Days of yore

Hello again from the deluge that is Dublin! Thank-you for stopping by.



Isn't she lovely?! The central image is a stamp by Chapel Road Artstamps called 'Miranda'. I stamped the image onto Lesley Riley's TAP (transfer artist paper) using Archival ink in Coffee and then ironed the TAP onto cream muslin to transfer the image to the cloth. I then fussy cut her outline. I bought a half-metre of the 'drop-pearl' trim recently in a local haberdashery not knowing what it might work with but am pleased with it as a necklace here. Added water to some Perfect Pearls and painted the dress portion of image for a pearly shimmer.

The base CS is a handmade Indian Gold cardstock. I've done stencil work at the four corners using The Crafter's Workshop stencil (Fancy Frames) and Dreamweaver stencil paste. Next cut the cream frame with Cheery Lynn die 'Mini Pearl French Flair'. Using the same Fancy Frames mask I did more stencilling on the cream frame and then gilded the raised paste with gold gilding wax.

The cream frame is atop a layer of cream silk fibre paper with gold circle embossing. I stamped the paper with Crafty Individuals elegant swirl stamp (CI-182) using gold Delicata ink. Also embossed some of the gold CS using Sizzix Regal Flourishes folder and then cut a Fleur-de-Lis square with a Spellbinders die. I diecut more gold swirls with Sizzix Bigz die 'Elegant Flourishes'. Both cream frame and Fleur-de-Lis square are mounted with foam tape for added dimension.

I added the cream bow having embossed the ribbon with my Regal Flourishes embossing folder. The swirls on the ribbon aren't showing up too well in the photo - but they are there! Sorry but I can't locate the tutorial where I first read about embossing ribbon - it gives a kind of moire silk effect with this flourish folder. I cut the folded end of the embossing folder about an inch wide to allow the ribbon to thread through after embossing each section, in the same way that 'Tim' cuts folders to accomodate the larger size tags.

Added some pearls to finish. I think She is gazing at that pearl in top left corner and planning her next neck adornment!

Thank-you so much for visiting and for any lovely comments you might leave. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges;
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Swirls
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Water
Inspiration Journal - Add a Little P.O.P.
Country View Crafts - Pick and Mix
The Shabby Tea Room - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Sparkle with a bow
Kaboodle Doodles - # 163 Bows/Pearls/Anything with frills
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Girly
Creative Corner Challenges - Layer It Up
Happy Campers - Add Dimension

Time for Green

Hi there and welcome.

The current challenge at Frilly and Funkie is 'William Morris Style'. I associate William Morris and the Arts & Crafts Movement with textiles, stained-glass art and wallpaper designs. I thus tried to incorporate all three elements into my card today.



To salute the textile element, I stamped my most appropriate botanical stamp (Anna Griffin 580K06) with DI Bundled Sage (my only green DI) onto Lesley Riley's TAP (Transfer Artist Paper). I then ironed the TAP paper onto some muslin to transfer the stamped image to the cloth.

Next coloured some white stamping paper with Bundled Sage and some pinkish DIs till I'd achieved the required murky shade for the 'frame'. Stamped the frame using Walnut Stain DI ( Hero Arts 'Long Branch' and Impression Obsession 'Sm Leaf Filligree') and Bundled Sage DI (Hero Arts 'Fairy Fern'). As a nod to wallpaper design I stamped the frame's side panels with a vertical bird stamp from a set by Cavallini & Co (Birds and Nests) - well it seems wallpaper like to me anyway!

I had some rub-ons by Kaisercraft that I think resemble stained glass so these were added to the four corners. Stamped a little bird from the Cavallini set and again using TAP transferred it to muslin. Sat this atop a diecut branch (Memory Box) atop a pale green bow. Don't think William Morris would have chosen the bow but hey it is my card!

Matted it all for some colour variation including cutting the green bottom edge with a Magnolia lace edge die - referencing the wonderful lace making associated with the Arts & Crafts Movement. Finished off by adding a dragonfly charm. That's it!

Thank-you so much for spending a little part of your day at my blog. I hope you like!

Nicola x

I wish to enter my card to the following challenges;
Frilly and Funkie - 'William Morris Style'
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday - Go Green
Stamping Sensations - March 'The Great Outdoors'
Simon Says Stamp - A Bit O' Green

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hello and welcome to my last post for 2012 as I've tidied away the craft goodies and am taking a little break. I'm looking forward to getting back into full throttle in January.

I began my blog in September this year. My venture into blogging was a kind of unknown as I didn't know what to expect - I could not have been more happily surprised with how it has turned out. I wish to extend my warmest appreciation for the wonderful welcome that has greeted me and to each and every one who has taken the time to visit. I am amazed at how much I have learned over the past 4 months from you all - your blogs, creations, posts, challenges, design teams and tutorials are an incredible university and a never-ending source of entertainment and inspiration! Heartfelt thanks especially go to those who have posted such lovely compliments and those who became followers - doing so makes you so much more real and your encouragement is what spurs me on.
“Instruction does much, but encouragement everything." Johann W. von Goethe.

I'm also THRILLED to advise that my card 'Oh Jingle Bells' will be shown tomorrow (21st) on the wonderful Melissa Frances Blog. I genuinely love Melissa Frances creations and products so to be published on her blog is the cherry on top of this Christmas. Thank-you so much to all at Melissa Frances.

My very first post in September was 'Starting with Santa'. I thought it would be a nice balance to end 2012 using the same stamp. So without further ado - here he is!

Ingredients for my card today;
Papers: Maja Design (It's Christmas Time)
Stamps: Inkadinkado (A Visit from Santa 98223) and Stampendous (Christmas Wishes SSC1068)
Ink: Versafine (Crimson) and papers edged with Encore Metallic in Gold. Edges also distressed with Distress Inks (Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo)
Embossing Powder: Sparkle and Sprinkle (Japanese Lacquer) and Ranger (Queen's Gold)
Punches: Edger and snowflake by Martha Stewart
Free vintage images printed onto TAP (Transfer Artist Paper by Lesley Riley) and then ironed onto muslin
Bunting embellishment: Melissa Frances (Countdown to Christmas)
Ribbon: May Arts Silk
Dabs of Stickles Glitter
Everything else from stash

Wishing you a joyous and peaceful Christmas,
Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges;
The Ribbon Reel - Nordic Noel
Holly Jolly Christmas - Vintage Christmas
LEJ Designs - Santa's Coming To Town
Loves Rubberstamps - Merry Christmas
Celebrate the Occasion - Christmas Anything Goes
Deep Ocean Challenge - Santa is coming to town
The Pretty Little Ribbon - Its Christmas
Simon Says Challenge - Merry Christmas
Charisma Cardz - Sanata Claus is coming to town
Craft Us Crazy - Merry Christmas