Stamping and Smudging!

I like to have a good stash of cards to hand and so I've just made a batch for the coming months.  I used the same stamps but stamped firstly on one card and then directly on to a second, using Distress Ink but without re-inking the stamp.  I changed it around a bit so they each had some first and some second generation printing on them. I smudged the freshly stamped images with a clean blending tool and added some gold flakes to the edges of the darker one.   

Different stamps but the same technique as above with these next two cards, but I added some pearl drops to highlight some of the foliage. I usually add a sentiment or banner later when I know what I want the card for.

  

I'm linking up with Julia over What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday this week.

Birthday Cards for the Men of the Family

This is a birthday-heavy time of year for my family so here are a couple of cards I had to make recently.  Both needed to incorporate hard cash!

This one was for my nephew who is very keen on fishing - alochol inks were used for the background and I found on YouTube how to fold the money into an origami fish.  I then placed it inside the card with low tack tape so the note wasn't damaged.

 For this next one I had a go at trying to create a rusty finish on a piece of card and then die cut the pocket, tag and stars - money was stuffed into the wallet with the gift tag.  The faux enamel label around it and the little plaque on the tag were both done using a technique by the super-talented Alison Bomber - here's a link to her tutorial on the Paper Artsy blog. 

I'm linking up with Julia this week, over at WOYWW

Fleur de Lys Tag and WOYWW

 I had a lovely, relaxing 'play' session in my studio yesterday and made this rather fussy tag for no reason other than the fun of it.  I flung everything at it - I stamped, crackled and foiled!  I then added some vivid blue glass beads simply because they are my latest passion!   

  

I'm linking up with Julia this week over at Whats On Your Work Desk Wednesday.

A Little Arched Spring Garden

 I'm definitely in the mood for Spring so here is a little arched garden using my favourite TH die.  I've not used these multi-coloured gold flakes much but I rather like them on this - it reminds me of hints of blossom appearing on the trees.  I'm thinking I should have added a bit more but I'm trying hard to curb my habit of over-egging the cake!!

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.  I also would like to apologise for not getting back to everyone who left messages - I truly appreciate you taking the time to visit and leave kind comments but with a combination of continuing broadband problems and also several commitments the week just ran away with me!

Silver Jewellery Making

 I've recently discovered the joys of working with silver clay!  Basically it's a clay made of silver particles plus a binder, so you work with it like clay and then when it's fired the binder burns off and you are left with pure silver. 

I've been on a couple of fantastic courses lately, the ammonite pendant was made with Hilary Bowen back in November and I was so thrilled with the whole experience that I was given some clay for Christmas and made the two leaf pendants at home - there is some room for improvement in them but I love wearing them and imperfections are all part of the 'hand-made' look!  Last Saturday I went on another fabulous course with the lovely and super-talented Fiona Ingram who helped me turn my own design into a one-off piece of jewellery with gorgeous shades of autumn colours on the berries - it was such a fun day.   

I'm relieved to say I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week as I've had such horrible and seemingly never-ending computer problems lately.  We had a major crash during a Windows 10 update then big problems while changing our Broadband supplier - soooooo frustrating and quite an eye opener discovering how much I rely on my computer and how much I missed it!

Christmas Packages and WOYWW

Happy New Year!

Very little has been going on in my studio since before Christmas - how long ago that seems now - and so there is nothing on my desk at the moment, but I thought I'd share some Christmas packaging I made for family members, just to give me an excuse to take part!

An envelope for a restaurant voucher - front...

and back.

A small box for a cash gift - front...

and back.

A small pillow box for a piece of jewellery - front...

and back.

I am linking up with What's On Your Work Desk Wednesday this week and I've just realised I missed the WOYWW 500 anniversary - what an achievement and thank you to Julia and all the wonderful deskers who have kept it going and made it such a joy to participate in. 

Tweed and Velvet Christmas Cards

This last week I've been rummaging through my fabric box in desperation for some Christmas inspiration - I came across the red, grey and cream tweed off cuts and thought they went beautifully with some grey silk velvet and some wool worsted suit fabric from a sample book.

I struggled to keep the cards fairly flat so they would go through the post easily, it was hard and I could easily have carried on adding to them as I'm very much a lover of over egging the cake when it comes to embellishments!  However, I stuck with embossing the velvet and adding Pearl drops, and gluing some die cuts on.  Here are a few of them. 

And here are a few more that are going to be hand delivered so I was able to add more bits and bobs!  Not many made this year but perhaps next year I'll give myself a kick up the backside a bit earlier!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone and thank you for all your kind comments and support throughout the past year.

I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week.

Autumn Hydrangeas

All summer I've had a beautiful white hydrangea in the garden but over the last few weeks it's turned into the most amazing rusty pinks and reds with hints of golden browns in it.  I just had to dig out the hydrangea die that I used here recently and replicate that gorgeous colour scheme.  I was also inspired by the rich orange browns of the bracken that is all over the New Forest at the moment - I think it's more beautiful while it's dying back than when it's in full greenery.
  

This was an 'extra' I made with the flower I wasn't happy with - it seemed a shame to waste it -I'll probably add a stamped sentiment when I come to use the card as the bottom half looks rather bare!

Still no Christmas cards and not really feeling that bothered - I can't seem to summon up the enthusiasm for them so might not fit them in this year - although I may get a burst of inspiration next week, who knows!  I'm linking up with Julia over at WOYWW this week