Gone fishing!

Men's card can be so difficult.  created this one in CAP for a rellie who used to do a bit of fishing. 

Having printed and mounted the topper on the card, I highlighted the bubbles from the fish with Pebeo Mixtion paste and added some silver foil to them

finished card

Family Coat of Arms

The family coat of arms

My 10 year old granddaughter had some homework to do last week - making a Roman shield.   It had to be large and cover most of her body, as the were going to re-enact a battle; which I believe will involve having foam balls thrown at them..

Her dad got some plywood cut, which he bolted to a little bought kiddies shield which had straps.  

She had drawn a vague idea, but then we showed her a picture of the family coat of arms from the internet, and she decided that would be a great idea!

Her dad had primed the wood ready for her, so I was invited to bring my paint stash over, complete with paint brushes etc.    I also took along a pencil for her to draw the outline, however, I forgot about a ruler etc.   Undeterred - she used the plastic lid from their toy box to draw the straight lines, and drew the rest of the arrow parts freehand.  The circles were created by drawing round a" bat" from a velcro catch ball set which happened to be close to hand!

She then set to work painting her design, using acrylic paint.  The arrow tips she originally painted in gold acrylic, but they didn't show up too well.  Fortunately I had packed my liquid gold leaf paint in my stash, so she used that.  All the elements were then outlined with black acrylic, and then for good measure, I used a bit of pebeo gilding wax around the edge of the shield for her.   She could have done it, but I wasn't sure how rough the wood was, and didn't want her hurting her fingers.  (Nanny's fingers were dispensable!)    When she had finished we gave it a spray of spray and shine to seal it.

I think she made a fabulous job of it, and think it might become a family heirloom - lol!

looking as pleased as punch with her finished project

Minecraft cake

and here is the cake to go with the card I posted yesterday.    Created in Craft Artist and printed by local cake shop on to a sugar paste topper.

I also decided to have a bash at trying to do some airbrushing on the side.

As requested by the recipient (although she doesn't know what the design is) the cake i,s as she put it "Classic Victoria Sponge please, with raspberry jam and buttercream."   (A slight variation on my art as I used the last of my salted caramel icing sugar for a bit of extra taste!)

Card for a 10 year old

Topper for Card

Well the new printer is up and running, so it was back to Craft Artist for this card.  I think you will understand why.   Made for one of my granddaughter's who loves  Minecraft and Harry Potter.

A couple of images taken from the net, and adapted in cutout studio.  One of my photographs from a visit to Harry Potter World of the castle, and a very special photo of Tom Riddle's book, which I had the privilege of being shown.  (I actually I have a photo of me  taken with the film prop - much to by family's disgust as they had gone ahead of me, so didn't get to see it!  That will teach them to go ahead and leave me behind!)

The finished card with topper mounted

A stamped Card

Now, those of that you that know me please don't faint - I have actually made a card without using Craft Artist!

I confess there was a reason - I needed a new printer. and although it had arrived an was set up, I wasn't sure how much ink there was in the cartridges that come with it.

So I decided to use one of Sheena's stamps - Clematis from her Torn Paper range.

It was very relaxing sitting and colouring for a change.   The image was coloured using promarkers and Spectrum Noir pencils, and a distress ink on the background, applied with a Clarity Brush.

I then created a little sentiment using one of Leonie's masks and more of the distress ink

I then decided to try to give the image and sentiment a bit of oomph!   I added stickles to the centre of the flowers, and then did some clear embossing on the flowers and the sentiment.  (confess the photo doesn't do it justice, but it is quite effective in real life.

Door hangers

A little bit of an experiment for some door hangars for my granddaughters when they are visiting their Dad.

Fronts

I wanted to try and keep in with the colour scheme of the house he is renting, so used golds and creams.

Backs

After first applying a layer of white Pebeo gesso, I used Leonie Pujol's templates for creating the background to the words, sponging on the colours, and then I outlined the words with transparent Pebeo Cerne Relief.   I love these templates and the various words.   When dry I filled in the letters with Pebeo fantasy paints in Moon and Prisme.

The butterflies and the little tags on the back were also flooded with the Fantasy paints, and appropriate initials added in gold Cerne Relief, as were the zzzs on the tags.

