June Swap

Cards from my collection of text and gold examples which I made some time ago.

I punched out a circle from some ATC sized card, trying to keep it within the upper half of the card.  I then covered this card  with various text papers and some tissue paper, I added my main picture to another card and then placed  the circle over the image.  The sentiment was printed out and I tore the edges before attaching it to the lower edge of the card.

I love this lady so wanted to keep her face clear of any collage.  I placed the small scraps of text paper all round the picture.  I printed out my sentiment, tinted it with a teabag and then placed them along the lower edge.

This gentleman looked very severe to me so I used some paper from a German text book to surround him.  While I was using a blue ink pad around the edge, I managed to get some ink on my thumb and now had a blue thumb print in the lower corner.  I tore the sentiment out and used some gesso to attach it to the card.

I received these lovelies by return:

Coloured silhouettes on a pretty background.

Glittered palm tree on stencilled sunshine!!!

This black/white picture was coloured very brightly.

Thank you Liz R.

October Colour - Blue

I love this swap - at first I thought it would be easy but heigh! ho! wrong again!!!

Whilst visiting the Tower of London to see the Poppy display, I drew several scenes of the Tower.  This door caught my eye as, it is not only a door to the private quarters, but shone out on a rainy day.  I sketched it out on watercolour paper in pencil then coloured in with watercolour pencils.

Blue Embossed

I embossed some blue paper for another swap card but loved the finish so cut out an ATC.  It looked pretty boring so I blinged it up with a couple of butterflies which, being white, I had to recolour with my peel off markers.

I stamped this scene with blue ink and then watercoloured, with a very watery colour, to give an overall vision in blue!!!

Blue Stamped

I received these cards by return .....






These flowers were affixed to a beautiful framed blue card.
Thank youBarbara B.

Pretty blue tag is affixed to a really dark background.
Thank you Jan S.

This card was stamped, stencilled and collaged.

Thank you Sue F.

June Theme - Roses

I am still in 'Brushos' mode and, after making that big masterboard in experimentation, I am ready to cut down to ATC sizes now.  


I sorted out my rose stencils and set to work.

To each card I painted a stencil, using acrylic paint in red for flower and green for leaf, and left them to dry.


Once they were dry I spritzed them with white pearl and once again set them to one side to dry.




I stamped the sentiment with dark green ink but messed up the stamping on one of the cards.  Wondering how to cover this up, I stamped the sentiment again on a spare piece of card, cut to size and adhered it over the messed up stamping.

I think I might get away with it!!!



I received these cards by return:



Thank you Barbara B.

Thank you Jan.

Thank you JudithAnn.

February Swap

I used a mixture of cards for this swap.

I used some of my textured wall paper for my first card adding a printed sentiment.

I used wallpaper again for the backing on this card, brick effect.  The next layer was taken from a Paris themed wallpaper - the Tour d'Eifel of course!
Now I added a fussy cut vintage image, with a brown rub on to finish.


My third card was taken from the set of Heart cards I made some time ago.

I received these cards by return.



Silhouettes in blue.


Purple with diamantes and charms.

Time for Tea.

Thank you Vikki.

September Swap - Leaves

For this swap I downloaded some pictures from the internet and printed them out.  Then I found some cards from a previous swap .......

Armed with all this inspiration I sorted out my watercolour paints and set to work.  (See if you can decide which I chose!)

I drew some straight lines with a white gelpen and then outlined the leaves.  Using Autumnal shades, I painted the leaves, then painted the background in shades of green, with a bit of purple here and there!!!

I sprinkled some Emerald and Lemon Brushos onto an unpainted background, I wanted a vague idea of sun and sky behind the leaves.  I drew on some leaves with a black outliner pen.



I really love the orange leaf card that I received so took that one as my inspiration.  I painted the background then outlined the leaf with a pale green line, used my art class paints to paint out the leaf with various shades of green.
I am really pleased with these cards, I hope my partner likes them too.

August Swap

I have used some cards from earlier in the year.
I used pictures from a French Magazine for the main image here with a computer printed sentiment - How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world - down the right hand side.  I added some punched flowers, with stickles glitter centres, to the lower corner and a tiny one to the lady's waist.

I love this cat in glasses!  I used a magazine colour paper as a background, and applied the image in the centre.  I added the glasses to the cat and some crystal laquer to the lenses.  The printed sentiment - I am who I am .....Your appreciation is not needed - cut into tiny strips along the lower edge.  I wiped gesso around the edges to add some texture.

A very eclectic card!   I added text paper as the background, added the image and some gold leaf around the top edges.  Some more book page pieces added in a random order was topped with a Cal-o-ries sentiment in blue.

I received the following cards .....





A stamped and chalked rose. 

The Man!!! I love this image.

Paris stamped on a beige background.

Thank you Kathleen K.

August Colour - Lavender

I love the challenge of one colour cards.
This time I found some stitched peel offs which I had embroidered some time ago, they just happened to be lavender!
I used a piece of lavender wall paper as background, fussy cut the peel offs and then added a computer printed sentiment - Dance in the Rain - was added to the lower corner.

Another piece of wallpaper was the background here with decupaged fussy cut flowers.  I added a bit of lavender gelpen to add some shading to the petals.  Another printed sentiment - Days of Sunshine - was added across the centre.

I used some embossed paper for the background, fussy cutting some of the birds.  I added two punched edges of pearl paper down the side and attached the two birds  The printed semtiment - Fly Like a Bird - was just visible across the lower edge.




I received these beauties by return:


A beautiful ribbon bouquet.
Thank you Jan S.

A very pretty decoupage card.

Thank you Margaret.

A really beautiful distressed multi-layered card.

Thank you Sue F. 

Fibres & Threads

Love these swaps - gives me chance to use up my cross stitching squares!!!

So here we have some more squares .....
I managed to find some frames for these cards, well, frames for three of them  - I made the fourth one.


I love this little picture and managed to find a card with matching colours.

I made this frame twice! the second time the star was near perfect!!  I cut out the shape and then fitted it to fit the needlework.  I then spritzed the paper and added a small amount of brushos green & blue powder.  The brushos spread out over the paper which was still wet from the spritzing.  Once the frame was dry, I brushed some yellow mica powder over the sun shape.

This cross stitching came as a kit but although I added the frame I had to shorten the length, the bowl was cut out separately and added back after the frame had dried.

This is a very pretty design to stitch and  I have enjoyed stitching it.  I found a  card which would be suitable to use as a frame but it was miles too big.  

I cut the frame in half and reshaped the opening, not quite perfect but it is handmade!!!

I received these lovelies back:


Beautiful colours and beading on this card.
Thank you Valerie416.

Autumn colours, beautifully stitched.

Thank you CherylS.

........ and my favourite!!!  

How simple and perfect is this.

Thank you Wisteriavine.

Another fantastic swap, thank you Spoiltpup for hosting.

Favourite Colour

How does one choose a favourite colour?  Last time I entered this swap the choice was easy - Red!  Always has been red but now I have bright pink hair and red is not a colour of choice anymore!  My wardrobe has changed, bringing in paler colours as my hair is now a focal point and, depending on the shade, I wear all colours. 
I searched through my paper books to find papers that showed a mixture of colours, preferably bright! 
I then added some gold peel offs across the centre as I prefer gold to silver or copper.  
I chose some sentiments from my vellum book of words and then added these three elements to each card.

I received the following cards:



Blue sequins and stars on a blue background.  
Thank you Margaret C.

Lilac time in paper and tags.

Thank you Philippa.

A very clever card, especially the small sentiment.  

Thank you Beth.