Hello, crafting friends!
Happiness is... a crafting session that goes well! I have a stencil that I've tried to use several times only to fill up the recycle bin with the results. But now I know how to use it!
The stencil is Birch Forest by Funky Fossil and I was having trouble with getting the trees to look ok against the inky backgrounds I was creating. I held it in place and sponged two shades of blue ink into it, blending them together. Then - and this was the breakthrough - with the stencil still in place, I carefully traced along the tree trunks and into the bark detail of the stencil using a fine-nibbed fineliner pen - thank you CAS Mix Up for that game-changing suggestion!
After removing the stencil, I coloured the trees and branches with a waterbased grey marker and used the fineliner to outline the thin branches. The panel was trimmed into a square and mounted on a piece of blue card stock, cut with a stitched rectangle die by Heffy Doodles (I've found that I can use these to cut squares too - whoopee!)
The sentiment is from Uniko's Simply Said Blocks and I tucked a corresponding strip of pale blue card stock under the bottom left-hand corner. For a bit of fun, I added some cute little birds, fussy cut from some favourite SU papers I've beenhoarding saving for this exact moment!
CHALLENGES
Several challenges inspired me to make this card: The sketch is by Jen T at this week's Freshly Made Sketches; The stencil tracing was a wonderful idea from CAS Mix Up; The colours are from Just Add Ink and Color My Heart Color Dare's Monochrome Blue challenge; and I'm also joining in with the Sisterhood of Crafters where the theme is Ink It Up.
AND IN OTHER NEWS
For those of you worried that Eva may have been chastened after yesterday's adventure, here she is looking considerably cleaner and having a nap after a profitable morning spent rifling through the laundry.
She has confiscated this blouse for further investigation!
Happiness is... a crafting session that goes well! I have a stencil that I've tried to use several times only to fill up the recycle bin with the results. But now I know how to use it!
The stencil is Birch Forest by Funky Fossil and I was having trouble with getting the trees to look ok against the inky backgrounds I was creating. I held it in place and sponged two shades of blue ink into it, blending them together. Then - and this was the breakthrough - with the stencil still in place, I carefully traced along the tree trunks and into the bark detail of the stencil using a fine-nibbed fineliner pen - thank you CAS Mix Up for that game-changing suggestion!
After removing the stencil, I coloured the trees and branches with a waterbased grey marker and used the fineliner to outline the thin branches. The panel was trimmed into a square and mounted on a piece of blue card stock, cut with a stitched rectangle die by Heffy Doodles (I've found that I can use these to cut squares too - whoopee!)
The sentiment is from Uniko's Simply Said Blocks and I tucked a corresponding strip of pale blue card stock under the bottom left-hand corner. For a bit of fun, I added some cute little birds, fussy cut from some favourite SU papers I've been
CHALLENGES
Several challenges inspired me to make this card: The sketch is by Jen T at this week's Freshly Made Sketches; The stencil tracing was a wonderful idea from CAS Mix Up; The colours are from Just Add Ink and Color My Heart Color Dare's Monochrome Blue challenge; and I'm also joining in with the Sisterhood of Crafters where the theme is Ink It Up.
AND IN OTHER NEWS
For those of you worried that Eva may have been chastened after yesterday's adventure, here she is looking considerably cleaner and having a nap after a profitable morning spent rifling through the laundry.
She has confiscated this blouse for further investigation!
Hugs,
SUCCESS! It's brilliant when you have a crafting breakthrough isn't it? Lovely card.
ReplyDeleteLovely picture of Eva too.
Happy Monday to you.
Hug x
YES! It's almost more satisfying when you've had to wrestle with a project! Eva's a bit cleaner today )
Deletexxx
A lovely card Vicky - and the stencil tracing is perfect! x
ReplyDeletePS Nice to see you in the CAS Mix UP gallery too! x
Thanks Viv! Lovely to see you on the DT! x
DeleteThis is a delightful forest scene, Vicky! The ink blended background is so smooth and it's always nice to see that blue sky! Love the details of the trees! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at CAS Mix Up!
