My New Owl Stamp

I got to have a little play with the new stamp this afternoon. I was very thrifty as well as I used a piece of card that I had cut off as excess from another project, so used that, it is only a small card, but just right I think for this stamp. I had to practice a few times, and am still not totally happy with the end result, but will try in on the rock a blocks when I can find them lol.

Ok so there I was quite happy with one of the results on the scrap card, that I decided to stamp onto the main card....... inked it all up really well with the Impress Carmine ink pad and stamped onto the card..... to my horror I had managed to miss out most of one of the eyes :( that is soooo very frustrating. I nearly scrapped the whole idea at that point, BUT I cut out the image that wasn't too bad on the scrap card and just stuck on some sticky pads and decoupaged it LOL. I don't think it looks too bad, I did cut off the feet on the scrap card one as I had cut it too straight.

I guess what I have learnt today, is that when stamping, you have to have some sort of pad to stamp on, that will take a bit more investigating, and also that there can be ways round things that you think are ruined. But most of all I need to practice, and practice and practice some more at stamping.

What does everyone else use for stamping on? Oh and did you notice my clever use of using a coloured ink pad so I wouldn't have to colour it in?? Genius I call it LOL. Still waiting for any colouring in Workshops lol.

FAO SUSAN

Well I have had a little bit of a play with the beautiful papers that Susan has created and can be found here ~ http://stitchybearstamps.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_79 I have really had fun making the cat, I think she is adorable and don't really want to give her away, BUT she was made for a shaped card swap so I am going to have to send her on her way soon. I forgot to mention that I am still debating if I should add a couple of googlie eyes to the green eyes lol. It is going to have to depend on if I can find them, I have got hundred's of them somewhere in the craft room ROFL.

The second card I made an easy stepper card, which is dead easy to make, after all I made it LOL. Anyway it was on C&C I think the presenter was called Ali something or other with the huggy board? You cut your A4 card down to 28cm which makes it easy for working out, then you score at 3cm, 6cm, 10cm, 14cm straight across for the fold in the card, and then 21cm. These go half way to the 10.5cm mark, you then cut the card from 21c. down to 3cm down the 10.5cm line. The steppers can go either way depending on which way you fold them. Hope all this makes sense.

Ok to get back to the card I have used Susan's papers again for the backing, then used an image off the JS Fashion Boutique cd matted onto some green holographic card. I still need to add a ribbon to the stepper with the smallest image on, and a sentiment on the front when I know what I am sending it for.

Susan, I hope you like them, I love this set of papers and need to buy some more lol.

CRAFT CLUB MAKE 23-06-10

This was an extra session because so many are going to be away that is now it till 14th July.... gosh that seems soooo very far away. I am sure it will pass too quickly lol.

Anyway the pink and green card is what most of the class made, the problem with using a double sided paper, is which side do you actually use, they are both so nice, so while several used all the pink side, I used a mix of the two which I think looks quite nice. The fushia was already stamped and embossed ready to cut out, given that I had finished in under an hour and some were going to have to finish it off at home after a 2 hour session..... well you can understand the age of some of them. Or I guess it could be that they were talking more than I was LOL

Because I had finished so soon I decided that I might as well finish off the card that I had started the week before. So I got some decoupage cut out, and used green holographic card as a backing for the white embossed backing (if you remember I used a light box for the 1st time to make the backing frame) I finished off with a silver peel off just to hide the rubbish cutting out I had done lol.

The one problem I have is actually using them and giving them to others lol. All the more reason to make some more then isn't it!!!!! LOL.

Craft Stash

Well I gave in a ended up buying myself some new stamps, you would think that the amount I have I would be a fantastic stamper!!! You would be wrong LOL. I am not a very confident stamper, but I am starting to do a bit more. Now if only I could work out how to colour them in I would be on a roll then. Does anyone know of any workshops for colouring in???

I was actually debating between a couple of dearer stamp sets, but then saw the Owl and I just had to have her!! Isn't she cute? Well I think so. The Persimmion Stamps just had that touch of class to them, and I thought they might be good on ATC's, we shall see. I had thought I might have a play this evening, but between the tennis and the muggy weather, I just feel like slobbing out tonight.

New Home end product.

Well as promised here is the final card, I gave in after all and got it all cut out and made up last night. It made up a lot quicker than it did to design it in the first place LOL.

New Home Card ~ a work in progress

Well I have had a go at paper pricking, using a pattern from a pack I have found in the depths of the craft room, I am going to use it to make a New Home card for one of our MU members who moved yesterday.

The coloured sheet is a page I created on MCS I intend to put the paper pricked page onto the large coloured shape, then the smaller picture with the chair and New Home on, into the center of the pricked paper. Sorry about the poor qualiy of the photo, I don't think it is quite in focus.

