Couture Creations 2016/17 Design Team Audition

I've feel so fortunate to have been part of the 2015/2016 Design Team for 

Couture Creations.  Several beautiful new collections have been released, including Magnolia Lane from our very own design team member Sue SMYTH!   It's been such a fantastic experience.  And I'd love to continue working with this Australian Company if given a chance. 

Below are my 5 Audition projects. 

CARD 1

I've embossed a black piece of card stock letterpress style with white ink, 

and then added gemstones in 3 colours. 

CARD 2

I've made my own patterned paper with stamps and then embossed with music embossing folder. I've die cut 3 banners in vellum and embellished with white lace, die cut leaves, a magnolia flower and metal trinket.

CARD 3

I've die cut several roses and mounted one with the background on foam tape.  

I've added gemstones to each flower and either side of the sentiment. 

LAYOUT 1

I've added a border die cuts as well as the quick release paper from the cuts along each edge of the patterned paper.   I've used a large decorative die to the top right, and 2mm gemstones around the photo.  I've clustered black die cut leaves with Couture Creations flowers coloured with black Glitzin' Glamour on the bottom right of the page.  

LAYOUT 2

I've layered strips of border die cuts behind my matted photo and placed gemstones along the pattern.  I've tucked trailing flourish die cuts behind my flowers, that have been gold Glitzin' Glamoured (yep that's a word now!)

With Couture Creations & Ultimate Crafts continuing to expand their presence overseas in the coming year, it would truly be an honour to remain an ArtDeco Ambassador and be able to go on sharing & promoting my love for their products. 

Good luck to all auditionees!

I can only imagine how hard it will be to choose the final Design Team. 

Thank you for stopping by! 

Have a great day....and go do something crafty! 

Tracey 

Photo Credit - Gareth McGuigan 

Hello My Friend - Couture Creations

#couturecreationsaus #ultimatecrafts

Thanks for joining us at Couture Creations HQ. 

Tracey R here with you and I'm  very excited to be bringing you a DIY embellishment 

& card tutorial. Today I'm going to show you how to get more out of your clear stamps 

and add some dimension to any project.

These layered butterflies are super easy to construct, and cost next to nothing to make!  

What's not to love about that!

And they also make a gorgeous embellishment on a card or scrapbook layout,

 Let's get crafting! 

So, what supplies will you need?

Patterned paper - 1 larger piece to fit your card front and some scraps for the butterflies, double sided tape, 3D Foam Spots, 2mm gemstones, Non-stick scissors, 

tweezers, stamps and some ink. 

 Have you seen the 4x6 inch Magnolia Lane stamp sets?  There are 3 different designs, each with coordinating designs that match the collection so well.  I've used the 2 sets below, with the butterfly and script postcard (which is my single favourite stamp from this collection. 

I've stamped the butterfly in brown ink on a scrap of kraft coloured cardstock.  I've cut each image separately and  stamped the script postcard stamp on the back of each butterfly.  Using the butterfly as my template,  I've cut around the image.  I'm actually going to use the BACK with the script on it.  Pretty tricky using the butterfly as your cut line hey! 

 Using a partly used piece of 6x6 paper, I've stamped 4 butterflies on the FRONT of the script paper.  I'm going to cut these with the stamped image on the front.  I've cut a strip off the paper and turned it over and stamped on the BACK of the paper.  I'm going to use these stamps as my cut lines again and then turn them over so I have a plain butterfly shape (so the stamped image will be on the back like the kraft ones). 

So after I've fussy cut all my butterflies I have 3 piles.  Left to right - stamped image butterflies,  pattered paper butterflies and kraft script butterflies. 

  To construct the butterfly layers, I've placed a small piece of double sided tape in the middle of each layer. I've placed the patterned paper butterfly on the bottom, followed by the kraft script butterfly, finishing with the stamped image butterfly.  

In the middle of each butterfly I've added a 2mm crystal gemstone. 

