WoJ preview 2: 'You are amazing'

Here's another preview of the 'City Girl' collection. When I saw these 2 images for the very first time, I knew straight away that I wanted to use them together. Oakley just looks like he's looking at Willow with such love and I'm not surprised . . 'what a babe' (hubby's words!) Willow is, all decked out in her finest.

So in keeping with this romantic theme I've gone for a very soft colour palette and watercoloured them with distress inks and twinkling H2Os. (note to self - use other watercolour paper - this one causes too much 'bleeding' and poor Oakley's hair is a mess!) 

Talking of distress inks and romance, have you seen the 12 new shades of distress inks?!  they look yummy and a much 'needed' addition . . Well, hubby's got them for me for valentines - how lucky am I?!  I think he's a keeper ;).  Anyway, back to my card - I've just stamped the 2 images next to each other and then I've doodled a wall, carpet and door around them so it looks like they are just getting ready to go out!  The sentiment is also a WoJ stamp.  Here's a close up of the cute couple

Stash:

Stamps:  Willow & Oakley are from 'City Girl' release from WoJ available 4th Feb, Sentiment also WoJ

Colouring: stamped with Versafine ink onto watercolour paper and watercoloured with distress inks & twinkling H2Os for a bit of shimmer - click on photo for close up to see better

Paper: DCWV 'la creme' matstack

Tools: distresser tool for edges of image, tracing wheel for the faux stitching holes, MS heart & border punches, scallop circle punch

Others: black gems and waterproof black fineliner pen for doodling the background scene

Well, thanks for stopping by and have a lovely evening.
 

WOJ 'CITY GIRL' new release preview

WOJ will have new collection called 'city girl' out on 4th Feb,

 so in the run up to that, all the DT (links in my sidebar) will be tempting you with previews. 

Here is my first one.

 I just love this 'Dancing Willow'.  She's showing quite a bit of leg and really shaking that butt isn't she LOL - but that made it really fun to colour & shade - I know, it doesn't take much to amuse me :D

Found scrap piece of DP which had 'hey gorgeous' on it which I thought would be perfect and the colours were nice and bright so based the whole card around that by turning it into an easel card.  The 'sassy' sentiment is from a Greeting Farm sentiment set.  I wanted a fun, free feeling to the card so kept the layout very loose and unstructured with tilted layers and random look to the placement of the flowers and sentiment.  I shall leave you with some more shots of the card (all can be clicked on for closer view).

Thanks for dropping by (if you're looking for my CCT card it's the post below this one).

CCT: Bloomin' 'fairy sweet'

CCT theme this week is 'Bloomin gorgeous' and is sponsored by Wild Orchid cafts (which is where I go for my paper flowers. Love the choice and the price).  I've used another of my uninked pile of rubba, this time a gorgeous fairy from LOTV.  Adore the style of these drawings and have just got some of the new ones too to add to my uninked pile!

I've used the sketch over on Sketch and stash and have used a fab fairy sentiment stamp from WoJ then just chucked loads of flowers onto it and also lots of sparkle both on the flowers and the image - can't have a fairy who doesn't shimmer now, can we?!

Here's a close up of the fairy so hopefully you can see how she sparkles a bit better

and here's a side view to show you how dimensional the card is - just need to make an envelope to fit it now!

Stash:

Stamps: Fairy from Lili of the Valley, sentiment from Whiff of Joy

Colouring: Copics plus Sakura stardust pens watercoloured on in places to give her shimmery wings, and skirt.

Paper: MME 'pretty please' pad - free from a mag think it was 'cardmaking & papercaft'

Tools: blossom nestie die, punches - MS butterfly, 'frond' and 'branch', various border ones, EK flourish

Others: paper flowers - wild orchid crafts (large one is 'gardenia' in mint green which I have spritzed with 'sunflower' glimmer mist, the small ones are aster daisies), gems and brad, stickles

I'll be back with another post later tonight for a WoJ sneek peek :) hope to see you then if not, have a great day.

