MSSC#78 - Christmas Tree Lane

Greetings from an increasingly warm New Zealand. 


Yay for summer heading our way :-) - for all that I have managed quite a lot of time in the studio, and lots of cards completed.  Oh, and some time in the garden too.


This card was one that fought me all the way - the colours changed several times, the texture on the stripe likewise, and the image I had to print twice because I made a major mistake in the colouring etc, etc..... enough said!!  But I am pleased with the end result.

The image is from Priscillastyles Store and is the Christmas Tree set, which you can buy four images for $US 3.00

The red background (which has a very fine gold sparkle in the card) was textured using the Cuttlebug Branches embossing folder, the ovals cut using Nestabilites Classic Ovals die and Classic Scalloped Oval die.

 A gold pen was run around the inside of the die, and the blue ink sponged around the trees before the die was removed. 

The image (Christmas Tree Lane) was then painted with Twinkling H2O's, and had Kindy Glitz added for some sparkle. Kindy Glitz was also added to the scallops on the outer oval. 

The lace was layered over some gold card - it is very old lace from my late Mother-in-Law's stash -  then I added a couple of gold punched Christmas trees for a final detail.

This card is being entered in the:

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #78

Our Daily Bread Designs Shining The Light Challenge # 35 - your choice - sparkle, dies or texture

Craft Your Passion #30 - Anything Goes

Incy Wincy Designs - Anything Goes

Wild Orchid Challenge #9 - Classic Christmas

Lexi's Creations#25 - Anything Goes

One Stitch at a Time #37 - Christmas

Thank you for visiting, and I treasure any comments you leave - they really make my day.

Flower Power

Hello and thank you for calling by to visit again.


I needed a card for and eight year old girl, and decided to use this lovely image that Cora from Digital Two for Tuesday put on her site some time ago.

 

I coloured this with chalks, using the blender pen in some areas, and added some 'jewels' - what self respecting girl dressing to go out would be without them! 

The image was then layered onto coloured cardstock, and mounted onto the base.  Then came the question of an additional embellishment and trying to find the right coloured ribbon was almost impossible, so I went with this irrediscent ribbon and made a double bow.  The sheen and glimmer on this echoed the jewels perfectly, and to finish it I added a jewel to the centre of the bow.

The green base is quite a harsh colour, so to soften it I sponged a mid-green around the edge, which really gave the whole a very 'finished' look that I was pleased with.

I am linking this to the following challenges:

Kenny K's Krafty Girlz Challenges- Anything goes

Sentimental Sundays Challenge #27 - Birthdays

Crafty Calendar First Birthday Challenge - birthdays 

2 Sisters Challenge #11 - No designer papers

Crafty Purple Frog - Anything Goes

No Time To Stamp - Clean and Simple

Thanks so much for calling by, and do feel free to comment - I love seeing that you have visited and and reading your notes.

May your day be blessed.

MSSC#77 - Floral Birthday

Greetings again - it is so great that you call by and visit me here.


The card I am featuring today I made for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #77, featuring this sketch .


                                      
I started out with some background paper from Christina Re that I had been given some time ago, and decided on my colour scheme from that.  I loved the paper so much that I kept the central feature fairly contained to show off the design.

Although it is not easily apparent, the stamens in the paper (which has a lovely rich sheen to it IRL) are pale blue, and the blue card I used is an almost identical colour.  The central panel is stamped with the head of a flower from the Ornate Flowers clear stamp set by Paper Studio.  I inked it using the 'rock and roll' technique using the Memento inks Desert Sand and Rich Cocoa, and distressed and sponged the edges of that panel with the paler ink. 

I chose the double sided ribbon as the brown fitted so well, and the pink added just enough contrast to balance things out  with the pink flowers, which were a packet I had had on hand for ages.... I really am starting to use some of my stash!!  There were enough flowers in varying sizes to add some real interest, and for the main feature I layered three. Each flower then had a wee pink dimensional flower added which is quite shiney and really lifts the whole card.

The final feature was the wee tag and sentiment tucked in under the big flower.  The edges of that were also distressed and sponged.

I am linking this to the following challenges:

2 Sisters Challenge #10 - Anything Goes

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #77

I Did It Challenge Blog - anything goes

Aifactorychallenges - Blue and Brown

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #7 - Anything Goes

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge - Anything Goes But Buttons and Bows

Thank you for calling by, I do treasure your visits and comments.

May your day be blessed.

Flowers and a Butterfly

Good day to you all - it is lovely to have you visit again.


I managed some time in the studio yesterday - as a break from gardening, now the spring has finally arrived - and I reverted to conventional stamps again - in particular my Layers of Color stamps, which I have sorely neglected recently.


