Christmas kisses mini album - page-through

Fragrant hyacinths and butterfly accents at the palace gateway

 

 

Today’s card was inspired by the hyacinth bulbs that I received as a Mothers’ day gift two years ago, that are getting ready to show their blooms again.

This card features the Heartfelt Creations palace gateway as the backdrop for the flowers. This die set creates beautiful shaped cards (though it can be used on square cards as well) - that immediately create an “aha” moment for the recipient. The die set can be used in different ways. For this card, I omitted the central die, so that I would have space for a stamped or die-cut sentiment.

The main flower was created with the fragrant hyacinth stamp-and die set. For fullness, I added cosmos-like stems from the Butterfly accents set that is part of the latest Floral butterfly collection. The card just NEEDED a butterfly, so I created one from vellum, using the Small butterflies stamp-and-die set.

You can buy your supplies in our online store. Click on the highlighted words to take you there.

White smooth cardstock 240gsm R150 for 100 sheets A4

Palace gateway die set 

Fragrant hyacinth stamps, dies and mould set

Butterfly accents stamp-and-die set 

Afrikaanse wense (high quality clear stamps manufactured overseas) 

Small butterflies 

Thank you for visiting.

Happy crafting until next time

Marie Smith

TrY It Thursday #1 Why the buzz about slimline cards?

 Today’s card inspiration is the first episode in our new Thursday series. Every Thursday, I will post a tip on something to try if you haven’t yet tried a technique, card size, type of embellishment, etc.

Have you wondered why the overseas fuss and buzz about slimline cards?

1. They allow more space on which to be creative than an A6 card. Often, I feel very “cramped” when trying to do something on an A6 size.

2. The length just spells “elegant”.

3. They give you the opportunity to use or combine many of your slightly larger dies or stamps.

3. Standard postage applies - they go into the envelopes in which we used to receive our electricity bills and bank accounts. You find them at stationery stores such as Forum, or you can buy bulk from Merrypak.

Why not try this today? 

I cut out a Tutti Designs trellis background from form smooth white cardstock. Then I cut out a frame using the second and third largest dies from the stitched rectangular slimline dies and adhered it to the trellis background.

I trimmed the trellis background and adhered  it to a piece of purple cardstock slighlyvlarger than the trimmed and framed background. This was then adhered to the slimline card base. A slimline card base cos made by placing an A4+piece of cardstock on your scoreboard in landscape orientation. Score at 10,5cm and trim off the excess.

Embellish the card with fragrant hyacinths made using Heartfelt Creations fragrant hyacinth stamp, die and mould set. Or use any other flowers or embellishments.

If you like what you saw, please leave me a comment. You may enter your e-mail address in the e-mail subscription block at the top right-hand of this page to ensure you are notified of all my blog posts.

Happy crafting, until next time.

Marie Smith

 

Dimensional flowers stamped

 

In this short video, I demonstrate how to make pretty but easy paper flowers, using Fabscraps Flower field stamp set.

I hope you enjoy making flowers.

Until next time, happy crafting.

Marie Smith

Pansy edger dies - two techniques

 Hello, fellow crafters

Today’s card-making inspiration features two techniques, using the pansy edger die by Creative Expressions.

The backgrounds were blended using Distress oxide kitsch flamingo and Distress  seedless preserves. I used the Altenew small blender brushes, which I find the best for smooth blending.

On the second card, the die was used on purple and green cardstock as well, and the little bits were inlaid into the flowers and leaves.

 Find our edger dies by clicking on this link.

Buy your Distress ink pads and sprays in our online store by clicking here.

Thank you for supporting where you get your inspiration from.

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Have a wonderful week.

Marie Smith

Sunny daisy window

 Hello, fellow crafters

Today’s inspiration features cheerful daisies on several cards.

On the first card, the daisies are arranged in front of a sunny window on an autumn day.

I created the daisies using Altenew craft—a-flower daisy die set and two shades of yellow cardstock.

The window was cut from bronze metallic cardstock, using the Heartfelt Creations rounded sunlight window die.

The per behind the window frame is from Heartfelt Creations’ country cottage paper pack.

The daisies are created in four easy steps. Select two shades of yellow cardstock, rust and brown cardstock to cut out all the parts of the two sizes of daisies. Then simply follow the layering guide on the die package. The photos below show the steps I followed.

Here are three more cards I made from the same stash of daisies I made in one session.

If you appreciated the inspiration, please leave me a comment. Remember that you can subscribe to receive all my blog posts by e-mail. Simply fill in your e-mail address in the block at the top right-hand corner of this page. You may also click on the follow button if you prefer to see the blogs here.

Happy crafting, until next time.

Marie Smith

Take a moment scrapbooking layouts

 Today I am sharing snippets of two double-page and a single-page scrapbook layout,  created using the Fabscraps C127 Take a moment paper collection.

 

 

 

 

Happy crafting, until next time.

Marie Smith

Exploding memory box - Take a moment to remember

Hello, fellow crafters.

Today I am sharing an explosion memory box, featuring the fabulous C127 Take a moment paper collection by Fabscraps

 

This explosion memory box is perfect for preserving memories of special persons or moments. It takes up to 18 photos plus additional photos that can be inserted into the pockets on the two flaps in the smallest box. Square photos sized 9x9, 8,5x8,5 and 7,5x7,5 cm.

It is a lovely idea for a gift. For example, a Valentine’s day gift in which you can include photos, journaling about favourite songs, favourite moments, funniest moments, etc.

