A 50th Birthday Card

Hi Everyone,

I've not been around for almost a week ... one of those nasty viruses is to blame ...  and there's been absolutely no action in the craft room! I'm still feeling less than 100% but thought I'd check in with a card that was completed before the bug hit.

Made for our fellow crafter, and WOYWWer, B-J's very significant birthday so, of course, the colours used are based on her favourites - lilac, lime green and turquoise - and as she loves them, a dragonfly had to be included.

The main piece started out as a square of white cardstock ... it's actually pearlescent card but I worked on the reverse side ... as recommended by Sheena Douglass. This bit of card has been subjected to just about every technique you can think of. First, a colour base was created by sponging it with ink in the three colours - Adirondack Brights Citrus, Rangers Shaded Lilac and Peacock Feathers distress inks. Next, water was sprayed over it and after leaving for a wee while it was dabbed with paper towel to create a lovely watermarked effect. Once dry, I decided I wanted some more inky interest on it so I inked up a Chicken Wire mask (Clear Scraps) with the Peacock Feathers which I then placed inky side down on to the card and passed it through the Cuttlebug, using just the plate configuration for die-cutting, not embossing ... this transfers the ink without embossing. Next up was the Thistle mast (Imagination Crafts) - I inked up only the insect/flourish corner detail on this mask ... those wee winged beasties look awfully like Scots midges to me :) ... using Shaded Lilac. That done, texture was added to it by dry embossing using a Fretwork mask (That Special Touch). The final touch was to apply silver gilding wax (Pebeo) around the edges.

The dragonfly was made using a Stamps Away stamp, VersaMark, silver embossing powder (Heat It Up) and, though it's not too clear in the photo, it's painted with H2Os in Royal Satin, Sea Spray and Just Peachy (from the Summer Fun set).

More of those pesky little midges made their way on to the inside :)

Other Materials Used:
Cardstock: American Crafts lime green for base; Core Color Core'dinations VaVaVoom lilac for matting and layering; Neena Solar smooth white for stamped topper and inside of card
Stamps: Sheena's A Little Bit Sketchy Only Words - Through the Rain for the sentiment; the numbers were included in a giveaway from Jo, Jozart last year -  NBUS, but deserved to be used much sooner so thanks Jo :)
Die for Topper: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Nine - the lilac mat was made by tracing around the die and cutting out.

I dipped into the snippets box for the Neena Solar for the topper so I'm skipping over to visit Di and the playmates at Pixies Snippets Playground - Week 112

I started to write this post up on Wednesday ... two days - that has to be a contender for the Slowest Post Ever Written Award :) It's just taking me a bit longer than usual to throw off this bug, one minute I feel perkier, the next I have to lie down for a while ... very frustrating!

So, I hope this finds you fit and well and having lots of crafting fun.

Take care and stay safe,

Be My Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone,

I wish you all a fabulous love-filled day, with plenty of treats ... even if it is that you are treating yourself :) I haven't received a card yet ... do you think the EM has forgotten? If he has, it will be a first. Anyway, here's the card I made for him.

Because he's worth it ... even if he is getting forgetful in his old age :)

It's also one for Pixie's Snippet Playground because, apart from the base, it's made from snippets and stash left over from other projects. And I've had the ribbon for at least 3 years ... I used a tiny piece back then and put the rest away.

The heart shaped aperture is cut out from the white card using one of the dies from the Homespun Heart X-Cut set from Docrafts. I then embossed it using my all-time favourite folder, Lattice from Crafts Too You, and wrapped a length of the ribbon round the card, taping it down at the back.

To put the card together, a snippet of Bazzill Basics Tomato card was adhered to the card front, in just the right place. Next the embossed/die cut piece was stuck down, using dimensional foam dots, ensuring that the red card showed through the aperture.  For the final touches, a faux bow was attached to the ribbon and a red crystal gem was added to the knot. Three more crystal gems were added to the red heart and the front was completed.

Needless to say, the inside and the front had to be given the Valentines treatment - hot lips, hearts and kisses - what more could the EM want :)

I'm taking the EM out for a spot of lunch for a Valentine treat ... still no sign of a card but I'm not fussed ... he's a man who thinks that shows of love and affection shouldn't be confined to just one day of the year.

Have a wonderful day everyone,

Follow Your Heart - A Card Inspired By ...

Evening Everyone,

I hope you are all indoors, safe and cosy, while we sit out the storm. My mantra for now is 'no matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow' ... I just hope it can be sooner rather than later!

On to today's share, a card using snippets - well, any excuse to pop over to Pixie's Snippet's Playground again - and inspired by a lovely card spotted on LeAnne Pugliese's blog, Wee Inklings, way back in July 2013 - see the original here - and a scrap of card on which I'd tried out the Flower Background stamp from Stamp's Away.

I'd firstly used the piece of card to mop up some Broken China distress ink left on the craft sheet after another inky session some weeks months ago. Then later I'd over-stamped with the Flower Background which was inked up with Memento Markers using Bahama Blue, Rose Bud and Bamboo Leaves.

So now, to make the topper I used a die from Docrafts X-Cut Nesting Dies Homespun Hearts. The black mat is a faux die, made by tracing round the same die on to a snippet of smooth black cardstock, and cutting out by hand.

The blue cardstock, American Crafts, was cut to fit the front of the A5 size white scalloped edge card base. It's barely visible on the photograph but there's a panel stamped across the card - stamp from Docrafts Boofle Urban Stamp Textured Backgrounds ... the one that looks like a piece of knitting.

The sentiment, stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink, is from Sheena's A Little Bit Sketchy Only Words - From The Heart collection.

All the other materials are OGooS too. I'm still sticking to my resolve to use it all up before purchasing more ... just polishing up my halo :)

This is a busy cardmaking week for me ... two birthdays and Valentine's day, as well as a couple of challenges to make for, all keeping me busy.

The EM has finished painting the dining room walls now so we can call that room done. Next on the agenda is the kitchen.

Update on the barometer tapping - the glass is way down again :(  No surprise really ... we've just watched the news and seen the reports of the terrible devastation the storm is wreaking throughout the UK so, if you are at all affected by any of these extreme weather conditions wherever you are, please do keep warm and dry, be careful and, above all, stay safe.