Bluebells for Dad!

A little late blogging this card; to be honest I had forgotten that I had made it in between my other projects!
I made this card for my husband on Father's Day. I started with a 7x7 craft card blank from Anne Marie Designs. I have created the main topper using a large square of stamping card and then added layers of ink and stamps. The first layer was added using Pumice Stone and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink lightly across the whole panel. To darken the corners I have added Faded Jeans to the edges. I have then used the 2nd generation of Pumice Stone ink to stamp a script stamp across the whole panel. Using the 3rd generation of ink this time and Versacolour Blue Lagoon ink, I have stamped an Indigoblu flourish randomly across the whole panel as well.

Focusing on the top layers now, I have used the same Indigoblu flourish along the edges of the card, stamped this with Versafine and then heat embossed with gold superfine powder.
The painted bluebells were created with Sheena Douglass' Perfect Partners stamps. I have stamped the leaves with Colorbox Evergreen ink and the flower heads in Versafine Blue Lagoon directly onto the background card. Using inks in the same tones (Bundled Sage and Faded Jeans Distress Ink) this time from a tile, I have 'painted' the bluebell heads and leaves to give the image some substance.
The bluebells at the front of the card have been stamped onto white card and die cut using Sheena's matching Perfect Partners' Dies. I have cut three sets of bluebells and used the same inks as before to colour-in. The sentiment has been cut using Spellbinders Fancy Labels 8 and embossed on the edges with the same gold powder as before. The sentiment itself is from Clarity Stamps.

 

A Wedding Present and Memory Piece

In the same vein and theme as my previous card, I also wanted to make something for my friend which would last a little longer. I used the same colours and set about making something 'arty'!The base shapes are 2 large MDF hearts from Indigoblu which I have based with Indigoblu white Gesso. I have then mixed by own acrylic paint until I achieved a lemony colour. Still not happy with that, (as it looked a little flat) I took a chance and added a layer Daler-Rowney Interference Shimmering Gold. Instant shine and variable tones! Once dry I have used a script stamp to stamp across both hearts horizontally with Colourbox Ochre ink. The script has then been heat embossed with clear powder. At this point I wanted to add another element to the background, but I admit I was stuck as to what and how. I tried using a range of silver/grey inks, but all appeared to dark or too light! In the end, and quite by accident, I had a go with stamping the Indigoblu Small Flourish stamp in Colourbox Charcoal ink straight onto one of the hearts. Thinking it too dark, I went to wipe it off with a baby wipe, but was then in a panic when a grey echo of the stamp remained! Taking a step back, I realised I liked the effect...

Before adding the top layers of decoration, I wanted to add more texture to the heart and make it more 'vintage'.I decided to add some Inka Gold all around the piece as a whole for a distressed and 'non-perfect' look. Next I wanted to weave together some flowers and gems to create a bouquet along one edge. This took quite some time to get right, but I was happy with the final effect. The lemon flowers were easy enough to find, but I had to create the greyer ones by adding light grey ink to ivory flowers. I also decided to make my own decorative pins using coloured beads and crystals just to add a few interesting touches. Once the flowers were mounted I have used strings of Hobby House pearls across both the hearts. On top of this, I have used Spellbinders Ornate Oval dies to cut and mount a picture of the happy couple (taken from social media) and a sentiment that I love from Lavinia stamps at the top. The date was printed from Serif CraftArtist and cut using a Bigz die (Estate). The final touch was a set of charms (wedding themed) hanging from a bow. The ribbon is yellow seam binding from Creative Expressions along with some organza ribbon from my stash. To present the gift I had to make a box, print a name panel and cut 4 corners from a Tattered Lace die. I was worried that my work was a little old-fashioned, but I'm pleased to advise it was liked!

Love is...

This card was made for a friend's wedding. The wedding was to be a clean and simple affair, with lemon and grey as the colours. I have tried to echo that in this card.
The base is an 8x8 scalloped card blank, I have matted and layered with silver/grey card, yellow centura pearl and also white centura pearl. It is difficult to see from the image here, but the sentiment is sat behind the large white embossed layer. To create this effect I have measured the white card top panel, cut the aperture out (Spellbinders Vintage Labels 2) and then embossed the whole panel with an Embossilicious  folder (Regency Swirls). This has been mounted with large decoupage pads onto the lemon layer. I have used the Justrite Grateful Heart Vintage Label 2 Stamp Set to stamp the inside shape and chosen a sentiment from the same set for the centre. All stamped elements were heat embossed with detail powder. I have used the same dies again to cut a border for around the aperture. The flowers have been cut from Sue Wilson's Quilled Blooms set and the bow is from Sue Wilson's Filigree Bow set. I have used the same 3 colours throughout the card, bows and pearls for continuity. The faux stitching has been drawn by hand.

Birthday Sweet Poppy Butterfly Card

This card was made with a Sweet Poppy stencil for the main image. I have used an 8x8 card blank and matted and layered centura pearl purple and white card stock. One of the layers has been embossed with a rose-patterned Embossilicious folder for some added texture. The main panel has been made using Sweet Poppy translucent paste through the filigree stencil, and then removing the stencil to apply some super fine glitters. Once you tap the glitters off, they become mixed into another combined colour. I have used this new colour to make the best wishes sentiment, also from Sweet Poppy. The final touches are some flowers from the Heartfelt Creations 'Sun Kissed Fleur' range, stamped onto shades of purple vellum and heat embossed with Wow white detail embossing powder. In the middle of the flowers I have some purple stickles to draw the eye in. A few gems to balance the card and all done.

Tonic Verona Chest - Country Garden Theme

It's been a while, I admit, since I have added anything to my blog! I have been busy doing a larger project than my normal cards...
I decided that I wanted to try and make a piece of art etc. for my mother-in-law's birthday. I love making cards, but they are only kept for a short time, so I thought I would try something that could hang around for a bit longer!
I decided to transform one of the Tonic Chests called 'Verona' using a theme that suited the recipient: in this case 'country garden'. The chest comes flat-packed and you assemble it yourself, choosing the configuration that suits you. Once I had done this, I used some Polyfiller to fill some of the gaps that are visible and sanded this down afterwards. I knew that I wanted a garden theme, so I also wanted a gentle paint colour to match. I chose a sage acrylic paint and painted all surfaces/drawers etc. The next step for me was decorating the panels on the drawers. I had chosen a Papermania paper craft collection called 'Nature's Gallery'. There are some lovely subtle colour tones as well as drawings, birds etc., so I chose the paper pieces I liked and adhered to the drawer fronts (I distressed the edges using Tea Dye Distress Ink). On half of the drawer fronts I used the Tonic die Avante! to add the brown filigree effect. The bureau handles are also from Tonic and give a worn brassy look. They have been applied using a hand drill and brads that come with them. Finally the butterflies were all cut from the paper collection, shaped and then dipped into UTEE using my Melt Pot. The butterflies come out in a solid plastic and maintain their shape this way ( I like using lots of textures). I have dotted them around the chest to tie it all together.

My next task was to make the painted chest look less 'perfect'. I used Treasure Gold wax and rubbed it all over the sides and top of the chest. This gave a more distressed look. To decorate the chest, I  choose a scene for each of the main  panels. Each panel had a background added to it using base papers from the Papermania set with distress ink to the edges. Over the top of this, I have stamped IndigoBlu's 'Large Flourish' randomly all over, using Spun Sugar Distress Ink for a subtle look. The main flower image is from a Just Rite stamp set 'Grateful Heart Vintage Labels Two' and has been stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia ink and embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder. I have cut the layers out using the matching dies and coloured the flowers using Spectrum Noir pencils (31,30,36). These layers have been raised with foam pads and some Tattered Lace foliage in various shades of green added underneath. I have also added some more of the solid butterflies and a little ladybird. The bottom sentiment panel is from an Artistic Stamper set, 'Botanical Plate 3', and has been cut and layered using Spellbinders Labels One and Decorative Labels One dies.
The other side panel starts off in the same way, but this time I have used the IndigoBlu stamp, 'Elizabeth Bennet'. Again she has also been embossed, and I have stamped the flower sections again, shaping and applying them using Pinflair. The sentiment panel is an IndigoBlu stamp from 'Enjoy Life'.

The back section was easily the panel that took the longest! I divided the panel into two main areas and needed to try and link the two. The top section I wanted to use some quotes for, so I chose one from IndigoBlu and one from Inkilicious.

In the background of the whole section I have stamped some of the background stamps from the Heartfelt Creations 'Sun Kissed Fleur' range, and coloured the foliage that will show through using Bundled Sage and Crushed Olive Distress Inks. The raised flowers have all been made using the same collection. I have stamped the flowers in Versafine, embossed them and then coloured using inks. I used Milled Lavender and Dusty Concord Distress Inks, with Ochre and Amber colours for the middles (Colour Box Cat's Eyes). They have then been cut using the matching die, shaped for definition and applied with Pinflair. The window has been cut with a Spellbinders' D-Lites die and mounted onto co-ordinating paper. I have added acetate to the window panes and created a scene in the background with a Hobby Art Scene-It set. The scene has been coloured with Distress Markers. The tiny flowers have been cut using the Sizzix Susan's Garden 'Yarrow' dies with some green foliage behind to create a window box.

The little envelope has been cut using a Marianne Creatables die and the quote is from Hobby Art. The gardening tools are actually from a large Sizzix Sizzlits set, which I have cut from shrink plastic, coloured and heated. The large panel with the willow tree has been made using a Sweet Poppy stencil. I have used Imagination Crafts' Sparkle Medium in Welsh Gold to give a magical look. There are also stamped and embossed Lavinia Fairies in the background, and some Jones' Tones glitter dotted around to make fairy dust. The sentiment is also from Lavinia and has been matted and layered using various Spellbinders' dies. I have continued the flowing flowers around onto the tiny side top panels as well.

Focussing on the front of the box now, I have used some more of the backing papers to decorate the top shelf. I have then used lots of paper flowers and created a bouquet for the centre piece. To tie-in with the brass handles, I have used lengths of jewellery chain and added some beads and charms to decorate. The flowers on the top hide the glue and create the 'swags'. Some lace to hide the joins in the chest and I was done!

Brushos First Experimentation...

 During April's Lisa Baker class, we had the chance to experiment with Brushos. We tried different methods of application to see the effects created. The card to my right was created using watercolour card for the main panel, adding a few shakes of Brushos and then spritzing the card with water. Where the colour became too intense, this was blotted with kitchen towel. I then used a script stamp with brown ink to create interest to the background. To make it faded, I used the second generation of ink. The butterflies were created using Brushos on a separate piece of card, but allowing the pigment to really explode making the colours more intense. Once the colours were dry, I have stamped butterflies over the top and cut them out. A sentiment was added, some glitter, complementary card stock and voila!

 

The card to my left has been made again with Brushos, but this time blowing the pigment across the paper. Using watercolour card again for the main image, we have added water directly to the paper along one side. The main larger area of was then masked off before sprinkling the pigment on top. Before it had a chance to dry, we have used a straw and blown the wet pigment across the page, into the previously masked off area. Depending on how hard you blew, you achieved different effects. By using the mask at the beginning we have created lots of colour on one side of the card and just the blown streaks across the other. I believe the stamps we used were Stampendous stamps, but don't quote me on that!

Hobby House Wedding Couple

This is a card I have made for a friend's wedding. I have used a 7x7 pearl card blank for the base and added a craft card layer. On top of this is have used papers from First Edition pad 'Isabelle'. All the layers on the card have had the edges distressed with Tea Dye Distress Ink. Across the middle of the card I have added 2 layers of Duchess Lace from Creative Expressions. The main topper is from the Hobby House Sylvia Zet collection - 'Love Me Do'. I have cut the image out using Spellbinders dies Labels Two and also created a matt with the same dies. There are 2 panels behind the topper and these have been created using more papers from the First Edition pad and cut with Scalloped Labels One. They have been matted onto Decorative Labels One shapes cut from craft card. At the top and bottom of the card I have edged the paper with a gorgeous cream woven style ribbon. The flowers and pearl pins were from my stash; I have picked colours from the main image and built it all up from there. The little sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and the foliage has been created using Tattered Lace dies. Again, a box is needed for this one!

New Baby Girl Card

This card is based on a 6x6 card blank. I have used Kanban papers for the background along with some coordinating pink pearl and yellow card. The central image is a Hobby House topper from the Wee Stamps by Sylvia Zet collection called 'It's a Girl'. I have distressed the edges with Scattered Straw Distress Ink to bring in more of the yellow colour. The flowers are also from Hobby House, the ribbon and gems from my stash. Behind the main image is a rectangular panel, again backed with coordinating papers, and stitched all around using a sewing machine. The border die cut is from Tattered Lace and the Flourish is a Spellbinders D-Lites die. I had to make a box for this one as it would not fit in an envelope!

Watercolour Tonal Florals and Butterflies

Another simple design to follow the same theme as the last one. Difficult to see from my photograph I admit, but the large background is watercolour card distressed with Dusty Concord and Milled Lavender Distress Inks. I have also used a swirly stencil over the top in tones of the same colours to make a feint pattern. The main panel Indigoblu 'Summer Lovin'' stamp has been stamped with Versafine black ink and embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Clear Sparkle Embossing Powder. I have picked out the different flowers and coloured them with the same colours using Distress Markers this time (with water, as my watercolour medium.) Once dry I have used Stickles in the flower centres. The sentiment is also from Indigoblu and the different butterflies are from The Artistic Stamper 'Encyclopaedia Botanica' plate. The butterflies have been watercoloured in the same way as the flowers, cut out and then made '3D' with Pinflair gel. The card has been layered onto an Anne Marie Designs black 6x6 blank and some small Perfect Pearls dots finish two edges off. I am not used to using such subtle colours, but I quite like the effect on this one...
I am going to enter this into Lisa Baker's Challenge 'Spring Watercolours'.

Flowers and Fairies...

You know when you buy a stamp plate and you love it, but you haven't used it for ages? I am like that with all my Crafters' Companion fairies stamps. I decided that I liked this little fairy and wanted an excuse to use her on a project! The fairy, sentiments, butterfly and flowers are all from the 'Lavender Fairy' plate. The flowers were tricky to line up and overstamp, but I think they came out ok in the end. I think if I had used a stamp without a definite line at the bottom it would have been much easier! The outlines were all embossed with black detail powder and the colour was applied using watercolour pencils. A touch of Hunkydory Diamond Sparkles 'Fairy Daydreams' finished the card off, along with some stickles in the lavender. I will enter this card in Lisa Bakers' challenge this month - 'Spring Watercolours'.

Just a Line to Say...

This card was made for my brother-in-law. I find mens' cards really tricky, as there seems to be certain stereotypes, but not all men fit into these! This card has a base made from two 6x6 craft card blanks made into a gatefold card. I have used a Crafter's Companion CD Rom - Beatrix Potter's Jeremy Fisher. The decoupage has been printed from the disc and then layered up with Pinflair. I have also made the images nest into a Spellbinders die in some complimentary green. The backing papers have been printed from the CD and again layered onto complimentary cardstock. The 'wheat' is a Spellbinders D'Lites die and the foliage is made from Tattered Lace and Marianne Creatables dies. The sentiment is from the Crafter's Companion Jeremy Fisher stamp plate. On the reverse of the card I have used the CD to print a matching 'insert'.

Textured Backgrounds and Pastel Blossoms

The focus of this card is a Stampendous stamp. In our monthly class Lisa gave us free reign with lots of papers, stamps and other crafty bits and bobs. The flowers were coloured here with Spectrum Noir Aquamarkers and a mask was then applied over the petals. The lace background is an Indigoblu 'Itsy Bitsy Background' stamp. I have also used the same stamp on the yellow side panels to tie it all in. Less is more... A simple piece of ribbon and some Card Candi finish the project off.

Fairy Romance with added Sparkle!

