Monday 30 April 2012

Gardening Gems

Nothing like a bit of last minute.  I'm still doing designs for my friends invitations and as such thought I would enter this one into My Time to Craft Gardening Gems Challenge.

I've attempted to make it look like decking against a lawn, not entirely sure it has worked though! Oh well back to the drawing board.

Speak Soon
Nat -x-

Also entering into Make It Monday 87

Thursday 26 April 2012

Clean and Simple

I am still trying out designs for my friends Grandad's 80th party Invites and have gone in a slightly more minimalist direction which I thought fitted Inked Paws Clean and Simple Challenge nicely.

I just designed the image on the computer, printed it out and foiled it with green foil then inked the edges with Pine Needles DI!
Just for something a bit different

Speak Soon
Nat -x-

Starting Early with Sassy Studios

Aaaah I am so behind with challenges for this week!! I've been busy trying to get my website up and running, which it now is! If anyone wants to pop over and give me any feedback or advice on what they think or if I could make anything better I would much appreciate it, the link is here.

Anyway back to the business in hand: Over at Sassy Studio Designs we are being organised and doing CHRISTMAS CARDS!! I know scary right! And today is the first sunny day here in the UK for a good couple of days as its been pouring down.  I shall also be entering this into the Divas By Design Buttons and/or Bows Challenge.

 So this image is a Sassy Studio one, She is actually the Saint Patricks Day image, but I'm kinda hoping I can pass her off as a Christmas one with he colouring I've done.  This is also my first attempt at highlights lol!


 The music background is a Tim Holtz stamp I just got and this is the first time I have used it and I LOVE it!!
This is a homemade button made from Polymer Clay and then I just put a little bow over the top to finish off.

Speak Soon
Nat -x-
Make It Monday 86

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Compendium of Curiosities 2 Challenge Technique 2

So it's onto technique 2 for The Compendium of Curiosities 2 Challenge over at Studio L3.  Big Thank You to Laura and Angie for picking this technique as I have finally been able to justify to myself the buying of some Alcohol Inks! I can't possibly miss a challenge can I?! (Tee Hee)

So this technique is called Faux Patina and can be found on page 58 of Tim's Book and here is my offering!



I decided to do both techniques described in the book on the one card!! And I love the effect!! So Cool!!

Speak Soon
Nat -x-

Monday 23 April 2012

Garden Themed Invitations

Hello Bloggers,

My friend has asked me to make some Invitations for her Grandad's 80th Birthday party, something with a Garden Theme! So I have been having a play this morning and so far have come up with 2 ideas:

They're quite a few of the same elements but are different shapes and I think/hope have different feels to them.

 I did the backgrounds of both using various Distress Inks and everything had been cut out using my Art Nouveau Cartridge.


 This is the second one:




 So fingers crossed she will like one or other of them.
Speak Soon
Nat -x-

I shall also be entering these into An Oldie But a Goodie On the Farm or in the Garden (my old items are all the papers used they've been sitting around for AGES and also my Distress Inks!!) and Make It Monday 86


Saturday 21 April 2012

Little Mermaid Birthday Card

I was going through some old photographs the other day and came across a folder of a load of things I made back in 2009, and came across this card I made for my Best Friend for her 21st Birthday that I was incredibly proud of so thought I'd share it with you guys :-)

Sorry about the poor picture angles, obviously hadn't quite got the hang of taking pictures lol!
For this weeks Saturday Challenge my Film Inspiration is of course Disney's The Little Mermaid. 




Speak Soon
Nat -x-

Friday 20 April 2012

A Pearly Photo Frame

Hello Bloggers

I started this project a while ago, just because I wanted to try something a bit different and it's just been sitting around on the work surface for weeks not really doing much.  So I have finally decided to finish it off! Now it's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination (but then what is) but I feel like it's a good starting point!