 

Spoonful of Tilda: 'music to my heart'

Thought it was high time I inked up some Magnolia stamps as they have been VERY neglected of late - can't even begin to tell you how many of last years haven't seen ink yet :o  So I've made a start and used these 2 from the winter kit.

The music note is also a Magnolia stamp  (couldn't tell you which release though as it's one of their earlier ones). I have altered it slightly by turning the notes into hearts and adding the text.  The other swirly heart flourishes around her are from a hero arts set.

This was one of those 'going with the flow' type of card and the layout/collagey style just sort of happened so think it fits in nicely for this week's spoonful theme of 'freestyle' :)  I could have stamped Tilda to sit on the stool but I think she looks cute perched on the end of the Piano like that - the film 'Fabulous baker boys' with Michelle Pheiffer springs to mind :)  ooh, that dates me doesn't it - bet half of you don't even know it! (movie from late 80's!)


Well, I did have a stash list but blogger just crashed and I've lost it all and don't fancy typing it all out again!  but I've mentioned all of them and everything else is all my usual suspects - Copics, H2Os, lots of punches and couple of embellies!


That's all from me for today.  See you tomorrow with my CCT card hopefully.  Have a good day!

My first bag charms

So, as promised, here are photos of the first bag charm dangles I made using the fimo beads I made last week plus some other beads and bits from my little stash of jewellery findings I have now collected :). 

The black and pink one is bigger and the images on the black fimo bead was made by stamping into it - the skull was from a Greeting farm set and the floral pattern was from a lace stamp by Hero arts.  Once baked, I just buffed it up with a bit of metallic acrylic paint.

The little cupcakes and ice cream one is a lot smaller.  I turned the green midget gem bead into an ice cream sundae by adding some flower cup beads below it for the glass and a red bead on top for a cherry!

I just need more practice with the pliers and making loops with the wire but it is very addictive not to mention  so much gorgeous sparkly and glittery beads out there - almost as appealing as stamps and paper pads :o

I gave these to my sister for her birthday at the weekend and I think she liked them!  My niece now wants me to make some mini sushi beads and make a bracelet for her as she loves her Sushi.  I've seen some fantastic ones on etsy so will have a play and see what I can come up with.

I haven't been neglecting my cardmaking but will save that for tomorrow's post.

Thanks for dropping by.

Fri Sketcher: Mini WoJ Calender

Hello!  I've been meaning to make a mini desk calender using an 'easel fold' card for ages and finally got around to it as we head towards the end of January!  ( Luckily those little calender inserts were only 10p or so as I've still got 5 more waiting to be used LOL )

I used the sketch over on Friday Sketchers along with this lovely WoJ image which was from the winter '09 set of release but works all year round.  I've watercoloured with distress inks and twinkling H2Os and gone for a more vintagey look by using some papers from Basic Grey 'Nook & Pantry'.  The little calender slips out so can be replaced with another or just left as is.

I'll leave you with a closer look of the image which shows the shimmer of the H2)s better

Stash:

Stamps: 'willow reading a story' - WoJ winter '09 release.  'home sweet home' - RAM stampavie

Colouring: stamped with Versafine onto watercolouring paper, watercoloured with distress ink pads and twinkling H2Os

Paper:BG ' Nook & Pantry'

Tools: Petite scallop Oval Nesties, MS around the page lace punch (can't remember exact name), distresser tool, tracing wheel for faux stitch holes, MS 'frond' leaf punch

Others: brown & white gel pen for faux stitching, brads, paper roses, brown pearl gems, heart pins made from my little bead stash using heart beads and couple of eye pins

************************************************************************
Talking of Jewellery, I think I may have got bitten by that bug now too and also making my own beads/decorations.  Saw some cute polumer clay beads whilst browsing bead shops the other day - including some fun retro sweets  like love hearts etc so I thought it would be fun to try and make my own (used to love plasticine as a kid!)  Sooo, I bought couple of Fimo clay bars and had my first play the other night.  Here's a quick peek at my first batch of homemade beads, straight out of the oven!

