Vibrant Echinacea on Kraft Card

Hey everyone, 

I have a card design to share today and I have to say, this is my first time creating a card this style and I absolutely love the result. I kept this design quite simple as I wanted to let the colours of the echinacea to ‘speak’. 

TUTORIAL:

I first created masks of the flowers from some printer paper and washi tape to hold the masks in place I did the masking and stamping technique to create a floral bundle image on to some Neenah desert storm card stock with my versamark grey ink. You can use any light neutral coloured ink to do this. Then, using my Arteza pro colour pencils I took my time colouring the images with some help with image references online. To bring out the colours, I used a white pencil to colour the base before adding the vibrant colours on top.

Once the colouring was done I wanted to add some highlights. To do this, I used my white gel pen. I add light short strokes on the petals and with my finger I swipe it off very lightly to create fine streaks. 

I re-masked the images and splattered some gold, black and white paint. I didn’t mind the smudges as I feel it gives the design a more organic look and I kinda like having some imperfections on the design. Once the paint has dried, I trimmed down the panel to 5x5 and mat it onto a slightly bigger ivory hammered card stock with foam tape. 

Finishing off, I add some slim gold mirror strips that I found In my scraps and decided to place them behind my gold embossed sentiment and add some metallic rhinestones before mounting the finished panel onto a 5 1/2 kraft card base.

This stamp set can be yours if you order this through Kickstarter, which is ending very soon. The new release is a great set of wild flower stamps, check out sunshine & Bee Designs website for more info and The little paper tree for all your crafting essentials & needs. 

x Ali x 

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_{Disclaimer: This card is created as part of my DT work and the stamp set featured are sponsored by Sunshine & Bee Designs. Products used to produce this card will be linked and highlighted (if available).} 

Happy Birthday Flower Set Card

Hi there, 

From my posts on my sympathy cards I feel I need to lift the mood a little so I’m back to share a birthday card I made using sizzix flower set Dies and mama elephant’s  birthday wishes stamp. I chose to do a birthday card because it’s the most celebrated event in our lives. I mean who doesn’t like birthday cakes?

HOW TO: 

I had a lot of scraps that needs to be used up and so I found these A5 dark marl grey patterned papers (but any dark grey card can still be effective). I first gold heat embossed the large birthday sentiment in the centre of the grey patterned paper and trimmed off 1/2 cm to create a thin border all around once matted. 

I then made a matching frame to frame the sentiment with some foam tape to create some sort of shadow box effect. I did have trouble trying to choose a colour scheme for this card and so with a grey and cream base already done, I looked up on Pinterest for some ideas. 

Once I have found a colour pallet that I liked, I Started to create the colours I needed. I got out my tsukineko versamagic dew drops and inked up some white scraps in Spanish Olive for the leaves, Perfect Plumeria for parts of the flowers, along with some light pink scraps and creams. 

I then assembled the flowers in different arrangements before placing them on to the opposite corners of the foam mounted frame. To complete the card I adhered the completed base onto an ivory card base. 

Thanks for dropping by, I hope this card has inspired you today, if you do decide to recreate any of my cards, please do! and don’t forget to tag me! I would love to see your makes 😊. 

x Ali x

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_{Product Used:}

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_{The little paper tree UK} 

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_WOW!

_{Gold Embossing powders}

_{Acrylic Glue}

_{Cosmic shimmer}

Tsukineko Versamagic Dew Drops

_{Spanish Olive} 

_{Perfect Plumeria}

_{Flower set} 

_{SIZZIX Thin Lits}

_{foam strips} 

_Stix

_{Patterned paper}

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_{Papermill direct} 

_{Disclaimer: All products used for this project are not sponsored and are my own purchases.} 

A very traditional Christmas

Hi friends, Christmas has to be my number 1 favourite time of the year and I confess I’ve already brought the jumper for the coming festive season (shhhh....).  It’s crazy that Christmas decorations are already out in the shops even before Halloween! Anyway I just can’t wait, the best part.... the feast and mulled wine! 

So here I’m sharing some 4x4 cards I made in preparation for December. I made a set of 5 cards with the same background technique using distress oxide inks in Mowed lawn. To create a vignette effect, I used distress oxide ink in stormy weather for the transition blend then to darken the edges, I used faded jeans. Once the ink has settled a little before I spritz some water on all 5 panels at once then pat off the excess water with a towel to create some splatter effect. 

With a mixture of some old christmas tree dies from various brands with matching stamps, I die cut out a different type of tree on each panel. I then stamp and gold embossed the tree images on some heat resist acetate to stick on the back of the panels, ensuring the embossed images are facing out through the Christmas tree cut outs or windows. 

I die cut 5 thin borders to frame the panels with sizzix square framelit dies before adding foam tape to the panels. I then cut and stuck some dark green glitter paper onto to the base create a sparkly background for the windows. I finish up the cards by sticking the panels onto white top folding card bases and stamped ‘Christmas’ on the bottom of each card with memento black ink. I thought of leaving the cards green and gold but it was too green, so I decided to add some iridescent red gems, that gave it a more complete look. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. If you would  like to see more of my cards, visit my Instagram account or Facebook. Talk to you soon. 

x Ali x 

Easy last minute birthday card

Hi friends, today I want to share with you how I made this easy last min birthday card with a balloon die I never thought I had. I got distracted in the middle of organising my craft corner and when I saw this die a light light bulb pinged above my head. 

Unfortunately like a egg head I always remove my dies from its original packaging and never label them, so I’m sorry I don’t really remember where and when I got this die from. Although any die that cuts out an  intricate image will work and it doesn’t have to be a balloon image. 

I did a total of 6 balloon die cuts and stacked them up to create a nice raised piece. Then using some glitter washi tapes, I taped up some scraps to die cut out parts of the balloon so I can fill in the balloons. 

