Up, Up and away!

The title comes from a 1967 song from a band called Fifth Dimension which was part of the soundtrack of my early childhood. The second half of that line is, of course.....'in my beautiful balloon' which is where we start today's post.

Why 'Beautiful' balloon? Well, it has been designed by none other than Brenda Walton and it is one of several beautiful Thinlits dies sets in her new collection. This set also comes with a set of gorgeous text stamps which compliment the dies perfectly.I will probably showcase some of the others in the coming weeks but for now we are looking at Framelits Die Set 9PK w/Stamps - Hot Air Balloon which will be in shops from the beginning of October.

I'm also using my old favourite Mixed Media die set which always comes in very handy for mixed media and shabby chic style projects.



I am using a lovely paper pad from Studio Light which is perfect for the style that I want together with the die/stamp set. Apart from a few Distress Ink pads and some white card, that's pretty much it!

I cut a rectangle of blue patterned card and applied a few shades of brown Distress Ink around the edges before distressing and scrunching the edges concentrating on the corners. I used a fine sanding pad over the creases to add further contrast. Next I added the stamped sentiment in dark brown ink.

 I used a couple of my Mixed Media die set to add detail, I don't know what happened to the exposure on the second photo but they are the same, honest!

Time to cut the separate parts of the balloon which I then inked before putting together.

For my cloud (one of two in the set) I wanted to give the impression of sunset so I applied some Distress Inks to the base of the die-cut shape.

I took the bunting die and cut half a dozen triangles before inking the edges and gently curling up the tips. I attached them to the assembled balloon following a gentle curve.


Using double sided tape, I applied some short lengths of cotton to join the main body of the balloon to the basket.

I attached the cloud and the balloon to the background using adhesive foam pads before mounting onto a white base card.

If you like this card, and I hope you do then I must give 90% of the credit to Brenda Walton for creating such a beautiful and well thought through set of dies.

Colourful Cards by Gerry van Gent

Hello Sizzix Friends and Happy 1st of March!!

Can you believe it? It is already March? Time surely flies :-)

I am already in a Spring mood and I am absolutely looking forward

to some warm and colourful season like Spring. And by saying this

my projects today are two cards in bright, happy and cheerful colours. 

657900 Sizzix Big Shot machine

NEW 660220 Sizzix Thinlits Die Set Mixed Media

658701 Sizzix Framelits Die Set w/Stamps Word Labels

*       *       *

My first card is featuring the diamonds Mixed Media die....

I basically die cut the diamonds twice on a piece of white cardstock.

Then I misted the cardstock and adhered it on top of another white piece of cardstock.

After that I tore it diagonally somewhere in the middle - 

I kind of resized it to fit on the front of my (14 cm x 10 cm) card.

The stamped and die cut Word Label was used to decorate the flower.

I simply adhered it in the center of the flower.

I added glitter for a bit of shiny effect.

And my second card today...

To make this card I used the Circles dies with approx. sizes 4 1/4" and 3 3/4".

657900 Sizzix Big Shot machine

657551 Sizzix Framelits Die Set Circles

NEW 660220 Sizzix Thinlits Die Set Mixed Media

NEW 660210 Sizzix Thinlits Die Set Alphanumeric

*      *      *

I used white cardstock to die cut the Circle with size 3 3/4".

Then I die cut the Mixed Media die twice - top and bottom of the circle.

Once ready I misted it in green and placed it 

underneath another die-cut Circle with size 3 3/4". 

The Alphanumeric letters were die cut twice using white and red cardstock.

The red letters I used as shadow letters.

Hope you enjoyed my "Spring-inspired" cards today!

Thank you so much for visiting us today!

Have a creative Sunday!

Gerry

"This Moment" by Gerry van Gent

Hello Sizzix peeps!

Hope you are all enjoying a relaxed Sunday!

Today I want to share with you a canvas I created

using awesome Sizzix dies. Scrapping on canvas is an 

absolute pleasure for me for the last years.
So here is one I created especially for you :-)

657900 Sizzix Big Shot Machine

658837 Sizzix Framelits Die Set w/Stamps Love, Hugs & Hearts

659133 Sizzix Thinlits Die Moroccan Card Front

657495 Sizzix On the Edge Die Butterflight

656640 Sizzix Bigz Die Tattered Florals

658506 Sizzix Sizzlits Die Vintage Doily

*     *     *

For the die Moroccan Card Front I used black cardstock in order to have

contrast to my pastel coloured background. Once it was die cut I separated 

it in a few pieces and added as decoration to the photo.

When I die cut the butterflies I carefully fussy cut three of them 

so I can use them separately on my project!

To make my project even more personal I hand made some of the flowers

by using the super awesome die Tattered Florals.

I chose brown fabric canvas which I combined with some white lace and ...

of course a brad to fasten the pieces altogether.

I also die cut two small flowers extra to use them on the canvas.

The two hearts were stamped and die cut with Love, Hugs & Hearts Die set.

*     *     *

I hope you enjoyed my canvas today!

Have a creative day!