I was actually really pleased with how this card turned out for me! When I started, it just seemed a rather busy mess, but a little more play and I got what I wanted. The 6x6 craft card blank has been layered with coordination card stock in matching colours to the inks I chose: Distress Inks - Vintage Photo, Scattered Straw and Spiced Marmalade.The main panel is matt cardstock, coloured using layers of ink graduating in colour. I have then taken a script stamp and stamped over the lot in the palest of the inks. On top of this I have stencilled through the Sweet Poppy stencil (dandelion like) in various layers of ink and again tried to graduate the colour. The mushrooms are a Lavinia Stamp, as is the fairy couple. I have gone over the fairies with a layer of Wink of Stella (clear) and have grounded the fairies by creating a small hill using torn paper as a stencil. The top sparkly dandelions are from the same beautiful stencil, but this time pasting some Champagne Sparkle Medium through it; I love this colour, more subtle then gold, but still a great feature. The card has been finished with a Crafter's Companion Cute Companions sentiment stamp put on a Spellbinders Basic Oval. The dark brown matt is a D-lites die. The small brown pearls bring the eye in. Overall I think I like mixing up lots of layers and textures!
Thanks for looking!

Textured Backgrounds

These cards were inspired by the previous post. The card sizes are 6x6 and the blanks are from Anne Marie Designs. The front stamped panel has been created by using the Imagination Craft's Stencil 'Apple Blossom' and gently adding the colour 'creamy brown' from a Cat's Eye pad though it. On top of that I have randomly stamped the Indigoblu 'Dinky Flourish' stamp in Distress Ink (bundled sage) all over the sides. The butterfly is from Penny Black and has been randomly stamped again before being heat embossed with Cosmic Shimmer sparkle detail powder. The same has been done with the sentiment, which is from the Crafter's Companion plate Beatrix Potter - The Tale of Mrs Tiggywinkle. All the butterflies have been 'painted' using the inks. I have also stamped the butterfly again, embossed and cut it out. I have shaped it and raised it using Pinflair to give some dimension. The backing paper depicts the same colours and is from the pad 'Isabelle' by First Edition. Some raffia and some wooden embellishments finish the front. The inside has had a very faint version of some of the same initial inky layers applied.

 

Inky Layered Backgrounds

The theme of Lisa Baker's class this month was 'Inky Backgrounds'. This was a fab class with loads of ink, stamps and stencils all out on a table for us to play with.
The starting point for me was picking two random colours that you would not normally use together. I chose pink and blue shades of Distress Inks. We chose a stencil (I used inky splats) and lightly applied the inks through this into matt white card. On top of this a black embossed butterfly was used again in a random manner, along with a sentiment. Although it is hard to see here, I have also used the same colours of ink to 'paint-in' some of the sections of the butterfly. The slightly lined texture effect was from an Indigoblu stamp. On the inside I used the same stencil, but have been a little more subtle with the application... The finished card is 6x6 in size with a few pearls added.

The card below was also done in the same class, but changing the way we make the background this time. The centre panel is thick watercolour card. We have used small acrylic blocks, added some ink directly onto them, spritzed with water until the ink blends and then 'stamped' the blocks straight onto the paper. There is no 'right' way to do it and in theory you could use any shaped object to stamp, or if preferred, the specially designed solid shaped stamps you can buy. My first go here; trying to get used to it! The flowery image is from Penny Black and I think the word was from Indigoblu. Placing the sentiment was tricky: you could not just stamp across the papers as the matting and layering made a very uneven surface and also gets in the way. It was a case of placing the word stamp on the main panel, leaving a little over-hanging. At this point you then place this panel in the place that you want it on the main card. Once the layering is done, but NOT stuck to the card blank, you hover over the card aligning the word, then carefully remove the panel and stamp. A bit frustrating, but quite cool!

 
 

Spring Flowers With Love

Moving away from Christmas into spring now!
These cards have been made using 7x7 white Centura Pearl cardstock. I have then chosen some backing papers from the First Edition pad 'Dreamcatcher' and some co-ordination cardstock to pick out certain colours.
The first two layers are co-ordination card to which I have added a 'dot-dash' pattern using a Micron pen. I have then cut a piece of white Centura Pearl card to fit inside this and using Spellbinders D-Lites flower dies, cut several shapes. Some more Dreamcatcher card has been added behind the cut -out flowers to show through to the front. I have also cut several more Spellbinders flowers in all sorts of co-ordinating card, embossed them to make them 'pop' and added them randomly. The little butterflies are actually from a Card-io set called 'Sketchy Spring Floral' and I have added little 'tails' to them. Finally, the sentiment is from one of the Flower Fairies stamps from Crafter's Companion. I am going to enter this card in Lisa Baker's blog challenge - 'Anything Goes'.