PATRIOTIC PROJECT - by SUE LARK

Copyright Sue Lark

With the Olympics coming very soon, the latest trend in stamping is Patriotic. And here is a great card, with stamps by Crafty Individuals.

Sue Lark, one of our Design Team, has made this fabulous project specially for Blade Rubber Stamps!


Patriotic card: 

• Stamp and white emboss Crafty Iindivduals union flag stamp from "CI334 England my Country" onto watercolour paper. 
• Spray a solution of perfect pearl Perfect Pearls onto a craft sheet and with a sponge take some red Distress Ink and mix with the Perfect Pearl solution. 
• Randomly dab onto the embossed image. 
• Repeat with blue Distress Ink and Perfect Pearl solution. This gives a lovely sheen to the image. 
• When dry, mount on toning blue or red cardstock. 
• Cut various patriotic ribbons (try haberdashery stores) and stick to the back of the image as shown.
• Using foam pads, mount the whole thing onto a white card. 
• Stamp the phrase (also from Crafty Individuals CI334) underneath and add more ribbon. 
• Add small buttons or other embellishments as appropriate.

Love it, love it, love it!

VALENTINE COLLAGE - CARD

Copyright Susie Jefferson

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, so we need to get our thinking caps on! Last year, Himself said we wouldn't bother with cards... so I didn't... and he came in with a very elaborate (and no doubt expensive) card, plus flowers. The shame! This year, I don't intend to be caught out.

Above is a card I made some few years ago - just found the image on my external hard drive storage (made so long ago that I can't remember - using a PSX stamp, and they've been out of business for at least 5 years!). However, it might give you a little inspiration.

METHOD

1. I stamped and embossed this onto heavyweight vellum and coloured in using Marvy marker pens.
2. When dry, I covered the whole image with clear pigment ink (squishing the pad down straight onto the image) and embossed using holographic embossing powder. That's where that sparkle comes from. 
3. This was mounted to the front of an aperture card. 
4. Inside the aperture I've put some vintage sheet music, and used a scrap of music, rolled up into a scroll and tied with a fabric rose and some sparkly ribbon. 
5. This also went to the front of the card.
6. I finished off with two plastic frosted heart decals and a stamped and gold-embossed 'with love'.

Quick and easy... just wish I could find it again, as I think Himself might have forgotten this one...

THINKING ABOUT SPRING...

'Sunday Bes't copyright Susie Jefferson

Well, it's time for the Christmas decorations to be stored away until next year, and everything is looking very drab and bare. The weather doesn't help...

So let's start thinking about Spring! Valentine's Day isn't that far off, then it's just a hop and a skip until Easter.

Above is my little ATC using the 'Sunday Best' image from the Thank Heavens plate - I stamped the little girl onto patterned paper, then cut round the dress and decoupaged it onto a second stamped image. This would look fun with several images in a row, each with a different patterned dress. She's wearing a warm coat and a beret... just in case the weather turns nasty....

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

My freebie January desktop screensaver and tutorials are here

Have you made any resolutions yet? This year, I'm trying to make some resolutions I'll actually be able to keep!

1. Make more time for some personal time
2. Journaling
3. Stop feeling guilty if I want to just sit and read a book

Personal time
You need this! You know you do - even if it's only a half-hour soak in bubblebath.

Journaling
This is a good way of destressing, even if it's only doodling and messing around with some colour pencils

Reading
Good for you, and great for destressing - and if it's a book or magazine on art, so much the better! You'll find new ideas and inspiration, and if you've hit a bit of a blank spot with your art, this might just get you started again.

January desktop screensaver calendar page
Find it here, in 3 different sizes plus tutorials on how to apply to your own computer.

Other stuff
Losing weight, all that usual after-Christmas stuff? If I can, I will - but I'm not making resolutions, so I won't feel guilty if I don't keep them!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

'Winter Blues' altered book page

Here's wishing you all health, wealth and happiness in the New Year!