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Tuesday 28 May 2013

Nautical 2

This is my second card from Terri's swap parcel and I think it may well be the last I manage to make.  There is so much more in the parcel but I am just not getting the inspiration to make the cards.
I used the main image and the lighter blue paper from the parcel and then used the darker card from Pat's swap parcel.  I ran both pieces of paper through the cuttlebug using the divine swirls embossing folder but I have used the deboss side here as I think they make a realistic wave effect.  I few card candy from my stash helped to complete the card


I have entered this in the following challenges:
 Creative Craft Challenges 2:  for fellas
The Crazy Challenge:  Use Sentiments


Friday 24 May 2013

Nautical

This is the first of the cards I made from my swap parcel with Terri.  Why, oh why did I find it such a challenge with her parcel this month?  I have several half formed ideas in my mind but have struggled to actually put them together.  This one, however, fell into place very easily.

I have used my own brads and found some blue card in my snippets box that just matched the blue in the image. The image and the sandy coloured card came from the swap parcel.



I am entering this is the following challenges:

Make It Monday #141 Anything Goes
Pixie's Crafty Snippets Workshop

Wednesday 22 May 2013

Boy Sailor

This is my last one from Pat's swap parcel, says she breathing a sigh of relief.  So many cards from one parcel that I need to go and lie down and rest.

Everything except the basic card and the ribbon came from the swap parcel.  I have had that pack of ribbons for at least a year and it is the first time I have used that particular one.  Another challenge colouring with Promarkers.  Hoping one day I will be pleased with my results.

I have entered this in the following challenges:

Oldie but a Goodie:  Inspired by a Song (I am sailing)
Passion for Promarkers:  Special Anniversary - Anything Goes

Tuesday 21 May 2013

Clipper

Another card from my swap parcel from Pat.  I haven't ever used little wooden images on my cards but I really loved this one.  Everything except the greeting had been included in my parcel.





I am entering this in the following challenges:

Make it Monday:  Anything Goes 141
That Craft Place:  Makes for men

Monday 20 May 2013

Life on the ocean wave

This is card number 5 from Pat's swap parcel with the theme of nautical.  Pat really likes to challenge us and so added a proviso that we should make one easel card and so this is it.  I am not a lover of easel cards and so they tend to be all very similar designs based on a square card.  This one is no different.

I coloured in an image from the swap and then used a small frame from my stash and stuck it to part of the image and then cut the image to suit the frame.  I took the bit of dark embossed card from my parcel; it was a very bluish black embossed with little bubbles.  I decided to use the debossed side as it made it look more like fishing nets. Unfortunately you can't see this very well in the photo. I mounted the image on this embossed card and then mounted that on the blank easel card.

I did an experiment with some white card and it failed but I turned it over and by jove it gave me just the sort of washed out sea swirls that worked well on the easel card - well, I thought so.  I ink embossed my cuttlebug embossing folder with a sort of pearlescent creamy white ink.It didn't really show well in the dips in the embossing so I thought I would try a colouring with my promarkers.  I only really wanted the raised areas coloured but some went into the embossed areas and it didn't look right at all.  When I turned it over I really like the mottled effect of where the promarkers had seeped through.  I mounted this card on the base and used a greeting as a stopper for the easel card.


I am entering this in the following challenges:

Cards For Men Blogspot:  Fancy folds
Lady Annes Challenge:  Easel Card

Sunday 19 May 2013

Lucido card

My U3A cardmaking group introduced me to something I had never heard of before - Lucido.  I can't say it was my favourite style of cardmaking but it was good to try it, anyway.

Several of the ladies had the stencils and some had some of the peel-offs  but it seems they cannot be bought any more and so the stencils sit languishing in drawers.

The cards are a mixture of sewing and cutting small pieces of paper to fit within the shapes and then mounting the peel-offs on top.  It would also be possible to just use the peel-off shapes and then colour inside them.  I coloured lilac inside the small flowers in the corners but the green flowers were made by sticking the peel-off shapes on the green paper and then cutting close round the edge of the peel-off.





I am entering this card in the following challenges|:

Challenges 4 everybody:  #20 anything goes
Simply Create Too: #37 Anything Goes

Saturday 18 May 2013

Lighthouse

I feel quite guilty saying this card was made from my swap parcel from Pat because there is only one thing from the parcel that I have used on it.  Trouble is I have used quite a bit of the parcel already and have other cards all ready to make.

