Friday 28 June 2013

Back to my first love ................ Inks and rubber/polymer!

Goodmorning lovely visitors,

Sorry for this bit of English weather obsession but it looks like we have a day of very English rain here, soft, gentle and very persistent, lol!  I hope it's sunny wherever you may be.

For once I made time last week to make some cards for a couple of lovely friends I've made on Twitter.  I was surprised at how out of practice I am and yet I love making cards, especially when I start with blank pieces of card and just use inks and stamps i.e. no designer papers, etc.

The first one was a birthday card for lovely Helen.  As any visitor to my post HERE will have seen I received some fabulous Kaisercraft goodies to play with for this month's Snazzy's DT projects (do take a look at what my teamies have been up to). As well as the gorgeous Basecoat Collection papers there were also some really lovely stamps but fate intervened and I didn't get chance to show them off properly especially my favourite Texture Windsor so making Helen's card was the perfect excuse to get them out for a play.


 

I stamped the middle butterfly from the main image onto card a second time, cut it out, coloured it with Versacolour ink, shaped it and applied a light glaze over the top before attaching just the body to the main image.


For the background layer I repeat stamped the Texture Laugh stamp using Versamark ink and embossed with WOW brilliant white EP before blending three shades of Versacolour ink over the top and buffing with a soft cloth to bring back the whiteness of the EP.

The quote is from the Tim Holtz Urban Chic stamp set and is a longtime favourite of mine.  The flowers were made with a set of punches that have been long neglected in a cupboard (no name on them) and a Crealies die for the leaves.  I am so glad Helen had a birthday this week to give me chance to kill two birds with one stone ....... mainly to send her my love and good wishes and secondly to showcase these lovely stamps.  There are many more in the Kaisercraft collection that I really 'need' over on the Snazzy's website.

My second card was a 'friendly hello' to Jacqui included with something I needed to post to her.  Apologies in advance for the iffy photos as I took them in a rush because I didn't want to miss the post.


This time I went quite simple and started by streaking a Distress Inkpad across part of my base cards (not done half as well as the brilliant Paula has done it in the past), stamped a flower image from Chocolate Baroque's Punky Flowers set using black Archival Ink.  I painted the image with various Distress Inks and added a teensy touch of sparkle with a Sakura jellyroll pen.  The sentiment is from a Hero Arts clear stamp set called Live Life which again, I've had for ages but never used :-(.  I wish I'd used my favourite Versafine black ink as I think I might have got a denser black on the solid part of the image but I still like the stamp so will try again sometime, lol!


I really enjoyed getting back to card making with these and must try harder to do more, after all it is what got me into this crafting lark in the first place, lol!

Till next time..............

Hugs
Lesley  Xx




20 comments:

Helen said...

Well if mine is anything to go by, Jacqui's will be even more fabulous IRL. Lesley thank you again I love my card!!

judith@poppy cottage said...

Lovely cards Buddy, the colours of the first are so pretty, beautiful flowers and a gorgeous sentiment. The second card is in fabulous colours, the yellow is a perfect foil or those deep colours on the flowers. Judith xx

snazzyoriginal said...

Beautiful cards. I love that Chocolate Baroque stamp too xx

Suzi B said...

Fabulous cards as usual Lesley, both so pretty.
I was in your neck of the woods yesterday (Thursday( visiting my sister in Kings Mill Hospital..
Suzi B xx

Carol Q said...

absolutely beautiful Lesley and both so different. I think your streaking on the second one works very well and what an amazing stamp that is.

sam21ski said...

Wow what a couple of gorgeous cards Lesley and both so different

Sam xx

Suzanne C said...

Gorgeous cards! Glad to see you inking it up! I love the ink smear and am going to have a go at it!

Astrid Maclean said...

Absolutely stunning card lesley, both of them! I love that windsor stamp (I never got it :( I may have to order it now, I love what you did with it, but have to say the other one looks fab too, truly gorgeous both of them!!

Paula (PEP) said...

The soft gentle colours of your first paired with the classy black & white is a delight & I absolutely love your dimensional butterfly.
The second is such an interesting one - the bright colours with the black & white of the sentiment very impressive. The inkpad swipe has provided a really intriguing & eye catching background.
Paula (PEP)

Words and Pictures said...

They're both lovely - the Windsor is wonderful on that delicate spring-like creation, and those vivid flowers on the dragged background - wow!
Alison x

Paula Whittaker said...

what 2 fab but different styled cards - love the first one as it's so delicate and feminine but love the 2nd because it's so graphic looking and as you might have guessed, I like my white space...and BTW you've done a stunning job of swiping the ink pad across the page.

Rebecca said...

Welcome back Lesley! Lovely work
Happy craftin
Rebecca

GinaA said...

A beautiful set of cards, so different but each striking in their own way. Love the Punky Flowers card, the swiped background is just perfect for the image and the colouring is lovely.

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Beautiful cards, love the elegant design of the first one the image is beautiful. Your colouring of the fabulous flower on the 2nd is gorgeous. Happy Weekend, Shirleyx

Aquarius said...

Two beautiful cards and very different too. Love them both but I'd say the first one would be my favourite - love the stamps and saying.

Elaine said...

So lovely to see you back into the card making Lesley. Love those soft colours in your first card, such a great contrast with the black stamping and I love the way you have used the background stamp. The second card has such a different feel, but is equally accomplished. Love the colours, those flowers are really unusual, but so effective and that sentiment works with this layout a treat. Elaine xxx

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

Two gorgeous cards Lesley, I love the first one. Was looking at that stamp in the week, but didn't buy it, now I wish I had.

Sue x

Sally H said...

Two absolute stunners my friend! The subtle colours of the first are so beautiful and I love the punky flowers - they are on my wish list!

veronica said...

they're both lovely Lesley, the last one is my favourite though. Glad you still get some crafting time, hope everything gets sorted out soon for you all.
xxxx

G Peplow said...

Gorgeous cards Lesley, love the first card so delicate and feminine and the colouring is superb on your second, love them !!
Sorry I've been a long time getting back to you.
The whole fuss with Google reader was a big pain in the proverbial, as long as you use your dashboard to access the blogs you follow you will be fine as far as I can work out.
Hugs Gay x