Another Sweet Pea...

I had to keep this card secret until now as it was made as a swap for a forum friend, who has now received the card safely.  The theme for the swap was embossing and I really wanted to create a card that had many different types of embossing on it. 

My plan was to build the image up in several stages until I had a complete and hopefully dramatic end result.  I began by stamping and colouring the image using Promarkers on white card.  Then I stamped  and embossed the image using Ultra fine black embossing powder on to black card.  I painted the dress using pearlescent mica powder before cutting out and spraying with that fantastic Crafter's Companion Silver Sparkle spray.

At this point I cut out both the full image of the lady and the dress and assembled them together.  I tried a few backgrounds, but eventually decided that a section of the DCWV paper that I had already decided to use on the card worked well as a background too.  I like the swirls behind her - almost like fairy dust billowing out.

To add to the embossing theme I used the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder to create a ribbon across the card and the Swirls folder to emboss and acetate circle which I hope adds interest.  The flowers were made using a set of flower punches that both punch and emboss.  

I think my forum friend was well pleased with her card, which was also intended for the following challenges...

• Sketch and Stash - the sketch and new stash (Sweet Pea stamp and spray)
• Sweet Pea Customer Challenge Week - Free for all

Well I'm off to York for the day now.  Doing some shopping and yes if you're reading this Max yes I'm going with Laura and we will be hitting Evil Eye and Bella Italia.  I'm calling at a shop where I have a little something on order too - you will be amazed! 

Have a great day everyone.

Ann xxx

Such a fun day...

I had such a wonderful day yesterday experimenting and playing inbetween watching Sheena Douglas on Create and Craft.  I even had a go at that Faux Paper Sculpting she demoed, but that's still not dry.  I also have a feeling that mine may not be as successful as hers, but you never know so watch this space.

The best part of my crafting day was playing with one of my new Sweet Pea stamps.  I must admit I have been a bit nervous about using them, because I thought they might prove very difficult to colour, but I had a whale of a time with this one.  I used Promarkers for the main part and chalks for the background.  Then (mainly cause I've just bought it and wanting to try it out) I sprayed the whole image with Crafter's Companion Silver sparkle.  Oh my goodness this is lovely stuff!  I am trying very hard not to spray everything and anything that stands still for too long!

The flowers, stamens and leaves are all punched and arranged around the apperture.  It's quite hard to tell in a photo whether the image is stamped on an oval shape or an oval apperture has been cut out of patterned and plain card and then mounted on top.  Sorry for rambling here, but I really want to stress that this is an apperture and to make it I had to figure out how to use the Centre point button on my Cricut machine.  So proud of myself on figuring that out and now I have there will be no stopping me!

My patterned paper is by my favourite company DCWV and I think in my excitement about the apperture I may have used it upside down, but hey who is looking that closely?

My card was made with the following challenges in mind...

• Sweet Pea Stampers - fabulous sketch
• Sir Stampalot Monthly Challenge - Punches (flowers are punched embossed with the floral punches, stamen and leaves also punched)
• Craftalicious Challenge - New (my stamp and glitter spray)
• Stamp Something - Happy Something
• Simon Says Stamp - Shiver me timbers (My pirate name is Stinky Nut Gorilla - sheesh not good !)

Have a great day everyone - I may if feeling brave later show my toilet paper work.  Yikes, it may be nearly dry, but what on earth am I going to create with it?

Ann xxx

A box of full of love...

I saw this little verse on a forum I belonged to many years ago and I remember making a card with a little box on the front for my mum.  I filed the verse away in a safe place like we do and I must admit it had been forgotten till my latest clear out.  

I'm hoping that these little boxes full of love will be popular at the Craft Fayre next Saturday.  I'm going to buy some suitable wrapping paper today as my craft paper is a bit thick and hard to fold properly around the empty (whoops sorry full of love) box.  I think you will be able to see the verse by clicking on the photo and enlarging, but I'll type it here anyway...

'This is a very special gift

That you can never see

The reason it's so special is

It's just for you from me.

Whenever you are lonely

Or ever feeling blue

You only have to hold this gift

And know I think of you.

You never can unwrap it

Please leave the ribbon tied

Just hold the box close to your heart

It's filled with love inside.'

Isn't that just so over the top lovely?  My mum cherished hers and it sat on her dressing table for years.  May even still be there.

As well as fundraising my box has to be for a few challenges too of course...

• My Time to Craft - for an extra special person.
• Crafts and Me - Friends and Family
• Secret Crafter Challenge - Include a quote (hope this little verse counts!)
• Our Creative Corner - corners (I know the corners on this are not wow in your face huge, but without them the box looked lacking so I reckon it's a case of 'feel the quality not the width' here).

Have a fantastic day everyone and if you are travelling anywhere today have a safe journey.  Will miss you Irene.