More on a Theme

The card I posted a few days ago turned out to be the first of three on a theme. I glittered three of the wrought iron images, and managed to finish two further cards.

For both, I stamped the background on standard black card using Versamark ink and then Perfect Pearls in blues and greens. In addition I've used some Spellbinders border dies, Spellbinders Nestibilities and their new layered flower dies which I've used for the first time, as well as the branch type die from Marianne Creatables. The glittered images here and in the previous post all use the same colours of glitter (green, turquoise and blue) but I got very different effects by varying where each colour went.

I've also been busy working on some DT cards, but they won't be 'public' for a while!

Something New

For the past six weeks or so, my crafting ability has been curtailed. My daughter was in the midst of A levels, and didn't want to be stuck in her room alone to revise, so she took over the dining table. And of course, that's where I normally do my crafting! That's not to say I haven't done anything, but I've been limited to bits I can do on a tray on my lap. In that respect, digi-stamps are perfect, as I can print them, colour with Promarkers, and then beg a bit of kitchen work top or a corner of the table to mat and layer them into cards. But I've missed having a good play, and I had several stamps which I'd never even inked up. Yesterday, I spent some time doing various inky things, and I've got a box of possibilities to work on, but last night, I did finish one card, and here it is:

The stamp I used is from Clarity - Wrought Iron Circle. I stamped it onto black coated card using a Versamark pad, then applied Perfect Pearls in various blues and greens. I left the ink to dry well before brushing off the excess. I cut that piece into four and mounted it on silver mirror board. I stamped the image again, this time onto white card and embossed in black. Using a Quickie Glue Pen, I applied various colours of fine glitter, and mounted the resulting circle onto a nestie die cut. To finish, I used a new purchase from Spellbinders - those lovely feather-like swirly bits. I'm quite pleased with the results - I've always loved abstract designs. It probably stems from my inability to draw anything recognisable, but I can manage patterns. (Not that I drew anything here, but still.)

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Hiding in my Craftroom where anything goes,
So Artful where the theme is 'all that glitters',
ATCs and Cards with Attitude where anything goes,
Chocolate, Coffee and Cards where anything goes,
365 Cards where they want two techniques for sparkle and shine,
Charisma Cards where anything goes,
Willow Sketchie where the theme is 'sparkle and shine',
Paper Shelter where the theme is punches or dies,
Bearly Mine where anything goes,
Party Time Tuesdays where anything goes,

Pastel Christmas!

Scroll down for this week's OSAAT challenge project.

Seems like a while since I did a card just because I wanted to, although that's largely because I've spent the last week fighting a nasty chest cold and not getting enough sleep as a result. It's still around, but as it's now half term, getting caught up on sleep shouldn't be a problem!

Yesterday, I snagged the cutest free digi from Pollycraft, and I was inspired to do this!

It's called 'Penguin Love' and it's available for a short time. I coloured the image with Promarkers and added detail with Sakura Stardust pen, then added some glitter to their hats.

Sketch Saturday No. 82

I really haven't had much energy to make cards of late. Of course, doing over a hundred for Christmas might have something to do with that, as might being generally under the weather for the past couple of weeks. Still, the sketch from Sketch Saturday this week looked interesting.



The image is from a Debbi Moore CD of Art Deco and Art Nouveau images, and I've added some Sakura Glitter pen to the fireworks and detail on the woman's dress. The background paper is taken from an element of the image, and I've added some black glitter paper and textured purple from my collection. The flowers were Wizarded from paper painted with Radiant Rain and finished with a sticky gem. The scallops were done the old-fashioned way - with scissors - and I finished both that and the flowers with some glitter glue.

Stamp Something!

When I first got into papercrafting, I tried stamping and quickly decided (well, not that quickly - I still bought quite a few stamps) that it wasn't for me. Then, I joined the Crafty Cardmakers group and decided to give it another go. Now, it's something I'm starting to enjoy although I still get frustrated from time to time when things don't work the way I expected. Still, I recently got some Oliphant stamps which intrigued me because they've got a figure of a boy and a girl as well as several background elements.

The Crafty Cardmakers challenge this time is to stamp something, so I had a play.



As an additional challenge, we had to try something we hadn't tried before. Well, I tried something I've never had any success at before ... masking so I could add the chair, tree stump and robin.

I coloured with my Promarkers. I'm still getting the hang of them, and I'm finding it easier to get the effect I want but sometimes it still doesn't look the way I expected it to. I suspect that's my total lack of an artistic background coming through.

In the background is some paper from the Paper Cellar and I Wizarded some Co'ordinations card with a Cuttlebug folder and cut a snowflake. Then I added some glitter, a stick on gem and some ribbon.