Thursday, 26 April 2018

Tiggers

I've always loved tigers. They're beautiful, graceful solitary creatures who unlike most cats, actually love water!  Unfortunately many are endangered and some subspecies are already extinct.  I remember writing a whole scrapbook project on them when I was at school and I've loved them ever since I can remember.  I'm pretty sure that I still have that scrapbook somewhere. I may have to dig it out and read it again! 

So why am I telling you this? Well today is the start of a new challenge at As You Like It where we want to know your favourite animal.  I've been a little bit creative with the choice of image for my card, because I've opted for a mini-tigger in the form of a ginger kitty.  I do actually have my own mini-tigger called Arnie who is currently curled up on the chair next to me snoring. He's quite old now (we think about 17 or 18) and (selectively) deaf, but he's still my 'baby boy'.  He used to go out, but we have to keep him inside because he got into the habit of walking up and down the middle of the road rather than using the pavements (clearly not applying his Green-Cross-Code) and he can't hear the cars beeping their horns.  

My neighbour told me once that she saw Arnie walking down the center of the road at his own pace with a bus crawling along following.  The bus driver eventually stopped, got out and picked up Arnie to plonk him onto the pavement before driving round him, but this was a common occurrence.  Understandably some drivers did not think him so amusing so we have to keep him in for his own protection. It has its merits because he's turned into a real lap cat now and barely leaves my side/lap when I'm home which I love!  

When he was allowed out, he used to sit on the gatepost waiting for me to come home in the evenings. I'm not sure how long he spent out there, but a local photographer put some photos of our street on the web and there was a pic of Arnie on his gatepost looking a bit peeved at having his photograph taken!

Anyway, if you're still with me, apologies for my drivel today.  Here's my card!  The ribbon is far more 'Cadbury' than the blue hue that's showing in my photo. It's even called 'Chocolate Purple'!  I just can't get the colour to appear as it does in real life in the picture, so you'll have to take my word for it!






Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo
  • Ribbon: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Present: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass
  • Ground: Old paper, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday, 25 April 2018

Yappy Birthday

There's a pack of puppies seeking some attention and wishing a Yappy Birthday today!  The set's from Mama Elephant and I had to do a bit of masking of these cuties to group them. I added a sentiment and paw print from the same set.






Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Grey Dog: Pumice Stone, Black Soot
  • Tan Dog: Tea Dye, Vintage Photo
  • Brown Dog: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
  • Greens: Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Forest Moss
  • Reds: Festive Berries, Aged Mahogany
  • Ground: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Monday, 23 April 2018

Baby Bottle

I've made a second card for the new release of baby images at Lili of the Valley which are due out today.  I've created a bottle shaped base card and added the Clouds image in a pink theme.




Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Giraffe/Basket/Brown teddy: Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
  • T-shirt: Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick
  • Baby: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
  • Bunnies: Worn Lipstick
  • Blue teddy: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans
  • Birds: Brushed Corduroy, Tattered Rose
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass
  • Baby's clothes: Seedless Preserves
  • Clouds: Weathered Wood

Card Recipe:

Created for:




I've been inspired by:

Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Sunday, 22 April 2018

Heffalump Babygro

There's an adorable new baby themed release due tomorrow at Lili of the Valley and I've made this card using one of the cute new images. This guy's called Scruffy Edward and I've used the balloon he comes with to create a bunch which I've fussy-cut and linked to the heffalump using embroidery thread.  I've added some small heart buttons and doodle-stitch around all the edges in markers which complement the papers.





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Elephant: Weathered Wood, Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Hickory Smoke
  • Jumper: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Hickory Smoke, Antique Linen
  • Balloons: Stormy Sky 

Card Recipe:


Created for:




I've been inspired by:

Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday, 18 April 2018

Christmas Cookies

Since it's still not feeling like Spring here yet, I've opted for another tally mark on the Christmas card stock with a cute mouse and sentiment from Gerda Steiner.  The papers are not specifically festive but are sufficiently versatile to fit the bill!







Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
  • Greens: Twisted Citron, Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Reds: Abandoned Coral, Aged Mahogany
  • White/Ground: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
  • Cookies/Boots: Brushed Corduroy, Ground Espresso
Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday, 12 April 2018

Rose

I've been playing with some other colouring mediums lately (like my Zig Brush markers and also my DoCrafts Artiste watercolour markers), but my go-to 'safe place' always has to be my DI reinkers. I'm forever learning with them and I have some favourite blends that I use all the time, but I may have gone a bit overboard with the shadows on today's image because there is quite a bit of depth in the petals!  

Ultimately I really like watercolouring with the inks - it's therapeutic although it does take me about 3 times longer than using Copics!

I matched her with rose petal papers called 'Always and Forever' from LOTV (available from Nitwits as digi papers now). Come and share your favourite colouring medium with us this fortnight at As You Like It Challenge.





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Hair/Ground: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
  • Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
  • Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Reds: Candied Apple, Barn Door, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany

Card Recipe:

I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday, 11 April 2018

Do I Smell Cake?

I think I could probably sniff out chocolate at 50 paces, but this little fella has sniffed out a huge cupcake that he's now got is eyes on.  I don't think the cake would've lasted too long with me but it looks like it's about to disappear soon anyway.





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Monster: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
  • Pinks: Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick
  • Ground: Pumice Stone, Black Soot

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
Other:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Saturday, 7 April 2018

Love gnomes no boundaries

I've been playing with these sweet gnomes this week to create a bright and fun card. The punny text was typed and I noted the irony of offsetting the sentiment outside the "boundary" of the image panel! :0)




Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Hair: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
  • Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
  • Greens: Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass
  • Reds: Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany
  • 'Whites': Pumice Stone
  • Belt: Pumice Stone, Black Soot
  • Flowers: Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge

Card Recipe:

I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday, 5 April 2018

Sabre Tooth Tigger

I'm sharing a rare 'just for fun' card using a stamp set I've recently bought from Clearly Besotted. I masked the cavemen characters together, making the little girl and boy appear to be holding hands.

I also masked all three of them in order to ink the sky using a small dauber and Tumbled Glass ink pad. The little daubers give a lovely smooth coverage and the colour gets really close to the black line of the image without bleeding into the image itself.  I find it much easier than using a paintbrush and blending it out.





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Tiger: Tea Dye, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Ground Espresso, Hickory Smoke
  • Girl's Hair: Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
  • Boy's Hair & Club: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
  • Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
  • Ground: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass

Card Recipe:

I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday, 4 April 2018

You're my Favourite Human

I've been playing with my MFT puppies again with a cute little canine themed card. This little fella needs to tuck into those biscuits before someone else grabs them! 





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot 
  • Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass
  • Reds: Abandoned Coral, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany
Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday, 29 March 2018

Dressed Up

I'm sharing a little sweetie from Lili of the Valley called 'Dressed Up' today for my As You Like It card sample.  The theme is to share your favourite flowers. I couldn't decide whether to opt for my favourite paper flowers (embellishments) or my favourite garden variety, so I played it safe and opted for both!  

For floral embellishments I love lilies and open roses which I often use, as well as the starburst ones which I can't seem to buy anymore.  I also sneaked in a two-tone pink rosehip which I think are beautiful.

However, the flowers that I love most in the garden are tulips, which I rarely use in paper form.  Tulips remind me of Spring with the end of the cold weather in sight. I also love the variety in colour and especially love the double variety which can resemble roses.  I love the pinks and plum colours, but my favourites are probably oranges and yellows, which remind me of little flames lighting up the garden in the Spring sunshine!





