Monday 13 February 2012

Demo cards

Good morning!


This miserable weather is not making me want to go out today. Bahh!
I have had a nice weekend with a demonstration on Saturday at Crafts U Love. I met lots of lovely crafters and got to play a bit as well. And when I got home my new laptop had been delivered - yay! I am writing this post on it and I can tell you, it is soooo nice not to have to wait five minutes for every action to actually happen on the screen! My old trusty MacBook was getting too slow for me after 6 years of service and I was wanting to scream every time I needed to do some work in Photoshop!
Yesterday I had to get out of the way of my darling hubby as he was working on our kitchen redo and not in a good mood... which didn't help my mood either, so being apart was better for all involved *lol*.
Right, back to the demo, I had prepared 10 cards that used the Hero Arts/Sizzix stamp and die combos (as well as a HA Art of the Card set together with Distress Inks.
I didn't get a chance to take pics at home so these were done in the shop and accordingly I couldn't do much about the lighting... I also only noticed at home I forgot to take a picture of one card (you might see a blue eiffel tour card peeking in on some of the pictures, that one I didn't take a photo of :-( A bit miffed with myself as I really liked that one. Might try to get one when I next go to the shop.


Starting with the Cupcake Set, this green card was a quick one where I coloured one die cut cupcake with Peeled Paint  and Worn Lipstick DIs and sponged the frame as well as stamping the second cupcake directly onto the green mat. The stripe on the ribbon was done with the same DI with the help of good old sello tape.



On the next card I played with the frame die a bit and cut an aperture into the from of the card and stamped the coordinating image inside on some patterned paper. I put acetate over the front and stamped the sentiment with Stazon on it. A bit of sponging to the frame cut out and the patterned paper on the front (Victorian Velvet) and then I cut out the middle by tracing the outside of the die onto the paper. Both cupcakes were stamped and cut then coloured with Victorian Velvet and decorated with pearls, gems and a bit of glitter.




For the last cupcake one I stamped the sentiment repeatedly onto white card in Smokey Gray (Versafine) and Spun Sugar and Worn Lipstick DI then placed the frame die in the middle, tracing the outside with a  black pen and placed silver pearls in every scallop. Before taking the die off I lightly sponged pink ink around the outside, leaving the middle part white. Stamped and die cut cupcakes on foam pads inside the frame were coloured with Wild Honey and Worn Lipstick and the right one has some paper piecing done to the lower part.




Next I played with the Victorian style Ladies in hats. First up an easy number. I die cut the large image from scrap paper and sponged onto the card directly with Spun Sugar DI. Then I overstamped that with Versafine Smokey Gray and added a sentiment and a ribbon with bow. A pink pearl to resemble an earring and some accent colouring to finish.




The tall lady in the set was what I wanted to feature in the next card. I stamped with Worn Lipstick DI and die cut her after dragging the colours out with a water brush. The beautiful DP was distressed a little on the edges with Worn Lipstick and I matted onto dark pink card. Sentiment and pink pearls were added and that's it, easy peasy :-)




The last of the ladies was stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia and then water coloured with Vintage Photo DI. I used the same ink to stain my originally white ribbon and to add some depth to my heart embellishment (made with card stock, glossy accents and Distress Crackle Paint). The background paper was stamped with the tall lady in Vintage Photo again and sponged, edges distressed and sponged some more and I added some dark brown card as well as a pearl earring to the die cut lady.




On to the Style is Eternal set... Wasn't sure if I liked this at first but now I love it.
I used the Art of the Card Paris, France set to make a panel first, stamping randomly in Peeled Paint and Broken China DI, then sponged the middle in Broken China (lightly!) and the edges in Peeled Paint before spritzing with a little pearlised water. It doesn't show much in the picture but it gives a subtle sheen as well as delicate splatter pattern, love the effect! Layered this over slate blue card stock and stamped sentiment on in Versafine Onyx Black. Then I stamped and die cut the handbags, coloured with DIs (colours as before) and added gems, the black bag in the middle is covered in glossy accents. The were adhered with foam pads for some pop.




The next card was totally inspired by the gorgeous paper that I wanted to take centre stage. I matted it on dark pink card stock and went on to stamp the eiffel tower, handbag and the girl before cutting them out. The eiffel tower was then sponged with Weathered Wood DI, the girl and handbag were coloured with DI in Seedless Preserve and Tattered Rose. I made her a little corsage by punching a flower from my mat card stock and adding a sticky gem. I also added 3 little pink pearls to the paper and stamped the sentiment, sponging it lightly with Victorian Velvet DI.




I was a little disappointed at first that I couldn't colour the girls dress, but then more of this fab Designer Paper inspired me to think of other solutions. I coloured the girl with Tattered Rose and a bit of Worn Lipstick (lips and headband) and then covered her dress and one of her bags in wet glue and sprinkled glitter on. The other bag was paper pieced. I didn't want to hide too much of the paper so only added the sentiment, matted onto dark pink card, and sponged it lightly with Vintage Photo DI.



This was all I prepared (well, apart from the one I forgot to photograph...), but I have one more card to show, which I made during the demo.

I made the backing paper with the Art of the Card Paris, France set again using all shades of pink that the DIs come in (Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Victorian Velvet and Tattered Rose) for stamping, then sponging it all with Spun Sugar. The girl was coloured with Tattered Rose and Worn Lipstick with a tiny bit of peeled paint for eye shadow. For the mat I used a dusky pink card that I also used to mat the little sign for the sentiment. Raffia acts as string and I added Viva Pearl Pen in black to the corner for balance.


Phew... that was a lot! Thanks for staying here til the end and hope you liked todays offering!

7 comments:

Wendy Fraser said...

You have been busy! What a fab selection. xx

Holly Saveur said...

Super cards the one with the shopping bags and girl are my favorites!

Janette said...

Hi Alex, All the cards are so gorgeous, hope your well.xx

Sarpreet said...

Gorgeous cards, I am so sorry i have not been able to keep up with your blogs recently. I hope all is forgiven.

tilly said...

wow, some stunning cards here, well done
Tilly

Grenouille Greetings said...

An amazing selection of makes, Alex! Love those handbags and all of the different ways with cupcakes. Your vintage makes are pure class! Lovely! Hugs, Lesley

jan.angell1 said...

So many different looks from a set of designs! (I prefer these to your flowery ones...)Hope the kitchen makeover will be finished soon to put you and hubby in a good mood
Jan xx