Watercolour Challenge In The Male Room

     There is a new challenge at The Male Room for the next two weeks, to use watercolours. I'm not an artist so I started with a stamp.

      This stamp is a few years old but a firm favourite as it reminds me of Tenby in Pembrokeshire.
     It was stamped on watercolour paper and embossed, this makes it much easier to paint as the embossing holds the paint within the lines.
     To paint I have used Koi watercolour pens, scribbling on an acrylic block and then using a water brush to take the colour to the paper.
     A colourful scene needs very little decoration, just a simple mount on to a white card blank that has it's edge coloured to frame the image. A greeting could be added but I rather like it as it is.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Cards In Envy - No Patterned Papers  (F)

Send A Smile 4 Kids - Anything Goes/Cards For Boys   (F)

Crafty Friends - Anything Goes   (F)

MHK Designer Inspiration

     This month my MHK Designer Inspiration is another flat card, making it a standard postal charge,
this month's release set is Blessed Lily so that's the image I have used.
     Using my photo package I have made a splodgey green background, then overlaid the image in white, along with the sentiment and a butterfly from Butterfly Wisdom.
     I added a little yellow around the stamens before adding another layered image, this time in a dark grey and slightly off the original to give a ghosting effect.
     Our very own Mynn has several YouTube videos you can watch to learn how to manipulate the images, this opens up many possibilities for your digital images.

Blessed Lily

Butterfly Wisdom

         

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Di's Digi Design - Spring Flowers   (F)
Digi Choosday - Anything Goes   (W)

The Male Room In Orbit

     There is a new challenge at The Male Room starting today, space/science is the theme for this fortnight.

     I've never made a spinner card before so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. I began by cutting a hole in some black card and a large circle of black card to go behind the hole.
     I used masking tape to hold the two pieces of card together while I used mica powders through a galaxy mask, plus some chunky embossing powder sprinkles. I put a small mark on the back of the cards so that they could be lined up again later.
     The inner circle of card was stuck on to a white card blank, then I die cut the planet and mounted it on two layers of foam pads in the centre of the black circle. The outer black card was then mounted on double foam pads and placed over these circles.
     The rocket was stamped and embossed in silver, coloured in silver with a red nose cone and gold flames. To get the rocket to spin around the planet it was mounted on two pennies that have a round foam pad between them, these pennies just fit in the slot that runs around the planet. There are some very good tutorials for this technique on You Tube.
      Our challenge runs for two weeks so please come and join us with your masculine space/science creations.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

The Paper Girls - Travel/Holiday   (F)

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes   (W)

House Of Cards On The Dark Side

     A new month means a new challenge at the House Of Cards, this month we would like to see you use coloured pencils on dark card.

   

    For this card I started by stamping on black card and then embossing with a pearly white powder.
     Last year I invested in a set of metallic pencils in the fond hope they would look good on dark colours, I'm pleased to say I wasn't disappointed.
     The petals have a blend of three colours on them to create shading, when the card is tilted to the light it has a great shine too.

   
    After colouring all of the flowers I trimmed the panel to fit a 7x5 inch card blank. To pick out one of the colours in the petals it is layered with a pink card.
     The greeting is stamped and embossed with the same powder, then die cut and mounted on a pink layer before going on thin foam pads on the card.
     House Of Cards new challenge runs all month so please come and join us with your cards.

Use coloured pencils on Dark Card and/or Colours

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Pause, Dream, Enjoy - Use A Stamped Image    (W)

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes   (F)

The House That Stamps Built - Anything Goes   (W)

MHK Designs - March Challenge

     Welcome to the new challenge at MHK Designs, this month we have the gorgeous Blessed Lily set to showcase.
    For this card I've used the lily image to build a centre motif and then add corner decoration over a green paper from Easter Flowers.  There are some great tutorials by our very own Mynn on You Tube, which show you how to manipulate the images and produce all manner of artwork.
    The greeting comes from another MHK Designs set, Eat Your Cake, printed and die cut and then layered on silver card. A simple card to make which is also nice and flat for standard postage.
     Come and join us at MHK Designs blog to see all the DT inspiration, play along with us for a chance to win some gorgeous digital images.

Blessed Lily

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Digi Choosday - Anything Goes   (W)

Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes   (W)

Altered Egglectics Jewel Box

     Altered Eclectics welcomes mixed media and altered art projects, any theme, just no cards or ATC's . I think this would count as altered art and recycling as well as getting ready for Easter.

     This started life as a very tasty goose egg, when you make cakes the eggs have to be beaten, so breaking the yolk to blow this meant it was time to put the oven on. The shell was rinsed several times with COLD water to make sure it was nice and clean, then left to dry.
     This shell was wrapped in onion skins and boiled for a couple of hours to stain it, if you tie the skins on with cotton you get a marbled effect.   
     I have a small craft drill which has a circular cutting blade, so after marking the shell with a pencil I followed the cut line. There is a small hinge at the back of the lid stuck on with a two part epoxy glue.

     The bottom of the egg shell has more glue and a small handful of metal pellets in it to weight it. The outside was varnished before any decoration was applied, two coats give it a lovely shine.
     The hinge is covered with a small metal filigree shape and the top knot is two embellishments glued in place. The stand is a purpose bought egg stand.
     The inside has a small card disc stuck over the metal pellets to make the bottom smooth, then covered with a rushed cream satin fabric stuck around the edges of the rim. Inside the lid there is a small flower for added decoration.
    To finish off the edges are covered with a selection of gold braids, both inside and out. My Mum used to make a lot of these, we haven't made any for years but I've never parted with any of my stash so it's rather nice to open the box and use it again.
     Come over to Altered Eclectics and join us with your creations, we'd love to see them.

I would like to enter this project in the following challenges:

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes   (W)

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes     (M)