Lexi's Creations.....Back to school or college

Hi Susan here....

Time is passing by so quickly school and college is about to start again. Exciting times for our children. To start them off on the right track how about sending them a card to wish them well in their first few weeks, or even for their teachers to say hello to the start of the new year.

Over at Lexi's Creations Challenge Blog we are starting a new challenge today relevant to this time of year.

For full details of the challenge and fabulous sponsor, please call across to Lexi's Creations and join in the fun with us, there's lots of inspiration from my design team to help you with this challenge.

So the theme is 'Back to School or College'.

Now onto my card...

I chose some beautiful textured card from Paper Mill Direct, I tried out an idea using some chipboard letters and embossed the card by putting them through my big shot machine, I then rubbed them down gently with sandpaper and used distressing ink to highlight them and the edge of the card..

The ticket has been designed by Lexi Lee and is available from Fairy Dust Crafts Store, I altered it by blanking out the centre of the ticket and putting in my own computer generated sentiment, I used distressing inks around the outer edge. 

The side strip is the negative of some letters that I die cut using a sizzix die, I edge distressed the strip with inks and put a dark brown strip of card at the back to show through.

This very cute digi image has been designed by Lexi Lee and available from Fairy Dust Crafts Store, it is called Baby Giraffe. I coloured the image with chalks, the topper has been edged with distressing inks.

Thank you for taking the time to look around and for leaving me your wonderful comments

Love and hugs

Susan xxx

Lexi's Creations.....Sparkle and shine

Hi Susan here....

Twelve months ago I was asked was I interested in taking over the ownership of Lexi's Creations. I had loved being on the design team since the beginning and would have been devastated to see the blog close so naturally I said yes. It is sometimes hard work but I love it and get really excited when I see the entries for the challenges.

Today at Lexi's Creations Challenge Blog we are starting our new challenge to celebrate this with a theme that reflects how important this is to me....

'Sparkle and Shine'

For full details of this challenge and our fabulous sponsor please call across to LC's Challenge Blog and join in with us. We have some amazing inspiration from my design team they have truly outdone themselves, I feel very lucky to have such a talented group of ladies who never let me down and really make some outstanding creations for each challenge.

Now onto my card...

I have used some gorgeous paper lace behind my ribbon, I have had this for ages and slightly distressed it with inks. The ribbon is from our local market. The little butterflies, that I love putting on my cards are made using a punch, inks, glitter and pearls.

The backing paper is from my stash, this is so gorgeous with flowers and leaves and butterflies all over the paper, the colour is a beautiful brown with hints of pink and green, with silvery text here and there and a sheen all over the finish.

I recently bought a new flower swirl die and have used this behind my flowers.

Gems and glitter has been used throughout my card.

I love making flowers and often get inspiration from the flowers that grow in my garden, this one has been made after looking at the rambling rose I have at the bottom of my garden. 

I made this using white card that I slightly coloured with  two shades of pink distressing ink. I have added a gem in centre and glitter on the petal edges.

The smaller roses and buds are from Hobby Craft. 

The leaves again have been hand made from white card and coloured using inks.

This beautiful sentiment designed by Lexi Lee and available from Fairy Dust Crafts Store, it is called 'Special Friend'.

I have used a die for the topper and distressed the edges with inks and glitter.

Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my creation and for your wonderful comments.

Love and hugs

Susan xxx

My fun-time card....

Hi Susan here....

Where does your spare time come from, well we all know that we have to make it ourselves and use it to the best of our abilities. To make it work for us, and to get the most out of it.

I know a lot of us in blogland are involved in lots of design teams, I was myself at one time and loved it, but, somewhere along the way I lost something that made making my craftwork special to me. Now I am an independent crafter, I run and own Lexi's Creations as you all know and love every minute, but my spare time now is special and means that I can delve into many of the crafts that I have had to leave on one side because I was committed elsewhere.

Which leads me to show you what I have done this week.....I was totally inspired by an 'arty' article in a magazine I was looking through and decided that I would give the techniques involved a go...I am pleased with my final result. This wasn't of course my first effort, many tries went into the bin before I came up with this one. I hope you like it. It's totally different for me, very simple and clean (in a way).

It has been made using basic white card available from Paper Mill Direct.

I have used a beautiful stamp which is part of a set from Chocolate Baroque using Staz-on ink.

The background I made myself using Promarkers and Tim Holtz distressing inks, blending the two together using some sandpaper and then distressing it all over again. It's a shame but the photograph doesn't show the finished result in the texture of the background, but it is so different to look at than it was at the beginning.

The washy tape I made myself using a stamp from Tim Holtz and some microporous surgical tape.

The crystals are from our local maket.

I tried to be a little arty with this card, never tried anything like this before I hope you like it, I really enjoyed making it and trying out the new techniques during the making up process.

Thank you for looking, please let me know what you think, your comments are always welcome.

Love and hugs

Susan xxx