Just a few pictures

This really is a rushed post whilst I'm having a (well deserved lol!) coffee break. Every time I finish a set of designs I have a little break to rest my eyes and fingers which often get a little tensed up through concentrating so hard.  

So, I just wanted to share a few more pictures of some of the samples that I had on my table at the Port Sunlight show. If any of you have been thinking about going but haven't yet managed it, I would urge you to make space in your diary to go to the next one as there were so many really inspirational stands there. Anyway, here are some of my efforts! 

This is a very simple card, though you can't really see all the faded details in the background too well. I made a softly blended distress ink background, leaving the centre fairly un-inked. I blended out some fir trees using water and a fine brush, then stamped the message into the middle using Archival Coffee. The greeting is from my Friends at Christmas set (PICSA6371). I then used one of the twiggy plant images from my Winter Country Scene set - the same one used in last night's card - and stamped them around the edges using the Coffee ink pad. I simply dotted the berries onto the twigs using a Poppy coloured Promarker. It's a simple design but I think quite effective. 

The next picture is of two cards both made the same way. I stamped snowmen (have I ever mentioned how much I like snowmen?!) from my Christmas From All of Us set (PICSA6362) coloured them in and then painted them with Glue n Seal. Once dry, I placed a Crafters Workshop template over the card - the one I used here is Aspen Trees - and blended distress inks over the card being carefull not to move or damage the template. It's easier to tape the card down really. Once the template is removed the snowmen look stripey! So, simply use a damp tissue to wipe the excess ink away from them and buff with a dry cloth. Easy peasy! 

Next are some tags...not Christmassy this time. These feature backgrounds made with distress inks and/or Dylusions spray inks. Glue n Seal was used in the same way as on the snowmen cards so that I could have fun making some really vivid backrounds. That's Gwendoline in the centre and Gabrielle on either side. I used CW templates on them too - I love this technique as it really does look as if the stencilling was done first and it's much the easiest way I have ever found of masking off an image. 

Lastly, here's a simple card using three of my Christmas Tinchie designs. The background is Dylusions ink sprays with faux bleaching through a CW harlequin template. I added some simple swirls with  Stardust Stickles and just layered up the images - I said it was simple! 

Well, hope you like them. I'll have these, and more besides, with me when I'm at Weavervale garden centre near Northwich on the 13th of this month. I would have been at Samuel Taylors in Brighouse this Saturday coming, but there was a bit of a mix up and the date is now the 27th October. Still, it means that I can now go to the Harvest Supper in the Church hall so I'm looking forward to that. Well, sort of, as it is also a barn dance which I'm not quite so sure about! I'll be taking my camera though, so may have some amusing sanps to share!

Okay, coffee break is well over now, so it's back to the drawing board.

 PS I am still hating this new blogger thing and frustrated about the font size. The last but one post just came up in my usual sized text even though it was on the same setting as this and the last one. No matter what I try it comes up as either microscopic or massive! I have no logical explanation but wish they would just put the usual text sizes in numbers so I could make a proper choice. So, apologies if you're having to squint to read this now.