Wednesday 25 January 2023

Playing with gilding flakes

In a few of Chrissie's YouTube videos, she uses gilding flakes - and that set me thinking back to when I too used to play with flakes and double sided adhesive sheet - and so, this Christmas card came about:

 
A closer peep at the shiny leaves!
I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" Pale Ivory Linen Silkweave card blank (using a sheet of A4 card)  

- then covered a panel of light brown card with a snippet of double sided self-adhesive sheet before applying a coating of Cosmic Shimmer 'Mulled Wine' gilding flakes, gently patting them on at first (you don't need much!) then spreading and buffing them using a piece of 'scoochy foam'

- next, die cut the leaves using an unbranded 'Fragmented Leaves' die bought for me by a special friend - and it's probably my favourite die in the whole world right now!

- the leaves felt slightly sticky after I'd finished, so after having a little think I sprayed them with hairspray and it worked perfectly as a sealant

- more die cutting - a snippet of brown card and a Memory Box 'Woodland Branch' die - which I glued onto the card front using a glue pen

- then die cut the 'JOY' frame onto the card front. It was cut from a snippet of Craft Perfect Pearlescent 'Red Velvet' card using a Die-namics MFT 'JOY photo card frame' die

- stuck the frame onto the card front using very narrow foam strip around the edge (again I used Chrissie's trick of running a glue stick over the sticky surface of the tape before popping it in place onto the background and pressing it down - it's a real game changer!)

- die cut a sweet little bow from the same Red Velvet card, using a Gummiapan 'Rosetta' die

- and finally, popped two leaves and the bow onto the card, to 'hang' from the branch

I made four cards in total - two of the one above and two where I used a pearlised gold 'Joy' frame with the same red bow, leaves and branch, and I like both of them equally.

I'm nothing if not a keen follower of others, possibly too easily influenced for my own good, and Chrissie's videos led me to the Swedish company 'Gummiapan'. Oh my word - their little dies are so detailed and adorable! I hopped over for something else altogether - and the little bows somehow fell into my basket! Their prices are actually very reasonable - so long as you factor in postage and try not to get stung at your end for Customs Duty etc. It was a treat I tell myself and not something I would do every day! 

So - I would like to enter my card into some challenges:


First of all, Charlotte of 'Lady Joyful' runs a super challenge called 'Christmas Craft Creations' - HERE. AND, this month the theme is 'snippets'! Yay! So, I'm entering my snippets card and hope you perhaps will also follow suit. The challenge is open for another couple of weeks and it would be really great if you could steal a march on your 2023 Christmas cards and join in. 

And, of course it's our lovely Mo's Rudolph Days Challenge HERE. This is one challenge I never miss.

Plus, another 'must play along with' challenge - Darnell's NBUS Challenge - HERE. The leaf die set and the little Gummiapan bow dies are both NBUS goodies! 




25 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous card Di, and the gilding flake covered die cut leaves are really pretty and unusual and a great gift from a friend, and a wonderful design idea to have them hanging from the branch with the sweet little red bow to match the beautiful rounded corner Joy Frame. I must remember the idea of using hair spray to seal the edges etc. x

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  2. Great card Di, and a great way to use the gilding flakes, happy Rudolph Day xxx

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  3. Oh Di - I too have discovered Gummipan dies and found them really very reasonable both in price and postage!! I am so impressed with this fabulous card - it's stunning
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  4. Totally fantabulous card and Chrissie has inspired many people of late too, including me!

    Happy Wednesday

    Kathyk

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  5. Absolutely stunning Christmas card. Love how you coloured the leaves and added the perfect little extra touch with the tiny bow. Great the card design.
    Happy Rudolph Day xxx

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  6. Di this is absolutely gorgeous love the leaves and the branches look so realistic as do the leaves simply beautiful x

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  7. Hi Di,
    Happy Rudolf Days.
    What a fantastic card and such a brilliant design.
    Love the foiled leaves and the branch and it all finishes off perfectly with the lovely red frame.
    Thank you for joining the Rudolf Challenge.
    Lots oif crafty love. Jenny L. DT

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  8. AH! You are the second Chrissie follower I've visited today, isn't she just marvellous. I saw all the Gummiapan videos. I have promised myself a looky at their dies, but I am resisting so well atm. I absolutely LOVE your card Di, so very beautiful. A fabulous design and a beautiful effect.

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  9. A fabulous card Di - your gilded leaves are beautiful.
    Kath x

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  10. Gorgeous leaf dies Di, and they look superb with the gilding ... not something i've ever tried but methinks perhaps i should!!
    Pauline xx

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  11. They are good fun Pauline - but NOT if you breathe heavily - or EVEN worse - sneeze! Ask me how I know. xx

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  12. Those leaves look fabulous given the gilding flakes treatment, another idea to keep in mind. Will have to seek out the videos you mentioned too, I'm in need of inspiration at the moment

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  13. wow, this is stunning, so special and beautiful. I have never done this, I am afraid flakes would be everywhere in my room... hugs xx

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  14. Your gilded leaves look nothing short of fabulous! I absolutely LOVE this beautiful CAS card Di!

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  15. This is a stunning card, I'll have to get my gilding flakes out!

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  16. Ohhh!!! Absolutely amazing CAS! Those gilded leaves on the branch look really gorgeous and the little diecut bow is so cute!! Love all that shining! A masterpiece!

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  17. Wonderful card Di, very classy. The leaves are just fabulous. xx

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  18. Gorgeous card Di the richness of those leaves is stunning - thanks for joining us at Christmas Craft Creations snippets challenge - I thought this would be right up your street!

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  19. Ooooow those gilded leaves are so beautiful Di. Great to see this gorgeousness over at the Christmas Craft Creations challenge.

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  20. I've had the same experience of a die cut covered in gilding flakes or foil feeling sticky - love your simple solution of spraying with hairspray! Thank you! That is a gorgeous card - CAS perfection!

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  21. So beautiful, Di! I love gilding flakes, but never use mine. Need to change that this year.

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  22. Such a stunning card Di and that is a technique I must try at some stage too. Thank for in joining fun at Rudolph Days this month.

    Sue xx

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  23. Hello Di. Your card is gorgeous. Loving those gilded leaves. I have not tried gilding flakes yet. I have always wanted to try them both on cards and on furniture/decor type projects. I fancy a shopping trip now!
    Thanks for taking part in the January Rudolph days Challenge.
    Crafty hugs
    Maureen

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  24. Love the gilded leaves! I can’t remember when I last used gilding flakes! I seem to recall having bits everywhere though. Chrissie has a lot to answer for with all the lovely cards and videos she’s now making!

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  25. Oh wow your card looks really gorgeous.♥
    Thanks a lot for joining us at our Snippets Challenge by
    Christmas Craft Creations Challenge
    Good luck and hope to see you again.
    Hugs and greetings Angela DT

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