About Me

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Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
I have been crafting since May 2008, when in desperation to find an unusual birthday card for my Mum, I gave up looking in the shops and decided to have a go at making my own. I soon realised that crafting is addictive and I haven't brought a card since. In 2011 I completed my certificate in papercrafting as a result of the work I did as part of the course I started entering challenges on line and in magazines. I applied for design teams and also started making samples for Ooh La La Creations for their shows on Create and Craft. I have now completed my Diploma in professional crafting and most recently been runner up in the Papercrafter of the Year 2013 a competition run by Papercraft essentials magazine, I don't have a particular style I like to use elements from lots of styles and techniques, although I do love all things vintage. In 2014 I started to move more towards scrapbooking to take care of the huge family archive of photographs that were stored in my attic. I have continued cardmaking and Scrapbooking through 2015 and 2016 but have also become interested in off the page projects. I hope to be able focus on these in the future.

Monday 10 February 2014

A little bit of ribbon can go a long way.

 recently received a phone call from my Sister-in-law. My niece is getting married in a couple of weeks and as she always wanted to get married in Gretna Green she is off north of the border to tie the knot over the old anvil at the blacksmiths cottage. It will be a really small wedding, her mum and dad and her daughter and her future in laws.

The purpose of my Sister-in-Laws call - can you make me two wedding cards one for her and my brother-in-law to give and one for her daughter to present to her Mum. The conversation went something like this.

'Will you be able to do it? You know a couple of those lovely large square cards you do'
'Yeah no problem I have a day off on Wednesday I'll do them then'
'Ahh the thing is Patrick is wearing a Kilt and we've got this ribbon in the same Tartan that Amanda will have on her dress. If I send you some can you include a piece on both cards'
'No Problem'
'I'll put it in the post first thing Monday and you should have it Tuesday'
'OK I'll do the cards and get them to you before you go to Scotland'

So I arrive home from work on Tuesday and there's an envelope with my Sister-in-Laws writing on. trouble is it feels really thin, on opening it there was a length of ribbon that would do one card but not enough to do two. So time for me to get creative.

I knew I was going to use Tattered Lace dies for the focal points on the cards because they do look stunning. I have just bought the Tattered Lace magazine and used a project from there to make the card for her mum and dad to give Amanda and Patrick


The background panel was made by cutting the Deco Arch 6 times and layering it onto white card. By snipping the ribbon I was able to make it look like it was wrapped round the whole panel when in fact there is a gap hidden by the topper. I used another of The Deco arch shapes and stuck it to white card this was then matted onto a really dark purple pearl card that matched the purple in the ribbon. I cut the couple twice once in purple and once in silver. I snipped the man off the silver die cut and before layering the lady onto the purple die cut I cut a small section of tulle and pushed it through one of the cut section in her hair, to form a veil. I made a faux bow and added more tulle behind it and the heart is made from Martha Stewart paper clay and the bells were from the die included as the free die with Tattered Lace magazine. The sentiment I generated on the Computer.

So there was card 1 almost finished I needed something for the inside plus I now only had a small piece of ribbon for the second card and even hiding a gap behind a topper wasn't going to work on that one. Also a pit of Tartan ribbon added at Random wouldn't look right. That' when the idea struck.

I placed the remaining piece of ribbon on my flat bed scanner and scanned it into Paintshop pro. I used the crop tool to crop the image to a single pattern repeat of the ribbon and saved the image. The using My Craft Studio I imported the image and used the tile feature to create my own tartan backing paper,

I printed of a sheet with the full colour intensity for the second card and then used teh opacity feature to create the insert sheets.


I found a lovely verse in a very useful little book 'Just The Right Words' and typed this onto white card and die cut this before adding it to the left hand side of the card. So after a couple of hours it was one down and one to go.

The card I created for Amanda's daughter to present to her was next and I used the tartan paper that had been printed at full opacity and more of the purple pearl card and silver card for mats and layers.


I added a panel of white card that I embossed with a interlocking ring design. Then added two overlapped horse shoes these were cut with a Tattered Lace die and I threaded white organza polka dot ribbon through the tops and intertwined this before sticking the horse shoes down. I added the remaining ribbon to the bottom of the horseshoes and then added three sprigs of 'lucky' heather and a rose from Wild Orchid Crafts as well as some organza flowers from my stash and some leaves which I die cut and coloured with promarkers.

I finished off with computer generated sentiments and another tartan insert.


Adding a die cut heart for the verse. So there we go from that little bit of ribbon two cards and I just hope that on the Big  Day Amanda and Patrick like them.

I don't feel comfortable using the first card for a challenge entry because it is almost a straight lift from The Tattered Lace Magazine, so I can't really claim any credit for it. However I am entering the second card into the following challenges

http://artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes/Valentines Day
http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  - Love is in the Air
http://lilredwagon.blogspot.co.uk/ - Love
http://throughthepurplehazechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes


11 comments:

  1. A very elegant wedding card and perfect finishes for a Gretna wedding.

    B x

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  2. Well of course i love it with tartan ribbon.....................what a super card.

    fiona DT
    TTPH

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  3. only think I can say about this card is WOW WOW WOW its stunning I love it.. Good luck

    Jacqui DT
    TTPH

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  4. Very pretty cards both of them! I liked the first one and how you coloured her dress

    Thank you for joining our Love is in the air Challenge at Crafty Catz this week. Good luck!
    Nick

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  5. They are both stunning & what a great idea to scan the ribbon. Thanks for joining us at
    Through The Purple Haze Challenges Hope to see you again next week
    Hugs, Teresa DT
    Ceesa's Card Creations

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  6. your right ribbon goes a long way and these are two super wedding card i love the colour of the tartan and the white and pearescent simplicity of the cards...Awesome Alli....and i love tattered lace too. Thanks for joining us with our anything goes challenge at Through the Purple Haze Challenges this week and good luck! Anita DT

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  7. Both cards are beautiful. I love the iridescent cardstock it is just lovely. Thanks so much for joining us this week at Artistic Inspirations
    Carmen Co-Owner AI

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  8. So elegant, lovely card!! Thank you for play with us at Artistic Inspirations this time, hugs Kate DT

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  9. Wow, two amazing cards. Thanks for playing with us at Artistic Inspirations. Hugs, Maja

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  10. Beautiful card thanks for joining us at TTPH
    Nicola DT

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