Friday 14 December 2012

christmas card

Oh dear what a bad blogger I have been again. Am in a big panic because Christmas is coming speeding round the corner and I for one am just not ready ! The only Christmas card I`ve managed to make this year is this one which was for the Chocolate Baroque card swap. Thought I would post on here to show I am still about, just busy busy with boring stuff like work. I used the New England Winter stamp set from Chocolate Baroque. I coloured the house in with copics and added some bling to the tree with gems. There is a ivy leaf stamp in this set which I stamped out repeatedly, coloured in then cut out to make the swag at the top of the card. Think I will try to make a snowy version of this card as was quite pleased with how it turned out. Hope everyones Christmas preperations are going better than mine. x

Monday 5 November 2012

whoops

whoops, it really might help if I had actually posted the picture of my card mightn`t it Lol Here it is .
here is the bingo card as well which I also should have added. This is what happens when I don`t blog for ages, I forget how !!! Hopefully I`ve got it right now

Sunday 4 November 2012

bingo challenge

So I`m still trying to ease myself gently back into the crafting world and decided to enter a different challenge blog for a change. Having seen the lovely card made by Florence over on her blog I thought I would have a go at this challenge myself which you can find on the addicted to stamps and more challenge blog here. I chose the same bingo line as Florence, white, die cuts and silver though why lord only knows. White and me do not agree, love the look but always spot a smudge when I`ve finished somewhere Lol. I used the free stamp designed by Chocolate Baroque which came free with this months Craft Stamper magazine. The card blank is 8 by 8 inches. I used silver ink to stamp the snowflake. I then stamped the house also by CB onto another piece of card and coloured with distress markers and stickles. I overlaid with a white embossed dye cut frame which with hindsight I should have layered with foam tape to give some dimension. The frame and sparkles don`t show up too well on the scan but look pretty in real life. Thanks go to Florence and the addicted to stamps challenge blog for something different to try. x Lavinia

Tuesday 30 October 2012

First of all I must appologise for the distinct lack of activity on my blog. I don`t suppose my life is any more busy or have any more problems than others. However, truth be told I haven`t even felt like crafting lately. I thought when I did dip my toe back into crafting waters I would try the less is more challenge which you can find here This week is a sketch challenge using three squares. The only trouble with clean and simple however is that things never end up being that clean or that simple in my craft room Lol. This was my second attempt as the first was covered with inky fingerprints etc. I used stamps by Tim Holtz - Natures discoveries and distress inks in mustard seed, rusty hinge and brushed corderoy for the three panels. I only used part of each stamp image on each panel. The whole thing was then mounted onto a strip of black glossy card punched each side with a Martha Stewart border punch. I used a yellow card blank instead of white or ivory for a change. I really like the combination of bright yellow with the black. Now I just need to keep on stamping, its amazing how quickly you get out of the hang of doing things. x

Wednesday 12 September 2012

inchies

Another day another challenge. Over at Artful Times this week they want to see inchies. All the time I have been stamping and I have never made any ! I knew I wanted to use these teeny weeny stamp sets from Chocolate Baroque because they were the only stamps I thought would be small enough. I used distress inks in festive berries and rusty hinge for the background and stamped in Ranger black archival ink. In hindsight I think it may have been better to sponge a whole piece of card for the background first before cutting to size because they were fiddly little blighters Lol. I mounted them all onto a piece of black card afterwards. Every tonning piece of background paper that I tried was then too much so I ended up making my own background with masking tape and just going for black and white. The only stamp different is old french writing by Hero Arts, a favourite of mine because it just goes with everything. So there you go , my first attempt at inchies. x Lavinia

