Jo's Dainty Tea Box

Hi bloggers, today we want to share with you Jo's Dainty Tea Box from her class a couple of weeks ago. Jo used her signature Sospeso flowers to decorate the top of the box, creating a cascade of flowers down the box. Jo's choice in papers (Bo Bunny Garden Journal collection) makes this box ideal to sit in your kitchen to store tea bags!

Jo used the Afternoon Tea Border from Joy! Crafts to wrap around the middle of the box.

If you're interested in booking on any classes with Jo or with our other class tutors please view our current class list here.

Create & Craft: Heartfelt Thanks

Happy Monday bloggers! Today we want to share with you our Create & Take from last Friday using some of the Sizzix Craft Asylum dies.

So let's get started......

Products Needed:

Sizzix Craft Asylum Love Bird Die Set

Sizzix Craft Asylum Decorative Trim 2 Die Set

Sizzix Craft Asylum Friendship Tags Die Set

Echo Park Chicks 12 x 12 Cardstock

Carta Bella Voyage 12 x 12 Cardstock

Bazzill Basics Atlantic Cardstock

Bazzill Basics Sour Lemon Cardstock

Bazzill Basics Candy Heart Cardstock

Black Versafine Ink pad

Thin Twine

Penny Black Heartfelt Clear Stamp Set

Instructions:

1. Die cut the bird twice out of the Atlantic cardstock. Die cut the head from Sour Lemon and die cut the wing from Voyage cardstock. Colour the legs and beak of the bird with a dark brown pen. Adhere the head and wing in place and set the bird to one side.

2. Cut a piece of Chicks paper 5" x 5" and layer on one side of an unfolded square card blank. Use a low tack tape to hold the paper in place and using the square shape that comes in the Love Bird die set cut through both the cardstock and one side of the card. 

To do you will need to use nice clean cutting plates i.e. minimum scratches!

Only roll the card through the machine as far as it needs to go to cut the square.

3. Stamp sentiment on bottom right corner of Chicks cardstock.

4. Take some thin twine and sandwich the bird either side of the twine and then stick each end of the twine into the card where shown to make sure the front of the bird is on show inside the window. Stick the Chicks paper in place over the card.

5. Cut the heart border from the Voyage paper and the small inside of the heart from Candy Heart cardstock and adhere in place.

6. Cut tag shape and hearts from papers and adhere to the card.

The design of this card allows you to take a simple card layout and make it more impressive by having a window element inside. You could even add cardstock inside the card to add background patterns or colours to the window image.

Craft Asylum dies from Sizzix have some lovely designs and are at a great price that doesn't break the bank!

Create & Take: Butterfly Hello

Hi bloggers, today we want to share this beautiful card from last week's Create & Take using the new Penny Black Butterflies die and Spellbinders sentiments die set. So let's get started......

Products Needed:

Penny Black Butterflies Die

Elizabeth Craft Design Butterflies Embossing Folder

Spellbinders Die D-Lites Sentiments 5 Die Set

Bazzill Basics Blue Oasis 12 x 12 Cardstock

Bazzill Basics Nautical Blue 12 x 12 Cardstock

Bazzill Basics White Smoothie 12 x 12 Cardstock

Gold Hemp Cord

White Tulle

Fossilised Amber Distress Ink Pad

Tumbled Glass Distress Ink Pad

Sponge Dauber

Stickles Crystal Glitter Glue

3D Foam Tape

Instructions:

1. Die cut the Butterflies die from Blue Oasis cardstock and put to one side.

2. Cut a piece of white cardstock 4" x 2"and using the sponge daubers and the Fossilised Amber ink pad cover the back of the white card. I have built up stronger pools of colour where the butterfly wings are.

3. Die cut 'hello' from Blue Oasis cardstock and put to one side.

4. Cut a piece of white cardstock 2" x 5" and emboss using the Butterflies embossing folder.

5. Cut a piece of Nautical Blue Light cardstock to meausre 5" x 5". Swipe the Tumbled Glass ink pad around the edge and stick this to the base of the card.

6. Take the white embossed panel and stick a piece of tulle around it securing at the back with some tape. Tie a small bow around the tulle using the gold hemp cord. Stick this piece onto the light blue cardstock.

7. Stick the butterfly panel onto the inked yellow panel and then adhere to the card using 3D foam pads.

8. Stick the 'hello' sentiment onto the card and add some glitter glue to finish.

This simple card design looks so effective and could be used for multiple occasions. The same techniques used in making this card could also be used with similar die designs from Penny Black.

Sneaky Peek: Build A Bouquet Card Class

Here is a sneak peek of Alex's upcoming class this Saturday using the Build A Bouquet stamp and die sets from Stampendous, with Copic pens to colour in these beautiful designs. Alex will also be using some pretty papers and sentiment stamps to complete the cards. 

If you want to learn how to make these fabulous Pop up cards then 'pop' along to Alex's class this Saturday. Booking in advance is required by calling 01293 863576.

Hope to see you there!

Shop Birthday Competition

Get involved with our Shop Birthday competition and win yourself £50 of Crafts U Love vouchers!

To celebrate the Shop's 9th birthday we are holding a competition for you craftstars to design a card to commemorate such an occasion! You can make the card any shape or size you desire and you can use any products you wish. Just have some fun!

You will need to send us your entry to the following address:

Crafts U Love Ltd,

Unit 1 Westcoats Farm,

Stan Hill,

Charlwood,

Surrey,

RH6 0ES

All entries must reach us by Friday 24th July

The entries will be judged by our demonstrators on the day and the winner will win £50 of Crafts U Love vouchers and have their card posted on Facebook and our blog.

