More Romance

It was our 37th Wedding Anniversary yesterday.

The card I made was quite simple, using the materials I had out on my desk. I think it works though and like the way it turned out.

It’s an A5 white card with a pale green textured backer.

The hearts have been stamped and embossed in white on pearlescent paper and layered up with just a tiny white border. 3 little paper daisies have green brad centres and have been added to the top corner.

The sentiment is also stamped and embossed in white with the whole thing finished off with a few pieces of card candy.

Another wedding card, this time for the couple next door who are getting married in a couple of weeks.

I’ve used white and pale pink pearlescent paper onto white hammered card, a Martha Stewart punch and white embossing powder on the heart stamp.

This time adding a loop of small pink seed beads and a couple of silver peel-offs.

Sue xx

Sugar Bowl #65 take 2

Another card for the Sugar Bowl challenge using the same sketch but a different image.

This is my new Luv a Latte stamp from Sugar Nellie. In good light the pink doesn’t dominate the card quite so much as it appears here, it is after all a blue challenge.

I’ve used Promarkers to colour along with a Cuttlebug folder, Martha Stewart punch and peel-off greeting.

Sue xx

Matching set.

Following on from the memory wire bracelet I did a few weeks ago, I decided to make a necklace to match.

I had to carefully count the seed beads and space them out as they are the last that I have in this lovely colour.

I’ve made 2 bracelets in this colourway now, one chunky incorporating the larger beads and one quite fine using just seed beads. Both are so easy to wear, I love them.

Sue xx

Wedding card

Here at last is the wedding card I was asked to make.The base is hammered white card, overlaid with silver mirror board and pink pearlescent paper with a punched heart border. The sentiment is computer generated.

The hearts have been stamped onto white pearlescent paper, embossed in white and layered up onto mirror board. Swarovski crystals have been hung from the top of each one.

There are 4 pages of inserts, though i’m showing only 3 as the first has a photo of the couple. The centre pages are printed onto the same pink pearlescent paper as on the front while the outer 2 are on super smooth white paper.

This page has 3 verses and a photo of one of my son’s doves.

This has 1 verse and the dove with room for a handwritten message.

The last page is a picture of the vessel on which they will be spending their honeymoon.

The reverse of the card features the same papers as the front. (excuse the finger-marks on the mirror card, they will be wiped off)

The card measures around 19cm square so a single A4 sheet was not big enough, that’s why it’s joined in the back. It also gave me the chance to hide the workings of attaching 4 separate insert papers as they go between the fold and back piece.

Sue xx

Sugar Bowl #65

Another challenge from the Sugar Bowl challenge blog. A sketch to follow and the colour blue to be used.

Having 3 Grandaughters and only 1 Grandson most of my crafting tends to be pink or purple but I found a piece of blue backing paper in my Henbury Lane stack to use. I teamed it with pink roses from the same pad, a Martha Stewart punch and some white ribbon. The bow is hung with a silver jump ring. The image is Daisy from Sugar Nellies, she has been coloured with Promarkers.

I’m also entering this for the Sugar Nellie fb challenge which is to use punches/die cuts. It also fits in as:

a girly card on the Stampavie challenge this week.

Say it with flowers on the Pixie Cottage.

Sue xx

More beads and a card.

It’s my Mum’s birthday later this month, her card is all ready for her along with a bit of beading, in the form of a matching bracelet and necklace set.

I’ve used large seed beads in a matt finish and the cascade method of attaching them with silver plated jump rings. I’ve only used a small section for the necklace as it can get quite heavy, and attached decorative chain to it at either side.

I’ve used this lovely Daisy stamped image coloured with Promarkers for the card. The papers are Henbury Lane, the dots on the middle piece are actually glossy but it doesn’t show up very well.The punch is by Martha Stewart and the swirl is a die-cut but i’ve no idea where from. The circles and ovals are Nesties. It's a large card made by scored an A4 sheet into a square shape and attaching another sheet cut down to size for the back.

Sue xx

Paper and beads

I made these for my friend Lynn whose birthday it was last week.The image is a beautiful digi from Funky Kits. Coloured with Promarkers, it is simply layered with the addition of a die-cut corner and some pearlescent card. A few pieces of silver card candy finish it off.

The memory wire bracelet uses seed beads in a beautiful aubergine colour, larger beads in amethyst and 2 different shades of pink glass beads. I honestly try to do random with my spacing but this is as good as it gets – between 19 & 22 seed beads between each cluster of 3 larger ones. lol.

The bookmark uses lots of different elements found in my stash along with a little ‘made with love’ heart charm. Sorry about the rather bright blue background.

Sue xx

Sugar Bowl #64 take 2

This time a square card using the same image and layout but in a different colour scheme.

I must admit i’ve cheated a little bit by using a lace edge punch from Martha Stewart rather than actual lace.

Sue xx

Sugar Bowl #64

A card at last!

This is for the challenge on the Sugar Bowl blog.

This is the sketch provided for the challenge, the other thing was to include lace, which I managed.

Here is what I came up with.I’ve used A4 cardstock folded to make an nice large A5 card. The image is a digi coloured with Promarkers. her hair looks a little bit pink in the light I had for the photo this morning but in reality is a soft shade of brown. HOTP papers and a Tim Holtz flourish form the backing and I wired a few flower and seed beads to sit on top of the lace and a tiny gem for a bit of sparkle.

I’m also including this for the Sugar Nellies fb challenge to use orange and yellow.

Sue xx

RELAX

Something else a little different to show today.

I’ve been working on this canvas for over a week now even though it has been planned for far longer.

I found the letters way back in May and that’s when I had the idea. At the time I wasn’t sure where the finished piece was going to live but once we started decorating the bedroom at the back of the house I knew this is where it would go.

I painted the canvas with the same paint as the main walls and the chipboard letters in the gorgeous damson shade of the feature wall.

The swirls are coloured with promarkers in Apple then toned down with Ivory. I added card candy, self adhesive gems and fabric flowers.

Thanks to Paddy for cutting the swirls out for me and to the very generous Lynn for the hot glue gun to stick all the bits and pieces in place.

As soon as it was assembled this morning my lovely hubby put a fixing on the back and hung it on the wall for me.

Sue xx

Journal pages

Following my find of water soluble wax crayons a few weeks ago I decided to have a play. The background was done a couple of weeks ago and left until I knew what to do with it.

I used the crayons and a damp brush to create the colour then brushed white acrylic over them – it was supposed to be gesso but I picked up the wrong tub and used it without looking. Doh! It looks ok I suppose but not what I had in mind.

The Paper Nation stamp seemed to fit with the words I had in mind and the flower border filled in the space on the other side nicely. It’s a straight border but because it’s a clear acrylic stamp I could bend it easily.

The doodling is not very imaginative but i’m working on it.

Sue xx

Sugar and Swirl

The postman brought me a little crafting goodie this morning so I had to have a play. I bought this lovely swirly die from a friend, it’s a sizzix Tim Holtz die called Elegant Flourishes. I’d used it before at the Bubbly retreat last year but didn’t think it would fit in my Cuttlebug, however when I found this for sale I did a bit of research and was so pleased to find it was compatible.

I’ve cut quite a few out this morning in different colours but funnily enough this is one I cut last year. The lovely little image was also acquired at the retreat but only just coloured in. She’s a Sugar Nellie Gorjuss Girl. I’ve used Promarkers in shades of purple and grey and added a tiny heart gem in her hair.As usual i’ve used my favourite purple and lime green combination. The papers are Henbury Lane from Papermania and i’ve edged them in the same Promarker used for the dress. The swirl is cut from green pearlescent card and a Martha Stewart punch used on the purple mat, i’ve used a purple gem at the end of each swirl.I’m including this into a challenge i’ve found on facebook on the Sugar Nellies group page, ‘Anything goes’.

I just realised this is the first card i've blogged in almost a month as i've been so busy with beading and crochet projects. I have made cards between times but just not shown them for some reason.

Sue xx

More beads

A couple more beaded bracelets to show, this time on memory wire.