 Shape/curl each layer to give it the butterfly some dimension.

 On the back of each butterfly I've placed a 3D foam spot. 

I've cut down a piece of 12x12 paper to fit my card and inked and distressed the edges before attaching with doubled sided tape. I've then added a sentiment before adding the butterflies. 

And that's the card and butterflies done. 

 

Be sure to check the Couture Creations Blog to be inspired 

by the amazing ladies on the Design Team. 

You can also follow Couture Creations on

Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.

Products Used

ULT157486 Magnolia Lane, 6x6 Paper Pad

ULT157487 12x12 Paper Magnolia Lane, Elegant Lady

ULT157509 Magnolia Lane 4x6 Stamp Set, Magnolia Lace

ULT157511 Magnolia Lane 4x6 Stamp Set, Songbird

CO724156 2mm Gemstones, Crystal

CO721955, Pointed Non-stick Scissors 14cm
CO723780 3D Foam Adhesive, 3D Mini Foam Dots
CO721985 6mm Double Sided Tape 
CO721965 12mm Double sided Tape
CO721957 15"x15" Self Healing Mat

World's Best Mother - Couture Creations

And hello to you today! 

Tracey R here to get you ready for Mother's Day. Say what?  Can you believe we are staring down the barrel of May very soon?  I don't know where the year is going.  But with May comes that all important day to show Mums (and other special women in our lives) just how much we love them & how thankful we are to have them in our lives.   Let me show you how to create a beautiful card for a special lady.  

Let's get crafting!

I've used a 5x7 white card, with a piece of Ultimate Crafts pink cardstock (Pandora) just smaller as the base for my card.  I've distressed around the edges of the cardstock with my non-stick scissors.  Best distressing tool out!

I've gathered up my offcuts from the Magnolia Lane 6x6 pad and arranged them in horizontal strips across the cardstock, to decide on placement. I chose the top piece as a focal strip with the pattern in the left corner, so I can put my greeting on the right hand side. 

I've trimmed each piece to 4.5 inches wide.  Seeing as strips will overlap, the height of each strip isn't that important.  I've then distressed and inked each edge. 

I've layered each strip on top of the previous one using double sided tape, and curled up the distressed edges to add some dimension. 

 

I've embellished and stamped my greeting on the top piece before attaching to the layers to ensure a flat working surface.  I've placed a small piece of gauze behind the butterfly metal trinket and mounted on foam tape.  I've stamped the Mother's Day sentiment in black ink and placed 3mm pearls (Chiffon Cream) on either side, and one on the top of the bird cage. 

 

This sentiment layer has been attached to the top of the pink cardstock with double sided tape. 

 

To finish the card off I've attached the pink cardstock to my white 5x7 card with wide double sided tape. Change the sentiment (it's YOUR card!) to make a lovely birthday or thinking of you card.

 

So today I salute the amazing strong women in our lives. 

May we know them. 

May we be them.

May we raise them. 

Because we'd be lost without them. 

To the wonderful women in my life who keep me sane, 
make me laugh & get me through the day - 

Mum, TBB, Corbs, Bead Girl, Scrap Girl, Ribbon Storm, Super Chef & Megzi

You are the bestest & I love you to the moon and back!

xxxxx

Be sure to check the Couture Creations Blog to be inspired 

by the amazing ladies on the Design Team. 

You can also follow Couture Creations on

Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. 

Couture Creations/Ultimate Crafts Products Used

ULT200082 Ultimate Crafts 12X12 Cardstock, Pandora

ULT157488 6x6 Paper Pad Magnolia Lane
ULT157500 Magnolia Lane Embellishments, Metal Trinkets
CO724634 3mm Pearls, Chiffon Cream 
CO721955, Pointed Non-stick Scissors 14cm
CO721964 12mm Foam Mounting Tape,
CO72196518mm Double sided Tape

CO721957 15"x15" Self Healing Mat

Have a crafty day! 

Tracey R

xx

A Smile is a Memory - Couture Creations.

Hello crafty friends!
Thanks for stopping by the Couture Creations Blog today. 

I was beyond excited to finally use the newest release Magnolia Lane this month. Sue Smyth has designed such a gorgeous collection - you're going to find it hard not to want all of it! The colours & patterns are so pretty, and all the matching embellishments make this a must have in your stash. 

So let's get crafting!

When I first looked through the papers, this blue clock & script paper kept catching my eye. So that was the perfect place to start.  My gorgeous Miss 12 isn't a real girly girl (she actually isn't that fond of pink!) so the blues matched her & her personality perfectly. 

 Starting with the 12x12 piece Timeless Garden (from the 12x12 paper pad) I've stamped the round map from the Timeless Garden 4x6 inch Stamp set multiple times in a light grey ink down the right hand side of the paper. 

Next I've mounted my photo on matching Ultimate Crafts card stock, and then added different and random sizes of patterned paper cut from the Magnolia Lane 6x6 paper pad.  I've also inked around the patterned paper edges for contrast.  

 

Once I was happy with the position of the patterned papers I've stuck them down using 6mm double sided tape.  I've then matted the photo and patterned papers onto another piece of the blue cardstock, and distressed around the edges with my non-stick scissors.  

 ** TIP **
One of my favourite adhesives are the 3D Foam Dots. So what do you do with the left over backing once you finished the packet? You use it!  It's PERFECT to use as mounting!  I just cut the size i want and use it as a mount (it's super for larger pieces).  You use it exactly as you'd use your foam dots.  Remove the backing piece from one side, place down, and the remove the other side. 
And best of all you have just got more for your dollar from something you'd normally throw away. 

 After adding the mounting foam for height, I've placed a piece of 18mm doubled side tape along the bottom of the cardstock.  Along this I've pleated roughly a piece of the black lace.  To ensure that the lace is secured I've put another piece of the 18mm tape on the top which will attach the lace to the layout.

 The mounted photo with lace is then placed on the layout in the lower right hand corner. 

The Bling Flourishes with Pearls in this collection are just gorgeous! So to get as much use as possible I've cut them, and only used a portion of each flourish - use your product how you want!

 In the bottom right hand corner of the photo I've added 3 embellishments on top of some gauze (a butterfly from the Ephemera pack, a metal trinket  and a paper magnolia) attaching these with 3D Foam dots.  On each of the embellishment cluster side I've placed the bling flourishes. 

 Along the top of the photo mat I've tucked some cut aparts from a piece of the 6x6 Paper Pad, using 6mm double sided tape on the back.

 Finally I've added a Resin Frame to the top left corner of the photo. 

  And we're done.  


 
I adore this beautiful Magnolia Lane collection.  
I can't wait to create more projects and share with you. Have a wonderful day.  
Until next time!


Be sure to check the Couture Creations Blog to be inspired 

by the amazing ladies on the Design Team. 

You can also follow Couture Creations on

Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. 

Couture Creations Products Used

ULT157493 12x12 Paper Magnolia Lane, Timeless Garden
ULT157486 Magnolia Lane, 6x6 Paper Pad
ULT157510 Magnolia Lane 4x6 Stamp Set, Timeless Garden
ULT157508 Magnolia Lane Embellishments, Paper Magnolias
ULT157507 Magnolia Lane Embellishments, Black Lace
ULT157500 Magnolia Lane Embellishments, Metal Trinkets
ULT157501 Magnolia Lane Embellishments, Resin Frames
ULT157499 Magnolia Lane Embellishments, Bling Flourishes with Pearls
CO721955, Pointed Non-stick Scissors 14cm
CO721985 6mm Double Sided Tape 

CO72196518mm Double sided Tape
CO723780 3D Foam Adhesive, 3D Mini Foam Dots
CO721957 15"x15" Self Healing Mat

Have a crafty day! 

Tracey R

xx