They still look a little rough and the sizing/colours isn't quite right yet but it's great fun!   Exactly like playing with plasticine then just popping into oven to harden.  Do you like my flumps, iced gem, fried egg & mini cupcakes?  My fave is my little burger, think I just need to make it slightly bigger next time.   I've already made my first little bag charm with the black skull pendant so will show that once I've taken a shot of it.  The little love heart sweets were actually moulded from the real things . .  all thanks to some very old mould making stuff  I had from years ago.  My mind is whirling of all sorts of things I can make and turn into mini phone charms, earrings, bracelets etc so you may find my blog really is  about 'Cards & THINGS' . .  :) 

CCT~ Fairy: Chinese New year

CCT theme this week is 'Fairy fantastic', so time to rummage through all your fairy stamps and images.

I was going to use a Lily of the valley one, as yet uninked (have you seen peeks of the new range - how cute do they look?!) Then I remembered I had this little beauty I bought last year. It's a Paper make up fairy stamp, which noramlly aren't really my cup of tea but this one, I just fell in love with - she's just so pretty and I love the jade charm she has in her hand. So in my collection she went and only now has she been inked up. She's just perfect for Chinese new year cards too, so that is what I have made (it falls on Valentine's day this year!)

Went for a typical blk/red combo and threw in some silver and green as highlight colours. No patterned paper, just stamped & heat embossed a lace stamp & chinese sentiment stamp onto red card using black holographic embossing powder.

Image coloured with Copics as usual, but then the dotty shading around her was my first attempt at doing this. I usually just shade it in with a pale grey or blue copic but I was just blown away by the effect that was achieved with this card by Chrissie whilst bloghopping. Now obviously mine is nowhere near as good (In hindsight, should have gone a bit more dotty but I was afraid to add to much but I know to just go for it next time!). I love the effect and will be using this technique again for sure -that's the beauty of blogs, you get to learn and share stuff to try!

Stash:

Stamps: 'Penelope fairy' - Paper Makeup stamp. Lace background stamp - Hero arts, chinese sentiment - unknown, bought at Ally Pally many years ago

Colouring: Copics, touch of glaze pen over the jade for added sheen like the real thing and stardust pen over her wings for sparkle

Paper: none, just black, red & silver cardstock

Tools: Petite scallop oval nesties,MS 'frond' leaf punch, EK 'Parisian' (I think!) edger punch

Others: adhesive pearls, Orchid flowers from Orchid crafts

That's all for today. It's hubby's day off, so might try and pop into local fabric/craft store - they have beading stuff and I'm building up a little stash, as I've got all these things I want to try (you know what it's like when you discover a new hobby LOL) Oh and Sis, if you're reading this, don't worry I'm still crocheting, just stalling a bit on my dim sum project - half way through my 2nd sui mi, it'll get there ;)

Thanks for stopping by & have a good day.

Candy winner . . .

. . . of this is . . .

which makes it Kim Y

Congratulations Kim! Please e-mail me your address (my email is on my side bar near the top) and I will post it out to you in next couple of days.

Thanks for playing and if you didn't win this time, don't worry I will have another mini candy next month ;)

Sorry for the lack of posts, but I do have a card to show tomorrow, for CCT challenge. Until then,

Weekend dabble . . beading

Hello! Hope you all had a good weekend. I haven't got a card to show you today as I wasn't in the mood plus I tried something new over the weekend. Got a little beading kit whilst I was in Hobbycraft last thursday and gave it a go. It was fiddly but fun. The diagram/pattern looked really complicated at first but once I got going it was quite easy - just like sewing really. Here's my very first beaded bracelet . .
Think I may have found something else to get into . . . .uh-oh :o

Thanks for stopping by, hopefully will be back soon with a card, especially as I've had lots of goodies arriving :)

CCT ~ pink & grey: 'Love letter'

Morning! CCT challenge this week is a colour combo 'pink & grey'.

