Thursday, December 20, 2012

*** Something A Little Different ***

 
No, I haven't quit blogging it's just been sooooo busy at work and home that I haven't had time! I am sure most of you are in the same boat. Work, for me,  is finished for a week after tomorrow night,  so I'm hoping to have a bit of time to catch up with my card making.
Today I have a little project to share with you that I have been working on this week.
Ever since I took a Mixed Media class, with my daughter, Jasmine, last spring I've been itching to do another piece - so here it is. I'm calling it "Time Began In A Garden"...I'm not sure how well that message comes across with the images, but the verse from scripture helps.  I used a canvas for my base. The paper pieces ( leaves, flowers, fence & flourishes) were cut using the Grand Calibur and a host of Spellbinder and other dies. The clock face was cut from a free digital image. I attached real watch hands using a brad to the center. The real gears around the watch are an assortment from a wonderful find  that my daughter shared with me. I inked the edges of pretty much everything. For the scripture verse I simply typed it out in Word Perfect, printed it  & then tore the edges. The background was done using alcohol inks, gesso, molding compound and an assortment of stencils. I free hand drew the Garden Girl and then cut her out and used the pieces as templates to cut the patterned paper (MME) for her dress. I coloured her face with Copic Markers. I added some green flock near the fence and gave it some depth by shading with my Copics. The bird house & heart (on her dress) are made of wood which I painted with acryllic paints. I also used some folder & heat embossing in different areas. The dragonflies are brads, the ladybugs & some flower centers are buttons, the shovel is a craft item, her hair is embroidery floss, apron band is ribbon & her hands are charms. I think that covers everything! The finished project is 9"x12.
This was so much fun to do and a great creative break from card making for me. It was an excellent project for using up "bits & pieces" and "odds & ends". I know a lot of people are intimidated by the look of Mix Media, but in all honesty you can't make a mistake...no 2 pieces ever turn out the same.
I hope this is an encouragment for you to give it a go!
Here are a couple of close up shots:
Bottom Right Corner

 
 

Clock, Girl & Scripture Verse

 




To give an idea of the depth

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a wnderful day.
hugs,
Nancy

Challenges:
Sugar Creek Hollow http://sugarcreekhollow.blogspot.ca/ - For A Gift
Craft Your Passion http://www.craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.ca/ - Recipe Time (3 DP's;Ribbon; Circle Shape)
*Try It On Tuesday http://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.ca/ -Lucky Dip (die cuts; ribbon; distressing & stamped image)
Divas By Design http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.ca/ - Anything Goes
Delightful Challenges http://delightfulsketches.blogspot.ca/ - Anything Goes
 

Friday, December 14, 2012

Christmas Candle & Some MD New Releases

 
Time for  new releases over at Meljen's Design's http://meljensdesignsdt.blogspot.ca/ . So for my project I decided to use a Candle as my base and Melissa's "Pretty Poinsettia" image. I printed it off six times onto tissue paper,  coloured the images with my Copic Markers,  and cut them out so that I could adhere them to the candle - making a ring of poinsettias. (Splitcoast Stampers has a great tutorial on how to do this). I added some pretty Christmas Plaid Washi Tape around the base of the candle and a Spellbinder die cut (also cut from tissue paper) with a stamped sentiment: "Joy To The World".  It's hard to see but I did add some glitter to the centers of the flowers and some pearls to the die cut corners.
Thanks for stopping by.
hugs,
Nancy

Thursday, December 13, 2012

A Christmas Nugget Box

 
Hey there hope you're feeling well and anticipating a wonderful day. My project this morning is a Nugget Box and it is for the new challenge up at Meljen's Designs. This week's theme is (everybody's favourite) "Anything Goes!". My box features Melissa's adorable image "Christmas Holly Fairy" and you can find her in the store right here: http://meljensdesigns.com/
This is my first attempt at a nugget box and though I must say I have room for improvement I really enjoyed making it and will certainly try it again.
I coloured the image with Copics, cut it out using a Spellbinder Die, punched the holes with a hand punch and ink distressed all the edges. The double sided cardstock is by MME. The ribbon, (with a sentimentprinted on it), that I used around the box is from Michael's. I used a pretty Christmas brad and  twisted twine for the box closure.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope you will take a few minutes to see what the rest of the Meljen's Team came up with. http://meljensdesignsdt.blogspot.ca/
hugs,
Nancy
 
Challenges:
Stamptacular Sunday http://stamptacularsundaychallenge.blogspot.ca/ - Anything But A Card
Divas By Design http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.ca/ - Have Red On Your Project
Oosak Blog http://blog.oozak.com/ - Anything Goes + Red

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

An Easel Card

Good Tuesday morning to you all. Hope you are looking forward to a wonderful day.
Today I have an easel card to share with you. Again, I've used one of the sweet pre-coloured digital images by Dearie Dolls. See, just like I told you yesterday, Mary Ellen's images are adorable! And at this busy time of the year, I am really enjoying the fact that she offers an already coloured version.
I used a couple of different Spellbinder Dies on this card. One for the base and another for the image & sentiment. I also used a Tim Holtz's die - Snowflake Edge and a Snowflake embossing folder. I love that they will all work in my Grand Caliber. I hand punched the dots around the image & sentiment. Added so "Faux Stitching" and "Pearl Snowflakes". Sentiment is a rubber stamp from Michael's. The DP's are by MME "Merry Collection" (6x6).
Well that it for me. I do thank you for stopping by. I really love reading your comments.
hugs,
Nancy
 
Challenges:
Delightful Challenges http://delightfulsketches.blogspot.ca/ - All About Christmas
Anything Goes Challenges  http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.ca/:  Traditional Christmas Colours
Party Time Tuesday  http://partytimetuesdays.blogspot.ca/   - Kid's Christmas
2Sisters Challenge Blog http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.ca/ - Snowflakes
Celebrate the Occasion http://celebratetheoccasion.blogspot.ca/ - Use A Punch
Divas By Design http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.ca/ - Let It Snow
One Crazy Stamper http://www.onecrazystampercom.blogspot.ca/ - December Holiday
Oosak Blog http://blog.oozak.com/ - Anything Goes + Red
Forever Friends http://foreverfriendschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas card

Monday, December 10, 2012

Let It Snow!

 
Hope your Monday is going really well. I got some great Christmas gifts at a close out sale this morning so mine is going well.
Today my card features a pre-coloured digital image by Dearie Dolls. All of Mary Ellen's images are adorable, come in a black & white version , a pre-cloloured version and best of all  --- they are all free!!! Here is a link to her site http://deariedollsdigis.blog.com/  - you really  have to check it out.
Every once in a while my youngest daughter, Jasmine, decides we have to have a challenge between the 2 of us and this card is the product of my attempt! My poor husband gets rooked into being the challenge decider and judge. He picked out the sketch and we had 45 minutes to make our project, then he had to pick a winner. Like I said "poor guy" it's a no win job for him. We really do just have fun - no sore losers. I have to say when I need to do a quick card I am so thankful for my Spellbinder dies and Grand Caliber. They just make something ordinary, like cardstock, into something so pretty. The DP's are by MME. I added a few gemstones,  a touch of glitter glue, a few pearl snowflakes, distress ink and a pretty bow to finish up my card.
Well, that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.
hugs,
Nancy
 
Challenges:
Delightful Challenges http://delightfulsketches.blogspot.ca/ - All About Christmas
Divas By Design http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.ca/ - Let It Snow
 

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Just a Note

Hope you are enjoying the weekend. Just wanted to share with you the Blog Hop happening this weekend over at A Day For Daisies  http://adayfordaisies.com/  . Some really sweet images are up as the prize and I just thought you might be interested.
hugs,
Nancy

Friday, December 7, 2012

Let It Snow! - New Release Day!

 
Good Friday morning to everyone. Hope you are ready for a great weekend. Today is New Release Day over at Meljen's Designs and without fail Melissa has come up with a whole bunch of cute images. For my card I decided to work with the "Snow Globe" and "Bitty Christmas Bears". I coloured the image with Copics, cut it out and added some dimensional snow. I also cut out a circle  from acetate. I adhered the acetate circle to the globe with thick glitter glue, which gives it a dimensional look - like a Snow Globe! The Dp's are from MME. The Holly Branches are also from this week's MD New Releases, coloured & then cut out. The snowflakes were cut using a Martha Stewart punch. The sentiment is a rubber stamp from Michael's. Added some faux stitching, distress inking & gem stones to finish this card off.
That's it for today.
hugs,
Nancy

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Another Little Holiday Tag

Hey there! Sorry I've been kinda scarce for the past little while but hopefully I will soon have a bit more papercrafting time. I've been very busy moving my parents into an apartment and selling their home of nearly 60 years.  It has been quite an undertaking, necessary but sad at the same time. Sometimes change can be bitter sweet. Anyway, things should settle down this week and hopefully that means that I will be able to post a bit more often. Thank you to all of you faithful followers, I really appreciate all of your sweet comments.
Tonight I have just a little tag to share with you. The image is by Meljen's Designs. I used Copics to colour it with and cut it, and the matting, out with Spellbinder dies. An over-sized eyelet and a bit of twine to finish it off.
hugs,
Nancy
 
Challenges:
Party Time Tuesdays http://partytimetuesdays.blogspot.ca/ - Christmas Themed Gift Tag
Anything Challenge http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.ca/ - Tag