MrsBeez

Hello

Posted on April 29, 2014 by MrsBeez

I’m thrilled to have another opportunity to be back a Guest Designer over at City Crafter Challenge Blog. This week, #209, the theme is Speech Bubbles.

Here’s my card:

This is a little stamped composition using stamps by Hero Arts and the speech bubble and Hello are by Chocolate Baroque.

I started by dusting the card with Salty Ocean and then stamped the grass using several different greens and overlapping layers to give it some depth.

Next I stamped all the individual elements. Quite nerve wracking as if you make one mistake the whole thing is ruined. Once the scene was finished, and normal breathing had resumed, I coloured it in using Promarkers.

I’ve used some designer paper and black card for the background and added some pretty daisies and punched leaves to finish it off.

Be sure to buzz over to City Crafter Challenge Blog and take a look at what the talented Design Team have been up to. I know they’d love to see your projects too and you can always be sure of a warm welcome when you link up what you have made.

Thanks for buzzing by.

Ten

Posted on April 28, 2014 by MrsBeez

Happy Monday Today sees the start of a new challenge over at Crafty Boots Challenges and the theme, chosen by the super talented Sandra, is “big birthdays.” I’ve chosen to make a card for my cousin’s son, Ed, who will make the massive leap into double figures later in the year:

I’ve mentioned before that Ed is the only child I ever make cards for as he is always interested in what I do and how I have done it. I decided to go with a football theme as not only is he a big fan of local team Sheffield Wednesday but he is also very knowledgeable about football in general.

The football itself was made using a hexagon embossing folder and running using it on both white and black card, then cutting out the black hexagons and arranging them within the white. After that I cut out a circle.

I picked up the chipboard numbers at Art from the Heart and simply glittered them. I’ve used some starry grosgrain ribbon, from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and threaded it through the numbers.

As this is a big birthday I added some stars, punched from silver glitter card, to finish it all off.The best thing of all about this card is that Ed’s birthday is not until August – how organised does that make me feel.

I think each of the Crafty Boots Design Team has opted for a different big birthday, so do be sure to buzz over and see their fabulous cards. Hope you’ll also share your projects with us.

Thanks for buzzing by.

Three bees

Posted on April 27, 2014 by MrsBeez

Today I am sharing three little projects that all have a bee theme and are all clean and simple in design. Hope you like them

First, I would like to introduce you to my fabulous new bee stamp. Now before you ask what I have been doing buying new craft supplies, especially when a new bee stamp can in no way be classed as “essential,” I bought this using am Art from the Heart gift voucher I was given for Christmas. I waited until I did my workshop so I didn’t have to pay p & p.

This stamp is the third in the series by Stampotique and you will be familiar with the other two as I use them a lot. However, this one is the daddy of all bee stamps and I love it.

To make the card, I stamped the bee on to white card and then stamped the word enjoy using my Darkroom Door String Inspiration stamp. Next I used an Inkduster to swoosh on Salty Ocean and Picked Raspberry distress inks to make a summery sky.

I’ve paper pieced the body and wings of the bee, using Promarkers to add colour plus a touch of glittery gel pen to add sparkle.

Going from one extreme to the other I also made some tiny bee pictures in frames. The frames are by Prima and are unbelievably cute (let’s pretend I’ve had them ages).

The first one uses the little brother of the bee on the card. This is the tiniest in the Stampotique set.

I inked the card, once again using Salty Ocean and an Inkduster. Next I stamped the bee and coloured it in using Promarkers. Then I made a little aperture, the same size as the frame’s and used it to help me stamp the flowers.

The second piece was made in exactly the same way except this time I used Wild Honey for the background and Rusty Hinge for the honeycomb. I also paper pieced the bee and once again added glitter gel pen to the wings.

As it happens, I didn’t get to my Melt Pot today after all BUT I’ve cleared my mountain of ironing and got up to date with my Gecko Galz DT projects so now there are no obstacles in the way. With any luck, I should be able to make some little frames just like the ones I’ve used today.

Thanks for buzzing by.

