Thready Roses

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This was made in honour of my crafty santa, Lisa, who was very generous with her crafty Christmas gifts to me. In fact, she's always very generous, bless her! So I used some of them here, and some of my general stash.

I chose a piece of the decorative paper from 'Jenine's Mindful Art Collection' 6"x6" paper pad by Studio Light, and to complement it, I matted it onto a piece of rose gold mirror card, from Tonic Studios 'Craft Perfect' 6"x6" pad, 'Moonlight & Rose'.

I used an old, worn out Chalk Eyes inkpad in dark brown to stamp a faded out script and numbers from Tracy Evans' 'Brush Flower' #234 stamp set from AALL & Create down the right hand side, and the bottom, and used a Versafine Sepia to stamp the main sentiment more boldly, which is from the 'Friendship' stamp #232 by Olga Heldwein, also for AALL & Create.

The numbers die on the left is one of the new standalone dies by AALL & Create..  'Code' #12. I just love it and can see it will be a regular feature on my cards! :-)

The roses are from a stamp #229 and die sets #15 & #16, 'Blooming Fields' by Olga Heldwein, also - you guessed it - from AALL & Create. I don't have them yet, but Lisa sent me some die-cuts with my Christmas gifts. I am totally smitten with these. Also the black & white look. I don't enjoy colouring.. so I am thrilled by this trend! You can produce great results with much less effort!

The roses are raised up slightly on recycled cardboard, and I used a technique I learned from Janet Pring's show for AALL & Create on Hochanda earlier this week, and that is to make an outline for a shadow for the roses by running a black watercolour pencil around the shapes before sticking them down, and use a waterbrush to pull out the shading. It is subtle here, but it's there and works brilliantly.

To finish off, I used Tracy Evans' signature touch with some loose black threads just tucked under the edges of the roses, and allowed to trail loosely, and a few gold sequins.

Can you tell that I am delighted with this one? :-) Thank you, Lisa. xxx

Summer Dreaming

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I love how this one came out. All credit to Crafty Individuals, again! This one is also for the 2020 January Challenge on their Facebook Group. I won't be entered in the prize draw, as I am the administrator for the group, but the team members can enter for fun!

The background paper is from Crafty Individuals' 'Background Papers 'Book 6' (The Seaside)' 6"x6" paper pad, and the stamp is their 'Sandy Toes & Salty Kisses' (CI-459). (So cute!) I've raised him up slightly on recycled cardboard.

Additional elements: Memory Box 'Flying Gulls', ref: 99734, a starfish from a Kaisercraft die set, 'Underwater Scene', and computer-generated text.

Time For Change

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I made this one for the first monthly challenge on the Crafty Individuals Facebook Group, using a stamp I bought years ago, and the die. I love them, but had not previously had occasion to put them to use. Not only is the butterfly gorgeous, but I thought it appropriate as a symbol for change, and the clock in the stamp emblematic of New Year.

The background paper is from Crafty Individuals' 'Background Papers 'Book 3' (Springtime)', and the stamp is their 'Take A Little Time For Tea' (CI-389), trimmed and raised slightly on recycled cardboard. The pretty butterfly is Crafty Individuals 'Lacewing Butterfly' die, designed by Linda Edwards.

Additional elements: Silver thread bows (x 2, folded in half), white acrylic paint spatter and pink sequins.