The flowers and dots were done with Pebeo Mixtion relief and when that had dried (which leaves it with a glue like finish) I add gilding flakes.

The hangers were finished off with a touch of gold Pebeo gilding wax on the edges.

I am quite pleased with how they turned out, and are certainly different to the girly fairy ones I made for their rooms at home a couple of years back.

Steam Punk Book Box

Some time ago - like last year, before my husband died - I started this steam punk inspired book box.

Front

I had done the front, sides and inside, but confess when I finally got up into the Den this year to continue the project, I had forgotten what I had done and what I had used!  duh!  Anyway undeterred I started on completing the spine and the back, which I had at least applied black gesso to!

Fortunately I sort of remembered that I was using the Pebeo Dyna irridescent paints and sponges.  (What I didn't realise until I finished painting the back, that I had applied a layer of serviette to the front first and coated it with pva glue.   Hey ho, I could always start again if I so desire!

Back

 The back looks a slightly different colour, as the sun was shining and reflecting off the paints slightly differently to the front.   Also it looks as if I left more black showing on the front!

Front and side

 I used a packet of mixed cogs etc for the front and glued them on, and then did some more paint effect on them, as well as adding some Pebeo gilding wax on the edges.

The "leaves" of the book were created using Pebeo texture paste with a cream coloured paint applied to them, and then with my finger I rubbed gold gilding wax over the textured surface.

Another view

You can just about make out the texture of the pages in this picture.   The edge of the cover of the book also had gilding wax applied over the black gesso, which was easier than trying to replicate the paint effects on such a thin edge!

Not perfect by any means - as I said I can always redo it as the mood takes me!

A magical birthday cake

Men can be so difficult to make cakes for.   I was originally going to make a cake in the shape of the sorting hat from Harry Potter, but really didn't have the time, so Craft Artist to the rescue again, along with out local shop that prints your design on a cake topper.

Black and White - how to overcome a problem ...

My printer is playing up and I can't print in colour, and I had a card to make for my son's birthday - so thinking "outside the box".  I created this card for him:

He appreciated the joke!

MDF Dream Catcher

I bought this MDF dream catcher back in Februyary at Make It, Farnborough exhibition from Button-It and Craftwood Creations, and have at last got around to doing something with it.

It was gesso'ed and then painted with pebeo Iridescent Dyna paints,and Pebeo deco paints. but then I decided to apply Pebeo gilding wax to it - gold on the ring and words, and silver on the "strings".

The feathers were painted with a pale cream and white and then over-painted with a white and a gold fantasy paint with a kebab stick, and finished off with some Maimeri Iridescent paste and Glassy Gel mixed together. .

I then added to the feathers to some eye pins which have various hematite and bronze "pear fnish" beads added.  (Unfortunately the last little feather had a very delicate hole on it, and broke, so I stuck it on to the strings.  Finally I added some flat back pearls.

The picture I took tonight hasn't really done it justice - I shall have to find a whit background to photograph it in the morning.

Playing in the Sunshine

What a lovely day it was yesterday.  Some real WARM sunshine for a change.  My son and his girls came over for Sunday lunch, and it was so lovely we actually ate our roast dinner outside.

After lunch the four year old and the seven year old wanted to go up in my Den to paint/craft.  Well as it was first time I had been able to get up there this year, who was I to argue.

We decided to get out the cloud clay and they wanted to make flowers - so I taught them a couple of flowers, and then we stuck them onto small 3" canvas boards.

This is the result of their efforts:

Rose, and Daisy by four year old T

Roses and a background by seven year old C (that is supposed to be her name in the bottom corner,
 (only she ran out of space and name is on two lines!)

and finally four year old wanted to paint a picture for her mum - using my best Pebeo acrylics!

I  think they mastered hand-made roses pretty well!   (well they had a good teacher didn't they - lol!)

New Home Card

Made this card up for something slightly different for a New Home Card.

However, although this was how it was supposed to look - my printer had other ideas!  Looks like a new purchase will be on the cards soon.  (Bit miffed as I have a stack of cartridges to use!  I have to confess that I would like one that takes thicker card - my current Epsom doesn't like anything thicker than 160gsm!)  

This is what the printer printed out!   It looked ok, but it wasn't the colour I designed.  It appears my red is blocked, and blowed if I can get it to work!