Monday, July 30

Digital Release: Celebrations

The Celebrations clear stamp set is one of our most popular products because of how versatile it is. Great for any occasion where gifts are given - Christmas, birthdays, weddings, baby showers, Mother's Day... you get the idea. The great news is that we've now released the Celebrations set in digital format for all you digi lovers out there!

Celebrations
digital stamp set



Saturday, July 28

The Sweetest Day

I had some pieces of this fabulous patterned paper in my scrap box and thought it the perfect match for the licorice allsorts. Result - an explosion of coloured goodness!



Thursday, July 26

Someone Sweet

A little handful of licorice allsorts, coloured and fussy cut and ready to be served to someone sweet.



Tuesday, July 24

New Release: Sweet As Candy

The best thing about licorice allsorts, in my opinion, is the fantastic combination of bright and happy colours. Even as a small child I was attracted by the colours of these lollies, and the contrast with the layers of black licorice.

Sweet As Candy
digital stamp set

Have a look at all these sweet projects created by my designers...


Sunday, July 22

Layering Colour

Regardless of what medium you're using - pencils, paint, markers - you'll always get a much better result if you colour your image in layers. Start with a base coat then build on top of it until your image has depth and dimension.

I've coloured the octopus image from the new By The Seaside set with copic markers. As you can see, I began with a light base coat and then added layers of colour to create depth and shape. The light colours in the image are focused on the areas in the foreground, such as the top of his head and the front few tentacles, while the dark colours are added to the recessed areas to give depth.

Base coat with E51.

Second layer E53.
Leave a few areas with just the base coat showing.

Third layer E55.
Start to darken the recessed areas
and shape the tentacles.

Fourth layer E57.
Now you can see a distinct difference between
the lightest and the darkest areas.

Final layer E59.
These are the darkest places in the image.

First layer C5.
I've stippled cool greys around the image
to "ground" it on the page.

Second layer C3.
Colour over all the stippling you did previously,
then add more dots with the same pen.

Final layer C1.
Repeat the steps above using the lightest pen.

Saturday, July 21

Pelicans

A few more cards from the By The Seaside set... I can't get enough of that pelican!


Thursday, July 19

Octopus and Starfish

One of my brothers really loves the sea, so I made him this birthday card. What could be better than a seaside themed card to remind him how much he hates work and would rather be fishing?! Sorry Steve.



Tuesday, July 17

New Release: By The Seaside

A warm, sunny day by the seaside is like a little vacation from the stresses and routines of life. Most of us enjoy a day at the beach, exploring rock pools, building sandcastles and wading through the water.
Capture the spirit of the seaside with this set of clear stamps featuring three images and four coordinating sentiments. Perfect for masculine cards, Thank Yous, birthdays or just a quick card to let someone know you're thinking of them.



Carla and Anesha have created some fantastic cards and craft projects using the new set. Check out Anesha's fabulously bright coasters at the bottom of the post, and don't forget to visit their blogs for all the details!

Sunday, July 15

Tutorial - Flower Pot Pocket Card


This sweet card is in two pieces - a pocket, which resembles a little flower pot, and a tag that slides in and holds most of the embellishments. Great for birthdays, Mother's Day, or even Christmas, you can "fill" the pot with just about anything you like. It doesn't have to be flowers... perhaps candy canes, paint brushes or buttons instead.


1. To form the pot, start with a piece of card stock measuring 11" long x 4" wide.


2. Score and fold at 2" and 61/2". 


3. Use a decorative border punch along the short edge of the 2" section of card stock. Try to line the card stock up with the centre of the punch for a neater look.


4. Fold the bottom piece up but open the 2" section. Along the fold line, use a ruler and pencil to measure and mark 1/2" from either side. Draw a line from each mark to the 2" score line (refer to the picture below).


5. Use a trimmer or craft knife to cut along the lines. Remember that the card stock is folded in half so you are actually cutting through two pieces.


6. Fold down the 2" section of the card stock and then flip it over. Add small pieces of double sided tape to the inside of the pot and bring the two sections together. The adhesive will hold the sides closed creating a little "pocket".


7. Cut a piece of patterned paper no smaller than 41/4" wide x 43/4" long. This will decorate the front of your "pot".


8. Apply double sided tape to the pot, under the decorative edge, and fix the patterned paper over the top. You only need to add the paper up to the score line.


9. Flip the "pot" over. Use scissors or a craft knife to remove the excess patterned paper by following the edges of the card stock.


10. Turn the "pot" over again and lift the decorative edge as shown in the photo below. Apply a couple of small pieces of double sided tape and press the fold down. This will hold the "lip" of the "pot" in place.


11. To make the tag, you'll need one piece of card stock measuring 6" long x 3" wide and a second, smaller piece measuring 53/4" long x 23/4" wide.


12. Use double sided tape or glue to layer them together. If desired, stamp a sentiment on the tag toward the middle or bottom so that it doesn't show when the tag is placed inside the "pot".


13. Time to add the embellishments. I found it easiest to add the leaves and flowers while the tag was inside the "pot". Since my card is actually Christmas themed, I have added some large poinsettias that I cut from patterned paper. As mentioned earlier, you can add whatever embellishments best fit the theme of your card.


14. When you secure the flowers to your tag, make sure the petals can slide over the top of the "pot" by keeping the adhesive in the centre of the flower rather than the edges or tips of the petals. You can also add a flower to the "pot" for a fuller look.