Anyway, not wishing to be churlish, I tried to approach the challenge with some enthusiasm!! When I went to the craft show at Alexandra Palace I spent some time looking at the incredibly skillful card samples made by Bev Rochester on The Hobby House stand. One of the images she used was this delightful creation from Mo Manning called Soaking Up The Joy. I love this image because it really captures the feeling of the pleasure of having the sun on your face after a long cold winter! I used the digital image available on the website - the first one I have ever used. I made a note of the layout Bev had used to try and ensure I recreated something respectable myself. Not that I am likely to ever reach her level of skill if I practised for 100 years!!
The card is my usual favourite 8 x 8 size. The main papers I have used are Papermania Rose Garden, including some of the die cut letters in the pack. I used markers to colour the image and some Distress Ink in Tattered Rose to shade the edges. I had hoped to use DIs as watercolours, but the water made my printing ink run, so the colouring is a bit more "in your face" than I had hoped for! I cut out some nestie shapes and used a couple of punches, including the gorgeous garden trellis punch from Martha Stewart to add some interest. I finished off with a Craftwork Cards sentiment, some paper flowers and little pearly green buttons.
I remembered another card I made about a year ago in a cuter style. This one uses a rather sweet Stamposaurus Fairy Princess stamp that I really like.
I have enjoyed crafting in my tidy shed this week and am still busy trying to organise my stash! I am having a major push to mount and index all my stamps, taking a theme a night to get organised and I must share an idea I have for ribbon storage. I found this trouser hanger in Poundland. Used with Ikea curtain clips I think it will be just what I need to keep my ribbons under control, but in sight so I used them more - so watch this space!
Elaine x
