30 Day colouring Challenge

Hello and welcome back to my blog.

Today I just have a few photos from the 30 day colouring challenge. I picked a couple and thought I would add more detail to the photos.

I used an older Penny Black set called Wonder Collection. I hate to say it I hadn't used it!!

Now, my watercolour (yes we spell it like that here in Australia) isn't wonderful but you need to practise these things to get better.

I used Altenew's watercolour set I borrowed it from a friend to have a play. The colours aren't labeled but I used 2 types of red and a little bit of brown in the centre of the flowers. I layered up the colours letting them dry in between coats. Honestly I think I lost some leaves after looking back at the stamp. Nevermind!

 

I also used some Nuvo Sugared Almond Crystal Drops. I have let some dry and applied more so they wouldn't blend all together.

 Bonus card using Penny Black's Mimi's Christmas and Stampin Up watercolour pencils.

I hope you enjoyed. See you next time.

Black and White with a Pop of Colour

My friend Michelle Lupton from Handmade by Michelle invited me to join her in a challenge she runs each year. It is called "Challenge me a Christmas Card". Really it is a brillant way to get some Christmas cards done and have some fun doing it!!
 

Today's card...

I set the challenge of Black and White with a Pop of Colour. First thought is to go red.... Christmas. I also thought others might do flowers or Chrissy hats.

Then I came across a stamp I hadn't played with yet. It's called Little Elf Ava by Penny Black. She is super cute. The star really stood out to me.

Did the card go to plan... no!! had a problem of the Copic vomiting, so to speak, onto the image. To make matters worse, I didn't learn the first time and I allowed it to happen again! Grr! It was a new Copic and one I hadn't had a play with yet but I will show you how I got around that. I had spent way too much time on it and I am definitely no quitter!

I stamped both the image and sentiment in Momento Tuxedo Black, however I do go back in later and go over the sentiment with Versafine Onyx Black.

Copics Used were:

YR23,Y17 and Y13

100

C7, C5, C3, C1, C00

I will be posting a video once I have sorted out some sound issue. First camera and now sound! Just when I thought I was getting on top of all of this! So I will post a video hopefully soon and you can  see how I coloured it.
The little girl I used all of the C's listed but I used the darker version for the clothes and lighter for skin to add the definition. I also added some of the yellow on the bells on her shoes to so the star wasn't completely alone.

So I came to the "fluff" on the hat and I was happily colouring and suddenly a big drop of ink fell onto my image. I found my old C1 was always going dry so I invested in a new C1 sketch marker. I have never had the problem of overfilled marker before...

It is an easy fix, where you can just remove the lid on the other end of the marker and it seems to equalise the pressure and stop it leaking. 

To fix this problem was simple, THANK GOODNESS! The drop fell on the fluffy part of the hat and this gave me an easy out. I recently bought some Cadence Icy Snow from a shop in Nowra. ( The link is to an online shop, not the one I got it from)

It is very thick stuff and dryish, you can apply it in a few ways. Apply it with a brush and this will give you a thin layer and you can also apply it with a palette knife. I chose option 2 but this isn't easy on such a small area. The second drop was easy as well as I could include it in the shadow for the background. Thankfully it wasn't a super dark colour!

I decide my sentiment wasn't dark enough. I still had the stamp in my MISTI so I stamped it again and embossed it with clear embossing powder. Do be careful with your Copics around embossing powder.

I cut some strips of gold glitter card stock, so it would match (sort of) to the star and used it to frame the image.

That is it, I decided it didn't need anything extra.

Check out the video here.

Do pop over to Michelle's blog here to see her card.

Thanks for stopping by. Take Care

Camera Problems

Hi all,

Quick drop in to say I have had issues with getting videos off my phone then another issue with my sons' phone and finding cables while my husband is away.Story goes on!...

I used a phone of my husbands for the first 2 videos but if he goes away, I have a problem.
I'll get it sorted and then you will have regular videos in no time!

In the mean time if you know of how to make the quality of videos smaller on phones and therefore enabling a computer program to read it! Let me know down below!

I do have one video coming that is off hubbies phone coming soon.

Thankyou for your patience

Bug's Birthday

If you don't know me or read the about me on the side you won't know I have 3 sons. My young I call "Bug" I don't really know why I started to call him that but I did. I think it was from when he was very little and he wouldn't go to anyone else except me and my husband and unfortunately for my husband he would quickly come back to me once his hellos had been said!

It was super sweet and maybe because he wouldn't leave me be, in a nice way, I started to call him bug!

Last weekend my "Bug" became my "Big bug" and turned 13! Where have those years gone!

My card today was for his Birthday. I wanted to fairly plain and simple and I hope you enjoy it.

Stamps I used were Avery Elle Balloons and I used the dies to Avery Elle Numbered Balloons.

The 2 balloons were stamped in Couture Creations Card Deco Inks of Pearlescent Bronze and Olive Green. I had to heat set it and still then it was wet, I did stamp it a few times as the stamp is a very solid image. I cut it out using the coordinating dies but it slipped (me being lazy with the tape) so I trimmed them up by hand. I do prefer no white edge.

