Christmas Cards !

Thank you Joanne Wardle, I now have 3 Christmas cards made for this year !  Joanne has come up with 3 really different ideas using the wonderful JOFY stamps, see the step by step instructions over at PaperArtsy here.

The batch idea is excellent. though I still couldn't leave them all exactly the same lol ! They just needed a bit of sparkle or bling.

You never know I might just be finished in time for Christmas x



Tags Inspired by Alison Bomber

I really wanted to have a go at a little house "similar" to the one Alison has shown us over at PaperArtsy this week, see here.  I've had one of these sitting on my desk since the first Ally Pally show earlier this year but time hasn't been on my side this week.

I was inspired to have a go at mixing fresco paints and distress inks as a background.  I love how these have turned out and will definitely use this method again. 

I stencilled first of all with Space Cadet and Lake Wanaka (yes they're my new favourites!) then blended over bundled sage, peeled paint and mowed lawn distress inks. I was going to stamp something on the background in white the same as Alison but changed my mind and stencilled with grunge paste and hi-lighted with treasure gold instead.  The stamps are British wild flowers from Creative Expressions.  I think I might make these up into cards later.

Using my new paints - Inspired by Jo Myhill

My work this week is inspired by project 3 from Jo Myhill over at PaperArtsy, see here.  As soon as I saw this I knew that this would be a great idea to use my new paints on - these are Lake Wanaka, Space Cadet and Antarctic.

I used space cadet on the grey board first, crackle glaze then lake wanaka. I couldn't find a small stamp that worked well paint so opted for faded jeans distress ink instead.  The flowers are cut out of black card and embossed, 2 painted in lake wanaka and sanded back to the dots and one painted in antarctic and edged in space cadet.  I found these lovely little word brads in my stash earlier this week so opted for them rather then separate text. The top looked a bit bare so I've stamped a butterfly (ELB02) onto to patterned paper and cut out.

Just love these new colours ! 

Quick thank you card

Personally I find the clean and simple styles harder to do - Joanne Wardle has given us 3 such projects this week over at PaperArtsy.  I did intend to have a go at the first project, a fab technique for all manner of cards, but couldn't resist using my "leaf window" as a stencil for the background. The main leaf is Ferro with gilding wax on top. This is something I'll definitely but using for added interest to men's cards in the future. Thank you Joanne !

Second project inspired by Alison Bomber

I really loved Alison third project of the week - it was so fun and quirky - but as I don't have any stamps with faces on them I was a bit stuck. I have how ever used the inspiration from her project for the background and also the buttons from her second project for the middle of the flowers.

   

Journal Page Inspired by Alison Bomber at PaperArtsy

Well thanks to the very talented Alison I've completed my second ever journal page !  I've followed alot of the techniques she showed us over at PaperArtsy in her brilliant step by step guide, see here, and had great fun in the process. I think spraying is now one my new favourite techniques ! I did get a bit messy though lol

My background is an old map so I've stuck to the red and blues on this as my colour scheme.

PaperArtsy Challenge inspired by Jo Myhill

Jo has treated us to a myriad of techniques over on the PaperArtsy blog this week, see here.  I can't wait to try the image transfer but need to get some satin glaze.

I've incorporated bits from all of her projects - I've layered together two boards for the background - used grunge paste to give a rough texture to the smaller heart and stencil with on the strips - pleated lace - crackled (of course!) - applied gilding wax - and got lovely and messy in the process. Most people at work wear nail varnish but I turn up with paint and gilding wax under my nails ! lol

I've left the pendant on the smaller heart empty as I think I'm going to give this to my daughter, I'm sure she'll want to put a picture of her and her boyfriend in it.