Highlighting Gail

Now this remains one of my favourite cards. I got it for my birthday this year I think, from Gail Grant, who is a member of RSA group.

She has used an Inkadinkadoo collage stamp and the card is just stunning. I love the stamp, the card, the colors - everything in fact.

Have a brilliant week everyone.

Only 18 shopping days left till Christmas(including Sunday's and holidays).

Vintage lady

Today's card was made ages ago for a Hero arts challenge. I have used a very fine cream mesh over the stamped image - its actually a mesh that is used in book binding I was told by the shop. I find it very effective but unfortunately doesn't photograph well on cards.

I have also used a paint chip sample on the card to place the buttons on - everytime I am in a store that sells paint, I grab a few more paint chip samples.

Materials: Antique gold mineralis cardstock, cream cardstock, black cardstock, cream mesh, handbag charm, buttons, pearl, cream organza ribbon, paint chip sample, gold encore ink pad, brown ink pad, Hero arts writing stamp and lady stamp.

Method: Fold antique gold cardstock in half to create base card. Take strip of cream cardstock and tear down one side and them using gold encore ink pad, stamp words repeatedly down the cardstock and attach to cardfront as shown. Using brown ink pad, stamp woman onto cream cardstock and heat set and then cover with cream mesh and secure at back and then mount onto black and then cream cardstock and to cardfront as shown. Attach paint sample strip and then add buttons to it. Attach organza cream ribbon and pearl and handbag charm.

Enjoy what's left of the weekend everyone.

Stamping on Painted backgrounds

Today I thought I would share with you Stamping on painted backgrounds.

I adore my Lumiere paints - they have such a glow to them and they go on so smoothly and are easy to stamp on top of.

All you need to do for this technique is take Lumiere paint and paint a piece of cardstock with various colors - I used a sponge to dab the paint onto the card. ( have a light hand - that way the paint dries quickly and you are ready to stamp in about 5 to 10 minutes) If you don't have any Lumiere paint then try with normal acryllic paint ie Dala and add some highlights with the Metallic Dala paints.

Materials: Black, Copper and White cardstock, Copper embossing powder, Clear embossing ink pad, black brilliance ink pad, selection of stamps, rhinestones, Lumiere paints and sponge, Gold pen

Method: Take a piece of white cardstock and sponge Lumiere paints directly onto the surface of the cardstock using a sponge. Allow to dry. Stamp images using black brilliance ink pad and then go around edges with gold paint pen and mount onto black and then copper cardstock and then to cardfront. Use clear embossing ink pad to stamp word on cardfront and then emboss using copper embossing powder. Add rhinestones and you are done.

Highlighting Penny

I just love this card that I got from my friend Penny in Knysna. She is such a talented cardmaker.

I love her color combination of the Olive/Yellow/Brown/Orange. The stamp is so cute as well. Think its really clever how she did button centre for one flower and eyelet for the other - gives such a nice contrast.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Floral button book

This is a little book that I made a while back with lots of buttons and flowers. I stamped the word ME on the front using Making Memories alphabet stamps with Acryllic paint. I also stamped onto the fabric flower using brilliance. Its such a cute little book and I keep meaning to fill it with photos - one day.

Lavender in my garden

Wow now this is a card I did yonks ago. It uses a Lavender stamp from Charmaine's Magic Ribbon and Cards. The background stamp on the purple card (watermark) is an old Stampendous one.

I was reminded of this card by the lavender that is growing in my garden. It started out as a baby bush about 2 years ago and is now about 1 metre wide by 2 metres tall and in full flower at the moment. I always find it amazing that when I water the garden with the hose and spray the lavender, I can smell it wherever I am standing.

Materials: Purple cardstock, green cardstock, white cardstock, Charmaine's lavender stamp, ribbon, black brilliance ink pad, tombow pens, Real dried lavender, Stampendous stamp, Watermark Versamark ink pad, Alphabet tiles, Pearls, Stickles glitter glue.

Method: Fold purple cardstock in half. Use versamark ink pad to stamp tiny flowers all over the front of the card using Stampendous stamp. Take Charmaine's stamp and use black brilliance ink pad to stamp it onto white cardstock. Color in using tombow pens and highlight areas with stickles glitter glue. Go around edges with color box chalk ink pad and then attach to purple and then green cardstock and then to cardfront. Attach alphabet letter tiles to spell out the word lavender and then add pearls, sprig of real lavender and bow.

Adorable me

Now this is one of my favourite photo stamps - She is just so adorable and she is from the Stamping Ground. Sorry but she doesn't seem to have photographed so well.

Materials: White cardstock, silver cardstock, Black cardstock, Glossy white cardstock, Purple organza ribbon, rhinestones, Archival black ink pad, Photo stamp by The Stamping Ground, Word stamp by Hero arts, Silver Encore ink pad

Method: Stamp photo image onto glossy white cardstock using archival dye ink pad and trim leaving white edge around photo. Mount onto black and then silver cardstock. Take Encore ink pad and stamp Hero arts words down a panel repeatedly and attach to centre of cardfront as shown. Secure ribbon behind photo and mount to card. Add rhinestones.

Enjoy your week - only 24 days till Christmas.