Consists of two smaller explosion boxes inside the largest box. Photos and/or journaling blocks can be added to both sides (inside and outside) of each of the four flaps of the boxes. However, Marie created two pockets on the inside of the smallest box, into which tags can be inserted. These tags may be used for journaling or you may adhere photos to them.

I have uploaded a video, showing bow the box opens and unfolds, to YouTube. Click here to watch the video.

You may e-mail me for instructions for this project. To qualify for the free tutorial, mention in your e-mail that you saw this on my blog. marie@purplemagnolia.co.za 

Happy crafting, until next time.

Marie Smith

 

 

Cherry blossoms and delicate lace

Whenever I need dainty flowers for a card or other papercraft project, I reach for my Heartfelt Creations tweet cherry blossoms stamp-and-die-set. one can create truly beautiful tiny blossoms with this set - suitable for lots of projects.

On this card, they are the perfect companions for the delicate lace border die by Spellbinders/Becca Feeken.

To create the special flowers on this card, I used the die set (no the stamps). They were die-cut from watercolour paper and spread out on my teflon craft sheet (glass cutting board will also work). Then I lightly spritzed them with water and used a waterbrush pen to drop some pin watercolour in the centre of each flower, allowing then paint to spread out into the water. after this, I placed them in the cherry blossom mould and rolled them through my Big Shot die-cutting machine. this shaped the flowers and all I had to do to complete them, was to let them dry and add mini flower pearls in the centres of the flowers.

 I hope you enjoyed your short visit and will leave me a comment.

Remember that you can be infomed of all my blog posts by either clicking on the "Follow"bottom at the top right-hand corner of this page, or by subscribing to receive all blog posts by e-mail.

Happy crafting, until next time.

Marie Smith

 

Ava tags and frames dies on colourful background

 

Hello fellow crafters

Today I am sharing a technique for creating a colourful backgrounds for the die-cuts on your cards.

I made the card using Curious metal silver ice 300gsm cardstock - my favourite cardstock for a beautiful rounded effect with die cutting.it is available in our online store. Really a cardstock worth its price.

To create the colourful background, I used the same type of cardstock because it creates a lovely shimmery effect with all kinds of ink. First, I swiped Distress Oxide inks in seedless preserves and salty ocean across the length of an A5 size piece of the cardstock.

Then I liberally sprayed the inks with water. Thereafter, I used an alcohol ink blower and mixed the colours, in the same way that you would do with alcohol inks.

Use a heat gun to dry and straighten the cardstock.

The die set I used, is Creative Expressions Ava frames and tags set. This is available in our online store.

Cut suitable sizes for backing your die cuts from the coloured paper. 

Complete the card by layering the coloured pieces and your die cuts.

I will appreciate it if you would please let me know that you have popped in, by liking the post or leaving me a short message.

Happy crafting, until next time.

Marie Smith

Peachy vellum blossoms in a large urn

 Hello, dear fellow crafters

Today I am sharing an A5 card featuring Hearfelt Creations products.

I initially thought the newly-released urn was a bit too large too my liking - until today. I realised I could make an elegant A5 card.

 

I heat-embossed the urn on vellum and used a dauber and blue ink to apply colour to the back.

 

The peach Oakberry Lane blossoms were also heat-embossed on vellum and coloured at the back with Versamagic pink grapefruit. The fillers in light purple are from the Flower Shoppe collection. 

 

Oakberry Lane stamp and die set https://www.purplemagnolia.co.za/search?type=product...

 

What is your favoutite size of card? I personally find A6 too small to be creative on. My favourite size is 14,5cm because our standard cardmaking cardstock, A4 is not exactly 30cm long. I also like playing with what is now called slimline. A5 has not been a favourite with me, because it used to seem very clumsy, until I started using some of the larger Heartfelt Creations dies. I realised that this company just has a nick for making dainty items, whatever the size.

 

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Happy crafting, until next time. 

Marie Smith

Slimline card with handmade paper roses

 Hello, fellow crafters.

Today's inspiration is a slimline card with handmade paper roses.

 

First, create your roses. I used Lady E Design flower 001 to cut out flowers from watercolour paper. I placed the die-cut flowers on a craft sheet end used a medium brush to wet the flowers. Next, you should drop some watercolour unevenly onto these flowers. Allow to stand until the paper is almost dry, then roll the edges of the petals. Place flowers onto a foam flower-shaping mat and press into the centre of each petal to get a rounded shape. Assemble the roses. You may watch Emilia Sieradzan’s video on hand made paper roses on Youtube.

 

Make the card base by cutting firm cardstock 21x21cm. Score at 10,5 cm.

I used Lemoncraft House of Roses paper. Cut a piece 10,5x 21cm to cover the card base.

Use the Tutti Designs slimline trellis die to cut out a piece from the same paper. Do not adhere this to the card yet.

Use the second and third largest dies from Tutti Designs stitched slimline die set and cut out a frame from cream cardstock. Lay this over the trellis die-cut and trim the trellis piece to the same size as the frame. Adhere to the card.

Embellish the card with lace, die-cut leaves and the roses. I used Lady E Design leaves 002 and herb leaves dies.

 

If you want more information, feel free to send me an e-mail to marie@purplemagnolia.co.za.

Remember that you can subscribe to receive all my blog posts by e-mail. Simply complete the e-mail address block in the top right-hand corner of this page.

Happy crafting, until next time.

Marie Smith