A bit of Easter travel .....

Hello everyone,  so sorry I haven't blogged for a while. I really don't know where the time has gone. Tonic HQ has been manic this month with our move to Hochanda.

I'd like to wish you all a very Happy Easter and hope the Easter bunny visits your home. 

Today I'd like to share with you my card for this month's Win and Tonic Challenge.
Congratulations Denise Farrar on winning last month's challenge.

I've used the Jetsetters die set to create this card. It's a brilliant die set for someone going travelling or on holiday.

I cut an aperture into the white card using Tonics Diamond layering dies. Then cut a smaller aperture into raspberry card and layered it behind the white card.

I then cut the City skyline in black and honey gold card and layered them on top of each other to create a shadow. This was glued behind the aperture.

The New York Landmarks were cut and embossed in black gloss card. Using a white gel pen, I picked out the detail on one side of the buildings.

The background was created by painting on white card with embellishment mousse which gives a wonderful sheen. 

Before gluing the  background in place slot the landmarks behind and in front of the skyline.

Place the whole card on a black layer and place on 3d foam pads before adhering to a card base.

Finish off with a Thinking of You sentiment and Glow in the Dark drops.

Hope you like this month's Challenge card.

Shopping List

7 x 7" blank card 

Craft Perfect - Bright White - 9016e

Craft Perfect - Raspberry Pink - 9059e

Craft Perfect - Jet Black - 9011e

Craft Perfect - Mirror Card Glossy Black - 9444e

Craft Perfect - Mirror Satin Hony Gold  -9472e

Tonic City Skyline - 1631e

Tonic New York Landmarks - 1629E

Nuvo Embellishment Mousse - Peony Pink - 800n

Nuvo Embellishment Mousse - Pink Flame - 813n

Tonic Miniature Moments - Thinking of You - 1255e

Nuvo Glow Drops- Shocking Pink -746n

Thanks for popping by

Have a fabulous Easter break

Alison xx

Happy St Patrick's Day

I would like to wish all my Irish friends a very happy St Patrick's Day. Hope you're enjoying the craic and a toast of your favourite tipple.

I've  used one of my favourite die sets - Celtic Dream layering set -  to create the card base

Using the Traditional hearts layering die set I've created dimension on the card by folding the hearts in half.

The Banner die is from the Buildables die range, The sentiment is computer generated by Sian in the Tonic office. I'm not terribly good with the computer, lol.

Of course it wouldn't be a Tonic card if it wasn't finished off with Crystal Drops.

This is the card I made on this week's Tonic Live show. You can follow  me step by step in the You Tube video  below.

Dies Used

Celtic Dream layering die - 209e

Traditional Hearts layering die set 1459e

Banners - 1594e

Craft Perfect - Bright White - 9016e

Essentials card pack - Gentle Greens  - 788e

Nuvo Crystal drops - Woodland Green - 663n

Tonic funky glue pen - 421e

300gsm White card for base of card

Sentiment  - computer generated

3d foam pads

Thanks for visiting my blog, Have a fantastic day.

Big Hugs

Alison xx

Number Crunching

This month's card for Win and Tonic Challenge I've used Tonic's new alphabet and number dies.

This month's Challenge  is  "Anything  Goes" so if you use  a Tonic product  you can enter for a chance to win the fantastic Woodland Buildables  die set.

I've kept this card simple, using black and white card with a splash of pink.

The Bowscale die set makes a beautiful  decorative  card base. I cut the Numerals  die into the white card layer. This card was then layered onto black card which was slightly larger.

 I then cut the same die in raspberry and saved the numbers 50 to insert into the die cut.

To make the frame I used the hexagon layering die set.  This was placed on 3d foam pads to add dimension.

The alphabet was cut in white card stock and thembossing word BIG stuck to the frame.

Flowers were then cut from the raspberry and white card and used to decorate the card. Of course I had to finish the card off with some black crystal drops.

Products Used
Windsor simple type - Upper case - 1688e
Attraction simple type - Numerals - 1683e
Layering basics - Hexagon - 1521e
Card blank layering dies - Bowscale - 1215e
Flora frames - topper die set
Craft Perfect - Jet black - 9011e
Craft Perfect - Bright white - 9016e
Craft Perfect - Raspberry pink - 9059e
300gsm White card for base card.
Nuvo Crystal drops - Ebony Black - 650n
Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive - 200n
3d foam pads

Thanks for dropping by. Hope you like today's make .

