Crafting with kids- Neon birthday

When I first started this blog, one of my aims was to share some crafty projects to do with children. Over time, my own projects took over, although I have often crafted with my boys.

This week, my 7 yr old was keen to make a card with me so we decided to make a fun, neon birthday card. I'm not really a lover of bright things, but wanted to give the current neon trend a go. I knew I wanted the card to have balloons and stars but it was  my son decided that it would be good to put a star in the centre of each balloon. I think it was a great decision and love the end result.

Products used:
Docrafts Papermania Neon card, bow
X Cut Star Punch
Balloon die free with Simply Cards and Papercraft (you could hand cut your own using a template, there are several online)
Sentiment stamp free with Crafter's Companion magazine issue 5
Staz-On Ink Pad

Baker's Twine

Don't forget, although children love using punches and die cutting machines, (mine love turning the handle on my Grand Calibur), they should always be supervised when using them.

Crowning Affair Birthday Card

Whilst I was on holiday in Lanzarote, I was struck by the beautiful colours of the flowers and plants there in contrast to the browns of the volcanic landscape. 

As soon as I got home, I was eager to create a card using these colours and found that the Trimcraft Dovecraft Crowning Affair paper pad was perfect. I combined my chosen papers with a kraft card blank and rounded the corners.

I deliberately kept the card simple- all I have added is a ribbon, a sentiment and a flower die cut from the paper pad with a large gem in the centre.

Products used:

Trimcraft Dovecraft Crowning Affair 6 x 6 Paper Pad

First Edition Flower Die

Trimcraft Dovecraft Bohemian Adhesive Gems, 6x6 Kraft Card Blank

Ribbon from stash

I would like to enter this card for the Allsorts Challenge Blog Inspired by Summer Challenge

Thank you for visiting my blog today, I am really grateful for all your lovely comments.

Racing car kinetic card

Hi everyone. After a little break for my birthday and a camping trip, I'm back with this little kinetic racing car card. I made it a while ago but it has appeared in Papercrafter magazine this month and I realised I hadn't shared it here.

I have used Trimcraft First Edition Travel Notes 8 x 8 papers for the card and the little car is a wooden shape from the Tiny Tatty Teddy Range, coloured with Spectrum Noir markers.

I think this card is really fun, especially when you can add a secret message to be revealed by pulling the tab:

Full instructions for this project can be found in My Trimcraft Gallery

Thanks for visiting- I really love reading all your comments and am very grateful for them x

Mono Christmas Gatefold Card

This card has been made using Lelli-Bot Craft's Merry Mono Christmas collection. 

I have made a gatefold card blank and covered the front 2 panels with silver mirror card and the black paper. Inside I have used mirror card and a piece of white patterned paper as an insert.

I wrapped ribbon from the kit around the card, securing it around the left front panel, then adding the topper with foam pads on the left side only. 

I finished the card with a sentiment inside and gems on the topper and card corners.

Products used:

Lelli-Bot Crafts Merry Mono Christmas Fullworks kit

Docrafts Papermania Gems

I would like to enter this (just in time I hope) for Lelli-Bot Challenge Blog July Challenge Add Some Sparkle

Christmas is here at last!

Now our summer holiday is over (we had an amazing time), thoughts turn to Christmas. I'm a month later than last year with starting my cards so it really is time to start now.

I have already purchased lots of new Christmas collections (and have seen some more I can't wait to get) and this Lelli-Bot Crafts Little Robin Red Breast collection is one of my favourites by far.

I'm not a fan of glitter but sometimes make an exception for Christmas, so I have used some here in this shaker card. I am still a little bit crazy for sequins so I've added some of those too for added sparkle. I may have gone a little over the top with the sequins around the outside but, hey, it's Christmas!

Products used:

Lelli-Bot Crafts Little Robin Red Breast Fullworks Collection (topper, paper, cream card and ribbon)

Hunkydory Crafts Diamond Sparkles Glitter and Gold Gemstones

Trimcraft Sweet Paris Sequins

Gold mirror card

I would like to enter this for the Lelli-Bot Challenge Blog Add Some Sparkle Challenge

Crowning Affair

I am off on holiday tomorrow so won't be posting for a little while. Before I go, I wanted to share these cards I made recently using Trimcraft Dovecraft Crowning Affair papers. These papers are beautifully designed in fabulous colours and, best of all, come from the value range.

The first card has a tropical feel. The flamingo and sentiment stamp are, like the fish stamp, from the set free with this month's Creative Stamping magazine. I have coloured this one with Spectrum Aqua markers. The flowers are punched using a Tonic punch and the card finished with lots of gems and a bright pink ribbon.

I would like to enter this card into the Crafting Musketeers Challenge Blog Challenge #27 Anything Goes.

My second card is an anniversary card for my husband. We have been married for 8 yrs on 21st July and we will be celebrating it on our first sunny holiday abroad since our honeymoon.

It is a more simple card- I have just layered papers and die cut hearts using X Cut Nesting Dies. The four hearts represent our family, the two of us and our 2 sons. The sentiment was created in CraftArtist 2 and printed on card.

Thanks for popping by. Hope you all have a great week x

Fish Shaker Card

I have been making Teacher thank you cards and always get some unusual requests. One of my friends set me the challenge of making a card for her daughter's teacher with a fish theme and this is what I came up with.

I started by making the fish centrepiece. I used watercolour card and used a Spectrum Aqua marker in Kingfisher to make the water background. To do this I put ink onto a glass mat and used a wet paintbrush to pick up the colour and paint onto the card.

When this was dry, I stamped two fish, using Staz-on ink and coloured with Spectrum Aqua pens. I then die cut this image into a circle.

The next step was to cut a frame. I used the Trimcraft free papers from my last post. I stuck some paper on to card, then die cut a frame using two circle dies. I cut acetate slightly bigger that the aperture and attached this to the back of the frame using Cosmic Shimmer glue. I put some loose sequins into the centre of the fish topper then added the acetate and frame using Cosmic Shimmer around the outside only. If you want freer movement for the sequins, then foam pads should be used for this.

I then layered the card using the papers and kraft card, placing the fish topper in the centre and finishing with a few Docraft gems.

Products used:
Trimcraft free paper download, Dovecraft 6x6 Kraft card blanks, Bohemian sequins

Fish stamp free from Creative Stamping magazine.

Spectrum Aqua Pens: Kingfisher, Gold, Yellow
Crafter's Companion Acetate, Watercolour card

Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue