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Saturday, February 2, 2013

Black Valentines

Welcome to my corner of blog-dom.

Here in the Antipodes we do not celebrate Valentines to the extent of some other countries, but I do get to make a couple of Valentines cards most years.
Here is one that I have completed this year.


I started with a sheet of black 'lace' adhesive die cut paper which I mounted over a layer of red,and then black, then white.

The really difficult part was applying the glue in the tiny spaces and then the glitter.


The sentiment was computer generated and layered on black and red card, and mounted with foam dots.


I even stamped the inside!!


The final photo gives some idea of the sparkle - and I am still finding glitter everywhere - I was once quoted
"Glitter glitter everywhere, even in my hubby's hair" 

I nearly made that one with this card!!

I am linking this to:
Digi Haven Love/Valentine Challenge - Sentiment is digital
Lady Bug Crafts - February Challenge - Valentines/Love
Natalie and Amy's Challenge #6 - Something old (Glitter) 
Something New (Black diecut paper)
The Cupboard Trilogy Challenge #8 - A sprinkling of Red and Romance
The Stamping Shack - Love is in the Air
The Stamp Spot - Hearts
Visible Image - Love
Audsentiments - Adult Valentines
Milk Coffee Challenge - Valentines
Dare to be Sassy Thursday Challenge #162 - Love is in the Air

Thanks for visiting, and your comments are a great encouragement .
May your day be blessed.

Posted by at 28 comments:

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Kraft Lighthouse

Welcome - Thank you for visiting today.

I needed a masculine card, and the first thing that came to mind was to use some T.H. Ide-ology Kraft paper - I bought a 12x12 pad some 18 months ago and have only ever used one page!



I found a page that appealed, cut a piece to size, then sponged the edge with Pumice Distress Ink.

I was not sure where to go from there, and rattled through my stamps and came across this lighthouse stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs. I stamped and gold embossed it - trouble was I had not stamped it where I intended to, but decided to run with it anyway!


The sentiment was also embossed with gold on a scrap of tan card, and cut with a Spellbinders double ended tag and while it was still in the die, sponged with the pumice ink.  I mounted this with brads, and wrapped the panel with a couple of strands of ecru pearle cotton as I did not have any twine.

I was still not happy with the card, as the image was somehow lost, so I sponged Moonlight White ink onto the lighthouse, folded a piece of scrap paper and sponged on some Cantaloupe ink for a light beam, and some Barn Door ink over the compass, and the whole came to life.


I mounted this over a tan card stock base and called it finished!

I am linking this to:
Thanks for spending time with me today, and any comments you leave are not only appreciated but they are a great encouragement. 
ay your day be blessed

Posted by at 23 comments:

Friday, January 25, 2013

Journey with a Rose

Welcome - thanks for visiting today.

This card is the result of an adventure in a new-to-me technique.


The technique is called pullin' pastels, and I first saw it ages ago, (read years) and when I saw this recent article I decided to have a go.... but be warned, this is not how it is supposed to look.


In fact this is the nearest to the true look, but without the shimmer. I did the original technique, but my base pastel colour did not have enough contrast, especially after I had an 'oops' moment with the hairspray that I use to seal the chalk with...... so I masked the image and sprayed it with a glimmer mist, with rather a heavy hand I must admit, and it did pick up some of the chalk and has a pink tinges in some lights.


The original sentiment was, by now, almost invisible, so I made an overlay - and to try and match the colours I sponged with two inks....

I trimmed the original panel slightly to layer it over a lighter colour, cut a wee slot either side of the stalks and threaded a ribbon through and tied a bow. Added the pearls and was still not happy with it!


Did you notice in the second photograph that there was no shading on the rose?  Yep - and the whole card looked as flat as a pancake!! 
Then inspiration struck, and I shaded the rose with the chalk and volia, the whole thing came to life. 
Arhhhhhhh, bliss!


I am linking this to:
Aud Sentiments - Inspirational Bingo - Die cut, 'Happy' and Flower
Chalk n Stock - Anything Goes
D.L.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #102 - Use Red or Pink
Forever Friends and Co Challenge #53 - Favourite Embellishments - Die cut, Pearls and ribbon
Lilli's Little Faries Challenge - Anything Goes
Baffies Kreativladen Challenge #16 - Anything Goes with no Magnolia
Lady Anne's Challenge - Anything Goes
Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #155 - Use your favourite colour combination
Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge PWC242 - Try a New Technique

Thanks for visiting - your comments are a real encouragement.
May your day be blessed.

Posted by at 30 comments:

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Sweet Six

Welcome, and thanks for visiting. 
I have been card making, but not blogging much.  
I also went shopping last week and had fun playing with some new supplies.


I started with the fun dp that I bought last week, and matched it with the pearlised paper, which I embossed with the Bird Call folder.
The dp has a shiny finish to it, and the coloured lines are slightly raised.


The circular motif was a digi freebie by Cindy Close I copied ages ago.  It was printed on a linen textured card and sprayed with silver shimmer mist, then mounted over the silver plant wrap I used on a card before Christmas.  I added the pearls and mounted all this with foam dots to give some dimension.


The balance of the join between the papers was covered with a scrap of lace - the last of a piece I received in a RAK from Melisa of Paperlicious Designs - and a wee piece of ribbon.


The card still looked rather 'grown up' for a six year old, so after rabbiting through my stash I found these gorgeous puffy heart stickers I had been given some time ago. Once I had added them I was more than happy with the result.

I am linking this to:


Thank you for visiting - May your day be blessed
Thank you also for the comments you leave - they are most encouraging and very much appreciated.

Posted by at 28 comments:

Garden glory!

Welcome - on this warm but damp day.

Being midsummer here in the Antipodes it means I am spending a fair amount of time in the gardens, in particular the vegetable garden, .

This morning I picked peas before the rain started


I stood shelled them, and discovered I had two cups of peas - the biggest picking so far.


While I was outside I had also planted over 40 leeks, ready for winter


I planted them in what was originally a flower garden, but I figured I can't eat flowers, so when I ran out of room in my main garden this was converted to vegetable duties a couple of years ago - there are still some shrubs there, but they seem to co-habit quite well.


I plant my leek seedlings by dropping them into a hole made with an old broom handle and just leave them there to take root - I don't press the earth over them - the main problem is birds pulling them out, as they love foraging in this particular garden.


This is a photo of the main garden - the white patch is the cloth over the newly planted carrot seed - this way they don't get dug up by cats or eaten by birds - you can keep them under the cloth until they are 3-4 cm tall.


This is a view  from the other end - the tall plants are spring onions, which are taller than the pea plants behind them - some one thought they were baby leeks!!

So if you are wondering where I have been, or if I mention my garden in a post, you can now picture where I have been.

Thanks for calling by and sharing this part of my creative journey.

May your day be blessed.


Posted by at 15 comments:

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Trees galore

Welcome, and thanks for popping by to visit.

I needed a card for a young man, and was scrabbling around on my desk when I came across a card I was never happy with... so I dismantled it, and used just the embossed scripture from it. The stamp is from Our Daily Bread Designs and embossed with bronze embossing powder.


I then went ahead and made a background, using distress stains in Broken China and Bundled Sage stamping and masking it with a tree from Unity Stamps Love Joy Peace set, and then and spraying it with silver glimmer mist.


I then stamped a sentiment using a Craft's Meow stamp that I had cut in half to stamp horizontally on a banner I hand cut, and mounted over foam dots to give it some dimension.



I mounted the finished panel over a yellow card and then onto dark green base.


Over all I am very pleased with it.

I am linking this to:


Thank you for visiting my blog - and any comments you leave are very much appreciated.
May you day be blessed.
Posted by at 34 comments:

Friday, January 4, 2013

Up-Cycled Thank you

Welcome.
 I trust you year has started well, and continues in like vein.

I had a few minutes in my studio the other day and made this card.


I started with the image panel, which is a trimming that I was given some time ago in a packet of images.  I swiped the edges with violet ink, and layered it over some lemon card that I had embossed and sponged.


As our card stock is based on English sizes, and the embossing folders are sized to American paper, I end up with a blank strip across the top.  
This is why the ribbon - with a wee hand made tag tucked under the bow.  The stamp is a Stampin' Up one I was given as part of an hostess gift years ago, stamped in Moonlight White ink.


Here is a close up of the original panel, which has a lovely embossed texture.

I am linking this to:

Thanks for visiting - I love seeing you have visited, and I am encouraged by any comments left.
May your day be blessed.
Posted by at 31 comments:
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