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This is intended to be mainly about my crafting stories, as a personal record of what I do. However, I interpret crafting quite widely, not just paper crafting but other things too. I have a butterfly mind and like to change from one thing to another depending on what I feel like on a given day - knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, cards, baking and several others, including my favourite right now, parchment, both traditional skills and Groovi, very relaxing and calming to do.

I have decided to put some structure into my blog so that each day will have something of a theme.
Monday- for Mindfulness; Tuesday - Tidy Up Day; Wednesday - What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday; Thursday - Technique and Tips; Friday - Finish Off Day; Saturday - Start Something New; Sunday - Anything Goes
These themes are not hard and fast and will be changed if I feel the need.

Wednesday 23 March 2011

WOYWW - 94

Barbara Gray - Flower stamp
Four different techniques
This is actually my desk on Monday night as I finished off the four cards needed for Tuesday, all to be hand delivered, thank goodness.  Four cards with four different techniques.  If you are short of time, just look at the pictures and read the captions. 

From left to right, the first was a new set from Barbara Gray (Clarity Stamps).  I stamped the main image with vintage photo distress ink, then stamped it again on to a large post it note.  This I used as a mask, first to mask the whole thing apart from the circle in the middle, which allowed me to use two of the smaller stamps in the set to create the design in the O.  Then I removed that mask, put the O back in position and used my brayer and Cloudy Blue and Juniper to give a soft colour in the background of the main part of the card.  I used my precious Derwent water colour pencils to colour in the flowers in the centre.  The 65 was done by writing the numbers with a Quickie glue pen, allowing it to dry for about 12 hours, and then rubbing Martha Stewart glitter into it, and brushing the excess off with a soft paint brush.  After matting and layering, I edged the whole card with gold Krylon.

Embroidery design - printed and water coloured
The second was one of my old embroidery designs, printed on supersmooth card, coloured in with water colour pens and pencils.  I am happy with the lady and the rose bushes but the grass needs to be improved.  More practice needed on that.  Again the edges were done with the gold Krylon, which, in my opinion, looks better on fancy edged card than on the plain edges.

Barbara Gray - feather stamp
The next one is a technique I have been playing with for a couple of weeks.  The stamped image is scanned onto the computer, resized and the colour changed to suit (my stock of ink pads is limited), then printed on to parchment.  Following a technique I saw Barbara demonstrate, the feather and the writing were then embossed from behind to create highlights.  The card was a pearlescent white card, printed all over with resized scans of the stamp.  I used small coppery brads to mount the parchment on to dark brown card (Papermill) and then glued to the main card with Pinflair glue gel.



Home printed disc faces
I discovered after buying my new printer that in addition to printing on thicker cardstock, it has the attachment to print on CD's and DVD's.  These are two programmes I have just taken off the overfull DVD recorder, one with Barbara Gray and one with Sheena Douglas.  I normally just scribble on the discs, but it is nicer to have pretty pictures on.

Seriously messy desk

This is my desk on Tuesday night while I am still in the middle of a Diamond Wedding card (hidden under the glitters to weight the glue down to make it stick.  Hopefully it will be stuck and dry by the morning.  Even my cup is messy, well empty anyway, and it has been there for at least two days.


One of our goldfinches eating the niger seed
I did manage a few minutes peering out of the window of my craft room, and this is what I saw.  We have a small flock of goldfinches, but they are at the limit of my camers lens.  They scoff the niger seed like it is going out of fashion, but they are such pretty birds.

I hope you enjoyed a wander round my messy home, and now perhaps you would like to visit more beautiful desks by going to Julia's blog at  
http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

PS Sorry I did not manage to get round to everyone this week.  I did try, honest, but other things do keep getting in the way, and I like to read what everyone has said properly and give a good comment.  If I missed you this week, I hope I will get to you this time round.  By the way, there may be a PPS if the Diamond Wedding card finally gets its glue properly set and ready to go.  Watch this space.

25 comments:

ShazInOzCardsCalligraphy said...

Well you are very early there Maggie so I will be one of the first to comment on yours have been blown away by your productivity.. well done.. and love the feather card best of all! and the anniversary one is lovely too. And what lot of glitters I think I have three or four not big on glitter myself but can see it has its uses.. quickie pens are great! what beautiful finch amazing little thing, thanks for sharing and happy WOYWW!
Shaz in Oz.x

nnalorac said...

