Cleverprints Blog 19

 Cleverprints

Hello again. 

This week's project is a card which will satisfy an number of criteria:-1) the use of some hearts found in a forgotten workroom box; 2) Father's Day card; 3) Stamps from Jane's HobbyMaker shows earlier this week. I'm going to add a further caveat to this - no sentiment added for Father's Day as this will be used within the next couple of months for a male birthday card. Not a bad result! 

Father's Day Card

Materials:-

Cleverprints Products:-

• Woodland Creatures 'Have a Hoot' Stamp set

Extras:-

• Kraft Card - for heart layers and card blank 
• Black Card
• Alcohol Markers
• Black Ink Pad
• Card - white or cream
• Self-adhesive Gems

Instructions:-

Please Note:-

As this card was made without my usual step by step photography, the photograph of the finished card may act as a reference.

1. Stamp owl from 'Have a Hoot' stamp set onto white or cream card. Colour main image with alcohol markers and trim. 

2. Cut (either free-hand or die) three large and three small hearts from kraft card and three medium hearts from black card. Layer hearts - large, medium, small and glue in place. 

3. Cut one of the hearts in two, down the central line and attach one half to either side of card blank. 

4. Adhere two hearts, in layers, bridging the gap between each heart half. refer to photo for placement. 

5. Attach coloured owl image centrally over top heart.

6. Decorate owl and card front with self-adhesive gems. 

*Top Tip - Before gems are placed, add a dot of glue to base card to secure. 

With Jane's shows on HobbyMaker earlier this week and the advent of Father's Day at the weekend, these were the raison d'etre for this card, not withstanding the uncovering of a box of multiple heart shapes in a little workroom tidy. 

Hoping this gives some ideas.

Best wishes,

Shelagh

'The Making Lady' 

Cleverprints Blog 18

 Cleverprints

Pop-up Card

Hello - blog time again. This week's project is a pop-up card - and for a bit of fun - featuring 'wobbly' Woodland Creatures due to the acetate 'spring' on each. Enjoy!

Materials:-

Cleverprints Products

• Woodland Creatures Stamps

Extras:-

• Ink Pad - Black
• Alcohol Markers
• Card - 2 x A4 Lemon, 1 x A4 White
• Acetate

Instructions:-

1. Score A4 card at 9.9cm on long side of lemon card; fold, burnish then trim off extra to create DL card blank. 

2. Score card front at 5cm from centre score line, fold back and burnish. Cut two lemon mats - 1 x 20.5 x 4.4 cm and 1 x 20.5 x 9.4cm. Adhere to front and inside panels.

3. Cut three squares from white to measure 6cm x 6cm. 

*At this point it is advisable to stamp and colour background patterns to all three squares - only I omitted to photograph this!

4. Mat white onto lemon then trim to leave a narrow border. 

5. Cut strip of lemon to measure 14cm x 3cm; score at 3, 6, 9, 12cm and attach into an open cube with either wet glue or double sided sticky tape. 

6. Attach two matted squares as shown to top and bottom of card front then adhere the open cube centrally. Add a few strips of double sided sticky to top of cube.

7. Trim off corner of third square and attach to cube top. 

8. With added stamped background.

9. Stamp three woodland creatures and trim either with corresponding Woodland Creatures dies or with some fussy cutting. 

10. Attach images to squares; here they are elevated away from the square by folded acetate. 

11. Add sentiments to suit.

. . . And there we have a simple pop-up, something that may be adapted for all sorts of occasions and all sorts of stamps and die -cuts.

Thanks for looking!

Happy crafting.

Shelagh 

'The Making Lady.'

 

Cleverprints Blog 17

 Cleverprints

Hi and welcome to 'Shelagh's Crafty Concepts.' This week's blog details an unused but upcycled gift bag and this is the little story behind it. 

For years I made Christmas gifts for my mum's many carers - she had several visits per day, each with two carers - and one year each gift was presented in a seasonally decorated gift bag. Inevitably there were some left over that required a make-over; with the decoration removed, off-cuts of pink card replacing it and flowers added, the bag is fit to go again.   

Instructions and photographs to follow.  

Upcycled Gift Bag

Materials:-

Cleverprints:- 

• Stamps - Patterned Flowers

Extras:-

• Patterned paper off-cuts
• Black Ink Pad
• Fine Wire
• Beads
• Washi Tape
• Gift Bag - front covered with toning card.

Instructions:-

1. Stamp chosen flower from Patterned Flowers set four times on patterned papers.

2. Trim stamped shapes as shown. 

3. Thread short lengths of wire with five small beads, create a loop at the top and twist both ends of wire together as in top left of photo. 

4. Spritz shapes with water. 

5. Thread a beaded wire through the trimmed shapes, beginning with the smallest. When all four shapes are threaded, scrunch them gently then carefully unfold. Allow to dry. Wrap washi tape around the stems.

6. Attach to front of bag. (I used both strong doubles sided tape and wet glue.)

NB - I also  added leaves from the Patterned Flower stamp sets for effect. 

*Some flowers added to a clean empty mustard pot. 

*Flowers made with other flowers from 'Patterned Flower' stamp sets.

*Napkin rings would make a lovely addition to a summer barbecue table. 

Thank you for looking in. 

