No cards - just a canvas!

Have just put the cards to one side for a few days - have made a present for a friend who's brithday is imminent (so can't show you! But will be able to very soon!!!!) and then just played about a bit making messy! Gel Medium everywhere and bits of torn napkin now litter the floor and desk.... but enjoyed myself!

I am no expert with paper napkins but confess now to looking at them in a different way after seeing some gorgeous creations from other people. I like the layering technique although unfortunately I do have a tendency to be 'heavy handed' so consequently I usually end up with lots of torn bits on the canvas!!

This tiny canvas measures just under 3" square and I use them this size to practice the technique. I used 3 different napkins and I think this may be considered a 'work in progress'. I am off to look for some twigs to make a frame and some rough twine to make a hanger!

Work in progress or not I am submitting this to the challenge at 'Tuesday Taggers' (Canvas) which this week is being sponsored by the fabby Art From The Heart store. Am also submitting into the Gingersnap Creations Random Redhead Challenge entitled 'Sunshine'. Although there isn't an actual sun to be seen on this canvas, it reminds me of sunny days.............and looking out of the window right now I NEED a sunny day!!!!!

One image equals two cards

Two cards today! Both destined for the Pink Box and made with the Jayne Netley Mayhew CD.

I really liked this image of elephants (looking back through the blog recently I seem to be doing a bit of stuff with wild animals..... no explanation - just a 'thing' I'm going through!!!)

Anyway back to the elephants...... The 'Blue Elephant' card was done by altering the original black outline to blue and printed it onto cream linen textured paper. The backing paper is by Basic Grey and is from the absolutely delicious Marrakech Paper Pad... which is full of gorgeous patterns and prints in fabulous colours! Matted and layered onto two different shades of blue DCWV card and some fibres added.

Grey Elephant was a real quick card and is matted and layered onto pearlised black card which doesn't show very well in the pic.

Think these cards although simple are quite effective and would be OK to send to men!

My friends over at Gingersnap Creations have a colour challenge running until 25th July - Shades of Blue - so Blue Elephant is my submission!

Pearls

This card is made for a couple at the Bowls Club who are celebrating their pearl anniversary this week.

I had drooled over some cards that Jan had made using her new wedding folders so was real happy when she kindly sent me some! I knew I would be able to use one on this anniversary card!

I cut round the embossed area and pushed out the centre. I stuck the centre onto white pearlised card and then added the feathers, pearls, fabric heart and some white organza ribbon.

I layered the embossed folder over it and finally printed the sentiment out, used 3d foam pads to raise it from the embbssing and added some tiny pearl centred vellum flowers.

Tuesday Taggers theme this week is Anniversaries - so here's my effort even though I am really disappointed with how this photo turned out - the card has a lovely textured sheen on it and the photo I don't think does it justice..... for once this IS one I'm happy with!

Dainty Daisy

Last year I bought some Penny Black stickers - thought they would come in sometime if I had to make a quick card! As usual, they've been laying about and this week I made two cards using them - one of which was sent to Maureen (as she was 21 again this week) and here is the other!
The stickers have a lovely 'stamped,coloured, distressed' look to them.
I used basic cream cardstock and some K and Co paper for the background. The image was mounted onto DCWV 'Naturals' card in cream and blue and I used the same card to punch out the trellis. I stacked the trellis on top of each other, positioning the blue just slightly off centre behind the cream.
The sentiment was printed out using the same background paper and matted and finally I tried to link the flowers and trellis together by mimicking the flowers using a similar cream flower with a metal flower brad in the centre.

This is just another for the Pink box.

Stripes

This fab zebra is a digital image from DesigNeal. The background animal print paper I lightened using GCF and then 'distressed' the edges with some sandpaper. I added some animal print ribbon to the black background and a few fibres. The whole project was stuck onto black linen textured card.

I'm submitting this into the challenge at 'Dare U 2 Digi Stamp' which this week is called 'The Great Outdoors' and also into One Stop Crafts Challenge which is 'Distressing'.

Finally some cards.......

These last few weeks have all gone by in a bit of a blur really and I have not felt like doing anything - I am still feeling low and the weepy side is overtaking the creative side - BUT- made myself sit for a couple of occasions and colour in some digi stamps. Once coloured in, I then had another session making them up into cards for my Pink Day. (I am proud to say I have just sent off a cheque for £350 in donations in lieu of flowers for Mum - I know this would have pleased her greatly and I have been overwhelmed by everyone's generosity.)

