I used the concertina tunnel idea in simplified form this year but I thought we should look back at some of the cards done this way in previous years.
I also tried a flatter version of my window card for this year
I found the village scene embossing folders very useful for providing backgrounds for these cards
Having produced and shown a number of items earlier I carried on playing so hear are a few more variations that I have done.
I also made some Christmas tree decorations from a snowflake die and glitter foam.
Using the tree dies ( JND) which went with the tree box I produced these cards. I also used the Woodware tree stamp and made 1 into a winter birthday.
Another thing we often do in December's workshops is to produce cards for those special people in our life.
plus of course the specials from last month.
I'm still working on these so more to follow later
I always like to have something different from cards for people to do at December workshops and so these ideas from JND were great, and of course I had to do another box lantern with one of this years dies. I used the Elegant tree this year
The embossing folders I used appear mainly with the stamping - gnomes & mice for November but I also looked at ways of colouring the poinsettia folder. Also in case people wanted the 3D card without the gnomes and mice I looked at using it with a bird die I still have for sale.
The full board for this month is
For November's die cutting I have used the partridge in a pear tree - actually not a tree but pear foliage in a bauble and frame and this years bells with a mistletoe
Stamping for Novembers workshops involves a Gnomes stamp from Woodware and a 2jays Mice stamp and die set.
I have had great fun with these using them in all sorts of ways - some more of which you will see next month.
Also this month I looked at using embossing folders for backgrounds. I used a poinsettia folder for a background to the gnome gang and a snowflake one with the mice.
I have coloured these stencils on various ways and used them with the stamps shown on last post or with a die cut flower spray
These stamps are from the woodware collection by Francoise Read. They are solid images and so are good in black against many different backgrounds that have been produced. They can also be coloured with embossing powders.
This is an exercise in using stamps we have already got with a plain bauble die. Just see what stamps are suitable and what dies you have that are suitable (a plain circle could be used if you don't have a bauble die) I must admit these were inspired by a new set I saw John using from 2 jays but I thought I'd try adapting what I already had. Backgrounds are using pixie powders.
These cards use 2 of the new 2jays stamps. I have done a non Christmas version of each to show adaptability.
These are the new dies from creative expressions. I have used different colouring on acetate which can be coloured from behind, as well as using an embossed image behind the die cut which can be coloured.
I purchased these tool dies then realised I should have got the stamp to go with them but in most cases it didn't really matter.
I love the foliage effect I achieved with my inks and didn't want to cover them up so using the tools alongside the card meant I didn't have to. The white edged version is what I achieved as a negative effect from the first one. Then I thought I'd try the tools with a garden flower stamp.
A simple flower die which come as a stem with 2 flowers and 2 flower heads. You saw the use of the flower heads with the circles on my last post.
This die is one from the JND range form crafts too. The tree has various circular edges that can be used elsewhere. Here I have used them with a new flower that I shall show later.
I enjoyed putting the tree against various backgrounds I had produced and using differnt variations of the circle edge dies that come in this set. This is another of those dies I can keep using - -next I will use it with icicles for Christmas cards.
For those wanting something to do with the children over the summer holidays I have come up with a few ideas for workshops. These are just ideas - the actual items done will depend on age and ability of the children
1, stamping - also involves shrink plastic which my grandchildren love to do
2. Die cutting
3. Flowers and vases
4. booklets
5. Boxes and bags
Another idea for July's workshops is looking at ways of using 3D embossing folders and colouring them with different products. The trouble with many is that I don't like covering them once produced. I also looked at using them both ways round - embossed and debossed designs give different effects
I have also included some try outs which I didn't make up into cards.
I had a customer ask me what she could do with card candi. I had a number of old cards on show but decided to do some more as an idea for July's workshops. mainly I looked at different flowers we could produce but as you will see I have also I used them for butterflies, caterpillars and ladybirds. They can also be used as roof tiles or on peel offs and stamps with circles in them.
Looks like a couple of cards are missing but they can be seen in store.
This stamp from Françoise Read I have done in a few different ways for July's workshops with different backgrounds.
You need to read the last 3 posts from today in reverse to get the story for this month's workshops.
This was my new stamp for the month , again used with the spray ink backgrounds and this month's stencils plus a die from last summer
Same idea as before - produce backgrounds - this time with stencils (pasted, embossed, inked, spayed) and put them with stamps and stencils which could be used for male cards.
A number of my sprays have blocked so I have looked at alternative ways of using them for backgrounds..
It's Father's Day month so the time of year for male cards (although many are also suitable for females).
I have used different dies and stamps from my stash with the backgrounds produced.
Two different styles for these 2 stamps. The daisy frame by Francoise has stencils round the edge of many. Again different colouring for each
and then for the designer boutique rose I used papers, lace etc for backgrounds
