March 2020 – Crafting with Ashee

An Explosion of Colour – Pigment Sprinkles

I have an art journal page to share with you today and it is an explosion of colour. It uses the pigment sprinkles that have been sitting in my stash for months. I love how it came out and wanted to share it with you.

Art journaling makes me happy and I think at times such these we have to especially try to do things that make us happy. The Pigment Sprinkles were launched in the catalogue last June but due to customs issues, we didn’t get them until October. I couldn’t wait to buy them and then, of course, they just sat in my stash. Oh my gosh, I love them. I used them to create both the orange background as well as the blue/purple one.

Art journaling is a great way to let your imagination run free. You can explore colours, themes, techniques and just be free!! I’ve used a number of techniques here. There is stamping, stencilling, heat embossing, fussy cutting and of course the pigment sprinkles.

I normally write my blogs a few weeks ahead of schedule. I am writing this on 25th March, so the second day of the increased restrictions. Life as we used to know it has all but disappeared. The weather when we could go out was grey and wet now, of course, we have glorious sunshine. Typical!! We are lucky to have a big garden by city standards so can still enjoy the outdoors easily. I hope you are keeping safe and well and that my projects and videos are helping to relieve the boredom of days inside.

Other art journal pages

The video tutorial and supply are below. Thank you for visiting. Until next time, Enjoy Being Creative!!

Ashee xx

Product List

Tools – Which ones are in my basic craft kit?

This blog post is all about tools and which ones would I include in my basic craft kit. This is the second post in a series on the basics of crafting. My first post was all about adhesives and is linked below.

I get asked many times what I should bring to craft class and I always say a basic kit. What is a basic kit is the next question. I thought I would do this video to show what I consider the basic tools for paper crafting.

Craft Kit to take with me to card club

SNIPS
- These are a multipurpose set of scissors that are perfect for cutting paper, ribbon, card etc…
- They are sharp and the blades have a protected housing
- Fit ergonomically in the hand
BONE FOLDER
- Perfect for scoring, burnishing score lines, folding paper
- Useful for burnishing tear & tape so it sticks well and the backing is easy to remove.
- Firm with no bendiness
- Useful to reink ink pads
TAKE YOUR PICK TOOL
- This is a multifunctional tool
- Attachments include:
  - Sticky Pick Up Tool
  - Stylus with a thick and thin end
  - Paper Piercer
  - Spatula
  - Die Brush
- Replacements for the Sticky Pick Up Tool are available.

Tools I keep in my craft room

SIMPLY SCORED SCORING TOOL
- Comes with an imperial base plate but a metric plate is available separately
- Comes with a stylus with two ends, a thin & a thick one.
- Allows for precise and accurate scoring of both paper and card to make boxes, bags and cards.
PAPER TRIMMER
- Has both metric and imperial measurements
- Includes one scoring and one cutting blade
- The blades are long-lasting
- The scoring tool blade is amazing and gives a great crips scoreline
- The arm extends to 17 inches.
- Sharp, accurate and precise cutting

If I was going to a craft event I would take my snips, take your pick tool and bone folder. Of course, I always take adhesive too. The scoring tool and paper trimmer I keep in my craft room and use every time I make anything.

Roar – Dinosaur Card – Stampin’ Up!

Roar goes the Dinosaur. I love these brightly coloured dinosaurs in the Dino Roar designer series paper (DSP). They are perfect for children’s cards.

Roar Roar - Dinosaur Card - Dino Roar - Stampin' Up! — Roar Roar – Dinosaur Card – Dino Roar – Stampin’ Up!

I really enjoyed making this card. These dinosaurs are actually die cut from the Dino Roar DSP. The dies match not only the dinosaur stamps but also the images on the DSP making them super versatile. They are very easy to line up and cut out and there are separate dies for the scales though I just fussy cut them out.

I used the complimentary enamel shapes as my embellishments and for the scales of the lovely lipstick coloured dinosaur. I haven’t got a clue what species each of these dinosaurs are. They are just pink or blues ones to me.

measurements

Pretty Peacock A6 Cardbase – This is an A4 sheet cut in half and then folded in half
DinoRoar DSP – 14.35cm x 10xm
Whisper White – 13.35cm x 9cm

I think the sentiment is so cute and matches all these little friends on the card perfectly. The dinosaur standing on his friend’s nose was a mistake but I liked it so kept it.

other projects

I hope you like it. Thank you for visiting. The supply list and video tutorial are below. Until next time, Enjoy Being Creative!!

