All Grown Up

Good morning,

I hope you all had a great weekend - I am just about to begin my half term break, so sat here feeling very smug this morning! Lots of crafting planned, together with a little 'spring cleaning'. Ooops, did I say that out loud! Lol.

On a crafty note, it's time for another challenge over at Make My Monday and this week Jacqueline has challenged us with the theme of

'A GROWN UP CARD'

The rules of the challenge are 'NOT' to use any cute images - well, you can imagine my dismay! Me, make a card without a cutie image! Well, here's what I came up with for my DT inspiration ...

This one is A5 in size, a little bigger than my usual style - but I had a layout in mind and needed the extra space. All the gorgeous papers are from the 'Lost and Found' paper pad by 'My Mind's Eye' and are layered onto Soft Suede cardstock. I embellished the papers with a little frantage powder and my favourite 'Walnut Stain' distress ink.  The main feature is the sentiment which was stamped in coffee ink and layered onto a 'Labels Four' nestie shape which I inked with 'Victorian Velvet' distress ink. Added embellishments include a doily, some pretty stamped flowers which I cut from scraps of the paper left over, a piece of pink organza ribbon and lots of added pearls, brads and little punched butterflies. See, I can be 'All grown Up!'

We would love to see you over at the challenge this week - why not pop along and check out the work of my teamies.

Hugz, Jan xx

It's all about the Texture

Hi there,

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend - we have had quite a bit of rain here.  I have been playing a continuous game of washing out/washing in all weekend! In between my crafting, of course! Lol.

I have gone all 'Steampunk' today making a special card for a design team call.  The theme is 'Texture' and I have tried to show this in several ways.  Here's what I made ...

The background paper is from the TH 'Lost and Found' paper stack and I distressed the edges with my scissors, before inking them with Walnut Stain distress ink.  I then inked through the clock mask and heat embossed some little cogs and gears down the right hand side with gold detail embossing powder.  I stamped some wings, gears and paint splodges onto the background paper and added some little torn pieces of text from an old book.

The main image is a Kanban stamp - partly coloured with Promarkers and the jacket is paper pieced. The image is backed with brown coredinations cardstock cut using a Spellbinders Labels Seventeen die.  It has been dry embossed with an embossing folder and then sanded back to show the core.

The 'Steampunk' lettering was mainly created on my pc, apart from the letter 'S' which was cut from a piece of card covered in metal tape, embossed and coloured with alcohol inks.  The flower was made in the same way.

Additional embellishments include a heart cut from corrugated card and inked with distress ink together with an additional brass-coloured wirework heart, a little brass clockface (which I added some chain to), some metal washers and a 'Dare to Create' sentiment.  I also treat some parts of the card to a sprinkling of gold Frantage embossing powder.

I think I managed to get some texture in there - hope I didn't overdo it! Lol.  I am off to submit it now and should find out at the beginning of September if I have been successful.  I hope so - wish me luck.

Hugz, Jan xx