Simply Cards!

I thought I would concentrate on making some cards, two large 8 x 8 cards and two smaller tag cards. I would like to apologise for the photos but my favourite panasonic lumix camera has given up the ghost on me so I am having to use my old one.

I have finally used my Cherry pie stamps - Leonardo's women on this card. I cut a rectangle of cream card to make my postcard, using three oxford impression stamps, Bella Vita for the postmark, stamp and Carte Postale. Then I used a script stamp from Curious by Design for the message, and the Mona Lisa stamp of course adding a gold corner for embellishment. The main background paper was created using various colours of distress inks and cosmic shimmer mists and some Pink Paislee Butterfly garden stamps. I used some white gesso to tone down the paper as it was rather too vivid. I added a crochet doily and some roses from Orchid Crafts and mini gold tassel.

  This card has really not photographed well at all, the colours appear more bleached, anyway the Crafty Individual stamp I used is CI- 302 which I painted using distress inks, victorian velvet, dusky concord and shabby shutters. This was matted onto a couple of background papers and I added some plum coloured lace. The doily die is by die-dynamics and I embossed this with a cuttlebug script folder and tinted with various shades of dew drop inks. I used a script stamp on some cream distressed paper and those pretty roses from Orchid Crafts again and some cute floral chipboard butterflies.

This is a simple tag card made using a Tim Holtz alteration die. The stamp is from Lost Coast Designs, which I stamped onto glossy card using Archival Ink and the swirls stamps are freebies that I received from Crafty Individuals.

This final tag card was again made using the Alterations tag die which I then embossed in a cuttlebug folder and spritzed with various cosmic shimmer sprays, and then highlighted using Inka gold, copper. The image is one of the many images available from Moonlight Journey, which I added to a chipboard arch that I'd painted and stamped. Finally I attached some german scrap, a butterfly charm, and some more pretty peach roses.  

Looks like I'll be saving up for a new camera now, I will have to put on hold my crafting wish list!

Until next time, ♥ happy crafting ♥

Crafty Individuals May Challenge

Just a quick post about Crafty Individuals latest challenge 'free as a bird' For my entry I used a tando frame and stand.

I painted the frame and the stand in white gesso. Then I used various colours of dew drop inks to colour the frame.  CI-209 was stamped lightly to create the branches and Whispers in the Wind. The background paper is one from Crafty Individuals mini books trees. The mini tando frame is also available from CC and was again coloured using the dew drop inks and the bird stamp is one from the set of four CI-184. The birds perched on the bottom of the frame is stamped using CI-230 and lightly painted using distress inks. I completed the project by highlighting the birds with glossy accents.

Until next time!

And Another Altered Box for Alter It Monthly

I know! But I do so love altering boxes. I must stop for a while as they are gradually filling up my dressing table, but I have an excuse, my other passion is jewellery and these are ideal for storing my rings and things.
This small wooden box cost less than £1.50 and is ideal for decorating as the lid is separate, I just wish I'd picked up a few more. This my entry for Alter it Monthly wood challenge.

I started by painting the box with dusky pink and cream  matt emulsion paint. Then I decorated the box using Pink Paislee Butterfly garden stamps and archival ink in coffee. The image is one of my favourite and I used Grafix rub onz to transfer it onto the box. Then some distress inks in Victorian velvet and brushed corduroy and finally completing the box with some spray varnish.

For this card I used Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden papers and an image from Moonlight journey and some kaiserkraft blooms.

I would also like to thank everyone for visiting my blog and leaving such kind and encouraging comments! Now off to do some more crafting!

Three Little boxes!

I love altering boxes and these are three I made during the Easter break. I just hope I haven't got any chocolate smudges on them!

The first one is made from an old cardboard jewellery gift box. It is covered in Pink Paislee butterfly garden paper which I have to say is my favourite paper collection of the moment. I used one of the pretty Crafty Individual images from People and places book 2 and one of their lovely chipboard frames which I stamped and inked. I sealed the box with Claudine Hellmuths matte medium personally I prefer matte mod podge, but I need some more!

Talking of Crafty Individuals I was very pleased to find out today that I am one of the five winners of their first challenge. Now the hard job of choosing which one of their lovely stamps to add to my collection.

Another old gift box which I also covered in the Butterfly Garden paper. This time I used one of the Kaiserkraft wood frames adding some Inka gold. The image is one of the many lovely ones available from Moonlight journey. I used glossy accents to add a glass like effect. Adding a copper tassel and a pretty rose to finish.

The final box is a tiny wooden box which I painted in cream matt emulsion paint. I stamped three images from two lost Coast Designs Alice in Wonderland stamps and a Tim Holtz one. I lightly coloured them in using various Tim Holtz distress inks. Then added some more inks and the box went a grainy blue colour, which I'm rather undecided about, but perhaps it will grow on me! Finally varnishing it with Crafters companion spray varnish.

Less is more, but.......

I love adding the finishing touches and can't seem to stop myself adding more! Anyway this is my entry for the Happy Daze  made with Wood challenge.

Happy Daze are also offering Easter Egg Candy here in the form of a £25 gift voucher to spend in their shop.

I used a wood case available from Happy Daze  and some valenciennes trim in a gorgeous dusty vintage pink. I used some german scrap, but as I only had gold, I coloured it with a silver krylon pen. The pink paper is from the Tim Holtz vintage shabby pad and the feet are from his ideology range. The stamp is one of my favourites at the moment from Crafty Individuals CI-306. The blooms are kaiserkraft which are available from Merly Impressions. I had some cream lace which I coloured pink and used to back a cameo. I made a mould of a blue cameo, then used hearty clay to make an impression which I painted pink to match the colour scheme. Hearty clay is very light and the texture reminds me very much of those pink shrimps I used to eat as kid!

The back of the box has an old image of a pears advertisement and is one of the many free images available from The Graphics fairy 

Happy Easter to everyone. I'm just off to munch my way through some cream eggs!

Crafty Tag Card and Moonlight Designs

I bought some of the new Crafty Individual tags recently; I was rather unsure of what to make with them, so I decided to use one to make a tag card.

The frame is also from Crafty Individuals. I originally decorated the frame with inks and a crackle glaze, but it was a bit of a disaster so I managed to salvage it by embossing with some clear UTEE, then stamping on a swirl design. Finally adding some memento dew drop inks and some Inka gold. The image I used is one of the many available from Moonlight Journey  To complete the card I added some kaisercraft paper blooms and one of their chipboard pieces.

This card is using the new Crafty Individual stamp CI - 306

I added some kaiserkraft lace, a dusty rose bloom and attached some Tim Holtz safety pins, the papers used are Pink Paislee & Graphic 45.

Two more projects using Moonlight Journey images. The first is a small picture made from grey cardboard, which I embossed with a cuttlebug embossing folder then used Inka gold copper and some cosmic shimmer sprays. Then I used some prima lace and edged with a krylon gold pen and attached gold chain and a copper tassel.

Lastly using more Inka gold copper, and Cosmic shimmer sprays I decorated this small wooden key/jewellery cabinet. Adding a favourite Pre-Raphaelite image from Moonlight Journey. I applied glossy accents to the image to finish.

Crafty Individuals April Challenge

Crafty Individuals are one of my favourite shopping sites and I covet lots of there crafting goodies. They are doing a new blog challenge here on the theme of 'simply square.'

I made a mini picture using some of their 6 x 6 papers travels in Italy and one of their stamps CI - 112. I used one of my many blank beer mats and a Tim Holtz on the edge die. I cut out a frame from grey cardboard and used Inka Gold and copper and a couple of the Cosmic shimmer sprays, then edged in gold, with a Krylon pen. I decorated a couple of the crafty individual chipboard swirls with more of the cosmic shimmers and attached some tassels, chain and a Tim Holtz ideology heart. Unfortunately the picture does not capture the shimmer from the sprays. I think I need a few lessons in photography!!