Welcome on this rather nippy Monday morning. This week is the half term break for schoolchildren and although neither of my granddaughters are yet of school age, by necessity they have to attend nursery while Mummies and Daddies go to work and their nurseries are also closed As a result, from this evening I will have Alexa having a sleepover at Mamma's and staying until Wednesday evening and tomorrow she will be joined by Izzy who will be sleeping over until Friday evening. I doubt very much I will get any crafting time to myself :(, I probably won't have the energy either ;) but if Izzy and Alexa have a play with their 'stash' I'll post some pics next week, lol!
I'm so thankful we could manage on my Hubby's salary when our kids were small so I didn't have to contend with the constant juggling mums and dads have to do these days. I would have hated other people seeing/hearing their milestone achievements during those first precious years while I missed out. Unfortunately, most of today's young couples don't have a choice as two incomes are necessary just to keep their heads above water.
Anyway, before I crack on with all the jobs I have to do before they descend upon me (there'll be no housework done for the rest of the week either ........... I don't multi task anymore, lol) I just wanted to share a couple of cards I made recently.
Recently I have been taking an online 'Back to Basics' stamping class with Glenda Waterworth of Chocolate Baroque. If you click on the Chocolate Baroque online community logo in my sidebar and then look down the right side of the page you will see a link to Glenda's online classes hosted by My Creative Classroom. Glenda has another five week course starting on Wednesday this week called 'Terrific Techniques' and I'm looking forward to starting that one but it will probably have to wait till weekend when my little lodgers have both departed.
Although I already know the basics for most of the techniques I wanted to refresh my inkpad knowledge and use the spur of the classes to revisit techniques I've not used in ages. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and still have things I didn't get chance to finish during the course but I have the lessons saved so I can work through them when my mojo deserts me for a while. Anyway, the piece shown above was my very first attempt at creating a background by stippling. I have always used Cut'n'Dry foam to create a similar effect and once in a while I've used brushes but in a sweeping motion not actually stippling with a pouncing action. I was really chuffed with the effect I achieved and then continued by adding the stamped Clarity trees and Chocolate Baroque wild flowers to complete the picture. The poem excerpt is also a Chocolate Baroque stamp.
And finally, I turned it into a card I wanted to send to a blogging friend who needs some TLC at the moment.
My second card was actually made to add to some parcels I was sending out. Way back in January, I joined in the Pay if Forward group of crafters whereby you agreed to send a piece of your artwork/crafting to the first five commentors on that post. You had until the end of 2011 to send them out and I finally got mine parcelled up to send and wanted to make a little card to include. This was the result.
I blended Distress Inks on the bottom left corner, dabbing a little through some sequin waste and then created layers of one leaf stamp using the same colour DIs. Apart from the darkest colour, I stamped off onto scrap once before stamping onto the card. I stamped the sentiment using Onyx Black Versafine. The leaf image comes from a Hero Arts clear set which I bought from Snazzys stand at the Happy Stampers show a couple of weeks ago and the sentiment is from a Paper Artsy set.
It will probably be a couple of weeks before I have anything else to show you of my own so in the meantime, I wish you all a happy time and for those of you with small children, time to enjoy them this week.
See you soon and as always thank you for taking the time to visit.
Hugs
Lesley Xx
17 comments:
Lovely ink/stamp work....the 2nd one looks fab in real life too!!
Two totally gorgeous creations. I love them both. I do like that idea for using the sequin waste. I will try that myself. Hope you have a lovely time with your granddaughters this week. Big Hugs x
Hi Lesley
Beautiful cards. I really enjoyed the MCC course and am also taking the next one! Enjoy your grand children sleeping over. (Speaking as a Nursery Supervisor I'm going to enjoy the week off!)
Sandra
Lovely work with inks and stamps and I like the way you added flowers and lace to complete the first card - just right. Enjoy the time with your grandchildren - reckon you'll need a rest next week!!
Two gorgeous cards Lesley. Your colouring as always is brilliant, although I can understand the attraction of a refresher course too. The first uses one of my favourite sets - Wild meadow. I love the simpler approach of the second too.
Enjoy your busy week with your littlies - thaey are lucky to have such a lovely Mamma!
Elaine xxx
Both great cards. I love the effect of the lace and flowers on the first one, and the layered stamping on the second one is lovely. Jean x
Love both cards lesley but I particularly like the leaves.. lovely!.
Sounds like you're going to have your hands full.. but you'll probably enjoy every moment.
By the way my daughter doesn't live in Harrogate we are just visiting.
In fact she only lives about 8 miles from me... I must have mislead folks in my post :o(
Suzi B xx
Beautiful cards Lesley, I love the colour combinations, just gorgeous. I love the way you finished the first card off, but the second simpler card is lovely too.
I'm looking forward to taking the next class too, it will be great!
Hope you don't get too frazzled this week, big hugs, Judith xx
So beautiful Lesley. Love these both.
Beautiful the blue flowers at the first card. Very nice composition.
Lovely greet Marja
Your blue & green embellishing in the first is just perfect & I love how you used the white of the card base in your lace accenting. The way you used the colours just had my attention for it's a lovely example of designing with colours. I do love the way you stamped that butterfly too.
I've wondered about the sequin waste so must endeavour to source some - very effective indeed with the sylish CAS design & the greeting on the second.
Paula (PEP)
Wow Lesley
Absolutely stunning!!!
I love both of your creations .. but have to say the first one is fantastic.
Such a beautiful finished look.
Your lace, flowers and swirls are the perfect finishing touches to a stunning piece of art!
You are clever and so talented.
Have fun with your "little visitors". Special times!!
Love Jules xx
Beautiful cards Lesley. I love both of them, but probably the first one most - the hillsides, and grasses work so wekk,
Have a lovely week with Alexa and Izzy.
Love and hugs
Valxx
I don't envy you with your little visitors, I was shattered after half an hour with our little monster and his mum was there ha ha x lovely cards must try the stippling myself xx
Hi Lesley
Thank you for your lovely comments. It really makes my day. Infection gone, but now have a viral thrat infection - heyho - just one thing after another at the moment. I think I need a dose of Carribbean sun!
Hope your time with the grandchildren was not too exhausting.
Hugs
Valxx
I've just discovered I missed this post, Leslely. Must have been duing the half term mayhem!!
I hope you had a good one with all the little ones. I know how lucky we've been that I could stay at home and enjoy our DD growing up. It all passes so quickly and I would have hated to miss it, but I certainly don't take it for granted and know there are so many who have to work so grandparents are a godsend.
Your cards are beautiful. It sometimes good to refresh all these techniques we learn isn't it, there is always something that gets forgeotten, well there is with me!!!
The colours are lovely and Summery too.
Hugs Lisax
Lovely leafy card and perfect for LIM this week! LOVE your scene, too - gentle and calm - beautiful x
They should all be framed!!!
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