ATC Collection

This week I started making some new atc's to trade, I love these little works of art, for those who are not familiar with atc's they are miniture works of art created on 2 ½ X 3 ½ inch or 64 X 89 mm card stock. I have traded many of my own atc's and have a nice collection from other artists. This atc, was made using embossed pink card brushed with different shades of red inks. I added some gold mesh and some pretty pink ribbon that holds a chippie heart coated with gold ink. To complete the heart I wrapped some organza ribbon around it and tied in a bow, the theme of this atc is 'believe your heart'.

These tiny works of art are fun to do, many artists put them up for exchange and if you are lucky you could end up with a collection from around the world. So far I have atc's from USA, UK and Malta. Here is a little sample of my other atc's

This atc was exchanged with my friend pattie, the background is of paper printed with white daisy pattern, added a strip of pretty lace and tiny silk flowers attached with brads at the centre. The photograph was given to me by a friend and I cut to fit, to complete I added a small silk ribbon bow and the wording 'without you'.

My next venture will be twinches and inches, lol! Smaller works of art, twinches are 2x2 inch and inches are just that 1x1. Should be fun and I like to experiment!

You can view more of my atc collection in the slideshow on here.

Holly

Dementia Awareness

After working with individuals with Dementia for about 8 years, I felt it would be nice to produce a card to promote Dementia awareness. Alzheimer's or Dementia will effect someone close to us in our lives within time, may it be a mother, father, grandparents, sisters or brothers. It can also develop at a young age too. People seem to forget that individuals suffering from this disease, once had a normal life. Individuals do not want sympathy, they need good care and attention, but with care of today it is not enough to full fill their needs. Many individuals need one to one care, this is hard to do when homes are unable to meet the demands. Seven individuals to one carer is a impossible task for any human to cope with, which means some individuals go without the special care they require. If you have visited this blog to view this card, then I have made a small difference, just by you reading this you are becoming aware!

This card was made with love to all those individuals I have cared for in the past, and still visit from time to time.

Enough said....Holly x

Leanne's Note Book Lotions & Potions

For my friend Leanne I created a book cover in the magical
theme, using some of the papers from the Once upon a time
scrapbook pad. I used the 12x12 size for this project which gave me more space to work with. For the tag I used watercolour paper and brushed with a lilac ink pad. Then added the text on my printer, to give it a sparkle effect I used the sakura stardust pens in deep lavender. The fairys are stamped with dark lavender ink and then I used the gold colour stardust pen to highlight the hair and wings, also used the deep lavender pen to highlight the shoes and dress.
The lilac gems are from a kit. To make the book more fairytale like I added pretty lilac organza ribbon and fibres to the wired side then trimmed.
Inside the book I added a fairy picture framed with some of the left over paper and made a small pocket for her to place her business cards.

The book has taken me over a week to complete but I was very pleased with the final results.
For the back of the book, I used the opposite side of the paper, this time just adding one fairy flying and another sitting on the glitter box. once again I highlighted the fairys. I wanted to leave the back rather plain so that it sat on her desk better and would not wobble. To complete the set I added another altered coffee mate tin, larger in length this time. This I coloured with lilac permanent marker pens on the lid, then added a circle of paper from the unicorn themed papers in the same once upon a time book.

Wrapping the unicorn paper around the tin then sealing it. I added lilac poka dot ribbon to the bottom edge as the lid covers the top edge. To complete the lid I added magical fibres with a pink brad and let them hang to one side to represent the unicorns tail. I also added a sequin pink pen to complete. I really enjoyed making this project, I gave her the present today, I am sure she loved it. I loved it I wanted to
keep it..lol. But I know I can make another when I want to.


These books are great to cover and make very pretty
presents. I think I will continue to produce these and
venture into making some as extra gifts for
Christmas...lol..if I start now everyone should get one...lol.

Happy crafting all

Holly

Ooh la la gone sexy red

On a earlier post of the Ooh la la card I made, I have adapted this one in Red. I stamped in black using part of a oriental cherry blossom clear stamp. Then used gold pen and added red ribbon to lace the corsett. For the backing I used cuttlebug embossings, the darker paper was originally red but I went over it with a darker ink. Then painted on the gold using my gold pilot pen. The cirles paper is actually gold and inked over this in a lighter red. Using my fairy clear stamps I stamped the pretty design and using Dovecraft greetings stamps for the good luck.

