Feeling Like Spring!

It was a cold day today -17 degrees Celsius but with the sun it started to feel like Spring.  I'm looking forward to having the snow melt away and putting away my winter clothes!

During my free time on the weekend,  I experimented with watercolouring with Tim Holtz distress markers and also played with alcohol inks.  I will start today by showing a simple image that was watercoloured. 

Papers: Cold pressed watercolour paper 140 lb 

DCWV Green Stack

K & Company 

 

I used cold pressed watercolouring paper  and cut the basic flower shape using a Spellbinder die.  The image is from an inexpensive stamp from Michaels ($1.50 Cdn).  I coloured the butterfly with Broken China, Faded Jeans and Peeled Paint markers and then added some Stickles to the wing.  The "Spring" frame was coloured in Mustard Seed and I then added a few pearls to the flourish. I then applied Scattered Straw distress ink being careful around the image.  As I was working with the markers, I used a simple round paint brush with a bit of water to blend the colours. It seems to have worked well although I know I can improve with the shading.

I still love my Cricut Expression and the Gypsy for cutting the shapes .  The brown frame was cut using the Elegant Edges cartridge and the green base of the flower is from the Forever Young cartridge. I inked the edges with Vintage Photo.

I added the brads and glued a blue gem on a basic paper clip to add a bit more dimension.

Thanks for dropping by!

Frosty Greetings

So I'm switching gears today from shabby tea to a hot cup of cocoa.  I'm playing along at Merry Monday and I've made another Christmas card - #37 for me, to be exact.

Card recipe

Papers - Fancy Pants Winterland and kraft

Cricut - Joys of the Season (mug) and Speaking of Winter (snowflake)

Crimper used on polka dot paper

Fiskars border punch

Distressed Broken China and Inkadinkado stamp

I've kept this card fairly simple. I used my crimper that's been sitting in the bottom of my drawer to give the allusion of the coffee cup sleeve.

Here's the wonderful sketch from Merry Monday

Thanks for dropping by and I always appreciate hearing from you!

Challenge: Always Playing with Paper - Merry Monday #24 Frosty Greetings

Butterfly Girl

Happy Sunday everyone!  I hope you have wonderful plans to relax today.  I'm able to do as I please as unfortunately all of the members of my family are working today.  I was up bright and early at 4:55 am and so I had plenty of time to enjoy my coffee and make this card.

I had started some of it yesterday by stamping the middle part as I wanted to experiment with watercolouring using distressed ink.  I watched a few videos on Youtube but unfortunately I didn't bookmark them so I can't share the link with you.  It's a very simple technique that simply involves applying distress ink to an acrylic block then either use a waterfillable brush or paintbrush dipped in water.  I did the latter as I hand everything on hand.

Then today my inspiration for the Butterfly Girl was a stamp from Sam Poole at Creative Studios.  She has a wonderful set called Artful ladies and Sam has produced so many amazing cards.  Here's a link to the stamps and from there you can browse her blog.   I made my butterfly girl with the Cricut Expression using the Rock Princess cartridge.  I altered the image using the Gypsy to do away with the microphone and have two symetrical arms.

I then chose some soft papers from the Heatwarming Vintage Collection and Webster's pages.  Finally added a piece of ric rac and then a flower that I had recently made out of ribbon.

Enjoy your day and I would love to hear your comments!

Birthday Hot Air Balloon

It's midweek and the sun is shining after several days of rain!  I'm taking part in the Shabby Tea Room Sweet Summer Challenge and what better way with a hot air balloon ride!  For colours we needed to use Aqua or Teal, pink and brown.  Look closely at the pink doily and you'll find some yummy cupcakes!

Card recipe

Papers - DCWV Sweet Treats and My Mind's Eye Lost & Found

Tim Holtz doily and Cricut Elegant Edges

Inkadinkado stamp

Silk ribbon, seam binding, lace

Brads, gemstones, beads, pearls and feather

This particular card was a labour of love as I started off by box pleating the ribbon to make the flowers.  It's a little bit time consuming but you get such wonderful results.  I used the Tim Holtz doily die and the Cricut Elegant Edges for the frames of the hot air balloon.  I inked the hot air balloon stamp with Walnut Distress and Broken China.  The bow was made with seam binding from my MIL's stash - pretty old stuff but so pretty for this card!  I made the stick pin with a few pearls and beads and thought the feather worked well.  I added a vintage button with a bit of lace trim.   A few aqua gemstones to finish it off.

This card is for a special person who is sure to love and treasure it!

Here is the photo inspiration for this card:

Have a great day and thanks for dropping by!  I would love to hear your comments!

Just A Note...

It's Monday and I get to ease into the work week.  I worked on this card last night and finished it this morning.  For the sketch, I'm playing along with the I Spy Sketches Challenge #18 and the elements are part of the Repeat Impressions Designer Choice Challenge 523 where we need to have a Stamped Image, Embossing, and Diecut or Punch.

Card recipe

Papers - My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Market Street, K&Company Que Sera Sera

Stamped Flowers - Inkadinkado Flashy Floral, Just A Note

Tim Holtz butterfly embossing folder and distressed folder for watering can

Tim Holtz distressed ink Victorian Violet and Black Soot

Spellbinders Petite Scallop circle and Circle punch

Cricut Stretch Your Imagination for watering can

Versafine black ink and acid free markers

Gems and pearl embellishments, buttons from stash and embroidery floss

This is the first time that I coloured an image.  I wanted to give it a try before I look into purchasing some Copics.    I can see how much fun it would be so it's time for me to look into tutorials on Copics.  If you have any suggestions, please leave me a comment!

Here is the sketch from I Spy Sketches, I made my design on the landscape.

Thanks for dropping by and I would love to hear your feedback on this card!



Challenges:
I Spy Sketches -  ISSC18
Repeat Impressions DCC523

Would you join me for a cup of tea?

I had some free time this afternoon so I decided to play in my craftroom.  I was inspired to make a card while thinking about some dear friends and after looking at a number of different blogs and challenges.

Here is what I created and happily it meets the requirements of three challenges. All of the cuts were made using my Cricut.   I needed to line up my paper exactly on the Cricut mat to achieve a "Royal Doulton" fine china pattern but I think I succeeded.

Card Recipe:

Papers - Kraft cardstock for base, Fancy Pants for pink base,

K&Company Blue pattern, Lost & Found for teacup, Recollections for solids

Cricut - Elegant Edges for all cuts except teacup which was A Child's Year

Pearls and gold Stickles for embellishments

Ink - Distress Broken China

For the sketch design - I Spy Sketches

Colours including having a rose The Shabby Tea Room 

And lastly, using Kraft cardstock for the Kraft Journal Make it Monday challenge with the theme being "Card for Her".

Hope you'll join me and have a cup of tea with your dear friends soon!



Merry Monday

It's a rainy day here and I'm still in the mood to create a Christmas card.  It's not always easy but I know that I will feel much better in September if I can keep making a few each month.

This week's sketch on Merry Monday looked like fun so I joined in.

I decided to use up mainly Christmas cardstock scraps as my folder is bulging and there are still some good pieces available.  I designed all the cuts on my Gypsy and then all I needed to do was ink, add a grommet and ribbon and glue down the shapes.   I modified the rounded rectangle a bit but that's part of the creativity and interpretation of the sketch!

Card Recipe

Papers - DCWV and Recollections

Cricut - Accent Essentials card base, Elegant Edges for green frame,

Ribbons & Rosettes for border with snowman and Winter Frolic for ornament

Ink - Antique Linen, Peeled Paint distressed for oval and Versafine for sentiment

Holly Leaves - Ranger Emerald

Ribbon - plaid from stash, stickles coloured with red marker, grommet and

acetate for oval frame

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sunflower

The weather is getting milder, the snow is melting away and I’m looking forward to Spring!  I’ve been spending a lot of my free time in my craft room making cards for birthdays, special occasions and even Christmas.  Along the way, I’m trying different things and learning new techniques particularly with inks and glimmer mist. 

I thought I would walk you through the steps of my newest flower creation – an amazing sunflower. I want to thank Elizabeth from 217 Creations for her wonderful tutorial that I followed and adapted.  To view her tutorial 217 Creations



To begin, you’ll need a white cardstock – I used an ivory 110 lb cardstock from Staples.  Some Glimmer Mist in Jingle Bells and Distress Ink in Photo Vintage.  You can use a punch, Sizzix die or Cricut for the main petals.  I used Stretch Your Imagination cartridge cutting one at 2 1/2”, another at 2” and smallest at 1 1/2”.  Each petal is then sprayed liberally with glimmer mist on both sides.  Then dried with a heat gun, and inked the edges with distress ink.


Next, to make the center part, you’ll need a kraft colour cardstock which I sprayed with Heirloom Gold mist.  You can again use a die or Cricut for the star shape.  I used Accent Essentials.  Each flower will take about 18 to 20 of these small flowers.  You then need to squish the flower around the end of a stylus or pen, dip it in glue (I used Aileen Tacky) and then place on the outside of the center of your smallest petal. 


Then you simply assemble each layer putting some glue in between.

To use this sunflower on a card, I decided to add some greenery and feathers.  I cut the greenery from Damask Decor and at times not all pieces are attached (see the left corner piece below).  An easy trick to keep the shape intact is to use drywall mesh when removing the pieces from your mat.  You can easily flip it over to add glue before placing it on your card.

So here is the final image, assembled and embellished. 


I can’t show the card yet as it is for my sister’s birthday….in June! 

Hope you're enjoying your free time too!