Thursday 27 May 2010

Dragon's Dream TIO Challenge 40 - Surprise


Dragon's Dream TIO Challenge - No 40 - Surprise


The theme this week is "Surprise" - use any stamp(s) you have out on your desk. Well, I have only just today taken delivery of two new stamp plates and I had a flourish out on my desk from a previous project, so the theme was easy peasy for me this week.

I started by colouring a cream tag with DI, firstly in scattered straw, then around the edges with crushed olive, using my new colour dusters, from Inkylicious. Once I was satisfied with this I stamped the flourish, from a spring set by Graphicus, using the same two DIs. After this I stamped the sentiment from my new stamp plate twice using peeled paint DI. I then stamped the main image usinf black archival ink. I coloured in my image using Prisma pencils. I added clear gems down the front of the dress and embellised the string of pearls with white opal pearlidoodles. The ribbon is from my stash.

I'm really impressed with these two new stamp plates. They are from Creative Expressions. The image I used is from the Elegant Ladies plate. The other plate is Party Ladies.

I'm not too happy with the way the pearls turned out with the pearlidoodles. It was very hard to get tiny dots. I think, in reflection, I may have been better off using a quickie glue pen and white glitter. Hey ho, suppose I'll just have to make another one!

Any views on how I could have done the string of pearls better?

Thanks for dropping by.

Wanda

Saturday 22 May 2010

Rainbow Lady's challenge 104 - Journey with a Ticket

TIO Challenge #39 - Journey with a Ticket

The challenge this week on Dragon's Dream TIO challenge #39 is "Journey with a Ticket". This collage stamp from Clarity Stamps immediately sprung to mind. I have also used a little ticket stamp that came with Craft Stamper a while ago.
I have stamped the collage stamp onto a manilla tag and then also onto a piece of manilla cardstock. I have also stamped the ticket stamp onto the manilla cardstock using black archival ink. I have overstamped both the tag and the manilla cardstock with a crackle background stamp from Stamp Camp using antique linen DI. Then I have coloured the edges of the tag using old paper and brushed corduroy distress ink. I have cut out several features of the collage stamp from the manilla cardstock. I have covered the fobwatch with Anita's 3D clear gloss and allowed this to dry. I have mounted the cut out elements and the ticket using silicone gel. The old gold satin ribbonin the top of the tag is from my stash. Finally, I have mounted my tag onto black cardstock.
Thanks for stopping by.
Wanda

Wednesday 19 May 2010

Rainbow Lady's Challenge 103 - Ocean Shades of Blue and Green

Rainbow Lady's Challenge 103 - Ocean Shades of Blue and Green

Here is my entry for this weeks challenge. Only just made it! I have used a mixture of stamps for this one. An underwater plate from Graphicus and the fish and trailing plant are from Clarity. The background for the main image has been created using alcohol inks and shaving foam. I have stamped the images using Big and Juicy Waterfall. The letter "F" is a metal letter coloured using alcohol inks.
I have a confession to make here - I have made an upside down card! I will have to mat and layer the front of this card onto another. Doh!
Thanks for dropping by. Bye for now.
Wanda

Key to my Heart

I haven't posted anything new for a few days as I have been busy with boring, housy things, so I thought I would post this card I made on Monday. This is the card I presented to my OH yesterday for our anniversary. I don't think it fits ant challenges but thought I would show it anyway.

The stamps used are from Graphicus. Two different plates are used - the flourish in the background comes from the butterfly flourish plate, and the key and lock from another plate. I have stamped the flourish on the background using antique linen DI, then edged the card firstly with antique linen DI then with rusty hinge DI. The pendant is a fairly new nestie fleur de lys die. I stamped the key and lock using sepia archival ink. Dried them with a heat gun, cut them both out, then used firstly antique linen DI and then rusty hinge DI to colourise the cream cardstock I had used. The key and lock are mounted using silicone.

Thanks for stopping by. Your comments are welcomed.
Wanda

Thursday 13 May 2010

Dragon's Dream TIO Challenge 38 Along the Riverbank


The challenge this week is set by guest designer, Janet. I thought I would have a bit of fun with it and I have used some stamps I haven't had an opportunity to use before, even though I bought them last June whilst at the Stamp Addicts retreat. The frogs and lily pad are by Heather, a make I haven't come across before. The foliage, etc, are from Lavinia stamps and Clarity. I have used a few blue and green adirondak inkpads for my background and to stamp the foliage. I have coloured the frogs and lilypad with sakura souffle pens. Unfortunately, the flower on the lilypad doesn't show up very well. The tag is mounted onto black kand then onto pale green card. The threads and fibres are from my stash.
Thanks for stopping by.
Wanda

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Rainbow Lady's challenge 102 - Own Choice

Rainbow Lady's Challenge 102 for May 6th was Own Choice

Well, I just about made it - I think! Talk About being last minute. The new challenge will be out tomorrow. Not being able to get onto the Rainbow's forum this week has really thrown me out of kilter. Anyway, better late than never, eh.

I have stamped the flourish, from graphicus, onto silk artboard, then brayered over with soothing sunset big and juicy. Then I have stamped the same flourish using the same big and juicy inkpad, then finally in black archival. I have mounted it onto black then lilac card. I have lightly brayered the white base card with the same big and juicy inkpad. I have added black grossgrain ribbon from my stash and a flower cut from paper brayered with the same big and juicy inkpad using my new flowers nesties.

