A Tissue. . . . . . . . .The Sequel

Good morning everyone. Hope that you are all well and being good.

Busy times here at The Pond again, not least with the joys of a tax return. I decided to do it myself, rather than throw everything at an accountant but I can see the attraction of that option now lol!!!

However, now I know what I'm doing (allegedly) I will carry on doing them myself.

I have my 2nd workshop this week too at Crafty Corner, formally at Breedon but now at Staunton Harold Garden Centre. Flowers and eclipse cards are on the crafty menu......any excuse for me to break out the Bitty Blossoms lol!!!

Now, today, I am sharing the tissue box cover that John had on his recent Hochanda shows. I'm hoping that he is not going to keep it otherwise I will have to make another as I love it so much lol!!! I came up with the idea after making Davey a cover before Christmas with flowers on one side behind acetate, so I thought "what the heck, lets do one with flowers on all 4 sides!!!" But that's just the kind of devil may care life I lead.

Ingredients

White card

JND Square Scene Box dies

JND Oakham Lattice dies

JND Blousy Poppy die and stamp

JND Orchid die

JND Flourish Leaves dies

Couture Creations All A Flutter embossing folder

Stamens

Distress inks

Gems

I made up 4 of the square scene boxes after cutting the apertures using the Oakham die, also embossing with it and backing the apertures with acetate.

I decorated each back panel with four different flowers........the poppy and orchid dies you will have seen already on John's shows (I still have a couple of sets left on my website if you haven't got yours already) but the other 2 flowers are for another time 😃😃😃.

I then glued all four sides together using hot glue so that it dried and held quicker.

Next, I cut the top to size and used most of the Oakham Lattice to emboss it and then cut an oval out of the centre to pull the tissues through.

I then went a bit mad with the strip gems as I wanted to jazz up the overlap on the box sides but then attacked the top as well lol!!!

I really loved making this and how it turned out........can you tell lol??? Yes, there are a few photos on this post and here is the last one...............

It will be making another appearance when John has released the other flowers, so apologies in advance that you will have to see it again lol!!!

Thank you all for your super comments on my orchid heart. You are kind and encouraging folk.

Maureen, I would imagine air dry clay in your day was papyrus so maybe that's why you let it be.

I did manage to catch up with Nesta last week for tacos at Chiquito, and very nice they were too Stephanie, topped with volcano sauce 😋😋😋.

Hoped to catch up with Davey after his Caribbean sojourn and hear tales of the high seas from the salty sea dog but he came home with more than a set of maracas and a bottle of grog (to be honest, a normal Saturday night for him) and the poor lamb is laid up with a virus. He assures me its not Beri Beri or anything equally as tropical.

Well, if you have managed to get this far without nodding off, many thanks.

Have a great week.

TTFN 

Ang x

Orchid Heart. . . . . . .

Good morning guys and gals. Hope you are all well.

Still been nippy here. Hope that Davey's thermals aren't in the wash basket when he gets home this morning as he will need them after a couple of weeks in the Sun.

Thank you all for your wonderful and kind comments on my recent samples. As you know, I love my florals so I have really enjoyed using the flower dies.

Now, on this wooden heart (cue Elvis) I tried something different. My lovely friend PJ's Christmas present to me was an air dry clay set so I thought I'd try it on the orchid die.

I did it by pushing the clay into the die (cutting edge up) and then using a clay roller to flatten it off. You then peel off the excess and gently pop the flower out. 

I had already cut out card versions and shaped them. I then placed the matching clay pieces onto the shaped card to dry. This meant that they dried in that shape.

Ingredients

Wooden heart painted with white acrylic paint

Air Dry Clay

Green card 

JND stamps

Memento Dewdrop inks

Again, I used clear embossing powder to gloss up my hand cut leaves and stem.

I loved trying this new medium and will be using it again very soon so thanks PJ.

I will be using the orchid die at my next workshop at Crafty Corner next week.

Time to head for bed now (I'm scheduling).

Have a happy Tuesday. Hoping to have a catch up with Nesta over a taco lunch.

TTFN

Ang.x

Orchid. . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. I hope that you are all fine.

Well, we have had snow this week. Thankfully not enough to cause much concern but my, its been cold. I've had to try and keep my extremities warm (steady!!!).

Fortunately, there have been no further sightings of the family Flash this week.

Now it comes to something when you've only shown two samples from John's shows on Monday and Tuesday and he's back on TV again. His shows are at 10am and 2pm if you are able to watch. The lovely orchid die will be making its official appearance. 

I really enjoyed using this as I still love my orchids (now have 18, I think it is).

Ingredients

White card and dark green card

JND Orchid die

Thick and thin florists wires

Florists tape

Mustard Seed and Squeezed Lemonade distress inks

Rosebud Memento Dew Drop ink

Versamark

Clear embossing powder

Pearlage

I hand cut the leaves and embossed them with clear embossing powder to give them a nice shine.

I stuck some dry florist foam in the bottom of the glass pot and pushed the stem in. I found that a glue dot or foam pad sticks better than trying to use glue, whether normal or hot glue.

I then topped it up and filled the gaps with orchid compost (after I took the photos lol!!!).

I sent a photo to Davey before he jetted off for a Caribbean cruise and he actually thought it was a new real orchid I had added to my collection.......how chuffed was I lol!!!

Well, that's me for today. Just a pic of Molly to close with. Her first ever steps in the snow (she only saw it from indoors last year as they weren't allowed out at the time),

I think the expression says it all lol!!!

TTFN

Ang x