Ombre Technique

 I came across this technique whilst browsing through Blog Land. . . . .  As you do!!! It had immediate appeal . . .  to me anyway and it looked simple so I had a go.  Had to buy 4 different shades of card first.  Such yummy colours to choose from.  Aren't we just so spoilt???  Anyway you can see what I chose after much deliberation.  I made number 2 card first (don't quite know why it didn't come out as number 1.  It was supposed to.  Anyway getting back to number 2 card . . . It is pretty basic but you need to be accurate.  Nothing looks worse than strips of card which don't quite  line up top and bottom!!! I jazzed my strips up a bit by embossing them.  Now I got to thinking outside the square.  Card pictured as number 3 came next.  I wanted to use a set of nesties so came up with the idea of using double sided sticky sheet to stick my strips to before cutting my largest Labels 20 and then embossing again. I punched flowers in the four colours of card to mount on a dark green label. The last one was just a straight cutting of the 4 sizes of Labels 20 in the 4 shades of blue.  Added a filigree butterfly and some pearls and voila.  There we have it.  I am hoping this post works.  I haven't been able to post to my Blog  since FOREVER.  Every time I try it error out so I am trying Google Chrome instead of Internet Explorer.  Not as familiar with this so I have my fingers crossed!!!

Gelli Plate Efforts

Hi Everyone on this Christmas Eve.  I hope you are not too stressed and that your plans for Christmas are almost finalised.  It has been a very different build up to Christmas for me this year as we are taking our two daughters, their partners and three grandchildren to Disneyland LA.  As we fly on Christmas Day and don't return until 7 Jan, we decided not to put up the tree and all the trimmings so I have to say it has been VERY weird. We have been planning this trip since June and now here we are just a day away from the big adventure beginning.  In between all the little panics that have arisen I had to find time to make my early January birthday cards as I need to get them away in the mail TODAY since I won't be back in time to post them after Christmas.  So here you see my efforts using stencils and my Gelli Plate.  Thanks to Barbara Gray for the instructions on how to get this effect.  These are my first efforts using this technique and I have to say I really enjoyed it.  It was a little warm the afternoon I did it and so I had to work VERY quickly because the acrylic paint was drying out quickly in the heat.  They turned out alright I think and on the whole I was pleased.  I touched up 'dodgy'areas with my Promarker (LOVE these) and Hey Presto no one would ever know there was an 'oopsie'!!  I hope you enjoy looking at them (maybe taking a breather with a cuppa?).  I'm off to the mail to post these.  Have a lovely Christmas whatever you may be doing.  Travel safely.  Enjoy the sunshine if you are in the Southern hemisphere or stay warm if you are in the Northern hemisphere.  All good wishes to you and your loved ones and I hope for a happy, healthy 2014 for you all. Hugs from Crafty Granma x

Thrilled to Bits . . . .

. . . .with this card. Back in July I bought several designs of Special Cards at a craft fair when I was in the UK .  I haven't had time to play with any of them until now.  With classes done for the year and with 2 very good friends with birthdays in January I tried out the first of them today and I have to tell you that it was a delight to make and I am thrilled with it.  I will try a different design for the second card I have to do and post the results of that for you to see.  Hope you are having a good day and thanks for stopping by today.

Last Lot.. . . . .

. . . . . of Christmas cards.  I just needed 6 more and so zapped off this design 6 times.  Had a good production line going and it didn't take long at all.  The inner is computer generated and I really like it.  Just need to look in the drawer for envelopes or else make them with my Envelope Maker.  Good investment :o)) Thanks for visiting today.

Hows Quickly The Years Go

They just disappear in the blink of an eye.  Our Darling Grandson turns 12 this coming weekend.  It seems no time at all since I watched as he was delivered by Caesarean section and now here he is almost as tall as me - and gorgeous into the bargain.  He asked his Mum for a Minion birthday cake so I thought I would try my hand at re-creating a Minion on a birthday card for him.  I have to say I am pretty pleased with it but also that my Minion looks like he needs to enrol at Weight Watchers.  Hope Trent likes it.  We love you so much Trent.  Have a happy day with your friends on Saturday. PS Minion is on a spring so he wobbles about when touched!

A Couple of 'Specials'

 These two cards are for Special People if you know what I mean.  I think you do.  We all have at lease a few Special People in our lives who we make things for. These people are Special for many reasons, not least of which is for the fact that they REALLY appreciate the cards you make for them.  It is such a joy to give to people like this.  I don't know who said it but I'm right in there with him/her 'It is better to give than to receive'.  I do SO love giving things to people.  Have a lovely day.

Through a Hole in the Wall

 Hello Everyone and I hope you have had a good weekend.  Early Sunday evening here in NZ and the weekend is almost over.  It's been quite productive for me I have to say.  This is this afternoon's ceation and I must say I am quite pleased with it.  I am getting to like these stencils/masks more and more.  First time I have used my brick one and the concept of 'a hole in the wall ' appealed especially as a male card (always hard to come up with as we ALL know).  Had a dummy run on copy paper and discovered a lot from that so that my 'good ' effort turned out pretty well.  I'm thinking up more things to view through the hole as I type.  Hope your week goes well.  PS this card is for my nephew.