The Dreamy Fairy

Hello, I hope all is going well where you are. I thought yesterday was chilly, today the temperature has dropped even more. If it's like this where you are I suggest you snuggle up with a cup of something hot and have a read!
We have heard some good work news. It looks like we will be overseas in Kenya for 6 weeks in August. This will be a great trip as we will combine it with seeing family and friends whilst we are travelling anyway. I can already envisage the great long talks that I will have with you Clare when we get over to see you.

Today's card (and I cannot believe that I am managing a card each day!! So far so good!) is another experiment. It has some common ingredients to others I have made - - yep you've guessed it, there is a Spellbinders die or two in it!

Here it is:

I have called it "The Dreamy Fairy" you can of course see why.

How was it constructed?

I began again with my DCWV matchmakers card stock "neutral" stack and using the Spellbinders Labels 23 (S4 - 347) die, cut a folded layered piece of the green card stock (ensuring I kept the die just over the edge of the fold to create the hinge of the card).
Then I cut a piece of MME - Follow Your Heart - Be Happy design paper to fit inside the shape of the card and also added a middle strip of Kaisercraft - Sweet Nothings design paper.
Using a paper piercer I made holes all round the edges of the combined Design Papers and then used a pencil to join all the dots and make it look like it had been stitched (Faux Stitching Technique) Thanks Angie Crockett from Our Daily Bread Designs for this inspiration.
Then using the Spellbinders Splendid Circles S4 - 354 and some more of the MME - Follow Your Heart - Be Happy design paper cut and embossed the bottom layer of the centre medallion. I used DST (Double Sided Tape) to add this to my "Faux stitched" panel; this than enabled me to see where I would add my ribbon, which I did next and then added a bow of the same ribbon on the top.

I stamped my Fairy twice onto  Neenah Solar white card using a Memento Rich Cocoa ink pad.
The stamp is one I have had for a while, it is from PSX (Personal Stamp Exchange G-3247)
who do not make them any more (After January 2007). You may find it and similar Fairies (there is a set of them) on e-bay.
Using my Prisma Color Pencils, Gamsol and stumps I coloured and blended one of the images until I was happy with it. I then fussy cut it out ready to layer on top of the other image which I cut out and embossed using Spellbinders Circles LG (S4 - 114).
I used Copics B000 and B00 to colour the background, then I layered the two fairy images on top of one another using foam pads. Then added the Fairies to the medallion already placed on my card using DST.

I made a sentiment using Silver Mirri Card from Flourishes and decorative edge scissors. The stamp sentiment is from Fleur De Lis Labels 20  JustRite stamps and not available there (I have added a link to where I know you can still get it).

Finally adding a few pearls from Want2scrap finishes my card.







Here is the list of ingredients I used to make this card:

I really appreciate you stopping by to look at today's' card, maybe even add a comment  - Thanks.

The Little Mermaid

Thanks for stopping by. I hope everything in your world is going well. It's a bit chilly here at present so the winter gear is out of the closet!
I was Blog hopping between some of my favourite Design Team bloggers and came across "La La Land" stamps, and more particularly I was introduced to the Marci and Luka characters. Then I also discovered that you could download Digi images from their site. Well! Decision made I had to have a closer look. I chose a couple of images to start with as I also was honing my colouring skills. I had recently purchased some Prisma Color Pencils as well as a couple of Copic Sketch markers.
My card today is one of my first attempts using these digi stamps with Mermaid Marci, my pencils and my Copics. Of course it goes without saying that I have also used lots of Spellbinders dies.
I hope you like it.

This is an easel card.
 (Please forgive my Mug of Tea also shown at the edge of my photo - it is another picture taken on our dining table -  I will get better at taking these pictures!!!)

Lets Break the construction down a bit.

I regularly use the DCWV matchmakers Cardstock stacks which are a textured card stock and heavy enough to use for card bases.
Firstly I cut the card base (on two layers of card) and also one other piece on a single layer using Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Circles (LF - 124) using a dark green card stock 12" x 12" sheet. (Making sure the die didn't cut one of the edges so I kept a hinge at the edge of the card.)
I then cut two circles using the Spellbinders Grand Circles (LF - 114) from a dark cream card stock and embossed them using both sides of the Spellbinders Sea Beauty M-Bossibilities (ES - 007) folder.
Using Spellbinders Parisian Motifs (S5 - 035) I cut a piece from the same dark green card as my card base as a mat layer behind my image of Marci.
The "stopper" on the flat base of the card was cut from the Spellbinders Fancy Tags Three (S5 - 031) dies and embellished using Want2scrap nestabling pearls that fit this particular dies shape.

Colouring Marci was a real experiment.
I played around with Blue, Green, Purple and Lilac colours for her tail, top and starfish  hair decoration.
FOR MARCI'S HAIR: I used my Copics and Pencils, I will remember the numbers of the Copics next time I use them so I can repeat the process!
FOR HER SKIN: I used my Prisma pencils - cream, beige, ivory and blush pink. I blended the colours using the Gamsol technique - here is a great Tutorial from Inky Antics showing how this works.
I typed and printed out the "Happy Mother's Day" sentiment on my computer and cut it our using .... yes you've guessed it another Spellbinders die - the smallest of the scalloped ovals LG (S4 - 111).

Here is a closer view of the "Stopper" I created. Again I typed and printed the sentiment which is a quote I found on one of these quote websites that are now available (I searched on "Mother" and Google found it for me!!) Then used the Spellbinders Fancy Tags Three (S5 - 031) dies to cut it out, I used foam pads to raise it from the card base to act as the "stopper" for the card front.
I think he pearls were a nice "under the sea" touch for this card.




CARD RECIPE:
Cardstock: Dark Green and Cream 12' x 12" sheets from DCWV matchmakers Cardstock stacks
Dies: Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Circles, Spellbinders Grand Circles, Spellbinders Sea Beauty M-Bossibilities, Spellbinders Parisian Motifs, Spellbinders Fancy Tags Three, scalloped ovals LG
Stamps:  "La La Land" Marci Digital stamps,
Accessories: Prisma Color Pencils, Gamsol and stumps, Copic Sketch Markers, Want2scrap nestabling pearls, Foam Pads.

Ingredients that I used in picture format:

                                         I really appreciate you looking at my blog today. Thanks.

This one is for you Clare!

I cannot believe that I have created my own blog; and all by myself too! The difficulty it seems was in my head. I made the discovery that once you get started, it is a pretty logical process and that you can always change and update how it looks later.

I decided to begin my blogging Journey with a couple of "Z" fold cards that I created this week. I was inspired by a Tutorial from Cheryl which can be found on YouTube here.

Please forgive the photography I took the pictures on the Dining Room Table and one or two maybe a little out of focus. Early days and room for improvement I think!

OK. My first card was my first X card ever.

 This is the front of the card fully extended. I used Black 12" x 12" card stock for my card base and Jacie's Vintage 12" x 12" Papers from HOTP for the matting and layering.






The front panel uses a Doily that I picked up at my local Coffee Shop, which I threaded with a thin piece of ribbon (from my stash) in addition a bow from  Bella! Ribbon Bowz that was in a pack of 10 and on Sale.

The Middle panel I decorated with a Dress, Hat and Bag made using a very old Template I have, which I covered in black card and then decorated with some pink flowers cut from a piece of tape from my stash.

For the last panel I used a Memory Box Die - La Rue Heart on a piece of Pink card stock, a pewter embellishment (from my stash) a Pink Flower (from Spotlight) a sentiment panel from WISHMADE 3D Stickers found at www.craftybitz.co.uk.

Nice view of the table huh!
This is the back of the card showing the secret writing panel which fits inside the very last panel which is in fact a pocket!
The dies used on the back middle panel are Memory Box - are the two sizes of the Tilda Swirl die.
The metal gardening can embellishment is from my stash and another of those bows from Bella!



My second version of the same style of card is in Blue!

I did mention that I was a Spellbinders Fan right? Well this card is loaded with them.
This picture shows the front of the card opened and extended. I used light blue 12" x 12" card stock for my card base and Jacie's Vintage 12" x 12" Papers from HOTP for the matting and layering.

This shows the first panel which I decorated with a layered medallion using dark Navy blue and white card stock. The Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Pendants (S4 - 204)  die was used to create this medallion.
The white layer of the medallion is made with a Martha Stewart Garden Trellis Punch - Thanks to Jak Heath for that bit of inspiration!
A pearl brad and a piece of ribbon from my stash finished off this front panel.

This middle panel uses Spellbinders Heart Circles (S4 - 316) and Lotus Pendant (S4 - 269) dies. The centre piece was a Bead Fnding and flat pearl (from Zacco Beads).

The last panel was made using Spellbinders Moroccan Motif  Dies (S5 - 065).
I used a white Peel Off to make the Happy Birthday sentiment, matting it on a piece of the same dark navy blue card stock that I had used.

This image shows the back of the card extended out and I have taken out the secret writing panel so that you can see the pocket in the last panel in which it sits.

This is the last image of my Z cards showing the secret writing panel in more detail. The ribbon rosette is made from blue seam binding again Cheryl's Tutorial shows how this is done. In the centre a bead finding with a white resin rose in the middle from Zacco Beads.







Thanks for having a look at my very first blog. I need to go and sit down now!
I guess the learning that I have received today is this quote I often use when teaching presentation skills, "Fear Knocked, Courage answered and there was on no one there!" Meaning you don't know you can until you try!