One layer black silhouette cards!

Annabel again :) I've been really inspired by the "Keep-it-simple" and "One Layer Only" trends in card making at the moment. It's been very evident on Pinterest in the last few months. I wanted to have a go at a masked distress ink background directly onto the card and then black silhouette stamping on top of it. This is my first effort using distress inks blended in the background square (using a 12cm x 12cm mask) and then stamping on top with Versafine Onyx Black.

Stamps: Woodware JGS300 Going to Seed and Crafty Individuals Cl - 231 (Butterflies)

So as I was finishing off this set I remembered I had a rather nice unused set of Sheena Douglass " A Little Bit Scenic - Underwater Angels" I could use, and wouldn't this be ace with some water droplets or splashes on the distress ink background?? So... I carried on to this set.

I'm really happy with these, especially the two guppies on the left. ( The other fish on white are the envelopes for the cards.)

You might have spotted that the one fish card is not on one layer, but two. I found it super hard to keep the card clean! No blodges, marks, scuffs or... mess! To save a couple of the cards I remounted them onto a new card blank. And since they were no longer "One Layer" it meant I could justify adding some sequins -  I find it really hard to not use any embellishments. Although the seed head cards were more successful (at being one layer) I added some sequins to them too. I know... I think I have an addiction. lol!

Whoopsi Daisy Challenge

Helen Here:
Just love this little cutie from Whoopsi Daisy Stamps. http://cutedaisymay.blogspot.co.uk/
Coloured her with copics:
Hair E43, E53, E50  Dress E15, Y17, Y15, Y11 then cut her out using a Spellbinder die.
Created the summery feel using x Cut dies for the grass and flowers and a lovely little die from
Joy Crafts for the little bugs at the top.
Flowers from my crafty stash with a little leafy die again from Joy Crafts.
Papers from my stash.

Every stamp has a silver lining...

Annabel again! :) I came across the following image on the Paper Parrot Blog (Via Pinterest) and was really impressed with it! (Click the picture to view the relevant blog post.)

It seemed a really simple way of tackling flower stamps and making something with a completely different feel to it. I didn't have this set of stamps so I used a set of Joanna Sheen stamps from the Little Bit Sketchy collection called "Flower Power." As I  haven't got many pale inks, I stamped them using second generation stamping and Weathered Wood distress ink. It's not as beautifully coloured as my initial inspiration but I tried to do something similar using distress inks as watercolours - blobbing them onto an acrylic block, adding some water and then using them with a paintbrush onto the card. Once coloured I went over the stamped edges with a silver pen. A bit later it occurred to me that I could have just stamped them in silver to begin with??!??  But you live and learn! :)

Distress Inks - Weathered Wood, Peeled Paint, Fired Brick. Font - East Coast Stationery.

Time for a little Christmas Fairy Twinkles

Helen Here: Just love this cute little Christmas Fairy Twinkles from Make it Crafty.
Coloured with copics and a mask from That special touch used with Imagination teal glitter paste to create the background and of course a few silvery snowflakes using Spellbinders die to finish it off. Cardstock from Hunkydory.

Entered in challenge
http://abcchristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

Gorjuss Tszujing?

Annabel blogging again! Did anyone else sucumb to the offer at The Range for three new Gorjuss Girl stamps for ten pounds?

I couldn't resist! Plus my friend Grace bought me the "The Hatter" for my birthday and it just made me want more! This stamp is called "Sweet Tea" and was very simple to colour, so-much-so that I think I might do something completely different with it next time and perhaps some paper piecing might tszuj it up! ( No, I'm not sure how you spell it, but I'm not letting that stop me!)

This is a 5 inch square Easel Card. Image coloured with Copics. Santoro Gorjuss Stamp and Santoro Mirabelle Papers. Flowers from Hobby Crafts and Wild Orchid Crafts. Font is "Little Lord Fontleroy".

Please note that none of my Gorjuss Girl Cards are available online and can only be purchased from me personally at Fairs, for example. This is due to the Gorjuss Angel Policy.

Sarah Kay and Holly Hobbie.

