Mens Cards

Old Timer

Hi All

Mens cards are so notoriously difficult to do, so here are a couple of options for you.  Recently we have spent a lot of time around car race tracks, especially Oulton Park, so I thought it was fitting to put a car out there - not the kind of car we have been watching on the race track but a car of the more quieter and slower bygone Classical era.

Using beautiful cardstock and the contrast with the dull craftcard, then the image is watercoloured in sepia.  The metalic edge and swirly dots are created with flitterglu and gilding flakes.

In gentler days

Old Timer - Sheena Douglass Stamps

This card is made using Cumbria Colour Card and the plain colours from Paper Mill Direct, I love the contrast of the buff and the pale turquoise and teal.

The centre piece backgrounds is made from sticky sparkle acetate which you can see over the watches and timer, but then alcohol inks are pounced on to the surface with a little blending solution and the magic happens.

I hope you like them.

Lesley x

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

"Awesome" Boys Birthday Card

Happy Birthday Son

Hi All

This is a card made using the Man Made paper pad from Craftwork Cards and black, orange and white cardstock from Paper Mill Direct.  The Rock Dude is from Woodware Stamps 

Awesome boy's card

This card is just coloured with copics, with a little bit of distress ink in the background and through the my favourite (at the moment) grungy stencil.

I hope you like it.

Cheers

Lesley x

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

Glossy Bird Card

Daisy Bird

Hi All

This is a card IWoodware Stamps by Creative Expressions made a while ago but I just love it, using different background papers and a lovely swirly embossing folder, on the bottom one I left it plain, but it just looks so much better with a bit of versamark ink over the embossed background kraft card to define the edges of the emboss and just glossing accents over the bird and flowers.  Both versions are coloured with copic pens.  Lovely bird from Woodware stamps.

With Versamark and glossy accents.

Before the Versamark on the background and without glossy accents but with a bit of stickles glitter glue.

These are so simple but I love the colours.

I hope you like them.

Lesley x

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

My First Class with Rowan Tree Crafts

Fairy Sparkle

Hi All

Well its still January! - what a dreary month, the last pay day seems a long way a way, the weather has been awful and I'm another year older! Three things to depress me in particular - but its not all bad!

I had my first class at Rowan Tree Crafts, and got to play with some lovely new products, we had a lovely day I hope you like the results.  Thank you for Sharon and Annie for looking after us.

The first card using the wonderful Woodware mushrooms, I coloured them with copic pens and then painted them with glue and seal to give them a sheen for a very clean and simple card.

For the second card, I created a fold back card for the Fairy New Home card using Lavinia Stamps, and the message from Lili of the Valley, also using distress inks with the glorious Jones Tones glitter.

The third card is 3 in a box from Woodware, a lovely stamp by Jane Gill. I used Brushos for the background  cobalt blue and a bit of purple, my fingers were blue for days!!! and we even dyed the ribbon to match, my advice - with hindsight - wear gloves! The embossing folder was from Sue Wilson by Creative Expressions.

Bright Shiny Mushrooms for the plain and simple one.

Lovely Lavinia Stamps with enamel accents on the flowers

Look at all that glitter

A Fairy New Home using Lavinia Stamps

Three in a box using Brushos for the background and the lovely stamp by Jane Gill from the Woodware collection.  

I hope you like them.

Lesley x

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

My First Class

New Year New Start

Hi All

Well 2018 the start of a new era!  This was the first class on my own, using whatever products I wanted, in a totally new venue, so I tried to make a varied selection.

We used the Hobby Art set for the guys, this is a great set as it has two main images and then lots of accent stamps - hence the wine bottles and glasses.  The middle background sets were again from Bee Crafty, using the numbers set and clear embossing powder to create the resist and the harlequin set and copper embossing powder to create the darker side.

Abby and Tom got engaged so I made them an engagement card and then adapted the design with a different stamp set for an anniversary card.  These stamps are from Bee Crafty, thanks girls they are lovely and we used most of the set in the class. Just missed out the larger ones as they wouldn't fit in my new tonic octagon frame.

