Silhouette Trees

The image for this card was created by stamping with Versamark, then using white embossing powder as a resist before sponging the card with shades of blue ink (Pool Party, Tumbled Glass and Broken China).  Pieces of matching card were embossed to make two panels behind the image and some tiny flowers and butterfly added.  Background paper was a scrap from my dwindling stock of Tim Holtz Vintage shabby collection.  The actual colours tone together much better than they appear as picked up by the scanner - odd how that happens sometimes although no doubt there is a technical explanation!!

Background - Vintage shabby collection paper from Tim Holtz
Image - from Serene Silhouette stamp set, Stampin' Up
Panels - Pool Party card embossed using Sheena floral folder
Sentiment - computer generated, SU punches
Butterfly and Flowers - SU punches (and stamp)

Feathers

I'm afraid I've succumbed again to buying a magazine (or two) which had the temptation of a lovely feather die as a 'freebie'.  I really didn't intend to get the second one but happened to spot that they were giving away a set of feather stamps  which would probably come in handy for male cards perhaps and in fact it wasn't until I got home that I realised they were from the same company (Hot Off The Press).   I just had to have a quick play and this is the first idea I've come up with combining a silhouette stamp from Stampin' Up with a couple of feathers and other elements.

Background - Paper from Craftwork Cards
Bird Image - Stampin' Up World of Dreams set
Feathers - Stamp and die from Hot Off The Press
Sentiment - HOTP stamp on SU punch shape
Border - EK Success border punch

Pixie Snippets 158

I've been using a few more of the oddments lying around on my desk to make this card for the latest Pixie Snippets challenge this week.  The image had been stamped but not coloured and some of the die cuts were there as well.  I did the colouring with Promarkers and pencils, then gathered together some bits and pieces which went together. I had mis-stamped the image originally so there was a spare one so that I could cut out the butterfly to add some dimension. There is another lovely prize on offer this week and also an interesting new technique on their blog so well worth taking a look.

Square mats - Tonic nesting dies
Lacy Layer - Sue Wilson New York collection die
Image - Papermania coloured with Promarkers and pencils
Sentiment - Stampin' Up stamp and punches

First Card of the Year

Well I've made my first card of 2015 although most of the components were scattered about on my working space because when I get any new crafty items such as dies, embossing folders and so on I just can't wait to try them out on odd scraps of card and often they lie around for a while before they actually get used, mainly because at the time I often don't have matching bits and pieces handy for making a card.  This quilled owl was put together a while ago when I was showing a friend the rudiments of quilling and the other die cut pieces were from my 'trying out' sessions so I searched for a piece of backing paper which I thought would work to use up some of the odd bits rather than tidy them away into various boxes which is what I started out doing this morning - I'm easily sidetracked!!
I thought these bright colours would be cheerful on this dull and grey day.

Yellow Layer - Sue Wilson New York collection die
Brown Layer - Spellbinder die
Branch - Sue Wilson die

Happy New Year

I would like to wish a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all my friends and followers.

I've actually made a card today and it should fit the challenge on Pixie Snippets which is running into two weeks this time around and with some lovely prizes too.  Backing paper is a large snippet from my box of papers and the the die cutting was done using scraps of various colours from by bits boxes. The trellis was cut from dark brown and layered onto some kraft card;  the bird house, bird feeder and birds cut were popped onto a cream pearly shape; finally a computer sentiment was added along with a few pearls.  It is quite good to get back to making something which isn't Christmas themed.

Trellis die - Couture Creations Tied Together
Bird House and Feeder - Signature dies from Joanna Sheen
Sentiment - Cuttlebug dies

Boxing Day

I opted for a 'stay at home' Christmas this year and the weather yesterday was bright with some sunshine which is more than can be said for today which is dark and somewhat damp here.  I spent part of yesterday and some of this morning making  this bag - I had already embroidered the Redwork panel so just had to cut out the fabrics, stitch them together and complete the 'big stitch' quilting so that I could assemble the bag this morning.  I've enjoyed doing this and now I have yet another useful bag to add to my collection - I might just have to do lots of shopping so that they all get good use!!  I particularly like these Redwork style designs and the embroidery is relatively simple and very relaxing to do and of course doesn't necessarily have to be stitched in red - in fact I have another panel under way at the moment which could well feature on yet another bag.

Christmas Wishes

I would like to wish all my followers and friends a very Happy Christmas and the best of wishes for the New Year.  I seem to have been missing again from blogland but my internet slowed down to almost a halt and I was unable to get on-line until it was sorted.

Background - created with a mask to emboss white card, brushed with blue Distress ink afterwards
Image - from Lili of the Valley
Greeting - strip embossing folder, also brushed with blue Distress ink