Prepping for QVC

I've been working on a number of kits today ready for Saturday's show. I'll be doing two hours on Saturday (booked a hair cut tomorrow to celebrate!!). Thought I'd share a few bits and bobs with you that I've been working on:

I've been playing with pigment powders by Moonglow, lovely stuff. The first card has been done by using a plain die cut flower covered with versamark ink (stamped directly from the pad). Using a nice soft brush add the pigment powders to the flower, blending the colours. Moonglow require a fixative, so I gave them a blast of hairspray.



I found out (by accident - I went out of the lines when colouring in), that if you apply moonglow mixed with water to your stamped image, quite thickly - then using a water soluble pen (I was using Whispers, but Le Plumes will work as well), along the edge. Using a water brush add a little water to the ink and it blends wonderfully into the Moonglow. The ink changes colour, the pen I used was green, but went a lovely blue. This is a great technique for creating shading. You need to leave it to dry and give it a good spray after to fix.










I dug out my Fimo and made some beads, easily just rolling them and popping a hole through the centre. Add the pigment powder to the clay before baking. I've used a few different colours. Bake as per the instructions on the packet, then varnish to fix the powder. I made a little drying rack from cardboard so they didn't pick up any fluff whilst drying. I then made a necklace using ribbon and extra beads.





Pigment powders are fab to make backgrounds, I used clear drying glue and added powders to it, which I swirled around with my finger (you need to get abit messy). The glue fixes the powder, so you do not need to spray this one. I then overstamped using a lovely stamp from PaperArtsy (not available from QVC, but check out their web site and blog). I love the colours of these powders.






Finally for today, look at the difference of these two, same ATC but different camera angles. Need to learn how to use my camera. Luckily I'm starting a course in September doing all sorts - sculpture, photography, fine art, learning how to set up a web site! How exciting. I'm still going to be working and running my club, but I'll have even more stuff to share, and hopefully know how to use my computer better to get on with designing. I've now set dates for my workshop at Topaz, and also some book signings down South, so I'll pop some dates on my blog shortly. The cards below are definately on the list for my workshop, as I love this background technique. It's a little messy, and unpredictable, so completely up my street.






Don't forget the Fab Friday Challenge, dig out your memorabilia.
xxxL

Fab Friday ATC Challenge

Well this time I was inspired from my lovely weekend at Kew Gardens, so the theme is:
Recollection and Receipts
Sounds abit fancy, really what I want you to try this week is using a receipt, ticket, programme etc from somewhere you have been and decorate it, or use it as part of your decoration. Give life to your old bus ticket, or preserve the memory of a great day out on your ATC. We get receipts and leaflets for everything, and some are lovely. The one's we received at Kew Gardens have a lovely picture on the back, which I used for the top of my card. The "Kew" part has been torn from the second ticket and I've taken the date off the card as well. I've hand drawn some trees, and colour tinted using Distress Inks.

Now I was going to make a second card, dug out the stamps to use and everything, with the receipt from the butterfly exhibition at the Natural History Museum. However, I have discovered if you iron them they turn black!! Could only find one receipt, so that was the end of that. Suppose that's why it's a good idea to photocopy them and use the copy not the original. I know, I know, I just didn't!! Duh.

I hope you like the challenge, it's not a tricky one and gives you a chance to look at your bits and bobs more carefully before they are recycled.
xxxx
Leonie

The one that went wrong!!

Kew Gardens - and cards

We had a lovely weekend, seems like a while away now! We went to Kew Gardens, it was fantastic weather and the gardens are brilliant - the tree top walk is lovely and feels so peaceful even though it was really busy. Thought I'd pop on a couple of photo's - the one I took of Nicky makes me laugh, he looks rather scary staring through the plants.

I've been working on some new kits that have been delivered, just a couple of sneaky pic's for those as they haven't been on air yet. Still in the process of getting my Newsletters done - I've almost run out of ink again! Haven't even got through half of them yet. Gulp.

Now it's almost Friday again, so anyone wanting to get their challenge from last Friday in then get posting.

I've popped a few cards on Flicr as well, just 3 for the moment - but definately worth having a look at.
xxx
Leonie

Fab Friday (early!!)

Okay, I know it's early, but I'm being organised. We are at QVC tomorrow, there's a TSV (I haven't seen it yet - tut!!). Thankfully it's not to long a day for me. Dawn is on this evening, well tomorrow morning, but I do not have to go in until sensible times of tomorro morning - the theory is that I'm wide awake for the whole day.

For the challenge this week I have choosen:
Chop and Change
I want you to cut up your ATC, then but it back together again. This can be done before or after you have decorated the card, and you can put it back in any order. You can do a mosaic style, chop it in half, diagonal etc. You can use any style to decorate the card, as long as you chop it up!

I have done two, the first one was easy just cutting an ATC in half after pasting a newspaper cutting to it. One half was trimmed down smaller, so then I put them back together again, the smaller half would show some of the card underneath. The second one I have cut out the centre section, and left it out. I used inks to colour tint my card, and a lovely Hero Arts stamp as my focal point.

Have a play and see what you can do with your paper trimmer and a bit of imagination!
xxxx
Leonie

Craft Fair

It's been years since I did a craft fair, but my friend Jenny is having a stall at the week long craft fair held in Haslingden (i'll pop on more details when it starts, it's always worth a visit, there's some lovely stuff). It's been really nice just working with whatever I fancy - I've had a bit of a play!

I eventually had my ink delivered, so I have started the hugh job of printing Newsletters, these should start hitting the post next week, so I look forward to seeing all my club members themed trades, and competition enteries soon.

Artist Trading Cards by club members

Another quick not to let you know I've updated the flickr account with some more wonderful creations from our club members. You'll notice I've received quite a few RAK's - thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to do a card for me - I have a wonderful collection and each one is completely different. Great isn't it.

Have a look on the Flickr for people who have been joining in the the Fab Friday challenge, and sending their cards in to trade, such as Christine with her music for the heart. I'm waiting for the next batch to come down with Dawn on Friday, so will get some more pics on then
xxx
Leonie
ps link for the flickr page is in the right hand column, just scroll down a little

Artist Trading Card Challenge - Its a Fab Friday!!!

Phew, did it this week (inbetween shopping for bargin ink cartridges on the net, ran out rather quickly when I started printing the Newsletters!!). I have linked it in with my Artist Trading Card Club Newsletter, and taken one of the theme's we are doing there:

Tone on Tone

For this theme you are allowed to use any colour, but only shades of that colour. It's quite tricky actually, as you need to make sure the shades co-ordinate and look good. The only other colour you are allowed to use is with your wording and that can be either white, black, gold or silver.

I used stamps from Banana Frog (I'm going to be doing a feature for their blog so I'll keep you posted when that's finished), and stamped onto red paper, using red Brilliance ink - so there is a slight pearlescent sheen. The tag has also been stamped, and finished with a red ribbon.

I hope this doesn't stump you, and you all join in.
xxxx
Leonie