Male Birthday card

Here's a card with a bit of a difference today - a birthday card for my friends husband.  This shows how versatile the gorgeous Maja Designs paper collections really are.  At first glance they look all sweet and florally but they really cater for all interests.

 

I've used papers from both the 'Vintage Autumn Basics' and 'Life by the Sea' collections, which I've distressed, embossed and layered on my manila card along with some burlap & string.

 

I've used the colours and am entering this in the Maja moodboard which features colours from their latest collection 'Summer Crush' which is so fresh and beachy feeling (can't wait to get my hands on some).

 



Card making time

For someone who isn't a cardmaker lately I'm making lots.  They are usually quick and easy to make if you need something in a hurry - obviously I don't fit in this category as sometimes they take just about as long to make as a layout.  So today I have 2 cards to share, with this first one being my DT entry for Southern Girls Challenge.  The theme this week is Anything Goes, so lets see lots of entries this time.

Some of you may have already seen this card as it was entered in the Scrap-a-bull facebook monthly challenge.  This card was for the 2nd part of the challenge, the criteria was to create a card with a heart and banner. I will also enter this into the Artfull crafts monthly challenge.

Part One of the Scrap-a-bull challenge was to create a multi folded card, which I made this stepped card for.  I will also enter this into the I am Roses monthly challenge as this has lots of beautiful IAR blooms on the front.

 

Follow the link I have supplied for you on my tutorials page to a very helpful tutorial for this awesome card.

Not the End

To chill out and hopefully help find some mojo again I've been having a bit of fun with another page in my art journal.  Lots of bright colours to cheer up these dreary days we are having at the moment.

This is the first time I've used my Dylusion paints - love them to bits, with everything being outlined with a black gelato.  TH Distress inks were used thru lots of different stencils.  Black and white sharpie pens finish the smaller details. 

As well as trying to brighten up this dreary day I've used the inspiration board from Scrap around the World whose monthly challenge I will enter this into.  I've used all the bright colours, the flowers and the steps in my page.

 

I just love the quote I've used  - "You can't run out of Creativity so this is not the end".  I may even use this on a page I've got to create in an journal swap I'm doing at the moment as we are very close to the end.  This page is my interpretation of one of the masses of works I've seen on facebook, thank you to the original artist.  

Day at the Beach

For todays layout I've finally had the chance to use more of my awesome fishing photos.  I'm really struggling with my mojo at the moment so it took a long time to finally decide where I was going with this one.  I am however now excited by the outcome, again using a slightly different style to what I am used to (perhaps that's where my mojo is getting lost??)

For inspiration I  have used the LO sketch from Artfull crafts

 

I tried to follow the colour chart from Lindy's Stamp Gang monthly colour challenge

 

And I've followed the 'Summer Days' theme from Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

 

I've started with a Prima Seashore paper which has been misted and splattered with lots of LSG mists Opal Sea Oats, Hydrangea Blue, Lucky Shamrock Green, Sea Mint Green. 

 Lots of Dusty Attic chippies have been added: DA1042 Seagulls, DA558 Anchors, DA1076 Hashtag sayings #1.

Finnabair Art Ingredients microbeads and mica flakes were also used.

Enjoy these closeups.

 

I will be entering all 3 monthly challenges, Artfull Crafts, Lindy's Stamp Gang and The MMC.  Follow me there and join in the fun.

Keeping it simple

Who would have thought keeping a layout to an absolute minimum could be so intimidating.  I've always admired the style Louise Nelson uses and the astonishing layouts she creates and up until now I've really been too scared to even try.  The way she used tiny photos and/or small parts of photos is nothing short of remarkable.  So after spending a few hours looking over her work I've been brave enough to try.

I started with a Kaisercraft 'Sandy Toes' paper, then sprayed and splotched with Lindy's Stamp Gang mists Azure Sea Asters & Sea Mint Green.  The blue was enhanced with a bit of Lumiere Metallic Acrylic paint.  After painting my chipboard frame it was sprayed with Opal Sea Oats which has given it an awesome shimmer.

 

I added some Prairie Wildflower magicals to the flower using Bachelor Button blue & Bells of Ireland green, with a flatback pearl for the centre.

I've finished the page with thread, more splotches, small flatback pearls and some stickers from the Kaisercraft collection.

 

I am entering this into the Lindy's Stamp Gang colour challenge using their inspiration board as a guide.

 



Be your own kind of Beautiful

For todays layout I was determined to 'not overthink' as I seem to be doing lately.  I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do, so I just went for it and stuck things down as I went instead of all the procrastinating I usually do.

