Splodges and Splashes – Playing with Gelli Arts Plate

Hi everyone

I spoke too soon last week thinking the good weather for the year had arrived.  We had glorious weather in the mountains as you could tell from the photos on the last post.  I had this week planned out and yes Paula you were right (what a great memory you have!) I wanted to bring the beast out and start turning.  However it was not to be, the winter came back in a blink of an eye.  The temperature dropped dramatically and we even had snow!!  It is so cold.  Next week promises better temperatures as it says it is going back up to 25.  What a contrast.

My time in doors was not wasted.  I thought I would have a play with my Gelli plate (a birthday gift).  I had so much fun with it.  In fact I think it could become addictive.

I collected a pile of scrap 350 gram card stock of various colours even some hideous bright yellow card which I have wanted to use up for a couple of years and just went for it.

The pages below are the bases for some pages I want to make so it is a bit of a work in progress.

This is all new to me but it was really enjoyable  just trying different paints and masks and seeing how they turned out.   I know a load of old paint splodges! lol!

I did find some of the stencils a bit hard to use with the roller and ended up using a sponge to apply the paint.

I  quite liked the ripple effect given by using thickish paint.  The other thing that I found, when the paint colours were to bright, was to use water colour paints on the plate to give an overal mottled effect which toned down the colours.

These pages are not the screen print style that I was trying for but just picking up paint here and there and stamping over  areas.

In the next session I want to use some of the big bold rubber stamps in my stash to take paint off the plate before putting on the card. Can you tell I am so excited with this product!!  Doesn’t take much these days! lol!

Thats all from me to day.  Thank you for calling in.  Always great to have your company.

Have a fantastic weekend and happy crafting.

Best Wishes Florence x

Guess what we have next door….

Hi everyone.

It has been so long since I posted anything on this blog.

Lazy hot summer days will be upon us soon which means the start of the craft season Yey!

I haven’t been lazy.  I have been making cards on the other blog and having fun but I can’t wait to get the machines out.

In the meantime I wanted to share a few photos of some cuties that have  moved into the field nextdoor.

I hope you like them.  The photos have a few shaddows on them and I was hanging out of a tree when I took them.

I ‘m doing my bit for the environment.  Where’s the bin?

This little ophan  is sooo cute!  Luckily a goat has adopted him.

All I want to do is snooze!

Mmmmm…Yawn, yawn!

Ooo! Hello..who you be?

Mmmm…. that smells good!

It’s so cool in the shade under this tree.

That’s all for today.

Thank you for calling in.  Take care and happy Crafting.

Best Wishes Florence x

Seasonal Tags

Hi everyone.

I am back on this blog early than I thought. I had planned to be out in the garden for the next few days but the rain came in and it is also forecasting snow and sleet.  Instead I thought I would clean up my craft room.  Terrible thought I know.  Anyway, I found all these little pieces of scraps and die cuts so I abandoned the cleaning and made a few tags instead. I am so lazy!!!

Spring:

I have been on Pinterest quite a bit lately…..as have others.  I even met up with our Marie there a couple of times.  Had a bit of a natter and a virtual coffee like you do.

Summer:

Whilst pinning like a mad woman, I have been uploading  the work by Alphonse Mucha onto one of my P boards. I have always really loved it  and remembered I had these little stamps.  I have had them years.  To be honest I am not sure who makes them.

Autumn:

One thing that struck me while looking at Mucha’s paintings is all the detail in front, behind and over lapping the main images.

Winter:

So with that thought in mind, I piled on all the little bits of scrap that I have collected, behind, around and over the top of the little stamped images.  You know, all those little pieces of scrap that you keep just in case you might need them.  I haven’t even made a dent in the pile. I am such a hoarder! lol!

I have recycled a cardboard box to make the base of these tags.  I used the large Sizzex die to cut the tag shapes.

If anyone is interested you can see Alphonse Mucha’s work at Wikipaintings.org or if you want to have a look at my pins of his work they are on my Art Nouveau board on Pinterest. Just click on the pinterest logo on the sidebar.

Thank you to all my blogging friends who have been in touch with me and who have left comments on my blogs over the last couple of days.  I am sending you all humongous crafty hugs.  I will be around later for a catch up and a cuppa so pop the kettle on!! he he!

Thats it from me today. Have a fantastic weekend. Happy Crafting.

Florence x

Updates and News

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick little update for my lovely blogging friends.  Thank you to everyone who has contacted me by e.mail and left comments for me recently. You are all so very kind.

I am sorry if I have caused my blogging friends concern.  All is well and I am still blogging on this blog.

At the end of last year I decided to separate my normal crafting and card making projects.   I started a new blog Florence and Freddie Part 2|the house of cards   The new blog is just for my cards making.

I am hoping that normal crafting/blogging will resume on this blog over the next week or so.  Just got to get my act together and finish a few things! lol!

