Bee Happy

I've been playing with some Chocolate Baroque Bees.  My daughter gave me these stamps last year, but with one thing and another, I'd not started seeing how I could use them until recently.  The bees on the flower, was just crying out to be used with my new circle thinlet.

Because its been so gray and damp, I've not been able to take good photos, and as a result this was scanned in using my scanner.

This card is made using SU circle thinlet - I've used A5 piece of card (slightly trimmed, so that my card is actually longer than the die - if the card is the same height as the die, just post it in, leaving an end over the top of the die furthest from the circle), this gives a flap to fold over and means you can write inside the card.

One side is embossed with a honeycomb embossing folder (this is one of a set of three small strips from Darice).  I have used a Cheery Lynn Honeycomb frame to make a stencil which I've sponged in SU So Saffron, Peach Parfait and Crumb cake.  I've stamped Happy from Chocolate Baroque Words of Wisdom and used Bees from Chocolate Baroque Honey Bees in Soft Suede (such a lovely colour). The main image is from the same set, and was coloured in using markers, and then fussy cut and stuck with a wing over hanging. The Bees wings are painted in Frost White shimmer paint - this gives a lovely translucent effect.  Inside the card, there are the same bees/honeycomb, and on the back of the circle there is a Happy Bee Day stamp (from Inkadinkado, in case you are wondering - bought over t'internet from the US).

Less is More: Week 154 OLC Hearts

Its been a long time since I've played along with the LIM challenges.  But after having not made any cards for ages (apart from Christmas ones) - it was good to have a play, and I do love the one layer cards.

Today I've made two cards - both use the same sort of technique.

I used a die cut (Cheery Lynn) celtic heart as a mask, and sponged some blue ink over the top.  In the first card, my card was slightly textured, and I spritzed over the top which left little dots of paler ink (especially where I'd used the darker blue ink).

My second card, was more clean and simple (better fits the less is more brief). Although its quite hard to not add ribbons/bows - but then it would be a bit girly and not appropriate to give my other half for valentine's day!

I'm also entering this into the Simon Says Stamp: Blues challenge.

Thanks for looking and for any comments, Anna x

LIM - Week 87 - Marriage

I've not made cards for ages... but wanted to make a wedding card for one of my colleagues who's getting married soon.  This fitted in with the Less is More challenge Marriage - I'd also been impressed with  Chrissie's white on white in previous challenges, so I thought I'd give it a go:

Although its white on white, the central nestie cutout is coloured slightly using my SU colour sprizter, a liberal application of misted water and some gold radiant rain, so that the white heart and tags show up better.  The tags were printed on the computer (the ink is a sort of gold colour like some of the spritzed background), and are the couples name and the date.

Been a busy summer with no time for crafting - as of Sept eldest daughter gained an MA and is now working as a trainee teacher, and a daughter who is an art student (this is her first week of classes)... so its been busy.

Sarah & Steve

Sarah & Steve are getting married - Sarah is my ex-sister in law and is the sister I never had, we've shared ups and downs, and I'm really pleased that she's getting remarried.  As its a second wedding and they have grown up children I wanted to do something different.  Sarah loves purples, and we sent her some roses for the garden as a wedding present, including one which is lilac (Special Event - not only a good colour, but an appropriate name).

The Purple is SU Wisteria Wonder, with a little Concord Crush & some glitter to highlight the butterflies.  My DH did ask why it was a grey card, but he's not great at colours, and it really is a nice subtle lilac/purple. The butterflies are stuck down the middle, so the wings look like they are flying off the card.  The die is Celtic Heart Cheery Lynn, which looks lovely and so much better in real life.  I tried white on neutral colours, but it didn't do the heart justice.  

Its been my first full week at work for a few weeks - youngest daughter has been having university visits, and we've been on tour - not quite John O'Groats to Lands End - we did Perthshire to Cornwall... but pleased to say she's got offered a place at her favourite.  And eldest daughter is home for Easter.  So all is well in our house.  

Am entering this in http://www.samueltaylors.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/march-challenge.html - which is butterflies -  its the end of March, just completed and photographed in time!