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
  • Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass
  • Pinks: Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry
Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday, 28 March 2018

You Make My Heart Happy

There's romance in the air with a Gerda Steiner stamp set called 'Fall in Love'. I've used the pair of squirrels with the tree, masking the little critters to make sure they appeared to 'sit' on the branch.  The sentiments in the 'Fall in Love' set are autumnal so I've added a sentiment from an MFT set called Friends Furever instead.





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose
  • Greens: Twisted Citron, Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Tree: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Saturday, 24 March 2018

Close Your Eyes

"Close Your Eyes" is the name of the image I've used today, but if you're not a fan of fussy cards, then you may want to take the advice yourself.  I admit that when it comes to wedding cards, I do tend to veer away from the CAS look and today's wedding card is no exception; there's barely a bit of base card that you can still see!

I've watercoloured an older image from Lili of the Valley and surrounded it in a frame of lace, flowers, mesh and pearls.  I've used a very old Whiff of Joy heart banner die which I've finally managed to suss out when it comes to adding a date to it in the right place to fit inside the heart.






Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Hair: Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
  • Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
  • Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass
  • Blue on outfits: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans
  • Reds: Abandoned Coral, Ripe Persimmon, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
  • Girl's socks: Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick
Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Friday, 23 March 2018

Take a Break!

Happy Friday!!!  

Today's 'Take a Break' card is extremely apt because it's my last day working in a company where I've been for over 20 years.  I've got some new adventures planned just around the corner which are going to keep me very busy, but for the final time, in my present role at least ... it's pens down and relax!  





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Hickory Smoke, Tattered Rose, Black Soot
  • Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Blues: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans
  • Reds: Festive Berries, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany
  • Shelf: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain

Card Recipe:

I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday, 21 March 2018

Good Luck on your New Adventure

I'm feeling 'lost in space' today with my astronaut themed scene using a set from Gerda Steiner.  I stamped the little guy, his martian buddy, the spaceship and masked them all along with the moon (a plain masked circle) before using my dauber to ink around the edge of the card with some DI Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans and Black Soot inks.  I then coloured my scene trying to give a little moon-glow to my spaceman's outfit and shaded the moon with some Scattered Straw ink.  I stamped the sentiment at the end to finish it off.





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Hair: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
  • Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
  • Martian: Twisted Citron, Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Sky: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Black Soot
  • Reds: Abandoned Coral, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany
  • "Whites": Weathered Wood
  • Spaceship: Weathered Wood, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Tumbled Glass
  • Flame: Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Carved Pumpkin, Rusty Hinge
  • Moon: Scattered Straw

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday, 15 March 2018

Easter Bunny

I love cute and fuzzy bunnies so there's no better excuse to feature these little critters on my card than at Easter ... and there's nothing better to accompany the Easter Bunny than some yummy chocolate!  Two of my favourite things on one card! :0)  It's perfect for our Easter Critter themed challenge at As You Like It so pop over to join in.






Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday, 14 March 2018

Lumberjack Birthday

For my mid-week post I'm using Lumberjack Guys again from CC Designs, this time for a birthday card.  I've teamed him with some green papers and a natural colour scheme so hopefully he's neutral enough to qualify on my masculine card tally.  I love his cheeky grin and pose!




Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Hair: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
  • Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
  • Greens: Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Trousers: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
Other:
  • Maja Design paper pad
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday, 7 March 2018

Howdy From The Herd

For my mid-week post this week I'm sharing a pop up box card featuring a whole herd of cuteness from My Favorite Things.  I made this little card for a lovely blogfriend who loves animals so I thought it was perfect for her.  Unfortunately it's almost impossible to photograph because the little piggy was determined to hide behind the cow, so this was the best I could get.  There's also a tractor and cart at the back (but the piggy in the cart was also hiding from view!).  I think he's shy!





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Browns: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
  • Pig: Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick
  • TractorAbandoned Coral, Aged Mahogany
  • Wood: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
  • Sheep: Hickory Smoke

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
Other:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx