Thinking of You with Dragonflies

Hi All,
It's Friday again, thank goodness. I thought that I ought to blog a little earlier before I fall asleep again.
As you saw from my sneak peek yesterday I have some dragonflies to share with you tonight.

I just love this fabulous Dragonfly stamp from Stampendous, and as usual I got a little bit carried away.
Still at least that means a few less pieces added to my 'Bits Box'.

The background to this card has been created by running waxed paper through an embossing machine inside a folder, and then ironing the resulting piece sandwiched inside two pieces of glossy cardstock.
This transfers the wax to the card forming a resist image.

Once dye based ink has been sponged over the card the embossed pattern shows up as if by magic.
The dragonfly has been stamped and embossed onto this panel and then the wings painted with Watercolour Pearlex.

Make sure that the sponged panel is completely dry before stamping and embossing onto it otherwise the embossing powder will stick to everything making painting the image more difficult.

The thing with using a craft sheet when sponging is that as well as making blending easier, you also end up with lots of extra ink on the sheet after you have finished sponging.

This always seems like such a waste to me so I keep a stash of small pieces of card (off cuts from other projects) on my desk and before I clean the sheet I spritz the ink with water and wipe the card through it.

This can give you lots of fabulous pieces of inky background card that you can use in your projects.

I added some sentiments, ribbon and charms to this card as well as some more dry embossed background paper.

I have also stamped onto these pieces using the same inks and the leafy part of the stamp.

 Here I have also stamped and clear embossed the image randomly onto the Kraft card.

 I stamped with Pearlex onto the central panel of this card as well

I did a bit of spotlighting here too by stamping the image on to the edge of the inky panel and then layering it over another stamped image on the main card.

I have added some white embossing to this panel

along with a handmade flower and some other bits and pieces from my stash.

I hope that you like these cards and that they have given you a few ideas.
I have another class at Davina's tomorrow afternoon and then I really must get on with some more DT work. I have two lovely parcels to start work on so I can see it being a very crafty weekend.
Have a good one.
Hugs Kimx

Add a touch of Charm at Crafty Cardmakers.

Hi All
We have a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More where our Host Josephine is looking for a charm to be added to your project.

I chose a piece of handmade background from my stash and stamped and embossed the fabulous  CRR175 Leaf Background by Stampendous  over it using the same colours.

Unfortunately my camera has not shown it up terribly well. Maybe I need to ask Father Christmas for a new one!!

I fussy cut a couple of separate leaves, and added a small leaf charm.

Why not stop by and see what the rest of my lovely Teamies have come up with to inspire you.
Happy Crafting.
Hugs Kimx
 

Gone Fishing

Hi All
No Internet connection yesterday, so there went all my good intentions.
The start of the new school year also saw the birthday of the Twins Headmaster. They both wanted to give him a card, so here is the one that Ciaran chose.

Luckily I have quite a stash of cards for just such an occasion, although not too many are cards for men.

I wonder if this is how the Head likes to spend his weekends?

The fish panel has been coloured using Distress Inks.

I painted the fish in the green panel with thin neat bleach, and added some fishing line and a charm.

The back of the card has been embossed with leaves and then sponged with more Distress Ink.
There is a combination of Woodware and Hobby Art stamps here which just goes to show how lucky I am to work with two such fabulous companies.
Better try and  get some sleep, my arm is giving my jip tonight.

Hugs Kimx

Best Friends

Evening Everyone,
I am currently writing this post at the lovely Sylvie’s, aka ‘Granny London’, as my phone/Internet connection has gone again.
I wouldn’t have bothered, but I set up a scheduled post for tomorrow full of gobbledygook when I was showing Sylvie how to do things on the blog last week.
I’m not sure that Dorothy would appreciate a post full of rubbish as my contribution to the Woodware challenge this week so I needed to get on line to change things.
So I figured that I might as well post something for tonight as well.

This card was made for my eldest daughter’s best friend who is 40 today. She decided that as you are only 40 once she is having a birthday WEEK so there has been lots of celebrating.

I chose the LOTV topper as it makes me think of the two of them having a girly chat over coffee. I’m not sure that they ever get the chance what with the kids and everything, but a girl can dream lol.

The background papers are from my stash and I used my favourite Hobby Art stamp on the left hand side of the main element. This was cut out using a large Go Create die and my E-Bosser.
I also added a DooHickey heart, greeting and some girly charms.

I added a bit of medical gauze under the topper and used the frayed threads to tie on the charms.

The flowers and leaves are cut from background paper and card using assorted dies.
I also added a little bit of glitz to the flowers with a Wink of Stella brush pen.
I thought that I would enter this into the challenge over at Feeling Crafty where they are looking for 'One for the Girls.'
My Girls will be having a fun filled weekend, and in some very pleasant weather too.
Better get my scheduled post sorted out before I outstay my welcome.
Hugs Kimx

Just for You Grandpa

Wow that sure was a shock to the system. Back to real work and standing on my feet for 8 hours!!
To cap it all I have a new pair of work boots to break in, steel toe caps no less, and one of them has been badly finished off inside. Of course I didn't notice this until I was already at work and in agony lol. Thank goodness it is going to be a very short week.

My card tonight was made for my old Boss who has just become a Grandad for the first time.

The pre-coloured image is from one of the new Lili of the Valley Art Pads  that I bought at the NEC.

I added a little Stardust pen to the image and matched it to papers from my stash, I also added a tiny silver charm which I bought while I was at SirStampalot.

The sentiments are a combination of Inky Antics and Hobby Art.
I'm not sure what my friend is going to be called, perhaps GRUMPS would be appropriate, but I thought that Grandpa might give him a laugh.
Hugs Kimx

A Fishing Trip

Evening All
Well where on earth did all of that rain come from? I don't know what it has been like in your neck of the woods but here it has been absolutely chucking it down!!
Typical Bank Holiday weather I suppose, but with the kids away for the weekend camping it could have waited until next week to be so miserable couldn't it?

This is another of the cards that I have made for one of the numerous male birthdays that there are this month.

The central image and sentiment are from Lili of the Valley and I added a punched border strip and some ribbon

as well as some punched leaves and a fish charm.
The background papers are from my stash but are all from Basic Grey 6 x 6 paper pads.
I'm sure that the family will be having a good time what ever the weather, who knows they might have even got in a little fishing as well.
Hugs Kimx

Where shall we go on Holiday with Crafty Cardmakers

Evening Everyone

Hasn't the weather been beautiful again. At least today there has been a little bit of a breeze, and as I have been back at work there has been the air con so I have coped.

Today we started a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers where Josephine has chosen the theme 'Holiday'. 

She would like to see projects that depicts or is inspired by a holiday, maybe one that you have already taken or one that you would like to have, but have not gotten around to yet.

I found this one quite hard for me as I don't really 'Do Holidays', unless it's my 'Crafty Holiday' staying at SirStampalot.
As a child we had travelling holidays. 
My Dad loved driving, so over the years our holidays would be spent driving through just about every country in Europe, both large and small. 
We never stayed in one place for more than a couple of days. It usually worked out that we visited 14 countries in 14 days!!!!!!
Jenni, Jason and the Grandchildren like their camping and caravan holidays. And when I think of these I always think of the numerous lists that Jenni writes in the weeks leading up to the holiday. At least she rarely forgets anything.
So my card for this challenge evokes my memories of childhood holidays with Jenni writing her holiday lists. 

We are sponsored this time by SIR STAMPALOT with a fabulous Hero Arts embossing folder and stamp set which I was lucky enough to play with as well.

The background has been stamped and embossed using black Versafine and clear embossing powder and then coloured using Distress inks - Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Brushed Corduroy.

I have used the same inks to paint Tilda Writing Dairy (Jenni writing holiday lists) which I fussy cut and mounted over an assortment of stamped images, also from SirStampalot.

The various stamped and embossed images of famous places have been cut out using circular and oval nesties.
I also added a couple of charms

and some tiny hand drawn dots.

The sentiment has been added using an old Stampendous set SSC219 Small Typewriter Alphabet.
I have to go to bed now as I am starting work at 5am again tomorrow.
Don't forget to stop by and show the rest of the DT some love, and maybe give the challenge a try.
Look forward to seeing you there.
Hugs Kimx

Lavender and Lace

Hi All
Hasn't the weather been glorious today, maybe we are going to get some summer after all!!
One of the cards that I have had to make recently is this one ordered by a lady who comes into the BP garage where I work.
Her only request was Yellow, Lavender and Butterflies so I immediately thought of this lovely Clarity Montage stamp.
For once I was actually sensible and found my papers first instead of trying to match my coloured image to my papers. Who knew lavender was so hard to match up!!

The background papers are all from my stash and the inks were Dusty Concord and Squeezed Lemonade Distress Inks.

 I decoupaged the central butterfly and painted the tiny ones on the panel with thin undiluted bleach.

The Montage stamp has matching single butterflies which I am lucky enough to own, so I added a couple of them as well as a flower, lace and some die cut leaves.

I found some tiny butterfly charms in my stash and an appropriate greeting.

I never realized  I had so many butterfly related items lol.
I hand delivered the card on Monday, so no need for a box Gilly, it was actually surprisingly flat.
I would like to enter it into the following challenges
Totally Gorjuss - Anything Goes with Flowers
Make My Monday - Use Lace and/or Ribbon
Incy Wincy Designs - Bring on Spring
Hugs Kimx

Birthday Wishes with Clarity

Evening Everyone
I hope that you are all well.
I have had more unexpected babysitting duties this evening so crafting has taken a back seat again today.
Fortunately I had a reasonably successful weekend so I have several cards ready to send, and share with you.

This card was made for a young man that we have know for a long time. I have used a rather nice Clarity stamp for the main panel which I stamped with Versamark ink and coloured using a cotton ball and Decorating Chalks.

I added the greeting using a Hobby Art stamp and Sepia Versafine ink.

The background papers are from my stash and I added some twine and a small charm.
Lets hope I manage some crafting tomorrow, although I have promised the twins that we will finish the DVD when they get home from school so we will have to see what happens after that.
Hugs Kimx