Robins, Snow and...

...my new Spellbinder nestie - "A2 Filigree Delight".

Now usually I'm not a great fan of birds on cards but this collection of Christmas Birds from Nicecrane Designs is absolutely beautiful...

...you can grab these for yourself by hopping over here.

I have wanted a fancy frame die for ages but most of the ones that I had seen needed an A4 cutting machine - something that I do not have. With it being 30% off weekend last week at Pinnacle crafts, I asked Andy for his advice about some dies that I had seen - unfortunately, they didn't have them in stock but he suggested this one and I love it. The "A2 Filigree Delight" is beautiful - the set contains 5 dies including fancy corners and a sentiment banner but I know it is the frame that I will be using the most. The frame has an oval centre which can be left solid for mounting on to, or cut out (the oval die is provided) so that the frame can sit over an image or something that you want to highlight.

I used the frame with the centre cut out to make this...

 ...a tent-fold A5 card. The card blank is smooth white CS and the blue background PP is from the Papermania Christmas range "Noel" - it has little glittery snowflakes all over the surface (which don't show up too well in the photo). I used one of the Christmas Birds images that Ignacio had sent me and laid the frame over the image...

 ...I used some crushed silk ribbon across the card behind the image and to create a nice big bow.
The card was finished off with some glittery snowflake stickers...

...just to keep with the Wintery look & feel. The blue in the image goes so well with the shade of the background PP.

Ignacio's DT have been very busy so please pop over to the blog and see all the lovely things that they have been making....................................................................................

Quick...

...but not so easy!

Last Friday, on my second (or was it third) wander around Pinnacles...I know we had done the 'time out' for coffee...I gave in and bought the Papermania Alpha stamps from the current DoCrafts promotion and the matching x-Cut dies.

I have been attracted to them since I saw them in the Creativity magazine and had been umming & arhing as to whether I should get them or not - well with it being Members weekend and the carrot of 30% off, it would have been rude to say no.

So two packs of dies and two packs of stamps jumped into my basket with very little encouragement. If you haven't seen these items - the alphabet is split, hense the two packs of each (there is a set of numbers too but I thought that would be pushing things LOL).

Now I have to say that I thought things would be pretty easy but it turned out to be a bit more fiddly than I originally thought.

I tried stamping the letters first, then cutting them out...and I tried cutting first, then stamping - which ever way, it wasn't that easy to 'line' things up (anyone else played with these? did you have the same problem or do you have a super tip to make things easier?).

Anyhoo, I am pleased with the way they came out and this is what I made...

...flash on...

...flash off.

Using a 5x5 kraft card blank that was edged with gathered twigs Distress Inks and wrapped with some gold lurex covered wire - the letters were mounted on 3D foam.

The letters were stamped in gathered twigs onto cream CS...

...and once cut out they were sprayed with gold Spray & sparkle.

I think all the travelling for work is catching up with me as all I seem to want to do when I get home is curl-up in front of the TV and/or go to sleep. So apologies for the lack of crafting on here - I really need to get stuck in because Christmas is just around the corner........................................................

Twinkle, twinkle...

...Christmas lights.

Southend-on-Sea have their Christmas lights up and lit. As you can see...

 ...the colour scheme is blue & white which looks very effective along the paved high street with all the glowing shop fronts.
There are tree shapes and these...

 ...bell shapes - although I tried several times to get a clearer photo, this was the best I managed.

 

 This is the view towards the railway bridge...

 ...I tried to 'zoom' but...

 ...it was much clearer (??? LOL) without the zoom on.

 

So I waited until I was closer to get this picture...

..."Christmas on Sea" surrounded by 'snow' and 'trees'.

It was a pretty grotty day and it had been raining most of the time but the twinkling lights made everywhere look so much nicer..............................................................

Decorating for Christmas...

...don't worry - I haven't put the tree up ...yet!

However, I did want to make something new to add to this year's decorations and when I found this...

 ...in The Works - I knew it would be perfect for what I had in mind.
I dabbed silver/gold/copper Pan Pastels randomly over the MDF star...

...having first given the star a good covering of Versamark. I then gave the whole thing a good spray of Gold - Spray & Sparkle...

...this gives a lovely twinkle and seals the Pan Pastel so that it doesn't rub off.
I have already mentioned to you all that Ignacio sent the DT such a lot of wonderful images to work with and this was one I was eager to make use of...

 ...I mounted her on coppery coloured miri card after rounding all the corners.
Isn't she lovely...

...she part of the "Vintage Merry Christmas" set and you can find her here.

I decorated the star with a selection of gold bits-n-pieces...

...that I picked up from the "99p Store".
Once I do make a start on the decorating, this will sit in pride of place...

...on the mantle above the fire. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out.

There are lots of other Christmas ideas from the DT over on the Nicecrane blog but don't worry if you are still not ready to be thinking of Christmas just yet - there is plenty of inspiration for other occasions and if you see any images that you like, the blog provides easy links to the Nicecrane Design site where you can pick up some beautiful images to play with.

35 days to Christmas? Eeeek!!! I'd better get a move on with my Christmas makes...........................................................

Wax lyrical...

...is an idiom that means "to begin speaking or writing in a poetic or musical style". (one meaning of "wax" is "to pass from one state to another") Bluelion 17:36 Jun 14, 2003 (UTC)

Well, it meant that orignally; now it just means someone who is (very) enthusiastic about something and talks about it as such. Further, I think that 'wax' is being used here as an antonym to wane - that is, to increase (in stature, by context).