Friday 7 September 2012

stampotique challenge

Well, here we are, the first day that all three of my children have gone back to school. Peace at last Lol, its not that I don`t love my children very much , its just at times the volume level gets a bit too much. Anyway even though I SHOULD be doing the wretched housework because the poor house now looks like a tournedo has gone through it I thought I would do some stamping instead. I have not managed to take part in the stampotique designers challenge which you can find here for yonks. I really did enjoy their blog hop showing the new images being released as well, do pop over and have a look, there are some amazing ideas. Anyway back to the challenge which is to combine two stamps to make a new image. When I first saw this, I did think ook eck how on earth do I do that then ? I bought a copy of this months Red magazine and there was an advert by Louis Vuitton showing ladies in very oversized hats and big goggles, aha very steampunk I thought to myself. So it was in my head that the steampunk hat from Chocolate Baroque steampunk travel set met the lovely Stampotique monster by kira Nicolls. I think the two make a very lovely marriage myself, he looks rather dapper. Must treat myself to some proper masking paper as I have to make do with copier paper and temporary adhesive. I used distress markers to colour the main image, masked the whole thing again, and coloured the background with distress inks in wild honey, tumbled glass, tea dye, antique linen and brushed corderoy. I used Ranger glue and seal to glue the piece of text paper for him to stand on at the bottom. Now I must confess that I have got a bit of a `halo` where I have done my masking but I have left it like that because I think it actually makes the image pop a bit more. I prefer to think of it as a happy accident. So there you go, it all wasn`t so hard to do after all so a big thank you for taking me out of my comfort zone and trying something new to Stampotique. Thanks for looking, if you have got to the end of this post you deserve a cup of tea and some chocolate biscuits ! x Lavinia

Saturday 1 September 2012

less is more pink and brown

Over at less is more this week the challenge is to use two colours pink and brown. Have to admit this is not a colour combination that I have used very often if ever thinking about it. I had to have a real rootle about to find brown ink as well Lol. I found an adrionrack ink in expresso to stamp my cat in. Don`t think this was the best ink for this stamp in hindsight, I think an archival or versafine would have been much better but never mind. The squares of paper were from free papers which came with a magazine as well as the border. I hope I`m forgiven for the hint of blue in there. The sentiment seemed to match the cat perfectly. I know he`s reading but he does look very intense doesn`t he. So there you go, one quick make snatched inbetween trying to do everything else. Is it time to go back to school yet pleeeeease . Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Friday 24 August 2012

acetate challenge

I did not manage to take part in the last challenge over at Artful times. Believe or not all the stamps I own and not one of the Mona Lisa Lol. This time round however, the theme is acetate which you can find here. I`m really a bit bored of making cards at the moment so decided to make myself another bookmark as they are always useful. I also decided to look through the box of bits I have. You know the sorts of bits I mean, the playing about bits that never made it onto an actual project. I started with the piece of card background, then I found the fish which is a piece of caught in crystal technique. Another piece of ready made background was overstamped with the wave pattern, then the whole lot layered together. I added some clear jewels for the bubbles. I added another layer of acetate by stamping ginko leaves in stazon onto a border of acetate. I then used adriondrack pens to colour on the back. I cannot remember the last time I used these pens or the ginko leave stamp for that matter ! I did wonder whether the distress markers would work on acetate ? anyone know ? I added an eyelet then threaded some fibres through it to finish off. So there you go, why not look through your box of bits and see what you could put together. I shall be doing this again because I have lots of bits Lol. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Thursday 16 August 2012

new stamps

Well so much for managing to blog on a more regular basis ! appologies. Its the six weeks ordeal, I mean holidays Lol so I am desperately trying to keep my three entertained. I did treat myself to some new goodies recently from Paper Artsy. I bought two sets of the Lynne Perella stamps and some fresco paints. So this is my first effort using them. I keep mucking about lately doing bits and pieces but cannot seem to finish anything by putting it together into a project. This card is very different for me as I cannot usually manage to do the whole multi layered thing as much as I admire them. I used a kraft card blank and have to say I really do like this card stock. I used my new paints in mermaid, beach hut and nougat to make a background with crafters workshop templates and some Tim Holtz stamps. Really like how it turned out. I wanted to stamp the Lynne Perella stamps onto a small tag to layer. I used a kraft coloured tag to paint onto. However, when it came to stamping onto it, the tag seems to be made out of something like sugar paper so all the ink bled. Not to worry though I just layered my images onto white card instead. I used an oil pastel crayon to outline the lady image to make her stand out more from the background. The layers didn`t turn out to be so hard after all, just layering down different strips of patterned paper till I was happy with the arrangement. I am quietly pleased with how it turned out in the end. Now I just need to find some precious time to make something else ! hope you all like x Lavinia