Ashee xx

Product List

Down the Garden Shed Card Tutorial – Stampin’ Up!

I am calling this card “Down the Garden Shed”. It uses the aptly named Garden Shed stamp set. I loved making this card. Colouring and especially watercolouring is so relaxing for me. I love getting lost in the colours and the blending of the colours.

This scene is so lovely and peaceful. In the current turbulent and worrying times, I think we all need a peaceful haven and this looks like a perfect spot. My mother, in particular, loves her garden. When times are tough or we had bad news the garden is her retreat and therapy. I love walking in nature and watching the natural world go about the job of living. I find watching plants grow and the beautiful flowers they produce gives me such hope.

measurements

Thick Whisper White A6 Cardbase – This is an A4 sheet cut in half and then folded in half.
Call Me Clover – 14.35cm x 10cm

I personally love these large image stamp sets with these rural and idyllic scenes to colour in. Do you like them or do you find them to ideal and prosaic?

I bought this stamp set back in June last year so I am pleased I’ve got to use it. I am still on my goal to use everything I buy rather than it sitting lost in my stash forever after. Do you have any crafting goals? Let me know in the comments.

Other projects

Thank you once again for dropping by. The supply list and video tutorial are below as always. Until next time, Enjoy Being Creative!!

Ashee xx

Product List

Best Dressed Floral Bag – Stampin’ Up!

I have another cute bag for you using the Best Dressed Designer Series Paper (DSP), hence the name best dressed floral bag.

The Best Dressed DSP has makeup and fashion themed patterns on one side and on other are these amazing floral designs. I am quite a tomboy and makeup and fashion have never held much attraction to me. I love the florals though.

This box is what I call pencil case style. It has a magnetic closure but it is the DSP that makes it sing to me. I love this pattern, it is so happy. What are your favourite styles of patterned paper?

I know some people find box making quite difficult to do so I made a template but I will also give you the measurements here.

measurements

Old Olive – 7 1/2″ X 10″ – Scored:
- On the short side at 1/2″, 3″, 4″, 6 1/2″
- On the long side at 1″, 7″
Best Dressed DSP – 2 1/4″ X 5 3/4″ X 2 pieces
Best Dressed DSP – 2 3/4″ X 2 1/4″

More boxes and Bags

The video tutorial and supply list are below. Thank you for visiting and until next time Enjoy Being Creative!!!

Ashee xx

Product List

Old Olive A4 Card Stock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Snail Adhesive	Multipurpose Liquid Glue	Paper Trimmer
Bone Folder	Take Your Pick	Delightful Day Photopolymer Stamp Set	Glitter Enamel Dots	Simply Scored
Best Dressed 6″ X 6″ (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper	2″ (5.1 Cm) Circle Punch	2-1/4″ (5.7 Cm) Circle Punch	Stampin’ Dimensionals	Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Pad

Rose Floral Birthday Card – Beautiful Day

I have this vibrant Rose Floral Birthday card to share with you today. I call this my Rose splash card due to the vivid splash of Lovely Lipstick pink in the background.

I adore Lovely Lipstick pink. It is such a bold and vibrant colour. I am going to be very sad when it retires in May and might just have to make sure I have a few extra cardstock packs to hoard in my stash. Do you like this pink or is too bold for you? Let me know in the comments, I love to hear your feedback.

This card is really all about the stamping. I’ve used a set called artisan textures to create the splash of colour in the background. The rose is from an older set called Beautiful Day and it creates this large outline image. The sentiment and small pink flowers are also from this set. I’ve used some rhinestones as flower centres to make the card pop.

measurements

Lovely Lipstick A6 Cardbase – This is an A4 sheet cut in half and then folded in half
Whisper White 14.35cm x 10cm

As you may see from all these projects I share I love flowers. They make me smile. I think the world would be a lot less beautiful without flowers. Here in Lincoln, the first daffodils are flowering and I am looking forward eagerly to cherry blossom and tulips.