I die cut the '13' with just white cardstock and coloured that with my Copics B18, B16 and B12.

The background needed something, using the Halftone stencil from Paperrose and Salty Ocean distress ink I added a little bit of colour to the background.

I had some black and white twine in my stash and wrapped it around the ends of the balloons and added more to make a tails. Once these had foam mount to add dimension to all of the balloons I used multi matt medium to the tails so I could make them curve around down my card. Added a couple of black sequins so the black in the twine wasn't alone and that is my card.

No video today due to the fact I filmed in on my phone and I can get it off the phone but nothing can read it to edit it!!!

So as soon as we work out how to do it I will edit it here.

Thank you for stopping by.

Haul

A quick post today.

I have been trying to work out YouTube playing with lights and don't get me started on editing. Adding text over the video and title page and thumbnails. I have told my 15yr old to go nuts and he made my title page and now he's working on music. I will probably change my title page to something better but its a start. I really hope this gets easier lol.

Sandown Picture 2 Page happened last weekend.

Such a great day, I worked 2 of the days and came back completely exhausted. I love it as you get to see people you may not have seen since the last show. I have 2 guys that come in every show, 1 of them tells me a joke every time I see him!

This is what I bought. I'm also trying to work out how to add the video here and not just as a link. So if you have any idea comment below!

First up was actually The Lolly Man. We named him that his real business name is "Just Sweets". There is no photos of the purchase... well cos it didn't last very long at all!!

Scrap2relax in Melbourne outer closed recently but they come to the show to sell off product. I can't remember how much I paid for all of this but got it all at 50% so I was pretty happy with that!

Hoping to add these to a canvas or something for texture. Frankly I will decide what on earth I will do with them later!

Next purchase again was from a business closing down! Its sad in a number of ways!
BellBirds in Blackburn Melbourne has been around for a while but have announced that they will close.  I bought 3 stamps from them as they have lots of similar stuff that my shop has. I bought these stamps 3 for $20. Great deal the cheapest stamp had a usual price of $20 alone.
When my phone holder arrives I will be playing with these. 

Next purchase was from Hobby Hoppers.
I bought some pens that are super fine, some 6x6 paper pads and a book binding template. For a closing look check out the video. I hope to have a play with the template soon.

Last up was Papermaze, they aren't closing. I'm going to use these for an album that will be look an camera so there is abit to collect for it.

 

Please check my video below.

Something new today!

  

Soooo..... one wonders sometimes why we do what we do... Is it a moment of temporary insanity or a moment of inspiration!???

Today I have done my first ever youtube video, well I've done them for Auslan but none were public access and frankly I FREAKED when I actually posted one public one day! But I have evolved! So you will find a video of how I made this card. Be nice!... please. lol

Today's card is from an old Kaisercraft range, called Miss Empire. I wanted to use Seaside and me by Couture Creations but I think I have seen it so much I forgot that I hadn't actually bought it so that will  be changing as I only just saw it in a shop last week! It is gorgeous!

Is an lovely blend of vintage style of greens orange and browns.

I also used the collectables in the range. The card was very simple in the end. I originally wanted to use the New Card Deco Ink pads from Couture Creations for the sentiment and I could of used that ink for sponging around the background but I needed to get this video done and I had a timeline to do it in with very little time.

I have been away again and this will be the last for a while, thank goodness. 

Such a great time away thou. Sooo many whales to be seen (from dry land) while they were just playing and enjoying themselves.

I cut paper to be 14.4x 10 to fit the front of my card base which is measures 14.9 x 10.5, leaving a small border around the edge. I then applied some Embossing Paste by Studio 490 through Anna Griffith Daisy Batik stencil. It wasn't over the whole page I just needed a touch to give some depth and texture to my project. The stencil is quite a thick stencil and in the photo above you can see the texture you get from using this type of stencil. I love it.

After drying it off I sponged some Walnut Stain Distress Ink over the panel to bring out the detail of the embossing paste. I sponged around all elements of the project including the collectables and flowers. You can see the sponging on the flowers a lot better in the photos compared to the video.

It connects everything together!

The frame and the lady are mounted up with foam mount for dimension.

I added some cheesecloth behind the feature panel. This stuff is great you don't have to do too much at all to it. You can also tea dye it. It breaks up the background with the frame having no backing to it.

It is held on with the foam tape and I added a little bit of glue behind it to make sure it stays al together.

As you can see here on the frame I aged the frame again with the Walnut Stain to help bring your eye to the centre of the card and the lady and flowers.

That's it! As you can see it really is a simple card with not alot of layers or extras. Sometimes less is more. It didn't need more... I think!

My video can be found here.

As I mentioned above it is a basic video but I'm working on improving that.

I hope you like it and thank you for stopping by.

Ridiculously Awesome

At a recent camp I had a play with alcohol inks and alcohol lift ink pad.

I can only really tell you the stamps as I was just playing.

 

On all cards I used Yupo  for the original background and plain Knight smooth for the lift off effect. I just played with the alcohol until I was happy for the result. 

Stamps Used were: Paper rose Beautiful Mandala

Awesome Words 

Stamps Used: Darkroom Door Abstract Triangles 

Altenew Label Love

This one I used the Alcohol Pearls Inks

Thanks for stopping by for this super short and sweet post.

