Valentines card

Prompted by A Vintage Journey's Challenge "Your Hearts Desire" I got out my romantic colours, Valentines to me says pinks and reds.
I tried a few stencils straight onto a cream card base creating a patterned heart stamped with some text but I wasn't happy with it. I tried it on watercolour with a coloured background and red speckles embossed in red and gold but it just seemed too flat.

The embossing called for more layers and texture and seemed to suit a more vintage design. Heading off in another direction I cut some foliage with a memory box die and used paper from my stash to create a collaged heart to cover the original design.

I embossed a graphic 45 sentiment in gold on a rich red card. I glued the heart over the foliage so it framed it and finished off with the sentiment mounted on some foam tape. A few red speckles on the heart pulled the card together.

I wonder does Valentines day get more people making cards than Christmas? Christmas is so busy  and most of us do not need stacks of Valentine cards. Whether you are making cards or not a Happy Valentines day to all.

Thank you for all your comments I do read and appreciate each of them it is good to know you are not just talking to yourself!

Link for Vintage Journey Challenge

Red Distress Ink Christmas Cards

My studio is pretty much all covered in a sprinkling of glitter and I look like the sugar plum fairy as I make more cards for Christmas. Lots of my relatives and non-crafting friends seem to think I am some kind of martyr making all my own cards but it is one of the things I love to do in December. Suddenly you 'need' loads of cards and you can bring out all those seasonal and special tools and stamps. It is part of my preparations and as much fun as decorating the tree or planning the Christmas lunch. Giving each friend a personal design is part of the gift of this season. Rather than being a chore it makes "doing my Christmas cards" into a moment when I can think about all the people I know and have perhaps not managed to spend time with in the year. I think the time spent on making each card is always appreciated by people and makes them feel considered and important - not a chore on your Christmas list.

As well as a dusting of glitter I have red fingers from all the red distress ink I have used this weekend. I wanted to try some layered distress ink cards using my Christmas stamps This is my first Perrella Christmas card I love the black archival on the rich red.

I tried to come up with Christmas blends but then just gave in to red all the way. It is fun to use all the different reds to layer the stencils and background stamping. I have a blend of Festive Berries, Aged Mahogany, Barn Door, Worn Lipstick, Fired brick and a little Ripe Persimmon. Ive used Geranium red and Sienna archival ink to stamp the background.

I made a few red cards with these two stamps the Russian doll is from Lynne Perrella 016 and the Santa is an old Graphic 45 stamp from twas the night before Christmas set. I was able to use all my latest new Tim Holtz stencils and make each card different with the same basic materials. All of them are mounted into kraft card bases.

This is definitely my favourite Christmas cards to make this year, and I got in some gold glitter too.

Hope you are enjoying your own Christmas preparation, thanks for spending a little time here Im sure you are all busy this fortnight.

Im linking these warm coloured cards at
Sadly the last Challenge over at Stamps and Stencils It's Got to be Christmas
Simon Says Stamp Warm Winter Wishes Monday Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Christmas Wednesday Challenge
That's Crafty Anything goes
Country view Crafts Christmas Challenge

Graphic 45 Album

Album using Graphic 45 papers from the Artisan Style and By the Sea paper collections. This album was made for keeping pictures of my Dad who we lost recently. I made the album for my Mum. As she gets a bit confused I have kept to a very simple clear structure for the pages with just a few flaps and easy to spot pockets.

I think my favorite part of the album is this little book which holds some of his old passport photos.

I have tried to use papers that have meaning for my mum and Dad. As they live by the sea I have added some paper from the “By the Sea” collection.

My parents have lived in Spain for years, the houses on this paper remind me of Barcelona they look bright and sunny and very European.

I love that graphic45 make coordinating stamps for the paper. The sets for this collection (Artisan Style) are gorgeous and I have used lots of stamping on plain coloured cardstock to make photo mats and decorate the pages.

I could not resist turning the doors into a little photo spot. I have also used stamps to add paint brushes and music as Dad played the Guitar and painted all his life. He also wrote and loved books so pens and books appear throughout. He was a colourful character who lived a full and creative life and the bright rich colours of G45 paper reflect this. I am entering this in the Mini Album Makers Challenge for March. https://minialbummakers.blogspot.co.uk/