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Sunday, May 10, 2015

Trees

Just a quick post for me today :) I recently won the fabulous 'trees 22101' from QKR Stamps. I so love nature and somehow silhouette tree stamps grab me every time, so very versatile for backgrounds or like I have done today, standing proud on their own.

I am just about to return to the UK for my annual visit to see family after being in Saudi for the last 10 months and so this card will be part of a letter I will be sending my Mum, the last letter of this tour.  I know she will be so excited to receive it and also with the news inside of my date of arrival and suggestions of wee outings we can take together :)

I added a sentiment by Ansel Adams to the image and printed it. Next I chalked the background with shades of green and, using black embossing powder picked out some of the main areas so I could get a really dark black textured effect without changing the image.  Normally I do this with rubber stamps and this was the first time trying it with a digital image.  Not easy :) and my poor eyes by the end were totally struggling.
Here is a close up of the sentiment I added
With that done I then set about sorting the mounts for the card.  The base mount is Papermania paper which I then place on black.  For the ribbon I rubber stamped a With Love sentiment and embossed it to with black embossing powder to secure it and stop it smudging.  I have not stamped on ribbon before so this was a bit of fun and something I think will come in handy again.  The ribbon was white organza which I coloured with my green Promarker.
Time to get the sewing machine out, something else new for me, only done this once before.  Yep today is a day of experimentation I think lol.  Using silver thread I sewed the green burlap and the ribbon with the lime green lace underneath.
I added 3 three buttons and a black butterfly cut from Spellbinder - Les Papillions 2. With that all completed I then moved onto the inside of the card, again using the Papermania Paper for the back and a light green mulberry paper for the writing area. Both sections were also mounted on black to match the front of the card.  The final touch was another black butterfly.
All done and time for a coffee hahahaha

Ingredients:-

  • image - 'trees 22101' from QKR Stamps
  • dp - Papermania
  • dies - Spellbinder - Les Papillions 2, Labels 22 and Grand Squares
  • from my stash - organza ribbon, buttons, chalks, embossing powder and gems.
I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
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Saturday, May 9, 2015

A box for my coloured images

Morning folks.  Just thought I would share something I made for me lol, not something I do very often.  Recently I seem to have coloured in quite a few images and not used them.  The other day I wanted one of them for a card and blow me, could I find them.  They were not where I thought I had left them.  After an hour or two of hunting I did find them with great relief.  Anyway, after the experience I scrapped the idea of making a card and decided to make something to store my coloured images in.  I do have another plan to make an art journal and have been hunting for ways to make the actual journal to put the art work into to, book binding etc.  One of the way I saw was to make a concertina base and then the pages can be attached to each of the slots.  So . . . . . as a practice run I have used this idea to make the insert of a wooden box I have and this will be used to store my loose coloured images.


So much fun and a almost full day project :) :) :)

I started off making the concertina base to fit inside my box

I then added A5 sheets of very stiff card to each groove and then added another layer of card to base so it would glue firmly inside my box.

Talk about working back to front as it was at this point I decided to decorate the box and make it pretty instead of just functional hahahaha.

The box was painted with Gesso and then airbrushed with yellow, green and orange Promarkers to match the image I was going to used and had coloured previously. Next I raked out a sunflower rubber stamp and a couple of quote stamps and embossed with old gold embossing powder.  The same was done for the front piece of card.
To finish off I added ribbon (you can't see it but is is under the lace), lace and pearls.  I do love hidden elements, the sort that don't jump out at you but every now and again, you know they are there but they are confident enough not to have to be in your face so to speak.
A small section of lace was added under the image and a string of pearls too.  I die cut the text 'Coloured Images' which I heat embossed with Old Gold embossing powder. I then sandpapered this to distress it and then added a bit more heat embossing powder, this time Gold Tinsel.  Finally two metal hears were added, one by the image and the other on the front of the box.