Playing with paints

Posted on April 26, 2014 by MrsBeez

So after last week’s crafting opportunity drought, my plans for a weekend of craftiness have gone slightly adrift. This is largely due to feeling shattered. Yesterday went something like this – 7.45am everyone off to work, 11.30pm – youngest son returns from work, 5.00am eldest son returns from night out and cleans teeth with electric toothbrush, 6.30am- youngest son up early to make breakfast muffin for girlfriend’s birthday breakfast, 7am youngest son requests help to pay accommodation deposit with yours truly’s credit card (Hungarian hostels will only accept deposit by credit card apparently), 7.15am Mr Beez sets off smoke alarm before driving youngest son to work. Bleugh!!!

Anyway, I did at least get one project completed and ready to share, albeit a little later than I would have liked:

I am sharing this over at City Crafter Challenge Blog where this week’s challenge, “paint it,” is to use paint in your project. I’ve used a mixture of water colour paints and pencils, plus a hint of Promarkers for this card. The background was created by putting blobs of water colour, mixed quite thick, onto a Spodge mat, spritzing them with water and then bobbing the card in the mix. I dried the card in between each colour and sometimes left the old colour on the mat so it blended with the new.

I stamped the (Hero Arts) flowers and then paper pieced the leaves and flower heads after colouring them with watercolour pencils blended with water, and Promarkers.

I’ve edged the card with black distress stain and then layered it on to a piece of white card that has been stamped with the sentiment. I love this stamp as it lends itself to almost any occasion. There’s a final mat of black card just to set the whole thing off.

Now although I haven’t done the amount of crafting I would like, and neither have I done the ironing as it happens, I have, after more than a year of having it in my possession, undone my Melt Pot!

So that’s the plan for tomorrow. However, eldest son has informed me he will be going out again tonight, so who knows!

Take two tags

Posted on April 25, 2014 by MrsBeez

Yesterday, unexpectedly, a tiny window for crafting became available so I used the time to play with inks and whipped up two quick tags. I’m sharing these over at Sunday Stampers where the theme this week is memories.

I think this is one of my favourite crafting techniques as you never quite know how things will turn out and you can usually cover up any small mistakes.

The first tag was made using kraft card that I first inked with Vintage Photo and then spritzed with water. I’ve used a variety of stamps, including a clock face , and a combination of Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and Gathered Twigs.

The sentiment, a quote by Louisa M Alcott, who wrote Little Women, was printed of on my computer and mounted on cream card. I’ve added a strip of lace across the bottom and topped it off with a vintagy brad.

I stamped and punched the butterflies on to more cream card and added a little Vintage Photo. The ribbon is a bit of cream coloured scrim.

The second tag used Squeezed Lemonade, Mowed Lawn and a tiny bit of Tumbled Glass distress inks. I used some Iced Spruce to stamp the crackle and Tumbled Glass for everything else.

Because I was short on time, I used the same words and simply changed the font.

The butterflies were coloured with Promarkers and the ribbon is seam binding coloured with more Squeezed Lemonade and Tumbled Glass.

Thank goodness it was a short working week this week and that tomorrow is Saturday with, hopefully, lots of time for some proper crafting. I have some plans and it involves the Melt Pot!!

Thanks for buzzing by.

Fairy frame

Posted on April 24, 2014 by MrsBeez

I am suffering seriously from crafting withdrawl this week. The planets are not currently aligned so that I can have some time in my crafty space and it looks as if it will be that way until the weekend. Fortunately, I have a little stash of back-up projects so that I can still share my work with you today.

I made this as part of the Gecko Galz cross promotion with A Day for Daisies. There is still time for you to buzz over and see how you can win A Day for Daisies Stamp gift pack AND a mega shopping spree in the Gecko Galz shop. You can also see the fabulous projects made by the other DT members.

This started life as a very cheap photograph frame. Quite sometime ago I painted it white and attempted a crackle finish using some Kroma crackle. Even though I followed all the instructions, to the letter, and didn’t rush any of the process, the crackle failed spectacularly. However, if you look closely can see some tiny crackles/bubbles have appeared.

I decided to go with the frame as it was and pretty up with the fabulous papers and images from the Gecko Galz. The main image is one from A Day for Daisies and I’ve simply changed the image colour to a soft pink using Microsoft Word. Then I’ve layered the image on to some paper from the It’s Not Easy Being Green paper pack and then on to my favourite design from Wild Roses.

The outside of the frame is decorated with paper roses and some butterfly images, also from The Gecko Galz. I’ve also added some glittery dots. I use Cosmic Shimmer glue to create these as I find it holds it shape really well and also dries super quickly.