Back to the cards ....... the beer barrel teddy was done for my friend's OH who likes the odd glass (or three) of Boddington's Beer! The other one has gone into the Pink box. Both images are freebies and I coloured them with a mix of distress inks and promarkers. Backing papers for beer barrel are by Papermania (Hampstead Collection) and the backing papers for the Wine card were a pressie from Maureen, and as she didn't tell me whose they were I can't tell you!

Crafts and Me and Paper Sundaes both have challenge themes this week of Birthdays so have submitted these.

For Mum

Don’t think of her as gone away -Her journey’s just begun,
Life holds so many facets and this earth is only one.

Just think of her as resting from the sorrow and the tears,
In a place of warmth and comfort, where there are no days and years.

Think how she must be wishing that we could know today,
How nothing but our sadness can really pass away.

And think of her as living in the hearts of those she touched,
For nothing loved is ever lost - And she was loved so much.

In memory of my much loved Mum, who passed away suddenly on 6th June 2010. x

Don't worry - beeeeeee happy!

Just a quick and quite plain birthday card from me today.

Made using a freebie digi from the fab Meljen's Designs, cut out with the nesties and layered onto black card. Coloured with Promarkers and a wee bit of glitter for the wings.

The ribbon had a plain white edging so coloured this with the same yellow (Sunflower) promarker!

Printed out the sentiment on the PC and used a DCWV tiny yellow gingham cardstock for the background.

Have entered this into the challenge this week at Stamp Something which is 'Digi'.

Another Card!

Had a few hours in the crafty space despite the glorious weather!

This card is just one for the stash - I might pop it into the 'Pink Box' or may use it myself as we have one or two men's birthdays looming at the Club!

The photo has a bit of an orangey tint to it - don't know why - the background is actually a dark red - but am sure you get the idea....

The image is a digi freebie called 'Light My Life' - I usually make a note of who offered the freebies so I can say thank you on here when I use one but am afraid I haven't kept where this one came from. I coloured it with Promarkers before layering onto dark red and blue cardstock. The striped paper was a present from Maureen and I again layered it onto blue cardstock before adding the 3 blue eyelets (supposed to look like portholes - LOL) and the plaited rope. The sentiment was printed out on the PC.

The card fits several challenges -

S2G - Create a card for a man using a masculine image

Crafts and Me - Distressed (no not me, the stripey paper! LOL)

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - One for the Boys

I Love Digi - For my Dad (and even though I don;t have a Dad if I did I'm sure I would send him a card like this!)

Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog - Home Sweet Home

I am Woman

I adore Da Vinci's drawings of women's heads. All of them seem to have a serene ethereal quality about them and I confess to having used them many times when I've been 'fiddling about' (which is what my OH calls what I like to call creativity!)

So this ATC - which is one I made earlier (LOL)- uses one of my favourite 'heads' - it also happens to be the same head that Jeanette over at So Artful has challenged us to use this week.

The ATC is a paper collage overstamped with a script stamp and fibres added and was made for no other purpose other than I wanted to!

Quick Card!

Have had this embossing folder for ages and wanted to use it to try it out so when I saw Stamptacular's Sunday Challenge this week was 'Life's a Beach' it gave me an excuse to spend a small amount of time making a card.

I used Coredinations 'whitewash' paper for the embossing, sanded it and then layered it onto bown and cream card. The stamp is this month's freebie from Craft Stamper magazine inked up with 'Vintage Sepia' Versamark ink and the embellishments and shells are all from my stash. The background paper is by Graphic 45.

I have the feeling that there's something missing from this card but am at a loss to know what! I am looking for a small pic of a seagull that I can use to sit atop the rope bound post! But at least I found some precious time to have a fiddle with paper even if I am not 100% happy with the result!

Tag

It's been forever since I have found time to sit and do anything creative. Today I had a free day and oh what joy when I saw the weather! Cold and wet means I can sit here and fiddle about to my heart's content without feeling guilty cos I'm not tidying the garden!!

It's also been forever since I have made anything for a challenge and this one finishes tomorrow!!

The challenge set by the 'Tag You're It' team was 'A Whiter Shade of Pale'. I have been cursing them ever since I read the blog 'cos the darn song keeps whizzing about in my head! (Which now has well aged me cos I just checked and it was 1967 when it was released!!!!)

So here's my effort complete with a quote from Procul Harums classic song.

'She said, 'There is no reason and the truth is plain to see.

But I wandered through my playing cards and would not let her be

one of sixteen vestal virginswho were leaving for the coast

and although my eyes were open they might have just as well've been closed'

The beautiful face image is printed onto fabric paper and edged with white organza fabric and the quote is printed onto vellum and attached with white eyelets onto the 'paisley' embossed paper background. Some fibres, pearls and a sparkly flower to finish and unfortunately my photography today is not the best so please if you want a better look enlarge the pic!

