Fishy wishes..

Happy Sunday everyone,

I hope you are all fit and well??

I have been trying to organise my crafting life and sort through
my stash whilst suffering with a horrid virus again!!.. Ewwww

Having had to pack most of my stash away during Christmas, each year
I find it harder and harder to get it out and sort through it all again!

..but i'm being ruthless this year, through the coughing and sneezing!!

Here's a quick card I made for a 70th Birthday

Simply stamped onto watercolour card with versafine
I coloured with promarkers, I know it's not advised to use
alcohol markers on watercolour card as it can be very thirsty but I
really do love the way it holds the colour making it even more vibrant.

With a watery wash of watercolour around the trio I

covering the card with versamark embossing ink and triple embossed

with clear embossing powder giving a crisp and shiny surface.

Bending the card cracks the embossed surface...

and a little ground espresso distress ink helps to bring out those cracks!

Mounted onto an 7 x 5" card I decided not to put the big 70 on the front

and chose to place it inside as I knew the fish loving receiver would probably

want to keep this card up to remind him of his hobby rather than his age...!!

Apologies to those blogs i've not payed a visit to yet, comments and email I've left 

unanswered. I'm hoping to have a catch up later today when my heads a little less foggy.

Wishing you a relaxing Sunday.

Warm Hugs & Wishes
Tracey xx

Supplies:
Carabelle Studio Stamp ~ Fishes
Promarkers/Aqua Markers
Versamark/Versafine ~ Onyx Black
Clear Embossing Powder/Heat Tool
Ground Espresso Distress Ink

Paperbabe Sketch Challenge #58

Hello everyone, I hope you are all keeping well??

I've been busy with Christmas this week (YES....!! I know) but I have so many 

Christmas cards to make I have to say I am shamefully behind with my makes this year. 

Today I'm sharing a card created using Stamps from Paperbabe 

which I am entering in the Paperbabe Challenge #58 Sketch

Here is my *Christmas is the day..* card with quick and easy How to do's..

Using a left over piece of mop up paper from a canvas paper pad,

I stamped the snowflake star from the Frost Fairy stamp set with versamark 

all over the paper and gently dusted with the delicate oyster colour mica powder.

Distressed the edges using old scissors and added faux stitching with my tracing wheel.

                                   

Stamping the Frost Fairy in black onyx versafine I coloured the image in Caran D'Ache supracolor pencils, washing out some of the colour with a water brush.

I used a large circle die to cut out the image, added gemstones to highlight her snowflake stars and edged her wings with glitter glue to give her an extra sparkle of magic..

Using a verse stamp by Card-io I stamped directly onto the background surface 

and layered up all the elements required in the Paperbabe Sketch Challenge 

My *Christmas is the day...* card is complete.

I think the Frost Fairy has definitely cast her spell and my 

Christmas mojo seems to be returning..

Fingers crossed she stays right where she is as there's busy times ahead 

with no Santa's little helpers for me..!

Thank you for stopping by.

Take Care Everyone

Until next time.

Creativity & Warm Hugs

Tracey xx

Warm Hugs..!

I've been itching to use these candle substrates by Paperbabe, as soon as I saw them
I had so many ideas of how they could be used. I jotted down a few
as ideas can easily be forgotten when times are busy.

I decided to incorporate one of my ideas with the latest Sketch challenge, 

Here in words and pictures is my Warm Hugs Card.

Using an A4 sheet of stamping card I painted it sporadically in white Gesso and dried with a heat tool. When completely dry I Stamped all over the page both large and small Pom Pom stamps from the DesignA Knit set and heat set with white embossing powder.
Spritzed with Bayou Gold starburst spray. The embossed pom poms act as a resist, the Gesso resists the spray slightly and the plain card takes the full colour of the spray.
A great effect using just one colour.

Cut to the required size I used the left over card to cut the banner shapes from the
Paperbabe Sketch. I also cut and coloured a circle another Sketch prompt.

I found just enough space on my background to stamp this Paperbabe sentiment. 

I love how it leaves  a blank area for you to stamp or write a name of your choice. 

This time I just stamped the word *your* also from the DesignA Knit set.

                     

Coloured with neopastels I coated the  candles in clear versamark and heat embossed 

with clear embossing powder accentuating those waxy candle drips.

With the Sketch prompts edged in gold embossing powder and layered onto the card

my *Warm Hugs* Card is complete.

I love how the colours blend so well together from subtle creams to rich golds, the romance of the sentiment and the reference of light and life. A real joy to make.

Take Care everyone until next time.

Creative Hugs

Tracey xx

I'd like to enter this into the

Paperbabe Stamps Challenge #55 Sketch

Crafty Supplies:

Paperbabe: DesignA Knit Stamp Set
Paperbabe: MDF Candle Substrates
Stamping Card
White Gesso
Versamark Embossing Ink
White Embossing Powder
Lindy's Stamp Gang Sparkle Spray: Bayou Boogie Gold
Stampendous Fine Deatil: Gold Embossing Powder
Caran D'ache neocolor II pastels

Sweet Dixie Love... music

Newly released Sweet Dixie Love Music clear stamp set designed by Kath Halstead from Personal Impressions is perfect for *Music Lovers*

The set contains a beautiful sentiment that will sing out to all Music lovers. 

The sentiment has been stamped onto a hand distressed background using Coffee Archival ink.

The musical score has been stamped using versamark ink and embossed with Ultra Fine Sweet Dixie Mirror Gold embossing powder.

The elegant Guitar has been stamped with Coffee Archival, embossed with clear embossing powder and a dot or two of ranger gold stickles glue added.

The back ground edge has been distressed and faux stitching applied to add the final detail,

Thank you for sharing your time to take a peek at my simple creation using this brand new set by Kath Halstead. I look forward to sharing another with you very soon.

Creative Hugs from Tracey xx

Friday Feature.. The wait is over

At last the wait is over Lindsay Masons 2016 Christmas Sweet Dixie Stamp Collection from Personal Impressions is about to hit a store near you. Thank you to Personal Impressions I feel Blessed to be able to bring this to you all in the Spirit of Christmas.

Christmas can be a busy time for all of us and I am always looking for ways to create something that can serve a double purpose.
Today I have created a *Gift Card* a card that also carries a gift. Using Lindsays' Sweet Dixie *Glory to the Newborn King* stamp set, please click here if you wish to see the set.

If quick cards are your thing or need to make one in a hurry this project is perfect for you.

The Large stable image and twinkling star have both been stamped onto Black Centura Pearl card with versamark embossing ink and heat embossed using Pirate Gold embossing powder by Stampendous. The embossed image has been mat and layered onto antique gold card and glued onto a DL card.

          

The star has been stamped and embossed again and a glass heart cabochon glued on top. When dry the heart was trimmed and glued into a matching sized pendant bezel.

The pendant has been attached to the star on the DL card using removable glue.

I chose to turn the pendant into a key ring by adding a split ring but cord or chain could easily be used to make a wearable pendant.

There is room for a sentiment on this card but I quite liked the simplicity of it and felt the image spoke for itself.

Thank you for sharing your time with me, I hope you have been inspired.

Creative Hugs from Tracey. Have a wonderful weekend xxx