30 January, 2013

Clean and Simple

Hello to you all, Sammylou here and today it's my turn to provide some inspiration using the wonderful papers and downloads available at Funky Hand.

I'm experiencing some technology issues at the moment and my printer has died so this meant I had to create a card using papers I had already printed.

The papers I have used today are from the Just for Jen download. This is a beautiful collection of muted greys and hot pinks. Just perfect for Mother's Day, Weddings as well as general birthdays. There are also some fabulous alphas so you can pop whatever sentiment you want on your card.

So, back to my technology meltdown. I was left with just a couple of sheets and have created the card below. It's actually not a terrible thing because it shows just what you can create using a couple of dies, or punches if you don't have a die-cutting machine. Sometime less is definitely more! I am very pleased with this card and already have a recipient in mind!



Don't forget we would love to see how Funky Hand inspires you so please pop on over to the facebook page and share your wonderful creations with us!

Look forward to hearing what you have to say about the card and I will see you all soon, love Sammylou xxx



27 January, 2013

Just For Jen

Good afternoon everyone, I hope you are having a lovely relaxing Sunday. 

Following on from Kathy's introduction to the beautiful new paper collection download "Just For Jen" which will be available very shortly from the Funky Hand website, I thought I would show you one of the brand new digi stamps which will also be available on the Funky Hand web site shortly. The digi stamps are a joy to colour and they compliment the new papers brilliantly.
I used a selection of pink Promarkers with a touch of grey and a very little hint of green to colour my image as I wanted it to mirror the papers as much as possible. There are 16 different papers and an assortment of alphabets in the collection but I chose to stick to four. I also want to use up every last piece of these beautiful papers so there will be more cards to see on my blog.

Thanks for dropping by and please don't forget that we love to see your projects using Funky Hand products so don't forget to link us to your work so we can come and have a look.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. xx

26 January, 2013

Scraplings

Hello
Welcome back to "Get Funky and Craft!" - the Inspiration blog for the Fabulous Funky Hand shop.
This weekend sees the launch on the website of a wonderful, brand new download collection called
You'll see that it's a lovely mix of greys and pinks, hearts and flowers and generally suitably pretty with Valentines Day looming on the horizon.  With this collection we're also trying to do our bit to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness.  No nagging, drum-beating or banner-waving, just a gentle reminder that we all need to check that all is well....

The new papers are adorable, and really versatile so I'm sure you're going to love using them - you'll get 16 paper designs, plus 5 alphabet sheets in matching colours.  You can print them as many times as you like, in any size you fancy, and on different papers (or even on some fabrics!) so try experimenting - it's great fun!

 Scraplings


I thought I'd share some Scraplings today - if you cut your square card blanks from sheets of A4 then like me you'll be left with a narrow strip of card each time.  I must admit that usually I buy my favourite 14cm sq cards "ready to use" but occasionally I do make my own and gradually a little stack of  these card strips grows quite big.  Eventually I know I'm not going to use them all for backing strips and other scrap card purposes.  So I make some Scraplings.

Scraplings are just the narrow strips (usually about 7cm wide) folded in half.  They are fun to make and are just great for "hello", "Just for You" or "Just Because" cards.
I had a whale of a time making these three - the "Just for Jen" papers, lots of my favourite dies and techniques, some ribbon and lace and lots of bling - what more fun can a papercrafter ask for on a snowy, chilly day, hehe
Here are photos of each, plus a run down of what I used.

coiled roses made from scraps of the papers, Pink Seam Binding, White Lace, Grey Ric-rac braid, Lots of tiny gems in silver and pink

Die cut Flower and Leaf Swirl by Marianne
Border Punch: EK Success, Pink Card Candy
 Pink paper is embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder, then given a very light "dusting" of white ink to highlight the tiny hearts
Paper Flowers in grey and pink are cut from one of the papers
Memory Box die is cut from silver-grey card. Lots of tiny gems and pearls in silver, grey. black and pink

I hope you like these and will feel inspired to raid your own scraps box for any oddments of card that you could turn into fun size cards.  One of the things I'd like to do this year is to send more "just Because" cards as it's just such a lovely surprise to get something like this landing on your doormat - it makes a change from bills, doesn't it?
Here at Funky Central, we would really LOVE to see the things you make with Funky Hand stash.  Whether you've been crafting for years or are new to the whole thing, it's good to share - so please add your own projects to the Linky so that we can come and say hello!

That's all for this time
Happy Crafting



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20 January, 2013

Christmas but not Christmas!

Hi bloggers its Ni here today to share one of my recent makes with you.
Don't be shocked by the title of my post, I have not got myself super organised and started making Christmas cards already, I wanted to share with you the versatility of the Oh Come All Ye Crafters downloads.
Although there are tree and holly images in the whole range, and the colours in the Make A List collection are traditional reds and greens, I think you will agree that the backing paper on this card with its fabby spot design is not Christmassy at all.


I have been doing a lot of blog hopping recently and viewing online galleries which I find so useful for inspiration and as a reminder of techniques which I forget to use. I love using embossing folders but often just use them to emboss a panel of card for a backing or emboss the card blank itself. On my travels round the Internet I have been reminded how effective it can be to emboss shapes too so that is what I have done here.

The tag was cut out of cream card and embossed through my Bigshot machine then I inked the embossed lines and edges in green.
I die cut 2 sizes of a flower from scraps of red card, layered them onto the tag and to finish tied a piece of yellow bakers twine through the hole (look out for new bakers twine on the Funky Hand website soon!).

I really liked these bright colours as a way to banish the January blues and warm up from all this snow we are having at the moment. :) I hope you like the tip of embossing shapes and not just card panels and that you will look at your 'Christmas' papers through different eyes.
Happy Crafting, back soon, Ni. :) x

16 January, 2013

Scary Fun




Morning folks- Wednesday again- and it's my turn -Allison- to share something  funky with you.
Now I know it's only January but I really meant to make this for last Halloween.  Sorry I can't share the template with you as it's not mine- stumbled upon it on a blog and can't remember where but you might be able to google it.
I used the ghosty paper and  BOO words from the    Spooky Dookie  download and the skull paper from the    Salt and Pepper download.
My box actually turned  out the wrong way......the base was supposed to be black and the lid was to be the ghost paper but once I printed off the template I got mixed up with what was the lid and what was the base so instead of doing it all over again I then cut strips of the ghost paper for the sides of the black lid and a top cover in the skull paper and I think I like it better this way.  Then I added the BOO words and a couple of swirls and the box is all ready now for Halloween to be filled with sweets.
Have a great day and remeber we want to see what Funky makes you have been creating
Allisonx






12 January, 2013

Use Up Your Scraps!

It's my turn to provide some inspiration and to showcase a Funky Hand product (or two) and I thought that because its a New Year and we all set ourselves (unrealistic!) New Year Resolutions to use the stash that we have, I'd better do what I say, and I've made these cards:


I've actually made a few more than the photo shows, but you get the idea!  I've cut a sheet of A4 card in half to make two cards and used an X Cut facy die for the scalloped bottom edge.  Lightly inked in black around the edge and then added a faux stitched line with a fineliner black pen.

The bunting has been made with offcuts from wordbooks (Retro Fun) and bits left over from normal cards (Funky Daze) - I get a lot of requests to make the wordbooks and I hate to throw away the bits I cut off especially as at least one side has been printed on.  I simply cut some strips and then measured 2cm for the top of the triangle and then cut!  Layered onto a base colour, glued in place with silicone glue and then added the bows of embroidery thread afterwards.

I also dotted a black spot with a Sharpie marker and then dabbed glossy accents over the top.  The sentiment stamp is a Studio G acrylic 99p set and as I sent very few Christmas cards, I decided that I'd be sending Spring cards instead.  Mainly because I ran out of time (kids had something on nearly every night and each weekend from mid November onwards) and I thought that Spring cards would stay displayed longer!

Although we are no longer setting challenges, you can still link up and show us your creations with Funky Hand products!  Just use the blue frog below!

09 January, 2013

How do you use yours?!!!


 Afternoon Everyone!!

So today its Lou popping in on you all with a bit of a 'How do you use yours?' post!!! Funky Hand's papers are so very versatile and can be used for so many different projects I thought I would share what I have been up to with them over the last couple of days!!