And last but not least the quick card - Pete Hughes bubbles from Sizzix and lovely flowers from leane creatief, die cut out of a background brayered with Tim Holts Distress Oxides. This is a really quick and effective card, with a modern twist using twine, washi tape and a bit of florist ribbon.

Engagement/Anniversary just change the message on the tag.

Clean and simple using the new Sizzix bubbles die from Pete Hughes 

Throw it all in there for the guys with the Hobby Art Vintage plonk selection

(Agnes, this is what we made, I thought I would upload them all so you don't miss out by being so far away.  I hope you manage to join us soon.)

For everyone who did make it, I hope you enjoyed the day.

Thanks

Lesley x

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

Peace - How still we see thee lie card

A Little Town of Bethlehem Peace

Hi All

I created this card for craft day at the Papermill Direct shop in Kendal and I was really pleased with how it turned out.

Embossed in black on beautiful pearlescent card from Papermill Direct, and coloured with pixie powders from creative expressions, they are lovely to work with an create a great shimmer the to card.  Created with a mixture of Jane Gill's sparkly trees stamp and Francoise Read's Peace stamp from Woodware at Creative Expressions.

See the sheen on those pixie powders.

And it all stands up.

First and second generation stamping with the sparkly trees make a good backdrop to the golden tones of the little town of Bethlehem

Turn to the left and see the 3D effect

I hope you like it, I do.

Lesley x

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

Ahoy there birthday boy!

Sail Away Birthday Boy

Hi All

Just thought I would show you a few of the cards we have done recently.  This is a great card for people who go yachting, and guys in general.  Created on a white cardstock base card with kraft card accents, and a lovely teal card from papermilldirect embossed with a creative expressions embossing folder. The stamp set is comprehensive and comes from Woodware, designed by Jane Gill. I hope you like it.

Woodware Stamp set by Jane Gill.

There will be more coming soon.

Lesley x

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

My Mixed Media Mayhem Messy Weekend 2

My Mixed Media Mayhem Messy Weekend 2

Hi All

Recently, I went on a two-day Mixed Media Crafting weekend in Lancaster held by Rowan Tree Crafts in Carnforth, Lancashire. The tutor was Mark Gould from DecoArt.  A big thank you to all who organised this fab weekend, I had a great time I can't wait to go again next year, i'll start saving now!

This year's projects were very different to last years, we were tutored by Kate Crane on the first day creating a lovely journal cover which I still haven't finished, so I will upload it later when it is done.

The second day was with Mark Gould, and we used seven gypsies papers and lots of Deco Art products to produce six panels and the frame you see below, we just chose 3 of the six panels to go in the frame and I have 3 more to create a further project with.  The Seven Gypsies papers were fantastic to use, and so strong in texture and double sided with lovely useable images.

Here are some images of the completed project.

Distressed, crackled, antiqued and waxed.

You would never believe those stars were white to start off with

Look at the height of those stars.

It was amazing, we all started off with the same products, used the same techniques, 

but depending on the colours of paint, panel choices and stamps we used everyone's projects 

were different.

The whole weekend was great fun, I met some lovely ladies, made some great friends, got messy and had a fabulous time, and did a bit of crafty shopping and so it continues! 

I hope to go again next year.

I hope you like them.

Take care 

Lesley x

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

My latest class cards

My latest class

Hi All
Here are the class cards from Saturday 14th October's class, using Distress Oxides and Woodware stamps for the baubles, each piece is unique and this got quite messy to do, but the oxides create some lovely colours, very different from Distress Inks.

Woodware Baubles and Distress Oxides

Beautiful Polar Bear Stamp with Pixie Powder Background

The Polar Bear, is one of my favourites of this year's Woodware Christmas stamps, coloured using Copic pens with a creative expression embossing folder, this time using Pixie Powders in the background, these give a beautiful sheen to the background rather like the I imagine northern lights to be. Using the extra pixie powder card behind the sentiment to pull it all together.

 I hope you like them.

Best wishes

Lesley

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

Halloween Birthday Cards

Birthday Cards

Hi All

This is Emma's Birthday card I had two distinct ideas and I could not decide which to do, so .... This is a beautiful Daisy Mae Stamp Design Stamp from Clare Rowlands, on the outside.