I really feel this card needs something else, maybe a sentiment, but I will look at it again tomorrow. Any ideas?

Thanks for stopping by.

Wanda

Sunday 9 May 2010

Blogaversary Candy over on Dragon;s Dream TIO Challenge


Go checkout out the blog candy on offer all this month on Dragon's Dream TIO Challenge Blogspot. I should have posted this at the beginning of May really, but better late than never, eh! I've only just realised I needed to link to it. Slow or what! The challenges are really good fun, and just up my street in terms of techniques.
Wanda

Under Lock & Key



I had a lovely time At Hulme Hall, Port Sunlight yesterday. It was lovely to meet so many of my crafting friends. We kept bumping into one another as we went around the stands and had a chance to compare purchases. I was tired this morning though after all the walking. And I had to help out in the cattery this morning so didn't get a chance to play with my new stuff until this evening. I thought I would get my entry done for the TIO challenge before getting too engrossed with cutting and mounting stamps!
My tag this time is made using stamps from graphicus. I have been waiting for a chance to use this set. My tag has been coloured with distress inks in victorian velvet, milled lavender, and dustry concord. I have over stamped with the text from the same plate using milled lavender, then second stamped the lock using dustry concord. My key and lock have been stamped onto grungepaper using black archival ink and then coloured with black soot DI. I have added some purple gems to the fob of the key. The strands of wool are from my stash.
Thanks for stopping by.
Wanda

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Baby Love

CD Sunday Challenge
This week's challenge is "Baby Talk". I used Joanna Sheen's Baby love CD for this image and backing paper. The border is made using a MS punch as are the flowers and leaves. Bow and gems adorning gthe centres of the flowers are from my craft stash. It's ages since I had to make a baby card so this one will come in handy too! Sorry it's short and sweet but domestic goddess duties call - yuk!
Bye for now. Thanks for stopping by.
Wanda

My apologies, for an error I made when I posted this yesterday. The image is indeed from the very talented Joanna Sheen but it comes from the Precious Petals collection and not from Baby Love as stated. Once again, my apologies for misleading you. I hope you haven't been searching the Baby Love collection in vain! Mind you, you will have had fun looking though all the lovely images!
Wanda

New Craft Room





Well here it is in all its glory. My new craft room. I can really see it now. I'm up to the stage of choosing paint colours and layout. Since I took these pictures the electrician has been in and done a bit more on the sockets and light fittings. The floor still needs to be laid and the joiner needs to fit skirting boards and door frames. I then need to chose blinds. Hopefully, I will be in it by the beginning of June. Can't wait! (I wonder if all my craft stash will fit in there?) OH has a lovely BIG model room next door but he's said no to me having that one - pity.
Wanda

Monday 3 May 2010

Snowflakes

Bah Humbug Challenge #16 is entitled "snowflakes"

Here is my card for that challenge. I'm determined not to have that last minute rush just before Christmas!

Anyway, back to this card. The backing paper is from the Seasons Greetings CD1 from Graphicus. I have distressed the edges using stormy sky DI and stamped a little star stamp from Denami in the same ink randomly. I have matted this onto dark blue card, then added a polka dot ribbon in pale blue. I have cut the snowflakes using a cuttlebug die and added crystal stickles to them, then added a star shaped gem to the centres (not too sure about the gems?). The flourishes in the corners are cut with another cuttlebug die.

As always, when I am making my cards for this challenge, I made two pretty much the same - adds to the stack!

I then spent most of the evening trying to cut out two welded reindeer and a shadow on my cricut using my gypsy. It cut the welded reindeer ok but just kept freezing just after it had started cutting the shadow. Frustrating to say the least. I went onto the cricut website and found a section devoted to the gypsy with a section for technical issues. I found someone else who had just the same problem. I tried everything they suggested but to no avail, so finally gave up and went to bed at 1.30 am!!! Needless to say, I'm feeling tired this morning. Anyway, I am going to get back to it and see if I can get any further with solving the problem today.

Oh well, back to the grind! Bye for now.
Wanda

Saturday 1 May 2010

Distress It!


Here is my entry for the TIO Challenge #36 over on Dragon's Dream. Check out the blogaversary candy celebrating the first anniversary of the blog.
I covered both sides of a piece of grunge paper with scrapbook paper. I'n not sure where I got it from, but it is double sided, so both sides of my tag co-ordinated beautifully. I put the whole tag through a new cuttlebug folder, called victoria, then brushed corduroy DI over the raised parts of the pattern to make it pop. Then I used the same distress ink around all the sides of the tag, followed by black soot DI just on the edges. Then I roughed up the edges of the tag, then applied black soot DI again, then dipped into black EP and heated.
I didn't have a large black eyelet, so I coloured one using a black copic pen. It worked a treat although I had to let one coat dry then apply a second. I have put black strands and an old gold ribbon through the eyelet.
I made the flower using various scraps of patterned paper, which I cut out with the blossom nestie dies, then distressed the edges using corduroy DI. Then I sprayed the layers with mango blaze glimmer mist, allowed to dry, then curled the petals, having first cut into them to allow more dimension. I then glued the layers of the flower together and finished off with a black button.
Finally, I cut two flourishes from the Home Accents cartridge on my cricut from black card, stuck them to the tag with glue gel then finished by adhering the flower.
Thanks for stopping by.
Wanda