The Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary Challenge - Letter V

I had a choice of words lined up for the letter V in the Craft Barn Challenge but finally plumped for "vase".

For the previous challenge I went with a vintage feel so this time around I thought I would go with a modern look and in doing so use a background stamp that I bought as part of my Craft Barn prize voucher I won recently,

I started by stamping the middle vase in Archival Jet Black and then stamped the other two in Archival Watering Can - I wanted it to look as if they were in the distance.  I'm not sure if I really achieved my aim. I then used the background stamp around the edge before colouring the dots and image with Coloursoft pencils. I edged the postcard with Distress Ink and then using glossy accents  filled in the main vase. The dictionary definition completed the card.

Postcard Recipe
Card

Anna Marie Designs Smooth Stamping Card 300gsm

Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 200gsm

Inks Card

Ranger Archival Jet Black

Ranger Archival Watering Can

Derwent Coloursoft Pencils

Stamps

Vase - PaperArtsy JM22

Background - PaperArtsy JM05

Other
Glossy Accents

Dictionary definition - computer generated Typewriter font

The Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary Challenge - Letter E

The letter E has been pulled out of the hat for the current Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary Challenge. My chosen word is "elegant" and I think my stamp fits the bill perfectly. I'm sure if this lady was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, Darcy would comment "Wow! your neck line is fabulous".

I started my postcard by stamping the image and masking it with an oval die-cut. Then I stamped the swirls with Versamark and embossed them with white detail powder. The card was then brushed with Distress Ink. I removed the mask and went lightly over the whole card with another layer of Distress Ink. The image was coloured with Copic markers, a Gelly Roll pen and pencils. I didn't colour the book area correctly so rather than starting all over again I covered it up with a flower and added another at the top to balance it. I don't usually add any embellishments on the postcards as although I will never post them I like to think that if I did they would arrive intact. However, on this occasion needs must!

Postcard Recipe
Card

Anna Marie Designs Smooth Stamping Card 300gsm

Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 200gsm

Inks

Memento Tuxedo Black

Distress Inks - Frayed Burlap, Barn Door

Sakura Gelly Roll Pen XPGB#725

Derwent Coloursoft Pencils

Stamps

Lady - Artistic Stamper 

Swirls - Judikins C351

Other

Paper flowers

Flat back pearls

Embossing powder - Cosmic Shimmer Detail True White

Dictionary definition - computer generated Typewriter font

The Craft Barn Fortnightly Challenge - Books

I've made a little notebook (4.5ins x 3.5 ins) as my entry into the current Craft Barn Fortnightly Challenge which is "Books".

I started by using a Bind-It-All to punch the holes for the wires in copier paper to make the pages and some card (rescued from a used board backed envelope) for the covers. Then I painted both sides of the card with Nougat PaperArtsy Fresco paint and brayered over the top with a selection of  Fresco's paints. The inside of the covers were stencilled using a script mask - luckily I remembered in time that the inside cover needed to be t'other way up when stencilling other wise the script would have been upside down when the cover was opened! The outside front and back covers were stencilled using my latest mask which I bought with my prize voucher won recently in the Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary Challenge. I then added some Treasure Gold around all the edges of the covers before binding the book.

Now at this point I had intended to add a frame around an image of an elegant lady reading a book but realised I would cover up the the prettiest part of the stencilling. So that idea was dismissed but I felt it needed something else. I rummaged around in my ribbon collection feeling sure that I had some brown ribbon but no, every other colour but, so I dyed some seam binding with Distress Inks.

Notebook Recipe
Card
Recycled envelope
Copier paper
Paints/Inks
PaperArtsy Fresco paints - Nougat, Chutney, Tikka, Seaweed, Snowflake
Distress Inks - Rusty Hinge, Crushed Olive, Walnut Stain, Peeled Paint
Treasure Gold - White Fire
Stencils 
The Crafter's Workshop - Mini Art Is 
Tim Holtz Layered Stencil: Doily Item Number CA1705
Other
Seam binding
Bind-it-Wires 5/8"