Take Care

Life is quiet again.

Well, family is gone. My cousin has headed off to Fiji, miss her already. Next time I want to go to Fiji!! I've never been but at the same time I am 21 years older than her! I'm sure to be asked if i was there with my daughter!! LOL

Below is a couple of photos of us roaming around. I would highly recommend going to the Melbourne Show (but who needs my recommendation to go there! :) )  We also had a walk around the city and thru the street art alleys. Some were sooo good!

Today I have 2 cards. The first one is the end result from me playing to make a background for my website. I think I showed you the original art.

Stamps Used: Lovely Florals

Viva Lettering English 

Versamark

Clear Embossing Powder 

Copics:

RV99, R56, RV34, R83, R81

Number 2

I had the Delightful Dangles from Woodware out for the last card.
 I'm working through older stamp sets and trying to give them some love.

While I was in the mood to do some sponging I cracked out some Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans with a little Dusty Concord to finish off. I left sponging as is no water splatter or anything! Shock horror!

The sentiment moved slightly at the very end! GRRR I was not starting again. I did pretty good you can only just see it in a few places! 

Stamps Used: Delightful Dangles

Cardstock : Highland Heather

Versamark 

Gold Embossing Powder

Copics:

B99, B97, B95

BV08, BV04, V02

Thank you for taking the time and stopping by.

Take Care

I've had enough!!

I have really had enough of this season. I been ill... again! I'm looking forward to some warmer weather. Of course this means Christmas which is a whole other problem lol.

Today however is going to be a lovely 25degrees (c) outside and we will be heading off to the Melbourne show on Sunday to take my cousin from England to have a look.

Now the tickets are paid for (early bird special) and I'm over that shock, I'm really looking forward to it! The boys have never been before either. I know, I failed them as a mum to never take them to the show when they have lived here their whole life. At least now I won't have to deal with tired tantrums and them wanting to get on every single ride there is!

It is great when they are young, to take them, but there is also something about taking them when they are older and can appreciate it at a different level. Young, mine anyway, would of just wanted rides and stuff and now... I said, "Ok, you can have a ride pass or that money in show bags!" They chose the show bags.

I will show you some photos next week.

Anyway, today's card is using an old The Greeting Farm set called Xmas Sweeties. It is old so may be harder to find.

The background was sponged with Stormy Sky and Black Soot. After splashing abit of water over the background I decided it wasn't good enough. So in a mister bottle I added Rubbing Alcohol and some ink from Stampin Up called "All purpose Shimmer Inks" They are actually from Tsukineko. There is Vegas Gold, Bright Copper, Frost White and Champagne Mist.  I have used Frost White.

Google All Purpose shimmer inks and there is alot of things you can do with them.

You can see looking at the background it has a very speckled appearance. In life it is very sparkly and pretty but of course it isn't easy to photograph that! I did go abit heavy handed, I was expecting some splatter but .... that didn't happen.

The stars are from Stampin Up called "Carols of Christmas"

 

Sentiment is Woodware called ":Delightful Dangles"

Copics Used:

Skin; E000, E00, E11, E04 R20

Hair; E29, E25, E21

Fluffy Bits and snow; C5, C3, C1

Red; R35, R46, R59

Mouth; R22, R20

110

Buckle N3

Quick Card...

Soo.... AGAIN the horrible bug got me! I can't explain how bad it was cos, well that would be very gross! Lets just say it was a extremely bad flu and which within days caused other problems! Second round of antibiotics and (fingers crossed) that will be it!!!! Girl can dream! It has been a very bad flu season, It has gone thru work like nothing I have seen for quite a while! This was also after I had the flu shot in May and I take auto immune tablets, cos I work in a school as one of my jobs and they LOVVEEEEE to share bugs!

So today we have a quick and simple card. Last time I posted I gave you a card using the Santa Elves by MFT  Super cute set, so today I continued with that theme. Due to being in bed I didn't get much done. I did get another thing done, which I will show you later.

I was going to mask and sponge on the background but.... the energy levels said "NOPE!!" so a soft BG10 it was!

Copics Used:

Skin: E04, E11, E00, E000, R20

Hair: E57

Reds: R59, R46, R35

Olive Green (for something different): G99, YG95

White: C5, C3, C1
Shoes: 110, C9, C7, C5

Gold: YR23, Y17, Y13

Background: BG10

Ground: W5, W3, W1

I mounted up the sentiment and used some white embossing powder. I used my favourite red for Christmas by Stampin Up Cherry Cobbler. 

Bonus... not really a card.

I have a business I recently started. I wanted to do my own background for the page. My business cards have Magnolia's and I wanted this to flow onto my page. I sent an email to Paperrose who make the set asking for what the requirements were and if I could use my image. I'm yet to hear but I'm now thinking I'll go back to my original image, oh well it was fun while doing it!

I love it but I think it is too dark for what I want.

I have to think of a sentiment to use.

Copics Used

Background: BG10

Pinks: RV99, R56, RV34, R83, R81

Thank you for stopping by.