Just sneaking in .........

with my entry for the Gingersnap Creations colour challenge - soft yellows & white.

To make the background on this card I used my embossing folders to create texture & then used chalks to delicately colour - the first highlighted on the top of the pattern & the other in the valley of the pattern.

The other background I made by using a script stamp stamped onto bazil. I then 'aged' the edges using inking.

I used the script background & stamped the flower & used my Copics to delicately colour the stems & leaves.

I stamped the sentiment onto white card & coloured with my Copics & added the white & yellow & white spotted ribbon & finished with the forever friends sentiment.

Starting 2012 with a challenge!

Thought I'd take the plunge & enter the Gingersnap Creations Random Redhead Challenge which is 

Candelabras. Chandeliers and Candles

I stamped my images, the candelabra is from my new Andy Skinner stamp set & I believe the chandelier was a freebie with Craft Stamper magazine. 

I layered the matted images which I inked the edges of to give a vintage look, using toning papers.

 I used stickles to accentuate the candelabra & added a touch of ribbon behind the matting & then added the  spiral metal embellishments to finish.

Diamond Wedding card

This is the Diamond Wedding card that I was commissioned to make for Mum's neighbours to send to family members in the UK!

The brief was to produce something simple but classy with no mushy stuff! So this is what I came up with & have just delivered it to very pleased recipients :-)

We chose the lilac ribbon & I opted for a simple bow.

I used one of Mum's congratulation stamps which I stamped in lilac & matted onto a lilac border & fixed onto the card with sticky fixers to raise it up.

I cut the edge using decorative edge scissors & inked it to enhance the edge.

And then added the 3 diamonds (a tiny bit of bling!) in the corner.

Not perhaps my usual style but well received by the commissioners :-)

Pink Easter Basket

This is the Easter basket that I made for my MIL & for the Charmed Cards members challenge. I made the basket using 12x12 double sided paper & then used my Martha Stewart doiley punch to make the edging. I added blooms & pearl brads & ribbon on the handle. The round tag was stamped & cut out using a punch & the edge inked & mounted on another circle scalloped punch & a button in the centre. The other tag was hand cut & stamped with the Happy Easter sentiment & again inked round the edge.



The chocolate bunny is looking after the eggs in the basket! :-) which are on a bed of shredded kitchen roll (we are away in the Yorkshire Dales & I only have a few crafty bits with me to play with)

Birthday Card for BIL

This is the Birthday Card that I made for my BIL over in the USA - we share the same birthday :-) As the day was yesterday I can now reveal the card :-) It was featured on Crafts by Carolyn as a challenge card but I figured that he wouldn't visit there!

DewDrop Craftz blog challenge card

Used the sketch for the Dewdrop Crafz blog challenge for this birthday card.

Craft Club makes

It was a free week at Sticky Fixers Craft Club yesterday and between the gabbing, biscuit eating & cuppa drinking I managed to make a couple of cards. The first on was for the Crafts by Carolyn card challenge What no red. A Valentines card without using the traditional red or pink. I layered the bird stamp after cutting it out & fixing with sticky fixers.








The second one was a Birthday card with an Oriental theme. I stamped the background paper with the oriental character stamp & then stamped the figure & sentiment on the pink paper cut out & inked the edges, fixing them to the card with sticky fixers - appropriate as I was at Sticky Fixers craft club :-)

Back Crafting!

Sorry for being absent in the blogging world but unfortunately real life took over & I didn't manage to visit my craft room for over a week! I was getting major withdrawal symptoms!!

So today I made a card for the Crafts by Carolyn challenge - it fits in challenge 83 What no red, a Valentines & also 85 Getting Sentimental :-)




The larger hearts were stamped & then cut out & mounted on sticky fixers. The smaller hearts I punched out with my heart punch.



It was great to get back into being creative again :-)

New Scrapbook Layout

Done to complement the layout of my Nan & myself (blogged Nov 08), this layout is my Maternal Grandparents & myself.




Again I used very simple hand journalling. I used one of my new stamps & white ink to subtly pattern the darker plainer paper.



Still wanting to add 'something' .............................. will live with it & decide at a later date what that 'something' is :-) Suggestions welcome :-)

Vintage Romantic Scrapbook page

This is my 8x8 scrapbook page that we did at Sticky Fixers Craft Club on Thursday - a vintage romantic look. It was Maddy's lesson & we were taught various techniques of tearing & inking & stamping & highlighting. Some of the ladies were a bit reticent about the 'aging' techniques to start but by the end of the lesson seemed to be well into it & tearing & inking with abandon! The results were lovely :-)

We all started off on the same track but then were free to finish off & adorn in our own way. I've allowed the photo to be able to be pulled out as there is my Nan's handwriting on the back that I wanted to be able to access. I just made sure that when sticking things down I didn't stick on top of the photo. The blue swirl on the left was in fact a peacock but I cut off the head & feet when I cut it out & it became a swirl which was highlighted in white gel pen. Loved the idea of adding the heart charm through a tear & mounting it on a thinner piece of lace.

I kept the journaling very simple & did it in handwriting with a fountain pen.

Val's page is on her blog here

Now I want to find time to do a 12x12 page on the same lines .................... :-) I have quite a few old family photo's that would look lovely :-)