New Bakery

First of all, what do you get if you have
an old cardboard box and few sheets of scrap paper? 

Here we have a box. 

Here we have few scrap paper sheets.

My boys btw on the window sill <3
Ah, the box is getting into a new shape.

Of course you guess what is it going to be.

 

Yes, plain and simple.

Surely you do not guess,who was the person who gave me this idea???

Begins with a D .

Have I ever told you, my lovely visitors, how much I like this person?

Well.

Lots.

Yesterday I was too lazy to charge dig cam battery
(hard work to plug the charger!)
and used scanner instead. 

Rubbish. Absolute rubbish! 

Now it looks better.

Front. Oh yes, I replaced whateverblingies those were,

with tiny selfadhesive roses.

Close up with correct colour of the sentiment. 

Image from Corel, low dpi to have this "old" effect.

Taps and sink needs more shadowing. Don't look stained enough.

Corners of the card wanted worn look. 

Maybe next time I can do it better.

Almost forgot this part:
Card stock - Paper Mill
Digistamp - Clearly Vintage
Flowers - Craft for Occasions
Ribbons - err...
Snaps - We R Memory Keepers
Shop sign frame - Corel 

Heheeh, I enjoy this. :)

Lesson number one (out of the "no idea how many")

1. Do not upload scanned pics of card. They look daft. (Bakery pic look loaaaads better irl. Trust me.)

At last one card!

Here we go. This is for my friend, who will start working in bakery.

Using only dark(ish) colours.

From Clearly Vintage and coloured by Prismacolors.

Label is actually nice copper-brown, looks black on scanned image.

Tried to get stained taps and sink. Needs a bit more effort.

Pink was used to colour her skin.

Experimental Period

Cardwise it has been really quiet time. Probably "calm before the storm" =)  Been playing with Prismacolor pencils and oh dear, it is nice :) Here is a set of five digis:

1. Bread and Rolls: I found the digis from Clearly Vintage  (she has the most wonderful images there!). Coloring really is very experimental, and I tried to get sort of "hot" feeling. Hot as in the bakery. :)

2. Flower from Fred She Said. Image is very beautiful, and the coloring is trying to compliment the image. I'm not saying it worked, but I tried :)

3. Bride without veil is of course from Bugaboo Stamps (I love the stamps there!)

4. Waterfall is from BBC Wildlife colouring book.
5. Lion from the same place.

btw: One of the pencils was without the led! :D The seller took full responsibility and everything is sorted now.

The beauty of having digis is that you can print and print and print it all over again. <3

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Or was it the lion, the woman and the prismacolors? ;)

This was one of these "first time" things. First time had Prismacolor pencils, first time I colored something using them. How come they are so smooth and nice? The difference was like a day and night comparing my "very cheap coloring pencils".

Great great and great! Now I'm going to have some serious fun! Indeed!

I can handle also constructive critisism. There is something wrong with the area around tail.

Colours used: Sepia, Sienna Brown, Dark Green and Pink. :D
Guide: Dorcas' Coloring Guide (made for yours truly)

Tralalaaa.... I'm siiiinging in the rain :D

One picture says more than... many colourful words :D

Yes, pencils arrived today. Definitely they are second-rate, but who cares, if colours work? 4 pencils were not labeled at all, so I keep guessing the exact colour number and name.

