Geraldine the Giraffe

Good afternoon all. 

Recently I made this card for a friend's teenage son. Unfortunately, 

I sent it off in the mail before uploading the photos in my

computer, not realising I had had my camera on the 

wrong setting, resulting in the blurry result...apologies.

I do not have any giraffe patterned paper or embossing folder, so I 

drew a giraffe pattern freehand on a piece of 'thickish' cardstock,

then cut it out with a craft knife...phew!! I then used my 'stencil'

to emboss a piece of ordinary cardstock for the top half of the 

base panel (it is very faint). I then used my stencil to 

sponge black paint onto the lower half of the panel.

I stamped my giraffe with Versamark ink and embossed it with

black powder. I then used a rectangle die to cut the stamped panel,

and while it was still in the die I sponged the panel with Distress

Ink, thus creating a clear border inside the matting layer.

I adore giraffes, and I have named this one Geraldine...

I know, I know, not very original.

Challenges I would like to enter

Artsystamper #16 - 'Its A Guy Thing'

The Paper Girls #200 - 'All About Boys'

Image - Stampworld Giraffe

Sentiment - Peel-off sticker

Dies - Spellbinders Rectangles (long)

Inks - Versamark; Distress Ink Tea Dye

Twine is from my junk stash

On this very cold, grey, and miserable day I will wish you all well and safe.

Hugs,

Jennifer.  x

Time and Tide

Oh dear, I think I am like a bus...nothing for ages, then two 

posts in one evening.

After several gloriously spring-like days here in the Hunter Valley, the 

weather today is definitely reminding us that winter arrived last week. It

is freezing, raining, and the daylight has been very weak all day. Therefore,

I had trouble getting any decent light to take my photos.

Regular visitors to my blog probably know that very recently I have become

 interested in Mixed Media. I guess it is just part of us evolving in our craft.

However, I will always love creating my cute and clean cards too. Let's just 

say I have added ''another string to my bow''.

So far I have made four Mixed Media cards, but today I decided to try a 

canvas. My few efforts at M. M. are obviously still very "beginner 

standard", but I guess we all have to start somewhere, and the whole 

process is a learning curve. I can't believe how I have changed...the more

messy my hands and desk become, the happier I am...What Fun!!!

This is a small canvas, but even then I procrastinated for an age before

I began...once started though, I really got into the swing of things. 

Previously, I have always created a card/project, then gone looking

for challenges to suit. However, this time there were several challenges

for which I created my canvas. 

This is Tim Holtz's Umbrella Man. I die-cut him from dark grey 

cardstock, ran a narrow line of Brushed Pewter around his edges,

then applied only one coat of clear embossing powder so he had a  

very textured surface. I coloured a silver heart brad with three 

coats of a black Promarker, then applied three coats of 

clear embossing powder.

I printed the quote onto sponged white cardstock with the computer,

cut each word individually, then sponged each tile with black ink.

The clock face was given the same treatment as Umbrella Man, minus

the Brushed Pewter edging.

A side view of my canvas, showing how I mounted Umbrella Man

on black 3D mounting tape.

Challenges I would like to enter

Anything But Cute #2 - 'Make It Masculine'

Craft Stamper - 'Take A Technique...Texture'

Frilly and Funkie - 'Monochromatic'

Mixed Media World #3 - 'Vintage'

Simply Create Too #87 - 'Masculine'

The Craft Barn - 'For The Man in Your Life'

Try It On Tuesday - 'Watches and Clocks'

Canvas Base - Winsor and Newton

Dies - Tim Holtz/Sizzix Umbrella Man, Weathered Clock

Stamps - Blade Rubber Official Paid; Stamp-It Victorian Watch

Stencil - Ranger Dylusions Diamond Small

Quote - Computer generated Harting font 

Texture Paste - homemade (thank you for the recipe Pamellia)

Embossing Powder - Fantasy Crafts Clear 

Printed Tissue - Collections Elements

Gesso - Atelier Traditional

Ink pads - Versamark; Versafine Onyx Black; Distress Ink Pumice Stone; Momento Tuxedo Black, London Fog; 

Distress Stain - Brushed Pewter

Aquapencil - Black

Heart brad is from my junk stash

I can't wait to have enough time to 'play' and get messy again, and will try something with lots of colour and perhaps some flowers next time.

Bye for now,

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Inky Fingers

'Inky Fingers' was the only title I could use for this post, as that was well and

 truly what I had at the end of the making of this card. However, I seem to be

overcoming my aversion to having messy fingers and hands, as I loved 

getting 'down and dirty', and can't wait to repeat the fun. Before I began

'playing', every single element was stark white, including the card base.

I created puddles of various D.I.s, dragged my cardstock through them several

times, drying with a heat tool each time. Then from a height, I sprayed with

Picket Fence distress stain. When that was dry I sprayed with a little

Pearlescent Liquid Acylic diluted with water, creating a stunning 

shimmery effect, which unfortunately barely shows in the photos. 

When the base was completely dry, I softly stencilled swirls all over, using

portions of butterfly wings on a 12x12 stencil, then sponged around the

edges. 

The flowers are made using EK Success punches and D.I.s, and the

seam binding was stained with several D.I.s.

The bird in flight (as with the little birdhouse) was embossed with Chunky

Blue Frantage, and a tiny sprinkling of lavender Opals. The stamped bird

and sentiment are from a set of clear stamps I have had for about 5 or 6 

years, and never used. I found them (along with quite a few other sets, and

many other items) when I moved my craft room from the old stable to the

 house. Shame on me! The good thing is though, it's like having new stash.

At this stage I have not decorated the inside of my card, as per usual, but

if I decide to do so, I will edit this post.

Challenges I would like to enter:-

Artistic Inspirations #128 - 'Anything Goes With A Twist of Flowers'

Craft For The Craic - 'Bingo' (flowers, ribbon, die-cuts)

Creative Card Crew #84 - 'Handmade Flowers'

Frilly and Funky - 'Put A Ribbon On It'

Fussy and Fancy #135 - 'Girly'

Inspiration Journal - 'Spring Blooms'

Mixed Media World #1 - 'Anything Goes'

That Craft Place - 'Easter/Spring'

The Crafter's Cafe #109 - 'Spring Flowers'

The Shabby Tea Room #248 - 'Beautiful Blooms' (photo inspiration)

Dies - Spellbinders Grand Classical Lace Border; Memory Box Woodland Branch; Sweet Stamps Elegant Leaves; Couture Creations Baby Dove; Marianne LR025, LR0106, LR0107

Stamps - Inkadinkadoo
Punches - EK Success Retro Flowers Medium and Large
Stencil - Crafter's Workshop Butterflies 
Frantage - Stampendous Shabby Blue
Opals - Lavender
Inks and Stains - Versamark; Brilliance Archival Pearlescent Lavender, and Jade; Adirondack Denim; Daler Rowney Pearlescent Liquid Acrylic; Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain Picket Fence; Tim Holtz Distress Inks Scattered Straw, Antique Linen, Gathered Twigs, Bundled Sage, Dusty Concord, Milled Lavender, Tumbled Glass
Seam Binding and Stamens are from my junk stash

Me thinks I had better go and attend to boring tasks like housework, so thank you for visiting. I have some very exciting news to tell you soon, but at this stage I have to 'zip my lips', so in the meantime, I wish you "Happy Crafting".

******

I would like to mention too that at Winter Wonderland we have a DT Call. We are looking for 2 new teamies who are enthusiastic about making Christmas cards. For full details, pop over to our challenge blog, and if you are interested in joining us you have until 10th April to apply.

******

Hugs
Jennifer. x