Colouring with Polychromos

I thought I would step out of my comfort zone and have a go at colouring with pencils. I've had the Faber-Castell Polychromos for ages but I just keep looking at them and stroking them occasionally.

So it was time to put these bad boys into action, well...3 of them, Grass Green, Light Purple Pink and Dark Chrome Yellow. 

I used the stunning Beautiful Day stamp set by Altenew which is a layering stamp set but I just used the flower and leaf outline bits. This card is for a fellow crafter who needs some encouragement.

As always, the hardest part of this card was getting those darned sequins in just the right place but I got there eventually.

Time to colour card = 1hr

Time to position sequins = 3 days

Girlie Magnolias

After blinding you with zingy 'Zig-a-zig-ahhh' Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers in my last post here, I thought I'd calm it down today with some soft, girlie pink.

This is Altenew's stamp set 'Magnolias For Her' again. Last time here, I coloured in using lemony Zig Clean Color markers. 

On this card I've used my Faber Castell Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils.

As before, I've embossed on watercolour card with clear embossing powder.

Instead of colouring the image and then adding water, this time I wet the pencil nib to grab colour, created puddles of colour on my craft sheet, then applied to my stamped images and added just clean water to fade out the colour.

I found using a teeny paint brush easier than a water-pen brush. I think I tend to squeeeeeeeze too much water out.

I then got all arty-farty and flicked some of the pink across my card blank, fussy cut the coloured images and added to my card.

 A few randomly scattered pink pearl gems, this is the hardest part...lol... et voila!

On A Roll

Despite my crafting mojo being on a roll, this card went down like a lead balloon with those I call 'family'.

I am now officially putting myself up for adoption and seeking a family capable of hiding their gaffaws and able to hold their sniggers in.

I found this gorgeous piece of wrapping paper and used the colours for inspiration.

I used this beautiful floral stamp set called 'Peony Scrolls' from Altenew and their  'Invisible Alphabet' set for the sentiment.

I used Versacolor inks to stamp the leaves & flowers on watercolour card, embossed with clear embossing powder and 'painted', again using my new Faber Castell Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils. I used the same technique as my last card, slightly colouring the image then adding water with a waterbrush pen. To be honest, I'm struggling to get that proper watercolour look that I see in my head but can't get on paper. I'm not sure waterbrush pens are for me, gonna try another technique on my next card...watch this space.

So despite the rude comments from my EX- family, I'm quite chuffed with the final result. Hopefully a member of my NEW FAMILY will appreciate it for their birthday.

Right....I'm off to pack....see yer!

Prouder Than a Proud Thing

Today is our daughter's 18th birthday and this is the card I made for her featuring a Stamping Bella Uptown Girl stamp called Abigail the Artist.

I just adore these Uptown Girl stamps as some of the sentiments are so touching. This one couldn't be more perfect as our Sof' has just finished her A-Levels , including Fine Art and is about to start the next chapter of her life, leaving home (sniff!) and going to Uni' (sniff!).

She's worked so incredibly hard and we're all so proud of her.

As I scribe, she's away on her first holiday abroad with her buddies in Tenerife, hopefully having the time of her life!

I used my new Faber Castell Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils to colour the image. 

I'm going to try different methods of using them...this was direct colouring before using a waterbrush pen to 'move' the colour about. 

I love these pencils!!!

Happy Birthday Sophie!!!!!

Live, Laugh, Love ....You deserve every happiness.

xxx

Oh Baby!

Good evening Earthlings!

I trust I find you all Woop! Wooping!
I mean…it is the weekend for goodness sake!

The days are flying by, my gardening work is keeping me really busy and finding the time to make cards & draw some new digi stamps is impossible. But I’m not complaining, I love being outside digging, pruning or planting up a new flower bed. I breathe better, my head is clearer & life in the garden is good.
Only the other day a robin landed on my back, he must have thought I was a giant flower in my bright, pink work t-shirt.
It’s a beautiful time of year for leaf colours, dewy cobwebs & making plans.
Soon it’ll be too cold, the ground too hard and most of the gardens will shut down ready to embrace the winter months. Then I’ll snuggle up & hopefully get creating again.

This is a card that I made a few months ago for my cousin and his wife who had a new baby. I used the deliciously cute ‘Baby Boy’ stamp from LOTV & coloured it with my Polychromos pencils.

I love the name they gave him, his middle name is a tribute to my granddad.

So it’s Friday, off to get my weekly fix of ‘Gardener’s World’.

Have a great weekend!
XXX

PS…There’s a SALE on in my shop at the moment. You can get 25% off your entire order…details HERE.

Happy Birthday Mr C

Wotcha Everyone!
I hope you’re all having a great week…it seems to be flying by & the weekend’s almost here again. Woop! Woop!
A fabulous day gardening today with a client who shares my passion for all things flowery n’ ‘foliagey’…lol.
So far no storms, torrential rain or snakes…phew!
Twas Mr C’s birthday yesterday & this is the card I made for him. Alas the photo has made it look black when in fact it’s a rich chocklity brown. I’ve used a cute stamp from LOTV, coloured with Polychromos & 2 Memory Box dies for the branch & landscape background.
It’s official…I LURV Polychromos!!
Enjoy the rest of your week.
XXX

I’m Melting!

I think I may have chosen the wrong career path…gardening in temperatures close to ‘melting’ is not good when you’re a shade-seeking, heat-hating muppet!
And…I bet if I weigh myself tomorrow I won’t have shifted a drop, let alone an ounce.

Oh well…moving sweatingly on…my card today features one of my own digi stamps….the Centaurea – Perennial Cornflower. Most folk have these in the traditional blue form but I have recently got my gardening mitts on 2 other cracking varieties, one is a white petal version that turns pink as it ages & the other is the deepest purple / black. You can see them growing in my garden here at Tidy Gardens by Jane.
Coloured with a combination of Polychromos n’ Promarkers.

Off to find a cool, shady corner this weekend…hope you have a good’n xxxx