It's Annabel here! :) It's been a while since I posted so I thought I had better get in an entry before Helen posts again :)

I had in an order for a 65th birthday card featuring Holly Hobbie. I then set off to look for digistamps to download and use for the card but stumbled across a problem. I'd always thought that Sarah Kay illustrated a girl in a bonnet and patchwork skirt called "Holly Hobbie". Did you think that too? Turns out they are separate illustrators! Holly Hobbie (born Denise Holly Ulinskas) is an American writer and illustrator, and the name of a fictional character she created. Sarah Kay is a character designed by the Australian artist Vivien Kubbos. Not the same! I chose some on line digital images that were freely available and attributed to Sarah Kay but the girls in bonnets could easily be Holly Hobbie.

I printed out the images and used Copics to colour them. I tried to restrict the colour palette and the images were quite small and detailed, so also opted for less is more. (Even though it seems like a lot of pens, this is a lot less than normal!)


Here is a list of the Copics I used for future reference - I am still not settled with my "go to" sets of pens for various effects....

Green - YG63, YG03
Yellow - Y38, YR31, Y11
Pink - R85, RV34, RV23, RV21, R20
Flesh - YR61, E00
Shadow outline - B60
Beige/Brown - W5, W3, W1, E31, E35
Blue/Denim - B95, B32, BV04

I made two cards in the end, mainly because they were such good fun to colour and they have now been safely delivered to the customer!

Callas Lilly Faerie- Moonflower Digi Stamps

Helen Here: My first project as a design team member. Hope you like her. Callas Lilly Faerie is a beautiful image to colour. Coloured with polychromos pencils and papers distressed and inked.
my.digitalgoodsstore.com/moonflowerdigistamps
moonflowerdigisstamps.blogspot.pt/

Challenge entered at Kraftin Kimmie Stamps
wonderful wednesdays Anything goes

Beach time hotties from Karleigh Sue

Helen here with a little beach hottie from Karleigh Sue and her wonderful digi stamps.
Coloured with copics and papers used from crafty stash and at
long last an excuse to use some embellies I've had for
ages.

http://karleighsue.blogspot.com

Moonflower Digi Stamps Oriental Flowers Challenge

 Helen Here: I just love this beautiful Oriental Maiden from Moonflower Digi stamps. My entry for the oriental flowers challenge. Background stamps by Sheena Douglass. Stamped flowers onto acetate and coloured with alcohol markers and then applied white acrylic paint so they stand out.
Maiden coloured with copic.
https://my.digitalgoodsstore.com/moonflowerdigistamps
http://moonflowerdigistamps.blogspot.pt/

Besties Ribbons Challenge

Helen here with my entry for the Besties Challenge 'Ribbons'.
Used a little spiral bound notebook and the lovely Owl Besties and lots of ribbon!!

Crazteeze Workshop- Fairy Mushroom Easel Card

Helen here: Made this Fairy Mushroom Easel card at Tracy Payne's workshop
having complete her distress ink class over
at Kit and Clowder.
Created the card using a mushroom stencil and covered them with pretty papers and lace on the top. Coloured the little fairies in distress ink and used them on the mushroom easel card.

Great workshop learning lots of new techniques.

Entered into the Lace challenge
http://abc-challenge.blogspot.com.ar/2015/06/l-is-for-lace.html

Was in top 5 winners at abc challenge blog for these little cuties.

Kit and Clowder Clearwater Challenge

Helen Here: Kit and Clowder held a challenge and fundraiser for the Clearwater Aquarium . This is not just any aquarium; with a philosophy of rescue, rehab, and release, they are also pioneers in the research and education in the field of marine mammal and environment. Their research not only helps animals, but they have made advancements in prosthetic research for both animals and humans after rescuing Winter the Dolphin. Winter is also a sign of strength and hope for those who are suffering illness or disability. 
Won the Best overall composition with this mermaid digi purchased to help raise funds for the aquarium together with lots of other fundraising that weekend with over $3000.00 raised by Clowdies.

Moonflower Challenge

Helen her with my entry for the Moonflower digi stamps challenge Fairies.  Messed up the sky a little bit but managed to win the Design Team award.

Crafty Birthday

Helen here with this card I made for my great Crafty Friend Annabel. We both love Alice so made a box card using Make it Crafty stamp that I coloured with Copic and decorated the front to look like a pressie!

Lacy Sunshine Buttons Challenge

Helen here with this cute little stamp Izzybella Boo Cute as a Button,  was the challenge over at Lacy Sunshine to colour and to incorporate buttons.
Won best colouring for this cutie.

Kit and Clowder Wings Challenge

Helen here with the challenge on Kit and Clowder was to use any image with wings.
I decided to make my wings out of some feathers I had that had not been used,
found a use at last!! Won the competition with her to.