So I'm still in Christmas mode this week! I recently bought this image and thought it would be a good idea to colour these little pingu friends in pink rather than grey!
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Penguins: Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Ripe Persimmon
- Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Oranges: Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
- 'Whites': Pumice Stone, Black Soot
Card Recipe:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
Following yesterday's deviation from my normal papercrafts, I have sneaked in another little crochet creation; this time an ickle pink heffalump made for an extra-special friend.
Materials Used:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
I've got something a little different to share today because I've been playing with wool instead of paper!
I'd like to introduce you to Gerry. As soon as I saw his pattern on Amigurumi Today I knew I wanted to try him and then I got the perfect excuse when I got a shove in the right direction from my crochet mentor Squirrel!
I would normally use safety eyes but as Gerry is going to a newborn I had to embroider his eyes which scared the bejeezus out of me. Half way through my embroidery attempt my hubby looked over my shoulder and remarked that Gerry had devil-eyes that would give the poor kid nightmares for life, but I added some eyelashes and some white highlights and think I managed to more or less salvage him. I admit that the safety eyes are a much easier option!
Materials used:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
We're talking embellishments at As You Like It Challenge this week, and I've added lots of my favourites, pretty ribbon, flowers and pearls. These three are my old-faithfuls and always remain! My favourite ribbons are beautiful 15mm satins or organzas, especially when tied in a double bow. I love the sheen and texture and I like pairing them with the flowers and pearls.
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose
- Holly: Bundled Sage, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Pudding: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, Antique Linen
- Reds: Candied Apple, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
- Tray/Ground: Weathered Wood, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
Card Recipe:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
I've been using a few Lee Holland images recently and am really loving his cute critters. This little kitty is perfect for a 'hello' card to bring a little 'happy mail' to someone special.
So, I've had a query from Tami asking about the brushes that I use for my watercolouring. I think I'm probably a little unusual because I use pretty much one brush for everything, with only a few exceptions. My (current) favourite is a ProArte size 0, but I do also use one of those brushes with a water reservoir (although I use it without water in it!) for blending out the grass/ground because it's a bigger area and I'm blending it out to nothing. I previously used the ProArte size 2 (have a few backups of those!). I'm sure there are better water-colourists than me who would advise other brushes, but I guess that I prefer what I'm familiar with!
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Kitten: Pumice Stone, Black Soot, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
- Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Sky: Tumbled Glass
- Blues: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans
- Reds: Candied Apple, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
- Envelopes: Old Paper
Card Recipe:
From Dies To Die For:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what day of the week it is at the moment. I'm pretty sure that there's a possibility that it might be Wednesday, but it could be up for the vote.
Either way I have a cute puppy to share with you today.
And if there's one thing better than a cute puppy, it's a cute puppy with balloons!
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
- Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint
- Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
- Reds: Candied Apple, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
Card Recipe:
From Dies To Die For:
Other:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
Purple is one of my favourite colours and I've teamed it with aqua from my favourite 'Snow Princess' papers to frame this little Christmas bear. The purple backing card was a little hard to photograph because it's got a sheen which reflected in the light but it does look lovely in real life!
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo
- Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet
- Ground: Weathered Wood, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
- Sky: Victorian Velvet
Card Recipe:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
Yellow isn't usually one of my go-to colours but I wanted to get into the spirit of Spring sunshine with this cute kitty card. It's also pretty appropriate because today marks a whole year since our gorgeous furbaby JB came into our lives after we had to say a tearful goodnight to Arnie.
JB may be the naughtiest kitty that I've ever had the honour of being a slave to, but I wouldn't change him for the world. Case in point, he celebrated his anniversary by bringing home a pigeon for us. Goodness knows how he squeezed it through the cat-flap because they're pretty big birds. That'll be a fragrant surprise for the bin-men next week when they lift the wheelie-bin lid!
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose
- Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Sky: Tumbled Glass
- Flower: Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
Card Recipe:
From Dies To Die For:
Other:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
In a break from the recent masculine cards I've been making, today I've used a couple of the Tiny Christmas images and dies to create some tiny tags.
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Hair: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Scattered Straw, Hickory Smoke
- Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
- Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Bundled Sage
- Browns: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
- Oranges: Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
- Reds: Candied Apple, Barn Door, Festive Berries, Aged Mahogany
- Greys: Pumice Stone
Card Recipe:
From Dies To Die For:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
I've been playing with another image from the new release due out on tomorrow from Lili of the Valley.
