lost in thought .....

 Hello there. I bought these 2 sets of stamps earlier this month and I was itching to use them. Then the opportunity cam about when I saw the latest IndigoBlu challenge - one layer.

I decided to make a picture that has a street art feel to it as to me the girl gives me that kind of feel.

So I started by stamping her first in black archival and heat embossing her in clear. I made a mask for her and then covered all 4 outer edges with masking tape, leaving a central square to work with. I brushed the area with antique linen and old paper distress inks to remove whiteness. I also masked off the lower bit of this area.

Using the brick wall stencil I brushed various distress inks through it including tea dye, rusty hinge,  vintage photo and aged mahogany. I also added texture with one of the splat stamps using same inks.

Then I swapped stencils and masked off wall. I used pumice stone and black soot for the floor and added texture wit same stamp.

Then I added the 'paint' to the wall using forget me not and carnation archival inks and clear embossing. The stamps are mainly from a new set and the drippy paint is from Sarah's choice. The words are also from that set and are in black archival.

Then it was time to tackle the last layer. I masked off the central area and stamped the burlap from Sarah's choice in antique linen and script from same set in old paper and pumice stone. Once dry I stamped the splats from the Limor Webber range in forget me not and carnation archival ink and heat embossed in clear.

Leaving The girl masked off, I added some shading around the central area to create the illusion of depth and layers. I also went round it with a black micron pen.

I also added an outer line with a sharpie pen.

 It was now time to colour the girl. I did this with distress markers and a damp brush. I used different shades to create shadows and depth.

I masked her off again and added shadow behind her, again to create depth.

So this is my effort to create a one layer card, Theresa xx

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

IndigoBlu challenge - one layer

Simon says stamp Monday challenge - anything goes

TTCRD - anything goes

lemon and lime pan pastels

 Hello my crafty fiends. After seeing so many lovely posts with pans from the talented Yvonne Froehlich, I decided it was time to try them out.

As I had bought some new Lavinia stamps at NEC in March, I thought it would be a good idea if I linked the two challenges.

I stamped with versamark on a white piece of card. I then sponged hansa yellow and chrome oxide green pans all over the card and the image appeared.

Then I stamped fly with black archival ink and coloured with spectrum noir pencils. I stamped all around the edges with the crackle border and fern green archival ink.

I then added glossy accents to fly and once dry I matted and layered as shown.

So that was my first effort with pan pastels. I know it is a clean and simple card but it is a new medium for me and I need to learn what it can do, Theresa xx

I would like to enter the card in the following challenges:

Lavinia stamps challenge - lemon and lime

Pan pastel challenge - anything goes

Sister act card challenge - anything goes

flowers, lace buttons and pearls ....

Hello there. I have another MDF offering for you today. Well on the 8th of April my sister-in-law gave birth to a wonderful little boy, Luca. So I'm an aunty for the second time.

During my recent visit to NEC I saw this MDF shape and immediately thought that I could make it once the baby arrived. It is from Anne-Marie designs.

So I started by covering it with blue paper. It is from Hot off the Press. I sanded edges and inked them with stormy sky distress ink.

Then I attached lace to create collar. It is from Sweet lilac flowers. Then I added trimming to sleeves and leg area - it is from my stash.

Then it was time to add the flowers. So first I added a double bow in twine and a bow of white ribbon. I arranged flowers as shown. I inked the blue roses lightly to add some shading. All the roses and leaves are from Sweet lilac flowers, the others from my stash.

I then added some pearl swirls and the buttons finished it off nicely.

I'm hoping the new parents like the memento, Theresa xx

I would like to enter this project in the following challenges:

Fussy and fancy challenge blog - springtime flowers

Simon says stamp Monday challenge - due date...well my nephew's due date...

TTCRD - anything goes

Craft my life - anything goes

Craft your passion - anything goes

wee folk and air brusher

Hello my friends. My card today is the one I made for my nephew who was 17 this month. So i can safely blog it now as he's had it.

At my last NEC visit in March, I bought an air brusher that is usually used in cake making. However the lady explained that she uses it for card making too. Now i'd been watching her on C&C for some time and in the end gave in after she let me try it. So I decided that I was going to use it on this card.

I first stamped the bunting in black archival and masked it off. Then I started with the blue colour that came in the pack and airbrushed the whole background.

I then added some yellow and 'sprayed' over the lower area thus obtaining green.

Finally I sprayed through the stencil with the red. I made it darker in some areas to create some depth.

So finally I could stamp. I stamped the sentiment first using the Letter box kit. Then I used 4 boy stamps from the Wee Folk that kind of reminded me of my nephew when he was a little boy.

The ball that the boy is throwing in the air is from the footballer in the Sport kit.

I finished it off by adding some faux stitching and the string to make it look as if it is hanging.

I went round it with a black sharpie pen and mounted it on white base card.

The stamps and stencil are all from Claritystamp.

I really hope he liked his card and didn't think it was too childish, Theresa xx

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Claritystamp blog challenge - wee folk

Sister act card challenge  - anything goes

Fan-Tastic Tuesday challenge - anything goes with a twist: add some stitching

wedding day

I'm back again and this time it is a wedding card I have to share with you. I usually take inspiration from invite to make my card but this time it was tough. The invite really threw me. In the end I worked with the colour palette and made something very different (to invite i mean).