Happy crafting and take care.

Florence x

Addicted to CAS challenge – Sweet

Hi everyone.

It’s time for another Addicted to CAS challenge.   The challenge this week is being hosted by my fellow DT member the lovely Patrice whose fabulous blog is Spring Blossom Musings.

The code word, chosen by Patrice, for this weeks challenge is

For full details of the challenge, the DT’s gorgeous projects and to join in the fun please click here.

Our sponser for this weeks challenge is the lovely Joanna Munster from Inspired by Stamping.  Thank you Joanna.

When I first saw this code word. The first thing I thought of was Sweet Pea. Looove Sweet Peas.  Oh yes, the Lathyrus Odoratus.  Ok, before anyone gets the wrong idea.  I love gardening but I only know the latin name because I had to look up whether sweet pea was all one word!!! Still not sure.

What was interesting though.  According to google and something I didn’t know, even though for 30 years I only lived a couple of miles away.  The developement and trial fields for sweetpeas were intially set up in 1888 in Wem in Shropshire.  There you go a bit of trivia. I bet you will all sleep better now you know that! lol!  Tracy and Emily in Wem if you call in, I bet you didn’t know that either! he he!

Ok, back to crafting.  Here is my little card for this weeks challenge.  I hope you like it.

I stamped the sweet peas around the edge of some coated card stock using black archival ink and then coloured in the flowers using a paint brush and some diluted ink from some felt tips.  I had a splodge (technical term) so I stamped over it with a little dragonfly. I then added the “Just a Note” sentiment.  I then just mat a layered.

This is the last Addicted to CAS challenge for 2012.  The next challenge will be on the 12th January 2013 so save the date.  Thank you to everyone who has joined in the challenges. There has been a fantastic response and we hope you will join in the fun in 2013.

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Just a bit of news from me.  I will be continuing with florence and freddie the house of chairs for my crafting projects in 2013 but I have also started up a new blog just for card making  florence and freddie part 2 the house of cards. This will start running in January 2013.

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This is my last post for 2012.  I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who follows my blog and especially to those of you who call in and leave such lovely comments.  Your kindness and support this past year has been incredible and is truly appreciated.

Wishing you ALL a very Merry Christmas and Health and Happiness for the New Year.

Crafty Hugs,

Florence xx

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Addicted to Stamps and More Bingo Challenge #5

Hi everyone

This weeks Addicted to Stamps and More challenge is a bingo  challenge.  To see full details of the challenge, the DT’s fabulous projects and they are fabulous, and to join in the fun please click here.

The bingo card is shown below.

Our lovely sponsers for this weeks challenge are:

How cool is that.  So exciting!!

Here is my little card.

I have gone for the diagonal line Green (base card, Free (fabric), and Pearls for this weeks challenge.

I made the card up as you see it with lots of layers.  I embossed the red card before attaching it.  For the centre piece, I stamped the mistletoe onto some fabric using green Stazon ink, coloured the leaves and glued this to a piece of board using book binding glue.  I added some Diamond Glaze just to the berries.  I attached the pearls to the lace and just wrapped it around the board, fixing it with glue.

BINGO CARD

please click to enalarge

You can use any line from the above bingo card. It can be horrizontal, vertical or diagonal.  If you choose a line with the box “free” written inside it, this means the choice is yours ie,  gems, flowers, buttons, colour whatever you would like.  On the bingo card,  the bottom right hand box, it says DSP.  This is Designer Speciality Paper. I know because numpty here had to ask! lol!  There is lots of scope for this challenge. We can’t wait to see your projects.

This is the last Addicted to Stamps and More challenge for 2012 due to the Christmas break.  The next challenge will be on the 9th January 2013.  There are lots of great challenges lined up for next year and we hope you will join in the fun.

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Just a note: As you know I am not blogging at the moment   but I would like to thank everyone for leaving such lovely comments on my blog.  They truly are appreciated.  I have the bestest blogging friends ever.

Happy Crafting. Take care all.

Best Wishes Florence x

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Dragonfly Lady – A couple of cards

Hi everyone

This week’s Addicted to Stamps and More challenge is “Make Your Mark #5″.  We are asking you to use your markers on your project’s this week.  To see full details of the challenge, the wonderful projects by the DT and to join in the fun click HERE.

We can’t wait to see your projects.

This week’s challenge is being sponsered by

I made a couple of cards but I chose the first one for the challenge.

The photo makes these card look quite flat but the black frames are raised up on foam tape.

I stampd my image on to glossy card stock using black staz-on and coloured it in with jumbo felt pens.  I then gave the image a quick spritz with a spray varnish just to fix the inks.   I made the frames and embellishments using dies. If I am honest, I wished I had left the embellishments off because this image is pretty on its own.

Happy Crafting everyone – take care.

Best Wishes Florence x

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