-- James F. 23:07 Jun 21, 2003 (UTC)

I assume this "wax" is the same as some germanic languages have for "grow" - German has wachs I think? Swedish has växa (Norwegian, Danish have similar). I offer no proof, but I'd be very surprised if this wasn't the origin of the word. OlofE 11:14, 7 Nov 2003 (UTC)

Yes, "to grow", and hence, "to become". The main current use of the verb in the sense of "to grow" is of the moon. -- Paul G 12:29, 19 Feb 2004 (UTC)

"Waxing lyrical" in modern usage as rightly suggested above (someone who is (very) enthusiastic about something and talks...) can also be an offshoot or an alternative term for "Waxing Eloquent" Noopur 16:37 April 12, 2008 (UTC)

Well, I'm waxing lyrical about the class I attended at Pinnacle Crafts today. It was a fabulous class where we got to play with embossing WAX - amongst other things.

How many folk would stop and think that they could make something like this...

 ...out of some CS and some greyboard.
I just love this box. It has a polished leather look to it and ...

...it has an aged look to it...

...but it was all made from scratch today.
Each face of the box is made up of a layer of embossed CS (we used one of the Spellbinder 3D embossing folders)...

 ...and the CS is backed with greyboard.
Each of the panels was waxed using a variety of embossing waxes...

...and as the CS was a light brown, I went with Creative Expression - Deep red, Glem - Spice, Creative Expressions - Golden light and Creative Expressions - Midnight. The colours were applied in the order they have been listed and then buffed to a sheen.
So that the box would be lined, the panels were covered on the reverse using a tartan PP...

...which was distressed around the edges with Distress ink in Vintage photo.
To add a bit of strength to the box...

 ...strips of PP were cut and stuck down the inside corners.
The back was then stuck in place...

 ...and the bare greyboard edges...

...were inked and then buffed to blend.
However, the box wasn't the complete project...

...with some black CS embossed with the same folder...

 ...and then waxed with Glem - Fern, Glem - Peacock and Creative Expressions - Pearl moon.
Once waxed and buffed...

 ...the three panels were joined together.
Using more greyboard...

 ...a tray-shape was constructed and a further embossed panel was waxed...

 ...ready to cover one of the edges before being wrapped in the piece made from three panels...

 ...to create a book that fits beautifully within the box.
Some more black CS...

...embossed and this time joined together before waxing...

 ...using Glem - Cardinal, Creative Expression - Copper and Creative Expression - Golden light...

 ...which was buffed like the other pieces to bring out the sheen.
To create the look of pages...

...a striped PP was used and then distressed with Distressed ink - Black soot.
So there you have it, a box containing two faux books - or do you...

...the books actually open to reveal a box where you can hide all sorts of things. I just put some sweeties in this one for the photos.
I love the way this has turned out...

...from one side it looks like a lovely aged box but turn it around and you have what looks like two old decorative novels - each containing their own secrets.

Although both books were created from black CS, by using different combinations of coloured waxes I have 'fire' and 'ice'.

What a fabulous 'play-day' and an amazing project to bring home...I love, love, love it!!!

Thank you so much Andy for a fantastic class - it has been a perfect day............................................

What a difference a bit of...

...digi magic can work.

Remember this photo from a couple of posts ago...

...it was taken quite late in the evening and wasn't the best of photos (regulars will know that I'm not the best photographer in the world LOL).

Well, dear Ignacio worked his magic and came up with this...

...it looks so much better - but that wasn't all...if you hop on over to here, you will see what he managed to do with the rest of the pictures that I took.

Isn't he clever...(I wish I knew enough about computers to be able to do stuff like this)...thank you so much Ignacio.

The DT have been busy with their creations from the wonderful new images that are currently available from Nicecrane Designs. Please go and take a look at all their wonderful work over on the Nicecrane blog..................................................................................

Christmas come early?...

...grab yourself some baubles at a bargain price.

Ignacio, over at the Nicecrane Design site is offering 50% off on the Christmas balls category.

Why not treat yourself to a few - they make lovely tree decorations or even beautiful gift tags...but get in quick as the 50% 0ff code only lasts until 20 November 2013 - and you don't want to miss the chance of a bargain; now do you.............................................................................

Pan Pastels 2...

...and my new Tonic 'Elegant Vine' Die set.

(I say new but in fact I've had this die a couple of months but have only just gotten around to using it)

I used the die to cut a some black CS which I then dabbed with Pan Pastels in Silver/Light gold/Copper and after sealing the pastels, I mounted the piece on copper miri card...

 ...which was then mounted upon a 6x6 black card blank.
The sentiment was also cut from black CS which was dabbed with the pastels...

...and then mounted over a miri card cut of the sentiment to create a drop shadow effect.

I'm really enjoying the effect that the metallic Pan Pastels create - it is so quick and easy - I might just have to run up a batch of these to boost my stock of Christmas cards..............................................

Dear Santa...

...do you think you could send me lots of extra hours each day.

If you are wondering why...you need to see all the wonderful new images that Ignacio has over on his website - Nicecrane Design...and if you were to see all the fabulous images that he has sent out to the DT you would understand that there are just not enough hours in the day to play with these images...there are just so many that I have fallen in love with.

This set of images called "A Joyful Christmas"...

...are beautiful and can be found here.

I apologise now for the photographs, but the lighting is awful as it is rather late but I just had to use these images as soon as possible...

 ...and I made five cards.

The PP is from the Craftwork Cards "Christmas Post" range and I used a selection of ribbons and charms from my stash.

Ignacio sent the DT links to an amazing variety of images. There are so many beautiful images that I found it really difficult to decide what to start with and I'm sure the rest of the DT will struggling too.

Please hop on over to the Nicecrane blog as there are such wonderful creations from the rest of the DT - I know you will pick up lots of lovely ideas.................................................................