Initial Reaction

Here is a card I made for the latest Caarvarks challenge which was to make a monogram themed card. My base card has been embossed with Cuttlebug leaves and branches folders. The leaves are also cut and embossed with the Cuttlebug. The main images are stamped with birds from Elusive Images and a tree stamp I cannot remember the name of. I used various Ranger, Stampin Up and Sticky Fingers spray inks on both the cardstock and the chipboard letter B. I matted the birds onto a piece of turquoise mirricard and mounted it to the base card with foam pads after glueing on a strip of torn inked and stamped cardstock. Finally I threaded natural raffia through the We R Memory Keepers eyelets then added 2 large eyelets and one bradlet to the bottom of my card.

ARTYLICIOUS STAMPBORD CHALLENGE

Glenda (Artylicious) has challenged crafters to make a handcrafted item using Stampbord and Elusive Images stamps on her blog...HERE IS THE LINK. She has kindly offered a prize in return.....a set of her fabulous new bird stamps!!! I just had to have a go and here is my ATC/tag. This is not what I had in mind at all when I was planning what I wanted to make but the fact I could only find ATC sized Stampbord did have an influence, since, as far as I know, it is not possible to cut Stampbord. Luckily it is possible to punch Stampbord using a Cropadile!


I coloured the blank clay canvas with pale blue Versacolour ink, and then used the largest stamp from Elusive Images Damask Squares stamp set inked up with Ranger Perfect Medium, then swirled Perfect Pearl powders over the image in Patina, gold and blue to add a touch of radiance. I then stamped over that with the large Damask floral stamp and swirly butterfly using various shades of Ranger and Versacolour blue and green inks.


The next stage was to stamp the main image, a lovely peacock stamp from Glenda's Graphicus Guild, in Black Versafine ink. I coloured the peacock with Supapoint pens and Sakura's Gold Shadow pen in green. When everything was dry I used a Pergamano needle tool (probably very blunt now!) to scratch into the Stampbord to add texture and highlights (mainly the peacock's body). I ran a gold PenTouch pen along the stampbord edges and sprayed the project with clear varnish.


I used the Cropadile Big Bite to punch a hole in the top of the Stampbord and set a large We R Memory Keepers gold eyelet, threaded a green sparkly organza ribbon through, followed by lots of strands of embroidery thread in gold/green/blue. I then twisted some of the strands to add texture and stuck 3 tiny gems below the eyelet (blue, green and gold to tone in with everything else).


I threaded turquoise, gold and green beads and a feather onto a headpin wire and attached it to the embroidery thread as a finishing touch.

I really enjoyed trying something new as I tend to stick to card making, though I really should try photography next as I must have taken 100 shots of this project and just can't get it right!!!!!!