Sunday 22 July 2012

artful times challenge travel tag

well, I missed the last fornights challenge so thought I had better be a bit quicker with taking part in this one !. The challenge which you can find here is to make a travel themed tag. I seen to have loads of stamps with a venice theme so went with that. I have to confess that I have never actually been to Venice although it would be nice to go one day. I used distress inks in brushed corderoy, antique linen and tea dye to give a really aged look to my tag. Stamps used from Stampington and Oxford Impressions. It really did not take long to make this so why not give this a challenge a go ? Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Wednesday 4 July 2012

arful times challenge - seaside

Well I have not fallen off of the earth, just everyday life getting in the way of crafting. I cannot believe we are in July already and still no sign of summer Lol. You may have noticed that I have tried to give my blog a facelift after admiring others arty backgrounds. The background is now lovely but I seem to have made a right pigs ear of everything else. I shall have to have another fiddle with it when I have a minute. I have not managed to take part in any challenges for weeks but the challenge over at Artful times which you can find here this fortnight is a seaside theme. I managed to sneak off tonight while husband finished off the dinner and the children were busy on the WII, hee hee. Hence my entry was quick and easy today for lack of time. I covered a postcard with some background paper with a vintage theme that I have had for ever. I pulled out two wooden stamps which are also very old, the ship image and the couple which is one of my favourite stamps. The ticket image peeping out was a craft stamper freebie which says free entry to fairyland hence I`ve covered most of it up ! I stamped with Ranger black archival onto Ranger speciality paper which gives a really crisp clear image. I`ve then watercoloured using the distress markers. Still not sure how I like the effect of the markers on this paper. The colours are very sutble which is what you want on a vintage type piece I guess. I used forest moss on the ladies dress and it has come out almost grey. I think I will experiment with using them on different types of watercolour paper and card to see which result I like best. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Friday 25 May 2012

less is more childrens

well, here we are with a different computer which has taken me all day to try and fathom out ! quick post then. The them over at less is more this week which you can find here is baby or childrens cards. I used Magnolia stamps for my card which never see the light of day nowadays. I got sidetracked into buying them before realising they weren`t really my style Lol not that there is anything wrong with them, I just cannot do the whole hundred layers of papers and embellishment thing. I used copics for my colouring. Better get a shuffle on now to link it before it closes !

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Just to let you all know my blog will come to a halt for a bit. I turned on my computer this morning to scan in my card to blog and nothing. I think the moniter has gone kaput. I am blogging this from my daughters laptop but being technically challenged do not know how to connect all the printer and stuff to this one. So until I can get another computer up and running I may well be taking an enforced break from challenges for a while. I shall still visit them to keep up to date so I shall be there in spirit. It just never rains but it pours does it ? hope to get back into blogland soon x Lavinia

Tuesday 22 May 2012

artful times birds

Over at the Artful times challenge blog which you can find here the theme is birds. Now I have a `thing` about bird stamps, I cannot resist buying them because I love them. However, all inspiration seems to have left me at the moment. All I seem to do these days is work and come home then go back to work again. Never mind, I did manage to make a tag although its not my finest hour. I used distress inks in chipped sapphire, tumbled glass and broken china for the background using the wrinkle free distress technique. I then oversponged using a crafters workshop pattern template , oh and a hero arts old french writing stamp. The bird image is from Chocolate Baroque stamped onto a piece of their patterned paper in versafine. I then sewed my flower and button onto the bottom. So thats my paltry effort this time round Lol hopefully the next challenge will see me more rested and refreshed. I could sooo do with a holiday. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Wednesday 16 May 2012

less is more 3 stamps

I am so behind with everything at the moment. I have been doing lots of overtime which will be fine when my wages come but everything is falling waaay behind ! Over at the less is more challenge blog which you can find here the challenge set is to do a one layer card using three stamps. Must admit this caused me a bit of head scratching as to what to do at first. Not sure I`m particulary pleased with my effort either but am really pushed for time at the minute. I used a cream card blank, versafine sepia ink, three stamps from a Chocolate Baroque Key to my dreams themeplate and a few sparkly stones. Um and that was it. Simples ? you think, the trouble with stamping directly onto a card blank of course is that if you muck it up, you have to start again ! Don`t ask how I know Lol. I`m sure everyone has made a far more pleasing attempt than mine so I am off to have a nosey x Lavinia

Saturday 5 May 2012

artful times challenge

Two posts in one day ! this rainy weather is doing wonders for my crafting Lol. Right I will post photos but bear in mind they are dismal. Will try to take another set when we actually get some sunshine.
The challenge over at artful times which you can find here is time. For some reason nothing imediately jumped to mind even though this is such a popular theme. Then I decided to go with something different and try a chunky ATC. I say chunky, mine is slimline because that was the only size wood my husband had in the garage so it is not 2 1/2 inches wide. The above is the front panel, clock background paper with a stamped clock and glossy accents, and Tim Holtz sprocket gears. These are the two side panels
I used Ranger foil sheets embossed in a Tim Holtz folder. I used Tims tip of layering the foil onto glossy card first before running through the folder. This makes such a difference giving a much more clear crisp result. The final panel is this one
I used distress inks and a Chocolate Baroque tree stamp. The picture is awful I know, but there is an epoxy sticker that says time, I have hand written just to be under that. I did order some lovely posh Tim Holtz feet for the bottom but they were just a tad too big. I had to use some plastic beads instead. Never mind, I have four beautiful feet for another project ! x Lavinia