I applied some square fog card stock layers on a 5x5  white card base before sticking down the balloons and filling in the space with scrap glitter dies. I did not use any foam tape for this card as I wanted a flat enough design to slide into an envelope without too much bulk, but after making this card I thought I should’ve raised the inner layers with foam for a ‘better’ look? 

Once I stuck down the balloons and inserted the glitter, I trimmed off the excess balloon strings at the bottom, I stuck on an embossed birthday sentiment banner across the bottom to give the balloons a somewhat base to finish the look. I think if I were to make this card again, I will definitely add some dimension to the inner layers. 

x Ali x

Purple gingham Shaker card

Hello everyone, after a very long break away I’m back to share with you this cute and quick shaker card. 

To put this card together I start with the background. I used a stamping platform to stamp the Gingham background from MFTstamps onto an A2 sized fog card stock twice in memento purple chalk ink. I’m not worried about the uneven stamping as I think it gives it a nice look overall. 

For the shaker window, I measured out where I wanted to centre my round window closer to the top so I’ll have enough space for the characters and sentiments. 

Next I made the outer frame by using the A2 Sized scalloped rectangle frame die and the next smaller size down of the nesting rectangle dies that will give me a nice frame width big enough to adhere a slim strip of foam tape for dimension. I used some linen texture purple 180 gsm card stock for sturdiness. I’ve also made a circle frame using the same linen card stock.

I’ve created the shaker window by adhering an acetate window over the round open cut at the back of the gingham stamped cardstock, then placing foam tape down on the acetate, manipulating tape around window making sure it is out of view from the front window. My chosen shaker elements are little iridescent stars and flowers in lilac, pink, white and clear sequins with a few pink bigger flower ones from my craft stash. I the add a piece of fog card stock big enough to cover the circle and backing it over the foam tape and stars to keep them in place, this way it will be easier to adhere onto a fog card base. 

For the focal image I stamped an image ‘Bear & Bird’ by Waffle Flower using my memento black ink and I did very simple colouring using my spectrum noir markers in LG1 LG3 for the bear and foliage. GB6, GB9 for the bird, CR5 and LG3 for the Flower and the blending marker to soften the edges of certain parts of the images. I then stuck down the bear, just on the bottom of the circle shaker frame and added some foam tape to a small section the foliage that’s sticking out of the circle window that’s  placed on both sides of the bear. 

The cupcake was a very old  nail art embellishment I had from my hoarding box I keep for those ‘just in case’ moments which came in handy, but the stamp set had a few cute images that you can choose to put in between the bear’s arms but I thought a cupcake would give it more interest. 

For the sentiment, I embossed in gold on fog card stock a cute birthday sentiments from clearly besotted. Instead of having the sentiment in a rectangular strip or most common an arrow or tab I decided to round off the edges just for a softer look then adhered it below the main image with foam tape, to complete the card I added a small cluster of flowers from the same stamp set above the sentiment to give a finished look and feel. 

I’m happy how this card turned out and even more so with the colours purple, fog and gold that play so well together. I hope you’ll give this card a go. If you do, do tag @aliscove on Instagram, I’d love to see your version of this idea even in your favourite colour arrangement. 

x Ali x

LITTLE’S BIG BIRTHDAY

Hi All 

This year I have a few summer birthdays coming up so, Today I’m sharing with you another shaker card video. Inspired by Mama Elephant Birthday wishes sentiments stamps. It is not a new set of stamps but my one of my favorites as I love the big Happy Birthday script writing. Some of the dies are branded some are not... below is the list of products used and I will have links where possible. 

I have called this card ‘Little’s Big Birthday’ as I want to set up this title or scene to let you use your imagination to conjure up your own story! I would love to hear what the story teller in you have rustled up so please share them in the comments below. Enjoy😉 x

See how I made LITTLE’S BIG BIRTHDAY here on YouTube!

SUPPLIES USED: 

A5 IVORY LINNEN CARD STOCK 

Elephant dies- AliExpress

Happy birthday WISHES - Mama Elephant 

Sequin box set

2” Wide Double Sided Tape

Kids Craft Foam Sheets

Spectrum Noir Markers 

Stix2 Craft Foam strips 

Stamp Edge Rectangle dies - AliExpress

Stitched Frame Dies - AliExpress

Double Stitched Frame dies 

Acetate sheet

Dovecrafts Liquid Pearl Drops

Micro Beads

Socials: 

https://www.facebook.com/Alis-Cove-302055413654221/

https://www.instagram.com/alis_cove/

Video filmed on IPhone 6+ and edited on iMovie.

This video is not sponsored by any company or Brand unless stated otherwise. 

My Dear Aunt

Hey lovelies! I've finally did it and made my first ever video tutorial for today's card. It took a while and a lot of trial and error (and editing) to finally upload over 7 minutes short tutorial showcasing the steps to creating this 4 x 4 Card, although not an amazing start but there’s still a big space for improvements. With more experience I can only get better.

So today’s project is called ‘My Dear Aunt’ intentionally for an Aunt I’ll be visiting soon. All in all it took me an hour to make this card knowing what design I wanted To create. 

Click here to watch the video and enjoy.

Supplies used are listed below, please note I have also listed alternative dies. 

Finger Sponge Daubers 

Crafter's Companion Printable Card stock

Neenah Desert Storm (15 sheets)

Dovecraft 6x6 Curiosity Corner Designer Paper Pack

Alternative leaf die: 

Sizzix Framelits Die-Leaves by David Tutera. 

Alternative floral dies:

Demiawaking 2Pcs Flower Cutting Dies/Stencil  

Distress Inks: 

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Pad, Worn Lipstick 

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Pad, Tumbled Glass 

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Pad, Frayed Burlap