31 January 2017

Anti Static Craft Pad for Heat Embossing Review & Giveaway

Happy Tuesday!

As you may know from past blog posts I am currently in love with embossing. It's like alchemy watching the powder turn into liquid. 

After having a play I remembered why I wasn't so keen on it the first time round. The embossed images weren't always perfect and I ended up with powder where I didn't want it. That's just the perfectionist in me!

I noticed on many tutorials that people used pads to wipe the surface.  I did a bit of research and found THIS pad on eBay which I bought.

I used it and found it to be very useful. All you do is wipe your surface with the pad and it absorbs any grease or finger prints. You then stamp your image using your embossing ink pad and use your embossing powder and heat as usual.  The results are great - no more embossing powder where you don't want it!

Here are a couple of cards I made using the pad:



I would like to offer TWO of these pads to TWO lucky people! All you have to do is follow my blog (if you're not already) and leave me a comment below by 13 February 2017.  I will pick TWO winners randomly on Valentines Day (14 February 2017).  This is open to all crafters in the UK.

I hope you'll join in!
Shabneez



27 January 2017

I want more...........Daring Cardmakers Challenge

Happy Friday and the last one in January!

The Daring Cardmakers Challenge this week was set by Miri who asked "what do we want more of in 2017?".  I had to narrow it down to love and happiness for everyone and a bonus for me which had to be washi tape!!!!  A girl can never have too much washi tape in my mind..........


With Valentine's Day approaching I thought it would be good to incorporate how a loved one made you feel and I think the Sizzix die I used had the appropriate sentiment.  I've both used glitter washi tape and card because you can never have too much glitter.  If ever I got the opportunity to set a challenge it would be use glitter to your heart's content! Ha!

Everyone has put in a lot of thought with their desires for 2017 and I hope you'll take a look and join in with your own HERE.

Enjoy your weekend,
Shabneez

Products used:
Sizzix Craft Asylum Thinlits - Happy Birds
Amy Tangerine Die Set
DCWV DIY Project Stack backing paper
Everything else from my stash

20 January 2017

Stitch It! - Daring Cardmakers Challenge

Happy Friday!

Doesn't it come round quick?! Not sure where the days go..........it's been so cold and scraping the ice off the car in the morning is a job I could well do without.

This week's challenge for the Daring Cardmakers was to make a card that incorporated stitching of any kind. I don't own a sewing machine and although I could have hand stitched, I went down the faux stitching route.

I got the opportunity to use one of my favourite stitched die sets from Sizziz combined with a faux stitched sentiment.  I used the paper piecing technique with the cute Sizzix elephant die set to make the topper for this easel card.


I hope you'll join in with the challenge and check out the fab inspiration here.

Keep warm!
Shabneez 

Products used:
Sizzix Tim Holtz Stitched Ovals
Sizzix Craft Asylum Elephant Duo
First Edition Pretty Posy Pad
Everything else from my stash

13 January 2017

Something New - Daring Card Makers Challenge

Happy Friday!

This week the Daring Cardmakers were tasked with creating a card using a new technique, fold or something we haven't done before.

When I first started crafting, some 15 years ago, I bought everything I needed to heat emboss. I tried it, didn't like it and sold everything! Over the past few months I've been buying bits and pieces as I really wanted to have another go. You'll be pleased to know I love it!


So, for my inspirational post I decided to use heat embossing together with something else I hadn't tried before. I've had my Distress Inks for some time and use them a fair bit but I've never used them with water, so I did! Loved the effect!

I hope you'll have a look at the other inspirational cards here and have a go at something new yourself!

Enjoy your weekend,
Shabneez

Products Used:
Sarah Hurley Beautiful Botanicals Stamp set
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads
Heat Tool
Versamark Watermark Ink Pad
Ranger Embossing Powder
Everything else from my stash

06 January 2017

January Elemental Inspiration - Daring Cardmakers Challenge

Happy Friday!
The first Daring Cardmakers Challenge every month is an Elemental challenge in which you have to pick 3 elements from a picture. This is the photo we had to choose elements from:


So, the elements I chose for my card were the heart, the wood grain background and 3 of the colours to make this:


I'm still making baby cards and gifts for friends and family. This is one I made for my cousin who had first baby, a beautiful baby girl.  I'm on a stash busting mission as well so used scraps of paper that I cut to size and added Kanban toppers from a sheet as well as some rub ons for the sentiments.  I quite like baby cards in non traditional colours, don't you?

You can find lots more inspiration for the challenge here.

Enjoy your weekend,
Shabneez

Products Used:
Sizzix Dies
Kanban Topper Sheet
Everything else from my stash