Something a little bit different

Hi Folks, I want to share some photos of an online course that I have been participating in recently. It is the Embellishing edges and Text workshop with Valerie Sjodin, and I have to say that it has been really inspirational. It is a self-paced mini workshop, showing you simply how to create shaped edges for a journal, and then how to add colour to those edges. However, you can look at Valerie's blog for lots more inspiration. There is a Facebook group that you can join if you want to, but it is not compulsory.

This is the front cover of my journal, as you can see, I haven't added any colour yet, it is just drawn out in pen, ready to be painted. I am planning my pages and drawing most of them before I add paint, because I can do this on the move, while I am sitting in the car, watching TV, visiting my parents, etc. My journal is based on the word 'Tranquility', something that I feel I am often missing in my life. I have looked for lots of quotes that reflect this feeling, or something similar, and it has been a lovely rewarding experience. You may have noticed that my blog motto is 'with crafting comes tranquility', I really find that when I craft, a lot of my stress just slips away. I have certainly found it with this journal.

Here is my first attempt at colouring the Valerie Sjodin way, it's okay, bit I need to refine the technique a bit. You can see how colourful the journal will be!

Here is a virtually finished inside page, minus the colour of course. There are strong links with Zentangle with this course, which is so great for me, as I get to flex some of those techniques that I do not use often enough. You will see tangle patterns throughout the journal as and when I show you pictures during its completion, I'm sure.

Here's another decorative edge using a phrase that I really like.

This is the flap underneath the outer cover, with some more great words to tie in with my central theme.

I will be back to show you some more progress once I have managed to complete a bit more. I have some half finished pages, but I'll save those for next time. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Vintage Christening Card

Hi Folks, it's time for another challenge over at the Crafting with Dragonflies challenge blog. This time the theme is vintage with lace. I have used a beautiful image from one of our sponsors this week 'A Day for Daisies', they have some lovely images for all occasions, but I do love their fairies.

I cut my image out using a decorative Nestie shape, and inked around the edges, with the die still in place, so that the edging looks like lace. I've coloured the image with my trusty Polychromos pencils, using the cream pencil as a blender, to give everything a very vintage tone. I love the look that this gives. I created a computer generated sentiment, and gave the shape the same treatment as the main image. I used Scattered Straw Distress Ink to colour the edges. I added some toning buttons and some pretty turquoise lace to finish my card.

The rest of the DT have made some beautiful cards for your inspiration, so please hop over to the blog to take a look.

Our sponsors this week are A Day for Daisies who are offering the Winner a $12 Gift Certificate to spend in the shop:

 Eureka are offering the Winner 5 digis of their choice:

Why not have a go at entering our challenge? Just make a card with a vintage theme, and add some lace. You do need to be a follower of the Crafting With Dragonflies blog to participate in the challenges.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

Bunny Zoes Crafts Wings

KaboodleDoodles Pastel Colours

Make it Monday Anything Goes

Crafty Calendar Things with Wings

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Fur or Feathers

Hi Folks, it's time for another challenge over at the Artistic Inspirations Challenge blog. This week, the theme is 'Fur or Feathers'. I have chosen to use an image from our sponsors Floppy Latte of two kissing swans. This image is great for weddings or anniversaries. I have used some lovely embossed card for my background, and coloured the image with Pencils. I have added a sentiment and some heart gems to finish. I chose to stick to soft pastel shades of blue and white, so that I can give the card for almost any Anniversary except Golden or Ruby! However, this card is earmarked for a special couple already, so it won't be sitting in my box of cards for long.

Why don't you join in the challenge, and make something with a fur or feather related theme?
 It can be anything you like, a card, box, tag, mixed media project, etc. We would love to see what you come up with.

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Thinking of you

Hi Folks, I have a 'Thinking of You' card to show you today. I used a lovely piece of backing paper from the Prima Firefly range. These papers are so versatile, and I love the colours in this range. I stamped and embossed my background stamp using Wow embossing powder. The stamp is from Chapel Road stamps, and  is great, full of lovely words, like 'happiness, tranquility, love, 'etc. I then coloured the background with a selection of green Memento Inks. I added some hollyhocks using some texture paste coloured with acrylic paint through a stencil. The butterflies are made from chipboard and have been covered with paint and crackle glaze from PaperArtsy.

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Majestic Peacock

Hi Folks, here's another Peacock sample, using the fabulous new stamps from Chocolate Baroque

I created a background using the wrinkle free Distress method, using shades of turquoise and purple. I stamped a peacock onto some watercolour paper, and coloured the image, using the same shades as the background. I added some gems to the tail, for a bit of sparkle. I stamped the large deco feather onto some navy card using Versamark ink, and then embossed the image using gold embossing powder. I added a mat of the same colour navy behind my background card, and a decorative frame behind the peacock image.

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Secret Box

Hi Folks, it's time for another challenge over at the Crafting with Dragonflies challenge blog. This week the theme is to make a box. I have chosen to make a secret box, and I found my template here the website has a great tutorial jam packed with photographs.

I made my box using two sheets of kraft card, plus a little bit of spare that I had lurking in my stash of card oddments that I always save for these occasions. I covered the panels with some co-ordinating papers in blues and greens. I stamped some meadow flowers from a stamp set from Crafty Individuals, and used an image from our sponsor for the top of my box. I have added some ribbon, and a flat-backed gem to complete my box.

Our sponsors this week are QKR who are offering a prize of 5 digis of the winner's choice.

Sassy's are offering 4 digis of the Winner's choice:

Why not have a go at making a box and enter our challenge, there are lots of interesting templates available these days to make boxes. The link that I have provided at the top of my post has some great templates, and Splitcoast Stampers is another great website.

There is also a digital freebie up for grabs over on the challenge blog  at the moment to celebrate us reaching the 100 follower mark.

I am entering my box into the following challenges:

bearly mine challenges Anything Goes

through the craft room door Anything Goes

Crafting Musketeers Use a stamped image

Digi Galore Anything but a square

scrap it girl Use your dies

Make it Monday Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by, xx

More Peacock samples

Hi Folks, I have a few more samples to show you using the new stamps from Chocolate Baroque. The first one is posting over on the Design Team Blog today.

I have chosen a monochrome theme of turquoise/blue, creating a background using a texture stamp in two shades of turquoise. I have stamped the peacock onto the card, adding a die cut branch, and then decoupaged the peacock body over the top, so that he appears to be sitting on the branch. I have used a flower from the Punky Flowers stamp set, as the flower heads went so well with the peacock feathers. I added some flat-backed pearls and gems for a bit of sparkle.

My second sample was created using Dylusions for the background. I stamped the large deco feather, first using the stamp spritzed with water, to remove some of the background, and then again with some Pear Tart Memento ink to give some depth of colour. I made a UTEE embellishment and stamped a feather stamp into the top while it was still hot. I brushed some metallic wax into the crevices to highlight the feather image. I used a row of feathers to create a 'ribbon' across the card, and added a stamped peacock as the focal point of the card. I placed some green feathers behind the peacock's tail.

My final sample for today uses one of the peacock heads and the fancy feathers to create a bird. I have added some sari ribbon as part of his tail. The background was created with ecoline inks, and I have used some texture paste through a Crafter's Workshop mask called mini peacock feathers. I have added some metallic wax to highlight the raised areas. Finally, I embossed some gold feathers over the background.

I hope that my samples have given you a few ideas using these new stamps. I'll be back in a few days with another sample to show you. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Wisteria Peacock

Hi Folks, here's a sample using the Peacock Parade stamp set from Chocolate Baroque

I created a reverse mask by cutting a circle in a piece of paper, and stamping through the hole onto my card. I was inspired by some lovely wisteria that is currently in bloom in our garden, and decided to create a scene using stamps from the Wisteria Lane stamp set. With the mask still in place, I placed some extra masking over the peacock and some of the flowers before I added some colour around the edge of the circle with a mixture of Adirondack and Memento inks. I coloured the images with pencils, and added Glossy Accents to the peacock feathers. I die cut some tiny butterflies from some iridescent paper to tie in with the overall colour scheme. Finally, I added a frame of white textured card to the front of my project to finish.

The new stamps are currently available as a multibuy with another peacock stamp set Tangled Peacock, and I will be showing you some samples using stamps from both sets across the month.

Keep popping over to the Design Team Blog as my team mates have some stunning samples to show you this month. Thanks for stopping by, xx

New stamps at Chocolate Baroque

Hi Folks, if you are a regular visitor to the Chocolate Baroque website, you may have seen the fabulous new stamps that are currently on offer. This month the theme is Peacocks, and if you keep checking the Design Team blog you will see a fabulous show of plumage coming along over the next few weeks. I have a card popping up tomorrow, so please take a look.

Anyway, I have a card to show you today using a huge stamp from the Tangled Peacock stamp set, and this stamp is a real beauty. I started by creating a simple background using watercolour paper, and making a wrinkle free distress background, just using Shaded Lilac Distress Ink. I stamped the large peacock onto the background, and then stamped it twice more onto spare paper to enable me to decoupage various layers.

I set about tangling a border for the peacock, using my favourite tangles, Flux and Pokeroot, and found a lovely flower design called Cabbage Rose on Pinterest, which I decided would make a great focal design. I drew this on a spare piece of watercolour paper again, and cut it out. All of the images have been coloured with Distress Inks and a waterbrush.

The stamps are currently on offer as a multibuy on the website, so it's a great opportunity to snap them up.

Thanks for stopping by, xx