Sugar-Coated Spring

Hi everyone. Will keep try this post short & sweet as my computer has been playing up & I have so much to try to do on it before it changes it's mind about being cooperative again!

Do any of you recall the decorating paint that was 'Hint of a Tint'? This card is something along those lines, not all white but colours ever so pale & subtle. It is my take on a Spring card - Spring under a heavy frost! It is probably difficult to see, but the delicately coloured papers have either floral elements or an overlapping arc shape which happen to sort of match my cut-work designs. The Cameo was in use yet again to create all those lacy layers, not to mention the flowers & butterflies. The bottom of the card front is actually several layers in itself so that the icy blue paper can peep through. The image is that fairy favourite of LOTV's, coloured with Promarkers & the finishing touches are given by dotting two sizes of pearls in relevant places.

The inside is all kitted out to coordinate too & you can see the lacy cut-work design which is actually on the card front but hiding behind some of the other elements. Decorated all over on the inside, the first flowers of Spring are scattered here & there on a shimmering pearlescent (snow) white background - but realistically the butterflies would be hard-pressed to make an appearance for some time yet - so this is certainly a bit of artistic licence. I suspect most flowers would be reluctant to emerge too here in the UK, LOL.

A lot going on on the inside of the card - but all nice & flat. Quite 'girly' looking too, I think.

So as the snow continues to come down (though were I live we have escaped very lightly this time), I hope you are all keeping warm & safe.

Tine :)

Challenges I wish to enter are:

CLP - design sketch
Lili's Little Fairies - colours of Spring
Sweetpea Stampers - spring colours
Digitally Sweet - Pastel / Spring (plus digital elements - papers & Silhouette Cameo cutter)
Crafty Bloggers Network - pastel or Spring
Incy Wincy - pastel colours
Love to Create - pastel colours
Creative Cutting Challenges (NL) - Spring
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - bring on Spring
Card Makin' Mamas - Spring Colours
Heck of a Challenge - Spring/butterflies & pearls
Melonheadz - Easter or Spring
Kaboodle Doodles - Easter or early Spring
I ♥ Promarkers - Spring is in the air
Digital Tuesday - Spring colours (+digi elements of papers & Silhouette Cameo)
Delicious Doodles - fairies
Everybody Art - fairy
Artistic Inspirations - fantasy
Crazy - fairies & flowers
Forever Friends (monthly) - flowers
Crafty Boots - flowers
Sweet Stampin' - lots of layers
Creative Corner - layers
Bunny Zoe - girly
Creative Cutting - anything goes (using cut-files)
Paper Shelter - anything goes
ABC - just as you like (anything goes).

Leaving - the box

This time I have created a box for my 'Leaving' card & all the cut-files I have used on this project are to coordinate with this particular card. To do this, I have recreated the part of the cut decoration of the card base edges around the sides of the box top & I also added a name plaque - cut in the same font as the welded name mat of the card.

I used the same papers (from Nitwits) as the card, not to mention the same Precious Moments image (I even managed to paper-piece the jacket as I had done previously even though it was a reduced size). The image was coloured with Promarkers at the same time as the one on the card to ensure I used exactly the same colours. I did create a different layout for this project though, even though elements echo those on the card to hint at what is enclosed within.

The card in the box.

The box base is kept plain & devoid of extra cut-work features but I do like to add a box liner - a perfect opportunity to add an extra sentiment which I hope the recipient will find meaningful.

Tine :)

Challenges:
CRAFT -  embossing (dotty embossing folder)
Crafts & Me - dies/punches (used Silhouette Cameo digi cutter)
Crafting Cafe - favourite colour - blue
Brown Sugar - greeting
Creative Corner - designer paper
Sweet Stamping - embossing
My Time to Craft - embossing
Sweet Stamps - embossing folder, dies (used Silhouette Cameo digi cutter) & stamp
Joanna Sheen - layer it up
Crafty Boots - any combination of old, new, borrowed, blue
Hotshot - anything but a card
Divas by Design - anything goes
Bearly Mine - anything goes
Catch the Bug - anything goes
That Craft Place - anything goes
Paper Playtime - anything goes
Challenges 4 Everybody - anything goes
Word Art Wednesday - anything goes (using scripture or uplifting sentiment).

Leaving - the card

I wanted to make a 'leaving card' so chose this Precious Moments image which seemed 'just right' & paper-pieced the jacket with matching papers (Nitwits) & coloured the rest of it using Promarkers. For the image's base mats I created a special 'named' cut-file, cutting it twice & off-setting one of those layers when layering up to give a 'shadowed' effect. I actually used cut-files for most of my layers using the print & cut feature - going with a combination of both rectangular & faintly rounded-rectangles and created my circular sentiment also using the Silhouette Cameo software.

..& on the inside.

The Cameo also cut my card-base in yet another file I had created myself, (well, that is the fun of the Cameo is it not? LOL), including the back of my card of course & I was very good & 'controlled' & managed to keep the insides nice & flat & without too many layers.  I also added a sentiment  - leaving room to add a hand-written signature later. I have also made a 'Leaving' box for this particular card which coordinates rather than matches the card (& have added the link to it if you happen to be interested).

Thanks for taking the time & visiting my blog today.

Tine :)

Challenges I wish to enter are:
Crafts & Me - dies/punches
Natalie & Amy's - die cuts (digi cutter)
Crafting Cafe - favourite colour - blue
Brown Sugar - greeting
Creative Corner - designer paper
SweetPea Stampers - digital stamp
Joanna Sheen - layer it up
Craft Your Passion - odd number of embellishments (sets of 3 gems, one gem on sentiment)
Crafty Boots - any combination of old, new, borrowed, blue
Divas by Design - anything goes
Bearly Mine - anything goes
Catch The Bug - anything goes
Challenges 4 Everybody - anything goes
That Craft Place - anything goes
Paper Playtime - anything goes
Word Art Wednesday - anything goes (using scripture or uplifting sentiment).

Mother's Day 2013

You may recognise this fabulous cut-file as one from Bird's Cards which she kindly shared with us this year. Whilst I do just A-D-O-R-E making my own files, this one just 'shouted to me' and I am sure that my mother-in-law will love it too. The paper I chose to peep through the cut-work is from Bearly Mine.  I can't help but think that my own late mother would have just loved the colours & tones of this floral design.

From the back you can see how it opens & closes too - perfect for sending flat!

Not only used on the front of the card, but the dp is on the back also, where here it is layered up, incorporating just one of the floral elements of the card base cut into the corner of the sentiment mat. (Yes, I do know that there is no sentiment there at present, LOL, but I will hand-write on this blank space later for a complete personal touch). I couldn't help but add an image too - well, I do like to colour! This one is from A & T Digital called 'Spring roses with butterfly' and I coloured this pared down version in its circular mat with Promarkers.  I then finished the back of my card off with a silver peel-off.

Tine :)

Challenges:
Cupboard Trilogy - a mother's love
One Stop Craft - Mother's day
Inky Chicks - Mother's day or birthday
Songbird - (song - Spice Girls' - Mama, I Love You)
Card & Scrap - pastel colours
Crafty Bloggers Network - Spring colours
Crafts & Me - dies or punches (digital cutter)
Joanna Sheen - layer it up
Bearly Mine - anything goes
That Craft Place - anything goes
Challenges 4 Everybody - anything goes
Catch the Bug - anything goes.