 I cut the shape out of my Cricut (making the frame with the Gypsy) out of a cereal box (I think) cause the thicker chipboard just kept getting stuck in the rollers, very annoying so if anyone has any tips or advice on what type of chipboard will happily go through the cricut I would hugely appreciate it!  Then I painted it with white pearl acrylic paint.
 Oh before I painted it I cut out these corners from the Tim Holtz Hanging Door Die cut and stuck those on first.  The roses are made from white polymer clay and I made them from a mould I made a while back from a Resin Rose my Aunt had put on a necklace for me, (I used Silicone Plastique to make it which I got here and it's so much fun!!)

 I added some freehand pearl paint swirls in the corners just to add a bit of texture.
I still need to work out the best way to make a stand but for now the basic form is complete and I'm pretty happy with it!! I shall be entering this into Diva's By Design Anything But a Card and of course Make It Monday.

Speak Soon
Nat -x-

Thursday 19 April 2012

Wedding Easel Card

Hello fellow bloggers.

Today's card is a new one for me - a circular easel card.  I shall be entering this into 3 challenges Make It Monday 85, Sassy Studio Designs Dare to be Sassy - Flowers and Flourishes and The Cutie Pie Challenge which is currently Circles.

 The image is called With This Ring from Di at Di's Digi Downloads a ridiculously talented lady, so definitely check out her range if you can!  I coloured it in with coloured pencils, I really need to invest in some Copics or Promarkers or something, but colouring really isn't my strong point - must learn.
 Anyhoos I cut out the base with my Gypsy.
 And made the flower by cutting out 3 Scalloped Circle Nesties and cutting and gluing into a 3D flower, I'm sure everyone knows the technique!
 The flourishes are from the Storybook Cartridge with the Cricut
Then I just used a peel off sentiment, matted, layered and stuck it to the base with foam tape for the stopper! Really rather pleased with my first proper easel card yay!!

Speak Soon
Nat -x-

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Steampunk Time Card

Hello bloggers.

I had a very enjoyable and creative time making this card for the Anything Goes challenge blog who's theme this week was Time or Steampunk and I've gone with a slight mix of both.

 I'm actually very proud of this card as I made the clock from scratch using my Gypsy cause I didn't actually have anything that would cut out a clock.  I then went over it with Vintage Photo DI and clear embossed it.  The clock hands are from Gypsy Wanderings and I used the technique I posted in my last post for those (love it)!
 I found a sentiment related to time, played around me some mixed fonts and then printed it out, inked and distressed it a bit.
 The gold mirror board in the back was embossed with the christmas all in one folder from cuttlebug
 I made some little paper flowers to finish it off.

Its a completely circular card cause I remembered that I had a challenge that I wanted to enter that was all circles but it was for The Cutie Pie Challenge and this isn't a particularly cute card lol so I'll have to do something else for that.  I am entering into Make It Monday though!

Speak Soon
Nat -x-

Monday 16 April 2012

In The Deep End with A Man's Card

Happy Monday fellow bloggers!!

I tackled A Man's Card today for the Secret Saturday Challenge, and decided to link it with the In The Deep challenge from Cupcake Craft Challenges which has asked to create depth on the card.

In order to create the depth on the frame I have used a technique I found on You Tube ages ago and absolutely love, here is the video:

And here is my card:




 I made these buttons out of Polymer Clay and then rubbed over them with some copper crackle paint.

I shall also be entering this into Make It Monday 85

Speak Soon
Nat -x-

Sunday 15 April 2012

Fairyful Gatefold Card

Hello again all,

In my mission to do some more challenges I have once again combined 2, just because I rather like the extra challenge that adds :-)!

For this card I combined My Time to Craft Challenge - Fairy Nice and Platypus Creek - Fancy Folds, the image is from Platypus Creek I just made her into a fairy with some Felt Butterfly wings!



 I love this image she is so sweet! Also added a bit of brushless watercolour which I learnt from the oh so fabulous Tim Holtz!!

I shall also be squeezing this into the end of Make It Monday 84 nothing like a bit of last minute!!
Speak Soon
Nat -x-