Craft Consortium 10th Birthday celebrations & Giveaway

WooHoo!!!!     

Craft Consortium Ltd is celebrating its 10th birthday on 18th October and is generously making available a whole Collection to each DT member to give away on our Social Media accounts. This will help us promote the company, the products and our work. That is one reason  I love designing for Craft Consortium; they are a British company and they are not too big to care about us. Many people have no idea how a Design Team works: as a DT member, I am unpaid for my work,  but the company sends me products to use to design and create. These are then used to sell Collections by posting on Social Media and the physical samples are sent to the company and from them to TV channels to enhance the sets and inspire potential customers. Sometimes, I am invited to create projects for craft magazines. It is always a thrill to see my work on TV or in print.

I chose the Ocean Tale Collection to promote, for the birthday celebrations; I live in the South of England right by the coast and can't think of ever living away from the sea. All these marine images have a very special and personal connection to me. 

My birthday project is a Double Squash fold memory keeper. I am passionate about celebrating moments and preserving beautiful memories. It goes together easily and suits all abilities. If you have never made any kind of memory album or folio, this is an ideal entry-level project as I take you through the technique for wrapping the cover in simple steps.

I had a few technical difficulties with the video on YouTube but I'm hoping they are all sorted now and you can view the tutorial properly now! 

Cut list

Pages: 5 sheets from the coordinating colour premium paper pad - cut to 8" x8" (20 x 20 cm), score into quarters at 4" in each direction (10 cm) and on one diagonal only as shown in the video.

mats - squares of 3 3/4" of any pages from paper pads (9.5 cm)

triangles - cut 3 1/2" square paper and cut across diagonal. (9 cm)

covers - 4 1/4" square (10.5 cm) chipboard - you can also use the cardboard covers from paper pads or two layers of cardboard packaging stuck together if you don't have any chipboard. You will also need  6" square (15 cm) design paper to cover.

I find wet glue is best for the cover. 

Giveaway Rules - If you would like a chance to win the above Ocean Tale Collection from Craft Consortium, you need to follow me and leave a positive comment below this post, on YouTube, on my Instagram account or Facebook page. Each one will give you one chance of winning. The winner will be drawn at random and posted on IG and FB on 24th October. I've chosen to wait until then as this is my birthday. The winner needs to contact me by personal/direct message with their address and the collection will be posted from Craft Consortium Ltd.

You might also like to follow the SM pages of other DT members also posted on my IG page.  Each collection is valued at £50-60 so a great prize! @cardsbykatefletcher, @ElisabethHogarthDesigns, @Gailmandscardsdesigns, @julizdesignpost

Follow me on  FB   /   Instagram   /  Pinterest  /  YouTube

More inspiration for Craft Consortium can be found on their FB page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/989114164562461  Craft Consortium's Official Network

As always, I hope you give this project a try - please message me on my Facebook page or tag me on IG posts so I can see your makes. 

You can contact me via messenger or email: lkilby3591@gmail.com, especially if you are interested in my cardmaking classes for Beginners to Confident.

Craft Consortium products are available from their website at https://www.craftconsortium.com

Thanks so much for stopping by - every click, like, subscribe means so much.

Lesley x

13 Frights of Halloween - the final installment - or is it?

 Hi everyone,

Well, this is it; the last blog post for the 13 Frights of Halloween 2023. 

It has been quite a journey getting all the projects made, especially those in a caravan. I totally ran out of black card there and couldn't make any more. I had hoped to video those projects, too, but the logistics of setting up my phone to film and having stable wifi beat me. 

The scrap pile has reduced and there really is very little left. Maybe I will find a project suitable for tiny pieces nearer to Halloween on 31st October.

see you so everyone

Lesley x

13 Frights of Halloween 2023 no 11 - If the shoe fits

 Hi everyone,
I've nearly caught up with the blogs for all the projects of the 13 Frights of Halloween series.

For no 11,  I just had to include an earlier project of a Witch's shoe. Just because I could and I really loved making this.  It is a card with the hinge at the top. You can find detailed instructions of it here: https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/7766950096330928378/6975984138364556891

or seasrch this blog for "shoe"

That's ll for this post. Only two more Frights to go! 

Bye for now,

Lesley

13 frights of Halloween 2023 No. 10 - Pop out gatefold card (Beginner friendly)

 

Good afternoon,

Here is another recent caravan make for the 13 Frights of Halloween. The precious scraps of the Craft Consortium Happy Halloween Collection are holding out very well. It makes me realie that with careful cutting and wise choices, a collection can go on for a very long time when the quality is as good as CC. Overall. It is incredible value.

This card today, is a fancy fold but a very simple one that looks more complicted than it is so ideal for a beginner.

Base: is half a sheet of A4 black card   8 1/4 x 5 3/4. (metric 21 x 14.5) (US cut yours down to 8 1/4 x 5 1/2) Score across the long side at 2 1/16, 4 1/8, 6 3/16. If this is too complicted, reduced size to 8" and score every 2 ".Fold Valley, mountain, valley. Fold ouside 2 flaps towards the centre to make a Gatefold and ensure they meet well down the centre. Then burnish well.

Mechanism for pop out - scrap black card 1" x 3", score 1/2, 1, 2, 2 1/2. Fold 1" and 3" folds towards centre and then bend back at the 1/2 and 2 1/2 folds. This makes a little spring. Adhere it centrally across the centre fold with the "legs" sticking to the panels but the centre spring hs no glue and bounces freely. 

Papers: 6 panels equal size in 3 different designs. 5 1/2 x 1 7/8. cut 2 white panels for writing personal mesage on the back. When adhering the 2 centre front panels, glue them over the "legs" of the spring to hide it. I didn't do this so I could take a photo to show how it is fixed. 2 papers go on outside  panels on the back with the white ones in the centre. 

The topper is a base panel from one of the decouage sheets. I decided NOT to back it with card as it is quite substantial and without a backing allows the outside panels to close neatly over the top. To add the topper, place wet glue on the flat edge of the Spring mechanism then hover the topper over the top until there is an even margin all round. Lower carefully, check it didn't move, then hold until the glue grips.

To make the belly band, cut a strip of blasck card 1" x 8 !/4 plus - and scrap will do. Fold in the wings of the card and wrap the strip around it but not so tightly that it will not slip up and down. glue together if it is long enough. If not, take one of the topper panels from the 6 x 6 paper pad and add glue across the centre. Stick across band while it is still on the card. 

TIP!!!!  If you are nervous about getting glue onto your card, plce a scrap of paper over the front before wrapping band and gluing so any excess goes on the paper not the card. 

Sorted! 

Classes:

I run various classes, both in-person and on line, for all levels from total beginner to confident. Please email me or send me a message so we can chat to find the right level for you.

As always, I love to see your creations with both this paper and the card style, so please tag me when posting your makes. 

If you see my posts on Social Media please like and leave me a few kind words as they all help to make my projects more visible to everyone. 

Follow me on  FB   /   Instagram   /  Pinterest

More inspiration for Craft Consortium can be found on their FB page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/989114164562461  Craft Consortium's Official Network

As always, I hope you give this fold a try and please message me on my Facebook page or tag me on IG posts so I can see your makes. 

You can contact me via messenger or email: lkilby3591@gmail.com especially if you are interested in my cardmaking classes for beginners to confident.

Craft Consortium products are available from their website at https://www.craftconsortium.com

Thanks so much for stopping by - every click, like, subscribe means so much.

Lesley x

13 frights of Halloween 2023 - No 9 - Folds flat Triple layer Pillar card

When I was looking at the panorama panels in the pad of Premium papers, this was the card I first thought of. I remember Jamie Rodgers making an angled pillar card on TV with snowy slopes. The lovely landscapes, with the spooky silhouettes, definitely need a straight centre panel here. The card stands very well and is given stability by the sets of three stacked pillars with card layers between for the papers. I decided to use panels from the 6" paper pad to get more of the scene each time. As the panels in the paper pad are narrow, I left the bottom of each centre card layer blank. If I were adding normal DSP, I would cut a full panel of paper so that an overhead view would get a better look down the card.

Here are my measurements for this card using 220gsm black card:

Folds flat pillar card

 Black card

	Imperial and US	metric
Card layers	Back 5 x 7	12.5 x 17.5
	Middle 5 x 5	12.5 x 12.5
	Lower  5 x 3	12.5 x 7.5
	Very front 5 x 1 1/4	12.5 x 3
Pillars – 2 of each size	5  x 7	12.5 x 17.5
	5 x 5	12.5 x 12.5
	5 x 3	12.5 x 7.5

 

Premium papers

Centre panels for card layers	2 7/8 x 6 7/8	7 x 17.3
	2 7/8 x 4 7/8	7 x 12.3
	2 7/8 x 2 7/8	7 x 7.3
Front panels for pillars   (2 of  each)	7/8 x 6 7/8	2.3 x 17.3
	7/8 x 4 7/8	2.3 x 12.3
	7/8 x 2 7/8	2.3 x 7.3
White card for back to write on	4 ¾ x 6 3/4	12 x 17

 

Instructions:

1. All pillars are made the same way. Score along the  5” side at 1, 2, 3, 4. Mountain fold all score lines and burnish so that they fold flat.

2.  2. Trim off a whisker on one side and mark that panel with X. This is the tab that goes inside and trimming it will enable the pillar to lay flat.

3.   3. I used wet glue on these. Fold the pillar flat, add glue to the X panel and close to adhere the tab, making sure the sides line up. Fold both ways and burnish well. Repeat for all pillars.