Other floral projects

The supply list and video tutorial are below. Thank you for visiting and until next time Enjoy Being Creative!!!

Ashee xx

Product List

Lovely Lipstick Classic Stampin’ Pad	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Lovely Lipstick A4 Cardstock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Beautiful Day Cling-Mount Stamp Set
Artisan Textures Cling-Mount Stamp Set	Rhinestone Basic Jewels	Snail Adhesive	Multipurpose Liquid Glue	Paper Trimmer
Bone Folder	Take Your Pick	Stamparatus

From My Heart Balloons – Card Tutorial

I have this cute card to share with you today that I’m calling From My Heart Balloons. It combines both the From My Heart Designer Series Paper (DSP) and the Balloon Bouquet punch.

I love that Stampin’ Up! makes coordination so easy but I need to remember that just because a suite of products has specific items in it, they can be mix and matched with all the other items in the catalogue. Here, I ‘ve used scraps of the From My Heart DSP not with the coordinating Heart punch but with the Balloon Bouquet punch to create heart patterned balloons.

I love the way the balloons are carrying the sentiment along in the wind. Indeed with the wind we’ve been having, I’m surprised they are not halfway to France by now.

measurements

Flirty Flamingo A6 Cardbase – This is an A4 sheet cut in half and then folded in half
Whisper White – 14.35cm x 10cm

I will admit I’m not the over-romantic sort and so paper covered in hearts would not normally appeal to me but I love this collection. I think it is because I love Real Red which is the red in this collection.

Other projects using the from my heart dsp

As always there is a video tutorial and supply list below. Thank you for dropping by and until next time Enjoy Being Creative!!

Ashee xx

Product List

Flirty Flamingo A4 Cardstock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	From My Heart Specialty Designer Series Paper	Balloon Bouquet Punch	Story Label Punch
Sending You Thoughts Cling Stamp Set (English)	So Sentimental Cling Stamp Set (English)	Flirty Flamingo Classic Stampin’ Pad	Rhinestone Basic Jewels	Whisper White Solid Baker’s Twine
Snail Adhesive	Stampin’ Dimensionals	Multipurpose Liquid Glue	Paper Trimmer	Bone Folder

What adhesive should I use?

This is a bit of a different post as I don’t have a project to share with you today. I see this question asked all the time “What adhesive should I use?” asked all the time. I, therefore, thought I would share the adhesives that Stampin’ Up! have, which are my favourites and how I use them.

There are two main divisions in adhesives. There are wet adhesives, these are like the white PVA glue we used in school and dry adhesives like double-sided tape. I will go through each in turn and explain a little about them.

Wet adhesives

Multipurpose Liquid Glue – Tombow
- This a liquid white glue
- It has two ends, a fine end and a much fatter end for moving glue over larger areas.
- It dries clear
- Strong adhesive perfect for all types of papercraft and mini albums.
Fine-Tip Glue Pen
- Very fine tip nozzle
- Perfect for adhering sequins and small embellishments to cards
- clear glue

Dry Adhesives

Snail Tape Runner and Refill
- Double-Sided Tape Runner
- Perfect for adhering paper to paper and card to paper.
- Refillable
- Easy and Fast to Apply to paper and card
- Not strong enough for making boxes or bags
Tear & Tape
- Double-Sided Tape
- Strong Tape I used to make Mini Albus, Boxes and Bags
- Great for all types of papercrafting
- Easy to tear off what you need
Mini Glue Dots
- Small Glue Dots
- Pressure-sensitive adhesive
- Perfect for attaching bows, ribbons, and other embellishments
Dimensionals
- Comes in a standard size and mini size
- Used to give dimension to elements on your cards and scrapbooking pages
- No mess
- Can be layered up for more dimension
Foam Strips
- A long strip of foam tape
- Perfect for Shaker Cards
- malleable foam strip

I hope you find this little guide useful. I do know that when I first started cardmaking I was baffled by the range of glues on the market and I was looking for rules as to what I should for what project. Please do remember that in reality what you use is a personal choice and you need to experiment to find what works well for you. Don’t be afraid of a mistake, just treat as another chance to be creative and learn.

Thank you for dropping by. I have made a video detailing everything I’ve talked about today along with the links to all these adhesives in my Stampin’ Up Shop. You will find everything below. If you have any questions just send me a message and if I can help I will.