I had such a hard time not adding some hand made paper flowers as I so love them but this box needed to be strong and put up with lots of use so I felt adding embellishments that were not flat would end up making it look tatty in no time at all.  Wonder how long it will be before I change my mind and relent hahahaha.

Supplies

  • Image used - Keep The Faith by Ching Chou Kuik available from Sweet Pea Stamps as a rubber stamp.
  • Colour Medium - Faber Castell Polychromos for the image and Promarkers for the background and box
  • From my stash - old wooden box, rubber sunflower stamp and sentiment stamps, lace, pearls, ribbon, embossing powders and metal hearts.
I am entering this box in the following challenges:-
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Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Maltesers

Time for another challenge over at

Challenge 37
Naughty and Nice

Welcome back to the IKEsWORLD challenges :)  do pop on over to IKEsWORLD to join in the challenge, just remember, you must use and IKEsART image to be eligible for the prize.  Why not pop on over to the store too :), Ike produces the most amazing stamps, everything from off the wall to cute and fluffy :) :) :)

Oh I do find Ike's challenges a challenge within themselves hahahaha and this one is no exception :)  I can think of so many things that are naughty and another bunch of things that are nice but when it comes to naughty and nice in one package it is a bit of adult play and chocolate that comes to mind and sticks there.  I pondered over this challenge for ages, hoping to come up with something else but alas the brain was stuck on it's original thought.  Please, don't be offended by this creation, it is made with the best of intentions to fit the challenge and not upset folks :) :)

I have used the image Lust 1 and cropped the image down to just one small area.
Next a simple topper was made to which I added my image and sentiment.  The image was coloured with Faber Castell Polychromos.  To enhance the chocolate theme I added a large chocolate coloured bow and then die cut three cogs, two in the topper card and one in chocolate brown.  The bag has been filled with Maltesers, my hubby's favourite saying as I am giving this to him hahahaha.



Ingredients:-
  • image - Lust 1 by IKEsART
  • colouring medium - Faber Castell Polychromos
  • dies - X-Cut Cogs
  • From my stash - brown ruffled paper, Maltesers, brads


I am entering this project into the following challenges:-

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Monday, May 4, 2015

SPS - Margaret Fae

Sweet Pea Stamps

Today is my day to showcase and image from Sweet Pea Stamps and I have chosen to work with the beautiful image Margaret Fae by Amanda S Byron which is available from the Sweet Pea Store as a rubber stamp.  I have to admit this is not the sort of image I colour but oh what fun I had :) :) :)

To begin with I coloured the image with Faber Castell Polychromos colouring pencils.
 Next it was onto the card, this week I am making an easel card.  My first job was to find a suitable paper to work with.  I don't buy much in the way of design papers preferring wrapping paper and sheet of hand made paper.  I also have a few sheets of the paper often used to wrap flowers in from the florist and it was in that bundle I found just what I was looking for,  As the paper is very thin I then adhered it to some white card stock.
The sections for my card were cut with Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Circles and Grand Circles.
Keeping to the colour pallet of this card I die cut some butterflies from Spellbinders Les Papillions 2 and I chalked them to match my colouring on the digi wings.
 The sentiment was die cut using Tattered Lace Antique Ovals and I added a pink peel off birthday sticker.  Again the sections were coloured with the same chalks as the butterflies.  Liquid pearls were added to finish off.
 Two of the butterflies were used for the card front and the third I attached to my fussy cut image with a piece of wire so it would appear to be flying in the air.  The image and the butterfly were then attached to the card inside in  way that they can fold flat when the card is closed and then stand up at the front of the card when opened up giving a really wonderful 3D effect.
Using Spellbinders Foliage I cut a couple of leaves out of the scraps I had left over from the circle leaf paper covered sections.  Some green natural fibre mesh, a chipboard bird, bow and pearl spray finished off the front of the card.
 And here is the card opened up