This is the list I have:
PC  901 Indigo Blue
PC  902 Ultramarine
PC  903 True Blue
PC  904 Light Cerulean Blue
PC  905 Aquamarine
PC  908 Dark Green
PC  909 Grass Green
PC  910 True Green
PC  912 Apple Green
PC  913 Spring Green
PC  914 Cream
PC  915 Lemon Yellow
PC  918 Orange
PC  922 Poppy Red
PC  924 Crimson Red
PC  925 Crimson Lake
PC  926 Carmine Red
PC  927 Light Peach
PC  928 Blush Pink
PC  931 Dark Purple
PC  932 Violet
PC  933 Violet Blue
PC  935 Black
PC  937 Tuscan Red
PC  938 White
PC  939 Peach
PC  942 Yellow Ochre
PC  943 Burnt Ochre
PC  945 Sienna Brown
PC  946 Dark Brown
PC  947 Dark Umber
PC  948 Sepia
PC  949 Metallic Silver
PC  950 Metallic Gold
PC  989 Chartreuse
PC  993 Hot Pink
PC  994 Process Red
PC 1001 Salmon Pink
PC 1002 Yellowed Orange
PC 1003 Spanish Orange
PC 1006 Parrot Green
PC 1008 Parma Violet
PC 1009 Dahlia Purple
PC 1021 Jade Green
PC 1022 Mediterranean Blue
PC 1031 Henna
PC 1032 Pumpkin Orange
PC 1033 Mineral Orange
PC 1040 Electric Blue
PC 1050 Warm Grey 10%
PC 1051 Warm Grey 20%
PC 1054 Warm Grey 50%
PC 1058 Warm Grey 90%
PC 1060 Cool Grey 20%
PC 1070 French Grey 30%
PC 1074 French Grey 70%
PC 1080 Beige Sienna
PC 1082 Chocolate
PC 1084 Ginger Root
PC 1085 Peach Beige
PC 1086 Sky Blue Light
PC 1087 Powder Blue
PC 1089 Pale Sage
PC 1092 Nectar
PC 1093 Seashell Pink
PC 1011 Deco Yellow
PC 1077 Colorless Blender
and 4 with no label

At this moment I'm not sure if this was a mistake to buy these. Doesn't sound too bad, 30 quid for 72 colors. Well, I contacted the seller. Lets see what happens next.

P.S. Forgot to mention, one pencil was "empty". Seller refunded it nicely, and oh, I love coloring!

Video Casette Case :)

Cleaning out my closet (by Eminem) and there I had few plastic video casette cases. Immediately I found a new use for them :)

Of course! Now they work as digistamp storages.

Long waited phone call from Samuel Taylor, Leeds.Website is called "click on crafts". They have my Spellbinders Labels 7 ready and waiting for me!

Edit 1:
Hehee ;) Dorcas' Coloring Guide is clearly visible there. And my nitros. And my Big Shot. (Why it has to be PINK?!?)

Edit 2:
Linda, of course there is nothing wrong wrong with PINK, if talking about the singer, butbutbut... blue or black would taste better? :D

Seriously I have been thinking about paint these black (by Rolling Stones). Both.

LOL, what a wonderful excuse again to post of pic of my babies :)

Edit 3: It's a little bit funny (by Elton John. Ohdear, what's wrong with me!!! Quotes from songs :D all the time), but I think I have never had anything pink. Once!!! When I was pregnant I had this wonderful long huge PINK nightgown. But then again, people do crazy things when up the duff! :D Don't they? :D

Me, me, me, me, me...

I think I might open up a bit... Isn't that what the blog is for? Hehee ;)

I love this card making stuff.
I love Leeds United AFC. I absolutely love that football team. Always had and always will.
I love Elland Road for 2 wonderful reasons. 1. It is Leeds United home ground. 2. We have our conventions there.
I love Oliver Cromwell and history of England.
I love triathlon, but hate the running part of it! Paradox?
I love proper curry, but fish & chips even more.
I love my computers and all my computer stuff.
I love this workshop of mine, I could spend the whole day here just doing stuff. No idea what, but something. :D
I love part of my past, definitely NOT all of it. Sex Pistols, Bauhaus, Siouxie and the Banshees... that part I DO LOVE and how it made me realise what is inside you, matters.

I love my boys. My wonderful, beautiful boys.
I love being Jehovah's Witness, because all of my life I have believed in God and had a good relationship with him, but couldn't make head or tail what we were told at school or in church. It is the Bible, where you can find the truth, not from anywhere else.

Ohdear!!!! That was just a tiny little piece of me, gives me a little peace of mind. Hmmm.. why I fancy some peas all of a sudden?

