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The home of exuberant amateurism.

Sunday 26 September 2010

The Artistic Stamper Challenge September 2010. Sing a rainbow. The many moods of Heart Boy.

This is my first time with The Artistic Stamper Challenge
I had a lot of ideas for this rainbow challenge but settled on Stampotique's Heart Boy by Daniel Torrente.

We so often describe our moods in terms of colours so I made "The many moods of Heart Boy" whose heart is much bigger than he thinks and he is going through the often painful process of growing up.
The thing that hopefully eclipses the pain is the sense of wonder in everyday things that comes so naturally to children and is so sadly lost by many in adulthood.
I have been recultivating a sense of wonder in everyday things for some time now.
It is easy to find a sense of wonder in crafting blogland, (wowser to the imaginative talent that is out there...) however, I think we are all resoundingly trumped by nature in her everyday glory.

Click on it to make it bigger.




I wasn't sure how to sit the Cowboy hat on Heart Boy's head, a jaunty little angle didn't look right, and neither being a Cowgirl nor knowing any Cowboys (unfortunately there are none to be found in the wilds of Shropshire) I  plumped for plonking it straight on and very low on his brow.
Would mirror sunglasses be a bit much do you think? Because I was tempted until I realised that I don't have any mirror card and seeing as it is pretty much essential for mirror sunglasses, I had to give that idea up.

Oh look, bless Evangaline she has made my Cowboy wishes come true and my old heart go pitter pat.
It's good to share Hauwt Hottie Guy.



(I can't remember where he came from, I get easily muddled, sorry.
He's two unknown google images, but the mystery makes him all the more delicious doesn't it?
If you wondering why I don't feature Himself in this spot, it's because the world just isn't ready for his perfection. Mwah.
In fact I can't remember where I found Himself either.)
 
If you have forgotten who Evangeline is or you are new here (where have you been?), she is the recipient of all the Dress Up 2010 dresses and she got transformed in my very first post.

Edging Paper Tip

If I want to edge a fiddly small shaped paper with an ink pad I use a coloured pencil instead.
It saves ink getting everywhere you don't want it and nowhere that you do and the joy of having an upside down ink pad in your lap. Yes! That joy.
Any coloured pencil will do although a soft one like Derwent coloursoft or Derwent Inktense are a bit easier to use.
The crafty trick is to get the angle of your pencil near horizonal to the paper. The more horizontal to the paper you hold your pencil the wider the line of shading will be.
Here I'll show you.


And this photo shows the angle of my pencil but NOT how to hold it properly.



How I made it.

I coloured Heart Boy with Derwent Inktense pencils and glued him on with white PVA.
The edge punch is EK Success - bubbles. As there isn't a corner punch for this I disguise the corners with brads.  Brads have saved the day many times in this way for me.
I used double sided tape on the card layers.
I edged the words with coloured pencils.
This is the rest of the equipment I used. Click on it to make it bigger.



And finally I owe a huge apology to Perl whom I called Pearl.
Tut tut to me.
I have gone back and edited that post but the card can't be changed without being made a dog's dinner.
So, I hope I haven't spoilt what is the start of a great friendship as I have so many plans for cheering Perl up :-)

Whatever you are doing today I hope you can find a little wonder in it.
Happy creating!
Gini
xx

Sunday 19 September 2010

Opus Gluei challenge #72 Ease(l) into fall. Autumn Leaves scalloped circle Easel Card.

Well talk about serendipity at work here.
Love the pun on the title ladies at Opus Gluei.
I have recently finished this card for my MIL who asked for something in Autumn colours.
Nothing too wacky although bless her she wouldn't have minded if it was, 'cos miracle of miracles in the wonderful world of families, she thinks I'm good enough for her son so she puts up with good grace the strange things I make!
She was lucky my Stampotique stamps hadn't arrived yet otherwise she would have got Poor Pearl.
Click on it to make it bigger.



How I made it.
Background paper made using inkadinks in Cherry Pie, Mango and yummy Yellow from the brights range. Oversprayed with gold mica powder. Instructions here

Largest scallop nestie used from the classic scalloped circle large set.
All stamping using Versafine in Vintage Sepia.
The leaves are from Habico, Autumn Leaves 2 set. I stamped them onto thin card. Coloured with watercolour pencils.
Silhouette birds on bottom of easel card are Crafty Individuals.
Heat embossed using Versamark and Stampendous in Detail Gold.
Quickie glue pen and Decor Art Glamour Dust in gold used on veins of the leaves.
Happy Birthday sentiment free with Papercraft Inspirations magazine.

I'm rushing now because OMG I think I might actually be first on the linky thingy on Opus Gluei.
See; miracles do happen everyday.

Happy creating everyone!

Gini xx

Saturday 18 September 2010

Stampotique Designers Challenge 15 - Birthday. Blondes really do have more fun.

I have finally got some Daniel Torrente Stampotique stamps, so I can now join in with the Stampotique Designers Challenges. They have some fabulous dimensional ideas (in the archives) over there and on the Stampotique Originals blog.

So this is Perl and the Heartboy Twins, let's call them Beat and Thump, enjoying a sophisticated Birthday Party Bash.

I hope to goodness that The Bumps have gone the way of the Dodo and are now well and truly extinct.
Was there really anything more hideous about birthday parties in the olden days than the scourge of The Bumps?
Even if everyone held on tight you ran the risk of going face first into the ceiling, getting Chinese burns on your extremities and having your arms and legs pulled out of their sockets. If you were lucky that was all that happened to you.
If you were unlucky some damn fool who was too busy thinking about Birthday Cake let go on the up toss...

Poor Perl and she had even gone to the trouble of borrowing her Mum's super cool eye shadow in the subtle shade of Disco Blue.
Click on it to make it bigger.




Have you noticed Perl's décolletage?
It looks like she is wearing three necklaces doesn't it?
But with a bit of judicious doctoring it could easily be chest hair.
In fact she could have mantitty. Poor Perl.

If you are of a nervous disposition look away now.
I coloured this card with my watercolours and a small paintbrush, you can see the brush strokes.
Yes, lots and lots of brush strokes folks and I DIDN'T get struck by lightning.
Yep, still here smiling and alive.
Neither Copics nor Distress Inks were harmed in the creation of this card  :-)

The designer paper is Corn Husk from the Basic Grey Urban Prairie range.
I had to draw two larger Nestie Label 8's because the largest label die only just fits The Bumps.
Poor Perl is rather long.

With or without brush strokes happy creating!
Gini
xx