Penny Black Birthday Card...

Oh how lovely to be able to do some crafting again instead of just trying to sort out my craft supplies and bring some order into all my stuff.  It's an impossible task anyway so I really don't know why I even try.

Today I had a little search through my Penny Black stamps and found this cute hedgie that I haven't used before.  Had a little panic midway through this card (as you do) as when it came to cutting the blue mat for the image I hadn't enough blue card left.  Eeek!  There was enough to the oval you can see, but no larger.  Anyway to cut a long story short the image had to be trimmed and a silver peel off butterfly added to replace the one chopped off during the trimming process.  Saved by the skin of my teeth as they say.

The papers are from a magazine and have been teamed with a pale blue pearlescent.  After such a long break from crafting I got a little bit carried away and even did the inner at the same time.  Yikes, that has got to be a first.

Nothing too fancy, but I think it does make the card a little bit more special.  My card was made with the following challenges in mind...

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their amazing sketch for the base of my card.
• Penny Black Saturday - 3 papers, 1 ribbon and 1 charm

Hope everyone is having a great start to their year.  Thank you for visiting and for all the fantastic comments I receive.  So kind.

Ann xxx

The Stamp Man Best Project Challenge...

The current challenge at The Stamp Man  involves looking at work you've done over the past year and trying to pull out something you think deserves a second mention on your blog.  Strangely, the projects I'm most proud of are perhaps not my best projects in the normal sense of the word and yet Im really thrilled by my first Encaustic Art creations.   

On my 'Under the Sea' card the seahorses were stamped on to acetate and then laid over the encaustic art work.  The full write up can be found here.

Another encaustic art creation I was pleased with is this 'Winter Wonderland' one.

I'll be honest here and admit that this one came about via the happy accident route in that I applied so much wax trying to get things to look right that when I polished the wax (rather too heavily) most it came off leaving me with a lovely misty background to stamp on.  Don't you just love it when a disaster turns out good in the end?

This is my first encaustic work and sadly it's still waiting to be made up into something.  I haven't fully decided whether it's going to be a card or a journal cover.

The unicorn was printed on to acetate and then mounted over the wax painted background using brads.

When creating the seahorse birthday card I was left with a strip of 'sea' type background that just seemed too good to throw away.  I had it mind that it would make a pretty good bookmark, but didn't get round to doing anything about it till today.

 

It just didn't feel right entering a challenge with only old creations and seeing as I'm an avid reader an extra bookmark is always useful.  
This time the seahorse and shells were die cut using a Cuttlebug die I picked up really cheaply at the NEC.  The acetate is a proper bookmark sleeve with a ready done hole to add a tassle or ribbon.

I'm so glad I didn't throw this strip away as I'm really pleased with the results.  One of my New Year Resolutions is to do some more encaustic work.  I bought the tools and waxes as an early Christmas present to myself so I really have no excuse.

Watch this space, but not too carefully as I have some gorgeous new LOTV stamps to use and one or two more fabulous Christmas presents too..

Thanks for looking and reading my strange ramblings.  Do pop over to The Stamp Man blog to check out other people's favourite work and join the challenge. There are some fabulous prizes and stunning inspiration from the DT.

Hugs and Smiles 

Ann xxx

Favourite Five from 2010

I had so much fun visiting blogs looking at everyone's favourite five Christmas cards that I just had to join in Debbie's follow up challenge which is to choose your five favourite projects from the whole year.  

Oh my, that is a toughie, but here goes...

Had to choose this card featuring Alice in Wonderland simply because I love the secret pocket. It was a card for my daughter Laura, who is a complete PINK addict, but she still loved the card.  Amazing!

 Card number two has to be...

A card using a Dreamweaver tree stencil with embossing paste and then coloured with Distress Inks before being finally sprayed with Crafter's Companion Glitter spray.  

In at number three comes...

an acetate creation using a digi by Crafty Ann and a Cuddly Buddly stamp.  Think it's the charm attached to the sentiment that makes this one a hit for me.  It took me so long to find the charm that I knew I had somewhere in my stash that I just had to love it once found.

Number 4 is...

I've chosen this one because I love Sweetpea images.  I've bought far more of them than I've actually used, but they are just so magical.  

Last, but not least favourite card number five is...

The snakeskin effect paper on this is just so tactile.  It really feels scaly and it was great to use one of an incredible set of charms that Father Christmas brought me last year.

The card was made for my daughter's boyfriend to give her on Valentine's day.  I'm not 100% sure whether they love my cards or they love the price of them (free!), but oh well I have fun making them.

Do join in with Debbie's event and check out everyone's favourites of the year.  It's fun and going by the Christmas favourites there will be some stunning cards on display.
Happy New Year to Everyone.

Hugs and Smiles.

Ann xxx