my Crafty Corner

Cards and other handicrafts made by Jean Straw

Friday 25 April 2014

April Rudolph Day

It has been a little while since I posted a blog because I have been visiting my sister, Kate, in spain and enjoying some lovely warm sunshine. Before I went away I managed to make all the birthday cards I needed this month, and to make and post off all the swaps that I regularly take part in. I didn't have time to make my Rudolph Day cards though, but as I was due to return on the 24th I hoped I would be able to do them then. However while I was at Kate's she suggested I might like to make one while I was there and this is what I made. First I selected this lovely holly spray stamp by Posh Impressions from her extensive range of Christmas stamps, and stamped it on white paper with a green Memento ink pad, ( I'm sorry I don't remember which shade ).I coloured it with Copic Markers and then cut it out using a die from Spellbinders Decorative Labels 8, and then mounted it onto a snippet of dark green card. I cut and folded an A6 side opening card with the fold on the short edge, and added the stamped panel and the greeting which is a See D's stamp. When I got home I could see that I had smudged some glue on the corners of the die cut so I went all round the fancy edge with Starlight Stickles which covered the glue and added a bit of festive bling and I also added the red gem stones.
Another evening Kate asked me if I would like to try out her Pan Pastels, and I said yes please because I have wanted to get some for a while but I was  reluctant to splash out on them without trying them first.I cut a sheet of A4 paper into four and set about playing. I ended up with some pretty and usable backgrounds. This one I did intending it to be Christmassy  colours, it is a bit pale really but I decided to go ahead and use a Christmas stamp on it anyway. I believe this is an Indigo Blu stamp, again from one of Kates bulging stamp files, and stamped with Memento black ink. I brought it home with me like that and then last night I trimmed it down a bit  and using my Sakura sparkle pens added a little colour to the swirl and baubles. I highlighted the snowflakes with a white gel pen and Diamond stickles. The greeting is a Chocolate Baroque clear stamp.I fixed the whole thing to a piece of red glitter card and then to a top folded white A6 card.So that is how I spent two happy evenings with Kate in her craft room and with Arwin occupying 'her space on the work desk'. Those of you who follow Kate's blog Manualidades por mi  will know all about Arwin.                                                                 So now I am going to link this to  Rudolph Day at Sarn's blog Stamping For Pleasure.
Thank you for visiting my blog and for comments which I really appreciate. I will try and catch up with some commenting at the weekend.
Jean                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                     

Sunday 6 April 2014

Spring At Last

Spring at Last is the title of the current Butterfly Spot challenge and Mrs. A. wants to see some yellow, as well as a butterfly of two of course. I started by stamping the postcard image from Inkylicious with rich cocoa Memento ink and colouring it with ColourSoft pencils. I then tore around it and added shading with Distress inks in old paper, antique linen, tea dye and vintage photo. I used pale yellow pearlescent card and Spellbinders Marvelous Squares for the die cuts. The backing paper is some that I was given  and I trimmed it to fit the front of a 5.5" square card. It looks more green IRL but the weather is very dull here today and I couldn't get a very good representation of the colour. In the end I took this with a flash and it is the best I could manage. The paper was quite plain so I randomly stamped some  script and a small swirl, with bundled sage Distress ink. The lace down the side is an ivory coloured rub down. I layered the squares and stamped image, and then cut the filigree butterfly from the same pearl card using a Memory Box die, and the solid one with the matching die from a snippet of coppery brown pearl card. This is mounted on the card with foam pads to add dimension, and has some tiny pearls on the body.
I am also entering this at Stamping Sensations - Use Punches Or Dies
                                    Pixie's Snippets Playground - use up at least one snippet, mine is the base butterfly and I also used a snippet of card for the stamping.
Thank you to all who come and visit and for you lovely comments which are all really appreciated.