Well, are you all ready for Christmas? Actually, never mind ready, have you made all your cards? You have! Er........ well, you're 100% better than me because I've only made TWO and confess I've had to resort to (whisper) buying mine this year. I'm not going to beat myself up about it though because I really have had a lot on my plate this year and if it wasn't my time flying out the window it was my mojo, lol! Never mind, it'll soon be a brand new year and I am determined to believe 2013 will be better, as far as crafting is concerned anyway.
However, today I have got a make to show you. It was my lovely buddy (and wonderful crafter), Judith's birthday at the end of last week and I struggled all week to make her a card and I'm sorry to say, I had to send her an apologetic message saying it was going to be late. Late! It nearly didn't get made at all but I was determined so I stuck at it until I got something I was relatively happy with and Judith finally got her card yesterday.
Unfortunately, I really struggled to capture the true colours of this card on my photos. On here it looks a tad too blue and as I used Tumbled Glass and Broken China Distress Inks, you'll know it should look more turquoise(y).
I started out with a 21cm square card base and stamped an Artemio wildflower image at random with Versamark ink, heat embossed with clear embossing powder and then blended the two Distress Inks mentioned together with Vintage Photo. When I had the effect I wanted I covered the card with paper kitchen towel and ironed over the top to remove the embossing.
I then took a large tag, spritzed it with water and then put some Tumbled Glass and Picket Fence Distress Stain on my craft mat, spritzed that with water and swiped my tag through it. I repeated this several times, drying with my heat gun between each layer and finally flicking some water from my fingers and blotting it off to create the bleached effect here and there. I then stamped images from PaperArtsy and Indigoblu using Distress Inks and Coffee Archival, spritzed with Gold Glimmer Mist and then edged with Vintage Photo DI. I used a mask at the top of the tag and applied Golden Texture Paste coloured with a little Broken China DI through the mask. I left it to cure overnight and then touched it with Viva Inca Gold to highlight the texture.
(this photo shows the nearest to true colours)
I stamped the lovely Stampendous bird image onto ivory card and added the word Dream which is a Chocolate Baroque stamp. I coloured with DIs and added a little Derwent Coloursoft pencil before cutting out with a Nestie label and lightly blended DI's around the edge before removing the die. I took some Prima flowers and touched them lightly with DI's and spritzed with Gold GM's. I also die cut the leafy sprays with a Marianne die from some fibrous handmade paper. I arranged all the elements onto the card before adhering them. Oooh, nearly forgot the cute little wooden bird. He came from The Stamp Connection and I tapped him with the Versamark inkpad before sprinkling him with Judi-Kins Rustique Bent Nail embossing powder (from my lovely candy win the other week).
I'm so glad I persevered because in the end I was quite pleased with this card and Judith said she liked it too. Not only that, I realised that it fits with Hels Sheridan's Sunday Stampers Challenge 234 this week where the theme is tags! I hardly ever enter challenges because I forget to look if my project fits any themes, lol, so I'm really pleased that finally I have an entry for Hels' Challenge which I've wanted to join in with for an absolute age.
Well I hope you're all set for a good weekend. I'm finally putting our tree up tomorrow, something else that is a week late being done, ;D. Stay warm and cosy everyone. I'm dreading the temperatures we are supposed to have in store for us next week, Brrrr! Till next time ..............
Hugs
Lesley Xx
21 comments:
Lesley this is stunning the layout and colours are gorgeous. Caroline xxx
Fab colours and those flowers are fab! Trace x
Well, I'm sure Judith thought it was well worth waiting for....lovely card.
Stay warm and have a good weekend Lesley x
This is so beautiful and of course Judith loved it - how could she not? Thanks also for your detailed explanation of how it was done. Hope the weather doesn't turn too unpleasant - take care.
What a gorgeous card, I know Judith will have appreciated all the work that went into this, just perfect and such a lovely example of your skilled work.
Emjoy putting your tree up. I hope you have the sunshine for the day we have and keep snuggled up next week.
Warm hugs! Elaine xxx
I absolutely love the way you have woven your birds into the design & that feathery embellishing of fibres is brilliant. I love using ironing resist technique & it really is shown to perfection here. I do hope that 2013 is a very much better year for you - take care of yourself midst this busy family time. I'm digging out holly stumps from our bank with Richard. We're on our fifth one today!
Paula (PEP)
beautiful card Lesley, am sure Judith thought it was well worth the wait! You're not alone with the cards - 90% of ours will be shop ones this year, can't believe how quickly December has arrived. Enjoy putting the tree up, and the rest of the decorations, and keep warm.
love veroncia
Gorgeous and well worth the perserverence! Judith is going to love it! So happy you were able to play a bit with your inks. Our weather is turning too. Hope your tree decorating goes well and gets done. :)
Beautiful card, love all the layers and the subtle colours. Of course Judith loved it! xx
It's absolutely beautiful, Lesley, well worth waiting for! The colours show up perfectly turquoise on my screen, strangely enough. I think the colour you see is down to individual monitors. I believe your screen can be calibrated to show true colours, but I've no idea how to do it!
Hope you're having a good weekend,
Hugs, Lynne x
PS. I bought some of my Christmas cards too (but not all, I'm pleased to say)!
Beautiful card Lesley, deffo worth the wait! Thanks for joining in with the Sunday Stamper x
Hi Lesley, you have used some amazing techniques on this card and it is really quite beautiful. I bet your friend was thrilled to bits to receive it. Really beautiful. Hugs, Anne x
Absolutely stunning, Lesley! The beautiful background colours and hedgerow stamping/embossing/batik technique is just beautiful, and I love your tag overlaid against it. Wonderful floral embellishing too... It might have taken you all week, but oh-so-worth-it!!
Alison xx
A really gorgeous card Lesley, the colours are beautiful and I love the little birds. I am sure Judith was thrilled with it. Jean x
A truly beautiful card Lesley, I love how you have combined all the different stamps and I have to say I adore that bird stamp specially. So glad you found the time to make it and I am sure your friend will love it!!
It may have taken time and immense amounts of effort but boy was it worth it Lesley. Love the layering of inks for your background and the touch of Inka Gold is inspired. Hugs, Jenny x
Well, of course I loved it! It is a beautiful card, gorgeous colours, and I love bird images, so it ticks loads of boxes for me. I tried to leave a comment while I was away, but my iPad wasn't playing ball. However, better late than never. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this beauty for me, big hugs, Judith xx
Such a gorgeous creation ! I love the colours, the flowers and your design. Have a great day, Shirleyx
Sweet and lovely ! Ü
That is gorgeous, Lesley! beautiful colours too. Sorry it has taken me so long to comment. That last week before Christmas was a little mad!
Ooo Lesley this is amazing, what gorgeous colours you've used and the tag on the card looks awesome. Love it. Michelle x
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