Quick and Easy Cards!

As the title would suggest I've got a selection of quick and easy cards to show you today. I don't know about you, but I find that most people I know now expect a handmade card and are visibly disappointed when I present them with a shop bought one. So when last weekend I suddenly realised that Sunday was going be Easter Sunday I kind of panicked as I normally send out a handful of cards to various friends and family who celebrate.

After a little bit of thought I suddenly remembered that there were some uber cute little birds on the Candy Doodles CD that could easily be recoloured to look like chicks and would therefore be ideal for an Easter card. I'd also spotted on the Polka Doodles DT blog that an upcoming challenge was for Easter/Spring and as I haven't made anything for the challenge blog for ages that I'd also join in over there!!

So here's what I came up with. You'll notice I didn't stop at Easter cards I also knocked up a few Birthday cards to add to my stash too!! These were so quick and simple that it seemed rude not too!

Firstly I opened a word document and using the shape tool drew a square measuring 9cm x 9cm and changed the outline to 0.05pt so it was nice and fine. I then opened up the bird image from the Candy Doodles CD in Paint and recoloured and copied it. I then pasted the bird into the word document and resized it to fit into the square , before copying and pasting and rotating the image to create a mirror image.

I then added a text box with no outline and typed my sentiment, before dragging it into position. Once I was happy with the layout I grouped the images and simply copied and pasted the desired number on the page. At this stage I decided I didn't want the birds to be all the same colour so I recoloured them and I also changed the sentiments before hitting the print button.

Once printed it was simply a case of using the squares as guide for trimming to size before matting and layering the image onto a card base.

To finish I simply tore some strips of Washi Tape for grass and re-drew the birds legs with a fineliner, before adding a line from the birds beaks to the sentiment.

I hope that you'll join us for the Easter/Spring challenge.

Claire x

Products Used:

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:

Adrift...........

Isn't she beautiful? This was another of my norty but nice stash purchases that I've only just got round to playing with!! However, the real reason for this post is to let you know about the fabulous challenge GREYS over on the Graph'It Marker Challenge Blog and to announce that I've joined the design team! :)

I'd really love it if you could join us - you don't need to use Graph'It Markers, you simply need to follow the theme set for the challenge. Also, don't forget to pop over to the blog to join in with our Birthday Candy - it is absolutely amazing and I'd love it if one of my followers were to win.

Anyway,  I've decided to keep this make fairly simple to show off the image (as for once I'm actually pretty pleased with my colouring). I've attempted grey sky and moving water!!! Eeek!!

For those of you interested, the colours I used are as follows:

Water: Cool Grey 0 (9100), Cool Grey 1 (9101), Cool Grey 3 (9103)

Sky: Neutral Grey 1 (9501), Neutral Grey 4 (9504), Neutral Grey 6 (9506), Blender (0000)

Skin: Light Caramel (4170), Skin (4155), Powder (4135), Cotton (4115)

Boat: Smoke (3210), Lichen (3230), Havana (3245), Bronze (3250), Cigar (3255), Mocha (3280)

Figure/Flowers: Ghost (4125), Burgundy (5280), Aqua (6110), Lavender (6140), Bougainvillea (6170), Anise (8250), Military (8280)

The white spray was created using my new white Shake Marker from Graph'It - I actually have to say I love it!!! It goes on as a transparent liquid but drys opaque. To create the spray I dabbed the pen around the helm of the boat and then blended it with my fingers. Once it was dry and I was happy with the placement of the spray I gently built it up to increase the depth and tone.

I created the frame from an embroidery hoop which I covered with modelling paste and then painted with re-active paint. I added some punched flowers and leaves that have been painted with the re-active paint. Finally I attached the image to the frame.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

Supplies:

  

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Crafty Girls - Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T - Not a card
Crafty Ribbons - Anything but a card
Ecletic Paperie - Wood (Frame and boat)
Altered Electics - Anything Goes
One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Altered Art
That Craft Place - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Big Stamp

Faux Bronze Egg

I've got another one of those little altered cardboard eggs to show you today. This was actually the first one I created after being inspired by the new Dutch Doobadoo Butterflies which I received in the post. If you haven't seen them, then you really need to take a peek - they are STUNNING (so much so I've already ordered some more!!!)

To be totally honest with you, when I first looked at the butterflies I thought they were going to be really flimsy as they are so intricate and delicate looking, but I was wrong! They are amazingly robust, so much so that they took two coats of paint and a light misting with a reactor agent.