less is more - yellow

Over at less is more challenge blog which you can find here the challenge this week is to use yellow on your creation. I love yellow but don`t very often use it when making something. I should use it more often I think. I was going to make just a one layer card, working directly onto the card blank. However, my first attempt went well until I decided to use the new distress markers directly onto the girls face stamp and stamp it onto the card blank. That technique just did not work with this outline style stamp, there was just not enough definition especially with the sun behind her. That was when I then discovered that that was the last white square card blank I had ! grrr, I really must make a list of basic card supplies and restock. Its all very well buying new stamps etc but then you forget you actually need the basics to work on Lol. So then it was plan B. I found some yellow card blanks, used the back of my card disaster no 1 to savalage something and started again. I made a mask to sponge distress inks in scattered straw, mustard seed and wild honey through for my sun. I overstamped the birds from Tim Holtz over the top. I then stamped the girl which is a Paperbag stamp in black archival and watercoloured her with the distress markers which worked out much better. Another Tim Holtz scratch stamp gave a bit more interest round the edge. Matted onto black gloss card and finished with a Tim Holtz sentiment. I like the contrast of the black with the bright yellow. I hope it fits in with the Less is more criteria but will completely understand if it doesn`t. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Monday 30 April 2012

less is more sketch

The scan does not really show my card up very well but as my photography skills are equally usless it will have to do. The challenge over at Less is more this week is to follow one of two sketches, you can find them here. My craft stamper magazine came today and I was very taken with the article by Joanne Allison. Basically you just take your distress ink pad and press it down onto your card blank to make an impression then stamp over it. She used blue with fish stamps. I chose crushed olive then overstamped with my dragonfly. I used a clear sparkle pen from Sakura for the dragonflies wings but I don`t think it shows up here. I also used a scoring board to emboss two lines either side of my happy birthday but I don`t think that has shown up either ! This technique is ideal for those quick last minute cards that you need in ten minutes flat or is that just me Lol ? x Lavinia

Saturday 28 April 2012

ATC

The challenge over at the Stampotique challenge blog which you can find here is to make an ATC. Now I must admit initially my heart sank as I have given up on making these as I felt I am so usless at them. I don`t know what it is that I find so hard, it could be the small scale of them. Often the stamps I want to use don`t translate to such small a piece of card. However, I feel I`m in a bit of a crafting rut at the moment so decided to just bite the bullet and go with it. My other Stampotique monster has come out to play today. In fact I only have four Stampotique stamps in total Lol, something I feel I need to remedy because they are really quirky which I love. I kept things really simple. I used distress inks in tumbled glass, then broken china over a crafters workshop chicken wire template. A small piece of paper found in my scraps box to ground him. The monster was coloured in with copic markers. Now if I had brains I really would be dangereous. Why ? because it has only just occured to me that you can go into the word program on the computer and type whatever phrase you need DUH !!! so thats just what I did, choosing my font and size. I also choose blue rather than black to tone in with the background. Why on earth didn`t this occur to me sooner ? saves phaffing arround trying to find the right size letters to use on things. So there you go, one ATC. Think I should go off and try some more now. Its still black and raining outside here. Definate crafting weather. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Monday 23 April 2012

twit twoo

quick post today. I`ve been looking at the less is more challenge for ages but equally have not taken part for ages either !. The challenge this week is to use a charm on your card. I have had these owl charms for ages now and have been dying to use them. The owl stamp is from Indigo Blu. I saw it on Judiths blog which you can see here and it was one of those stamps which I had to run off and order straight away. I confess to having a real thing about owls, I just love them. I used nestabilities to cut out my circles. I then used Tim Holtz distress markers to colour in the owl. I think these are the bees knees, the markers and worked really well on a stamp like this. I used a ivy stamp which I`m sure is from Chocolate Baroque to layer at the bottom of the circle. The sentiment I`ve had for ever and came from an old QVC kit from Hot off the Press I think. I then added the ribbon and my charm. So there you go, one quick card and I`m quiet pleased with how it turned out. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Friday 20 April 2012