Until next time Enjoy Being Creative.

Ashee xx

Product List

Mini Glue Dots	Tear & Tape Adhesive	Snail Adhesive	Snail Adhesive Refill	Foam Adhesive Strips
Stampin’ Dimensionals	Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals	Multipurpose Liquid Glue	Fine-Tip Glue Pen	Silicone Craft Sheet

Magnolia Blooms Memory & More Cards

I have a very simple and easy card to share with you today. Shock, horror, it contains no stamping. This card uses the Magnolia Blooms Memory & More Cards to create this easy and simple card. This is perfect if you are new to crafting or want to make an easy but beautiful card in a hurry.

Stampin’ Up! have some wonderful product suites and Magnolia Blooms is an absolute favourite of mine. The designer series paper (DSP) and the Memory and More Cards match perfectly. Memory and More is Stampin’ Up!’s line of pocket scrapbooking. Each set contains both 6″ X 4″ cards as well as 4″ X 3″ cards in addition to some stickers and other speciality pieces. The cards vary in images and styles, some have journalling spots, sentiments and others are just images.

I have combined a 4″ X 3″ sentiment card with the DSP to make this card. As always all the colours match the cardstock perfectly, making for super easy crafting. I even used a sticker for the sentiment for the inside of the card!!

measurements

Mossy Meadow A6 Cardbase – This is an A4 sheet cut in half and then folded in half.
Mossy Meadow 4 1/2″ X 3 1/2″

I love every year when the blossom and magnolias come out. It signals spring to me and the end of cold, dark and wet days. When the flowers are over the petals fall to the ground like confetti. I literally can’t wait for warm spring days so I can go walking and enjoying the glory of the natural world.

some other projects using the Magnolia Blooms Suite of products

Thanks for visiting. The video tutorial and supply list are below. Until next time, Enjoy Being Creative!!

Ashee xx

Product List

Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Magnolia Lane Memories & More Card Pack	Rhinestone Basic Jewels	Snail Adhesive	Paper Trimmer
Stampin’ Dimensionals	Bone Folder	Mossy Meadow A4 Cardstock	Magnolia Lane Designer Series Paper	Multipurpose Liquid Glue

Birdie Happy Birthday – Bird Ballad – Stampin’ Up!

I have this Birdie Happy Birthday card to share with you today. This week I’m focusing on simple and easy cardmaking for the beginner or occasional crafter. I think this turned really well and lets the paper do all the talking.

The cardbase is Pool Party. I’ve matted the designers series paper (DSP) on whisper white so that it will stand out from the cardbase. This is the ever-gorgeous Bird Ballad DSP. I have used quite a bit of it but still have loads left and am looking for ideas to use it up. Let me know if you have any ideas to use it besides making more cards.

The stamp set is another favourite of mine Perennial Birthday. I love the font and it is the perfect size for cardmaking. If it retires this year, I will be so sad. Do you have any favourite stamp sets? What are they?

measurements

Pool Party A6 Cardbase – This is an A4 sheet cut in half and then folded in half
Whisper White – 14.35cm x 10cm
Bird Ballad DSP – 13.85cm x 9cm
Pool Party – 9.5cm x 3cm
Whisper White 9cm x 2.5cm

other projects using the Bird Ballad DSP

I love this project as it so simple and can be made by anyone. I hope you liked it too. The video tutorial and supply list are below. Thank you for stopping by and until next time Enjoy Being Creative!!

Ashee xx

Product List

Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Rhinestone Basic Jewels	Snail Adhesive	Paper Trimmer	Pool Party A4 Card Stock
Bird Ballad Designer Series Paper	Perennial Birthday Cling-Mount Stamp Set	Pool Party Classic Stampin’ Pad	Stampin’ Dimensionals	Bone Folder

Month: March 2020

An Explosion of Colour – Pigment Sprinkles

Other art journal pages

Like this:

Tools – Which ones are in my basic craft kit?

Craft Kit to take with me to card club

Tools I keep in my craft room

Other Posts

Like this:

Best Dressed Floral Bag – Stampin’ Up!

measurements

More boxes and Bags

Like this:

What adhesive should I use?

Wet adhesives

Dry Adhesives

Like this: