Thank you Jane

I was thinking about having to make a card for my uncle and like with many male cards was short on inspiration. I had a trawl through a some recent posts of those blogs I follow seeking inspiration and I came across just the inspiration I needed on Jane Willis's blog Onions and Paper. 

Jane had made a card using a faux stained glass window effect which sent me rummaging in my Sue Wilson die folder.  I've had the sail boat die a while now and have used it in many ways - paper piecing, colouring, colouring acetate, and colouring and then covering with microbeads.  All have produced good cards but apart from the colouring, fiddly cards which put me off using the die. 

After seeing Jane's post though a different story.  A quick whizz through the Gemini, with a piece of white card behind the black to pick out the shape of the die.  Some basic colouring and then three layers of Ultra Thick Embossing Powder to get the stained glass effect.  The hardest part was sticking the black card onto the 'stained glass' as Crafter's Companion's Stick and Spray does not do what it says on the tin and ought to be reported to Trading Standards!

I shall put a sentiment on tomorrow morning as the card has to spend the night under some heavy boxes to flatten it out.  I checked the time I commented on Jane's blog to when I finished the card and it was under an hour.  Nice work and thank you Jane. 

The white bits are reflection and not poor colouring.

Whatever happened to...

Whatever happened to these little darlings?  One's now has a baby of her own and the other is still batting his big blue eyes to charm everyone into getting what he wants.  To me both still gorgeous.

Yesterday I attended a Clarity based workshop with my friend 'the masked woman' (see followers).  The list of things we had to take along was so long it was rather like moving house for the day. 
These workshops are always really good and Angela who runs them always gets me out of my comfort zone trying new techniques and products. 

Yesterday we used Leonie's first stencils for Clarity and made backgrounds and a canvas.  I hadn't made a canvas like this since the first craft retreat I went on (Sue Tossell), and had a good time choosing which way to use the stencil, colours etc and generally having a play and getting my fingers nice and inky.   Not sure about the finished product, very not me, but as the main image is of my pride and my boy I shall prop it up somewhere where I can look and remember the lovely times we had when they were young.

Another lovely day today, very unseasonable, but rather nice.  Today I've made a birthday card for my youngest sister.  She is 17 years younger than me and it makes me feel very old when I realise that she is 43 on Friday.  Where do the years go?

Sarah's card is made using Sue Wilson dies.  I'm still working through never before used stash and I rather like the dies used on this card.  The ink, which is a Momento Brilliance was a moment of inspiration.  I suddenly remembered the inks unused up on the shelf, and lo and behold an almost perfect match. 

A few gems and Bob's your uncle, or Sarah's your sister.  If she doesn't like it I shall eat all her cake!

Back in the room

After a really busy month with little time for myself I'm back in the (blogging) room.  I've returned to work part time and because it's only a few days a month I seem to still be doing all the other things I do as well.  And the best present of all, our first grandchild was born on 4th Feb which has meant I have been nipping up and down the M1 for visits and cuddles.

But I have still had time for a little bit of crafting, mainly my first memory album.  For my birthday the lovely Sue Tossell gave me Tonic's memory book 2 and spine dies.  I had never seen them before and wow am I in love with them?  I can't remember the last time I prepared so well for anything.  Making memory books is addictive and I'm already planning my next one.

For this I have used Graphic 45 Vintage Hollywood papers and used a variety of pockets, flaps and bellybands to decorate each page. There is also a pocket between each page with a tag ready to take 4x6 photos.   I also treated myself to the Tonic Legacy Keeper Wallet (swoon) and used this on two pages.  I made this for a friend who is herself celebrating a significant birthday this week and is also a glamorous film buff. 

For a first time I'm quietly pleased with this one.

Happy Birdee

It is a male friends birthday this week and as he is a keen birdwatcher I dug through my unused stamps to find something suitable.  I didn't want to send a realistic looking bird as I knew my knowledge of birds wasn't up to accuracy in colouring so I settled on this Tim Holtz set.  For some reason the stamps were not in a packet so I don't know what they are called.  I heat embossed the background using an unused tub of gunmetal coloured embossing powder (unlabelled) which didn't work at all as I was expecting.  Perhaps it wasn't embossing powder? But it gave quite a nice masculine background to show off a stamped and fussy cut bird and sentiment.  While making this card I remembered another birthday that I had forgotten so quickly made the second card to get delivered today. 

Sticking to my new year resolution I had to make a decision about the stamps and decided that while I liked them, they had limited use and have gone in the swap box, and the embossing powder in the bin!

WOYWW 502

My desk is multi tasking this week as I have gone back to work for a few days a month and needed proper desks space to prepare the necessary for each of my students.  I feel good about going back, I have the best of both worlds in that I will be working for one week a month and the rest of the time for crafting.  Definitely the correct balance I feel.

On my desk are the remnants of yesterday evenings craft session including two cards made for sending today - I live on the edge!  Following my new year's resolution of using unused stamps I made the cards using the same stamps but in different ways.  Now to clear it so I can start today afresh.

Playdates and Inky backgrounds

On Friday a good friend came round to play.  We knew each other before crafting but since I've led her into the crafting world we see a lot more of each other and have regular 'play dates' where we try new things out and put the world to rights.  This Friday we made inky backgrounds in the morning using a Gel plate and brusho's.  Lots of ooohing ensued and a few hmmms and one or two 'dont like thats'!  After lunch we made cards from the backgrounds.  I was quite happy with both of my finished cards.  The first used brusho's brayered through a Visible Image stencil and then over stamped with an old Visible Image stamp that definitely isn't going in the swap box!  The second has a brayered background with Lavinia stamp as the main image.  I used an Inkylicious stencil and Sweet Dixie and Clarity stamps to add depth to the card.  Again non of the stamps used will be going in the swap box as they all earn their keep. When I was making this I remembered a friends wedding anniversary is  coming up and so will use this card for that.  I couldn't believe that I don't have a happy anniversary stamp in my stash, so have had to order one.  Sandra made a couple of lovely toppers from her backgrounds, and again I forgot to take photos.