Please include your name and telephone number with your entry. Also please note that if you would like us to retrun your card entry please include a self addressed stamped envelope so we can return it to you.

We can't wait to see what you will come up with!

Please stay tuned on the blog for more details about our Shop Birthday Demo event, with a breakdown of all the demonstrators who will be here on the day and lots more about the event.

Create & Take: Strawberry Box

Happy Monday bloggers! It's time to share with you another Create & Take, this one from last Friday. Last week we decided to mix it up a bit and make a box instead of a card which can come in handy when giving a small gift - perfect for popping some small chocolates or something handmade in. So let's get started......

Products Needed:

WRMK Giftbox Punch Board

Joy! Crafts Berry Sweet Strawberry Die

Woodware Scalloped Circle Punch

Marianne Tiny's Butterfly 2 die set

Marianne Banners die set

Black Ink

MFT Kraft Ink Pad

Large Dauber

Silver Papermania Shimmer Domes

Bazzill Basics Kraft Cardstock

Bazzill Basics Green Cardstock

Bazzill Basics Red Cardstock

Echo Park Spots and Stripes Cardstock - Mint

Red Tulle

Hole Punch

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of Kraft Bazzill cardstock to measure 11-3/4" x 8"

2. Line cardstock to the top of the board and score a horizontal line across the whole top of the long edge.

3. Line cardstock to start line on the board and punch, then score at the S line.

4. Move the scored line to the start line on the board and punch and then score at the S line. Repeat this until the whole card has 4 equal sections and one approx 1"..

5. Now this is where it can get a bit confusing to write instructions for what you do next so we have included a Youtube video below that will show you how to continue......

6. Fold the cardstock on all score lines and stick the side and bottom of the box down with strong tape or glue.

7. Assemble the rest of the box as shown. Wrap the green spotted paper around the box and glue in place. Assemble the strawberry die and then stick onto the circle punch out. Use the dauber to add some Kraft ink around the edges of the white card and butterfly, banner and scalloped circle.

8. Punch a hole at the top of the box and thread some tulle through and tie in a bow.

These milk carton gift boxes are such a fun idea and a great alternative way to use the Gift Bag punch board.

Create & Take: Just Fur You

Hi bloggers, today we want to share the second Create & Take of the week which was from last Friday, using some new My Favorite Things stamps and the new Marianne Film Strip die. This card will be perfect for those cat lovers out there! So let's get started......

Products Needed:

My Favorite Things Knead You Stamp Set

COL1390 Marianne Filmstrip die and stamp set

Kaisercraft Furry Friends Sidekick 12 x 12 Cardstock

Echo Park Orange Dots and Stripes 12 x 12 Cardstock

Bazzill Basics White Cardstock

Bazzill Basics Raven Cardstock

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Ripe Persimmon

La La Land Stitched Zig Zags Die

Watercolour Pencils

Instructions:

1. Cut one piece each of the Kaisercraft Furry Friends Sidekick cardstock and the Orange Dot cardstock to measure 1-3/4" x 5-1/4".

2. Die cut a piece of Raven cardstock using the La La Land Stitched Zig Zags and also the Marianne Filmstrip.

3. Cut a piece of white cardstock to 1-1/4" x 4" and stamp the three different cats with black ink onto the strip, ensuring that they will line up with the filmstrip.

4. Colour the cats with watercolour pencils.

5. Die cut a small circle from white cardstock.

6. Stamp wording and fishbones on circle die cut using black ink; stamp the two rolls of wool with Ripe Persimmon ink. Cut the bottom of the circle off and add some dots around the edge with a black pen.

7. Assemble card as per picture. 

Another brilliant card from Stamping Caz with some adorable furry characters. Remember Create & Take is every Friday between 10.30am and 1pm, £3 per person. Hope to see you there!

Create & Take: Silhouette Frame

Hi bloggers, it's been two weeks since our last post so this week I will be sharing two Create & Takes with you so you don't miss out. Today we will be sharing this beautiful silhouette card using the new stamps from Class Act Stamps. So let's get started.....

Products Needed:

Kraft A6 Card Blank

Tim Holtz Kraft Core Cardstock - Grape

Bazzill Basics Cardstock - Raven

Bazzill Basics Cardstock - Kraft

Ultimate Crafts Royalty Embossing Folder

Spellbinders Opulent Ovals Die Set

Tonic Studios Oval Layering Die Set

Girl with Hat Class Act Stamp

Purple Gems

Versafine Onyx Black Ink

Sanding Block

Instructions:

1. Trim the A6 card blank to approx. 13.8cm in height.

2. Cut a piece of kraft core cardstock 10cm x 13.3cm and emboss with the Royalty embossing folder. Use the sanding block to sand across the embossed design to reveal the kraft core underneath. Adhere cardstock to the card blank.

3. Cut a piece of Raven cardstock 3cm x 13cm and make a fishtail cut at one end. Adhere to the middle of the card.

4. Die cut a large opulent oval frame from Raven cardstock. Die cut a smaller opulent oval from the middle of the frame.

5. Die cut a large oval from kraft cardstock , similar in size to the large opulent oval frame and layer underneath the large black frame.

6. Die cut a small opulent oval frame from kraft cardstock , same size as the middle of the large black frame. Stamp the image onto this die cut using black ink.

7. Layer the frames together as shown in the picture and adhere to the card using 3D foam pads.

8. Finish by adding some purple gems to the hat.

This card has been designed without a sentiment so could be used for many different occasions including as an invitation design!

Stay tuned on the blog as I share our second Create & Take later this week.