Brain Waves: August 2012

Wednesday, 29 August 2012

CCC12 The Rest

Here are all my remaining August Christmas cards - my CCC12 commitment plus a few extras in the last 3 posts. All these like those posted yesterday use Penny Black images. Some uses Splitcoast sketches and some are just simple. I am also making another entry into Stampin sisters in Christ challenge to use dies and punches. Thanks for looking

SC304

SC326

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Sketch Frenzy Fridays and CCC12

Here are two more Christmas cards using the Sketch Frenzy Friday sketches from last week and this. Also 2 more of my August total.

SFF20120817

SFF20120824

VLV August & CCC12

I have been colouring images in spare moments with watercolour pencils, distress markers and peerless colours. I decided it was about time I turned some into cards so here are this month's VLV challenges with an alternative version for Week 1 too as I tried turning that sketch around. All the cards use Penny Black images and the week 4 includes 2 images so I am entering it for this month's Penny Black challenge. As you can see all 5 are Christmas cards - the first 5 of my CCC12 for August. Last but not least I am entering into the Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge from Sunday to use dies and punches - every single card fits that bill!

VLVAug2012_Week1

VLVAug2012_Week2

VLVAug2012_Week3

VLVAug2012_Week4 & Penny Black August

VLVAug2012_Week1 - rotated

Monday, 27 August 2012

FOSTV 35 - Labor Day

It is Monday again and here in the UK it is a Bank Holiday. This is our last Bank Holiday before Christmas and traditionally one for getting out and about, although the British weather does not always play along!

This week we want you to play along with the latest Friends of Speedy TV challenge with a chance to win another Marks Finest Papers a Heinrich Company stamp set - the set this time is called Fabulous Dogs - a fun set to have in your collection. Please go to the page I have linked and check out challenge 35.

The challenge this week is to make a Labor Day card - I had to look it up and this was the card I came up with, using the mini set called Gullible, but the other designers have done all sorts of different things so you may want to check out their blogs too.

Front of the card

With the flap opened up

Sorry I have been so quiet lately - been colouring quite a few images but not made any cards. We have also been busy getting my Mother in Law into a Care Home for a short stay.

Thank you for looking and we would love to see what you create for this week's challenge.

Janine

Monday, 20 August 2012

FOSTV 34 - At the Beach

OK would you like to try and win some background stamps to play with well you need to pretend you're at the beach, which is where we would all rather be on a Monday morning I am sure, and make a beach themed card. The MFP set you could win if you play along with this weeks challenge is called Background Fun and looks like this. You can join in the fun over at Friends of Speedy TV. Go to the FOSTV Challenges page and check out Number 34 as soon as it is loaded. You have until next Sunday to play along and we would love to see what you create.

My card for today's theme shows something you can do at the beach whatever the weather - you can tell I live in the UK and have picked up shells on damp, grey days!

I have used the Sand Dollar Mini Set - Sand Dollars fascinate me and the Silly Shells set. I have used a Spellbinders embossing folder on the paper.

A fine day at the beach would have been great over the weekend - it was so hot and humid - I hated not being able to get cool. A dip in the English Channel would have fixed that!

The legend of the Sand Dollar

There's a pretty little legend
That I would like to tell
Of the birth and death of Jesus
Found in this lowly shell.

If you examine closely,
You'll see that you find here
Four nail holes and a fifth one
Made by a Roman's spear.

On one side the Easter lily,
Its centre is the star
That appeared unto the shepherds
And led them from afar.

The Christmas poinsettia,
Etched on the other side
Reminds us of His birthday,
Our happy Christmastide.

Now break the centre open,
And here you will release
The five white doves awaiting
To spread Good will and peace.

This simple little symbol,
Christ left for you and me
To help us spread His Gospel
Through all eternity.

Saturday, 18 August 2012

A Level Congratulations

Our niece in North Wales received some great news this week - she got a call from Liverpool University to say they had a place for her to study veterinary science if her A level results were good enough. Later the same day she got her A level results and they were better than she needed - 2 A* and an A. I haven't spoken to her but apparently she is thrilled.
Apart from my Design Team commitments I have not made many cards in recent weeks or entered any challenges. This card is for two challenges - the one from last Sunday at Sentimental Sundays and the colours from todays Jugs challenge. The card I have made for her uses a doggy image from MFP and a sentiment from the same set called Fabulous Dogs.

Thank you for checking in.

janine

Friday, 17 August 2012

Oh Crab - MFP Blog Hop

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's

August Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Lesson Learned Featured August 14
Bring on the Sun Featured August 15
Tree Greetings Featured August 16
Oh Crab Featured August 17

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on August 18, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday August 17, 2012.

I have used the sea horse from the Oh Crab set with the "Magical things happen" sentiment from the Winter Crocus stamp set and the waves from Flamingos on Vacation stamp set. I made the bubbles by using a pen top and adding stickles in 3 colours. I used Copics to colour the sea horse.