So I rifled through my papers and came across this Bo Bunny sheet which to be fair is more black & pink but hey, black's just a dark shade of grey surely?! well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Anyway, I've coloured the image with lots of greys and I've added 'gunmetal' grey embossing powder around the edges of the paper and the little heart seal is done using silver wax so there is lots of grey in there.

I seem to end up doing collagy type cards when left to my own devices so not much structure to this card - just kinda let it flow. Apart from the embossing around the edges, have also attacked it with my distresser tool, stamped some script onto the paper to tie in with the letter theme, then just added few gems, string and hearts.

As the base card is dark grey, I've decorated the inside too - very basic, just used reverse side of the DP and a little scroll stamp on the other side . .


Stash:

Stamps: 'Charlotte on carpet' & 'love letter' sentiment are WoJ. The heart, script and the scroll on the inside are Magnolis stamps

Colouring: Copics

Paper: Bo Bunny, not sure of name plus some pink & dark grey cardstock

Tools: distresser tool, heat gun, heart seal stamp

Others: embossing powder, wax, string, gems

Be sure to stop on over to CCT for more inspiration from the other DTs, not to mention there's sure to be a fab candy prize on offer if you enter (as there is every week).

I've got another post below this one - I know, very unlike me to get 2 cards made in a day, no doubt it just means I'll not be able to come up with anything for a few days! Anyway, I'm hoping to get to Hobbycraft today after last week's aborted trip and debacle in the snow. It snowed a little yesterday I'm just hoping that was the last of it - fingers crossed.

Thanks for dropping by, have a good day!

Fri Sketchers: 'plane fun'

I got the new Kraftin Kimmie stamps from Silly Monkeys and had to ink one up straight away. Thought this week's FS sketch would work great with 'Emelia' and came up with this.Not too happy with my colour choice for the plane but it's done now and think it'll do. I love the sentiments in this set, some of the puns are right up my street. Not much else to this card, as I kept it simple, the only thing you can't see is the dimension to it as the central image is raised on foam pads.


Stash:

Stamps: 'Emelia' and the sentiment are Kraftin Kimmie stamps from Silly Monkeys

Colouring: Copics

Paper: WeR Memory Keepers 'Tiffany' - I know, I've been using this alot but I'm trying to use up the scraps as I go, still got another 2 cards worth I think . . sorry!

Tools: 'Blossom' nesties, SU sord window punch

Thanks for looking!

WoJ Candy Time

As promised I have a little WoJ candy to give away - this 'Charlie Postman' unmounted rubber stamp, from the new Alison Acton 'Happy Mail' collection just released . .

. . which will come in this little folder card (as shown in an earlier post last week) and I will fill it with some metal charms and paper roses too, which I have not photographed.


If you would like to be entered into draw, please just enter your name and your bloglink into 'Mr Linky' (NOT in the comments). If you don't have a blog then just link it to this blog.

Open to all and I will draw winner next wednesday 20th Jan.

NOW CLOSED

Good luck,

Sketch Sat: 'little bird told me. . .'

Inked up another WoJ stamp from the 'happy mail' collection and the sketch over on sketch Sat fitted the bill perfectly - although I did run out of room for the sentiment bit and that's not quite as sketch, but close enough I hope!

Stash:

Stamps: 'charlotte kissing pidgeon' - WoJ. sentiment is 1 of those 99p studio G wooden stamps that has a little birdie with it but I just left that bit off when I inked it up.

Colouring: Copics

Paper: Cosmo Cricket 'early bird' and bits of card all from my scrap pile - which has grown again and I need to cull it again soon and chuck some out as there's no way I'm going to use it all.

Tools: lots of punches - MS border punches, EK flourish punch, nellie snellen flower punch & embossers, small leaf punch & tiny flower punch not sure of make

Others: flat backed pearls

Well, the snow's finally melting now that we've managed temperatures over 0! Which is good, as like most things it's only nice in small doses I think! Hope it's warming up where you are and things are getting back to normal (for all non brits, you must think we are useless LOL, bit of snow and the whole country grinds to a halt!) Thanks for dropping by.