Magical Sunset

This lovely card is my entry to the Lavinia Stamps February challenge 'Bright and Beautiful'  http://blog.laviniastamps.com/.   I really love these stamps and thought they would be just right for a 'sunset scene' design.   The Stamps I used are Lavinia Stamps Tree Goddess 'Luna', Fairy House, Fairy Words and Willow.   I used Distress Inks:- Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade, Dried Marigold,  Mustard Seed,  Pesto Adirondak ink, and Versafine Vintage Sepia.  I also used H2o paints.  I started with a piece of smooth white card which I die cut into a nice shape.  I masked off part of the panel with some copy paper that I had torn to create a hilly landscape.  I brayered with Pesto ink across the panel, then moved the mask slightly and repeated that step without re-inking the brayer.  I added shading  and depth using the same ink and a sponge, moving the mask again several times.  I then drew around a jar to create the shape of my setting sun behind the hills, and blended red DI carefully keeping within the circle.  I then blended the other colours - dark to light - radiating out from the sun.  I finished the sky with a touch of blue.  Next I stamped the Willow fronds across the top of the panel in sepia ink using first and second generation stamping.  I then stamped the fairy and the toadstool houses as a guide, placing them where the final pieces would go.  I stamped the images again onto smooth white card and heat embossed them with clear powder.  I painted them with H2o's and cut them out.  I then cut two pieces of dark card with a larger die the same shape as the panel.  I scored one of the panels about 1cm from the top.  I attached the panels with double sided tape forming a shaped card.  I added gilding wax around the edges of the front panel and the stamped panel.  I attached the stamped panel then added the fairy and houses over the first stamped images using dimensional glue.  I stamped Fairy Words onto another piece of dark card in white Stazon ink, then cut a heart shape out of the stamped card.  I edged it with gilding wax and attached it to the card with dimensional glue.  To finish I added some liquid pearls.  I haven't made a fairy themed card for a while and I really enjoyed myself with this one!  

A Spring Basket

This card is my second entry to the Crafter's Companion February Challenge, 'Add Some Bling'  https://www.facebook.com/CraftersCompanion.  I was fed up with the rain and the cold, and I had a whim to create something 'Spring like'.  Also I was eager to try one of my new 'Textures' embossing folders!   The stamps used are from Sheena Douglass' Flower Power set; the embossing folder is Basket Weave from the Textures collection at Crafter's Companion; the paints used are H2o's and Radiant Rains also from Crafter's Companion.  I also used Treasure Gold gilding wax Aquamarine, ribbons and skeleton leaves from my stash.  I started by cutting a piece of Kraft card to size and embossing it in the folder through a machine.  I decided to use the de-bossed side, adding some gilding wax around the edges and polishing it when dry.  I added a couple of ribbons to the panel, then attached it to a white base card.  I took a piece of dark brown, slightly textured card and cut it with a Nestability die, then added some gilding wax around the edges.   I then took a piece of Sheena's white stamping card and created a background by sponging Radiant Rains in green and yellow all over.  These paints have a lovely sheen to them when dry and are vibrantly colourful.   I cut the background  with another size of Nestability die and added Versafine Sepia ink to the edges.  I then stamped some foliage images using Sepia ink, and painted them with H2o's.  Next I matted the background panel onto the brown panel using 3D foam, and layered them onto the embossed panel.  I stamped several flower images onto the white card in sepia ink and heat embossed them in clear powder.  I painted them with H2o's before cutting them out and shaping them with a ball tool.  I also stamped, embossed, painted and cut out a large foliage swirl.  I added some glitter to the centres of the flowers, then attached them and the swirl to the card using dimensional glue.  A couple of skeleton leaves were the finishing touches to this card.  I love all the different textures I've used in this design, I think it's a great 'worker' card suitable for many occasions and various ages.   

