Etegami

 I finished the Etegami card and promptly lost it . . . . .

Not really . . .

It disappeared into here . . . . .

Along with a Dragon Card and  . . . .

Some ATCs!!!

I sourced out what I was going to create . . . . . after reading up about it on several online sites like this one . . . Etegami

One picture . . a Tree.  I like trees, I'm not a tree hugger but I'm sure I could be if no one was looking . . . . I certainly have stroked a few . . . .lol

Then I needed a Kanji -  so 'a tree'

and a circle . . . .  because . . . .

I was very nervous as this is all new to me but I had several pieces of watercolour paper to hand . . .

Ooops!! . . . .

but then it all came together which makes me a happy bunny

I added a few stamps along the edges, my attempt to 'balance' the design.

The Dragon card is for the same Group but  . . . . a bit late . . .

The ATCs are my acknowledgement of lives lost . . . . .

I have checked out my Recollections Blog but have never posted about the Titanic and my family history . . . . added it to the list!!

I'll update and add a link when I've posted the story.

Sympathy card (Hunkydory review 1)

I have been approached by Hunkydory to review some of their products.  I sent off for a selection of inks, stamps and decoupage sheets to try out.  I have to say that I have really only bought decoupage sheets from them before but, if they have a magazine out then I am easily tempted, I like the quality of their papers.  This was a first time using any of their other products.


Prism inkpads.....

I chose these colours so that I could use them on some coins in a coming up swap.  I used other materials in the end but  .....still thinking Sympathy cards......


Today I am going to try out the mauves (Purple Velvet, Blackcurrant Jam & Mauve Moment).

I spent some time die cutting etc. several times and styles.  Ignore the insert ... will try to remember to take photos in the correct order next time!
Now to the inks.....


I tested all the inks with the stamps I wanted to use.  I tried them out first on the off cuts from the card/diecuts but found, although the inks were very 'juicy', the card absorbed the ink too fast so the lettering appeared fuzzy.
I then tried them out on a piece of paper for the insert.  Perfect!  I think that the stamps (freebies from a magazine) were spreading as I stamped. 
Out came the stamping platform and the result was much clearer on the samples of card.
I went with the diecut label.

So here is the completed card, not quite the finish I wanted but .......
I tried to wipe Mauve Moments over the embossed flowers, being such an ink rich pad it overran in places ..... try a blender tool next time!
I edged the embossed card and diecut, running the ink pad round the edges.... perfect, just the finish I like.
I adhered these components to the card and then touched the ribbon roses onto the inkpad......
adding ribbon and the roses finished off the card for me.

A close up of the ribbon roses.

I like these inkpads very much and I think I will try some embossing with them for my next experiment.

2nd July Birthday

Wish I could tell you how I made this card!!!  lol  I can tell you when .... on a wonderful day of stamping!!
I attempted some masking and stamping or stamping and masking .... whichever!!

I stamped the images, fussy cut them out and then tried to form a scene.  Once I had decided how the scene would look I then number up all the masks, starting with the eggs on the nest.  
These were swiftly followed by the broken egg and the chicks.  So far so good ..... 
I then began with the stamps, stamping up the images and masking as I went.  By the time I came to stamp the chicken, I had a lot of small pieces of paper 'stuck' to the card!!!!  I added some colour using Distress Oxide inks and Inktense pencils.
 After a search through one of my paper boxes, I put together some patterned papers which I thought would show off the image and have some significance with the chickens.
I round the corners of the chickens image and edged with an ink pad before attaching to the card.
I treated the sentiment in the same way, and attached it, using foam pads, to a small off-cut of the white card and then added it to the base card to finish.
Happy Birthday Peter!

1st July Birthday

July is a busy month for me, not only do I have all my challenges but there are several Birthdays!
Here is the card I made for the first Birthday.......
For a neighbour who lives over the road.

I stamped out several images from this stamp set but for this card I am using the Tiger image.  
I brushed out some paint across some spare paper and let it dry.  I then gave it a quick 'gold spray' and left it to dry again.
After I stamped the Tiger and it had dried, I cut the image down to size to fit an A6 blue card.  I attached a piece of turquoise glitter card to fit the base and then added the image sheet. 
I stamped the sentiment on plain card, attached it to blue glitter card and used some foam pads to add it to the top left of the base card.

Happy Birthday Simon!!

4th May Birthday

I wanted to make something special for this lady.

I have had this kit in my stash for some time so now was the right time!

I cut out all the pieces and then tried to workout how to put them together to achieve what I had in mind.

Some time later I had managed to get to the adhering stage and managed to get the skeleton card to work. 

I cut all the design cards to size and edged with Cosmic Shimmer Chalk Cloud and put to one side to dry.

I attached all the finished cards into place and it worked perfectly.  

I needed a larger size envelope to contain all the folded card but it was so worth it.


Happy Birthday Doreen!

First May Birthday

One of the cards I made a t Julia's Workshop and just perfect for DNG.

He has just moved down south after living in Scotland for several years..... one extreme to the other comes to mind!!
I hope that he had a lovely day - I know he will, probably out on his bike!

Second May Birthday

Happy Birthday DDN!!

Hope you have a lovely day and like my card to you.

April Birthday

This is the first April Birthday and is sent with love to a little sister .... maybe I should say younger sister.....

I have used stamps from several Little Claire sets, so I practised the layout first on a piece of watercolour paper before stamping on the cream base card.
I then painted the red hearts and flowers, the grass ...... sprayed a small amount of pale blue and WHAM!
All the reds began to run .......they hadn't had time to dry!!
I picked up the practise piece and continued to the finish..... this time leaving time for the colours to dry!!
Once I had attached it to the base card it looked very plain, maybe as the card is a rich cream in colour.  I 'stitched' some lines round the edges with a fine nibbed black pen and am very pleased with the result.
No-one need ever know that this is my second attempt.............!!!

New Home

Our Nephew and his wife have bought a new house.  They have moved from the north of Scotland to Southampton, have to go where work takes him.
They post photos on Facebook so members of the family and distant friends can see how they are getting along changing and decorating their new home.
I made this little card for them using Rubber Dance stamps.  I swiped some Cosmic Shimmer Chalk Cloud across a piece of watercolour paper and then stamped the houses and sentiment. 

I stamped the first three houses on a separate piece of card, used some more Chalk Cloud to colour, then fussy cut out the single house and garage and adhered it over the initial stamping.  I attached the paper to a white base card and added a plain white insert.
Leaving the insert plain meant we could write a short message to them both before posting it in a decorated envelope - of which I didn't take a photo of course!