Stencil scene

This was one of several birthday cards made for the same recipient this month and as he likes nature this seemed like an obvious choice. I used a  textured card as a base to give a canvas effect and a stencil to frame the image.  I used a sponge to apply and blend blue and green shades of distress oxides which I then lightly spritzed with water. I stamped the trees using markers direct to stamps and the animals were stamped onto linen paper, coloured with markers and then adhered to the panel. I added the happy birthday wording in the bottom corner and then adhered the panel to the card base using foam pads. Stamps used are all from Stampin' Up!

I really liked the way the stencil frames the image and I plan to try out several other designs using this basic starting point.

Until next time

Cxx

52 card cafe...H is for Hearts

I am going to admit this was one of my favourites to make and I really like the simplicity of the design. I believe it is the seven of hearts underneath...topped with gesso of course.

I used three shades of acrylics, blended here on the main card. Once that was dry I used a Finnabair stamp and stamped the lettering in black archival. Once the ink was completely dry I applied a decent thickness of crackle glaze and left it overnight to dry.

I also took a piece of red card, stamped it with the Finnabair stamp and used a punch  to get the heart shape. I then added  crackle glaze to that too and left it to dry.

In the morning it was simply a matter of sponging some black ink around the edges and adhering the heart to the playing card. Job done!

Until next time

Cxx

52 card cafe... G is for gears

I really liked working this one...mainly I think because I started with white gesso and black acrylic paint, applied very roughly to leave deliberate brush strokes with some thicker patches to bubble when it was heated.. . Once everything was dry and cool I  stamped some scratches from an Andy Skinner set using black archival ink and then started with gilding wax and building layers of ink and wax until I got the effect I wanted.

The gear cogs were die cut from metallic card in gold and dark bronze shades and over-stamped and layered. I loved the final industrial look of the playing card... who knew the five of spades could look like this?

Until next time

Cxx

52 weeks... F is for Folk

I am definitely playing catch up with these...but that is the beauty of being able to work at your own pace...mine happens to be slow at the moment...mainly because I spend far too much thinking about it before I ever pick up a paintbrush...

Anyhow F is for Folk...and this was anything inspired by folklore, local or otherwise. I must admit I was pretty stumped by this...and end up with a folksy design rather than a true folk design...
Sadly I also ended up with a pretty horrid photo...but no amount of second takes improved it so it is what it is this time I am afraid.

Gesso background on the playing card again of course, topped by a couple of acrylic paint shades. The bird and flowers were stamps and coloured with markers. The sunbeams are represented by perfect pearls...and the pearly sheen is what contributed to the horrible photo.
Still I did manage to produce a F card...

Onwards and upwards, till next time
Cx

Bonjour Beautiful

Although they only landed on the mat a few days ago, I am already totally  in love with Tim Holtz's Hipsters. They are super cool and although they come with some fabby cool wordage

 for some reason I really just had to pair the image with the Bonjour Beautiful (from a set by Stampin' Up!) I have no idea why since the image is an Ostrich and they are not exactly known for being French or related to France in any way...but it was just one of those things and I have run with it... and make my point I opted to also use the Paris cityscape stamp (also by TH)  and just to stick with the Tim thing I tried out the new oxide distress inks..and although I used them in a very basic way here, I think I am going to love these too...

So this project was a try new stuff and make a postcard for a swap project that I think turned out just fine. I am happy and hopefully the person who eventually ends up with the postcard will be happy too.

Until next time

Cxx