That time of year

Greetings to you all, I hope you are well.
I return from my blogging sabbatical with renewed vigour and start as I mean to go on! So, it's August which can mean only one thing-the c word.
Here is the first of this year's Christmas designs from me, I like it but think it needs a bit of tweaking before I make a whole bunch of them!

After learning from the wonderful Cheremane Smith, the technique of using the alcohol inks on photo paper to create fabulous backgrounds I just had to give it a try :)

I used:
5x7 card blank
Photo paper
Alcohol inks in Pool, Cool Peri, Cloudy Blue and Silver
Jet black Archival ink
Tree stamp from Indigo Blu
Christmas sentiment stamp from Dreamees
Gunmetal mirri card
Teal pearlescent card
Teal ribbon
Blue and white Stickles
Gems and a charm from my stash!

I hope you like it, let me know and Happy Crafting xx

New Baby

Greetings one and all, I hope today finds you well.  I am better today than I have been so am getting a blog post done!  I realise I have been slacking of late but ill health and an uncooperative portrait to paint have taken much of my time-good news though, the portrait is almost done!!! I think I will throw a party once I get the finished painting in the post! Everyone invited :)

Today's offering is a card I made alongside one for my friend who recently had a baby girl. On the one for my friend, I used the die cut letters to write the baby's name but it looks just as lovely here saying 'new baby'.
White ribbon was attached to pink pearlescent card which was then layered onto the white pearlescent card base. The same white ribbon, added with a couple of thin strips of pink ribbon, was hand tied in a bow and attached to the top of the card on the left. The lettering (memory box die cut) was placed on the right and the stamped image centrally below these.

 Three pearl gems from my stash complete the card.

 

Stamp is by Molly Bloom. Coloured with ProMarkers, cut out using Spellbinders Grand Nestables, edges dusted with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and then blinged with teeny gems from my stash.

Well, that's it! Short and sweet-I hope you like it :)

Let me know what you think.

Until next time, Happy Crafting xx

Challenges entered:

Whoopsi Daisy- Anything Goes

Crazy Challenge- For The Little Ones

Love To Create- Make It For The Kids

Craft-Dee Bowz- Anything Goes With A Handmade Bow

Fan-Tastic Tuesday- Anything Goes

Through The CraftRoom Door- Always Anything Goes

Imagination takes wing!

Greetings one and all, I hope you have enjoyed your bank holiday weekend if you are in the UK-the weather hasn't been great but we are quite used to that!!
Today a colourful make (I am a tad besotted with all things teal at the moment!), using several products from Imagination Crafts and a variety of stuff from my stash. 

Using and 8x8 card blank I made from linen effect white card, I took the beautiful Peacock Feathers distress ink and went all around the outside edge through a butterfly stencil from Imagination Crafts. The black gloss card and the leaf stencil used to get the glittery image onto it are also both from Imagination Crafts! The black card was layered onto some colourful paper I had lurking about-the paper included a shade close to peacock feathers so I figured it would go nicely :) This was all then layered onto some dark gun metal coloured mirri card, spider webbing in silver was attached running across the middle and two pieces of teal ribbon running vertically up the right hand side were added before it was all stuck to the card blank.

The double ribbon was hand tied (got it on my second attempt!) and the small rosette and butterfly were made by putting Sparkle Medium in a mold and letting it set.  The other butterfly was stamped onto acetate with distress ink (yes you can probably guess the colour!!) and silver embossing powder was sprinkled onto it and heat embossed before being cut out and stuck on-I used the heat to get the wings to curl upwards. The birthday sentiment was unused from some kit or other.

Apologies for being brief and to the point, but it's time for a nap for me!

Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it and you are encouraged to leave a comment to let me know how I am doing, thank you and Happy Crafting xx

Challenges entered:
Imagination Crafts- Things with wings
Sentimental Sundays-Things with wings and a sentiment
That Craft Place- Ribbon/Lace

Wuthering Heights

Greetings to you all, I hope you are well on this fine day.
Today's offering is one I am really proud of-a card I have been meaning to make ever since I saw this stamp! She instantly looked to me like a character from a romantic tragedy and so here she is as Cathy from Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights!

The stamp is Isabella by Visible Image and I have coloured her using Derwent Graphitint watercolour pencils (with the exception of her skin and the heart in her hands for which I used my trusty pro markers!).  She is half cut out to give the impression that she has come out of the page behind her (a page from the literary classic, Wuthering Heights!).

The gathered twigs distressed edges of the torn page, along with the sanded, distressed edge of the craft core card as a background, give the card an aged feel which I think adds to the timeless quality of the coloured image.



The red of the roses, both mulberry paper and die cut, perfectly complements the red of the heart in the stamped image. I really enjoyed making this card and am really pleased with how it turned out :)

The dies used are both from Tattered Lace, the paper roses are from Wild Orchid. The finishing touches, cocoa liquid pearls in each corner, some jute twine tied around the bunch of flowers and 3 red pearl gems from my stash.




Thank you for stopping by and checking out my blog, let me know what you think xx


Challenges entered:
Tattered Lace- Romance and Roses
Visible Image- Anything Goes