4.   4. Adhere the back panel to the back of the two largest pillars and repeat for all sizes.

5.   5. Decorate the pillars and the centre panel with premium DSP

6.   6. Glue the 3 layers together.

7.   7. Adhere the narrow strip of black card across the very front of the card

8.   8. Decorate this with paper, decoupage layer, fussy cut images as required. 

m  9. Add a white panel to the back for writing. Stamp a decoration with the lovely spooky stamp set in the collection. 

As I do love to see your creations with both this paper and the card style, so please tag me when posting your makes. 

If you see my posts on Social Media please like and leave me a few kind words as every reaction helps to make my projects more visible to everyone. 

Follow me on  FB   /   Instagram   /  Pinterest

More inspiration for Craft Consortium can be found on their FB page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/989114164562461  Craft Consortium's Official Network

As always, I hope you give this fold a try and please message me on my Facebook page or tag me on IG posts so I can see your makes. 

You can contact me via messenger or email: lkilby3591@gmail.com especially if you are interested in my cardmaking classes for beginners to confident.

Craft Consortium products are available from their website at https://www.craftconsortium.com

Thanks so much for stopping by - every click, like, subscribe means so much.

Lesley x

  

13 Frights of Haloween 2023 No.8 - Floating screen card

Good morning,

I had a little break away in the caravan. Normally, I don't take my crafty bits with me when we go away but as I had a weekend alone, I hoped I could get this series of cards finished. 

This floating screen card has been on my To-do list for ages and this was the moment. Obviously being out of my craft room, I culdn't make a video and sadly the internet fluctuated too much to get the posts done. You may have noticed the photos on my Social Media accounts, so a huge thank you to everyone who liked or shared them for me. 

Here is the way I made my card:

	Imperial & US	Metric
Base	5 ¾ x 11	14.6 x 27.8
Centre Panel (to fit topper)	3 ¾ x 3 3/4	9.5 x 9.5
Papers	8 @ 5 3/8 x 1 7/8	8@ 4.5 x 14
White to write on	1 ¾ x 3 1/4	4 5 x 8

1.  on the long side of base, score 2,4,4 ½” (5, 10, 11.5)
2.   turn base through 180 degrees and score same again making base match exactly both sides.      
3. with long side at top, place base in trimmer and cut down 1 ¼ at 2^nd and 3^rd score lines.
4. turn card again through 180 degrees and repeat turn with narrow side of base along top and cut between the 2 score lines on both edges so base   resembles letter H.
5. fold and burnish score lines as in overhead view.
6. add DSP to panels
7.  add topper to centre front - I rounded corners
8.  adhere white card to centre back panel to write personal message

This card is suitable for many accasions so a useful one to master. The finished card will fit into a premade 6" envelope.

As always, I love to see your creations with both this paper and the card style, so please tag me when posting your makes. 

If you see my posts on Social Media please like and leave me a few kind words as they all help to make my projects more visible to everyone. 

Follow me on  FB   /   Instagram   /  Pinterest

More inspiration for Craft Consortium can be found on their FB page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/989114164562461  Craft Consortium's Official Network

As always, I hope you give this fold a try and please message me on my Facebook page or tag me on IG posts so I can see your makes. 

You can contact me via messenger or email: lkilby3591@gmail.com especially if you are interested in my cardmaking classes for beginners to confident.

Craft Consortium products are available from their website at https://www.craftconsortium.com

I believe the original designer of this style of card was Ann Melvin so my thanks to her for her creativity.

Thanks so much for stopping by - every click, like, subscribe means so much.

Lesley x

13 Frights of Halloween 2023 No. 7 - Magic Brew Tea Bag Treat Holder

Now our Indian Summer heat wave in the UK has passed, I can really enjoy my tea again. I seem to have made lots of treats for little ones and now it's one for the grown-ups - this little treat holder will be just right for a standard-size Teabag or two! I always need my "Magic Brew".

This is a quick and easy make so ideal if you need a little gift in a hurry. You could make a few in advance in plain card so they are ready to decorate in an emergency. I always like to be prepared! In that case, just pop a little pretty paper on the front of the pouch inside too. 

	imperial	metric
Base (card)   Score on long side	8 ¼ x 3 ½   3 ½, 3 ¾, 7 1/2	21 x 8.7   8.7, 9.5, 19
Pocket (card or Design paper)	2 ¾ x 7	7 x 17.3
score	2 ¾, 3, 3 ¼,   6, 6 ¼, 6 1/2	7, 7.5, 8    15, 15.5, 16
White for message inside(optional)	3 x 3 1/4	7.5 x 8
Design Paper	3 ¼ x  3 1/4	8 x 8
	½ x 3 1/4	1.2 x 8

 

1.            1.    Start by making the pouch

            – concertina-fold the score lines to make an expandable pocket (mountain, valley                                                         mountain….mountain, valley, mountain

        -join sides with a narrow tab

       2. score and burnish the base into shape.

