One Layer cards

My mojo is a bit low at the moment. I can't decide if it's the fog or spending a whole weekend with a 2" paintbrush in my hand doing the gloss paint in the hall, the skirting boards, bannister rail and spindles, plus 4 doors. Hey ho, it looks good now, just need some sunshine so I can open the front door and get rid off the smell!







































Julie Kettlewell is my Stampin'Up team leader and every day I check her blog. This first card is cased from her post yesterday but with autumnal colours. Lovely as a Tree is one of my favourite stamp sets too and then I did a second card with Wetlands which is also one of my most used stamp sets. The images and the script for the sentiments just works so well.








































The essence of these cards is there simplicity but also the use of a limited colour palette as a sponged background. On both cards I have only used 2 colours but the way you blend them is important. With the tree card I could use the same colours again and get a very different effect as here I have sponged with a sponged off sponge(!) very lightly.

Hope you like them.

Autumn Days

Had to show this, the sun is just starting to get through the fog here. This has just appeared in my back garden.

And this is what it looked like from my commuter route this morning.

We live across the valley just below the white house that is in both pictures. These were taken at 10 past 8 this morning and its still foggy here. I will take a picture when the fog has gone to show you the depth of the valley.

On the same theme but an old favourite

This card is an old favourite. I have made something similar  a number of times as a box card but this was my starting point for a 'Mrs and Mrs card. This stamp is no longer available but it is so useful. It took a lot of practise to get this lined up and stamped correctly as the stamp actually says - Mr.&Mrs. So yes this was very fiddly putting an s in where there wasn't one.

The centre heart is also a retired stamp, in a pale colour it makes a great background or in a vivid colour it can be the focus. The little flowers one swirls of pearls just add to the femininity.

This is the box card from a few months ago.

Mrs and Mrs wedding card

The second of my trio, again is successful due to the wording in the stamp set.

 You would never have thought the key element of this is made with the owl punch! The dresses are fiddly but well worth it. Unusual colour combination for a wedding card but the 'Hello Honey' looks like gold when used with the 'chocolate chip'. The curly lines are from the 'Everything Eleanor' stamp set, in stamped off hello honey and the coat hangers are hand drawn!

Stampin᾿ Up! Supplies

Table built by craftingbecky.com

For The New Two Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Everything Eleanor Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Owl Builder Punch

Sahara Sand 7/8" (2.2 Cm) Lace Trim

Wedding cards

I live near Hebden Bridge, the lesbian capital of England..... or so I am told. I met a lady a few weeks ago who is getting married next year and she was saying that there is a very limited supply of cards for lesbian couples. There is now an industry making wedding stationary for gay men, probably because it was the focus of the media for same sex marriage but even in Hebden Bridge there were few stockists of cards for same sex couples particularly ladies.

So this is my take on the subject....

Technically quite simple, just careful choice of stamp set to use.

Box Frame Friday

Sorry the flash has reflected on this picture, its dark foggy and raining outside.

Another little box frame for you today. Actually this one is smaller than the last but no less perfectly formed. Its a continuation of the bird theme and again uses the 'An Open Heart' stamp set. Loads of fussy cutting and just a touch of that wonderful 'fine tip glue'.

From closer up you can see that the frame comes with two built in layers which I have turned into four. There is space in the frame to use a thick layer of dimensional to lift the second layer from the back. The frame is only 6" square so a nice size to work with. Its from a well known supermarket with orange packaging!

The bird had to have a separate wing to give him a bit of life.

These two small pictures taken close up show the use of the fine tip glue, It makes it so easy to get the shine on small parts quickly and with no mess. Don't know how I have managed without it. Its now in my list right up there with Tombo!

Stampin᾿ Up! Supplies

Table built by craftingbecky.com

An Open Heart Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Fine-Tip Glue Pen

Penultimate birdie, and its christmassy.

Using a non Christmas stamp for Christmas cards, is often quite challenging. 

Here I have achieved it by adding glimmer paper berries to the foliage. 

The bird isn't quite robin shaped enough to take on that role with a red breast but it is like a wren, many of which I see in my garden at this time of year. 

The addition of more glitter could make it even more seasonal but I'm not really a glitter person.

Stampin᾿ Up! Supplies

Table built by craftingbecky.com

An Open Heart Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Red Glimmer Paper