Fiona turns 30

My niece Fiona is turning 30 next month and as she is currently living in Oxford, UK I needed to get a card made and in the post now!

The image of the dress (Impression Obsession) I stamped in Distress ink 'Vintage photo' before using a brush to wet inside the lines and adding spots of  of Distress inks in 'Picked Raspberry', 'Worn Lipstick' and 'Dried Marigold' which spread out giving a hazy effect. I masked the image and spattered some of the same coloured inks. I reverse masked the dress and added a little flourish in black.
The backing layer was created by sponging Distress inks (as above plus 'Mustard Seed' and 'Twisted Citron') on and wetting to blend, then stamping a speckled background (Timeless Images) and embossing with clear EP before wetting and wiping off some of the ink to enhance the speckles. This is a technique I learned from Jennifer McGuire.
The 'Congrats' is a Lawn Fawn die cut and the 30 from the Cuttlebug 'Harmony' Alphabet die set. 
I drew over the congrats and 30 with a clear Wink of Stella brush pen and added a couple of sequins. All is layered onto some mottled pink card stock.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Inspired by a Song.

I  made some backgrounds after watching Jennifer McGuire's video of "Watercolour Lifting: a variation using Heat embossing". Then I looked at SSS Blog's Monday Challenge  and I was inspired by my background to think of the song "Raindrops keep falling on my head" from the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".  Robert Redford and Paul Newman....sigh!

The background is smooth 300gsm watercolour card on which I scribbled a'la Jennifer with my Tombow markers, clear embossed an image from Designs by Ryn of water drops adding some white Gel pen for highlights. I wanted to frame the background and add the bike and words but as it evolved - a shaker card became the obvious way to go. I started with a white embossed bike ( Hot off the Press Inc ) then did the background to the words in silver using a Posh Impressions stamp "Drip drops" (defunct company). I was not sure it was balanced so stamped the bike again in silver EP this time and stuck it down...nah it did not pass the "husband test" (Mike likes contrast). The silver matched with the other pieces of the card but was not quite right so I stuck the white bike over the top of the silver...Voila...now it passes the Mike test :)
Tiny stickers for the words, black glitter paper and steel grey metallic card stock finished it off.

After checking out SSS's Wednesday Challenge: 'Shake it up' I have added this card there too.

Papertrey Ink Make it Monday challenge #239

This morning I thought I would check out the Papertrey Ink Make it Monday challenge thinking there would be a new one but silly me forgot about the time differences between the USA and here in Australia. No worries I have over 9 hours to make a card for last weeks challenge then I get to make another one tomorrow:) In the meantime while making a batch of Peach/lemon jam I realised I only had about 6 hours left...eeek time to get a move on. Customizing a piece of paper no problem. I had something in mind for friend's for their 40th wedding anniversary.

The background gold paper is a piece I have had in my stash since 1999! I bought it a major craft fair from Peggy Skycraft. I have been saving it for a very special occasion which I have finally found. I over stamped it using Stazon "Blazing Red" ink with stamps from the Basic Grey/Two Scoops "Heart Smudge" set. The words are from  Papertrey Ink's Wonderful Words Die and matching stamp sets. For the lattice work I used SSS Coverplate: Quatrefoil . The heart is from Sizzix Primitive Hearts#3. The rectangle from MFT Die-namics Blueprint#19. These were all cut out in red suede paper (another item from my stash). the numbers are Memory Box Classic Numbers set.
Embossing on suede paper was a bit of a challenge to get the right look I used my regular PSX gold powder as the ultra fine just seemed to blend in to the red. Then it took me a while to work out what colour card stock to mount it on but cream seemed just right in the end.
OK time to post this before the clock beats me.

Scrapbook Boutique Mood Board Challenge

The colours I used on this card were inspired by the February Mood Board at Scrapbook Boutique, the layout by a challenge at Papertrey Ink (which I can't enter this card in cos I did not use any of their products...silly me).
I spent a lot of time stamping up the image of the veiled woman (Stamp Rosa a now defunct company) trying to get a really clear image (photo style stamps are notorious for lousy images). I find the best way is to ink up a brayer and roll it over the image in 4 different directions before stamping.  Then I used Glimmer Mist Sprays in orange and yellow tones to get the colour I wanted. Oh I masked off her face before spraying. The stamps in the background are from a Basic Grey/ 2 Scoops set called "Heart Smudge"...not too sure these are available any more either. Just goes to show how long I have been stamping, stamp companies have come and gone but I am still stamping on!!

Welcome New Neighbours/ MFT Sketch Challenge 267

I looked at  MFT's Wednesdays Sketch Challenge 267 before going to bed last night and I could not sleep until I drew a quick plan for this card which I thought would be just right to give our new neighbours when they move in.  One track mind... who me... never...LOL

The background is done with Brushos, this time mixed with water on a craft mat and the card smooshed around to pick up the colour. I used a piece of Canson Cold Pressed 300g/140lb Watercolour paper which I embossed with a Craft Concepts Embossing folder...Dandelion Whisper.The house "tag" I made by cutting the top off a rectangle of paper with the fishtail banner die in MFT Blueprints #24, the circle is also from this die set. The house tag was embossed using a folder from Sizzix 656644 Texture Fades Embossing Folders Tim Holtz 2PK - Bricked & Woodgrain Set.  Then I sponged it with Ranger Archival Sepia dye ink. The "welcome" is from SSS "Handwritten Borders" set. I just masked off the word "baby" to leave the part I wanted. This was stamped on to a piece of paper cut with a die from MFT Blueprint #2 then sponged around the edge with Sepia dye ink too. I attached this strip with foam tape to make it stand out a bit. The numbers were cut with Memory Box die set "Classic Numbers" #98362. To finish it off I added a sunflower eyelet to the tag.

SSS Monday challenge. Spritz and Spray

When I saw this challenge I thought this is so me!
I had a piece I had started on last night in bright yellow and orange and thought it is a beginning. So today I have added to the Brusho's background of orange and yellow (which was sprinkled and spritzed) by stamping a couple of  Dylusions images from the Dyan Reaveley  "Bordering on the edge" set using Distress Inks in Ripe Persimmon and Fired Brick. I also spritzed this to soften the look. I heat set it. Then using a Dylusions stencil (Dotted flowers 5x8) which I masked a little so I just got the edge I wanted, I sprayed with Dylusions Ink Sprays in "Postbox Red", " Squeezed Orange" and a little "Lemon Zest". The words are from the SSS "Handwritten Borders" set.  The little hearts are from MFT Die-namics Blueprint #8. This was all done on a piece of linen card stock so you can see a little texture showing through the inks.

Valentine for my love

I hope my husband does not look at my blog this week.
This is the card I have made him for Valentine's Day. We are going to see  a performance of "Romeo and Juliet" amongst the vines at The Wild Dog Winery. This will be followed by dinner in their restaurant and a stay overnight in a local motel. This Valentine's day will mark 42 years since we first met!! In April we will have been married for 40 wonderful years.

The image in the background is "Love is A6" by Indigo Blue using Gelato's smooshed on the image and spritzed with water.
The bird from the Tim Holtz Crazy Bird set is stamped on acetate that I coloured with alcohol inks.
"With love" is a die by Spellbinders Die D-lites S2-139.
"Love everything about you" is a stamp from SSS Handwritten borders set.
I cut the heart layer with a die from the MFT Stitched Rec STAX.

MFT Sketch Challenge 266

This weeks Sketch Challenge on My Favourite Things Blog #266 looked simple enough so I thought I would give it a try. I had a background sitting on my desk wondering what to do with so teamed it up with some die cut pieces using MFT Dies. Rectangle STAX set 1 and Stitched Rec STAX. The word stamps are from the MFT "Simply Fab Sayings" Set.
The background was made by stamping the PSX Ivy image (a now defunct company) and clear embossing it to use as a resist for my Brusho's .
I sponged 2 shades of green dye ink around the outside edge of the patterned paper, then added a strip of black stickers around the edge of the next layer for definition. Three black self adhesive gems finished it off.

PTI 9th Anniversary Challenge

Well here I am with my second post for 2016!
As part of Papertrey Ink's 9th Anniversary celebrations there is a challenge to use one of the design team's colour schemes to create a card. Check it out here. 
Wouldn't this be fun to win. My wishlist is definitely long enough to cover $300 ...LOL
Betsy Veldman's colour scheme spoke to me and I created this card.
The background is a Judykin's image I have had for a long time (Blossom Cube#3), embossed in white as a resist to the Brusho's used to give colour. The words and die cut are from Papertrey Ink's "Big Hugs" sets.

Make It Monday #238: Valentine Ombre Stamping

I have not posted anything since July 2013....WOW a lot has happened in my life since then but I have time to blog a bit more often now.

Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday challenge is Valentine Ombre Stamping. So thought I would give it a go.
here is my effort...a bit scruffy but I like messy.
Gelatos were used to scribble for the background then misted and the die cut word "You" from Papertry Ink "Wonderful Words" set was also coloured with gelatos   Love is a stamp by Winnie and Walter from the "The Big , the bold and the Happy" set. The spattered dots are a stamp by a defunct Australian company Timeless Images.