... to be continued... ;)

Tutoring Thursday and more fun

My friend Dorcas had a blingy nightmare and this is my very very good tip for that kind of problem. How to organize blingies? Perfect and easy solution:

No frills! Take a 5 liter ice cream container. That of course means you need to treat your family with a serious amount of ice cream. Then stuff your blinkies to tiny containers. Only part of them, naturally. You don't want to forget where everything is. That is the reason you keep some of them visible. Tiny containers are of course from takeout restaurant. That of course means, that you are having a nice treat for your family. I do suggest have the dinner first and then ice cream. 

After all the eating you definitely are too stuffed and tired to organise anything. So throw all your blingies to the box and SORTED!!!

Gothic Arches with Daisies

When I saw Gothic Archs when visiting Nicecrane and that way also found Gothic Arches Challenge, here is the result.  

Couple of close ups a bit lower down.

Heh, just a different "frame". Old curtain covering the wall. Sort of covering. Doesn't matter. ;)  (At least I'm not using those horrible RED, YELLOW and BLUE sheets. The only reason for that was to get the card out from the background. Ok? I know it was horrible :D  )

Look at the arch itself! How beautiful... Makes me feel sooo relaxed. OOPS! I love it, it is so calm and peaceful and gorgeous and I am speechless!

Daisy, Daisy... Daisies are B/W recolored grayish and then coloured using very extreme cheap water colouring pencils from Tesco. 


(Shhh.... Can't wait for my Prismacolors from Canada...)

The glitter is Heat It Up Gold embossing powder and looks like a muddy pond.

And of course

Daisy, Daisy give me your answer do.
I'm half crazy all for the love of you.
It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage.
But you'll look sweet,
Upon the seat,
Of a bicycle made for two. 

Ok, fair enough, Donald and Daisy are not part of the card, but could be? ;)

Mixture came from:

Cardstock - Papermill 

Arch - Nicecrane

Backing paper - Nicecrane

Daisies - no idea... Image has been on my computer for years and then needed some bleaching (so to speak), and recolouring to match backing paper.

Butterfly - Anna Griffing punch
Glitter - Heat It Up Gold embossing powder

Colouring - Tesco Water color Pencils (24 for 2 quid)

Sure I will find some challenges shortly ;)


Gothic Arches Callenge - Daisies (asking to leave a comment, can't find flippin thing ;)
Anything Goes - Say it With Flowers 
A Crafty Little Place- Anything Goes  
Allsorts of Challenge - Park Inspiration 
Paper Players Challenge #13-Anything Goes! 

Ornament from fibbre-UbA *** freebie

Couldn't resist. This ornament is soooo beautiful, I wanted to share this with you.

Again, credit to fabbri (I am trying to find out more details, and of course will upload update) and ironed, cleaned, etc etc etc by UbA. (UbA sounds DAFT, but it is a good abbreviation.)

Hugs from sunny, hot, wonderful Yorkshire. (Come on, one out of three is ok, isn't it?) ;)

Bank Hols Monday and Everything Is on Order :)

Needed to test these (and few variations, of course)

Sophisticated?

Artistic?

Edit approx 5 pm (BST):

MS Publisher (takes one minute tops)

Quotes / Wisdoms Collection ;)

8. “It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives."
7. Some people “can't see the forest for the trees” but can have "storm in a teacup"
6. "Life is what happens when you're making other plans." John Lennon
5. "Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit!"
4. "I'm hanging in there like a hair in a biscuit."
3. "I couldn't be more surprised if you threw hot grits in my face!"
2. "When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane."
1. "Don't kick yourself in the leg."

LOL, thank you Dorcas, added to the collection :p

Bouquet number 1 by fabbri edited by UbA

These images are free to download and use, but it would be really unfair to sell them. Err.. I think "Angel policy" is the one I need here. With all respect to originals, these images have been scanned, cleaned and edited to be presentable. Every image is named with addition -fabbri-UbA, fabbri for the original publisher and UbA stands for Unique by Annemaritta.

Lets start with bouguet number 1.

(click the image to see the bigger one and if you click again, it's even bigger. Then right click "save image as".)

Ohmy!

Ohmy! I have created my first digistamp (officially, I mean)!!! Sun is shining and we had a good three hours some fun with Angelique. Most certainly she is drawn back to card crafting. Lovely! Am I good company or bad influence? That's the question?