ReplyDeleteThank you Bonnie. Lovely to come and join in - always learn something new at this challenge!
DeleteYou're too funny ~ I can so relate to your stencil tale! Love your results this time...sounds like a lot of fuss for me, I'm thinking your definitely more patient then I :) Eva looks very peaceful with her new find ~ Enjoy the week ahead!
ReplyDeleteAnd it's not just stencils with me Karen!! Actually it was quite easy once I'd figured out what I was doing - no patience required. Enjoy your week too!
DeleteThis is really beautiful! I love the soft colors on this scene. So glad you joined us this week at FMS!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen - and for that gorgeous sketch :)
DeleteLooks like you’ve mastered the stencil now Vicky - those trees look lovely with the inky sky faded out behind. So pretty!
ReplyDeleteYes, I'd thought it was going to be one of those 'never to be used again' craft items but I'll definitely be playing with it again now!
DeleteWonderful job with the stencil! You've created such a dimensional-looking card! Thanks so much for joining us at Freshly Made Sketches.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely message - thanks Karren!
DeleteSo beautiful, Vicky xoxo
ReplyDeleteCheers Em! xx
DeleteLove a creative breakthrough.. the trees look great with the ombre sky behind them :)
ReplyDeleteJenny x
Much better than the creative tantrum eh?!! x
DeleteSo lovely and a great stencil design! So glad you linked up at Freshly Made Sketches this week! Hope to see you again in this week's gallery too!
ReplyDeleteAlways fun playing at FMS Judy!
DeleteWell done using the stencil - it looks great. Chantell Just Add Ink
ReplyDeleteBless you Chantell, thank you :)
DeleteGreat card design Vicky, great fun picture of Eva.
ReplyDeleteHugs Diane
Haha, yes, exhausted after all the mischief she'd been getting up to!
DeleteLovely use of the challenge colours and white space to make the colours pop. Thank you for sharing with us at Just Add Ink x
ReplyDeleteLoved those colours Rachael! x
DeleteOh my, Vicky...your stencil tracing really did the trick..your birch trees are wonderfully detailed and beautiful. Love your sweet birdies and framing too. TFS your creative details. BTW..the 1st time I discovered stencil tracing was several years ago when I stenciled a...birch tree forest:-) I still use stencil tracing/outlining quite often:-) Your crafting and laundry helper is so sweet too! So pleased you joined us at CAS Mix Up Stencil Tracing. Stay Safe and Creative. Hugs..Nancy
ReplyDeleteWell this is definitely a new tool in my crafty tool box Nancy. So pleased to have been introduced to it and I can't wait to try it with other stencils now. How funny that a birch forest should have been your first go at stencil tracing too! x
DeleteYour card is gorgeous, Vicky! This stencil is going to be one of your favs for sure. Glad that the tracing made all the difference. I love the blended blue sky and the grey birch trees. Add the outline and designs on the birch trees really adds so much wonderful detail and brings them alive. Thanks for sharing with us at CAS Mix Up!
ReplyDeleteI love that we're learning all the time with our crafting Loll, and I must say the CAS challenges have been great learning curves for me, so thank you :)
DeleteWhat a stunning card! I love how you used our color challenge for your card. Thanks for sharing at Color Dare.
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle! Always love playing along with the fab colour challenges at Color Dare!
DeleteLove the trees!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing with Color My Heart Color Dare!
Susan
Color My Heart Color Dare
Challenges
Calling All Crafters! – My personal Blog!
Cheers Susan :)
DeleteCAS and great scene created with blues. Thanks for sharing with us at Color Dare.
ReplyDeleteLove those breakthrough moments with crafty tools/techniques! Sometimes I get so frustrated thinking I must just be a complete dunce. The I get a little hint and I'm off and running. :) Glad you didn't quit because this really is gorgeous and the outlined edges really make the trees pop.
ReplyDeleteSo does Eva consider herself the Fashion Police?
I love the sentiment of this card and those cute little birds. Thanks for sharing with us at Colour Dare Challenge, I hope you can join us again soon.
ReplyDelete