i Hanna's Postcard Swap

One of the really fun things to do each year is iHanna's Postcard Swap. You make 10 cards and then send them to given addresses. I have sent mine to Sweden, UK, Australia, Canada and the US.

I am now starting to get swaps back which makes for a happy mail box each day!

These are some of the swaps I have received so far

And these are some of the cards I made to send out

Lets hear it for Mums!

I can't believe the year is going so quickly and on March 11th in the UK it will be Mother's Day. I think it is so important that we honour the mothers in our lives and remember those that are no longer with us. Sadly one of my best friends passed away last year and I will be thinking of her and also of her son this year.

I am very lucky to still have my Mum here and also a Mum myself. I always look forward to the thoughtful gifts my son chooses  - although they are usually always pink and sparkly!!

I am sharing a Mother's Day card here I made for my Mum to give her Mum who is 97!

I am entering them in the following challenges:

Lets Craft and Create - Anything Goes + Mother's Day

Dies R Us - Pastel Colours

Paper Creators - All About Mum

Fab N Funky - Mother's Day

Try It On Tuesday - Mum's The Word

Mini Book of Spells

I had such fun making this mini book! I made it for a Junk Journal Swap but would love to keep it myself!

 The cover was made from a cardboard box, covered in embossed black card. I used silver acrylic paint to highlight the raised areas. The lock and hinges are by Tim Holtz. The hinges are greyboard, embossed and again painted with acrylic paint.

All the pages I tea dyed myself to give a vintage feel.

I used lots of different things from my stash and printed ephemera.  

I think I may have to make another one for myself!

Challenges I am entering:

Love to Create - Anything Mixed Media / Creative

Mini Album Makers Challenge - Mini Albums

Frilly and Funkie - Tis near Halloween

Mixed Media Tag

Back now from the Easter break and ready to craft! I really enjoyed making this tag using different kinds of medium.

I used Distress Crayons and Gelatos to colour the background of the tag before stamping onto it with a text stamp. I dry brushed some of the area with white acrylic paint. The trellis is a die cut.

For the butterflies and flowers I stamped onto watercoloured card coloured again with Distress Crayons and Gelatos. I used WOW!Embossing Powder in Brass to emboss the outlines.

Finally I assembled them all onto the tag and added some glitter (well I am The Sparkly Fairy!)

I hope you like it!

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Make My Monday - Embossing

A Inky Mess - Anything Mixed Media

Crafts and Me - Things With Wings

WOW! Embossing Powder - Anything with Embossing

Embossed Trees

I have just purchased the new Embossing Book from Fran Seiford of Stampendous. And I am hooked on embossing again! There are some fabulous ideas.

I decided to dip my toe in the water again with this card for the Mixed Media Card Challenge. The theme is Trees.

To create the background I used gold acrylic paint and torn book pages. I then used a tree stamp, stamping with Versamark ink and using different colours of WOW! Embossing Powder.

Once cut to size I used a black Promarker to colour the edges to give it some depth.

Watch this space for more embossing projects!!

I am entering the following challenges:

Make My Monday - Square Card

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Make Your Own Background

WOW! Embossing Powder Blog - Anything Goes

We Love to Create - Mixed Media

Messing About with ATCs

Its been a long time since I made some ATCs. I don't why as I love the fact you can go wild and experiment with techniques in such a small space.

I was inspired to make these cards by Lynn Kopas' work and whilst no where as fabulous as hers, I really enjoyed making these.

First I stuck on a layer of hessian type material and then added found objects, beads, shells and other trinkets. I covered the whole piece with Gesso. For the first time I used a texture paste and a stencil to create the flourishes - I am now hooked!

Once dry I spritzed blue and green inks onto different areas and stamped the butterfly image.  To bring out the texture I dry - brushed gold acrylic paint onto shells and flourishes.

I think I may be making more of these!

I am entering them into the following challenges:

That's Crafty Challenge Blog - ATCs

Stamps and Stencils - Oh So Blue

We Love to Create - Anything Goes

Mixed Media With Wings

Over at The Mixed Media Card Challenge the theme is WINGS and there is also a DT Call!

For my entry I used a favourite stamp set which I think was from Inkadinkadoo originally. I can't believe I have never used this particular one.

First I stamped the image onto book printed paper and then used Watercolours and Spectrum Noir pencils to add colour. Some of the areas I highlighted with gold pen. The dots I then applied using a stencil and Peeled Paint Distress Ink.

I hope you enjoy your weekend!

Other challenges I am entering:

Bloggers Challenge Flutterby Challenge - Flutterby

Craft For the Craic - Wings

Fashionable Stampers Challenge - Things with Wings

Ink on My Fingers - Books (Book Paper)

Craft Stamper - Take It Make It