Friendship book page H & cover

Still not finished! The H page is done, which did ot photograph very well, but you get the idea.
For the cover I used some sumptuous raw silk beaded fabric. I think its bridal fabric. I love bridal fabrics, why dont they make them in different colours?  In order to move it away from the bridal look I drew on it with coloured fabric pens and coloured in some of the pearls. The closure I made from gold raw silk, its padded and I machined over the top and added some blue embroidery. That is not a button by the way, it is from a disassembled Christmas decoration lol.


And no it is not finished. I want to add some embellishments to the front, probably ribbons and another upcycled jewellery piece in the center. 
The weather has been fabulous today so I have been doing things outside instead of crafting indoors. Hopefully I shall get it completed tonight. I already have some ideas for wrapping it up in fabrics and 'stuff'


By the way the H page in particular and the closure was my very first attempt ever at embroidery.

'Simple' Birthday card

Do you remember I made a 70th card for my French neighbour? I also made a Baptism card/keepsake box for his daughters baby. Well I was asked by the 'daughters' Mother if I would make a birthday card for her daughter this month. 'But more simple than the others' she said. I understood that French perfectly. 


It's my interpretation of simple that is the difficulty!  Simple does not seem to be in my vocabulary, this is about as simple as I could make it. It only took me an afternoon, which was fast for me, and in my eyes simple!


I have tried a couple of times to take it round her house, but her daughter has been there every time, so have been unable to show it to her. Just as well her birthday is not until the 20th ;o)


As usual the one and only stamp I used on the front is not stright, despite my best attempts. The main birds in the flowers were taken from a pre-cut glittery decoupage sheet. I made the flowers myself, they took the longest and are in holo, glitter and mirri papers to match the colours. 

Above: I found a rather pretty vintage button, irridesent dark fuchia/purple

  

Holgraphic card

I tend to buy up on eBay, other peoples craft clear-outs. One batch I received ages ago contained a load of holographic card. Personally I find it a bit gaudy, but also way too interesting to cover it up either. So for several months now its just been sitting in my card collection. I really have no idea what inspired me to use it for my brothers birthday card. It just popped into my head. 


In fact I enjoyed using the holo card so much, I am thinking of using it in other ways. Whether the photos show it or not it actually looks quite awesome under electric light. I am hoping that if he displays it, when he is walking past it, it will catch his eye because it really does shimmer and move.


For the back, I ended up using dies and punches. I also made an envelope...and I did not use wallpaper this time! lol.


I actually finished this card before I went into hospital, but did not have time to photograph it. I photographed it under my daylight craft lamp to try and bring out the colours and give a true-er impression of the actual holographic effect.

This is the front of the card:

The back;

Flower detail:

Front of the envelope:

Fabric card for a young Goth lady

Hello again, 2 postings in one day and changed the look of my Blog! Busy busy busy.
 I've just completed and sent this card for my Brothers Girlfriend who is a Goth with leanings towards Steampunk. I wanted to make a shabby chic fabric card but it had to be in dark colours. I made all the flowers, the back and front of the card is based on black velvet. 

I followed the colours on the centre image which I felt was appropriate for this card.

The image is actually covered over with acetate. I did try printing it onto fabric but my laser-jet printer did not want to know. I'd like to do fabric printing so I need to get the correct transfer papers to do this.
The frame surrounding the actual image was my first use of the new 'ruffler' foot I bought for my sewing machine. It worked a treat. There's going to be ruffles everywhere now! They are 'sew' easy to do! 
My machine is about 20 years old, and I now find myself drooling over new or used ones on eBay that do lots of fancy stitching.


Envelope made from wallpaper.....as usual.

Wedding card for bikers

I confess to seeing this style of card on another blog, and thought it would be perfect for my biker friends wedding card. A card in white, pinks and ivory just would not of been suitable for them, they are far too 'alternative'.

Its an easel card with an acetate window. I did not have any inks that would stick so I ended up drawing the swirls by hand on the acetate with a dip pen in Alcohol ink, as I don't know how to apply bottled ink to a stamp. I think the result is a bit 'naff' but I knew of no alternative. As it was I waited until the 'nth hour, as I'd ordered some stayzon ink pads which never arrived in time.

I made the little cherub from polymer clay in a mould and painted it silvery black. Again I have embellished with studs round the edge. The 'congrats' stamp is the only one I have, not much choice there then! I used removable body tattoo's on the acetate...the barbed wire. I sprayed everywhere with shimmer.

With this card, this was my first use of fabric flowers (see previous post). I've used quite alot of silver stickers, which is something I do not normally do. The envelope was made from good old wallpaper and for a change I decorated the back of the envelope instead of the 'front'

If anyone can tell me how to glue items to inked paper can they tell me, because I had terrible trouble, I had to scrape off the ink down to the paper to get the embellishments to stick.
To be honest, I think I like the envelope better!

Birthday card for a singer

Its been quite a few weeks since I made a card as I seem to of been busy doing DIY around the house and trying to pot up all the 100's of seedling coming through in my greenhouse.
 This particular card I made this week is for a real tomboy lady's birthday who as well as being an 'off roading' freak in her top of the range Land Rover, likes to sing with 'big band' musicians. So I thought I'd use this as the theme, something a bit glitzy and more 'girly' than land rovers and muddiness. .

I sprayed the chipboard letters with glue then dipped them into fine glitter. I only hope it stays stuck on as I do not know any other way of gluing glitter down.

Card: with brooch embellishment

I bought this brooch ages ago and have been awaiting inspiration to use it, so here is what I did with it:
The sun has been shining today, but I got sunburn yesterday so today I stayed indoors and made this card instead.
The 3 purple-ish strips are glitter card, the centre cream paper is handmade. I added a few brads here and there, 2 of which are dragonflies which I think is the scene on the brooch. I just love the colours of the brooch which is why I bought it.
I have not made this card for anyone, so its the first of my 'stock' cards, hopefully I will sell it, I can always add a message on the front as required and of course make a matching envelope.