For The Newlyweds!

Greetings from Dublin! Firstly, thank-you all so much for your very kind welcome back and good wishes to my last post. Secondly, a warm welcome to the lovely ladies who have signed up recently to follow. Finally, I have yet another wedding card to share! It's going to a couple very dear to me who are getting married this Friday.

There are a few challenges at the moment with themes of 'words' or 'sayings'. In making this card, those challenges made me ponder weddings and come to realise that a vital element to every wedding (after the Bride and Groom of course) is the exchange of vows i.e. words are key. So I typed some vows, stamped and embossed script and used some paper with text thereon.

The paper at the top third is by Maja Design - I've stamped it with a La Blanche script stamp (1174) using 'Tea Dye' DI.

The paper on the lower two thirds is from Prima 'Fairy Rhymes' collection. I first embossed it with Cheery Lynn 'Petite Hearts' embossing plate and then edged it with a Cheery Lynn border 'City Girl Edger'.

The 'central' die cuts are done with Sizzix 'Majestic Labels' dies. One is cut from handmade paper and the second is cut from 7 Gypsies 'Trousseau' collection. I embossed both using Cuttlebug 'Script' embossing folder and did my very best to line up the script on both! Edges are tipped with 'Tea Dye' DI.

Printed out in a sepia shade vows and names on the Prima paper. Distressed edges etc with 'Tea Dye'. Then positioned the Melissa Frances floral resin frame having first applied some 'Tea Dye' ink and Treasure Gold to the frame to warm it up a little.

Put it all together and added some ruched ribbon peeking out at the base, and frilled ribbon at the top (that i had carefully sized my typed vows to). Layered it all up too with lots of lace and pearls. Die cut two Magnolia 'Heart Swirls' from the 7 Gypsies paper for even more subtle detailing. Finished with some pearl embellishments and a bow of pearl string.

Thanks so much for visiting. See you all again in the middle of next week when 'normal' blogging services should resume. I'm heading tomorrow to the West of Ireland for a break and to celebrate a wedding!

Nicola x

Thank-you to the hosts and DTs at the following challenges that I wish to enter:
Our Creative Corner - Words, Words, Words
Country View Crafts - Quotations and Sayings
It's All about the Vintage and Beauty - Summer Flowers
Paper Crafting Journey - Distressed/Vintage
My Time To Craft - Aperture
Papertake Weekly - Flower Power
'ABC' Challenges - Lots of Layers
TokBobok - Vintage
Aud Sentiments Challenge - Anything But a Birthday Card
Kort o Mania - Flowers

Loving Correspondence

Hi there and welcome to another blog post.

I'm really thrilled to announce that I've been invited by the super talented Elaine to join her Design Team at Eclectic Ellapu. Needless to say I am absolutely delighted and honoured to be asked and hope that I can live up to the challenge. Today is my very first design team slot as part of Eclectic Ellapu 'Pink Team'. The theme this week has been set by Dawn and is 'Black & White and Read All Over'. The quest is to use black and white only and to incorporate text into your project. Do pop over to Eclectic Ellapu to see the beautiful and inspiring work created by the rest of the team. We would be so glad for you to join in - go on - stretch those abundant talents of yours!

Here is my take on the challenge;

I've made an easel card. The black background of each 'half' is cardstock that has been embossed with my Cuttlebug 'Script' embossing folder. Both white coved rectangles have been cut using a Cheery Lynn die. The lovely stamp on the top part of the card is by Frantic Stamper (Stamp FRA-CLG-3801). (In fact I bought this stamp when I saw it as I thought it would fit well with the precious pen nib that Lynn sent me last year as part of a very generous candy win - I love that ribbon can be threaded through the nib). I stamped and embossed the image twice and paper pieced the parts that fit a) under the pen nib and b) under the metal frame that I've added around the lady's face. Both of these are then mounted on foam squares for dimension. The script stamp on the lower part of the card is by La Blanche (#1174). Next I cut a fleur de lis square with a Spellbinders die, formed an envelope and inserted a little letter (script stamp by Andy Skinner). Also stamped/embossed and die cut the 'Paris' label from an Artemio stamp set (Vintage Paris). I punched some little butterflies and gave them white roses for 'hearts'. Added some tiny black gem hearts running from the writing hand of the lady down to the letter below. All stamping done with black Archival ink and embossed with Stamp n Stuff EP (Detail Black). Some pearls, lace, velvet and organza ribbon added to finish.

Thank-you so much for spending time at my blog. I hope you like what you see. Don't forget to pop over to Eclectic Ellapu to join in the challenge as we would love to see your creations.

Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges;
Simon Says Stamp & Show - What are you known for? (Embellishments)
Simon Says Stamp - Paper Piecing
Craft Room Challenge - Monochrome
Crafts & Me - Vintage
Vintage Stamping Challenge - Vintage
Polkadoodles / Studio 12 - Monochrome
Little Red Wagon - Text Me!
C.R.A.F.T Challenge - Valentines Day / Love
Fashionable Stamping Challenge - Show Some Love