Inside I’ve added some pink organza rose trim, a resin heart and a word tile that is actually a plastic bead.

Oh and just in case you’re wondering, I do still have 4 macaroons left!

Thanks for buzzing by.

Moon gazing hare

Posted on April 23, 2014 by MrsBeez

Today I have a card that uses another of those fabulous images from The Gecko Galz Charming Silhouettes collection.

What I particularly love about this one is all the stars that are nestled amongst the leaves of the tree. I’ve printed the image and then coloured the background using distress inks.

I’ve added highlights using a white pen and then layered the image onto some silver glitter card.

I’ve added some seam binding that has been coloured with the same distress inks.

A little cluster of punched stars and the stamped sentiment are the finishing touches.

Don’t forget, if you’re using sparkle in your projects you still have time to share them with us over at Crafty Boots Challenges.

Thanks for buzzing by.

Burning bright

Posted on April 22, 2014 by MrsBeez

So today sees me back in the routine having thoroughly enjoyed the four day weekend. How about you? Most of my working weeks are hectic and sometimes they are full of things that I’m not looking forward to. This week sees a combination of both! When I find I have one of those weeks ahead it’s important to have something fun to focus on to help see me through. This week I have just the thing:

Yep, one of my favourite sweet treats – macaroons from Betty’s. Aren’t they pretty? Almost too good to eat, but that is definitely not an option. These landed unexpectedly on my doorstep yesterday, courtesy of my cousin. I’ve decided to treat myself to a couple each day (well of course I’m not sharing them!!!) that way I have something to look forward to and they will last a little longer, which has to be better for my waistline.

I may not be willing to share my macaroons but I will share one of my Gecko Galz projects with you:

This is an old preserving jar that I’ve turned into a fairy lantern using paper and a silhouette image from the Gecko Galz. The paper is from By the Shore and the image from Silhouette Stamps. This is the same combination that I used for the card I shared last week.

See how these two sets were born to go together?

I used Microsoft Word to combine the image and the paper, first removing the background so that the coloured paper would show through. I actually used three images so they go all around the jar. I’ve used double sided tape to stick the paper to the jar. Then added some of my favourite organza rose trim around the top.

I used distress stains and inks to colour some seam binding and tied it around the neck of the jar.

This gives a lovely warm glow when it is lit, but it’s hard to capture that on film!

I quite fancy making a set of these in different colours. Just need to get my hands on some more jars!

Thanks for buzzing by.

Hot, hot, hot!

Posted on April 21, 2014 by MrsBeez

Hope you are enjoying your long weekend and with Easter being late this year here in the UK we don’t have to wait too long until the next one! In fact I realised that I am not working a full week for the next three weeks Anyway, it is Monday and so, of course, it’s time for a new word over at Every Inchie Monday. As you can probably guess from the title of this post the word is “hot,” and as you will see my mind went two ways for this one!

First up is the sun. I’ve used a vintage digital image and coloured it with Promarkers and then made a little tropical scene which has also been coloured with Promarkers.

Of late I have had a yearning to go somewhere with palm trees, clear blue skies and plenty of sunshine. As that’s not happening any time soon I will have to make do with my inchie!

My second pair of inchies reflect my love of food.

Because of the time of year, hot cross bun came to mind.

My other inchie is possibly a little difficult to see but it is in fact a Hot Dog.

Thanks for buzzing by.

Happy Easter

Posted on April 20, 2014 by MrsBeez

A very Happy Easter to you all. Just a quick post today as obviously there is some serious chocolate eating to be done! Appropriately I have two final Easter cards to share, both of which were made using papers and images from The Gecko Galz.

First is this adorable bunny who, to me, looks like he might be made of chocolate! Add to that the glittered sweetheart blossoms, which remind me of crystallised violets, and the whole thing seems very edible!

I’ve used some vibrant yellow ribbon to complete the look.

The papers are from the Solarium Paper pack and the image from Hip Hop Easter.

Next up is the card I made for Mr Beez.

Guess who this romantic couple are meant to be?!

I’ve used layers of paper from the Solarium paper pack, inked the edges and topped it all off with the cute image from Hip Hop Easter. Digitally, working in Microsoft Word, I layered the image on to some more of the paper and added in a shadow before printing off.

I used brown gingham ribbon, from Really Reasonable Ribbon, some twine and a button to complete the look.

I hope you have a lovely day and thanks for buzzing by.