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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 13 April 2011

WOYWW - 97 Still a mess.but a different one

I am getting later and later doing my posting.  Life is just so busy, and I am desperately trying to get all my cards for May done before the end of next week.  I am also having a lot of fun just playing with different techniques, and mixing them all up.

My desk looks just as much of a wreck as it did last week, but I promise that it was tidy at least once each day, just before I started in again dragging stuff out to play with.  I said I needed more practice with the Promarkers and the Aquamarkers, and I was quite right.  There was a programme on Create and Craft this week on them and it helped me to sort out what I needed to remember about them both.
The first card was a real mix of techniques.  I used two lots of unrelated stamps, some from Barbara Gray and some from another set (cannot remember where I had them from as I have lost the packaging).  I stamped each part onto white paper, then scanned them into the computer.  Then I used My Craft Studio to resize and manipulate each part to fit together, before printing the whole picture on watercolour paper and gave it a very light spray with Crafters Companion Spray and Shine to prevent the outline from bleeding.  I used the Aquamarkers and my Cloudy Blue and Juniper and mixed them to suit  on a white tile, painting them on with a water brush.  I kept all the colours very light, more of a wash.  When I was in school, I was never encouraged to paint, and actually hated painting anyway, as it always spoiled my drawing.  However, I am gradually finding my way through it and quite enjoying playing.  If I end up with a usable card at the end, then I shall be very happy.  This one was mounted using two different shades of blue pearlescent card, mounted on white (which I had brayered with Cloudy Blue and Juniper).
The second card was purely Clarity Stamps, Promarkers, and brayering.  It was done in a bit of a rush, so I did not do and masking and overstamping, which could have improved it, but there is plenty of time to play later on.  I used the silk card for this one, which is why I chose the Promarkers and the blender.  I have a very limited selection of colours, but I do intend to aquire more as I go on.  I was going to put a sea wall in front of the houses but after I had done the brayering, I realised I had not left enough room, so I just put a bit of sand there instead. 

My last card for this week is another using Clarity Stamps - the leafy bough stamps.  I have already done one version with green leaves, so I thought I would play around with different colours.  I used the silk card again, and used a pinky coloured ink pad.  The actual stems were coloured using blush pink, and then two different colours of pink promarkers to colour the leaves.  I stamped the sentiment into the centre, again with the pinky ink pad, and brayered the edges with tattered rose distressed ink to soften the whole thing.  The mounting was matting and layering with dark brown card and pink pearlescent card. 

I want to apologise to all those people I did not get round to visiting last week, and I hope I can do better this week.  In the meantime, do go and visit all those who got going earlier than me this week at Julia's site at http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/  where you will find lots of like minded friends.  See you soon.

PS I see Blogger is still playing up and half my photos seem to have refused to show themselves.  There should be 5 photos but I can only see 3 at the moment.

23 comments:

Karen said...

Lovely cards, they are all gorgeous and I love all the different techniques.
Have a lovely Wednesday,
Karen #102

Anonymous said...

Great mess! Have fun tidying it up - lol!
nickipeex

Elizabeth said...

Hi Maggie, you've been busy experimenting. Stamping and then scanning and re-sizing - very clever use of My Craft Studio. I've been creating my own toppers using the digital punch this week and I often use it for making unique inserts - wouldn't be without it now. I really love the first card - the soft colours appeal to me, and your matting and layering is lovely, especially the pink and brown - one of my favourite colour combinations. Hope you have a great week. Elizabeth x #66

Lisa-Jane said...

Awww! I love your little mouse on your shelves! Enjoy playing xx

Elizabeth said...

Hi Maggie, me again. The rock salt technique was demonstrated on Create & Craft over the weekend by the lady who was showing what you could do with Aquamarkers. Basically, you put a wash of watercolour on card then sprinkle with rock salt and leave to dry. You should get some interesting effects, well, that's the theory. Maybe it wasn't we enough though I did spritz with water so that it was really wet before sprinkling on the salt. I used several different types of card too but it still didn't work. I'll have to try again another time and see if I can do better. Hope this clarifies. Elizabeth x

ScrappnBee said...

I think that a cluttered desk is the sign of a truely Creative Person! Love the cards! The computer manipulated one is to die for! Love them all!!!

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi there Maggie loving your cards there and so very many of them but you are right we can only see three adore the last one and its pale pink shades and the first on is great to .. soft tomes are good..and wondering about the rock salt in Elizabeth's comment above maybe need to Google it o You tube as we dont get your tv shows here.. thanks so mcuh for showing us your space and God bless,
Shaz in Oz.x

jude said...

Such beautiful creations just love all the cards.hope you have luck trying the rock salt technique will pop back and see.Happy WOYWW
hugs judex 3

okienurse said...

Beautiful cards. I typed out a nice message but the cat saw your widgets and jumped up on the computer and erased it. I was probably too long winded anyway. Thanks for sharing. Vickie #78

Di said...

Gorgeous cards Maggie. I love that you use Promarkers or Aquamarkers - not tied into either one. Have a great week! Di x #72

dottielottie said...

Hi Maggie, thanks for visiting me on WOYWW Wednesday.Have had a peek round your blog had to admit went to look at your pets first lol.love the two pussies in there bed.I was watching Barbara Grey and some one emailed that they stored their handled stamps on a length of stretched curtain wire. All depends on what room you have left in your craft space I suppose.lol
Hugs lottie x

shazsilverwolf said...

Hi Marg, lovely cards as usual. If Blogger is playing up and not showing your pictures, try re-adding them from Picasa web albums option, that usually cures it, for some weird reason.

Nicky said...

Loving your cards its amazing the techiques we pick up from TV and the internet - I can see all your photos

Di said...

Hi Maggie - I value your thoughts on this one - am going to make a load of wedding cards etc...help!! Would so value your opinion honey! You have your feet firmly on the ground I always think. Can you email me on: di_wray@hotmail.com. I'm doing it as a wedding gift - so no commission for either of us I'm afraid...not even sure if we'll go to the wedding but it's someone I'm very fond of :))Thanks! Di x

Sarah said...

Love all the cards - such beautiful work.

Sarah xx

Angie said...

What a busy interesing desk ....those cards are beautiful

Julia Dunnit said...

Am late enough to have seen all the photos - lucky me..your painting should be encouraged...bet you end up loving it!

Spyder said...

Sounds like you had a lot of fun with your cards. My Craft Studio is very useful, I often play with it!! So, 'Crafters Companion Spray and Shine!?!' I haven't tried this, My digi's using my My new Printer are smudging using my Promakers, so this might help with that,
Have a great weekend
((Lyn))
Happy (very late) WOYWW

Ali said...

Ooh what lovely cards! Brilliant idea to use the computer to composite the stamps.

You're not the only one who had tidied and re-messed and tidied and re-messed again! :lol:

Thanks for stopping by my blog... sorry you've had issues with mounting stamps. I've found it's worked well for me, using U-Mount. Never tried Rock-a-Bloks but a friend bought them and had terrible trouble getting a decent image with them.

Ali

Dandelion and Daisy said...

Beautiful cards! Thanks for visiting and I hope you will come again.

Carola Bartz said...

I especially love the cards of the coastal town - beautiful!

Amanda said...

I can see, if I look closely, a bit of your desk, so following you theory your desk is tidy, lol. You have made some lovely cards.
Amanda

Eileen said...

These are very lovely Maggie ....x