I started with one of The Sue Wilson striplets which I cut out 3 times, on kraft card, without border to create the background 'trellis'. Next I stamped the sentiment in versamark and embossed with gold detail. I cut it out with one of the imperial squares from Spellbinders. I matted on a gold square (tonic). I cut a piece of centura pearl card with the next die up and layered as shown in the middle of the card.

I cut a frame out of white centura pearl and embossed using the intermediate die as well. I matted the lot on black and hen onto white centura with a pierced border. A final gold mat before sticking down onto kraft card. 

I finished it off with some pearls.

I hope you like this shortish post and I'm keeping fingers crossed that the bride and groom will like their card too, Theresa xx

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Sunday stamper - frame it

Simon says stamp Monday challenge - in the middle

TTCRD - anything goes

Fan-Tastic Tuesday -anything goes with a twist: add some pearls

Simon says stamp Wednesday challenge - make your own background (die cut)

2 stamps 2 ways .....

Hello again. Today I have a canvas for you. I can safely post it now as the recipient has had it.

I started with a 6x6 canvas and used the last Claritystamp NDC stencil to make background. I used several distress inks from the blue and green families and also mustard seed from yellows. I kept shifting stencil and adding the inks. I then had to extend the pattern as stencil wasn't big enough for canvas.

I stamped flourish and cage on tissue paper in black archival and clear embossed it. i then mod-podged it to canvas. The sentiment got the same treatment. Stamps are all by Tim Holtz.

I finished it off by adding some highlights with a white pen.

The card was created by simply stamping images in versamark on coated card stock. I then brayered over with butterscoth and sailboat blue adirondak inks and this makes image pop through.

I turned it into an Easter card and embossed sentiment in white. I went round it with a black sherpie pen framing image and creating a faux mat.

I hope you like my 'arty' attempt, Theresa xx

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:

Simon says stamp Monday challenge - A is for arty

Power and spark challenge - a pop of pastel

Spring flowers ....

Hi there. Today I have 2 CAS cards to share with you. I did use one of them as an Easter card but they could easily double up as birthday, thank you .....

I stamped images in black archival and clear embossed them. I coloured them in with promarkers.

I drew an outline with a pale promarker to help images pop by creating a shadow.

I also added some clear wink of stella to add some shimmer. The borders around images are done with one of the promarkers used for colouring the flowers. Some mating and layering and the card was finished.

Sometimes it is nice to do something that is simple as it helps to showcase the stamps better. All the stamps used are from Claritystamp.

I would like to enter these cards in the following challenges:

Simon says stamp Wednesday challenge - April showers or spring flowers

TTCRD - anything goes

Power and spark challenge - a pop of pastel

Sister act card Challenge - anything goes

TH tags of 2015 - April

Well I think I am getting the bug. I have already finished the April tag of 2015 or my interpretation of it. I must say that this time I was very inspired by all the techniques.

Obviously I didn't have a number of things that Sir Tim used on his tag so i improvised and interpreted and used what I had in my stash. For all the techniques you can hop over to His blog here.

For the main image I used a poppy stamp by IndigoBlu. I extended the stem to the bottom of the watercolour paper.

For the sentiment I used the dies from the seasonal collection. I built birthday from a combination of words : bright, wonderland and joy.

Again I didn't have die used on the kraft card so I die cut a poppy leaf to create a little opening.

My other cheat is the stitching. I can't sew to save my life so I went round the tag with the perforated ruler and printed the dots. Then I just joined them with a fine pen and I think it can fool you until you feel it.

So I hope you like my interpretation. I sure enjoyed the process, Theresa xx

I would like to enter this tag in the following challenges:

Tim Holtz tags of 2015

IndigoBlu challenge - off the edge

Fantastic Tuesday -  anything goes with a twist, use a die

Sweet 16 ....

Hello my crafty friends. This card was born following an appeal on FB by a mother for her daughter that suffers with ASD. She wanted her daughter to receive at least 16 cards for her 16th birthday.

I asked what she liked and I was told beach and animals. So I chose to go with the former. I must also add that this card was inspired by a piece of artwork by Wendy McCarthy. 

Now I am not at all handy with a glue gun and I had to think of a way round this. I remembered a stencil I had that would make the perfect wave pattern in my opinion. So I embossed a piece of white card. I put stencil back on masking the wave lines and coloured in the sea with the luscious mermaid lagoon (I so love this colour). Then I coloured wave lines with scattered straw.

I also inked the rest of the card with scattered straw as I think it is perfect colour for sand.

I then replaced the stencil and inked the 'sea' with versamark. I sprinkled it with kaleidoscope embossing powder and heat set it. I really think it gives it the perfect glint like the sun shining on the water. You have to see it in real life though.

Then I set about making the shells. the larger one is stamped on card in black archival and coloured with spectrum noir pencils. I then shaped it from the back and then versamarked it and clear embossed it twice to make it glassy.

 

The other shells are all stamped on clear shrink plastic. This I coloured from the back with alcohol inks: shell pink, butterscotch, ginger, caramel.

I stamped sentiment in black archival and clear embossed it. I die cut it and while still in die inked lightly with mermaid lagoon.

I then wrapped some twine around topper and attached all the shells. Then sentiment is on foam pads for dimension.
I matted it on black which made the piece pop.

All stamps and stencil used are from Claritystamp.

I dohope the girl likes it as much as I enjoyed making it, Theresa xx

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Simon says stamp Wednesday challenge - happy birthday

Sunday stamper - true blue

TTCRD - anything goes

Sisteract card challenge - anything goes, 100th challenge