artful times challenge green bookmark

So the challenge currently running over here at artful times is a sea of green. It has taken me all week to come up with something. I thought I liked green which I do but have realised its not a colour I use much in papercrafting. I think it is quite a hard colour to use actually without everything looking a bit dark. Anyway, being really fed up of doing tags at the moment I decided to do a bookmark which I can use. I have been meaning to do one for ages. I had a new set of stamps from Paper Artsy which I bought Saturday from Ally Pally. I used alcohol inks in shades of green for my owl panel. I used distress inks in bundled sage, crushed olive and forest moss on the backing card. The border at the top is a piece of metal foil which I embossed on a ten seconds studio mould then added another pattern border either side coloured with lettace alcohol ink. I ran a piece of ribbon down the back of the bookmark so that I can find my page really easily and backed it with a piece of patterned paper. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Thursday 12 April 2012

stampotique challenge

OK so I`ve had this madcap idea floating round in my head since I bought my Stampotique monster. Today I saw on their challenge blog which you can find here the challenge is to use doodles in your creation. Hope this counts then as I drew my union jack flag freehand with the aid of the Times world atlas for reference ! I also added Keep calm and carry on to his sign. All my colouring was with copics, don`t think I`ve blended the colours very well tonight but I cannot see properly in artifical light. Thats my excuse anyway Lol. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Thursday 5 April 2012

Tim Holtz April tag take two

Well, yesterdays tag went in the bin ! I hated it and don`t even know what I was thinking of. Everything I craft at the moment seems to take me more than one attempt as it turns out a disaster Lol. Fresh attempt today and it was completely back to the drawing board. I used weathered wood and iced spruce distress inks for all the colouring. The script stamp and harlequin are both from Hero Arts, the bird is from Chocolate Baroque. The frame was a freebie from some craft magazine that I`ve had for ever. I did use distress embossing powder over the harlequin pattern but am still not convinced I like this product. The bird was stamped onto grunge paper and blinged up a bit with sakura gel pens. I`m much happier with this attempt, hope you all agree with me. x Lavinia

Wednesday 4 April 2012

two cards and a tag

The two cards I made yesterday to give myself a start to a stock of birthday cards. I am fed up with rushing to make something at the last minute Lol. Am obviously in a green and purple kind of mood at the moment. The Iris stamps are from Chocolate Baroque. The tag was supposed to be for Tims April tag, however, now I`ve made it I`m really not that enamoured with it. I think my background overpowers everything else. I am going to look at it tomorrow before I decide whether to upload it to Tims blog, probably not. Any constructive comments are welcome. I think I am a bit fed up of making tags at the minute and out of practise with card making ! Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Monday 2 April 2012

artful times challenge

well, here we are again. So much for my good intentions of blogging far more regulary. I have not taken part in any challenges for ages especially since the just for fun challenge blog sadly closed. However, Von, Sam and Neet are back with a new challenge blog called artful times. The first challenge started on Friday and it was to make a tag. Seems to be all I manage to make lately what with the Alpha tag swap and Tim Holtz tag of the month ! I was at a bit of a loss which theme to use as there was not one specified. However, a look through my stamps soon gave an answer. The lady image is a paper artsy stamp set that I have had for ever but not used for ages. I stamped it then coloured in with copics. The background I tried out a new technique for me that I had seen on someones blog ages ago. Its a faux mother of pearl background, it doesn`t really show up in the scan but is really pretty in real life. I pounced white liquid pearls on a polythene bag onto a tag cut from glossy card. Once this was dry, I went over the tag with distress inks in victorian velvet, spun sugar and dusty concord. Its gives a lovely soft subtle effect. I didn`t want to go with traditional seaside colours for this, I was in a pink and purple sort of mood. The background shell stamps are from hero arts. I then stamped them again onto shrink plastic to make my embellishments at the bottom. I don`t use shrink plastic that often and don`t know why because it is fun to use if a bit scary ! Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Thursday 22 March 2012

monster birthday

I had a lot of fun yesterday morning making an inky painty background for this card. The monster stamp is from Stampotique. I had seen these stamps used by Kate Crane in Craft Stamper and loved them. They are cute but quirky with it and not overly sweet. However, I could not find a stockist in the UK so was then thrilled to find the stamp attic which you can find here stock them. On Kates blog which you can find here she has a card which uses this stamp made for her nephews birthday. Well, it is my nephews birthday today, so I took inspiration from that to make my own version. I used a crafters workshop template with distress inks for my background. I only used part of the template. I then found some more plastic stencils which I`d forgotten I even had and used that to stipple paint through for the swirls. I also used the edge of a credit card to make lines and a bottle top for some more circles. It was such fun to just go with the flow and see how things progressed with no aim in mind. The monster is coloured in with copics and I stamped happy birthday onto his sign. The sign is blank on the stamp which is really useful as you could stamp any message in there. I found an old piece of dictionary paper for my `mountain` which he is standing on. That was that, I mounted the whole thing onto a turquoise card blank which I felt matched my blue monster and made the orange background stand out. I will definately be making more cards like this again and big thanks to Kate for the inspiration. x Lavinia

Friday 9 March 2012

Tim Holtz March tag

This is my take on Tim Holtzs` March tag. He has decided to do a tag for each month instead of the 12 tags of Christmas. February completely passed me by I am afraid so March it is then !. The main technique he showed for this tag was how to make the mosaic butterfly. I have not got the mover and shaper butterfly die he used so I used my spellbinder one. I die cut and did two butterflies but they were a bit too big to both fit on my tag. I used some thickish cardboard with the wondertape adhered to it. I haven`t got the embossing powder he used either so used opaque black. In hindsight I think I should have gone for a more colourful background on my tag to make the butterfly pop, I`m not sure the grungy background tag really matches my butterfly. Shall try another background with the other one. I did really enjoy trying this out however and would definately do this again as it was fairly easy albeit fiddly to do. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

Wednesday 7 March 2012

Alphatag swaps for Chocolate Baroque

I really do not know where the days go, here we are in March already. I haven`t shared anything lately though I don`t think I have been that productive either. I`ve moved all my crafting things into the dinning room to hopefully give me more space to work. The only thing is I need to go and buy a blind for the window because there are no curtains up and my dinning room faces onto the street outside - its like sitting in a goldfish bowl Lol. I have been taking part in a Alphatag swap on the Chocolate Baroque ning group. Each month we make two or three tags for the letter of the alphabet given and send them in to be swapped over. We have already done letters A through to D. However, I forgot to scan mine before I sent them off. This month it is letters E, F and G. The above tag is my E for England using the new Crafty Indivuals stamps. I used distress inks in chipped sapphire, stormy sky and barn door for my background then overstamped the sayings in versafine. I cut out some of the elements and embossed them for the main image.
The next tag is F for Floral. Probably not the most original intereptation but never mind. I used a floral stamp from Chocolate Baroque for this one stamped onto a background paper which is also a Chocolate Baroque one.
The last one is G for green, gold and grass. I used a crafters workshop template for my background with glimmer mist. I really like these stencils, only bought two to try but definately will invest in some more. This pattern is blazonry. I then overstamped with Chocolate Baroque stamps from the Nature theme stampset in two shades of green ink. I also stamped some leaves in gold and embossed them at the top of the tag as it looked a bit bare. I need to go play with all the other stash I`ve bought now as I have been really naughty this month ! too many tempting new things comming into the shops at this time of year. x Lavinia

Wednesday 25 January 2012

jff challenge art nouveau

oh its Wednesday already and I realised I`d not done a challenge this week. A super quick effort from me then ! the challenge over at just for fun this week was Art Nouveau which you can find here I found two wood mounted stamps which I`ve had since don`t know when which fitted the theme. I think the lady is a very old elusive images one and the corner stamp I have no idea of. I used a pearlescent pink card blank and brilliance ink in crimson copper embossed with clear embossing powder. I think I need to invest in a stamp positioner because my corners are very wonky but never mind. Did you know you can actually wipe off brilliance ink off of pearlescent cardstock if you are quick ? don`t ask me how I know Lol. A dark pink/red colour ribbon finished things off. So there you go, a very quick card which would be ideal for last minute birthday cards I feel. Thanks for popping by x Lavinia

Tuesday 17 January 2012

jff challenge - art deco

Well here we are mid way through January already. I swear the older I get the quicker the time goes. A very quick make for me today. The challenge over at Just for Fun which you can find here this week is art deco. Now that just has to be my favourite era. I love the clothes, the shoes , the architecture, everything. I still seem to be in tag mode at the moment so appologies for yet another tag but this just seemed to come together quickly without loads of faffing which makes a change. I used distress inks in antique linen and tattered rose direct to paper for my background. All the stamps except for the Eiffle tower which is a B line one are Hero Arts. The main image was stamped then coloured in with copics. The rest of the stamping was just with Ranger black archival ink. Hope you like it x Lavinia