So my big sister is a digi gal and is the designer of LilyBoo Designs (linky up there!!)The top card is Daisy Bear and awwwwwww he is so cutey patootie!!! 

I coloured him up with my promarkers and then added a squidge of texture to him with my blender pen rubbed on an off cut of denim and then pressed onto his gorgeous furriness!!! then it was just a case of teaming the little guy up with some of my fav Funky Hand papers. I always have a tonne of this Huge Funky Love paper printed out! I LOVE it! 

so, do you want to see a couple more of Sam's new releases in action with some of Anice's stunning papers?..... squeeee! ok then!!!  

this is Love Bug Bear....
using the same papers and texture on the bear but a little pink mono tone bear, awwww!!
and here is Bunny Bear...
These papers are from the Shabby Saturday download and Craft the year away cd rom, and I had a little bit of help from a Little Mo on this one! he wrote 'Happy Easter' for me.

So, How do you use yours? we love to see the papers in action so get sharing your makes and there might even be a little prize for the one the funkette's love most!!! linky them in on our little link and we will pop in and see ya'll!!
Huge hugs Lou xxx

06 January, 2013

Spring colours

Good morning and Happy New Year from me (Amanda) here in a cold and misty Scotland!  It's the 6th of January already, this first week of the year has certainly flown in for me. 
 
I have made this card for a friend at work, who is (funnily enough) 50 next week.  She's not much of a cute image kind of gal, so thought to make the sentiment the focal point.  She will love this sentiment too, she keeps saying she's not going to be 50.
 
The papers I have used are from the Happy Happy Birthday cd, the collection is Winter Birthday.  I love the spring colours in the stripy paper, so fresh and cheery.  The sentiment was written on the writer tab on the cd.  I love to use this for the sentiments as you can then match the colour to the papers. 
 
I hope you will share with us anything you have made lately with anything Funky Hand, we'd love to drop by and share some bloggy love :) Just pop it on the linky and us dt girls will come visit.
 

02 January, 2013

Hope your new year is monstrously good :)


Morning All! 

Its Lou posting here on the inspiration blog this morning with a cute but quick new year card. I LOVE this little monster guy, he is just so cute and I just wanted him bursting out of the card to wish you all a happy new year!! 

He is of course one of the fabulous little digi's from the Colour Me Happy cd rom. All the papers and digi's on this card are also from this cd and the new year sentiment on the front was made with the writer on the workspace, I LOVE this font too! its so cool and goes perfectly with a little monster dude!!!
Here's another view of him through his little torn window....
 And here he is inside!! I used the scroll digi and then using the writer I typed up my sentiment and sized it to fit in the scroll! fab!!
Then I coloured the monster and the scroll up with my promarkers and added some white gel pen ditty dots here and there for a bit of umpf!!!
 So, How did I cut this little guy out? with a good old nestie! 
I coloured him up and trimmed the insert to fit inside my card and then glued him in. Then all you need to do is pop a circle shaped nestie over the top of your little monster guy with the cutting side facing upwards, (I pop a little squidge of blue tack underneath it so that it won't wobble whilst cutting), I do it like this because then I can see really clearly where it is going to cut and which little parts of my monster dude are going to be showing.
Then close your card and pop it through your cutting machine. When you take it out you should have a lovely little monster dude staring at you through a circle window!!!

Now, to get the ripped circle effect on the front all you need to do is trim down your chosen paper for the front and then carefully place it inside your card and close the card. You should be able to see a circle of your patterned paper through the little window. Using a pencil draw around the edge of the circle onto your paper and then take it out of the card. Poke your pencil through the centre of the circle and then tear back the paper up to your pencil line. I love to make little triangle shapes with my tears.

I also always print on both sides of my paper when printing out digi papers, that way when you rip it you will have a different paper on the torn bits. All the papers in Anice's colourways are designed to work with each other so you never need worry about the 2nd pattern looking out of place. Its a bit tricky to see in the photo's but the 2nd paper is a bluey grey colour with little cirlces and squiggly lines in!!

Well, that's me for today!! If you have been making something with your Funky Hand bits please share it with us on our little linky below, we would love to pop in on you!

Have an awesome day peeps!
hugs Lou xxxx