Wednesday 13 October 2010

Leaves Are Falling All Around

I love this time of year - the leaves are turning beautiful shades of red, yellow, orange and copper brown. The shops are starting to sell Halloween and Bonfire Night goodies such as Parkin and Treacle Toffee. I have come down with a bad cold and temperature so am feeling rough.  I lose my mojo when I'm under par but managed to finish this card before I succumbed completely.  My colouring has gone like a two year old and I keep going over the lines! 


I am entering the Lili Of The Valley  No. 68 Challenge - Autumn - which entails using one of their stamps. As I only have three and they are all Christmassy, I have adapted one to look Autumny.  Not sure if it worked? 



 I am also entering the Sir Stampalot Challenge as it is Autumn Breezes, Buttons and Bows. The card depicts an autumn breeze and has a button with a delicate bow.   


Pocket Full of Posies  have a Challenge for Autumn Leaves. It does say in the rules that you have to have something floral on your card. The Happy Birthday Banner has a flower on? but not sure if that counts but will try. Last but not least Creative Stamp Friends has a Challenge for Orange Brown so I think it qualifies for that. 


 I have coloured the girl's hair gold - I know it seems strange but it just looked really nice.  I made an Easel Card which is only the second I've ever done. I struggle a bit with decorating them and think I need to be more inventive. 


I love looking at all the entries into the Challenges; they are amazing and so many different takes on one theme.  Anyway, I'm off to dose myself, meanwhile here is the card recipe:-


Recipe 
Square Easel Card
Milton Paper Stack: Orange with white daisies and Thinking Of You Paper
Lili of the Valley Stamp: "Dropping the Shopping"
Mounts: Earth Tones Glitter Paper (Handy Hippo) - Brown
Brown recycled Card (Handy Hippo)
Die Cuts from stock coloured to match and mounted
Leaf Banner: ClipArt leaves copid and pasted together
Orange Button (raided from my mum's button stash)
Gold string from stash
Two amber gems

Colouring
(Promarkers by shade and Copics by no.)
Face and legs: Vanilla and Copic R20
Hair: Gold Sakura Gel Pen
Fur Hat, Mitts, Boots Trim: Shale
Scarf: Coral, Black spots highlighted with gold
Coat: Tan
Dog: Tan, Shale for button nose
Bag: Burnt Orange, Gold Sakura Gel Pen, 
Girl's parcel: Pear Green, Shale
Dog's Parcel: Coral and Burnt Orange with Pear Green Bow.
Scarf: Tan, Black and gold spots


Challenges: 
Lili Of The Valley  Challenge 68 - Autumn
Sir Stampalot - Autumn Breezes, Button(s) and Bow(s)
Pocket Full of Posies - Challenge 8 - Autumn Leaves
Creative Stamp Friends - Challenge 9 - Orange Brown


Sharing Moments:

I came across this recipe for 100 year old Parkin - just follow the recipe and then leave for a hundred years! (only joking). The recipe is actually from October 1907 and it states that back then it sold for eight old pence a pound! I wonder how much that would be in today's money?  Amazing stuff.

I also came across this when scanning some old 35mm slides from the '60s.  It's a shame my head has been cut off but look at that grin - it's bigger than the swedes!



Tuesday 5 October 2010

First Challenge

This is my first attempt at a Challenge and is from Bev's Sketch on LOTV Challenge 67.  

Christmas Candle

The Stamp is Lily of The Valley's "Christmas Candle" and I really love it as it can be coloured in so many ways and can look totally different. It gives the card a really Christmassy glow.  I never would have thought black would work on a Christmas Card but as I have loads of black card leftover thought I would give it a go.  I think it kind of gives it an olde worlde feel? The background for the stamp was made on computer with Seashore Software. You can get a spray paint effect.  Then when dry, I stamped onto it and coloured with Copic Pens and Promarkers. I didn't have any brads so used buttons with gem on top.

Christmas Candle (detail)
Menu
Square black card blank
Red pearlised paper
Milton Christmas Papers
"Christmas Candle" Stamp by LOTV
Martha Steward Doily Edge Punch
Red and Gold Ribbon from stock
Stamp Background made on Computer/Printer
Christmas Wishes Tag made on Computer/Printer
Paper Flower coloured with Promarker Ruby, Stickled with Glitter, pearl added.
Black buttons with Red Gems stuck on top



Colours used to colour Christmas Candle Stamp:-


*Promarkers stated with shade, Copics by no. 
Face: Vanilla and Copic R20
Coat: G85
Scarf: Cool Greys 1, 2 and 4
Shoes and Mitts: Cool Grey 2
Candle Holder: Black
Candle: R46
Flame: Yellow, Bright Orange, Sakura Gelly Roll Clear Glitter Pen
Holly: Lime Green
Berries: R46
Fur on Hood/Pom Poms: Layer of Sakura Souffle White Pen and Ultra Fine Glitter Pearl


Stockists: Stamp from Lili of The Valley, Punches from Crafty Devils Papercraft.  All other from Handy Hippo.


Challenges: 
Lili Of The Valley - Challenge 67