Big Hugs

Alison xx 

Daffodil Vase

If you caught the Tonic Live show this week, I made a cute little box and showed you a case to match. It just sums up this time of year for me.

9 

Items used 

Craft Perfect Bright White card  - 9016e

Tonic Essential Card Pack - Gentle Greens - 788e

Tonic Essential card pack - Heated Hues - 787e

Tonic Flourish & Leaf  Strip die set - 1554e

String from stash

Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive - 200N

Double sided super sticky tape

Card Size

White card - 8.25" x 8" (21 x 20cm)

Green card 2" x 7" (5 x 19cm)

White card for base 2.5" x 2.5" (6cm x 6cm) 3 pieces

Instructions

Score card along longside at 2, 4, 6 & 8" (5, 10, 15 & 20cm)

Score along shortside at 2" (5cm)

Trim off small rectangle at bottom of the card. Glue side strip to edge of box.

Glue base together.

Score green rectangles at 1" (2.5cm)

Wrap super sticky tape around base and top of box.

Stick increased rectangle edge to tape at base of box. Repeat on all sides

Remove tape at top of box one side add a time. Place folded edge of rectangle in line with the top of the box. Repeat on all 4 sides 

Cut 4 white and 4 yellow leaf Strips. Layering opposite colours .

Place sticky tape around bottom of vase and beneath rim of vase and wrap with string. 

Wrap leaf strip around vase 

Stick the 3 white square pieces of card together and stick to the base.

I wrapped damp kitchen roll around the base of the daffodils and secured it florists acetate film

Hope you like this project. Thanks for visiting my blog

Alison xx

Mother's Day Box

Hi all, I hope everyone is ok after the the carnage Storm Doris has left behind it. We escaped much of it in Bridgend,  but my heart goes out to those affected. Keep safe and warm.

It's the time of year when we start thinking of pressies to give our Mothers or Grandmothers for Mother's day. This is a cute little box which can be filled with sweets or made into a vase and filled with flowers or a plant.

Items used

Craft Perfect  Bright White card - 9016e

Craft Perfect Amethyst Purple card - 9055e

Lilac spotted card from stash

10mm Tonic corner rounder - 257e

 Tonic Layering basics - Scalloped squares - 1453e 

Tonic Layering basics - squares - 1452e

Nuvo Crystal drops - Crushed Grape - 662n 

Tonic Entwining Trellis -Bellus Buttercup - 767e 

Purple spotted ribbon from stash

Card sizes

Purple card - 10.5" x 8.25" (26 x 21cm)

White card - 5" x 2.5" (10 x 5cm)

Lilac spotted card - 4.75" x 2.25" (9.5 x 4.25 cm)

Purple card for base 3" x 3" ( 6.5 x 6.5cm) x 3 pieces

Instructions 

Score long side of card at 2.5, 5, 7.5 & 10" ( 5, 10, 15 & 20cm)

Score short side of  card at 0.5, 3 & 6" (1, 7 & 15cm)

Trim off small rectangles on top and bottom  at right side of card. 

Cut to 1st scoreline on base and 2nd scoreline on top of card.

Trim top 2 flaps off the last box side. This will be the front of the box. 

Trim 1st and 2nd side flaps in half. These will be inside flaps to the box

Using corner rounder shape tops of remaining flaps.

Glue side tab to side of box.

Glue bottom flaps together to form base. 

Take white and spotted rectangles and and round all 4 corners of the spotted rectangles and just the top corners of the white rectangles. 

Layer the rectangles and score at 1.5" (3.5cm)

Place some super sticky tape around the top and bottom of the box.

Remove tape on one side of the box at a time. Stick the straight edges side of the white rectangle to the base edge of the box.

Repeat on all 4 sides

Remove tape at the top of the box, again one side at a time. Stick the folded edge of the card in line with the top of the box.

Repeat on all 4 sides 

Cut a scalloped square shape in white card and a square in spotted card. Place into the lid of the box using 3d foam pads

Take a strip of card and coil it around a craft pick.

Continue cooling and place funky glue on the strip to hold in place.

Wrap the ribbon around the neck of the box.

Stick coiled card to top of box to make a handle 

Decorate now with a flower and crystal drops 

Glue 3 squares of card together and glue to base of box 

Here's the you give video to follow

Hope you like this little project. 

Thanks for popping by

Alison xx

Woodland Buildables

Hi everyone, I really don't know where this week has gone, it's flown under my nose. Tonic Towers has been so busy with a lovely buzz about our new Woodland Buildable dies. There are 4 sets of dies launched and you can build the most adorable creatures.

