A Groovi Mother's Day

Good morning. I probably couldn't have picked a worse day to blog my first Groovi cards, as all the DT will be sharing their masterpieces from today's shows on Hochanda, but they are appropriate for today so here goes.....

I did have a try at the Catterick Open Day but I didn't get my own until this week when Hubby bought me some bits for my birthday.  Thank you. x

I picked these plates as I thought they would make pretty Mother's Day cards and looked quite simple. The problem was I had to get them in the post the day after they arrived! That didn't give me any time to practise so these are my first two attempts.

This is the one I started with. I've also joined the Groovi Club, so I began by tracing out the ovals from the Mini Plate Mate for the text to see how it would fit. Luckily it was the perfect size for the centre of the floral wreath so I just took it from there. One of my favourite things to do in stamping is building up a picture with masking so I love how the Groovi system makes this so simple.

When I'd traced all of the design I coloured it in with my Spectrum Noir pencils. I decided to avoid the white work as I didn't have much time and I was worried about messing it up. 

I was feeling a bit more adventurous when I got to this one and decided to have a go at the white work. The only problem was I didn't have a clue where to do it. When you're not colouring it in is the white work the light or shade? Does it matter? I do know I need to do it for longer as mine isn't hugely white but at least I didn't go through the parchment!

I thought the hard bit was over when I'd finished that but then I had to make them into cards - I hadn't thought about that part. White work does not show up well on white card and different coloured card changes the look of what you've coloured. What to choose? In the end I used some of the Clarity blue pearl paper for both. Next time I will think about this before I start.

So many things I have to learn. If you have any tips for me I'd love to hear them. The main thing I've learnt so far is that Groovi cards are a lot of fun but can't be rushed.

I'll be glued to all of the shows on Hochanda today and Monday. I'm sure I'll pick up lots of hints and I know I'll be inspired by Barbara and the DT's samples.

Happy Mother's Day Mum. I hope you like your card.

Groovi Plates Used

Butterfly Wreath and Meadow Grasses

Lynne

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A Gelli Blast From The Past

Hello. Thanks for the comments on the last post - they did make me smile. Purple jumper has been popped in a charity bin. Its fate is now out of my hands. :)

Today's card also has me reminiscing.

Do you recognise it?

When I was looking through my Gelli prints for the last card I blogged, I also found this one. It's from an "In The Classroom With Barbara Gray" show on 3rd August 2013. I thought it should be made into a card so I added a bit to it, trimmed it down (as the middle was a little bit wonky) and did just that. 

I have missed those shows but Hochanda are planning on doing their own version; so that's something to look forward to.

 I used to move my stuff downstairs so that I could craft along with Barbara. 

These are my other pieces from this lesson.

The Birdhouse Set is still one of my favourites and I've used it so much.

Hopefully I'm getting better! Have you still got yours?

Stamps Used

Birdhouse Set

Leafy Swirl

Lynne

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Farewell Purple Jumper

Hello. Today's post is a bit different - it's knitting. Despite my Mum and Nan being good hand knitters it's not something I ever got into but in the early 1990s I did buy a knitting machine. This was much more me (you know I love my gadgets) and I made myself a few jumpers. I recently got rid of the machine after it sitting in the loft for many years and most of my knitting has also gone. It was mostly just plain jumpers and cardigans but there's one I am rather proud of. I know I will never wear it, as it's nasty acrylic yarn and so out of fashion but I haven't been able to part with it.................until now. I thought I'd put it on for one last time, photograph it, blog it and then bin it.

Fashion Police please note - it has been unworn, tucked away in a drawer, for about 20 years.

The photo shoot was very quick and I'm afraid this is the best one. I don't think I'll be getting a job as a knitwear model or Hubby as a fashion photographer! You can see the jumper though and that's what the post is about.

I think the pattern was created with the help of a punch card system but that's all I can remember. I don't think I could even cast on now! Still it was fun at the time.

So farewell purple jumper, you will still live on in blogland.

Lynne
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You Are A Brilliant Work Of Art

Good morning. I hope it's nice where you are - it's a beautiful sunny start to the day here. I'm off to walk Maya when I've written this, then I have a top I made yesterday to hem.

When the "Brilliant Work of Art" stamps arrived I thought they'd look good on a Gelli print so I looked through my stash and found this one.

I made it in 2013 during an experimental session when I was making samples for the stencils.

