It's Black & White and Read all Over...

It was back when I went to school anyway!!!

In creating a card for Little Tangles Back to the Blackboard Challenge I've come to the conclusion that the most effective blackboard cards are those in which the blackboard forms only on part of the card, and/or is used with solid white or bright colours for contrast, that too much black on a card is difficult to photograph, and the messy nature of the chalkboard technique makes it difficult to use on more formal cards. So with this in mind I created a mini blackboard on my card - and used the technique in conjunction with bright red to help it pop. The blackboard technique was achieved by stamping Neat & Tangled My Heart Sings in Versamark Watermark ink and heat embossing with Zing White, then highlighting the edges of the blackboard section using Hero Arts White dye ink, and taking small amounts of this ink on my fingertip and smudging it across the black, to mimic chalky residue. This technique was also used to create the bird and heart.

Created with a combination of patterned papers from Crate Paper DIY Shop, Cosmo Cricket Little Boys (from back in 2007!!!) and blackboard paper from MME, together with WPlus 9 Label Layers 5 and Lil Inkers Stitched Rectangles die cuts.

Playing along with Simon Says Stamp Emboss It Challenge,
 Shopping Our Stash Favourite Stamp Technique, and
CASual Fridays Back to School

Welcome...

Making baby cards always makes me think back to when my now no-so-little ones were born.  It never ceases to amaze me how quickly they grow up, and how important it is to cherish time spent together :)

This little card was inspired by this gorgeous pastel palette at The Play Date Cafe, and this weeks CAS-ual Fridays Hey Baby challenge.  The card looks nothing like what it did in my head!  Die-cut onesies and the negative die-cut grass are from My Favourite Things.  I stamped the onesies with Paper Smmoches Alphadots - the W was too wide so I replaced it with an up-side-down M. The twine from Sew Easy by WeR Memory Makers is threaded through the buttons at each end to secure it.  Papers are a mix from My Minds Eye and Cosmo Cricket.  Sentiment is from My Favourite Things Clearly Sentimental about Babies.

I was finding it difficult to photograph this light on light pattern, so I backlit it by placing it on my windowsill.

I hope you find joy in your day
.
P.S. This added some to mine!

Freshly Made...with Chipboard

Now Christmas has passed it seems Valentines day is the next best celebration!  This card combines a very versatile sketch from Freshly Made with CAS-ual Fridays Chipboard Challenge (I used Cosmo Cricket Blackboard flower frame and chipboard silver alpha) and this sophisticated colour combo from the Colour Throwdown Challenge.  I have cut the heart shape to reveal the red behind it, and added an extra hint of red with Kaisercraft pearls in the centre of the flowers.

Hope you are enjoying a relaxing weekend too :)