WOYWW - What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 99

Well, another big BLINK!! and here we are ready for another mid week blog hop on WOYWW, starting over at our hostess’ Julia’s blog for link up at to all the wonderfully inspiring desks around the world... Come and join in the fun at Julia's Stamping Ground!

As you can see my desk is littered with the Illuminated Bible text I am working on! For those of you struggling to read what it says, it is a very beautiful and meaningful verse from: 

Ephesians 4 vs 32

Be ye kind one to another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Some progress has been made, thankfully design or layout is sorted.. but a long way to go! I can’t wait till have finished inking it in and then the fun part of laying colours down. This can also be very tedious but really life is full of that and you just press on. To make it more interesting this has a deadline of our Mother's day which is May 8^th, and I have come down with a cough and cold!! Never a dull moment here! All more reason to pray; so all prayers for skill, strength and wisdom gratefully appreciated folks..

Here a few cards I have made this week as break from brain strain of text work, plus felt had to do another one for Fat Cats. I actually read Neil's post and thought of using this stamp ( for Neil's post link see here ). However I dont have his lovely Impressionist/Expressionist style, and so it took on its own shape. The Damask Duck is stamped on white card in black pigment ink, clear embossed then coloured with mixture of Caran D'Ache watercolour pencils and Pearlex watercolours for that shimmery sheen (you can see my Pearlex above right of desk with my piece of calligraphy - very small paintbox but colours that have real punch, I love them!). 

Stamp the same stamp on acetate with black Stazon, allow to dry overnight or heat dry if that sort of acetate.

I actually just used some scrounged acetate I found on boxes of cards and even the few scuff marks did not matter so use what you have don’t rush out and grab some expensive acetate!

Colour back of acetate with Gelly pens for extra depth ( or even Stickles as Neil did below on his post - see below link).

Then attach to original stamp ( I used Glossy Accents after reading this idea on Neil's glorious ideas filled blog see here -but you can also can use brads). Attached to black card which was highlighted linen look stamp from Hero Arts stamped with Versamark pad and embossing powder Iridescent. Cut with Spellbinder Square Scallop die.

Used Script Cuttlebug folder distressed with sanding block for extra dimension and designer papers for layout. I have done it various way just try it out..

  Another layout was tried also..so play around and have some fun...

Meanwhile I must get back to work on my text and do a bit of blog hopping later when the rest of the world catches up with us over here! 6am UK is 3pm here! Have a Manchester, UK clock (where my family are - to know when to ring them!) on my desktop for all those who wonder how we figure it out..:D

May God bless you day everyone and a very happy WOYWW!
Shaz in oz.x

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 98

 

Well here we are ready for another mid week blog hop, starting over at our hostess’ Julia’s blog for link up at to all the wonderfully inspiring desks around the world... Come and join in the fun at Julia's Stamping Ground!

Today my desk shows the beginnings of the long hard haul of designing an Illuminated Text layout (for those thinking it is book it is not.. some comments below say this - it like the one at the top of my blog; it is hanging illuminated work). It is rather a laborious and arduous task which involves a lot of head scratching, brow furrowing, praying for wisdom, and rubbing out as I change it yet again for the umpteenth time. Here I am working on the tracing paper which I use, as it messes up good paper big time to work straight on it.

 I always feel greatly relieved when this stage is over, and really is half the time of a fifty hour text.

I have done a few cards which were requests so will show you these also.

The first one was started on my post last week with the lovely Leaves & Butterflies K Kingdom Embossing folder 129 from Fat Cats Card Corner which I have extended using my extended method to double the length ( see here or sidebar labels if you don’t know how to do this). It has small embossed butterflies on it Marianne Creatables Cutting Dies Butterflies (just brilliant, these dies!) cut with the pre-coloured card; also the border with Martha Stewart Blossom Eyelet Deep Edger Border Punch. Butterflies were added where they were on the embossing folder, adorned with mini pearls.

If you check last weeks post you can see how I coloured the card with Glimmer Mists. Labels 4 Nestabilities were used for the greeting.
A button was made with turquoise coloured card with Epiphany Button Studio Round 14mm and attached to ribbon.

 I really was excited after making this card. My friend wanted a Kookaburra card for her beloved. I had no resources of Kookaburra images, so I “Googled” and found this terrific image. It fitted (sort of with a little help) a Nesties circle die and I cut it outside the Image (see excellent Tutorial at Tickled Pink Stamps on doing this

see here!). {EDIT post has been removed so now have one here on my blog here}

 I had cut an extra picture which used also to give a 3D effect by layering on top of the first image.

I used the Nestie Scallop and Branches Cuttlebug folder and some Stampin Up DP card for the layout. I love my Epiphany Button Studio Round 14mm, which was used on DP paper and attached to ribbon. 

My friend’s tears at seeing the card and reading the poem inside were a great joy and reward for the time taken. God is very good!

 

The last card was for a very dear lady’s 80^th birthday which her Grandaughter asked me to make. I used my Brocade folder again and the Elusive Images stamp. I love the combo and used my new pencils Caran D’Ache watercolours and loved the effect on the watercolour paper - the colours were so vibrant!! Now off to peek at a few desks and must get back to the hard slog of doing my text layout!