So what did I do? Well the first thing I did was to remove the inner lip from the edge of the egg so that I could place a hinge to allow the egg to be opened and closed. Next I coated the egg with a generous coat of Gesso.

Whilst I waited for the Gesso to dry I started painting all of the objects that I intended to use on the project with Vereday Paint. Once I'd covered everything with two coats of paint I lightly spritzed it with the reactor solution and left it to work it's magic.

Once the egg and decorative pieces were completely dry I assembled the egg et voila!!

Now I know this isn't to everyone's liking but I had fun making it and I actually quite like the finished item. I'm going to give this to my MIL instead of an Easter Egg as she's diabetic and can't have ordinary chocolate and doesn't like the diabetic stuff!

These eggs are quite addictive and I have another one in the pipeline already! I just hope that I can complete it before Easter!!!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

Supplies:



I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes
Just B Creative Crazy - Anything Goes
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Altered Art Only
Everybody Art Challenge - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Easter
Pause, Dream Enjoy - Anything Goes
Through The Craftroom Door - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes/Monochrome
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Winged Things
That Craft Place - Anything Goes/Easter

The Easter Bunny has a treat in store for you........

Oh yes he does!! How would you like to get your hands on the gorgeous little image I've used today? Well you can. Nikky Hall has drawn this gorgeous little Easter Bunny Tatty Twinkle for Tattered Lace and they have decided to give her away as a freebie! To claim her simply hop over to the Crafting website. Nikky has also got some freebie papers for you all too, so hot foot it over to Polka Doodles to claim them.

Apologies in advance but this post is picture heavy and it STILL doesn't do the project justice! Don't think I'll be giving up the day job anyday soon to become a Photographer!

I decided that I needed to start using these tacky cardboard Easter eggs that I'd had knocking around in my stash for what seemed like forever. So what better use than to make a cute little scene?

I added a cardboard hinge to the egg and then covered it completely in course modelling paste.

Whilst I waited for it to dry I coloured up the images using my Graph'It markers and added a bit of sparkle with a Shake It Glitter Marker.

Once the paste was dry I hot glued some beads onto the base for feet and then painted the egg and added some Maimeri Iridescent Paste to some Gold Acrylic Paint which gives it a pearly shimmer.

Once dry I added a row of pearls. Then I painted the inside of the egg and added some florists moss for the grass before securing the images into the scene. You can see the scale I was working on in the picture above (I have placed a £2 coin in-front of the egg).

To finish the scene I added some of the gorgeous little butterflies from the Dutch Doobadoo range.

Finally, I decorated the outside of the egg with some die cut leaves, mini rosebuds and some more of the Doobadoo Butterflies.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the creations using this cute little stamp, there are truly inspiring projects.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
All Crafts Challenge April/May - Anything goes but no cards!
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes Easter Animal

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Getting Plastered!

This is a fun little sample that I made for the TV launch of Work & Play 1. It was a fairly easy card to make once I'd decided where I was going with it.

I'd seen this style of base card around a few blogs and so thought I'd have a go at creating my own. I'm really glad I did as they are excellent for creating scenes and offer a sturdy base which won't topple over once you start adding dimensional items.

I covered the base with the wood effect paper from the cd and then added the brickwork paper to the upright part of the card. I then used some Maimeri modelling paste to cover the brickwork, leaving gaps as though it had fallen off. To create the cracks I simply scrunched a plastic bag up and dabbed it onto the paste whilst wet.

Whilst the paste dried I coloured up Handyman Dave available from the CD or individually as a digi download with Graph'It Markers and then fussy cut him out. I also made the plaster's Hawk and Trowel from a piece of silver card, the "plaster" is a dollop of the modelling paste. The bucket is a clear plastic lid from a body spray which has been painted with silver acrylic paint and then filled with a drop of white acrylic paint. I used a cocktail stick to obtain the paint dribbles. The little paint brush is made from rolled and folded paper. The planks of wood were cut from the wood effect paper.

Once the paste was completely dry I assembled the card as shown attaching the sentiment with some brads I found in my stash.

Thanks for visiting today.

Claire

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Catch The Bug - Anything Goes
Kit & Clowder - Something Blue
Word Play Saturday - Anything
Craftitude - Anything Goes
Jo's Scrap Shack - Anything Goes
Sister Act Card Challenge - Anything Goes
Crafts & Me - Anything Goes
Just B Creative Crazy - Anything Goes
The Crafting Cafe - One for the boys
4 Crafty Girls - Anything Goes
Divas By Design - Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon - Make It Masculine
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Craftin Desert Divas - Anything Goes
Paper Crafting Challenges - Masculine