Flying back home

The trouble with holidays is they go over too quickly don't they? Still it was good while it lasted!Have been working through the mountain of washing since we arrived home (I think I also brought at least a dozen other peoples washing home with me... where on earth does it all come from ????)
As well as being absent from the blog I have (I'm ashamed to admit) also been absent from my Flickr groups. Another member of the Art N Soul group (Sherry) has been keeping things going in my absence and I'm grateful for her help! She set a challenge to make a hanging bird using a template. The template is one I've used before in a 'bird journal jam' swap with 5 other people and Sherry must have been pyschic cos I'd started to make another bird for my own journal!! Guilt got the better of me though so instead of adding it to the already bulging pages of my own journal I finished it and have submitted it for my Art N Soul group swap. I have only shown one side of the finished piece here - the reverse can be found on my Flickr photostream here.
As with all things that I'm doing recently, this was done in a bit of a hurry so I hope whoever gets it likes it!

An (unfinished) Feather In My Cap?

I have been tongue lashed by Maureen - LOL - who last night announced 'I've looked and there's nothing there' - meaning of course that I have been very lax at posting recently. I am desperately trying to get things organised here at home for the impending holiday and have had to bring forward and fit in a lot of matches which were supposed to be played whilst I was away - so there's the explanation for my absence!

I have decided to post this as it is - it's very much a work in progress as the outer frame is not quite finished - it will be left now until I come back from my holiday (if the volcanic ash cloud allows us to go that is.......)

The outer ornate frame is made from chipboard and I painted it with gesso then blue and white acrylic paint. The rectangular frame that edges the shadow box is tissue paper stuck on chipboard, painted and heated then rubbed over with bronze metallic powder.

Inside the box I put this lovely lady head figure - I bought it a while ago and have been waiting to use it. I gave her a blue hat complete with pink rose and feather and put some blue organza fabric and another feather on the bottom of the box.

The fabric and flower collage in the top corner doesn't show very well in the pic unfortunately - it was made with a triangle shape of crochet cotton (cut from a doily type thing that my gran used to stop her ornaments scratching her furniture), prima flowers (suitably coloured with promarkers) some vintage buttons and gold seed beads.

'Lots to Do' has a theme this week of 'Faces' (my lovely porcelain face figure!) and Tuesday Taggers is 'recycle' (my cut up doily thingy!).

Oooooo and I almost forgot..... I have been awarded my second ever Ginger Gem award from the team at Gingersnap Creations for my 'Caged Bird' canvas (scroll down a bit - it's here on this page!). How fabulous is that? So maybe I DID get a feather in my cap after all!!!!!

Bad blogger!

 Have not really had any time this week to post here on the blog and I'm feeling really guilty! I've been so busy with the start of the outdoor season and also trying to get organised for my imminent holiday I was sure I would meet myself coming back on several occasions - I did however manage to find a couple of hours to make a couple of cards -

The first card is one of a pair made for Maureen and Jan who have had a short break in their caravans - thought it was quite apt! The image was a freebie from Bugaboo and coloured with promarkers. The flower was also coloured with promarkers.

The second is a simple birthday card for one of the men at the Club, using some distress ink and a vintage stamp with stamped 'dog tooth check' backgrounds.

The Caged Bird

The Caged Bird title describes how I've felt this week perfectly. I have been longing to put aside the orderly (and OK yes I admit - cutesy - lol) card making stash and make a mess with paints and inks!

This project has been spinning round in my head for 4 days and today I finally finished it. I have, on several occasions, been really frustrated with myself as it never seemed to be about to 'come together'. I'm not sure it ticks all the boxes as far as cohesion is concerned but I confess that it was good to get back to the satisfaction that mixed media chaos brings to me after being more concerned that what I was making had to satisfy other people's tastes and not my own!

This canvas measures 12" x 10". I painted the background with a mixture of acrylics, watercolours and distress inks in shades of green, brown and white. Whilst the paint was still wet I put some plasterers jointing tape over it and brushed over some thinned down paint then quickly removed the tape to leave a small chequerboard appearance. Once dry I stuck on the script background (by Artylicious and printed onto glossy paper), used some alcohol inks first then painted it with gesso and then stamped the edges of the canvas. I used black Stazon for the crackle stamp and white Versamagic for the flourishes.

The large images on the right were cut from a Graphic 45 sheet that I have had for EONS -(I steeled myself before cutting into it- lol) and the one on the top left is an image from an old book with some gold paint, gold mesh and 3 small metal pieces added.

I used some Paperartsy and Elusive Images stamps for the foliage and the large bird was stamped onto a piece of acetate. The butterfly was a present from a fellow crafter and I used some Glossy accents on the wings and some tiny black gems. The caged bird is also acetate attached with clear glue.

