Friday 22 October 2010

Elusive Images Elegant Ladies

Last month for our Elusive Images Design Team submissions we were sent some beautiful stamp sets which each featured an elegant lady dressed in a gorgeous gown and these stamps were supported by lots of wonderful chandaliers, candelabra, fancy corners and others.  There are three A5 sets in all and as well as being beautiful, there are some really useful and versatile stamps on each plate.  We are all agreed on the Design Team that many of them would make beautiful Wedding Stationery or cards for the Bride, her Mother or the Bridesmaids. 

For one of my submissions I decided to make something a little different from a card by decorating a little (6" x 6") wooden frame I picked up for £1.


I used  stamps from all three of the lady sets together with stamps from Fancy Mandalas UA4SP0172 AND Diamante Delights UA4SP0192 to make the Grungepaper flower and leaves and Artistic Affirmations (another fab new set) UA4GW0343 for the word (which could also be a name).  I thought the bottom of the chandelier stamp I used at the top of the frame looked like a lovely beaded curtain edging.  I used various colouring mediums, including Studio Semi Gloss Paint, Ranger Dabbers, Viva Precious Metal Paint, Ranger Crackle Paint and last but not least Distress Inks.

The frame itself had glass in the aperture but I took it out and replaced it with a painted and stamped chipboard square.






I really enjoyed myself making this little frame and the stamps worked so well.

If you would like to see all three sets of stamps and our three 'divas' in all their glory, click on the Elusive Images DT logo in my sidebar which will take you to the DT blog.  The stamps are all on display together with details on how you could perhaps WIN them so it's well worth popping over there.  You will also find links to my DT buddies where you can have a look at the beautiful creations they have made with these new stamps.

Thanks for dropping by  today and have a lovely weekend everyone.  I'm off to my Daughter's today to have more Wedding Discussions.  Blimey, things didn't seem half as complicated to organise when my Hubby and I got married nearly 38 years ago, Lol!

Hugs
Lesley  Xx
















                                       

Thursday 21 October 2010

A Tag .............. made for fun and a friend..........plus something a bit special!

Last week I had to post something to my friend Elaine so I made a tag to put in the envelope.


I didn't start out to use Autumn colours again but somehow ended up there.  Never mind, I love them and I know Elaine does too.  The stamps I used were PaperArtsy Hot Picks that I bought at the Artisan Show (fab show) at the beginning of the month.  I really enjoyed making this tag just for the fun of it and especially as it was for a lovely friend who I sadly don't get to see very often.


I used mainly Distress Inks for both the blending and  stamping and was amazed at how long they took to dry.  As I wanted to use Versamark and Gold EP for my final stamped images I took the precaution of spending quite a while drying the tag with my heat gun and then left it for at least another 30 minutes before applying the EP but ............................ it still stuck to the DI's!  I brushed as much off as possible with a fine paintbrush but I think next time I'll leave it overnight, Lol!

And now ............................ I have something to share which I think is quite special., proud Mum or what, Lol!  My Son, Jamie hasn't had time to post anything on his own blog for quite a while (new job taken over) and last week he 'invaded' my craft room to make a card for his wife's birthday.  The card itself is really simple using a lovely Hampton Arts rose image (which has special meaning as I used it on their wedding stationery) and a Ranger Coffee Archival inkpad.  The sentiment is from the Elusive Images Birthday Words plate but what I think is so special is the rose cut out that Jamie drew himself and cut out by hand from some pearlescent paper I gave him.  There is one overlaid on the front and another on the inside of the card and I am still in awe everytime I look at them.  They are so beautifully cut out and so intricate they look laser cut.  See what you think...............


and the inside ................






and that's not all .....................



This is a photo of an ordinary office sticky label which in turn is a printout of a photo of a quite large canvas.  Does any of that make sense?!?  But the amazing thing to me is that Jamie drew the image, cut out the stencil with a scalpel, placed it over the canvas (which I haven't seen yet) and then I think he used spray paints through the stencil to achieve the finished image.  It's mostly black with just touches of blue and yellow along the bottom and you can just see a hint of blue for his eyes.  I still can't get over how perfect the cutting out is!
Am I proud or what!

Have a lovely day all!

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

Tuesday 19 October 2010

My Lovely DIL loves Fairies!

Hi Everyone,

I do hope you get some of the lovely sunshine I can see through my window today although I suspect it's not very warm outside.  I shall find out shortly when I take the Snoopster for a walk.

Well, I sure made up for posting 2 days in a row didn't I?  Not a peep for nearly 2 weeks now but it's mainly because I have been making Design Team stuff which, of course, I can't show.  I did make a card for my lovely Daughter in Law last week though so I am sharing it today.  She loves fairies so I used Lavinia stamps to make her card.  They are what I call 'Fairies for Grown-Ups', Lol!  I love those silhouette stamps, have quite a few, rarely get time to use them - sound familiar anyone?


I used a Big and Juicy Waterfall inkpad to brayer the background colour.  I'm definitely a novice at brayering but I hope to improve my skills at a workshop with Lesley Wharton at Graphicus that I'm going to very shortly.  To add a bit of texture I picked up a bit of ink on a piece of textured sponge and dappled it very lightly onto the bottom of the image taking it over the edge and continuing onto the bottom of the card and I also echoed the hanging vine on the top of the base card too.  I added a little bit of Stickles in Patina on the fairy's wings and to the fairy dust she is sprinkling in the water.


All the stamps I used are from Lavinia except for the sentiment at the top which was made up from a very useful set of words and phrases from Elusive Images called Celebrations (there are 3 A6 plates in the range) and the grass around the fairy which is from Elusive Images Wild Meadow plate.

