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Good afternoon crafters.  Owww it's cold.  This house has old rubbish windows, and the wind is cutting today isn't it.  Who has snow?  There's not a spec in the sky yet here.

Well, today I seemed to drift away from masculine cards again - it was the colour of the inks I was drawn to (yes, I'm blaming an ink pad!).  I started with a nice big stamp, which is another one from Wendi Vecchi, and embossed with clear embossing powder

I then used two cats eye ink pads, one is a brilliance, and one is a versamagic.  I used the direct to paper technique - literally wiping the ink pad onto my card stock.  The embossing powder acts as a resist, so you can still see the colour of the card stock under the stamped image

Next I stamped a solid border at the top and bottom of the card, and embossed it using white embossing powder.  I liked the way the image I had already embossed reacted - it seemed to emphasis it

I then picked a flower stamp, which is again a solid rubber image (as opposed to an outline image).  This allowed me to build the colour of the ink on the stamp.  So I stamped with the teal first on the stalk.  I then inked the flower head in pink, and added a tiny bit of yellow on the top.  I used the teal to just edge the petals - and then stamped onto plain white card

I cut out the flower, attempting to leave a tiny white border. I just popped it on the background to see how it looks

I cut the card down, and then added a little white and yellow ink just under where the flower is going to sit.  This just allows me to knock the colour back a little.  As I now seem to be into tissue tape, I added a little bit under the flower, and inked it with white brilliance 

I found a piece of embossed card, and added it to the left of my panel, and then glued the panel in place

To finish my card, I glued the flower in place using Pinflair glue.  I added ribbon at the top and bottom of the card, and then the stamped sentiment.  I also used my cosmic shimmer PVA to add little dots, where there are circles on the stamped image

When I finished the card, I randomly spritzed it with MoonGlows Scintillating Silver - just to see what it did.  It just gave it a nice subtle sparkle

Okaydokay, thought I'd pop on a few cards I made for Craft Day, with brief descriptions. Did a few more as well of course, but forgot to take photo's, and then took my camera into studio but didn't really get chance to use the thing! Work and all that jazz.

Had a good day today, great to see all the gang again. Jane and Gill were busy with beautiful cards for the DVD, Rena was busy with everything! Dawn came in and I bet had a late night trying to get everything sorted for tomorrows filming - all go as ever. All this and I'm out tomorrow evening for my Birthday, hooray (Saturdays cards could be funny!! haha, better not celebrate to much eh).

This first one was done using Momentos ink pads, just completely cover gloss card with your ink, blending the ink to lighten the shade. Over stamp with the same ink. The image will bleed a little to give a beautiful background effect. Finished the card with the lovely Woodware Christmas tree stamp.



Another card made using the Momentos, this time using peel off stickers as a mask, apply the ink with a sponge to gloss card covering your peel offs, then remove the stickers to use for another card (never wanting to waste anything eh!!)



For this card I used a few shades of the Momentos ink pads, using the same stamp to overlay the images. This gives depth to the card.



This was my favourite card, using the Design Objectives stamps, Momentos ink pads, and Brilliance ink pads. I used the little tree, stamping a couple of times with one ink, without re-inking so I obtained different shades. I added colour round the edges of the card using a sponge, to blend the colours in, leaving a clear part which I could add my main focal image to (this highlights your main image). I stamped the reindeer, cut it out and added it to my card using 3D foam. Simple matting and layering finished with a ribbon.



Didn't get as much chance to play as I would have liked, but this was my first attempt at using the Tim Holtz crackle paint, and it's FAB. Loved it. For this one I have simply made a background, and overlayed my main focal image. The new distress stickles glue are also tremendous. Want them all...nope, need them all!





Liked this card as well, and easy to do. Using a circle punch, created my background sky, which I inked around the edges and stamped using a snowflake. Stamped my little Christmas village, coloured it and cut it out then matted it over my circle sky. Popped it onto my card which I framed with my ink pads.

Christmas Kits

Thought I would share you some of the cards I made for last weeks QVC shows. The first is a lovely stamp set by Design Objectives - really cute images and good to work with.



Simple inking of the different parts of the Christmas tree using cats eye Brilliance Ink pads allows for a pearlescent sheen to be achieved. I've used a gold glitter gel pen to add a little extra sparkle, and written around the edge of the stamped frame.





I've taken my inspiration for this card from Linsay Mason, who designs her own stamps and creates some brilliant pop-up cards. I've decorated the outside of the card using the candle stamps, then the inside using the cute little snowman. The images can be coloured in using Le Plumes or Whispers pens.





Really cute little penguin pulling his sleigh. I've used a pre-printed card by Crafty Bitz, to frame my stamped message, then stamped and coloured in my penguin. I cut out the image and attached the sleigh flat to the card using micro dots. I detached the penguin and attached him to the card using 3D foam. I finished the card with a little doodling around the blue frame using a silver gel pen.





Using an aperture card, I stamped, coloured in and cut out my robin and popped him so he is sitting in the aperture. As this card is already patterned I only needed to add a message to finish it off.