More Pearly Technique

I've made a card using the other experiment with pearlescent medium and Brusho crystals - this time salt was added while the piece was still quite wet and brushed off when dry.  I didn't want to cover up too much of the background so simply added a banner, a few flowers and a sentiment, details below.  These crystals are really good for making backgrounds and the results are quite unpredictable which for me is part of the fun.  Apart from the background, everything else was made using snippets of card from my famous bits boxes so this could be another entry for the Pixie Snippets challenge - luckily I had an ink pad the right colour for the flowers!!

Banners - Sizzix dies for Stampin' Up
Flowers - SU Flower Shop and Petite Petals with matching punches
Sentiment - Computer generated on Cuttlebug die cuts.

Male Cards

When looking through my box of cards I realised I was a bit short on ones suitable for sending to a man.  My followers will have realised that I am well into die cutting at the moment but sometimes I feel that the cards made using some of the more elaborate ones are perhaps more suited to send to ladies.  When I spotted this corner die I decided to use it for a plainer type of card but of course it could just as well be used with floral embellishments to make a prettier card.  That's what I really like about using dies - their versatility and the way they look so different depending on colours chosen and the way they can be combined with other elements.

Background - Corner lattice die by Papercraft (Robert Addams)
Circular dies - Spellbinders
Lattice strip - Cuttlebug die
Sentiment - Stamped and punched (Stampin' Up)
Image - Stampin' Up Wetlands stamp set

Playing with Backgrounds

I spent some time yesterday playing with my recently acquired Brusho crystals (just had to try some when I spotted them at a show recently) and the pearly paint background technique and it certainly helped to take my mind off the horrible weather.  I used one of the pieces as a background on this third sympathy card.  The flower was stamped, coloured with alcohol pens and cut out so that it could be popped onto the oval which had the stem stamped.  The greeting was also stamped from the same stamp set.  Details below of items used.  Thankfully the sun is shining today although there is a definite chill in the air - winter woollies time I think although I think the thermals can stay in storage for a bit longer!

Background - Brusho crystals and pearl acrylic medium on watercolour paper
Dies - Tonic (purple),  Pierced oval Spellbinder, fancy tag Spellbinder
Stamps - from Stampin' Up Bloom with Hope set

Make My Monday

Well Monday has come around so quickly again and this week it has brought horrid weather -  dark skies, lashing with rain and VERY windy so what better than to hibernate in the craft room.  The challenge on Make My Monday is babies or children and my offering is a card made using a purchased topper image from Hobby House, along with a die cut doily and a computer greeting.  There are some pretty ideas from the Design Team if you follow the link to take a look.

Background - Centura pearl embossed using a free folder (from a magazine last year)
Doily - Marianne die
Image - printed topper from Hobby House
Sentiment - computer generated on Cuttlebug die cuts.

Snippets Challenge 145

My second sympathy card is also an entry for the Pixie Snippets challenge this week because apart from the background which is printed from a CD the remaining elements were all snipped from remnants of card found in my bits boxes (details below).  I keep on trying to use up the bits but the boxes never seem to contain any less although entering this challenge each week must help I'm sure.  There is a random draw each week in the playground and I've been lucky enough to have my name drawn out to win a prize of some dies to add to my growing collection.  Why not see if you can use up some of your snippets - there are some House Mouse stamps for a lucky winner this time around.

Background - Printed from Chocolate Baroque Essence of Nature CD
Sentiment - stamp from Clearly Besotted
Dies used - Tonic Silhouette Scenes set
Dragonflies - Couture Creations dies