Please click on the pic to enlarge.

The theme at 'So Artful' is 'Shy Beauty' - and I believe that the women's faces are beautiful (shy I'm not sure???) 'Lots To Do' has challenged us to use Alcohol Inks, Gingersnap Creations (GCSP3) has their Blue Moon challenge theme of 'Take on a Tutorial' and I chose the tutorial on 'Creating a Background With Acrylics' , the Sunday Stamper's theme is 'Free (as a bird)'. Sunday Stampers is also having a blog candy give away to mark their 100 weeks! Click on the link in my sidebar! and last but not least Mixed Media Monday's theme is 'Look what I've found'....and as I 'found' the courage to use the paper, I've submitted my canvas!

AWOL

Just to prove that I am still breathing I thought I'd better post something on here!

This card was made for a Ruby Wedding Anniversary I went to a couple of weeks ago.

I sponged the base white card with 'Port Wine' ink and highlighted the edges. Good old swiss dots Cuttlebug folder used again (don't know what I did before I bought this folder..lol) and then matted onto heavy embossed dark red cardstock. The sentiment is a digi image altered in Photoshop and then glittered over entirely before matting onto the same dark red.

Added some red gems and a red organza bow and finally a shiny large red heart above the sentiment.

The time has come now for 'crafting mode' to be a little less than it is in the winter but I am still intending to try and be creative over the summer, even if the opportunities are few and far between.

The challenge at 'Follow Your Heart' this week is 'Emboss It'.

A new arrival and a visit with old friends!

Have had a real nice two days despite having to attend a conference in Leamington Spa.

Whilst at Leamington I took the opportunity to meet up with Maureen! (You'd think we'd be fed up meeting exch other by now wouldn't you? lol... During the Summer we might only manage to see each other once... from September to April though we manage quite a few meetings! So last night I drove to Coventry and met with Maureen (and her long suffering OH who by now must be thoroughly sick of the sight of me....) and had some tea. Maureen always brings gifts and last night was no exception... another box of goodies for my Charity Day and some fabby papers for me along with some 'Somerset Studio' magazines. So my reading matter is all sewn up for the next few weeks!

After the conference today I stole some time to go visit another friend Sue (Sassy) who I haven't seen for such a long time.... she's recovering from an op and looks really well all things considered. It was wonderful to see her and she also had made me two fabulous presents.

So I want to say a huge thank you to them both - I am so lucky to have such wonderful generous friends and I appreciate them more than I can ever tell them.

So, after a murderous drive home (please please please someone dig up that M6 and replace it with something less stressful and accident strewn), I collapsed in the chair and have just popped on here for a few minutes.

This card I made a couple of weeks ago and as the challenge on Digital Tuesday this week is a Blue and White colour combo I have submitted it!

Martha Stewart lace punch, Cuttlebug swiss dots folder and a free image from Digital 2 for Tuesday coloured with promarkers used to make the card. I printed the sentiment on the PC.

Spring?

Well it's cold, wet and windy here at the moment and all my poor daffs are now bent double in the stiff breeze.....forecast though says it will improve later today. Yesterday afternoon we had a glorious blue sky with fluffy white clouds - I manage a 5 mile walk late yesterday afteroon without my scarf!!! So warmer weather I hope is on the way finally.

I made this card for a family birthday. Background paper is by K and Co, matted onto DCWV green cardstock. Coredinations Whitewash paper used with the Cuttlebug Script embossing folder and then sanded. The geraniums image and the butterfly are both from Penny Black and all these were also mounted on the green cardstock before adding to the base card. I finished with 3 gems from my stash.

Have submitted this for the following challenges -

Pollycraft's theme is 'Anything Goes'

Little Red Wagon's theme is 'Rolling into Spring'

Pink Elephant's theme is 'Nature'

Angel

Here is a revamped version of a fridge magnet I made some time ago.

I covered a piece of wood with a left over piece of K and Co paper and then used parchment paper to print out the saying. The parchment is stuck onto some thick cardboard.

The beaded Angel is a copy of a similar one that my Mum brought me back from Prague. (Shameless aren't I? lol) This was the second attempt at making one of these angels and I really enjoyed doing it, so have made another at the same time for my stash!

She's just attached with a piece of ribbon and a star brad. This is a replacement for the original one that sadly has faded on the front of my friend's refrigerator door. I hope she likes it!

There is a brand new challenge blog called Crafts and Me which started this week. The challenges are set every two weeks on a Wednesday and their first theme is 'Wings', so I have submitted my little magnet into the pot!