Watercolour

I made this card for a friend and, as we have happy memories of visiting the ocean and her buying us a beautiful pan stand (tile) with a picture of a lighthouse on, I just knew when I got these stamps I had to make her birthday card with them.  The stamps are from Elusive Images and Chas saw them, fell in love with them, and bought them for me (only twisted his arm a little).

I so enjoyed making this easel card

 

When I am in the mood, or should I say have time, I love using my paints to colour in the image and this was so restful to do - the perfect image.  I put the main image on white cs and painted it using my Caran D'Ache watercolour crayons with only a little on the water and the sky (both different shades of crayon) and adding a little pink to the sky.  It's a pity but it doesn't show up the different shades in the photograph - and I took such care with it.  When I had finished it I mounted it on navy cs and attached to the main card.  Then I stamped the words and used them as the "block".  I had already stamped the seagull (which I love) and the grasses but put a little tab on the base of each, cut a slit in the bottom section of the main card and attached them so that they stand up giving a 3D image.  They fold flat for posting.

I was really pleased with the end result and hope my friend enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it for her.

As Gingersnap Creations have a "Paint" challenge running I am entering it for that challenge as I haven't done one for a while and so enjoy their challenges.

Red and Black

As soon as I saw these two colours on Gingersnap Creations I knew it had to be Asian for me.  These colours, usually with the addition of gold, always make me reach for my Asian stamps - and I have tons.

I hope the white background for my young Geisha is ok for this challenge.  I first stamped and embossed her in black on the white cardstock, coloured her in with paints and then mounted on black, then on red.

The black card was stamped on with Versamark and then clear ep put over it and heated.  So this is my entry for the Red and Black Challenge on Gingersnap Creations.

Go 3-Dimensional (Which One to Use)

Over on Gingersnap Creations there is another Challenge - "Go 3-Dimensional" so whilst I was doing my beads yesterday (which could have also been entered for this challenge) I made some other pieces.

I have always liked the mold for this head and the head-dress with the additional little pieces and thought it about time I made a pendant with it.

First of all I made the face with skin tone polymer clay and then I used black for the head-dress and the two 'dangly' bits.  When I had fired them all I coloured the head-dress with Perfect Pearls in a mixture of blue/green/lilac and added some gold.  Then I drew on the features with permanent markers.

Here she is - mounted on a card stamped with Non Sequitur images, ready for me to give to one of my friends who happens to like this kind of thing.  She can easily remove the pendant as it is only stuck on with a foam buddy.

Steampunk

This is my (dismal) attempt at a Steampunk pendant - maybe I could cover the holes and use it on the cover of my Steampunk Journal.  First of all I rolled a flat piece of clay through my pasta machine, fired it and then coloured with Alcohol Inks.  Stamped on it using Stazon with a Paperartsy stamp and stuck on some of those bits from the various watches I had been dismantling.  Now I wish I had made it chunkier but maybe next time - or maybe I should try Steampunk on a domino.

My final photograph shows some bits and pieces I made using up my clay that I had conditioned (like 25 times through the pasta machine).  The heads are for a project which is "work in progress" and has been in my head and on my desk for ages.  Big project - need to get my head going and get it finished.

The African head is a pendant, along with the two smaller ones for ear-rings, that I am sending to a friend in America.  She is always making bits and pieces for me and I need to return the favour.

So one of the top two (Steampunk or Card with Head)  is my entry for the Gingersnap Challenge.  Not sure which one but I will only put one in thumbnails and they can see my attempts at 3D (hope this counts as there is no papercrafting).

Cinderella

It's late and I am just scraping in, like Cinders who had to leave the ball at midnight, with my beads for the Lots to Do Challenge this week.

I wanted to make some big beads to wear with a certain outfit and so I mixed some colours of Polymer Clay and began rolling.  Fired them tonight and just strung them.  As you can see I have not put a clasp on yet but don't think I can get this done in time for the challenge so here it is:

Made some of the big beads a slightly different shade as I was going round and then mixed what I had left together to create the mauve colour at the end - not too sure about that.  Will have a think about it in the morning.

This Groovy Chick Sent Me Dotty

I saw on Play Date Cafe that the Challenge had once again been set by my friend Sarah.  Had problems with her last choice of colours and this one made me go "OMG".  Hot pink, Mustard yellow and Navy blue!  Then the light went on and I thought of this stamp I had had for ages.

Out came the Caran D'Ache - yes, the colours were in my set, a rummage through cardstock - yes, got the colours - and here it is.  My entry for the PDC this week.  I actually like the mix.  Missed last week's because I deliberated too long and I loved the colours (sorry Julie) but could not think how to use them.  Glad I managed to join in again this week.

The funny thing is I was making some beads yesterday (way not finished) and these are the colours I was working with - now to dig out a mustard yellow - actually I am making lots of different colours - want a summer necklace to brighten myself up with this horrid weather.

The colours on the card do not seem true to what they really are in the photograph - honestly they are the right colours.  The "Dotty" bit in the heading is because this morning my eyes seemed to refuse to focus - painting those lines drove me dotty.

Phineas (Steampunk)

First of all may I say "welcome" to my new followers.  It is lovely to see so many people bookmarking my blog.  Thank you all, new and old, for becoming followers.

A couple of posts ago I showed you the beginnings of my Steampunk Journal I did with Sarah.  Well I have been busy undoing old watches to collect some cogs and wheels and now need to visit some charity shops for alarm clocks for larger pieces.  In the meantime I have been on the computer looking for pictures I can use in my journal.

What to do with them until I decide where they are going was my dilemma.  If I put them just in a cupboard I will not remember where they are so I set to and decorated a Project we had done with the talented Gill at Vicky Stampers.  We had made this 'kind of concertina file' with envelopes and, because I 'yacked' a lot, I did not get mine decorated.  Decided it was my prototype and didn't need decorating.  Well, suddenly yesterday the light went on and I thought of decorating it to hold my cuttings.

Here it is (and Phineas had to be featured again)

this is it closed

First of all I changed the colour using my Distress Inks in various shades of brown - so many I cannot remember what I really did use.  Love my Distress inks.  I wanted to make it stay closed as the top kept open showing the base of the envelopes so I hit upon the idea of using a couple of Grungeboard hinges.  Painted them and the lock and key with Dabbers and attached them with TH brads.  The lock has a magnet underneath it so that the flap closes as well.

This is it open

At the very top of the triangular piece is a watch cog which allows the magnet to hold it fast.  You actually turn the whole wallet over to get to the inside of the envelopes.  I won't bore you with a picture of them but if you go to my friend Jo's blog you can see how she decorated hers and her inside shot shows the lovely tags she made (mine has only images inside remember).

I haven't decorated the back, am going to make a pocket on the back of it to hold my little Steampunk Journal.  That's another project in itself and not worth showing anyway as it probably won't be decorated.

Heard from Jennie at The Artistic Stamper, that she has tracked down the stamp of Phineas and his 'mate' so I have just sent for them and now I can have Phineas and the other guy whenever I want them.  She might have more if you are interested.

Second Instalment

A couple of comments made me realise I had not shown my desk - here it is - dashing off for the day with my favourite little girl - Chloe.

Nothing much going on - waiting for this canvas to dry so I can work on it - tin of paints by its side (just the first coat kind).  Polybag storing my black and white scraps peeking out - otherwide as usual.  Still got Zoe's card in the window but her hanging artwork is hung up now.