       3. see the YT video to lay one of the open ends of the pocket against the narrow fold towards the bottom inside of the base. Fold up the narrow section over the pocket and staple through all layers, making sure you are securing the pocket but leaving enough room for the lid of the base to tuck under the top of the fold.

       4. cover the bottom strip and hide the staple with the narrow strip of paper

       5. decorate the front.

       6. if you wish to add a written message, adhere a piece of white card inside

 

Et voilà!    

Really simple and versatile. You could easily change the size to accommodate lots of other little gifts too. such a winning little project.

As always, I love to see your creations with both this paper and the card style, so please tag me when posting your makes. 

If you see my posts on Social Media please like and leave me a few kind words as they all help to make my projects more visible to everyone. 

Follow me on  FB   /   Instagram   /  Pinterest

More inspiration for Craft Consortium can be found on their FB page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/989114164562461  Craft Consortium's Official Network

As always, I hope you give this fold a try and please message me on my Facebook page or tag me on IG posts so I can see your makes. 

You can contact me via messenger or email: lkilby3591@gmail.com especially if you are interested in my cardmaking classes for beginners to confident.

Craft Consortium products are available from their website at https://www.craftconsortium.com

Thanks so much for stopping by - every click, like, subscribe means so much.

Lesley x

13 Frights of Halloween 2023 No. 6. - Happy Haunting Ghostly Treat boxes (2 sizes)

I have such a cute little project today - well, I suppose it is really two projects as it comes in two sizes. They are really straightforward to make and suitable for any occasion - think of birthdays and Christmas. 

 I had to make the video with the smaller size box as my supplies are now running dangerously low. I'm hoping they will last the full 13 frights of this series of tutorials!!!!! 

 You will need cardstock that is no more than 250 gsm and preferably lightly for the smaller one to enable it to roll better.

 

	Large box (imperial)	metric	small box (imperial)	metric
Main base	4 x 11	10 x 28	3 x 8 1/4	7.5 x 20.5
Score long side	2 ½,  4 1/2	6.3, 11.4	2, 3 1/2	5, 8.8
Sides x 2	3 x 3	7.3 x 7.3	2 ½ x 2 1/2	6 x 6
Score 3 sides	1/2	1	1/2	1
DSP
Back and over top	6 ¼ x 3 3/4	15.8 x9.5	4 5/8 x 2 7/8	11.8 x7.2
Sides x 2	2 3/8 x 1 3/4	6 x4.5	1 7/8 x 1 3/8	4.8 x 3.5
Front	2 3/8 x 3 3/4	6 x 9.5	1 7/8 x 2 7/8	4.8 x 7.2
Handle score	½ x 6 ¾ from each end	1.2 x 15 2 from each end	½ x 4 ¼ ½ each end	1.2 x 11 1 each end
Finished size	4 x2 x 3 1/8	10 x5 x 8	3 x 1 ½ x2 1/2	5 x 4 x 6

 

I used Velcro dots to close the boxes. I don’t like using magnets if there is a possibility of them being given to children as a safety precaution; two for the large and one for the smaller box.

Follow my YouTube tutorial for the method of assembley.

to secure the handle on  the larger box, I used brads, but this isn’t necessary for the smaller box as it is unlikely to carry as much weight. Here I added the matching enamel dots that are also part of the collection.

Remember that when Design paper is adhered to the top of the box, that layer  will become thicker and stiffer and harder to shape, so make sure that you have got a good roll on this section, either by rolling it over the edge of a table or by gently breaking the fibres with a bone folder.

 

These boxes look so sweet with the cute puffy sticker decorations. These have the advantage of  being very pliable and able to follow the shape of the box. I think that the addition of one of the metal charms to the handle adds a lovely finishing touch resembling a designer handbag. I’ve tied the charms on with ribbon but there are so many possibilities – twine, cord, or chain. 

As always, I love to see your creations with both this paper and the style of the box, so please tag me when posting your makes. 

If you see my posts on Social Media please like and leave me a few kind words as they all help to make my projects more visible to everyone. 

Follow me on  FB   /   Instagram   /  Pinterest

More inspiration for Craft Consortium can be found on their FB page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/989114164562461  Craft Consortium's Official Network

As always, I hope you give this fold a try and do message me on my facebook page or tag me on IG posts so I can see your makes. 

You can contact me via messenger or email: lkilby3591@gmail.com especially if you are interested in taking my cardmaking classes for beginners to confident.

Craft Consortium products are available from their website at https://www.craftconsortium.com

Thanks so much for stopping by - every click, like, subscribe means so much.

Lesley x