Cats and dogs... the ones that got away

This is a project that got away ... I made it for my recent Cats & Dogs workshop but decided not to use it in the end because I just didn't love it. But the more I look at it, the more it's growing on me.

I used the Stamparatus to get the clever mirror effect. You can see how to achieve this look here:

Cat and dog treat boxes using the Gift Bag Punch Board

I used the Gift Bag Punch Board to make this cute treat box. You need to make two gift bags – one in black, one in a contrasting colour (I used Lemon Lime Twist, before it goes!). It's a snug fit but the lid does go on if you are careful.

The main image panel is attached to the Lemon Lime Twist on the top, so it slides off with the lid. 

Dog on a log... mog on a log

With all the promotion of Simple Stamping projects, I somehow failed miserably and went completely the other way with this one! It uses not one but FIVE different stamp sets! I can only plead guilty and say I was trying to get some use out of stamp sets before the excitement of the new catalogue kicks in.

It’s a simple masked project, using a mask across the tree stump (Foxy Friends) to enable the tree trunks (Winter Woods) to be stamped and the ground to be created using Waterfront.

The cat and dog are stamped on separate cardstock and punched out. And as for the words, they are created using the Labeler Alphabet stamp set... but I didn’t ask the ladies at my Cats & Dogs class to replicate this, they could simply choose their own greeting.

EVENT: It's All About Cats & Dogs

Love cats? Nine Lives gift packaging

It's not always about cardmaking. Having all these lovely supplies at my disposal means I can make matching gift packaging, too. 

I was planning to send this card to a friend and wanted to wrap the small gift to match, so I created a box using the Envelope Punch Board and decorated it with some Call Me Clover Designer Series Paper and a punched cat. The box is a bit wonky (slipped up on a measurement somewhere) but you can't tell unless you look hard or someone points it out!

If you love cats – or dogs (or both!) – don’t miss my Cats & Dogs craft workshop in Aston-on-Trent next month. Places are going fast but there are a few left so please hurry over to the registration page to book your slot.

Cats and Dogs class registration now open

Nine Lives - grey cat with Call Me Clover background

What I love about the new Rectangle Stitched Framelits is the way they stitch the frame as well as the shape they cut. Here I’ve placed some Call Me Clover Designer Series Paper behind the aperture and topped it with a lovely stamped and punched cat from the fabulous (must-have!) Nine Lives stamp set. The bow, stamped in Call Me Clover, finishes it off nicely. 

Nine Lives: simple and stepped-up

A simple cat card... and a stepped-up version for the more avid crafter. For the simple version, I left the Big Shot in the craft room and stuck to stamps, ink and paper. However, I did make the cat into a tabby using the clever two-step stamps in the Nine Lives stamp set. I stamped in Gray Granite and added just a tiny touch of Pool Party around the base.

For the stepped-up version, I coloured the cat using Stampin’ Blends and cut out my layers using the fabulous new Rectangle Stitched Framelits. I used Braided Trim instead of Linen Thread, added a background of Wood Textures DSP and finished off with some sequins. Which one do you prefer?

Cat or dog? One card, two pets...

Whether you’re a cat fan or a dog fan, there’s a stamp set for you in the Spring/Summer catalogue, and both are really cute.

Here I’ve made the same card design using Nine Lives and Happy Tails; I just changed the layer colour to match the Pumpkin Pie of the ginger cat the Real Red of the dog collar. It’s even the same piece of Designer Series Paper; just flip it over to get polka dots or stripes.

The dog is coloured with Stampin' Blends... and also stamped with the cute patches which come with the set. I stamped and coloured a batch of these, so you’ll be seeing him again. The background is stamped in Crumb Cake, but stamped off for a lighter effect.

The cat is simply stamped in Pumpkin Pie, then stamped on top with the tabby-effect stamp. You have to get your eye in but it’s not too difficult and you can always fill in any white areas with a Blender Pen and the ink from your ink pad lid. The little bow is a two-step stamp, too; I stamped off in Blueberry Bushel to get the background.

As a bonus project, I made this little cat box. It's a slider, so when you pull the ribbon, the chocolate slides out with it.  As you can see, this is no tabby cat... there’s another stamp within the set that enables you to create a pretty tortoiseshell, or a lovely ginger and white, as here.

Cat or dog? Nine Lives or Happy Tails?

The two stamp sets in the new Spring/Summer catalogue which caused me the most excitement are these... Nine Lives and Happy Tails. At last we have a stamp set to go with the lovely cat punch, and now there’s a dog punch, too.

I made two very simple cards in the same design, so appeal to both the cat people and the dog people. Which one is your favourite?

Valentine cats - reversed image

Here’s another way you can use a reverse image – to create a cute catty Valentine’s card. This was my first attempt at mirror stamping and I couldn’t believe my luck when the cats ended up positioned so perfectly close together.

To find out how to do this, using the Stamparatus and a silicone sheet, please check out my video on my Facebook page.

Video tutorial: Reverse stamping with Nine Lives cats

This is such a fun technique, I can’t understand why I haven’t tried it before. It worked first time and blew my mind, so I knew it would have the same effect when I demoed the technique at a party on Friday evening. This little box uses the new Nine Lives stamp set, which co-ordinates with the existing cat punch. For this cute project, I stamped the cats on both sides of the cardstock so, no matter which way you turn it, the cats are facing you.