Best wishes and happy crafting,

Shelagh Metselaar

'The Making Lady' 

Cleverprints Blog 16

 Cleverprints

Blog 16

Hello and welcome to this week's project. Initially it was to be a shaker card but then I had the the idea of covering the inky background with actetate or film to mimic water. Having found a box of Overhead Projector Film (OHP) in a recent workroom tidy, this offered the ideal solution. 

Happy crafting! 

'Through the Round Window!'

Materials:-

• Cleverprints products - Under the Sea Stamp sets - Jellyfish; Nautilus - seaweed; Sea Urchin - seaweed; Starfish - seaweed; Seahorse - bubbles (for porthole)

Extras:- 

• Ink:- Blue, Turquoise
• Ink Pads:- Black
• Watercolour Markers:- Greys - Warm, Cool; Blues:- Light Turquoise, Medium Turquoise; Greens:- Lime, Medium, Dark.
• Sequins
• Self Adhesive Gems 
• Watercolour Paper
•  Acetate  (OHP film from my stash)

Instructions:-

1. Cut watercolour paper to measure 5in x 5in. Lightly pencil in each diagonal.

2. Using a circular object - sticky tape inner, die etc - lightly draw a central circle.

3. Stamp bubbles from 'Seahorse' stamp set on first arc of circle. 

4. Continue to complete circle. Cut away excess paper to form a ring - the porthole. Colour with blue watercolour markers.

 

5. Create watery background by spritzing watercolour paper then dripping on dark blue and turquoise inks. Spritz again to move ink around. Dry - naturally or with a heat gun. 

Trim to square of side 5in.

Stamp jellyfish and colour with watercolour markers.

6. Decorate jellyfish with self-adhesive gems. 

7. Run narrow double sided sticky tape around reverse of 'porthole.' Attach acetate/film sheet over tape. Layers are 1) porthole, 2) double sided sticky tape, 3) acetate/film. The next layer will be the foam tape as in photo below.

8. Arrange foam tape on reverse of film.

9. Run double sided sticky tape along reverse edges of watercoloured background. Place this onto film, choosing where the porthole features over the jellyfish. Fold in film edges, attaching to the double sided sticky tape. 

10. Stamp sentiment on background trimmings. Add to card.

                                            

10. Decorate porthole with sequins.

11. Stamp seaweed and colour. Trim and add to card topper. Attach to 5.5in x 5.5in card blank. 

Et voila! This week's project. 

Thank you for reading this. 

Best wishes,

Shelagh

'The Making Lady' 

Cleverprints Blog 15

Hi and once again welcome. This week's blog consists of something we all need from time to time - a quick card! The initial thought was to add stamped images however the card and paper collection is rather delightful thus simplicity became the order of the day with a few glittery highlights for definition. Enjoy! 

 Cleverprints

Ten Minute Card. 

Materials:-

• Cleverprints - 'Under the Sea' Card and Paper Collection - one sheet cut to measure 12cm x 12cm

Extras:-

• 15cm x 15cm card blank
• 13cm x 13cm cardstock - white
• Glue Pen
• Fine Glitter - Hint of  Copper
• Foam Tape

Instructions:-

1. Select sheet from 'Under the Sea' collection. 

2. Trim to measure 12cm x 12cm. (I chose to use the seahorse as a feature.) Adhere to 13cm x 13cm square of white card with foam tape to add dimension. Edge white border with toning alcohol marker.

3, Cut two squares from off-cuts to measure 4cm x 4cm. Cut those along one diagonal to form four triangles. Attach three of these, one to each corner, omitting top right-hand side. 

4. Again from off-cuts trim out two sentiments and attach - with strips of foam tape - to two diagonally opposite corners at top left and bottom right. (I edged the sentiments with a black Sharpie before adhering.) 

5. Outline areas of the printed image with a glue pen then sprinkle over glitter.

Et voila - a ten minute card!

Best wishes and . . . 

Happy crafting.

Shelagh

'The Making Lady'

Claritystamp Blog - Design of the Week Word Chains

 Claritystamp

Hi and welcome. Some favourite examples from my archives to celebrate Claritystamp 'Design of the Week.' Word Chains are so versatile they fit perfectly with all Clarity products - Stamps, Fresh Cut Dies, Stencils and Groovi. Although I cannot provide step by step, I can atleast allude to the components. Enjoy!

1) Race Day

Materials:-

Claritystamps:-

• Alphabet and Numbers Word Chain 
• Barbara's Clarity Characters Collection
• Wee Sports People Stamp Set - Cyclist (Jockey)
• Union Jack Stamp Set - Flag Pole (Rails)
• Horse - from an old 'Carriage and Horses' stamp set

2) Delft

(visited there again at the weekend!)

Materials:-

• Word Chain Alphabet
• Wee Shops
• Village and Harbour Stamp Set
• Wee Folk 1
• Wee Farm Scene Set

3) Winter Blackbird

Materials:-

• Bird Outline Stamp Set
• Garden A5 Square Stamp Set
• Word Chain 13 - Christmas
• Word Chain 04 - Blessings
• Clarity Miniatures Collection - Trees

4) Country Chums

Materials:-

• Mini Word Chain 08 - Friendship
• Country animals Montage Stencil

 

5) Lovely Allium

Materials:-

• Word Chain 19 How Kind
• Word Chain 17 Surprise
• Alliums Stencil
• Alliums Aperture Die

Components from https://claritycrafts.com

Happy crafting!

Shelagh

'The Making Lady'