Today's card features Bouncy and one of the sentiments from the Male Simple Labels.
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Hair/Dog/Shoes: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tea Dye
- Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
- Jeans: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans
- Top/Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Sky: Tumbled Glass
- Bouncy balls: Candied Apple, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
Card Recipe:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
I've been playing with another image from the new release due out on Wednesday from Lili of the Valley.
Today's card features Best Golfer and one of the sentiments from the Male Simple Labels.
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Hair: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
- Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
- Cap/top: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans
- Trousers: Bundled Sage, Forest Moss
- Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Sky: Tumbled Glass
- Golf club/ball: Old Paper, Forest Moss, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
- Shoes: Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
Card Recipe:
Happy craftingAnnette
xx
There's a new release out at Lili of the Valley on Wednesday and I've been playing with a few of them which I'll share over the next couple of days.
Today's card features Baseball Bears and one of the sentiments from the Male Simple Labels.
I'm not usually comfortable with masculine cards, but throw in a bear or two and I'm much happier!
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Baby bear: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo
- Cap: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans
- Daddy bear: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Tattered Rose
- Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Sky: Tumbled Glass
- Bat & ball: Old Paper, Forest Moss
Card Recipe:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
I know it's still April, but I love making Christmas cards. I like to ensure I have enough by December so it's never too early to start! Plus it means I can still play with all my stamps and dies (and it's also a good excuse to add some glitter!)
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Hair: Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo
- Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
- Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Yellows: Squeezed Lemonade
- Pinks: Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry
- Reds: Candied Apple, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
- Ground: Weathered Wood, Black Soot
Card Recipe:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
I really love the Lee Holland illustration images and this little bear caught my eye recently. I thought he deserved to be the focus on my card so it's a really clean and simple layout.
I cut the sentiment banner using a curved rectangle die, and cut one corner, then re positioned and cut the opposite corner to make a narrow rounded corner banner. It sticks out a little from the card to create a bit more interest.
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose
- Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Wheelbarrow: Bundled Sage, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Sky: Tumbled Glass
- Yellows: Scattered Straw, Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed
- Oranges: Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
I've got Yeti more Yetis to share today in the form of a pair of cuties bringing big monster kisses to a special friend. I've opted for purples for these two - aren't they abominably cute!
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Fur: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet
- Grass: Old Paper, Bundled Sage, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Sky: Tumbled Glass
Card Recipe:
From Dies To Die For:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
There's a new animals or people challenge at As You Like It Challenge this week. It's an easy "animals" choice for me because I can't resist cute critters such as this adorably sweet baby giraffe. My lovely fur-babies are also more cherished than normal at the moment too and are getting lots of extra snuggles!
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
- Grass: Old Paper, Bundled Sage, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Sky: Tumbled Glass
Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
I couldn't resist this set of cute Yeti stamps from CC Designs from Dies to Die For. Isn't he just the most adorable Yeti!
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Yeti: Weathered Wood, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans
- Grass: Old Paper, Bundled Sage, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Sky: Tumbled Glass
Card Recipe:
From Dies To Die For:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
There are some new bunnies hopping around at Lili of the Valley and they are CUUUUTE!
I've used two bunnies from the Grown with Love trio and also the Spring Bloom stamp on some oversized gift tags. I'll add some ribbon to the tags when I use them, depending on what ribbon I wrap the present with, probably either a dark purple or a white ribbon on purple tissue wrapping paper.
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
- Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
- Purples: Wilted Violet
- Oranges: Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
Well it's April Fools Day, and I'm sure we'd agree there's one thing that we all wish would turn out to be an enormous hoax. Unfortunately I fear that is unlikely so I hope that today doesn't bring too much added confusion to your lives!
In the hope of remaining as cheery as possible, I've used a Paper Smooches tag die to create a couple of Bunny Balloon tags. I've actually elongated the tag by running the die through my die cutter only halfway, then re-positioning it to extend the length of the cut (matching up the stitches) and cutting the lower half separately. I managed to cock one up so if you look closely the stitching doesn't quite match, but I think the die moved a little when I ran it through - that'll teach me to tape it down in future and not cut corners!
Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
- Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose
- Balloons: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet, Seedless Preserves, Victorian Velvet, Aged Mahogany
Card Recipe:
From Dies To Die For:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx
