Watercolour Wednesday - Apple Harvest

Another hot day for us here again today and it's only 6am! Mustn't grumble as it'll be gone before we know it sadly. Using the Apple Harvest stamps today I have been playing with making backgrounds. Have I had fun! I tried lots of different ways to get the effect I wanted for this project and eventually after 4 attempts, I made it thankfully. I soaked the back and front of some watercolour paper and while that was absorbing the water, I took a cello bag and swiped 3 inkpads across it. I used the gorgeous soft purple of Highland Heather, the bright yellow of Daffodil Delight and the blueish green of Coastal Cabana then spritzed the whole lots really well. 

I didn't want the colour to travel into each other too much so I just lifted it after a few moments. However, as the colours were quite soft, I spritzed some more water over the watercolour paper and gently touched the tip of the ink refils onto the very wet paper and brushed the colour to and fro'. I left it to the side to dry before stamping the larger bunches of apples onto it. Though I have used the Blends pens in the dark red of Cherry Cobbler and they now resemble cherries to me. Cherries or apples, I don't mind as I'm rather pleased with the outcome.

 

Watercolour Wednesday - Christmas

For my 3rd day of Christmas cards I have used the beautiful set of Poinsettia Petals stamp set. They first came out in last year's catalogue and they are as lovely today as they were then. Today's card is what Cary calls a Book bind fold I believe. It's a very simple fold in that using a piece of card, I used Cherry Cobbler for mine, 14.85cm high by the long length of a piece of A4 which in the UK is 29.7cm long. It's then folded in haf, at 14.85cm and then another score line is made 2cm from that fold from top to bottom on the front of the card. I added some of the gorgeous papers from Whimsy and Wonder papers. The main front of the card and a narrower strip on the 'book fold' on the card. 

I added a strip of white crinkled seam binding ribbon to the book edge and on a separate piece of white card once I had embossed it with the Snowflakes folder from the Wintry embossing folders set. I then stamped onto a scrap of white using Shaded Spruce ink and the little berry fronds several times. Then using the poinsettia flowers, I stamped them several times in Smoky Slate ink and started to water-colour them lightly using a very little ink and lots of water droplets from a block in very light Melon Mambo. Once they were dry, I went over the stems of the flowers in Melon Mambo, water-colour pencil to give more definition.

 

 

 

I then fussy cut them all out! Yes, even the berries! I used Multipurpose glue (Tombow) for the stems and Dimensionals to separate the flowers. After the whole lot was dry, I added a few drops of the Shimmery Crystal Effects in a few places.  simple Merry Christmas on the front and another flower inside along with the sentiment, to complete this card.

 

Throw back Thursday - Classic Cloche

For my Throwback Thursday card, today I've gone way back in time to when I paper pieced cards. Something that I haven't done in many, many years. Using the Classic Cloche stamps, I stamped the cottage 3 times across the white mat using the really light grey of Smoky Slate. Then using the stamp from the set to colour the images, I stamped the cottages in the rich deep red of the Cherry Cobbler Ink Pad. I stamped another of same the images onto a scrap piece of card. This was then added to a piece of the Foam Adhesive Sheet. 

This is a sheet of double sided foam very like the Dimensionals but a sheet approximately 4 1/2" square. I die cut the small cloche shape out which left me with the frame and the coloured cottages on the cloche. Firstly, I cut into the cottage piece and fussy cut them all out. They were then added onto the card image. Taking the residue from where the cloche was cut from, I fussy cut around the edge to give me a simple frame which once done, I added it to the card and surrounded the little cottages.  

A fiddly but very rewarding, fun way to give a unique look to a card.

 

 I'm pleased with it, I hope you are too?

Fun Fold Friday - Seasons of Fun

 Hello again, this week I have been playing with one of the Host stamp sets called Seasons Of Fun and another one called In Your Words. Both of these can be earned for FREE by holding a workshop, class or party with a demonstrator. This can be virtually or in person depending on how you and your guests prefer. I really have had fun this week as these stamps are the same type of materials as all of the others in the catalogues but are so unusual hence the reason why I have combined the 2 sets for my projects this week. 

Today's card is obviously a fun fold card and I really have had fun with it. I cut a piece of A4 card, at 14.85cm in portrait style. I scored the piece at 3.5cm, 7cm, 10.5cm, 14cm and 28.85cm along the widest part of the card. I started with Cherry Cobbler but then decided to use Blackberry Bliss too. They are both really gorgeous rich darkish reds and really lovely to use. The left hand side of the card has the 'accordion fold' and the whole square on the right hand side. As you will see from my cards, there is another smaller 'card' on the front folds. This is for the sentiment or more images and an extra feature. This panel is 14.6cm by 9cm high, it is scored in half along the 14.6cm side at 7.3cm

I used some of the paper from the Blackberry Beauty Designer Series Papers. the lovely rich colours are gorgeous. See below. Some of them have gold foiled patterns going through the design. Just gorgeous.

The papers were very narrow strip of 3.2cm by 14.5cm. Only 2 pieces for each card. Obviously, more can be used but I rather like the simplicity of the white mats on the alternative accordion folds. I stamped a few of the little trees on the cart and coloured them in using the Stampin' Blends and added the messages and stars after. I just love the images in this stamp set, they are just so very cute. I die cut some Gold trees using the Christmas Trees die set and Gold Foiled Card. 2 were cut from the front of the card and the other 2 from behind. The reason for this is to ensure that the trees match up perfectly when stuck together. I wanted the child's hand to show that they were holding it so that it could overlap the message on the inside of the card. It worked, fortunately! Once die cut, I embossed the star using the Evergreen embossing folder. It has added the right amount of texture to the trees too.

Here is the Blackberry Bliss card. The colour is so rich and deep...it's gorgeous!

Here is the Cherry Cobbler version, a much softer red than Blackberry Bliss version above. 

The 'aerial view' or from above to show how the card is folded. 

For more information on the products that I have used this week, please click HERE. It will open up on a new page for you.   

Thank you so very much for joining me this week, I have had great fun once again and hope that you may have been inspired to make cards for yourself or to give or send to loved ones. 

Who ever you make card for, I know that they will always be really very well appreciated as YOU made them especially for them. To me, that makes all the difference.

Cary will be back on Monday to show you some more of her creations so if you can, please stop by to see what she will be making.

Until I return in just over a week, please take care, stay safe and KEEP ON CRAFTING xxxxx

Gill xx :)