Here's a couple of projects I made using theses dies.

I'd like to introduce you to Harry Hedgehog. I have used the set of dies to build Harry and put him in a 3d frame which would look perfect on any little boys bedroom wall.

The balloons are from the Betty Bunny die set.

Here's a video showing how to make the frame from start to finish

Olivia Owl said Wise Teacher to me, so I thought I would make a Teacher's gift which is inexpensive, but would be a treasured gift.

To make the notebook I took a plain front book from a Bargain shop and covered the front with fabric.

I placed an iron on stiffener to the back of the cotton fabric to be die cut. The eyes, eyelashes, beak and feet were cut from felt and the glasses from funky foam. I wanted to try the dies on lots of different textures and they worked a dream. I glued all the parts in place using Tonic Funky glue, Anyone who knows me will say I'm not a fan of sewing, so this project was perfect for me.

I hope you like these projects and maybe give them a go yourself.

Products used

Framed Hedgehog

Harry Hedgehog die set - 1590E

Betty Bunny die set - 1588E

Circle Layering die set - 481E

Craft Perfect  Bright White card -9016E

Craft Perfect Jet Black - 9011E

Essential card pack - Gracious Greys - 790E

Essential card pack -Brilliant Blues 785E

3d Picture frame

Owl Notebook

Olivia Owl die set -1591E

Tonic Funky glue - 421E

Iron on fabric stiffener

Notebook

Oddments of cotton fabric

Oddments of felt

Funky Foam

Navy ribbon

Have a fabulous weekend. 

Happy Crafting 

Alison xx

Curved Strip Box

Hope you're having a good day, I've found a few minutes to finally get around to posting directions for the Curved Strip Box shown on Tonic Live 2 weeks ago.
It's a good sized box to put a Special present for your loved one one Valentines Day.

I've even managed to do measurements in inches and centimeters, no mean feat for me, lol.

Products Used

Craft Perfect 12 x 12" card - Jet Black -9132E

Craft Perfect A4 card - Bright White - 9016E

Craft Perfect A4 card - Cherry Red - 9076E

Tonic Celtic & Bow Rounded Strip Die Set - 1602E

Traditional Hearts A2 Layering Basics die set - 1459E

Tonic Flower & Heart Strip Die Set 1555E

Tonic Funky Glue Pen 421E

Nuvo Crystal Drops - Red Berry - 667N
Red ribbon from stash

Take 2 sheets of 12 x12" (30cm x 30cm) card stock. Score at 6" (15cm) on both sides to form a cross.

Cut along 1 of the score lines to the centre of the card stock. Cut a rectangle from the card stock as shown, leaving approx 1/2" (1cm) tab in situ. Trim both ends of the tab.

Repeat on both sheets of card.

Cut  2 strips of card 6" x 1" (15cm x 2cm) and score in half.

Glue tab in place to form a 2 sided box 

Glue  cut strip to 1 side of the box. Repeat with 2nd piece of card. Please excuse the state of my desk, ooops!!!

Join the bases and tabs together to form a cube.

Take 2 pieces of red card  11 1/8" x 6 1/8" (29.25cm x 15.25cm)

Score a line at 2 1/2"(7cm), turn card and repeat on opposite side.

Cut Celtic Rounded Strip Die into card

Repeat at opposite end. Finish other red card in the same manner

Glue both pieces of card together  to form a cross.

Cut 4 Strips of card 1" (2cm) wide. Fold in half.

Stick the card into each corner of the lid to form brackets.

Trim off excess card

Cut 4 Heart Strips from red card and  borders in white using edger die from set

Use edger strip on opposite side of heart design leaving a small border

Add borders around top of box

Cut 2 white squares 5 3/4" (14cm) and 5 1/4" (13cm). Also cut a black square 5 1/2" (13.5cm). Stick layers together and place on top of box with 3d foam pads.

Wrap a red ribbon around the base of the box and decorate with hearts from the layering set

Decorate the top of the box with larger hearts and finish off with a few crystal drops

Here's a You Tube video where I make the box from start to finish

Here's another design using the same style box, which would be ideal for Birthday's or Mother's Day.

Hope you've enjoyed this project.  I hope you'll give it a try and don't forget to share your makes on the Tonic Live Facebook page. I love to see your projects.

Thank you for popping by.

Alison xx