I just love doing these corsetts you can try all sorts of threads to lace them up and stamp with all sorts of different designs and colours. Great fun to make and the end result is pretty!

Happy crafting!

Holly

Oriental Green

I was fed up of seeing red and gold oriental cards so thought I change the colours a little. Using my oriental clear stamps I stamped the background straight onto the card. Then with stardust pens went over the inks. Layered with a green colour paper from the old world stack and finally, used a cuttlebug embossing. For the embossing I glazed over with dark green ink, then added a lighter shade. I was happy with the inks. Then added a pretty picture of oriental lady someone sent me ages ago. To finish I added a green brad and some pretty glittery gold fibres.

Just love oriental cards the themes are endless and with so many cd's of backgrounds out these days I could design for years..lol.

Most of all enjoy!

Holly

Patties Birthday Book

Well once again I got down to altering another book cover,

this time in the theme of Vintage lady. The back ground is a 12x12 paper from the Heritage range. I used some tags and cut out the lock and keys, then varnished with Anita's 3-D clear gloss. Down the side and attached to the rings I added organza ribbon gold colour. Added lace and finally but not shown in this photo some cream braid. The pictures are from various papers and to finish I added a single silk flower with brad to match for I know pattie loves flowers. The back is covered with same backing paper and lace, with the addition of flapper hat and purse, locket and post card. The text on front and back are in the theme of Memories and read as follows.

'Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us' ~ Oscar Wilde.

'Memory is a crazy woman who hoards coloured rags and throws away food'

These I thought suited Pattie...lol...I am still working on the rest of the set, which comprises of a desk pot and pen. Pattie was delighted with this book and I wish her a very happy birthday on her special big day!!! Lol!!! May she have many more crafting years ahead.

We can't all be stars,but we can all twinkle.

Happy crafting all

Holly

Oriental Lady

I made this for a friend, who loves oriental cards. I was lucky to have a cd that had oriental backgrounds, so printed one off. The picture I found while surfing the net. Layered onto gold mirror card, but embossed by using fiskars texture plates. The flowers are die cuts using the Cuttlebug machine, coloured with Whispers pens and then varnished with Anita's 3-D varnish. Placed on red polka dot ribbon. To finish off the effect I used a small red ribbon bow.

Oriental cards are great for greetings, you can also use them for men by using dragon themes. I hope to be able to place a male design on the blog when time allows.

Happy Crafting

Holly

Special Birthday 100th

Made this quick and simple card for a dear lady who I used to care for when I worked in residential care. Using napkins as backing paper I then added one of the die cut butterflys and embossed the top. Covering it with 3-D varnish to give it more depth and to make it stand out better. Then using Dovecraft clear stamps I stamped around the edges. The lettering is just peel off numbers. To finish I added a tiny pink butterfly from the hair bands, and attached some gold fibres with a small dark pink brad. I am sure she will love this card, for she always enjoyed the outside and the garden area.

Holly

Ooh La La

Cuttlebug die cuts are great to use as toppers for cards. This die cut was of a corset, that you can lace up. I just used plain blue card then used a patterned stamp to decorate. So the shape and outline of the corset would show I used a gold pen and went around the edges. I also put gold ink around the eyelets, this made them look more original. Lacing up with a pretty fringe wool in different shades of blue and tied under.

The background was made by using the embossing folders from the Cuttlebug, I brushed over the embossing with various coloured inks until I was happy with the design. To finish the embossing off I then used the Sakura stardust blue pen to add sparkle and drew around the loops. The fancy border is made by using a stamp from the new range of Dovecraft clear stamps fantasy, perfect for borders. The blue butterflys are from hair ties, I came across these in a chemist shop and thought they would be handy so picked up 3 different colours. They are great for adding a little style to you fibres and brads.

I have added another photo of the corset in a more in

depth picture, you can see the background textures too.

I had alot of fun creating this style of card, much more than I have in the past with stamped versions, you can do alot more with this die cut, it also comes with cut out laces and a sweet little bow. I decided not to use them this time, but may well do in the future.

Happy Crafting

Holly