As you can see, some were way more successful than others! I always liked this one though, so I kept it and have been waiting for the right time to use it.

This is what I used to make the Gelli print.

To make it into a card  I stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with white powder. 

I then went around the embossing with a black pen........

...........and added the paint brush to finish it off.

Stamps and Stencils Used

Brilliant Work of Art

Rocky Block

Squiggles

Dotty Wave

Maya! Walkies!

Lynne

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You Complete Me

Hello. I hope you're having a good week. Mine's been very productive. Yesterday I pulled out the shoes and sandals that I had stored in boxes in the bottom of one of my wardrobes. I tried them all on and put them in three rows - one to keep, one to take to the charity shop and one undecided/ask Hubby for a second opinion. On counting them I was shocked to discover that there were 35 pairs! When he came in from work and went upstairs I heard "Where the **** did all these shoes come from?".  He quickly decided that all of my undecided ones should go, so I now I have 10 pairs on the keep pile. Oops! I do have a lot more room in my wardrobe though. Next job is the clothes hanging in it and I will be just as ruthless.

I've had a day off from that today and have had a lovely time watching Barbara's shows on Hochanda. I especially enjoyed the last hour as it was fab to see Barbara on with Leonie again.

Here's the first of the two cards I made for today's shows. I do love a bit of cheese and sometimes it creeps into my card making.

Sorry but I just couldn't help myself!  :) 

I started off by stamping the text in the boxes............

......then I brushed on some Distress Ink to take away the whiteness. I liked how this was defining the pieces so I finished off the edges with Walnut Stain .

I masked off the letterboxes then added the hearts using a stencil and Fired Brick Distress Ink.

It still needed something so I added a bit of sparkle to some of the hearts.

I hadn't left myself much room to stamp the sentiment so I had to type the word "complete" on my computer and print it out. I then used the Letterbox set to stamp the rest of it above and below.

I added a few Walnut Stain stencilled hearts and I separated the "YOU" and stuck it on with Pinflair gel to finish it off.

Products Used

Letterbox Set

A5 Jigsaw Blanks

Hearts stencil from the Basic Backgrounds Set

Thanks for visiting. I'll be back soon with my second card from today.

Lynne

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London, Paris, New York

Hello. It's nice to sit down for a bit after a busy few days. My mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law and 12 year old nephew all came to stay for the weekend. He soon became Maya's new favourite person and she wouldn't leave him alone. Unfortunately, although they have a dog, he seemed to be allergic to her. I think everyone had fun though.

I was also busy on the crafty front with some Clarity samples to make - Barbara is back on Hochanda this Thursday (25th Feb).  Today was spent finishing them and they're now safely in the post.

This card uses stamps, masks and Angelina Fibres on a printed background.

I stamped out the ballerina and masked her before printing the background.

Then, with the help of the skyline masks, I sponged in the skylines of London, Paris and New York.

I removed the masks and added the lettering.

To finish the ballerina off, I coloured her in with Spectrum Noir pencils and made her a beautiful Angelina Film and Fibres dress.

I love how it looks different colours when you move it in the light.

Stamps and Masks Used

Elegance and Grace Ballerinas

Skylines Masks

Wordpress Letters

Lynne

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Thanks SOW much!

Hello. I have a very important task to do today - Find my narrowest Perfect Layers ruler. I use it on nearly every card I make and feel lost without it. I cleared out my craft room yesterday, as I need to use it as a bedroom this weekend, and when I went to use it on a card last night I couldn't find it anywhere! First thing is to check the bag of rubbish I put in the wheelie bin, then I can at least relax, knowing that it is still in the house................somewhere.

For my second poppy card I thought I'd make a little cornfield scene.

I made my own masks to create the fields. I stamped out the poppies, put some scrap paper on top and then held it up to the window so that I could draw a line where I wanted them to go.

I copied this a couple of times with my printer/scanner and then cut out each section as I worked on it.

To finish it off I added a tiny border with my much loved (and missed) Perfect Layers Ruler.

Stamps Used

Poppies Set

Thanks SOW much! from the Garden Set

Look! Floor! With my Pilates Performer folded up (and in my bedroom) and the gateleg table folded up there's so much room to walk around. It's a shame it can't stay like this.

Must go. Lots to do before my visitors arrive and I need to find that pesky ruler. I hope you have a lovely weekend and that we get to see some of that yellow thing in the sky.

Lynne

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