I used the diecut shape from the parcel and it was cut in a linen type card but it was white and I really wanted blue so that it contrasted with the white of the card.  Nothing for it .....out came the Promarkers and I coloured it the blue colour I wanted!!!  I used a backing paper from a previous swap and then added my own image and a few card candy.






I am entering this in the following challenges:
Sarah Hurley:  Shades of blue
Sister Act Card:  Anything goes #7
All Sorts Challenge:  True Blue

Monday 13 May 2013

Where in the world?

Another card from the swap parcel and another challenge.  Pat had included a "background image" stamped on white card.  The thought of colouring it carefully with my Promarkers filled me with horror and so I took the easy option of applying a colour over the whole of the image and then cutting it up equally so it looks like a window...a window on the world.  I then cut out two small images from those given to my in the parcel and cut round them leaving a border than I lightly coloured with Promarkers.  I mounted them on some dark blue card from my snippets box and just cut them using my scalloped nestability die.


I am entering this in the following challenges:

Challenges 4 Everybody:  Anything goes
Pixies craft workshop:  Snippets
Cute Card Thursday:  Something Blue


Saturday 11 May 2013

Beach Huts

Now to the second card I made from Pat's swap parcel.  Not my best make.  I added the Beach Huts image from my stash and opened up an old envelope to use as the background paper.  The pretty green diecut using a favourite Nellie snellen die and the blue one came from the swap parcel.  The Nellie die is great for threading bakers twine through the holes.


I am entering this in the following challenges:

As you Like it:  Favourite Die or punch
Simply Create Too: Anything Goes
Pixie's Crafty workshop:  Snippets

Friday 10 May 2013

Sailing

Our swap challenge this month was chosen by Pat and she chose the theme of "nautical".  I was hoping she would allow things like rivers and fishermen but no, she had to be a meany and make us stick to the sea and all things nautical!!!

I opened both my parcels and gulped. I packed them both away as hopeless; I had no inspiration at all.  A couple of days later I laid all the bits out from Pat's parcel and then laid Terri's out on the craft room floor.  I can't honestly say it helped having them staring me in the face though!!

I eventually thought of one idea and quickly made it before I changed my mind.  It is really a variation on a previous theme only this time I used 8 circles instead of 9 small squares.  I didn't need the centre one as it would have been covered by the topper.  The only bit of my stash I used was the small bit of white card to stamp the greeting.  The paler card was already embossed with swirls so I took some of the dark card in the parcel and cut and embossed two more circles to match.


I am entering this in the following challenges:

As you like it:  Dies and Punches
DRS Designs:  Circles
Sarah Hurley:  Shades of Blue

Tuesday 7 May 2013

Charleston Farmhouse

The weather was so beautifully sunny it would have been a travesty not to go out and enjoy it yesterday.  We looked for somewhere we hadn't been and set off to the South Downs and ended up at Charleston Farmhouse located near by Firle.


Charleston is the country home of the Bloomsbury Group.   In addition to the house and artists' garden, there is an exhibition gallery showing a mix of fine and decorative art, a shop selling applied art and books relating to Bloomsbury and a small tea room with a small walled garden.

The Farmhouse has been lovingly restored with original wallpapers having been peeled from damp plaster and then reapplied once the walls had been replastered.  Original paintings, pottery, fabrics and furniture are in all the rooms.

The Farmhouse has a lovely view over the pond





and over the gardens




Saturday 4 May 2013

All Square

This is another card to help refill the gap of male cards in my stock box.  I was rummaging through my snippets box and found these little squares which had been part of an exploding box that I took to pieces.  I then rummaged around for some toning blue to layer the stamped image that I had in my stock of pre-stamped images.  It was a really quick and simple make.






I am entering this in the following challenges:

Delicious doodles:  Something for the Boys
Paper Creator's Crafts: For the Boys
Pixie's Crafty Workshops:  Snippets

Friday 3 May 2013

Guitar

I had quite a well stocked card box until I took them to sell at Church the other day and all of a sudden most of the male cards were snapped up.  I know most people find it hard to choose the right cards for a man, particularly if they don't know what there hobby is, so I try to have a reasonable selection of hobbies and interests available.  One card that always proves popular is this guitar card; it doesn't stay in stock for very long.

I created the image using Tagxedo and then it was very simple to mount on plain black card with a couple of strips of peel-offs either side of it.



I am entering this card in the following challenges.
The Paper Shelter:  Music Maestro
Sisterhood of Crafters:  Anything Goes
Stamping chef:  All Boys 
Crafting for all Seasons:  Monochromatic 
Moving along with the Times: One for the Guys