I’ve used the whole piece of about 5 loops to create these two.

This first one uses creamy white seed beads and Chinese crystal bicones.

I wanted a more wintery feel to this one so used seed beads in an aubergine colour and matched them with larger beads in a similar shade in both matt and pearlescent finishes. A lot of my winter wardrobe is in burgundy so this should go well with it.

They are very easy to make as it’s just a matter of threading the beads but the wire is very stiff so making a loop in the ends to keep the beads on can be a little tricky. I actually broke one of the crystals doing this and had to replace it.

I should have had 2 more to show using half the amount of loops but my daughter was here at the weekend and tried them on. Strangely she ‘forgot’ to take them off when she left.

Sue xx

I’m on a roll now!

Following on from last night’s crochet lesson I decided to find a video tutorial for a flower and this is my result.

To say that i’m pleased with myself is a bit of an understatement. However this is nothing in comparison to this piece I just found of my Nan’s work. Mine is worked in DK yarn whereas hers is in fine crochet cotton.

I have 6 smaller coaster sized ones as well, this one measures at least 17 inches across.

It was made at least 40 years ago and must have taken her many hours to complete with all those tiny stitches. I remember though she used to make table mats with string so she was very versatile in her work. Funnily enough I don't remember seeing her use a pattern for anything, I suppose so many years experience gave the the confidence and knowledge to work it out for herself.

Sue xx

I did it!!!

I am so pleased with myself tonight.

After many, many attempts I think I have finally got the hang of crochet. My Nan tried to teach me many times when she was alive and I could never get to grips with it. She used to produce some beautiful things, some of which I still have.

I was given a website address a few weeks back and tried then but couldn’t quite get it right so thought i would have another go.

Suddenly something clicked and I knew what i’d done wrong. I’d always been able to do a simple chain and knew how to hold the yarn and hook but that certain something eluded me.

This is what I managed in only the time it took for my tea to go cold. lol

Now I know my tension is all over the place but what do you expect in my excitement, at least it looks like the picture online and I have the correct number of stitches.

Sue xx

A few beads

A few beads and a lot of jump rings to make up this bracelet.

I started playing last night and just finished it this morning. I can see a few of the rings need closing a bit tighter but there are enough of them to hold it together.

I’ve done 2 double chains and fastened them together with double links then added more rings with 3 seed beads on each.

I've done it a bit shorter than I need it but added a few plain links on the end, it's surprising how low it drops onto my hand with the weight of all those rings.

Sue xx

Puss cat card

It’s my daughter’s 25th birthday today, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SALLIE, and as soon as I saw the new cd that Joanna Sheen was bringing out I knew that i’d find an image for her card. The Furry Friends cd features images by Rachel Hale

I think this particular image is so beautiful. The card uses 2 pieces of A4 to make an 8inch square card, the join being disguised by the insertion of a piece of pearlescent paper punched with a Martha Stewart edge punch. I’ve printed the image in 2 sizes and given them pale pink pearlescent backers.The swirl is cut from green pearlescent card, I think it’s a sizzix die, it’s been slotted just under the main image. I’ve glittered the roses and layered them onto white paper flowers.

Even the left side of the insert has tiny paw prints all over it, I had to leave the other side plain to print the verse.

Sue xx

Name banner

I wrote in a previous post that I had been trying lots of different things in my crafting – using chipboard was one of them.

This set of scalloped banners is from Tando Creative. There are 5 inner pieces and 5 scalloped outers in the pack.

I’m going to do one for each of our Grandchildren, luckily they all have short names. This is the first of those for the youngest.

I’ve sponged acrylic paint over the scalloped pieces and coloured the edges with Smooch ink in green.

The inner pieces have been covered in pretty paper from K & Co. I cut letters with my craft Robo Lite and after colouring them with Promarkers covered them in glossy accents.

I added a large flower to the first piece and lots of embellishments to the others – flowers, brads, buttons, ribbons etc., the pieces have been tied together with narrow ribbon, a ‘made with love’ charm hung from the end and braid attached to enable it to be hung.

Sue xx