But as Emma studied Forensic Science and Anthropology at Uni, and her Birthday is so close to Halloween - I could not leave it there - so ........ scroll down for the inside, its a bit of a contrast with the outside, so Zoe said "put it in the middle" so I did.

An Autumn Birthday Card for Emma 

This is Sheena Douglass's skeleton die and stamp set from Day of the Dead,
with Chloe's sentiment and the Dutch Doobadoo cobweb stencil in the background.

This card was the third card on my last class, using Pixie Powders to paint the flowers.

That’s all for now folks - take care and see you soon.

Have fun,

Lesley x

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

Looking for Inspiration

Looking for inspiration!!!!

Hi All

I saw a picture in an art shop window and liked flowers and the multi coloured background and thought I would have a go with Brushos and stamps and see what I could come up with.  We had lots of fun getting messy with these.  I hope you like them, everyone is different depending on the amount of water and Brusho.

Watercolour flowers image

Watercolour flowers image in shop window

Watercolour Canvas Using Brushos and Woodware Stamps

Meanwhile here is a list of the next card making classes I will be holding with papermilldirect.

Saturday 11th November Lesley Blamire,  11am to 3pm
Saturday 9th December Lesley Blamire,  11am to 3pm

If you are interested why come along and see what we do.

For more information on each of the workshops and how to book please use this link
https://www.papermilldirect.co.uk/events/card-making-with-lesley-4

Sadly The Papermill Direct shop will close at Christmas 2017.

Plans are going ahead for an alternative venue, and more information will be available soon.  Keep watching for more details.

Have a good day.

Lesley

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

new cards

New cards

Hi All
I thought I would share the cards we made this week at my class at Papermill Direct, using Jane Gill's Woodware stamps, copics and distress inks.

Summer Poppy Card

Blue Butterfly card using the beautiful card from Papermill Direct's new Pick n Mix range, Polka Doodles stamps and the gorgeous Pixie Powders from Creative Expressions.

This was our man's card this week - but you could always change the colours and make if for any car mad friend.  Using card from Papermill Direct Pick n Mix, Joy Stamps and Woodware Birthday Messages

Star Penguin ornament come along and see him and lots of others at our free Annual Craft Day, where we will show you lots of tips and techniques and a fantastic opportunity to shop for all kinds of crafty goodies.

Don’t forget to save the date
If you are in the Kendal area or fancy a trip to the lakes - Papermilldirect will be holding its Annual Craft Day on Saturday 19th August 2017.
Come along and enjoy a great day of demos from many leading designers and crafters including myself, the fun starts mid-morning - hope to see you there.


Meanwhile here is a list of my next card making classes I will be holding with papermilldirect.
Saturday 30th September, 11am to 3pm
Saturday 14th October Lesley Blamire, 11am to 3pm
Saturday 11th November Lesley Blamire,  11am to 3pm
Saturday 9th December Lesley Blamire,  11am to 3pm

If you are interested why come along and see what we do.

For more information on each of the workshops and how to book please use this link
https://www.papermilldirect.co.uk/events/card-making-with-lesley-4

(P.S. papermilldirect is the new name for paperwarehouse)

Lesley

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.

Jacob’s Pirate Card

A Pirate Card for Jacob

Hi All
Its coming up to May again, and time for Jacob's birthday, last year I created the Alien Card and this year (sneak peak) I have created a pirate card for him - I hope you all like it, we will be re-creating it in my May Class at The Paper Warehouse, so join us if you can.  The fantastic stamps are from Jane Gill for Woodware www.creative-expressions.uk.com and using pixie powders for the background colours.

Pirate Ship for Jacob's birthday

Fabulous Stamps by Jane Gill 

Coloured with Copics 

I hope you like it and are able to join us in May, I am also really pleased with the cards we are creating at the end of April - so if you are able to join us, it would be great to see you there.

I hope you are having a great Easter.

More coming soon ........


Lesley

Here is a link to my pinterest page - and a link to my scrapbook pinterest page - please drop by and take a look.