This first one was an experiment with a non-conventional shape - I used my largest scalloped oval Nestie for the base, and then layered onto that two plain ovals, in the two largest sizes I have.  The smaller of the two I sponged before removing the die, and then stamped it using an Acanthus leaf which was painted with twinkling H2O paints.  
The flowers were from the Nature Walk set and stamped onto another piece of card stock, painted, cut out and then layered onto the oval and a chocolate brown pearl was added to the centre.

I assembled the whole, adding a small bow as a feature. I then creased the top of a large (matching) scalloped oval and glued the two together using the top section above the crease. I discovered that when you cut and layer two scalloped ovals, you cannot flip one over and have them line up!!  

The second card I went with a conventional shape, but used some background card that I made some time ago using the 'spray and smash' technique.  I mounted the two pieces on different coloured card stock.  

The butterfly, from the Joyful Noise set,  was stamped on another
piece of card, gold embossed and painted with twinkling H2O's - I love those paints!! I chose  colours that contrasted with the background to make it a real feature of the card.


I assembled the card, adding ribbon on three corners of the layers, including a tiny bow in one corner.


There were frosted green pearls added to two corners, and the sentiment was gold embossed, but was quite discreet so that it does not take the eye away from the butterfly.  Finally I added a rhinestone 'trail' to the butterfly.

Two totally different cards but I was pleased with them both.


Thank for calling by, and I treasure the comments you leave.


May your day be blessed.

Another Dragonfly

Greetings again from a lovely sunny spring day.


I liked the MMSC #76 so much that I tried again.... and again I used the dragonfly from Priscillastyles... The base paper is one I made myself using the dragonfly image repeatedly - what I had in mind and what I ended up with when I finished with the computer  (or should I say that the computer finished with me?) were two different things, but I got the creativity going and chalked the background and then sprayed it with silver Glimmermist. I am very happy with that result!

The main image was cut around with a Nestie called Lacey Squares,  it was sponged with the Pearlescence Orchid ink before the die was removed.  I then backed this with some blue card that matched the base. 
                                                                                                    
The dragonfly was coloured with chalks and then  kindyglitz was added to the wings for some sparkle and shimmer.
I had cut a second set of wings which received the same treatment, before being adhered with dimensional glue. For some reason the wings curled as they dried, which gave extra dimension.

This panel was mounted over a pale mauve one which had Happy Birthday randomly stamped over it.  


The ribbon and pearls were added and I had a card completed which  I am very pleased with.

I am linking this to

Midnight Madness Challenge #76

Stampin Royalty Challange #42 -Ribbons

Southern Girls challenge #4 - glitter

Thank you for calling by and for your comments - they make my day. 

What happened??

Greetings to all my visitors - I always appreciate it when I see you have called.


When I started this card for the Midnight Madness Challenge #76 I had in mind a very feminine card, following this option.....

but ended up with a very clean cut masculine card instead.  I don't really know what happened - it seemed to develop a mind of it's own.

I was using the dragonfly image from PriscillaStyles Store and printed it twice, cutting out just the wings from the second image.  The image was coloured with chalks and then I layered Dimensional Glue over all of the image(s) to give some sheen and depth to them, and mounted the second set of wings over the uncut image, which had been cut out using a Nestabilies Labels 14 die.

The edges were sponged with an aqua ink, and then mounted on another die cut of navy blue card which had been trimmed really close to the edge.

This was mounted onto a panel that had been layered with a punched metallic sheet  (the 'waste' from sequin manufacture).  I then used my faux nail-heads to add the detail on each corner of that panel and the edges of the card.

The dp on the base of the card is a pale blue with some stripes on it (unfortunately the strong light I photographed in 'washed out' this detail) - they are feathered stripes and give an illusion/suggestion of water - most appropriate as we often see dragonflies over water here.

I am linking this card to:

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #76

Tuesday Throwdown challenge #22 - Anything Goes

Pear Tree Designs #22- Free For All

Craftalicious Challenge # 10 - Anything Goes

One Stitch At A Time #35 - Embellish it

Thank you for calling, and commenting - your comments are treasured

May you day be blessed

Anniversary with bling

Thank you for calling in - I am away from home again, so I am going to share a card I made in September.


I love the quote that I used here, and when I came across it again recently I decided to use it for this card.  I typed it up on the computer, and used two fonts to give it some drama, and then sized it to fit on a Nestabilities Labels 14 (size 4) cut out.  After cutting the quote out, I sponged it while still in the die, using Memento inks, Danube and sky blues, cantaloupe and dandelion yellows. I stamped the sentiment in tuxedo black and cut it using the smallest die in the set, also sponging it before the die was removed.

The card base was white, and the blue is a piece of laser cut dp that I had on hand {a RAK from my neighbour :-)} and has a lovely sheen to it.


After layering the cutouts, I added the flowers with a pearl in the centers, and the flourishes in the bling and the card was complete.


I just wish that all my cards came together as quickly and easily as this one!!




I am linking this to: 

Just Add Ink Challenge - Just add blue

Thanks for calling by and I treasure your comments.


I trust you have a blessed day.