 I love this Kaisercraft 'Kaleidescope' paper and was determined to use some of the stickers and cut outs from the collection as well.  TH 'Rusty Hinge worked through a TCW stencil matched and enhanced the pattern on the paper.  Scrap paper strips and music paper add more interest to the background.

 

Gorgeous BoBunny & Dusty Attic blooms are the perfect colour to compliment the photo.  I've used LOTS of Dusty Attic chippies which were mostly painted, some then having flatback pearls attached.

 

I'm entering this in the Dusty Attic monthly challenge using their Inspiration Board below. 

DA products used are: DA766 Flutterbies #3, DA1074 Love this . . ., DA477 Mini words #3, DA737 Cyclone wire, DA689 Mini Cogs, DA232 Jumbo Cogs, DA913 Dusty-in-Colour Faded Denim, DA807 Dusty-in-Bloom Blue Bonnet.

 



July IAR Challenge

Here's a couple of birthday cards I've made, both using folded techniques I've just found on You Tube tutorials - gotta love that site.

 

This one was made for my neighbour who loves her garden, hence the butterflies and flowers.  This card has been entered into the I am Roses monthly challenge, using 2 of their awesome products being the tulips and leaves.



 

 

Jemma loves skulls, so I made this card for her using fabric scraps as I couldn't find any skull/skeleton paper in time.  This card has been entered into the Artfull crafts colour challenge, which required greens/blacks.

 

I'm just loving making these multi folded cards, anything for a bit of a challenge that's me.

Time for an Art Journal page

Time for something a bit different with this project.  The theme this time at Southern Girls Challenge is 'Stickers & Tape' of which I use neither.  For that reason I straight away thought of doing a page in my art journal using these different supplies.

I started by following the beginnings of an Andrea Walford express journal page, which used the stencilling, washi tape, cotton & ink splatter.  Then I added the stickers which came from the Kaisercraft Curiosity collection. 
After outlining the words, I started outlining the birds & butterflies but decided because of how the stickers had been cut out, they actually looked better not outlined.

That's my little step into the 'unfamiliar', I'd love to see yours too.  Come and join us for this challenge, there are some awesome prizes to be won from our fabulous sponsors.

More from Egypt

Yay I'm the winner. 
Todays layout has been created very rushed as Part 2 of the monthly Scrap-a-bull facebook challenge. For Part 1 I submitted my lovely layout about 'Mia's Christening', and was luckily chosen in the Top 3 which now required me to create a layout following this sketch

 

For my layout I rotated this sketch once clockwise to suit my photos.

 

I started by creating LOTS of strips of texture under my photos, using ripped dictionary paper, embossed cardstock, corrugated cardboard, drywall tape, burlap.  All then got a coat of gesso before being coloured primarily with Lindy's Stamp Gang mists.

 

Next I heat embossed the awesome Dusty Attic Geometric Corners, which I cut into the 5 pieces I've attached around the page.  These were surrounded with glass & micro beads.  I LOVE THESE.

 

 

 

 



 

To finish the page I added some splotches, some light random stamping then heat embossed Imagine if . stars.  I'm impressed with the new Prima stamp I've used around the outside of the page.

 

Thank you to all of you who voted for me on facebook, I wouldn't have won without you all.

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Butterfly garden

Here we are mid year already, so I'm making the most of not being particularly busy at work.  I'm chuffed I've found yet another awesome monthly challenge to enter The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge is another site that offers an awesome inspiration board and very minimal requirements to join in.  This month is their birthday so they have put all the themes from the last 12 months on their board. 

 

For those of you who know my work you will know I LOVE FLOWERS, so that is my theme of choice.  Here I've created a tag which I am also entering into the monthly Imagine if . .  challenge.  I am also entering this into the Lindy's Stamp Gang colour challenge using their colour chart



The tag I've created was firstly covered with drywall tape then I added lace, lots of Imagine if chippies then glass beads.  When all the glue was dry it got a coat of gesso, then a coat of black paint. 

 

Then believe it or not I sprayed the whole thing with LSG Sweet Violet Purple Teal where obviously the Teal has really won over the other colours, even though when moisture is applied the purple shines thru.  The little mini roses were coloured with LSG Ramblin' Rose Pink grunged a bit with TH Black Soot.  The velvet stem and leaves was grunged by spraying with LSG Opal Sea Oats. 

 

As usual I had fun making my own flowers, I adore these zipper flowers - this one has a rolled paper flower for the centre along with a bead.  Butterflies from the G45 Steampunk Debutante collection finish the page along with the sweet sentiment.

 

Thank you for visiting, I hope you like what you find here and hopefully I can inspire you in some way with my creations.  To find a tutorial for the zipper flower just follow the link provided in my Tutorials page.