Thanks to all who visit and especially if you find time to leave a comment.  I hope to post a tag I made for a friend in a couple of days time.  Till then, hope your days are filled with as much sunshine as possible.

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

PS      Ooooh, nearly forgot.  Have you visited our Craft Stamping Quartet blog recently.  My buddy Jo has posted the most gorgeous creation (the inspiration for which came from an Isabelle Norris project) and I'll be posting my own effort possibly later today.  I have to admit that I almost chickened out after Jo posted her's because I feel mine is rather lacklustre to say the least but then I decided it was only fair to show things I'm not happy with as well as things I am.

Thursday 7 October 2010

Play Date Cafe and Elusive Images

Hello again everyone, Wow, me posting two days in a row!!!! That doesn't happen very often, in fact this is probably the first time, Lol!

The reason is the Play Date Cafe Challenge this week is being sponsored by Elusive Images and I and a few of my Team mates have decided to play along.  Each week PDCC give a colour theme to be used and this is the one we had to work to.




Glenda Waterworth (owner of EI) is the guest designer over on the PDCC blog so I'm off over there in a mo to see what she and their very talented Design Team have created for us.  This is the card I made using their colour story for this week and if you would like to know the details of how and what I used and also see what my friends have created, click here to go to the Elusive Images blog where you will find all the relevant links.


and a close up of the main detail.


The EI stamps I used are from a couple of years ago and I still love them but if you want to join in with the PDCC this week there are some of the latest stamps up for grabs so why not have a go.

It was double pleasurable for me to join in with this challenge because I have a lovely blog buddy over on the PDCC Design Team.  Suzanne is such a talented lady and is the source of a huge amount of inspiration as well as being a lovely friend into the bargain.  You certainly wouldn't be disappointed by paying her blog a visit.  Say Hi from me while you're there!

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

Wednesday 6 October 2010

A Card for my 'Baby' and WOYWW

Hi Everyone and Happy WOYWW even if the weather is trying to make you miserable as it is here!

Well, life's been a bit manic around here the last couple of weeks with ordinary life (Wedding discussions and organisation???) getting in the way of blogging so I'm pretty chuffed that I'm managing to join in WOYWW again today.  If any one hasn't a clue what I'm waffling on about go to the wonderful Julia's blog  where all will be revealed.


This is my desk as of about 8 am this morning and it's not too bad if a tad boring.  That's because I tipped a whole jar of water up last night so had to have a tidy up to get rid of all the soggy bits and dry everything else.  Luckily there were no works in progress on there at the time and my lovely Craft Stamper mags weren't there then either otherwise you would all have heard the screams and bad language (like Oh sh.................oot!).    I was studying that particular Isobelle Norris article last night because it's the inspiration chosen by my buddy Judith for our current Craft Stamping Quartet project. From the bits there can you guess what I'm hoping my theme is going to be?  Last Friday I went to the Artisan show (brilliant show for stampers and beaders) at Leamington Spa and there are a couple of things on my desk that I haven't found a home for yet.  There's also a pile of PaperArtsy and Crafty Individuals stamps on the worktop behind me but I forgot to take a pic of those.  There's a couple of acetate pieces I found whilst mopping up and a piece of kitchen roll covered in Glimmer Mists that was in the bottom of my spray booth after a misting session.  I liked the colours on it so I stuck it to a piece of card for use somehow in the future.  Amazing what you find when you really have to get to the bottom of all those pieces that are just hanging about.  I suspect they'll 'hang about' for quite a while longer too, Lol!

As the desk is a mite boring I thought I'd show you my collection of dies and embossing folders and the like.


On top you can see the Paper Artsy dies I bought last Friday.  Not so long ago all my dies and folders fitted easily into this box but then my Nesty collection started to grow ............. and grow and then Sir Tim Holtz decided to get together with Sizzix and now ................ I have dies stashed in the box my iron came in


and piled up on the windowsill


I think I need a much bigger box and of course, I'm being sorely tempted by the new lot of dies that have just come out,  Aaaarrrgh!!!!

Wow, this is turning into a long post so if you are still with me thankyou because I want to share a card before I go get some dreaded chores done.  It was my 'baby's' birthday at the weekend.  She was thirty (God that makes me feel ancient) and a while ago after rewatching Dirty Dancing for the 'nth time I said I ought to stop calling her Baby but she said she liked it as it made her feel special and safe so 'Baby' it still is, Lol!  Here's the card.


and a close up of the tag.  I love that TH quote!



Well if you stuck with my waffle to the end you deserve a medal, Lol!

Have a lovely day everyone and guess what,  the sun has come out and I have blue skies!  Lovely!  Shame I have to go and clean the bathroom though, yuck!

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

Monday 4 October 2010

A Lovely Award

Hello Everyone,

I'm afraid I haven't any makes to share with you at the moment unfortunately.  I do have a card to show in the next day or so when I've had time to download the photos.  However, I wanted to do this post tonight because I've been given an award from a young lady whose work I admire very much.  Her name is Rachel and her blog is Critchley Creations.  She an extremely talented girl and the creations on her blog are lovely so please pay her a visit.  You won't be disappointed!



Rachel thanks very much for this award.  I really appreciate it, Sweetie!

I know I'm supposed to pass this on to 15 other lovely bloggers but how can I choose.  I love all the blogs I visit and never fail to be awed at the wonderful creations I see so if you visit me please  take this award for your own blog with my love and thanks for sharing the lovely things you make.

Hugs
Lesley  Xx