Edit 10:24 on Saturday morning: I found 20 odd year old magazines and after scanning, cutting, coloring (whitening/transparenting), measuring etc editing I was happy with it, BUT I need to find out somehow, IF I can publish it. Of course it would be free for everyone.

Our house has a proper size dining room, but now it is even in a better use. Sewing machine and overlocker and stuff are there ready to have a go. Err... need dusting first. Machines need. I used to sew everything, kids clothes, leather jacket, taxi uniforms (in Finland we used to have proper uniforms, no way wearing casual jeans or t-shirts...), dresses... everything really. Maybe this is a start of a new era. Or New Old Era? 

Anyway we ended up to do something with card stuff and I designed her a business card. Can't wait the next time we'll be having our whatsitcalled... "sewing circle" :D

edit 10.30pm

I found this: 

awww... cute :) 

* bkn = blog keeper's note

• High quality low profile tablet with big 250 x 150 mm (10 x 6 inch) widescreen working space for picture and video editing, freehand drawing and other graphic applications
• Including ergonomic wireless 2 button pen with 1024 step pressure sensitivity and separate cradle to store the pen (pen is perfecto to hold - bkn)
• Widescreen size for optimized use with widescreen monitors; also suitable for standard monitors (works perfectly on both, tested - bkn)
• Fully supports Windows 7 & Vista advanced tablet functions, such as pen pressure sensitivity, converting handwriting into digital text and office document notes (enjoyable and has word suggestion as well - bkn)
• 21 extra direct accessible programmable soft buttons (excellent - bkn)
• With transparent sheet for tracing pictures (sounds! - bkn)
• Software included for drawing and editing pictures (err... ok - bkn)

Package contents

• Tablet
• Pen
• Pen cradle
• 2x pen tips (extra tips, one is already in place - bkn)
• Pen-tip removal tool
• 1x AAA battery
• CD-ROM with software (well... software is very basic but it is there - bkn)
• User’s guide (useless - blog keeper's opinion ;)

Hard decisions ;)

If someone asks you to show them some of your cards, how do you chose? Got a message from my friend "could you bring few of your cards me to show my workmates?", oh well, I ended up with a box of 30. :D I had to be done quickly, that was good, cos now I didn't have time to panic or think. 

No cards for days! What is the matter with me? Had to get son's passport back, sort out alternative date for flying to Finland, which I am really happy about. He can spend a week there, quality time with his father and other rellies. Awww... nice.

It's 10pm and new mags sounds really good. CO visit coming up on October. Ah, it is nice and relaxed feeling after the meeting. It always makes you geel better. Every time. :) 

Friends

No, this is not about Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Ross and Chandler. This is about friends, who suprise you without warning. It leaves you wondering, what have I done to deserve this. Absolutely nothing. Being my horrible self. Then few hours later you are given gifts that makes you day in many ways and many days!

Ok, things are difficult at home at the moment, life is a mess and I'm struggling to get through one day to the next one. Things like these makes it easier to carry on.

Dorcas knows how I have fallen in love with card making (card crafting) and how I like to try new things, but not sure how to do them. I visited her blog today, and there it was!!!

Colored Pencil Tutorial for newbies, I trust. Absolutely fantastic! I already said her, that I believe there are many of us, who do not know how to get it right, and are probably too scared to publish them or / and ask for advice. Heh, I do publish my stuff, cos I'm actually gobsmacked, that I can colour something and it doesn't look total waste (in my own opinion anyway).

Then I went for my study with my friend, Angelique. When I came back home, I had all this with me:

Angelique doesn't have time for cards at the moment, and she knows how happy and relaxed I am in my "Little Workshop". She said to me "Annie, I know that you take good care of these". Awwwww.... Oh, there was a heat gun as well!

Now we have arranged this Friday to be our first "sewing / card crafting session". Can't wait. :) We drove down to Dewsbury to this Textile Shop and ohdearme, those prices were perfect for people who are looking for quality but don't want to pay too much. Silk, wool, cotton, denim... My head is spinning around <3

What a Beauty :) and it is CDAC Giveaway as well

1. What is this?
2. What does abbreviation "CDAC" stand for?

1. This is

Genius MousePen 8" x 6" Graphic Tablet (GENIUS IT IS!!!)

