CD Sunday Challenge - Love is in the Air

My image and backing paper is from Joanna Sheen's Times Gone By and reminds me of my Dad. He was a pilot in WW2 and loved flying. The sentiment is the first two lines of a wonderful poem by John Gillespie Magee a 19 year old American pilot who died on active service over Britain. I have included the poem as the card's insert.

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave a comment, I appreciate them all.

Rainbow Lady's Challenge - Beary Good

This is a tiny 5 x 5 card (tiny for me, anyway) and I have used the Bentley Bear stamps that came with Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine Issue 88. I am very slowly building a 'cute' section in my stamperama.

Backing paper is from a Seraphina CD and I have coloured the images with my quicker growing collection of Copic Markers.

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment - I appreciate them all.

Bah! Humbug! #4 - An Oldie but a Goldie

My medallion centrepiece is definately an oldie - it was one of the first things I made when I started crafting and discovered the delights of embossing powder and a heat gun! I made quite a few in different colourways and this is the last one remaining. It is embossed in copper detail onto cream and pale orange card. I bought the medallion stamp from The StampMan but can no longer find it! The corners are a Clarity stamp embossed in detailed copper EP. I still enjoy using medallion stamps and find the cutting out quite theraputic.

Thanks for visiting me and feel free to leave a much welcome comment.

DragonsDream TIO #65 - Make a Statement

"Beware what you set your heart upon

For it surely shall be yours" Ralph Waldo Emerson

My Dad said these words to me when I had set my cap at some suitably unsavoury character whom I thought was "drop dead gorgeous". As usual, he was right, and the focus of my dreams ended up aquainted with the police or matured into a terminal loser!

My main images are by Elusive Images - Edwardian theme plate and the sentiment by Serendipity Stamps. The background is spritzed with Glimmer Mists in Sapphire, Frosty Night, Pearl and Irridescent Gold. The images are stamped in black Archival and Shades of Grey.

Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment - they are so appreciated.

Crafty Ann's Challenge #33 - Silver Gold and White

Grandson James is 15 soon and I hadn't a clue what sort of card to make for him until Crafty Ann's Challenge came up with this colour combo. I have used the wonderful electric guitar digi image and decoupaged it onto a silver metallic cuttlebugged star -the template for which I found in Word (Shapes). The backing paper is from Crafty Ann's black and white collection and the sentiment computer generated. The shooting star was cut out by my trusty Cricut, coloured gold and glittered.

I hope James likes his card and hope you do too. Come and join us over at Crafty Ann's - you will be made very welcome!

CD Sunday Challenge - Waters Meet

I love making pictures and this week on CD Challenge, they have gone all watery.

The salmon season started last week and crazy men can be seen standing up to their chests in the freezing waters of the Spey in the hope of catching one of these magnificent fish. Personally I don't understand it at all but if green rubber and freezing temperatures does it for them then who am I to criticise?

Backing paper is by Artylicious - Essence of Nature and the scenic stamps are from A Stamp In the Hand.

Thanks for stopping by and do feel free to leave a comment. I find them very encouraging.

Bah! Humbug! #3 - Christmas Crackers

This challenge nearly sent me crackers! I couldn't believe that I had nothing in my stamp mountain that even remotely looked like a Christmas cracker. Fortunately the gallant Rob Addams came to the rescue in his CD Christmas Backing Papers. My main image of a Christmas hamper is from an unknown source - coloured in with my small collection of Copic markers. The sentiment is from Elegant WordArt by Bethany.

When I couldn't find an image for this challenge, my husband John suggested that I photograph 2 x cream crackers with a sprig of holly on top!

Thanks for visiting and please leave a comment - I do find them encouraging.

Rainbow Lady's Challenge #136 - Highland Fling

I have tried to convey the majesty and ethereal quality of the Highlands on a damp winter's day when you can't tell where the mountains end and the clouds begin.The stamps on the picture are by Lavinia and the thistle stamp is by Elusive Images. The backing paper is from Crafty Ann.

Thank you for visiting and please feel free to leave a comment - all are appreciated.

DragonsDream TIO #65 - Fabricate It and some Words

I have used a wheel stamp from Stampin' Up, this one is called Friendly Words, coloured in Rose Red onto a background of DI Weathered Wood. My fabric is a piece of pink lace. The alphabet beads are from the Early Learning Centre and I made the rose.

Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment - I love to hear from you.

Rainbow Lady's Challenge #135 - Winter Sketch

I have made the background paper by spritzing Cosmic Shimmer Mists in purple, silver and gold onto a piece of white card. I then spritzed it with water to give extra interest. The winter sketch stamp is by Blue Moon, the snowflakes cut by my Cricut and the sentiment is from Elegant WordArt by Bethany. I have followed the sketch faithfully but think that there is too much on this card and would have preferred not to put the snowflake ribbon at the top and would then have moved the main image higher on the card. That's just me though!

Bah! Humbug! #2 - Using Stencils

I have used different types of stencils and masks in making this winter scene. The tree is a plastic stencil from Tattered Angels, the moon is punched from a Post-It-Note, the mountains and snow drifts are torn paper and the deer stencil is the deer negative cut by my Cricut.

Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment as I find them very encouraging.

Crafty Ann's Challenge #32 - Ring In the New

Crafty Ann's challenge this time is all about bringing in the new - a technique, style - really anything to do with crafting that is a new to you. My new technique is Cracked Glass - I have seen it many times but never tried it myself. It is achieved by clear embossing the image several times, until the layers are quite thick and then placing it in the freezer until it is very cold and then bending the image until cracks appear in the embossing. You can then rub over a dark ink to enhance the cracked and aged appearance.

For this card I used Crafty Ann's pre-coloured Daffodil Sheet printed onto plain white paper rather than photographic paper. I used a matt finished plain paper so that the embossing powder could key into it. If you use a shiny finish like photographic paper, the embossing will crack and slide off completely. After cracking the embossing, I gently rubbed some Vintage Photo Distress Ink into the lines to make it look aged. The base card is covered in Green Earthtones Embossed Flower paper and the matting layer is Lemon Abstract 2 paper - both available from Crafty Ann's. Cream lace threaded with dark green ribbon and punched corners complete. The sentiment is from Stampin Up and was punched and embossed to match the main image.

I do hope you will come and join us over at Crafty Ann's and share with us what new skill or technique you have learned.

DragonsDream TIO#65 - Face the Music

My lovely stamp this week was a Christmas present from my crafty friend Jen and I have been waiting for an opportunity to use it. Thank you Frankie!

The stamp is by Stamps Happen and has been coloured with various distress inks and a water brush. I have had a very pleasant afternoon colouring in.

Thanks for visiting and do feel free to leave a comment - I do appreciate them.

CD Sunday Challenge - New Year - New to You

I couldn't resist this digi image by Aimee Ray when I saw it and when I came across this freebie WordArt from Create with TLC I had to put them together. The backing papers are from a new to me CD, Black & White Chic by Debbi Moore.

Thank you for dropping by and thank you in advance for your lovely comments!

DragonsDream TIO #64 - Impress It On

As I again failed to be mentioned in the New Year's Honours List, I thought I would make a gong of my own! Only kidding ...

Santa brought me a Melt Pot and this tag is its maiden outing. I have used an Elusive Images peacock feather stamp and coloured the impression with Perfect Pearls and fixed a gem in the centre of the eye. I found using my Melt Pot to be totally absorbing and would be grateful for any suggestions and advice with regard to what I can make. I can see it is going to take up a much bigger part of my crafting life.

Thank you for visiting and your comments are very much appreciated.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #1 - Holly and Fairies

What a lovely first challenge of the year! Can't get better than holly AND fairies - it is a little known fact that fairies go around and paint the holly berries red every winter.

The holly stamp is by Creative Expressions and has been embossed in green and then coloured with one of my two Copic markers (I am slowly building up a selection!) The berries are red Pearlidoodles and the fairy stamp is by Crafty Individuals and the wand has been glittered.

Thank you for your encouraging comments and continued support.

Rainbow Lady's Challenge #134 - It's All New To Me

Everything I have used here is new to me - except the copper mirri board, black base card and the sakura glaze pens used to colour the coat on the art deco lady.

The 'feathered' decorative paper is from a very lucky find in a second hand book shop. I was overjoyed when I found a resource book about marbled paper and inside the back cover was a CD with all the designs. The paisley panel is from a Stampers Anonymous background stamp coloured with Desert Sand, Canteloupe and New Sprout Memento ink, I bought this in the summer and have never used. The main image is one of the Art Deco ladies from Debbi Moore which I got in the sale before Christmas.

The flowers are made from copy paper painted with Eco Green Pure Copper and Black acrylic paint. They tone perfectly with the card.

I found this card a struggle to make because I have lost my creative streak for the present. I do hope it comes back soon! Thanks for calling by and thank you in advance for your comments - they do encourage me.

CD Sunday Challenge - Check It Out!

I felt the need for a gentle subject today! The image is from Peerless Designs "Fairy Wishes" CD and the backing paper is by Bearly Mine. Just a simple card as the image and paper are pretty enough. The flowers are by 7 Gypsies.

In keeping with my New Year's resolution, I have made an insert for this card. I was so fed up spending hours doing inserts for cards before Christmas that this year I have vowed to make an insert for every card I finish! Quite a tall order but I will do my best.

Thank you for dropping by and please leave a comment, they do encourage me.

Rainbow Lady's Challenge #133 - Happy New Year

A very warm welcome to all my blogging friends to 2011! I have made an ATC this time using Cuttlebug EF Clockworks and a lovely image from my new friends Vintage Holiday Crafts (home of FREE VINTAGE IMAGES - see link in sidebar). Thank you Jen for the introduction! The clock faces have been clear embossed. I have used Distress Inks Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Crushed Olive and Vintage Photo. That Wild Honey colour is great but it is very strong and can take over if you are not careful!

I find making ATC's very challenging. It is a discipline in itself. Card making is easy by comparison (in my opinion). What do you think?

Thanks for visiting and please leave a comment as I appreciate them all.