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Sunday 3 July 2011

Feeling Blue?

 Here are a couple of cards I made tonight for Less Is More, where the challenge is Shades of Blue.  Today I went to Newbury Art Stamps Show, had fun meeting up with my friend Val and got really enthused by a brayering workshop I did with Vicki from Stamp Addicts.  It had a difficult start, you may know there are two sisters who run Stamp Addicts.  Just about the time Vicki was leaving the stand to set up for the workshop her sister suffered agonising stomach pains and was whisked off in an ambulance, leaving Vicki to try to get cover for the stand and come up to the workshop.  I can't imagine how difficult it was for her to compose herself and teach, catching up on the late start, but she managed really well and even better, Sarah was back at the show and feeling much better. 

Like so many people, I struggle with my brayering and keep trying and keep feeling unhappy with my results.  The workshop was brilliant:  Vicki gave us two techniques to help.  The first was to use a spritzer so things blend and hard lines get lost, the second was a stamp for landscapes with tiny dots, which we used squished in our hand rather than mounted.  I made a lovely sunset coloured easel card and came home to play with cool blues.  This uses a couple of shades of blue ink, blueberry embossing powder and a Stamp Addicts silhouette stamp.  If you're thinking the sentiment would be better stamped direct you would be right - until I smudged it that is - so I used a trimmed off scrap and mounted it proud of the card as if that was what I'd intended all along lol.

Second card is another Stamp Addicts stamp bought today, she's adorable isn't she?  I've doodled a puddle and a border, the sentiment is Rubber Romance.  She's coloured with Copics and I have used a flesh colour, didn't want her to look blue with cold, that would be a real English summer card!  Otherwise she is totally shades of blue too.

My cards are for the following challenges:
Less is More - shades of blue
Simply Create - silhouette
A Spoonful of Sugar - get well card (2nd card)
Stamps R Us - there was a little girl (2nd card)

33 comments:

  1. 2 stunning cards Anne,love them both.xxx

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  2. I love Blue- your brayering is wonderful as is the scene- fabulous stamp! What a sweet image for your second card and I love the doodled puddle and all.

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  3. Isn't it annoying when the last thing you put on the card smudges? Both your cards look great and I'm glad you enjoyed your day out. Jo x

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  4. Hi Ann, glad you had a good time at the show. Love your scene card and the gorgeous image. Is it a Stamp Addict image? My daughter and her boyfriend are very much into biking. Just thinking it would be a good image to have. Hugs x Chris

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  5. I'm in awe of your brayering,I'm pants at it,never achieve what I'm after. I so love the first card,great recovery too. I always find that I practice on a spare piece of card till I get the results I'm after before moving to my card then smudging it or dropping the stamp. LOL There's usually something that can be done to save the day. Have a great week,Julie.x

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  6. Stunning Cards Anne, nice to hear you had a lovely day

    http://janetscraftycreations.blogspot.com/2011/07/shades-of-blue.html

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  7. Both are beautiful but the scenery has captivated me, I have to try to get those stamps, and maybe someday you can do something so nice.

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  8. Both lovely cards but the first is my favourite. Great brayering and lovely image. Well done for salvaging the card.

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  9. I love both these cards-they're beautiful.

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  10. Two great cards Anne, super colouring on the second one but love the scene you've created in the first. I really need to try brayering again - it's meantime stuffed at the back of the cupboard! Lol! Thanks for your lovely comment. xx

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  11. Your cards are just darling! I love the images and soft coloring on both. Thanks for joining us at Stamps R Us.

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  12. Thanks for the tips re brayering, I nearly always end up using a sponge to create the 'sky', great way to hightlight the pair on their bicycles.

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  13. Two beautiful pieces

    Kathyk

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  14. Fabulous cards Anne
    the first is stunning! what a fabulous scene
    Thanks so much
    Diva LIM
    "Less is More"

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  15. I love the scene you have created in front of the huge moon. It is delightful and so atmospheric.
    Heather T

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  16. Both of these are really lovely. I think blue is a hard colour to use in cardmaking but you have done a super job!

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  17. Beautiful cards Anne, I love the silhouettes against the moon. Your brayering is great :)
    Jenny x

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  18. Wow! That moon is gorgeous and the card is beautiful too! Your second card is just too too adorable!! Love the sponging around the edge! Perfect!

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  19. great effects on the cards! x

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  20. Hello Anne, Beautiful cards both, great silhouette card with a lovely big background moon and the little girl playing with puddles, magic:0) Poor Stamp Addicts Ladies what rotten luck, I'm glad they were okay in the end, Gay xxx

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  21. Your cards are fabulous I love both of them. The scene in the first is so beautiful - love the moon.

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  22. Your cards are fabulous I love both of them. The scene in the first is so beautiful - love the moon.

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  23. Both lovely, I think I prefer the first. Hazel x

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  24. wow these are stunning!!! Love the first one, the sihoutte it just gorgeous!!!! Hugs Juls

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  25. Those stamps are awesome. Beautiful card!

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  26. Just wonderful silhouette card. So beautiful!

    Thanks for joining us on "Silhouette" challenge at Simply Create.

    Hugs, Sande xxx

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  27. congrats on the top 3 over at SC!!!

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Thank you for visiting my blog, please do leave your comments, I love to read them :) Anne x