You can learn to draw your own digis with this prize. This brand new tablet is ergonomically designed for drawing, handwriting, sketching, coloring, or picture editing, and powered directly by the USB connection.

It’s not only a fantastic media tool for designers, but a "hand-eye" coordination, fun input device for a computer. Giveaway ends Sept 13th and winner will be picked by random generator. Prize Features are..

    * 8"x6" working area, comfortable for easy drawing, painting and using the PC
    * 1024-level pressure sensitivity for all kinds of shapes and thickness control
    * Make handwriting notes/drawings on the Internet and in any application program
    * Cordless mouse and pen design gives you unlimited freedom
    * 3D scroll wheel for fast browsing on the Internet and in Windows documents
    * Corel Painter-The ultimate digital sketching and painting tool
    * Supports Windows 2003/XP/Me/2000/98

This is the best part: 
One CDAC Member will win this Drawing tablet.

(and of course I am a member)

Now comes the answer to the question #2

2. CDAC is Crafters Digital Art Centre 

Another challenge

Playing with paper and scissors is FUN :) Colouring didn't go well, but vase for flowers is ok. It is printed tweed. Photo of it was sharp and looks pretty good printed imo. Description will be added after well earned sleep (it's 2am here).

Pics looked really weird, so here comes the second set. Now I need to work out how to add these and where :D Ok, this is the finished card. I was looking for to get 3D effect and not use anything but paper. The silver shining belt is card stock (from Home Bargains, England, and it was 80 pence for 16 A4 sheets). Green hanging thingies are made of very ordinary 80gms pastel coloured paper using Sizzlit. Card stock: White 14 x 14 square card. First I glued pastel yellow sheet on top of it.

Flower is made of 5 layers, bottom one is pretending to be leaves, then orange, red, yellow and the top layer is pink. Buttons. oh it was so fun to try to get buttons right. Water colouring pencils, smoothering, more colours etc. I like them.

 

Buckle was difficult. It just doesn't look "right" or real at all. Well, maybe next time, or 183 times after that then. ;) I can't draw, but I am soooo stubborn person, I am determined to get better. Hah. Because of the buttons and buckle, the vase "had to be" fabric, and what is more English than tweed? :) Found an excellent sharp pic and then printed suitable size. Voila!

This shows the 3D.

I would like to take part of these challenges:

Embellishment challenge
Use Your Scraps
Craft Your Passion Challenge 19

PS. I honestly think I'm totally useless with all this, but thank you for your nice comments. :)

PS2. It says "Leave a direct link to your card (not just your blog) with mr linky... " So why there is me and another newbie ONLY doing that. All the others have links to blogs. Hmm... Surely I messed it up AGAIN!!! :p

Midnight Madness and Normal Madness ;)

Midnight is Challenging Time

 

Actually I'm not too sure what to say but assumably I should say something about this project. Err... The card is cream 220gms A6. Insert is creamy (although you can't see it, of course, from here). I started mess about with things, I just knew what I wanted and of course this wasn't it. ;)

How can you squeeze satin AND organza ribbons through the tiny hole? As you can see, I can't, but ohdearme, I tried :D . Pic proves it all ;) Tried to get it nicely and equally both sides but naaaah... Colours were good, thou.

This detail is the decoupage. Black oval is 220 black matt card stock (cutted by myself with my lovely, brilliant, amazing Fiskars template and whatwasit... Shape Cutter Plus. "Shiny" jewels are some self adhesive thingies from one of boxes full of this and that. Backing paper is created by me with permission of decoupage die cut company. :) (Good customer or exellent Craft UK PR department?)

More black was needed and then I took this leftover black piece of card stock and rolled it through this funny machine I have noooo idea what it is. It makes the card wavy. :D Cream oval edges are coloured using just Stabilo colour pen.

Ok, I would like to enter to challenge: 

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge 67

Craft Your Passion Challenge 19

Thank you for reading :)

Oh heck, found very interesting thing: Embellishment Challenge - cdacec4 (plenty of time, plenty of time ;)