Woodware - A Little Birdie Told Me

Just as I was about to start writing about this weeks challenge card for Woodware, I went on to our DT blog. Apparently we have already done this challenge a few weeks ago and this week's challenge should be a Baby theme.
I can only apologise, I don't have time now to make a new sample. So I am trying to think out of the box. This little wren is sitting on her eggs .... so when you open the card it could say "Congratulations. A little bird told me you are expecting!"

 I have stamped the bird (Stampendous Nestled Bird CRR158) in brown ink then coloured in with coloured pencils. I have then splattered some gold and green mica paints over the panel be flicking my paintbrush to get a nice fine splatter.

The background was made very simply by sponging some soft green and yellow inks onto a piece of text paper (this is from my Oxfam bought French Dictionary). Then I stamped some foliage (Magenta Shadow Branch 37.266O) first in green then gold inks. I embossed the gold foliage with gold powder.
As a finishing touch I cut out two identical small rectangles from white and green card. On the white tag I stamped the sentiment (From Francoises clear set FRCL141 Owl Greetings) then punched out the small flower below it. Then I sandwiched them together and attached to the organza ribbon bow.

So, it's not what it should have been but hopefully you will appreciate what a beautiful image of a bird this is. I have used it several times already.
Next week I hope to be back on track with the correct theme. 
Have a good week!!
Siobhan x
 

Woodware - Bubbles and Bubblegum Pink

My goodness!! I don't know who chose this theme for us this week at Woodware but it was a bit of a challenge. I am not a pink person and I had to dredge through a lot of stamps to eventually find this old one designed by Francoise. This is FRN006  Champagne Celebration. I bought this years ago to make an engagement card.
I stamped the image in black twice and cut out one as a tag. This was coloured in with pink markers and then I added glitter to the  glasses on the second image, to cut out when dry and decoupage onto the tag. 

For the background I blended a couple shades of pink dye inks onto white card stock. To create the bubbles I used some small solid circle stamps (they came from an old winter Woodware clear set that has been discontinued). But any solid circles will do or even punch some out of craft foam with circle punches or dies. I spritzed with water, stamped and lifted off. This removes some of the ink leaving the bubbles. You may have noticed that this is a favourite technique of mine for building up layers in a background stamp.

To finish off I added some ribbon to the tag which I heated gently with my heat gun to cause it to crinkle and then added some glitter domes and clear gems for a little bit of sparkle.
I am second of out DT to post this week so I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with over at the Woodware blog.
I thought I would share another photo with you which I took through my craft room window. It is a female yellow hammer. There was a group of 4 of them feeding on the grass. I have never seen them in the garden before as they are usually a bird of fields and hedgerows. 

 

Woodware - Heart Felt Wishes

Our challenge this week over at Woodware is Heart Felt Wishes. Some of the Woodware team are over in the States for the winter CHA, lucky devils. Hopefully coming back with some exciting new products to tempt us. I must admit that is one of the things I do miss now that my shop has gone. I loved going to trade shows to see all the lovely new things and get to participate in some really good workshops. Working in the NHS doesn't really offer the same excitement!! 

Anyway my sample for this week's post uses the absolutely gorgeous Stampendous stamp CRP147 Butterfly Post. I just stamped it in a dark brown ink and blended some soft pink inks over the edges to soften it. 
I also stamped the butterfly onto vellum and embossed it with clear powder. I cut this out and added some pink glitter pen over the top of the wings for a bit of shimmer.

I did a bit of background stamping with the flourish from the Cling Jumbo Hollyhocks set. The flower was made from about 8 large daisies punched out of the vellum or parchment paper. The tips of the daisy were sponged with a soft pink ink, and the glittery centre is one of the glittery snowballs that Woodware started selling last year (not just for Christmas!!)

I also used a crafty edger punch for a lacy border. I always find butterfly cards are popular for birthdays and I love this stamp. It's one I have used many times.
Well that's it for this week. Be sure to pop over to the Woodware blog for great inspiration. 
Siobhan x

Woodware Sketch Challenge

It's another sketch challenge this week at Woodware. This week's sketch looks like this :

So a nice simple sketch and I have kept mine very simple this week. I have had a bit of a busy week at work and by the time I get home I find I am just too tired to be creative. 

I have used a cute little Stampendous stamp CRH282 Cling Feather Bonnet Baby. I bought it as a cute stamp for Easter but I thought it could be used for a baby card or even a birthday.

I don't think I need to explain anything for this one. The flourish of pearls are from Woodware. They come on a clear plastic strip and are so easy to use. Someone did ask how I evenly rounded the corners. I cut two squares of patterned paper (14cm square in this case) then cut them in half diagonally. Turn them over an butt them together neatly the stick with D/S tape. Once joined it's easy to round the corners with a punch.

There are three little chicks in this range. I bought mine from The Stamp Man and it took me ages to decide which one to go for. Of course I will probably get the other two next time!!
 

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday....!! I am away to have a bath to ease my aching feet. I am trying to break in a new pair of work trainers and it is not going well!!
Have a good weekend.
Siobhan x

Woodware - Vintage Hearts and Love

This week's theme at Woodware is called "Vintage Hearts and Love". Before we know it Valentine's Day will be upon us!! So this card will be put away to give to my hubby on the day. He will probably fall about laughing. Firstly we don't usually bother now with Valentines Day cards and secondly he doesn't really do the whole romance thing!! Then he will feel all guilty because he didn't get me anything!!
I have used a Magenta cling set as my main image (37.257Q Retro Romance). As the name implies it is quite a modern image so I have tried to make it more vintage.

The image was stamped and embossed with white powder. Then I blended 2 or 3 shades of brown inks over the resist and buffed it up with a bit of kitchen towel to make the white pop.I painted the centre of the hearts with Pearl-ex gold to make them shimmer.

For the next panel I softly blended the same brown inks onto a square of white card stock. I used a flourish stamp (this one is the ornate border from CRS5031 Jumbo Hollyhocks by Stampendous) spritzed with water to lift off some of the ink to give a watermark effect. Then I stamped some script across the panel. This lovely script is from Stampendous CRS5029 Jumbo Songbird.
The background bronze card had a little bit of stamping in the corners embossed with a detail gold powder. This little vine was actually part of CRP110 Dragonfly Vine. I like to use parts of a stamp sometimes  to add little details. I think as a previous shop owner I was always trying to show people just how versatile stamps can be. I guess old habits die hard.

 
The words were computer generated and the lace is a Woodware product that is self adhesive making it so easy to use.
I suppose it could be a wedding card too.
Have a good weekend. At least the weather promises to be a bit better. 
Siobhan x