Fab-stract Watercolour Flowers

Hi everybody,

Jill here, and this week I've got some abstract (well, that's what I'm calling it) watercolour for you...

...using Fab Flowers from Lawn Fawn.

If you're a regular visitor to our delightful blog you'll know I used the same set last week.  I've decided this is my 'new thing', and a way of getting more use out of my crafty stash.  I'm, (and I'm sure I'm not alone), like a kid in a sweetshop with my crafty goodies - spoilt for choice and too excited to play with everything all at once, so I tend to use a set then put it away never to be seen again for a long long time.  Well no more I tell ya.  So my new 'thing' is - I must make at least two cards with a set before it goes back in it's pack!  So this is the second outing of this beaut in as many weeks.

I was aiming for a kind of really loose, abstract watercolour effect with this design and the way I accomplished that was to use Distress Ink so the colours would react with water (Zig Clean Colour Markers would also work a treat), and, once my stamp was covered in ink, to spritz it with water before stamping it onto my card.  I don't think I'll ever fall out of love with the look of watercolour, and this technique is by far one of the easiest ways to achieve it.  I stamped out all my elements using the same technique, die-cut, and then built up a sweet bouquet adhering each piece from the back.  My background is My Favourite Thing's Sketched Chevron (literally one of my all time favourite stamps let alone backgrounds) which I clear heat embossed and add a wash of blue inks over-top.

I cut Lawn Fawn's Love Ya Border Die to use as my sentiment and added another couple of elements from the Fab Flower's to tie my design together.

I finished by adding a purple twine bow and embellished with a scattering of clear gems, and there you have it.

I really hope you like it.

As always everything I used is linked below, and I'll see you next week.

Jillx

    

Fab & Fierce

Hi everybody,

It's Jill here, happy to be back blogging for you fine folks, and grateful to Jenny for covering me on Friday - which is why I'm making an appearance here on Monday!

I wanted to start the New Year as I intend to go on, full of positive vibes and aiming for a bright, happy and fun-filled future, jam-packed with self belief and a fearless attitude...so today's card is a mantra to myself with a pretty twist...

And for anyone else looking to give their inner warrior a kick up the bum...I say go get em tiger!

I started by stamping out My Favourite Things Pinstripe Background onto my front panel in pale grey, then cutting their Stitched Circle Scallop Edge Frame from that.  I then stamped out a ton of Lawn Fawn's Fab Flowers in some pretty pink and purple inks and die cut them.  

I stamped the same Pinstripe Background out again in a pale lemon onto a piece of card to have as my back piece, and stamped onto it this awesome empowering sentiment from Mama Elephant's Everyday Greetings so that it would be centred behind my aperture.

I then built up all my Fab Flowers and foliage so they peaked out and created the perfect pretty frame to my fierce message.

I added a white Scallop Circle over top to help the frame 'pop', and there you have it.

A message of empowerment to start the year off the right way...ready to rock n roll!

See you Friday.

Jillx

  

  

Celebrate the Summer

Hi everybody,

Jill here, and this week I'm celebrating the arrival of summer!!!

With a whole load of Lawn Fawn loveliness & a helping hand from Hero Arts.

Can you actually believe how hot it's been?  Of course, typically, we couldn't handle it and started praying for rain...which we only had to wait two days for up here in Newcastle whilst the rest of the country continues to bake & now we all want the sun back haha.

I started my card by inking up my background with some bright yellows, gradually fading it out. I added a sprinkle of water to pick up some colour & a spritz of white ink to add a little interest.  I then mixed some texture paste with some of the yellow ink and, using a spatula, spread it over this lovely Hero Arts Honeycomb stencil.  I then set my background aside to dry.

My sweet summery bees are from Lawn Fawn's  Hello Sunshine which I stamped out and coloured using my Zig Real Brush markers.  I fussy cut them, purposefully chopping off their wings (ouch-eee, sorry little fellas); I then stamped them out again onto vellum, this time time fussy cutting the little wings and adding them back onto the bodies.  

My flutter of foliage is from Lawn Fawn's Fab Flowers, stamped out in an array of bright colours and cut using the matching dies.

My sentiment is Lawn Fawn's Scripty Hello which I cut several times and adhered together to create a more substantial piece which, once built-up, I covered in a couple of layers of clear embossing powder to give it a lovely shiny finish.  I finished my sentiment by partially stamping the 'Hello Sunshine' from Mama Elephant's Spring Garden, stamped onto vellum and cut into a a banner.  I love creating my own message by mixing different sentiments together.

I built up my scene and once I was happy with the placement of my pieces, I adhered them in place.  I then mounted my panel onto a dark grey card base, up into the corner, and there you have it.

A nice bright summery card to celebrate the sunshine...now where's that fan...

As always, everything I used is linked below.

See you next week.

Jillx 

Fab flowers for your fabulous mam.

Hi everybody,

Jill here, and this week, I've got a fab floral bouquet fit for the finest Mam!

Using the gorgeous new Fab Flowers from Lawn Fawn.

I loved this set as soon as I set eyes on it and knew straight away I wanted to create a huge bouquet using it.  I love all the different flower layering stamps that are around nowadays, and especially loved the more whimsical style of this set as I felt it was more 'me'.

This card was incredibly simple to make; I started by making myself a circle card base, then stamped out the beautiful range of flowers and foliage you get, in all different colours I wanted featured in my bouquet.  I then cut them all out using the matching die set.  Once all my flowers and foliage were cut, I simply built them up over my card base to create a pretty arrangement and, once happy, I adhered everything in place.

I then cut Lawn Fawn's Happy Mother's Day Border from white card, added a strip of teal card behind, and cut around the border to help the sentiment 'pop'.  I added a twirl of twine and added my border over the top using foam tape to give some dimension.

I finished by adding a good scattering of clear sequins around my Fab Flowers, and there you have it.

I'm really happy with how this turned out and think my Mam (yes, it's 'Mam' where I'm from), is going to love it!

Simple?  Yes.  Time consuming?  Certainly.  Worth it?  Definitely!  

I really hope you like it and it inspires you to do something a little different for your Mam's this year :)

As always, everything I used is linked below.

See you next week.

Jillx