Birthday Cake by four granddaughters

I had to share this birthday cake that my four granddaughters iced for me and my son-in-law for our birthday bbq over the weekend.

It was a complete surprise.  The hid themselves away in my son's kitchen for about an hour and all took a quarter of the cake and decorated it.   I am not sure who iced which bit, although I think the bottom left hand corner ws iced by the 9 year old (with N & P  being for Nanny and Paul).  and apparently I had to have a pearl necklace.

I love the "paint drips" on the side of the cake - very "on trend".  So basically an "arty" cake for me plus flowers as my son-in-law and I are both fairly keen gardeners.   Didn't they do well.

I also need to share the words my 6 year old granddaughter wrote in her card to me  (apparently all her own words with no prompting):  "Have an amazing day.  Love your art work.  Keep on going. Lots of love from T"   (There will be no stopping that girl now that she can read and write).

Poppy heads card

Another card using the Clarity Fresh Cut dies - the poppy head one this time, using some backing paper from the Clarity Rainbow River pad.  (Albeit I will confess that I had intended to use the more patterned side - but applied the glue to the wrong side of the paper - duh!)  I compensated by added a bit of sparkle pen to the poppy heads.

Nautical Birthday Card

Again designed in Craft Artist.  I used a couple of images, the ship, ad the blue with swirls.   This was copied and cropped and just the swirls added again the other side of the ship.  I drew a few lines to tie in the design (an achievement for my dodgy eyes to get them to join ok!)

Hopefully simple, but effective.

Sapphire Anniversary

It was back to those lovely Clarity Stamp Fresh Cut dies for this card.   Keeping it simple with a cut into the card, and backed with some gorgeous blue mirror card.

Steampunk Birthday Card

Gosh is it hot or what?   I haven't been in the mood for crafting with this heat, added to having had a busy week of appointments.  Although did have a lovely afternoon yesterday at Mamma Mia 2, with my daughter and four granddaughters - a lovely girlie afternoon in a air-condition cinema - bliss.

There is so much crafty stuff I want to get on with I just haven't got the energy.  I did sit and make four cards this morning, so I will share these over the next few days.

Here is the first one:

Designed in Craft Artist, and kept it simple - too hot to do mega thinking and designing!

Birthday Card

A card created in Craft Artist for my son-in-law to go with the Windmill and barge I painted for him as part of his birthday present. 

Simpe Sympathy Card

This is the second sympathy card I have had to make in as many weeks.   (Must be an age thing).  Once again kept it simple and used the Clarity dies,  this time with a little handmade backing paper using Imagination Crafts Sugar Mouse Sparkle Medium, which has given it a very subtle pink sparkle.

I also kept the front of the card very plain with no wording, putting that on the insert.

One Finished Barge

Well the first barge is painted (and even has a name).    I confess I changed my mind on the colours to paint it a couple of times.

As I mentioned before I painted the barge with Powertex, and then gave them a coat of white gsoo.  I commenced the painting with various acrylic paints (Makes include Amsterdam, Hobbycraft, Pebeo, IndigoBlu and Pentart.)

I created the flower containers, jug and bucket from FMM Air Dry clay, and then painted them. 

The "rope" came with the kit.

The decoration was painted with miniature ball tools, using the paint fusion technique.

and finally I gave it a name ... although I think I should have called it the Elena Dawn , which would have been a bit more "classy"

I have to admit that I am pretty pleased with the result, considering my eyesight isn't great these days as I am awaiting a cataract operation,

Canal Barges - a little teaser

Sorry ... I couldn't resist ... a little teaser of work in progress.  I built two of these barges from Clever Cut and am now in the process of painting them.

I applied ivory powertex to the insides of both of them, in an attempt to make them more weatherproof.  One had powertex applied to the outside, and both had white gesso applied.

That is as far as I have got - I can't decide on the colours to paint them yet!

Viking Longship - work i progress

I fell in love with a papiermaché longship whilst in Hobbycraft last week with my granddaughter.

I wanted it to be waterproof, so I applied bronze Powertex to the hull and ivory Powertex to the sail/  It didn't take long to dry in this weather.  It was so hot yesterday afternoon that I really didn't have the mojo to start on the painting, but suddenly decided to have a bash at it so to speak when it got cooler

I was a bit concerned on how I would achieve the wood effect over the Powertex, and just started by dry brushing various shades of brown along the contour.  I then took a fine paint brush and painted the darker lines, and then went back in between the lines with the varying shades of brown.   I am quite pleased with the result.

The sale was painted with a pinky-cream and then I applied masking tape and painted the stripe down the centre.

The prow and stern were painted and then gold gilding wax applied, and various starlight coloured paints were stippled on to the "shields". 

Still a bit more to do to it - I shall add some centres to the shields with Nvo drops and then perhaps add some gilding wax or paint the drops.

I am also tempted to paint some sort of emblem on the sail.    I think it needs something like and eagle in flight.   I don't have a stamp like that, but I do have an eagle's head stamp ......... (and I might have an angel wings stamp in my stash - I forget)   .... so watch this space as they say.