Gorgeous cards Maggie, love to watch the birds from craft room too! Have a lovely Wednesday. Carolxx

Victoria said...

very pretty cards happy woyww

Unknown said...

Beautiful cards very productive indeed...thanks for sharing Jo (51) xxx

Cathy said...

Fab cards and very creative work space. Love the birds, we have a cat so don't get many in our garden.
Cathy xx

Lulabelle said...

Very pretty cards!
I love to watch the birds from my craft studio too!

MarkerGeek said...

Beautiful cards!

~Elaine http://quixoticcards.com/

Di said...

i just LOVE your cards Maggie. And goldfinches in your garden, lucky you :) Di x

Sarah said...

Really busy place and a hive of creativity
Great cards and colouring...
Thanks for sharing today, enjoy yourself...


Sasa at 12 (Sarah)

http://blueboxbabe.blogspot.com/

Becky said...

the cards are beautiful! Such nice clean designs. Thanks for the snoop! :) Becky 116

shazsilverwolf said...

Hi Marg- great cards,love how you have made so many different designs. I really struggled too, trying to visit last week, I couldn't believe how many desks there were!I am going to try a few different systems I think! We have Goldfinches too- Love, Shaz

Anonymous said...

Hi Maggie,
Happy WOYWW. Your cards are lovely. Thanks for explaining your techniques. We have lots of birds in our yard too and they are eating us out of house and home! Thanks for stopping by my desk. :-)

Sherry said...

Your cards look lovely. The Clarity Stamps are fab - I got a couple for Christmas and the DVDs, but haven't play with them yet!

It's lovely to see (and hear!) all the birds appearing now that Spring is finally here!

Thanks for already visiting my desk earlier.

Sherry (109)

Anonymous said...

Your new printer sounds really good the dvd's look great. Very nice cards too, lovely LO's and colouring.

Hugs
Brenda 84

donnalouiserodgers said...

may I suggest something regarding the grass???

send me your email & I'll share,

lovely post loads to see, fab...

Dx

donnalouiserodgers said...

hey hun - there is no mail addie on your profile, where you have a white gap between her edge and the grass? first fill it with the same green then carefully start to fill the same space with a darker green, if you dont have a darker shade of green apply very carefully a matching tone of fawn/beige ( check though as different inks mix differently and some are crapolla and dont mix at all) - it will darken the green as you apply it over - practice on the same card to check the colour you get..., gradually fill out to shadow size to 'ground' your figure into the grass, oh and I probably just ruined you beige pen nib that is now green contaminated...

hmmm I,m a crazy person you should ignore me.,

your grass if very painterly, and is a different style to your stamped image colouring, I like the grass best - it is you absolutely.

Can't offer you coffee tomorrow got a 7am - 7pm shift, but let me know when you are heading back and we might be able to meet at the service station...


Dx

fairy thoughts said...

lovely cards. i like the sound of the printer that can print on thick card and cd's. and that is one serious box of glitter
janet

Carola Bartz said...

I am amazed how much you did create, and all cards are so different! I also liked just to look at your desk - I also have days-old mugs sitting on my desk! The picture of the finch is beautiful - our goldfinches look somewhat different. But they sure love the nijer as well!

Jana said...

LOVE your cards. And how very inspired you have been. I am impressed. I think we are kindred crafting spirits, not only do we have the same pin cushion, but I have that same glitter set too. Wonderful taste you have there. LOL

jude said...

Wow some gorgeous cards on show this week hunni.Sounds like the printer is a good one too!Have creative day
hugs judex

The Crafty Elf said...

Oh My Word your cards are stunning! I just have to mention how spotless your desk is....so jealous!

Minxy said...

Great selection of cards, and i'd say a very tidy desk too..
Never seen a feeder like that b4..tis cool. as well as nyjer i find my visiting goldfinches are eating me out of sunflower hearts daily lol
StAy InKy
hUgS MiNxY x

okienurse said...

Beautiful cards! Thanks for sharing. Vickie #162

Unknown said...

Thank you for your lovely comment on my first WOYWW. I do know I am lucky living on the Isle of Wight. It is a beautiful place ;0) Your cards are lovely. I especially love the flower one with the image in the O. I recently saw a Christmasy one similar to this at the Clarity Stamping stand at the Make It Show. It is such a fantastic technique. xx

SDCrafts said...

What wonderful work you are doing! So many different techniques and to such a high standard.

Been poorly so short & sweet this week
Shirl #38 again!