I will leave the cutting out till tomorrow, because I have finally had enough and my body needs to rest from all the activity I have done this last week, been out every day and sometimes twice in the one day :( Fortunately for me today's event was cancelled due to the poor weather, so I have managed to have a sleep this morning, but needed to make a start on the card.

Will continue the post when the card is finished.

On a Sadder Note

I unfortunately had to make a sympathy card for the wife and family of a very good friend and Scouter. I thought long and hard as to what to make, and made the obvious calla lily card, but kept being drawn back to this image, which was in my opinion wrong because I had immediately thought of a wedding card when I first saw the image on My Craft Studio.

Anyway I asked the opinions of my good friends on JJ Forum, who assured me it was perfect. So I was able to get the blue card from the Craft Club the day before and made it up.

Having searched on one of the free verse websites that are available, I found many of them although lovely verses, didn't quite seem just right. Then BINGO I read "Someone so special... ...can never be forgotten" and it had to be that. It was perfect for the sentiment I wanted to convey to the family.

The church I am pleased to say was packed with friends and family of Keith and there was just the single wreath in the Scouting colours. The service was just right and we ended up singing Taps, which if any of you were a Guide or Scout you will probably remember, BUT there was a 3rd verse written down which I hadn't known about, and which brought tears to my eyes when I was reading through the service sheet, and I would like to share them all with you.

Taps

Day is done, gone the sun,

From the lake, from the hills, from the sky:

All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Thanks and praise for our days,

'Neathe the sun, 'neath the stars, 'neath the sky:

As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

While the light fades from sight,

And the stars gleaming rays softly send,

To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend.

Thank you for reading this.

May the souls of the departed rest in Peace, and rise in glory. Amen.

In memory of Keith Brice, a great all round gentleman, who died 4th June 2010 aged just 63yrs.

Craft Club make 16th June

WOW what a first for me. I used my light box which I have had for a couple of years and never used before to emboss the zig zag. If I had been left on my own to do it, I would have put the card on the light box and the stencil on the top.... thank goodness one of the women there talked me through what to do. I then decided not to emboss the hearts as you can see in the blue card, which was the inspiration card to work from. So instead I did some paper pricking, which will make the card far more usable for me now with not having hearts on. I also did the embossing and cutting out of the semi-circle, I found my hand was shaking so much I didn't feel I would do it right, so they suggested that I put the template over the top and cut it that way. I am not totally happy at the state of the cutting, and think next time I do one I will cut it free hand. I think I might end up using a silver peel off just around the edge of the circle part. I used a gree metalic for the stitching, again a 1st for me, the only thread I have used has been in cross stitching LOL. I have a yellow and green flower which was the inspiration to use the green stitching and I intend using some green holographic card behind the topper. But at present this is a work in progress.

Challenge's card

This card was made to cover 2 seperate challenges. The first was from JJ Forum and that was to make a gatefold card, I tend to only make the straight forward folded A5 or A6 card, so this was a challenge for me.

The 2nd challenge was for the Crafty Salon Forum, which was to use the Jayne Netley Mayhew 1st Cd. The peacocks were just perfect for the gatefold card. I did think of using a bit of glitter glue/sparkles etc on the tail, but decided that I prefered it as it was. One of those times when 'less is more'.

IRIS FOLDING

Although I have made an Iris folded card before, it was using a pre cut aperature card. This card I cut the hexagon out then used my own colour scheme for it. Having looked at it more closely now, I think I might have gone wrong somewhere on the colours. It just doesn't look quite right. Oh well hopefully it will look even better next time.

Twisterpage

This was my 1st attempt at making a twisterpage. I printed I also printed out the background and reduced the opacity and printed it out onto vellum, then used it as a wrap.

Crafting attempts.

I have had a few 1st's recently, so feel that my confidence might just be starting to grow! Well a tiny bit LOL

Now this card I had fun making, it is my 1st attempt at creating my own background. I made this at the Craft Club that I go to. I used a script stamp for the main page and a swirly stamp for
the front paper, although I think I made a bit of a bodge of edging the paper with the ink pad, but I am really pleased at having had a go.

This is my 1st Easel card, using an old cd as a backing for the decoupage, that was another 1st, I have several more old cd's so might start using them up.

APOLOGIES

I must offer my apologies for having neglected this blog, but life and health seems to have over taken me for a while. I won't try catching up with everything I have made so far this year, but will try and choose just a few.

Hope you having a better year than I have so far.

TIME FOR AN UPDATE ONE HERE!

Well it has been quite some time since I last posted on here, my apologies for not keeping up on here.