For this one I used distress markers on water colour paper. I die cut it and matted it up. I die cut the shell and star fish and then sponged on some distress inks. The background paper was a freebie!

I hope you have enjoyed the Blog Hop this week - the new sets are fun aren't they?

Thursday, 16 August 2012

Tree Greetings - MFP Blog Hop

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's

August Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

I am showing below 3 simple cards made using Tree Greetings. I have used Distress Markers on the first two and Copics on the 3rd one. The small trees on the tent topper card are from the mini set called Tree Selections. The sentiment "You're How Old" is from the Birthday Mini stamp set.

Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Bring on the Sun - MFP Blog Hop

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's

August Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

I have 3 cards to share with you all today made with this lovely sunflower set.

My first card uses masking to get a row of sunflowers and I used a border punch to echo the sunny shape and feel.

My second card just embossing on the background to show off the sunflower with bees. I actually had to pop to my local wool shop to get the yellow ribbon as there was no yellow to be found in my stash.

This is a close up of the embossed bees!

My last card uses the sunny yellow card I used on card one as a border for the main panel.

I stamped and embossed before colouring. The matt layer is brown.

Tuesday, 14 August 2012

Lesson Learned - MFP Blog Hop

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's

August Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

I started my working life as a teacher and now my niece has just started teacher training so this new set, the first up this month, had an instant appeal. I stamped and coloured etc but getting to the finished card took a little longer.

My first card uses the tape from "Im in Stitches" set to make a ruler. I was trying to just stamp onto acetate to get a clear ruler but that did not show enough so I have a version on paper embossed under the acetate version.

The embossing folder used on the die cut seemed quite fitting. The little wooden calculator was from my stash.

This second card took on a life of its own. I stamped and layered the images and then decided I wanted to make it into a board on an easel. Then the fun began. It has turned out OK with its chopped up large match-stick pegs but I wish I had found some woodgrain paper to mount onto the card. I also think I should have added woodgrain look around the image. On the back of the board I have added a black board for my message.

Please pop back again tomorrow and the rest of the week to see our other new sets.

Tammylee is your next stop.

Monday, 13 August 2012

FOSTV - Colour challenge

It is time for another challenge over at FOSTV and we have made it easy for you this week. Last Weeks was obviously tough for many of you but this time you just need to grab pale pink, green and either grey or cream and create.

The stamp set on offer to one lucky person is called Blessings. It is a lovely set but one I don't personally have.

My card today using the challenge colours is made using a stamp set called Above the Rest. My husband said I could not send it to anyone before he spotted the Get Well at the bottom!

I hope you play along with the challenge this week. Thank you for checking out my card.

I also hope you got to enjoy some of the London 2012 Olympics - some wonderful moments and great to see all the athletes partying together last night.

Friday, 10 August 2012

Tree Selections - Preview

Next week Mark's Finest Papers, A Heinrich Company launch the new sets for August. There are some lovely new images for you to play with. Today we are previewing a mini set that will be launched called Tree Selections - a selection of small trees.

The two cards I am showing today both use the set with greetings from other MFP sets.

This card uses the trees in a traditional way with a brayered and sponged background. I have coloured the trees in a grey green shade so it looks like dusk.

My second card uses the small bare tree to create the wreath. Very quick to do as long as you have a circle to work to.

I hope you like these cards - please stop by next week to see all the new goodies.

Monday, 6 August 2012

FOSTV 32 - Use Chalk

Sorry I have been a little quiet of late. This cheering on team GB in the Olympics each evening gets in the way of my crafting! Seriously I hope everyone is enjoying the Olympics from the UK. We went to Volleyball yesterday and the GB girls got a beating. We then saw Italy v Russia and were cheering on Italy - they lost in the 5th set. Hubby goes to football at Wembley tomorrow to see one of the semi-final matches.

Anyway I had better move on to my card.

This week's FOSTV challenge is to use chalks on your project. I had forgotten all about chalks and cheap hair spray until I made this card - it was actually quite fun and using the sparkly chalk on this scene gives quite a nice look. The image is from Island Life.

I used chalks to colour the image, with a blender pen in some places, and then sealed it with cheap hairspray. I used the layout from sketch challenge SC396. The plain designer paper I think is from Making Memories and the other one from Doodlebug.

Well it is now your turn to dig into your crafting stash, or your friends, find some chalks and have a go at this week's challenge. We would love to see what you create. The prize for one lucky participant is the MFP set called Buffalo Spring.

You can find details of the challenge over at Friends of Speedy TV site under challenge 32.

Have a great week.

Wednesday, 1 August 2012

CCC12 July - Marathon

Sorry but this is one large collection - all 12 of my July Christmas cards for CCC12. Some of them are also for other challenges so I will add the challenges to each photo. None of the cards are fancy but I left it too late this month. I have used dies, punches, alcohol inks and all sorts of stamps on this bunch.