Ingredients:-
  • Image -  Margaret Fae by Amanda S Byron 
  • Colouring Medium - Faber Castell Polychromos colouring pencils
  • Dies - Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Circles and Grand Circles, Les Papillions 2 and Foliage I; Tattered Lace Antique Ovals
  • From my Stash - Liquid Pearls, pearl sprays, ribbon, chalks, green mesh, wire
I am entering into the following challenges:-
Thank you for stopping by today and hope you have a happy crafting time ahead of you :) xx

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Sunday, May 3, 2015

Granny Time

Hello folks.  We have another challenge at One Stitch At A Time so how about popping over to see all the fabulous creations by the design team.  The prize this month is an awesome digi pack containing several images and a paper pack too - how cool is that.

Challenge #236

Theme 'Anything Goes with SPECIAL LADY' 

There really are so special ladies in the world, from Mums, sisters, teachers etc and of course Grandmothers.  So my Special Lady creation is for a Granny, Grandmother, Nanna etc. When I saw this digi it just reminded me of those special moments that are shared between the two different generations and last a lifetime :) :) :) The image used on this creation is Granny Time by My Heart Pieces.
I coloured the image with Faber Castell Polychromos 
For the rest of the card I used mauve glitter card and covered the front panel with lace.  Next using Spellbinders Adoring Squares and Sizzix Scalloped Squares I made four small toppers which were mounted with foam tape for added heights. Again using Spellbinders Adorning Squares I cut another mount with the mauve glitter card.  Finally the image was cut with Spellbinders Circles.  Next I added a sentiment using silver peel off stickers - Made for Each Other and added some mauve liquid pearls to the digi area.  The patterned paper is from Papermania and with having wee roses on it I carried this theme forward by adding a small spray of mauve rose buds and some pearls.  A star charm was also added to the flower spray, a bit of fun from me because I often say to folks who do lovely things 'you are a star' :).  To finish off a mauve organza ribbon was added, just for that delicate look.  The inside of the card was a simple die cut - Diesire Enchanted Spring to which I added some more Liquid Pearls.


Ingredients:-
  • Image - Granny Time by My Heart Pieces
  • Colouring medium - Faber Castell Polychromos 
  • Dies - Spellbinders Adoring Squares and Sizzix Scalloped Squares  Spellbinders Circles, Diesire Enchanted Spring to which I added some more Liquid Pearls.
  • From my Stash - ribbon, Liquid Pearls, charm, lace, flowers, peel off sticker words etc.
I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Thanks for looking and hope you have a happy crafting day:)

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Sunday, April 26, 2015

Hope

Sweet Pea Stamps

Today is my day to showcase and image from Sweet Pea Stamps and I have chosen to work with the beautiful image 'Hope' by Rebecca Sinz which is available from the Sweet Pea Store in both rubber and digi.

I have not made any of my candles recently and now seem to be on a bing with them.  I did one a couple of weeks ago, this one today and another one in the pipeline which I am trying to do a video tutorial on - that is a challenge in itself lol.  Anyway, here is todays candle :)

So many folks ask how I do these candles hence the trying to make the video but in the meantime I will do my best to explain the basics.  I start by using temporary adhesive spray on a piece of paper about 220gms in weight and then lay the tissue paper over the top doing my best to avoid any wrinkles.  Next I trim the excess tissue paper off so it will run through my printer with no issues.  To prepare my wrappers I use a template I made of the candle sizes I use regularly.  I then browse through my photos to find a suitable background.  For this wrapper I used two images, the sky was a photo I took in the Maldives on my 25th Wedding Anniversay - a fabulous second honeymoon lol, and for the foreground I used a beach scene taken while lying on my belly to get the rocky outcrop.  Next, in Photoshop, I imported the two images and removed the sections I did not want, here it was all the see and sky from the beach photo so I was only left with the rocky outcrop which I thought would be perfect to place the digi on.  Next I removed all the background from the digi so I was left with the equivalent of a .png image which I could then hand colour in line with the Terms of Use of most of the image we use these days.