Gerry 

Stamps and die cutting

For today's post I decided to use the Jillibean Hello Framelits and stamps. I just love that I can stamp and cut out the image and then place it over a photo or other embellishment. I cut out the today stamp and stamped some stars over the layout to create more movement and flow.

  Supplies: Sizzix Framelits Die Set 8PK w/Stamps - Hello, Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal), Other: American Crafts papers,

See you next week and Happy Scrapping
 Lilith
   

A bit of Spring in Autumn with Lilith

Autumn has settled in and the crisp air and warm colours have taken over the the country side. I love autumn but I still hunger for a tiny bit of spring. The Sizzix Framelits Die Set 8PK with Stamps Beautiful You, was just the product I needed for this easy card project that brings a bit of spring along with it.

I stamped one of the flower images onto some watercolour paper, using versamark. I then sprinkled some white embossing powder onto it which I then heat embossed with my heat gun. I then took out some Distress Inks, stabilo pens and coloured the flowers and leaves. 

The cards themselves were easy to put together. A 4" x 6" base with a 3.5"x5.5" piece of patterned paper. A kraft tag, a small white twine, some embellishments and a sentiment finish off the card. I love how easy the stamps are to use and that I can use any colour for any type of project. 

Supplies:

Sizzix Framelits Die Set 8PK with Stamps Beautiful You

Distress Inks, Stabilo 68 pens, 

Paper: Carta Bella,

Embellishments: Studio Calico Color Theory Buttons, Enamel dots, 

Ink: Versafin Black Onyx.

. Start text

Layers with Lilith

Hi there. It is Tuesday which means inspiration from me, Lilith. Today I wanted to show you a simple layout with lots of layers. I used different products from sizzix, each of which adds extra detail to the page. 

I used a scrap piece of white cardstock and the smile embossing folder from the Smile & Plus set. I added some splashes of mist to draw attention to the detail of the embossing. You could also use watercolours and go over the embossed areas.

Then I stamped with a stamp from the Hello Framelits Die Set with stamps and cut it out using the die. I also cut out some leaves from the Tim Holtz collection which I coloured with green and blue tones using watercolour paint. 

Then I layered the different elements adding embellishments along the way. I love how the cluster of papers and the photo just pops off the layout. To create flow and movement I decided to incorporate a couple of buttons and enamels dots. 

Sizzix products:

659464: Sizzix Framelits Die Set 8PK w/Stamps - Hello

659785: Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders 2PK - Smile & Plus Set 

659436: Sizzix Bigz Die - Garden Greens

Other: Inks and mist, Studio Calico patterned paper, Studio Calico buttons, Glitz Design Finnley embellishments, doily, American Crafts kraft tag,

Have a wonderful day and see you next week with another crafty project. 

Lilith 

 

Freedom!!!

Making display projects for Create and Craft shows is both fun and time consuming. There is no brief to work to so we can choose the colours and materials we see fit. Having that bit of creative freedom makes the process all the more pleasurable.

The flip side is having to create so many projects in such a short time which is why having such great dies to work with helps enormously. We have looked at Paula Pascual's Star, Flower Framelits w/Stamps set from her divine winter moments collection, and I told you about how well they were recieved on our recent Create and Craft shows. My other favourite set from the shows is Framelits w/Stamps- Snowflakes #2 (658622) which sold out pretty quickly.

As regular readers of this blog will by now know, I could make Christmas cards all year round happily and one of my favourite motifs is the humble snowflake. This set is super versatile and you can use the stamps and dies independently or together.

This card features a background made by stamping onto kraft card with a watermark ink pad and sprinkling Clear embossing powder over the image before setting with a heat tool. The snowflake itself was created in the same way before being cut out using the corresponding Framelits dies before being layered together with 3D foam pads. The Background was then attached to the face of a pink, patterned base card before being finished with a length of ribbon.

For this card I stamped the legend 'Merry Christmas' onto a rectangle of red card before tearing away the base. I then used a red ink pad to stamp my snowflakes onto ivory cardstock, finishing with a pearl accent in the centre of each. I mounted the red card onto an ivory base card before attaching the snowflakes with a 3D foam pad.

I love black and white cards and this one is so simple to make. I used my PC to print the legend 'Butterflies are winter's snowflakes' onto white card, folded it in half and added a folded strip of black card. Next, I stamped the snowflakes onto black card using a watermark ink pad before sprinkling with glitter embossing powder and setting with a heat gun. I then die cut the stamped images using the corresponding Framelits dies and mounted them together using 3D foam pads.

This card features both the flowers and snowflakes without the stamps, The frame is Frame, Scrollwork from the new Indie Craft Festival Range. I die cut the frame,flowers and snowflakes from a patterned blue/green card and set about adding colour using some of my favourite distress ink before attaching all the elements together and decorating with adhesive pearl accents in the centre of the flowers/snowflakes and adding a jewelled accent to the bottom of the frame. I measured the centre of the frame and used my PC to create the phrase before printing onto the green patterned card. Finally, I mounted the frame onto teh base card using 3D foam pads.