Watercolour flowers with Kuretake Calligraphy pens

When I was at a recent show many people loved the calligraphy pens but they didn't think that they would be clever enough to use them for writing. So here's another use for calligraphy pens that needn't frighten you.
First of all you'll need at least two calligraphy pens in toning colours. I've used a light and a dark one from the Heart pouch set.
What I then did was touch the side of the lightest pen with the dark pen.

This will allow you to write in two colours.

I kept the darker edge of the pen still and moved the light side in a rough quarter turn and got a petal. I then moved the paper a bit and repeated the above. I did this until I got about 5 petals. Just remember to move the paper round every time you want a new petal.

Pull Treat for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and, while we want that special gift from the one that we love, we also want it to be beautifully packaged. So here is an idea for making the packaging look superb and the treat inside it will seem so much better too!

This pretty pink package is made with:

a heart die cut

pink calligraphy pens
9mm pink saddle stitch ribbon
3mm saddle stitch ribbon
a sheet of heavy paper
1 sheet of medium weight card
1 flat gift

The tutorial for making this gift wrap is to be found on splitcoast stampers resource page. The flower making and pen blending technique can be seen here.

Once you have mastered the technique you can make the package bigger or smaller to suit the gift. I would love to receive this. Now, how can I persuade my husband to make it? I'll let you know if I'm successful

Ribbon Flower Tutorial

As many of you may know, we sell lots of ribbon at Craft Fairy and I have now learnt not to be amazed when customers ask me... What can I do with ribbon? So to help out those who don't know, here is my latest tutorial.


Gingham Ribbon flower:

1. You will need a 10 inch length of ribbon. I used this black and white gingham. You will need at least 23 mm ribbon for this to work. Ribbon available from Craft Fairy.
   
2. Thread in your chosen colour. I used white but red would be quite nice if you have red on your card or page.
3. Two buttons, one slightly bigger than the other.

Now comes the fun part:

Thread your needle and with small stitches, stich along one edge of the ribbon.

When you get to the end of the ribbon, pull the thread to make the ribbon into the sort of cartwheel shape that you can see in the picckie.

Sew the ribbon together at the back... No one wants to see tacking stitches.

Now sew the bigger button on first and then when it's secure sew the smaller button on top.
There we are, ready to be used.

Fairy, but with a twist

Yet more fairies. Well, yes, but with a twist as I made this using more blue and beige. I also wanted to enter the Sketch and Stash challenge with the fab layour that they have this week, and the Spoonful of Sugar challenge that is also running. That one is for lots of layers and I certainly used lots on this card. The card is again made with my soon to be released fairy images so keep on looking and as soon as they are ready you will be the first to know.

Stained Glass window card

Stained Glass window card is my choice for the latest challenge on Our Creative Corner. They have a challenge for blue and green so I thought that this fitted the bill really well. I made it some time ago but I was keeping it for something special and this challenge really is something special.
I wanted to be the first to enter. I really get a kick out of that. So silly, I know but indulge me.

Now, don't be fooled into thinking that I've put on any stitching. It's dots made with the pen. Quick and simple. Makes up for the age that I took to colour in the stamped image.

I know that you are going to want to buy it immediately so go to Craft Fairy now to get it. It's the beautiful Stained Glass Flower stamp.

And now for a gift bag

The current challenge on Our Creative Corner is for 3D projects so this is what I've decided to make. After a spat of cards, I decided to return to my earlier love and that is the gift bag. So here is the party fairy on a quick and easy gift bag.
The beautiful hot pink gingham ribbon is just in and just £1.50 for 3 metres.

Are you dying to get your hands on these Images?

Baking fairy cooks up a happy birthday.

This card is the latest from the digital images studio and they will be available to buy soon, soon, soon, I promise.

Gardening Fairy

I think that I'm going to get over excited now that I've sussed this digital imaging thing. This little gardening fairy is the latest to come out of the Craft Fairy studio and don't you just love her as much as the last one. I think that these fairies are a little like your own children. You love the first one to bits and then the second one comes along and you love them just as much.


The ribbon is from Craft Fairy naturally. It's a beautiful 9mm baby blue gingham.

The digital images are almost ready to go on the web site. Only a couple of glitches to iron out and they will be for sale.

A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge 85 Hearts

The latest challenge on a Spoonful of Sugar is for Hearts so I just had to use this really cute stamp to make a card.

This card shows you that love is not for the exclusive use of the young and I think that it is so sweet.

I used the Flaunt It sheet from I Brake for Stamps that was feartued in 'Quick Cards Magazine' last year,

So, if you already have this then get on with the cards. Valentine's Day is on the horizon.

Favourite colour combo

This challenge from Everybody Art challenge 72 is no hardship as I'm only too delighted to make a card in my favourite colours. Who isn't? So off we go with....

A pink card!!!

To make this card I used my stash papers but the cute little stamp is one of my favourites too. It's a silhouette stamp but as you can see, I've used colours on it to give it definition. Pinks natch.

This is the stamp in the raw and it can be bought by clicking on the image.