I use crayons to colour my candle wrapper images as I find they work the best, this one was coloured with Faber Castelly Polychromos
And here is the image fully coloured.
Next I tried something new and tried rubber stamping a gold border, sentiment and a floral design to represent stars.  The sentiment worked fine and the flower stars were not to bad but the border was a disaster.
When working with candles it is imperative to think of fire safety, I would so hate to be the cause of a fire in somebody's home from one of my candles, so I have a couple of produces which are totally safe for decorating.  One is a gold dust and the other is a water based varnish.  To cover up the rubbish gold border I used the gold dust and tried to get a a vibrant distressed look.  This was applied with a soft sponge for the top and then I used a wide paintbrush to sweep around the upper section of the wrapper. To balance the gold out I added some more to the rocky outcrop at the bottom of the candle. Finally a quick layer of the candle water based varnish to add a shine and all done :)


Ingredients:-
  • Image - 'Hope' by Rebecca Sinz
  • Colouring Medium - Faber Castelly Polychromos
  • From my Stash - gold dust, candle varnish and the candle.
I am entering into the following challenges:-

Thank you for stopping by today and hope you have a happy crafting time ahead of you :) xx

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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Mermaid 3

Time for another challenge over at

Challenge #36
No Patterned Paper

Welcome back to the IKEsWORLD challenges :)  do pop on over to IKEsWORLD to join in the challenge, we would love to see you.  Why not pop on over to the IKEsART  store too :), Ike produces the most amazing stamps, everything from off the wall to cute and fluffy :) :) :)

Oh I am in my element with this challenge as I find using bought design papers so very hard to work with and often end up not using the packs I have bought and making my own.  Now for this challenge I don'e even have to do that, no stress as to feeling guilty for not using the store bought papers either. Last week I had my first go at mixed media in what I think is the truest sense of the word for me.  I often use different mediums for colouring and then use lace etc on my creations but I don't tend to make textured background in the way I have here, tending to stick to my dies and layering.  Please be gently with me :) :) :) Ike has recently drawn the most awesome mermaid, a mixture of her beautiful female image which I love to bits and some fantasy thrown in there for good measure.  She is called Mermaid 3.

I started off colouring the image with my Faber Castell Polychromos
 Next, for the background I used one of the fish dies from the Joy Crafts Fishing Fun, waves from Lea'bilities Seashell l & Waves and Marianne Design Craftables Lavender.  Each of the die cuts were cut twice and the two pieces glued together for added depth.  I cut up some shell metal braiding I had and had a brain wave for the text :) :) Alphabet Pasta hahahahaha.  A little Flower Soft was also added and then it was time for a well earned coffee (to drink not paint with)!!!
 Out with the white acrylic paint and all the background was covered. I had, right at the start, placed the image on some stiff white card and you can see the white paint has made it lift away a wee bit but I think this will dry flat - fingers crossed.
 I so love using my Promarkers and airburshing and while hunting for my silver to use for a bit of final touch up I changed my mind on using regular Promarkers and opted instead for using three of the metallic ones.  Alas I could not find the silver, I think I must have killed it and thrown it out.  Better put that on my wish list for replacing :)
 Totally chuffed with this and just loving the pearl effect the Metallic Promarkers have given the background.
 Before placing the image on the book I am altering I added some lace to cover the spiral and also some on the right hand side too.
 And there we go - all done.
I did add strings of pearls to the top and bottom of the image and a spray of pearls over the Lavender die to finish off. To protect the image I gave it a couple of overcoats of acrylic spray.



Ingredients:-
  • Image - Mermaid 3 by IKEsART
  • Colouring medium - Faber Castell Polychromos and Metallic Promarkers
  • Dies - Joy Crafs Fishing Fun, waves from Lea'bilities Seashell l & Waves and Marianne Design Craftables Lavender
  • From my stash - lace, pearls, shells and Flower Soft
I am entering this project into the following challenges:-
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