Thanks so much for popping over and may God bless you over this Easter time, when we remember the  gift of the Son of God, Who came died for our sins and was raised again on that first Easter day, “Lo! He is not here! He is risen!”

Shaz in Oz.x

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 97

Well, here we are fellow WOYWW-ers! back at another review of work-desks on a Wednesday and for those of you who are wondering what I am muttering about - join in the fun by checking out our royal hostess'  Queen Julia's glorious blog at Julia's Stamping Ground!

Here you will see my desk is littered again. There are some completed cards to the top right. To see these and also the terrific Fat Cats Competition [with three $100 AUD vouchers to be won! -wohoo!] see here .

Also I'm playing with some glimmer mist Jazz Blue and cosmic shimmer Silver having read Brenda's Blog - Floral Fantasies and her workshop on mixing them. I ordered these two new colours to have play and I am hooked!! Thanks B.! if you want to see it look here for her helpful tutorial . I like the Cosmic shimmer better for for its high shimmer but think the Glimmer mists lighter glimmer has place too according to what you need so mixing the two is good.

The embossing folder embossed above in white is one from Fat Cats (which I have extended using my extended method to double the length - see here or sidebar labels if you dont know how to do this). A new one called Leaves & Butterflies K Kingdom Embossing folder 129, which has small embossed butterflies on it. Since I was also sent the Creatables Butterflies from Marianne I am hope to make some butterflies with the spare card I have coloured as well. I have used silver Cosmic Shimmer and Jazz Blue in Glimmer Mist.

Happy WOYWW everyone and may God bless you wherever you are..
Shaz in Oz.x

Great Prize and Competition at Fat Cats Card Corner + Some Cards...

FatHi there folks, I am  flat like a lizard drinking (as my dad would say) out so this will be a brief post, but wanted to let you know about this great competition at Fat Cats Card Corner- details below.

Please NOTE -there THREE Vouchers to be won worth $100Aussie dollars each!!... and AUD are quite valuable at present !!

So don't miss out very easy competition if you have any Nellie Snellen Multi-frame sets.....

See competition link here , and gallery link is here.   

NEW COMPETITION!!!
Simply make a card or scrapbook page using any of the Nellie Snellen Multi-frame die sets (click here to see what they are) and upload it to our Gallery. 

You could win one of 3 $100 Fat Cats Gift Vouchers. Entries close 15th May 2011.

Just a few cards which were started last week on the WOYWW  page, so thought would let you see the “fait accompli”.  

 

This is a Crafty Individuals Stamp, and showed you last week how background to this was made.

I do so love the detail on these stamps! It is Damask Ducks on a Speedball brayer background (any Dye ink colours you like) brayered on glossy white card in A5 packs, layered on Spellbinder Nestabilities Classic Squares. On each side is cardstock embossed with Blue embossing folder - Dragonfly K Kingdom Embossing Folder 073.

Martha Stewart Deep Edger Blossom Eyelet border is spritzed with Magic Micas purple (mixed in Mini mister) with pearls in the flower centres of this very pretty punch to add a bit of glitz to it. 

Crafty Individual Bird Postcard Unmounted stamp inked on white card and sprayed with paler mixed magic mica. This is then mounted on the pale mauve Quilted A5 frosted papers, these are so very pretty, and mounted further to finish the card,.

The Cuttlebug Plus Brocade Folder is truly a classy act.
Here it is embosses and cuts a window all at once.
Sandwich is A plate + C plate + two shims (one thick and one thin) for my bug They say one A plus two B plates on Provocraft site but it will not work with mine. I chalked it throguh the flap at the top so easy to chalk (with white pad) it with this specially made flap.
 

Then I used Unity Stamps called "Beauty" and I coloured it with the beautifully shimmery Pearlex watercolours (all items for these three cards are available from Fat Cats Card Corner).
 

Thanks for looking, and may God bless your day

Shaz in Oz. x

P.S. I am at present on D.T. for Fats Cats, hence my promotion of their items.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 96

Happy WOYWW everyone!

Well, one hectic week so will be brief as I am still in middle of much ado about nothing! so here is my workdesk this morning some new stamps by Crafty Individuals newly arrived from Fat cats (see link here).

I was sent one as sample (the Damask Duck) and bought two as well - they have amazing detail and sooo gorgeous.

They are great to play with!

Here my samples are using my brayer and Big and Juicy Stamp Pad (Hydrangea) and Iridescent medium,(I dropped this on with an eye dropper in the middle of the brayering the ink pad colours) to give it that sheen..
{Note to Maggie and others: I put the drops of medium on the paper not the brayer, and it is available at any art shop which sell watercolours, (Winsor & Newton) or eBay where I bought mine very very cheaply!}

The photo does not show sheen properly but you kind of get the idea! You can also see wedding card elements on the table too, which I am supposed to be making.

For those of you wondering why we are looking at incomplete cards on desks take a peek at Julia’ s glorious blog and you will discover a whole new world  – at Julia's Stamping Ground!

May God bless you all,

Shaz in Oz. x