I've been painting again!

Morning! Here's my latest creation that I'd like to share...........it's a picture frame I've painted for a friends birthday. It started out looking like this.......

Here's how I made it:
I painted the crackle effect on the frame by first using a pale pink acrylic, followed by a good layer of PVA glue and then a final layer of cream acrylic over the top. I heated with my heat gun and watched those cracks appear! Next I die cut swirls and flower shapes (Marianne Creatables dies) from grunge paper. I painted the flowers using the double loaded brush folk art paint method as used by Sheena Douglass in her Paint Fusion technique (although sadly this is barely noticeable now the petals are layered up into the rose....will do better next time!!) The swirls were covered in versamark and gold embossing powder and heated until sparkling!
Finally, I layered up the petals curling them to make the rose and stuck everything onto the frame before sealing it all with a layer of gel medium.
Thanks for looking, back again soon x

Birthday cakes!

Another day, another card!!
I have lots of family and friends birthdays over the next few months so have quite a few cards to make and will be adding them all to my blog as I go!! Here's one I've made for a friends birthday.
I cut the base from kraft card using my new X-Cut scalloped rectangles die and also a nestie scallop and plain ovel die for the image. I've used a lovely image from Lili of the Valley coloured with ProMarkers and distress ink on watercolour paper......I've read lots of comments saying never to use watercolour paper with ProMarkers/Copics but I have found it the best so far :0). The background paper is from Wild Rose Studio and I've used lace, a hatpin and ribbon from my stash and made the lovely swirls and roses using my favourite Marianne dies.
Also, check out my fancy new watermark!!.........I bought it from Sentiments 4 you.


I'm entering this card into Die Cut Dreams challenge - A recipe

That's all for now.......really must go do some housework :(  x

My first Christmas card!!

Well here is my first Christmas card...I've designed this one as my simple 'quick to make' design for this year (!) which I shall make several of quickly and then take my time making the more special cards for close friends and family. I went to the Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts show yesterday and stocked up on new cutting dies amongst other things and so had to have a play last evening.......and here's the result! I've used a Go Kreate die to make the card blank, a Craft Concepts Merry Christmas embossing folder to make the background and highlighted with distress ink. The pine branch is a Marianne die cut from green card and the bauble (also a Marianne die) is cut from gold mirror card with red glitter card behind. A red bow completes the bauble. I've adhered the background and branch flat to the card and raised the bauble up with silicon to add a bit of dimension. Now to make a few more in varying colours...........

I'm entering this one in the Allsorts challenge - Keep it simple.

Thanks for looking......back soon x

A birthday card

Well I'm back again with another card!! This one I've made for my mum's birthday next week. We're on holiday in Cornwall at the moment, in a lovely lodge at Gwel An Mor, Portreath and once the little people have gone off to sleep I've managed to get out my craft stash and make a card!! This one uses backing papers that were free with my magazine, the lovely Wild Rose Studio image coloured with ProMarkers and inked around the edges with distress inks, I've used a Marianne die for the lovely corner and to make my handmade roses. The ticket stamp and die are from Whimsy.

I'm entering this card into A Gem of A Challenge Challenge #30 A sketch

A retirement card

Evening all, well it's been a little hectic around here of late but here I am back again with another card. I've made this one for a lady at work who is retiring. I've used a lovely image from Wild Rose Studio coloured with ProMarkers, a ticket stamp and die from Whimsy (to which I've added my own sentiment!), a swirly die from Marianne creatables, ribbon and designer paper from my stash.

  

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

A Gem of A Challenge  Colour Inspiration Challenge

Allsorts Challenge Blog  Flowers and Swirls