The paper is from the Maja Design collection "Sofiero" and it is exquisite. 

Dies used are Creative Expressions Indian Ocean "Maldives" CED10015 and Frames & Tags "Pierced Flags" CED4304.  The flowers are store bought.

I kept this one simple and let the dies do all the work.

Dies used are Australian Collection "Brisbane" CED8103 and Configurations "Ecliptic Edger" CED6503

Talk about getting messy.  The background paper on this card was done with an old technique of swiping distress inks on a slick surface like a non stick mat, then spritzing with water and dipping your water colour paper into the inks then drying with a heat tool and dipping again until you are happy.  Messy and fun.  No 2 are ever the same.  

Dies used are the Creative Expressions Configurations "Ecliptic Edger" CED6503 and I'm not too sure on the tree, it was given to me, sorry. 

My beautiful daughter turned 18 in October (I feel old).  She loves blue and I love the focal die and had been itching to use it so this is the result.  

At 2yrs old Briana was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and the next couple of years were hell for all of us.  But, she was a tough little nut and made it through treatment and became an amazing young woman who makes me so proud every day.  

Dies used for this card Australian Collection Background CED8101, Caribbean Island "St Lucia" CED5403 and the flowers Finishing Touches "Camellia - Complete Petal" CED1421.

I just wanted to play the day I made this one.  Jacqui had recently gotten in the border die and I wanted to play and had no idea what would come of it.  It actually ended up far simpler than I'd have imagined, but still a cutie.  

Dies used are Ultimate Crafts "Rose Trellis" ULT157794,  Frames & Tags "Pierced Flags" CED4304 and the dragonfly I think was a freebie die from a magaizne

These 2 were just days I wanted to play with no particular plan in mind.

I have to admit this card is a direct copy of a Sue Wilson card with exception of the flower. I made it for a friend who loves red and black and she was delighted when I gave it to her.

Dies used are Creative Expressions Indian Ocean "Mauritius" CED10014 and Frames & Tags "Madeleine" CED4318.

Last for this post.  A friend asked me if I happened to have an engagement card in my stash of cards.  Hahaha..... I'd not long sent my "stash" to my Mum to put on her market stall, so I didn't have any cards. This was a Thursday and she needed the card for the Saturday night.  So I made these so she could have a choice of 2 for the engagement party.  She chose the 2nd one, which was also my pick of the 2.

Dies used for the 1st card Creative Expressions Swiss Collection "Corner, Border and Tag" CED9101, Caribbean Island "St Kitts' CED5204" and the flower was Heartfelt Creations 'Vintage Floret" HCD727

Dies used for the 2nd card Creative Expressions Mini Gemini Dies "Corvus" CED4415, Frames & Tags "Lauren" CED4314 and the flowers Finishing Touches "Camellia - Complete Petals" CED1421.

Now while my post may seem a bit like and advertisement for Creative Expressions, that is certainly not the case.  I am in no way associated (sadly) with Creative Expressions or Sue Wilson.  I do however, as I said earlier, love working with their products. They are amazing and they do, all just work together.  You don't have to have all dies from a particular group to get amazing results. Often times the dies do all the work for you.

If you are interested in any of the products I have used in these cards, please contact Jacqui, from Kookaburra Crafts, http://kookaburracrafts.com.au/ .  Kookaburra Crafts is a home based business and will go the extra mile to source products for you.

I hope you've enjoyed my cards today.

Have a fantastic day!
Jenelle