LIM DT: Festive OLC

Posted on 21st November 2020 by perfectly4med

Another challenge is live at Less is More. This time it is a one layer card with the theme ‘festive’. As before, one layer cards mean just that: no hiding behind layered papers or mats, perfect printing first time and minimal embellishments. Even die cuts aren’t allowed as they are an added layer. I normally paper-piece the stamp I chose to use, so that was not an option in a one layer card. Instead, I went with some colouring-in:

I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black using a stamp platform, and then again with Versamark as I then decided to heat emboss the outline with clear gloss to make it stand out a little. I then coloured in with ProMarkers adding lots of layers and then highlights with a correction pen and Posca markers. Finally, I added some stickles and liquid pearls to give a little more interest to the card.

Used for this card

Woodware clear stamp: Huge Noel [FRS219]
Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad
VersaMark ink pad
WOW! Embossing Powder: Clear Gloss Super Fine
Letraset/Winsor & Newton ProMarkers: Denim Blue / China Blue / Cool Grey 3
Ranger Stickles: Waterfall / Gunsmoke
Ranger Liquid Pearls: Royal Blue
Tippex Correction Pen
Posca Pen [PC1-MR]: White

Craft Label DT: North Star Christmas Cards

Posted on 14th November 2020 by perfectly4med

Craft Label is stocking several different Christmas themed paper pads, in various sizes, and I’ve had a chance to play with two of them. First up, the First Edition North Star paper pack. This features 48 sheets, 3 each of 16 designs, one glittered design, two foiled, two pearlescent and half are double-sided. The colour palette is grey, silver and navy blue with some cute penguins and polar bears as design elements. Backgrounds are varied from patterns to grungy watercolour. The papers are 200g/m2 weight and are printed with soy inks. The pad is available in 12×12″ (£15.99), 8×8″ (£9.99) and 6×6″ (£7.99). Here are three quick and easy Christmas cards made with the pad:

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LIM: Colour Challenge

Posted on 7th November 2020 by perfectly4med

It’s time for another challenge at Less is More… This time we have a colour challenge: Blue and Silver or Red and Gold. For me, they are classic Christmas colours, so I’ve used that theme for my cards this time around. First up, my choice for my design team card. It’s hard to see with the reflections, but the snowflakes are heat embossed in silver. The watercolour is Chipped Sapphire Distress Stain flooded into water, then splattered with water and blotted dry.

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LIM DT: Chalkboard Technique

Posted on 29th August 2020 by perfectly4med

Over on the Less is More challenge blog this week is a lucky dip and from the pot came the chalkboard technique. In essence, this uses white pigment ink on black card, with the option of adding white heat embossing for even more contrast. An example video is available at the end of this post.

Three cards for you today in reverse order…

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Altered Art commission: Love Cherish Care

Posted on 11th March 2020 by perfectly4med

We’re about to redecorate our lounge in shades of grey-blue, so I was commissioned to create another altered art canvas similar to this one, but with a matching blue as the main colour. It’s taken a day to do and has laser-cut, 3D printed, buttons, wood and polyurethane-cast elements as well as a few embellishments from my collection.

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Altered Art: Chuck it all on

Posted on 22nd February 2020 by perfectly4med

I’m a fan of Finnabair and her combination of collage and assemblage in her mixed media pieces. There are numerous other artists following the style, and plenty of videos on YouTube showing step-by-step ways of working. Silly old me – I watched one and thought I could remember it as I did my own… This wasn’t the case, so this is pretty much all my own work. It’s the result of a couple of hours work, including cutting out the various chipboard/greyboard elements with my laser cutter. I’ve chucked everything at it!

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Art Journal Pages: Butterflies

Posted on 26th January 2020 by perfectly4med

Next week’s Art Journal Session has the theme ‘butterflies’. I’ve three new pages to share, but there are several in my past library that you can find using the search facility.

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Art Journal Page: Want to Fly

Posted on 18th June 2018 by perfectly4med

In my last art journaling post, I wrote about knowing when a page is finished. This time around I went a step too far and completely spoiled the layout. See the staining through the gesso middle left and bottom right? That’s archival ink soaking through several layers of gesso. I thought once the butterflies were on, and the gesso painted around them that I would stamp more butterflies over the top. What a mistake to make…

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That’s Crafty! Showpieces (March)

Posted on 6th April 2018 by perfectly4med

Apologies – I intended to post my show samples for my March shows somewhat sooner than this. But, as they say, better late than never! Keep reading for more details on each project.

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Art Journal Page: Beautiful Art

Posted on 1st April 2017 by perfectly4med

The first Monday of the month sees my monthly art journal evening at the Studio, and next week the theme is ‘never been used’. I’ve asked studio guests to bring something from their crafty stash that they have never used, and we’ll be incorporating them into our beautiful art journal pages.

In prepping my sample for the session, I came across an embarrassment of unused kit deep in folders, drawers and baskets. I think I will need to do more of these! I know I’m not alone, so what do you think – anyone fancy a ‘never been used’ challenge blog?

Here’s my show page, worked in my very first art journal from 2011 on a background that I’d not yet used: