We Don't Stop Playing Because We Grow Old..........

Morning!

This card was made for my Father In Law.  I have used distress inks on the background and a slight sprinkling of brusho powders.  Then I have moistened a round sponge applicator and stamped in plain water the circles and lifted off with kitchen towel to give a faux bleached effect to the circles.

A Creative Expressions stamp of the Jive and some musical notes from Visible Image stamped in black with the sentiment of "We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing".  Some final work on the edges with some silver embossing powder and top and bottom die cuts by Sue Wilson.  Matted on white card then a black mat.  Underneath that, an  embossed white mat again on a black mat.  Some black Creative Expressions glue dots and I was done.  It was well received and I was pleased with that! Not a small card measuring 8 x 8 inches.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne x

Phantom of the Opera Theme........In Dreams He Came........

Morning!!!  This is a card that I made for my daughters birthday.  Last year she won a major school singing competition (music theatre) having sang the theme from Phantom of the Opera - a superb evening and so I set to on a birthday with this theme!

Now, thinking back I knew that it had to be dark and very classical so the background is a Stampendous stamp of a cobwebbed candelabra embossed in gold. I coloured the candles with a white gel pen. Layered on top of that is a further black mat mounted on gold mirri card which is again gold embossed with musical notes this time (this was a very old wooden mounted stamp that I had tucked away).

I tore a piece of plain copier paper with a computer generated "In Dreams He Came" on it then (swiped some gold ink across it). The reason for having In Dreams He Came on it was because her Godmother had made her a birthday cake with the opening line of "In sleep he sang to me" so I continued with the second line on my card! - are you all singing along?!!!

Right, where was I , oh yes, the card!!!!!

A stamped rose in red and green card was added and then if you look closely a bowed acetate layer was applied domed right over the top - you can just see it if you look carefully at the top.

I added a daughter stamped sentiment embossed in gold and then finished the whole thing off with phantoms' mask stuck to the acetate on the top so that it looked like it was floating there.

Hayley was thrilled with both her card and her cake (equally impressive) as was we with her singing performance along with her singing partner Richard.

A bit of a private peek but it helps explain the reason for the making of the card. It was quite a challenge but I think I got there as well as I was ever going to!

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xx

Graffiti Happy Birthday.......

Good morning! Off on a different tangent this time! Graffiti!!!!

This was loads of fun!!!  Started with a piece of craft card and embossed it with a brick wall effect embossing folder.  Darkened the edges with walnut Distress Ink then started to play!

The rubber graffiti stamps are from Woodware so stamped those randomly and coloured in with alcohol pens for a nice solid colour.  Stamped the spray can from a set from Bee Crafty and glittered it up to be a bit different! Cut it out and with some 3D tape attached it to the card.  Added some spray paints to make a mess and added some chunky embossing powders around the edge.  This was a more simple card but turned out exactly how I had it in my mind and I was very happy with it.

Well, that was week one for my blog - hope I've done ok?  I've enjoyed it!!!  I will now be posting a couple of times a week I hope (due to the running of several businesses and two teenage children - and I don't suppose I'm alone but some days I just can't get to that craft desk, no matter how hard I try - I run out of hours / stamina!!!!!

I hope I've given you a sneak peek in to my world of stamping and inks and paints (we've still lots to explore) - stay with me,  hence - "a brush with a stamper"..........

Thanks for stopping by,
Leanne x

Make A Wish......

Good morning!

This is another creation done for another of my daughters school friends recently.

Ok, this started as a plain white piece of card and probably looks more complicated than it actually was!  I firstly stamped some spots on the card with perfect medium and clear embossed them so that they would resist any ink and always be there. Then I gave it a very pale blue colouring of Distress Ink all over.  Then stamped the main image -I think this is an absolutely stunning stamp!) - "La femme aux oiseaux" from Carabelle Studio.  Then wanting to lift her face slightly and having used Distress Inks, I lightly painted some water on to her face and patted the ink back off with a paper towel - perfect, brought her right out of the page!

Some further stamping of dandelion clocks of various kinds and a stamped sentiment of "Make A Wish" followed by a darker blue Distress Ink border.

Just to finish it off I sprinkled on some Stampendous frantage embossing powder straight over the top (just laid in on, not stuck on with anything at all) and heated from underneath so that I didn't blow it off of the page!

Came together really well, was happy with that and so was she!

Thanks for stopping by,
Leanne x