Art Nouveau Lady

I am so excited that we have finally got the new Art Nouveau Cricut cartridge in stock - it is definitely my new favourite!

I couldn't wait to get started with it so decided to make a thank you card for some friends.

The handbook for this cartridge has a new (to me) feature - beside each shape they list the minimum size for optimal cutting. Very handy if, like me, you get frustrated with trying to cut the shapes out too small.

I chose my favourite image on the cartridge (woman2) and cut her out at 8 inches along with all of her layers.

As you can see she cut out beautifully. I wanted a simple background for her so cut the background arch using "lily" - layer 2 at 7.5 inches and 7.75 inches in two colours.

To add a bit of texture, I embossed the background using the Touch of Mica Ivy Mask.

I hope you enjoy this cartridge - it could become your favourite too!
xxx

Black Cat in the Window

This card was inspired by our Black Cat silhouette - it is available as a die cut pack or as an svg. 

I love this combination of colours and used our Birch Tree graphic image as the view from the window. 

Print it out straight onto your colour of choice depending on the time of day and mood you want to create. It could be blue skies, rainy day in grey or sunshine yellow.  Then cut it out with the Spellbinders Window die. Take out the panels of the window and put aside the frame to finish the card with. Then recut the window die in black switching the panels from the previous cut to form the view. Cut the corners also from the peach coloured window to create a pretty edge mounted on the inside .  I stamped it with a “Home is the place where our hearts belong” stamp and added a simple black bow.

Linda xxx

Tree Reflection - Misty Reflection

To wake in the morning and watch the sunrise over a misty lake is everyone’s dream.

I painted this scene using a graphic image from our collection called Tree Reflection

This is a demonstration of how all is not always what it appears to be. 

It could have been sunset or the brilliance of a summer afternoon. With Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Drawing Inks in many beautiful colours the choice can depend on your mood. 

Why not place a silver moon and reflections of Silver Sheen and Pearl Shine?

My colours for the project were:

Sunrise Yellow   

Rich Gold

Silver Sheen (good Mist)

Ancient Copper

Black Night (reinforces you line drawing and detail)

Chestnut Brown

Lime Blush

Blue Blush

Denim

Evergreen

Pearl Shine

Meadow Lush

Have fun and set your artist free!

Linda xxx

Alcohol on Water

I saw this fab technique on TV the other day and really wanted to try it. I love alcohol inks and am always pleased to find a new way of using them.

Take a shallow dish (I used a takeaway dish) and half fill it with water.

Drip two or three drops of alcohol inks onto the surface of the water. Then do the same with two more colours (I find using three colours works best).

Lay a piece of card onto the surface of the water - you can use matt or glossy card. Lift the card up and you will have a beautiful marbled effect. You can either leave your card to dry naturally, or use your heat gun which also moves the ink around the card.

I have tried this technique using various combinations of colours:

Mountain Rose, Willow and Cloudy Blue - this gives a very subtle effect.

Red Pepper, Lettuce and Orange - a richer, autumnal background.

Purple Twighlight, Raspberry and Pool - a brighter background.

Pesto, Raisin and Stonewashed - lovely, earthy tones.

Eggplant, Hazlenut and Meadow - another subtle combination.

I have discovered Zentangle recently - so have acquired another addiction! I decided these tags would make fantastic backgrounds to tangle on.

I hope you enjoy trying out this technique with your alcohol inks.

Mel xxx

Free postage for a limited period!

We are off on hols today. So to celebrate we are offering FREE delivery on all orders placed between 13th - 20th August. Just enter code HOL0811 when you check out.  All orders placed during this period will be dispatched by 23rd August. See you when we get back xxx

Geisha Girl with Fan

I painted a picture of a geisha girl for my daughter Melanie’s birthday, which she loved. 

We decided maybe you would like it too. So, I have created a digi-stamp of her which I then ‘painted’ with the wonderful new range of Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Drawing Inks. They are so much more than drawing inks. I love them because they are always ready, dry quickly and are so versatile.

Think of this image as painting by numbers but without the numbers!  You can lose the lines as I have or keep them as your guide.

For a soft dreamy effect paint wet into wet, for harder lines just wait a few moments to continue. Mixing colours on your craft sheet is fun or you can paint directly onto your card. The little brushes are so delicate that they do not rough the surface. It was huge fun and very satisfying to do a little painting. The beautiful colours that I chose        to use are listed below. A little tip, although the inks will not spill if knocked over try to remember to pull the brush out away from your picture or you may get ‘splatter pattern’.

Cosmic Skin                  DenimCosmic Blush               Chestnut Brown

Pearl Shine                   Ancient Copper

Crimson Flame             Silver Sheen

Purple Velvet                Sunshine Yellow

Black Night                   Rich Gold

There are lots more fabulous colours for you to choose from.

Enjoy playing and let us know how it goes.

Linda xxx

Have you ever wondered what cats and dogs think of snow?

Guess we will never know.

I designed this card with this in mind.

 Let's start with the snow, from an svg design of ours called “Snow Layer Small” cut out in black and laid over a white background as I love the contrast.

The curtained windows are also a new svg design which is proving to be very versatile. You can cut them out plain and ‘Zentangle’ them as I have or cut them from a really fancy patterned paper or flock which would give a real Victoriana feel.

Moving on this black ribbon is now in stock and I could not wait to use it and this felt like the perfect occasion.

The cat is yet another SVG called “Black Cat” which I obviously cut out in white.

To make the black rose simply fold the ribbon in half roll it around your finger and secure with a straight pin.

The larger white snow flakes are also available as an SVG.

I chose a simple sentiment, feeling that there was enough going on in the scene.

We would so love to see your interpretations of this card. Maybe with a snowman outside or children playing, possibly our carol singers, anything really you can imagine.

Have fun and don’t forget to let us know.

Linda x