Eastern Sparkle

I made this card for the Crafter's Companion February challenge 'Add Some Sparkle', and because I wanted to create a piece of artwork using some of my favourite stash!  https://www.facebook.com/CraftersCompanion.  I wanted to create something bright and colourful, something to cheer everyone up on these dull cold days.  I also wanted to do something with an oriental theme as it's quite a while since I did so.  The stamps used are from Sheena Douglass's 'A Little Bit Oriental' collection, ( Lanterns and Sakura) as is the embossing  folder.  I started by making the floral panel blending Distress Inks onto Sheena's smooth white card; Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, and Worn Lipstick.  When dry I stamped cherry blossom branches in black Versfine ink, creating a border around the edges of the panel.  Using a soft brush and water I faux bleached the flowers.  I then painted the flowers using H2o paints in various shades of pink and purple.  I took some matt black card and embossed it in a folder through a machine.  I applied Treasure Gold gilding wax to the raised pattern and polished it when dry.  I used this as my base card.  I took another piece of matt black card and sprayed it with Glimmer mists in gold and hot pink.  I then embossed the panel using a different folder.  I edged this panel and the floral panel in gold gilding wax, then matted and layered them onto the base card.  I had earlier stamped and heat embossed several separate flowers in black and painted them.  I cut them out and shaped them with a ball tool and set them aside.  I stamped three large lantern images onto acetate in black ink, then heat embossed them with black powder.  I stamped the lanterns again onto white card in black ink, and cut out all the lanterns.  I glittered the acetate lanterns on the reverse side, and when they were completely dry I attached the card lanterns over the glitter to make the colours pop.  I then attached the lanterns and flowers using dimensional glue.  This is a lovely, cheery card design which is an excellent worker card, useful for most occasions.

Drips, Drops and Splodges

This large piece of artwork is based on a card I made several months ago (Rainy Day Card) and I decided to re-create it for the Country View Challenges February challenge - Drips and Drops  http://countryviewchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/, with a few 'tweaks'.   The stamps used were Water Effects set from Designs by Ryn, and Through the Rain by Sheena Douglass.  I created the background by first blending three Distress Inks - Dusty Concord, Broken China and Weathered Wood.  I then spritzed some water into my hand and flicked it onto the background as droplets.  I blotted the droplets  (faux bleaching) with tissue, then stamped images of splatters, raindrops, a rainstorm and a small ring that I placed over some of the faux bleached droplets, using the same inks.  The beautiful larger raindrops were stamped in Black Onyx Versafine ink then faux bleached as well. I then took a pearlescent blue acrylic paint and applied it in several places at the top of the artwork, letting it run freely.  When the paint was dry I added some Glossy Accents to the larger raindrops to really make them pop, and add more texture to the piece.  I also added GA to the ends of  the paint drops to emphasise them.   Next I stamped the sentiment onto acetate in black ink and heat embossed it with black powder. I wrapped the acetate around the bottom of the artwork and secured it on the back.  I added some ribbon in coordinating colours and matted the whole piece onto black card.  I really enjoyed making this as I love the design, the stamps and colours used.   

Autumn Blaze

This card is my second entry to the current Chocolate Baroque colour challenge  http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/.   The stamps used are: CB Design a Tree-Orchard, and foliage from the Thistle Butterfly and Eastern Grasses sets.  I have used Brushos to create a background: Lime Green, Burnt Sienna, Terracotta and Yellow Ochre.  I also used Burnt Sienna acrylic paint, gold embossing powder and Sable glitter.  I am very new to working with Brushos but they are so versatile and give such lovely effects that I cannot resist playing!  I started this design by creating the background panel; taking a piece of watercolour card, spritzing it with water and sprinkling with Brushos.  I let the crystals spread and do their own thing, adding a little more water here and there as needed to get the result I wanted.  I was trying to re-create a blazing Autumn sunset where the sky is a beautiful mix of reds, golds, blues and browns as dusk falls.  I wanted the tree and foliage to look brown and dormant.  When the Brushos were dry I stamped the tree image using the acrylic paint, then over stamped it in second generation paint.  I stamped the grasses and foliage using the same paint, first and second generation stampings, to create a border along the bottom of the panel and add perspective.  I added the glitter to the grasses and foliage as highlights in the sunset.  I then finished the panel by edging it with gold marker pen.  The base card is smooth terracotta cardstock.  I stamped the thistle and small grass images around the edges of the base card using Versamark ink, and heat embossed them with gold embossing powder.  I matted the background panel onto dark brown card and matted it onto the base card.  This is a lovely design that I think is a great 'worker' card, suitable for either male or female cards and lots of occasions.