Sunday 7 January 2018

A 2018 kickstart!

Hello again!

Right here we go with my first proper blog post for this year. 


This is my first birthday card design of the year.  I had two birthdays very close together in the past week so I made the same design twice but changed the quotes on the front.  I forgot to take a pic of the alternative one.  The beautiful tree stamp is a  'cover the page' stamp from Impression Obsession and in this case the quote is one from an Alison Bomber set for PaperArtsy.  I love the beautiful quotes Alison has brought to us via these stamps and I can't wait for February when she has some new sets coming out with the new PaperArtsy releases.


Before stamping the trees I used a dusting brush to add some Distress Ink colour to a piece of script designer paper.  I wanted to give the impression of hazy winter sunlight filtering through bare trees.   I inked the edges and layered up onto the base card before stamping and cutting up the quote and added it to the top.


Now for something I haven't done much of at all....journalling!  A friend pointed out that France Papillon was starting a new challenge on her blog, A Layer A Day/A Spread A Week (ALAD/ASAW) so a couple of us decided to have a go. If you want to know the details have a look at France's blog but I have to say I found it extremely difficult to only do one layer then walk away till the next day.  Once I get in a crafting mood I want to keep at it whilst it's flowing but I'll give it another go this week hopefully and see how I get on.  



I did take about three pics with my phone of the different layers but for some reason I couldn't get them to download this morning 😞 .   I started off with a couple of pages I had already stamped a rose onto with two colours of Distress Oxides, left over ink from a previous project.  Over that I randomly stamped a fab script stamp I bought recently by ALL&Create (from That's Crafty) then I gave it a patchy wash with gesso.

 

Next came Grunge Paste through an Imagination Crafts mixed media stencil.  Love this stencil as it has different shaped 'holes' making a random design.  Next layer was PaperArtsy Infusions which I allowed to run and drip plus an old Crafty Notions white spray and some shimmery Glimmer Mists.


A couple of words from a Seth Apter stencil and stickers, a few touches of Treasure Gold and a light application of black ink to the edges finished the actual pages then I stamped a Tim Holtz butterfly twice onto a scrap of brusho'd card, cut them out and stuck them to the pages.

Right that's it for today!  Hope it's not too long before I have something else to share.  Thanks for dropping by today.

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

7 comments:

Helen said...

I love the card - that tree stamp is gorgeous!! What do you know, I have it in my stash, had forgotten all about it!
The journal page is fantastic, and I bet it looks even better in the flesh. I agree about how hard it is to stop at one layer!

veronica said...

love the tree cards, that script paper is perfect for the background!
Am not into journalling, but can understand you finding iot difficult to do just one layer - once I start, than I carry on till finished too!
Happy new year to you all
xxx

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

I love the gorgeous card that you've made with the Cover-a-card stamp, it's one that I have in my stash but is as yet unused. Seeing your beautiful card has inspired me to get it out and stamp with it(just need to remember where it is now). I also love your wonderful journal pages too, the colours are gorgeous.

Sue xx

Miriam said...

You're having a great crafty start to your year.

As for the card, I love mine, the photo doesn't do it justice.

Seth said...

Love the card and the book spread. That textured background is sensational.

Etsuko said...

Beautiful card Lesley, The sun shining through the trees that became winter branches something a little happyI love it. Allison's quote is wonderfully on it. xx

Words and Pictures said...

Wow - those trees are just magnificent, especially with that delicate sunlit, misty sky you've created. The words work beautifully with them. What a stunning stamp... I may have to go shopping! I just love the colourful France-inspired page spread too. I've seen Helen playing with the layered pages - almost makes me give in to FB to join in, but not quite! Looking forward to more...
Alison x