Fusion - Happy Retirement

Hello!

For Fusion Card Challenge this week I only used the sketch. I needed a masculine card and I just loved this sketch so that's the way I went.

My husband and I have been using the same taxi driver for about ten years. This driver is a gentleman and a very good driver as well. Each of us have had many long conversations with him over the years and we've gotten to know him well. His service has been exemplary and I always felt safe in his car. I always knew he would be there to pick me up, or he'd arrange for someone else to collect me, but he NEVER ran late and he ALWAYS showed up. Our wonderful taxi driver has finally decided to retire. This is his last week in the cab. He drove my hubby to the airport on Monday, but won't be on the job to bring him home this week-end. I'm so sad. I'll miss our conversations. Hubby and I gave him a bottle of Highland Park whiskey (from the Orkney's where my hubby's family are from) and I made him this card. From what I hear, he appreciated it.

I used PTI Meadow Greens stamps. The "Retirement" is Stampin' Up!

Isn't that Easter centrepiece in the inspiration photo gorgeous?

Thanks for coming by to visit.

Michelle
xxx

Fusion 14

Hello!

Our last Fusion Challenge was amazing! The superb entries in the combined challenge had my jaw dropping! This week we're back to normal programming with an amazing inspiration photo and sketch.

I did use both inspiration and sketch to create a Fusion, but my interpretation of the sketch is quite "loose", so you might need to squint to see it. ;-)

Those of you who visit regularly will know that I have been experimenting with water colours. This card is my first attempt at drawing and painting gerberas. When I asked my hubby what flowers I'd drawn he first said carnations... and... after I rolled my eyes... he gave it a real go and identified them as gerberas. Oh dear! I'll take that as a positive - correct identification when focusing on the task and not just paying me lip service, lol!  I think the flowers on the dress are poppies, and poppies ARE on my "to try" list for painting, but today it was gerberas (they're still flowers, right?).

Thank you for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop May 2014

Hello!

I managed to quickly make a card tonight to join in this month's PTI Blog Hop. I hope I remember to come back tomorrow to link it up! ;-) This month we are invited to use the colours aqua and melon.

I used PTI Meadow Greens stamps. Aqua mist patterned paper. Melon Berry card and ink.

Now I need to get myself ready for the week ahead before heading off to bed. Thank-you for dropping by!

Michelle
xxx

Watercolour for Card Makers - Days 4 and 8

Hello!

I am WAY behind in Watercolour for Card Makers Online Card Class! This class will keep me busy for months, I think! Today I am bringing you cards I made for Day 4 - Watercolour Stamping and for Day 8 - Faux Hand Painting.

First off is my faux handpainting card. I watched the video by Tasnim Ahmed and just loved the results of her technique. I did notice during her video there were numerous "pauses" for drying time. What I did not realise was that it would take me days to finish my own card, because I was crafting after the kids' bedtimes on work nights, so I only had time for one set of painting per night! This technique does not lend itself to being dried by my heat gun because I would have sprayed my watercolour everywhere! I love the results so much that I am going to try this again, only I'll be more strategic about how I colour and I'll probably run multiple projects at once. ;-)  Enough of the back story. Here is my card.

I used Jane's Doodles Pretty Peonies flower stamp. The sentiment is PTI Meadow Greens. I hand drew the leaves. I used Winsor and Newton Cotman watercolours and Derwent Inktense pencils.

The next card I have stared at for several days wondering if I would share it. It didn't turn out how I had planned and I can't decide if I like it or not. I used all sorts of techniques in building that image. One was that while my first stamping of colour was still wet, I lay the stamp back down to draw the colour back to the leaves. This left the leafy pattern more clearly than the first stamping had. This card took me a couple of days while I pondered and added bits here and there. It was definitely an interesting experiment where I learned quite a bit.

I used PTI Meadow Greens stamps. The colour is a mixture of Cotman watercolour, Inktense Pencils, Distress Inks, and Stampin' Up! dye inks.

Thank-you for visiting! I hope I'll get a bit more watercolour time this week-end in between a crazy kid activity schedule.

Michelle
xxx

Runway Inspired Watercolour

Hello!

As promised, I'm back with some new cards. I have made two cards for Runway Inspired Challenge #52 where the inspiration is a gorgeous dress by Dennis Basso.

The dress made me think of watercolours. The first card I made was directly inspired by the splashes of pastels. This was a bit of an experiment. I quite like the effect of the black and white with splashes of colour.

Stamps are Janes Doodles Pretty Peonies and Simon Says Stamp Sketchy Banners. Colours are Distress Ink Worn Lipstick, Mustard Seed, Tumbled Glass, and Memento Tuxedo Black.

The inspiration is this gorgeous floaty dress. I would defnitely wear this dress myself, so pretty!

I then moved away from the direct inspiration to make my next card, which uses the same colours, but on watercolour paper and with much more saturation. The stamp set is PTI Meadow Greens.

This card was made for the rescuers of Coco. On that note, here is my Coco, with an extra 1.3kg added over the past 9 days. I think we can slow down the feeding now and work on building her muscle back up again. ;-)  Her back legs are half the size they were, but they'll come back with some exercise.

 Thanks for visiting.

Michelle
xxx

A beautiful (feathery) life!

Hello!

My hubby asked me to make a birthday card for his runnning coach. Masculine cards are not my forte, but each time I make one I get a little bit better, and a little less apprehensive about the next one! I suggested that I make a "feather" card, since I  am currently having a love affair with Fine Feathers. Hubby gave me one of those wobbly yes's - ye-e-e-sss - but I kept going, and I think he's pretty happy with the end result.  I will admit that this card is not my own original design in any way. I CASEd Claire Brennan. I KNOW, what was I thinking? CASEing the stamp designer? LOL! Claire's card is amazing. My card is slightly different, but pretty much I made a card with what I remembered from her card - a wreath of feathers with sentiment in the middle. :-)

I made a stamping smudge - the bane of the one-layer card-maker's life! It's too late in the night for me to go back and fix it. Hubby is taking it to his running group in the morning. At least they'll know it was handmade. ;-)  The feathers are Waltzingmouse Fine Feathers. The sentiment is from PTI Meadow Greens. This card is big, so that the whole running group can sign. It's 7.75" x 5.5". Colours are SU! Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, and Delicata Golden Glitz.

Here is a little closer look at the shine of the golden feathers.

I almost don't want to give this card away. It's really delicious and warm.

Thank-you for visiting! I have a big week-end of major housework planned (we have our family Christmas party here next week-end), but I hope to sneak off to make some cards at some point. Fingers crossed!

Michelle
xxx