Be Thankful AT Crafting With Dragonflies

I was fortunate enough to be chosen as a winner of a recent Crafting With Dragonflies challenge and part of the prize is a guest designer slot so this is it. I had thought of calling this post 'Back to My Roots' because I have had the 'real' stamps out along with inks, dies and stencils. It felt really good to be back using techniques that I started with years ago.
The theme for Crafting With Dragonflies Challenge #116 is Be Thankful.



Materials used: 
Free Stamps, Dies and Stencil set from Simply Cards and Papercraft #177
banner die from stash
X-Press It card
Personal Impressions embossing powder - Pastel Lilac
Versamark ink pad
Adirondak Espresso ink pad
Memento Lilac Posies ink padstencil brush
Copic pens:
V01, V12, V15, V17, V09

The sentiment is computer generated and cut with a banner die. The cup cuff has been embossed with the Pastel Lilac powder and coloured with a Copic pen. The coffee bean paper is made using the sencil from the set and Espresso ink. I used the inky brush over the whole piece at the end to tone down the white background.

The cup cuff, steam and little heart embellishment were all cut from the  bits of card left over from fussy cutting the cup and a second lid.

The second lid has been attached to the cup with foam pads for dimension.

I hope my card has inspired you to maybe go along to Crafting With Dragonflies and have a go at the challenge yourself. With Christmas around the corner it is a good incentive to lay the Christmas cards aside for a short time and make up some Thank You cards!

Thanks for dropping by. Take care.
Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
Lemon Shortbread #79 - Anything Goes
Papercraft Challenges #23 - Inspired by a Song (Your the cream in my coffee)
Crafty Creations #377 - Anything Goes
Creative Moments #155 - Anything Goes
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #403 - Anything Goes
Back to Basics and Beyond #14 - Stencils or Masks 
Crafting With An Attitute #44 - Anything Goes
Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #257 - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers #153 - Anything Goes
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Humour
Less Is More #383 - Dimension
A Gem of A Challenge #230 - Anything Goes 

Taking It Outside The Box

The image for Ike's World Progressive Challenge this month really is a challenge being the grim reaper. A lot of craft challenges and digital stamp companies have taken the halloween approach to October. I am not a fan, never have been, I try to be more a Philippians 4:8 girl. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (NIV)
So you see my dilemma. So I have been pondering all month. I was just going to skip this month and then buy back into the challenge in November but then I had a bit of a brain wave. I have been wanting to try a bit of Bible journaling for a while but never really got around to it so when Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, came to mind I thought I would try out an idea in an old Bible I have been saving to practice in.



Materials used: 
Ike's Art - Death #2 (available on Facebook Page) white tissue paper
bookbinding gluePolychromo pencils:
clothes - Black 199, Cold Grey VI 235, Cold Grey V 234, Cold Grey IV 233, Cold Grey III 232
bones - Cream 102, Ivory 103, white 101
scythe  handle - Burnt Sienna 238, Ochre 187, Terracotta 186
scythe blade - Cold Grey III 234, Cold Grey II 231, Cold Grey I 230

If you read my post a while back on the decorated candle, I used the same technique for printing the image onto tissue paper. There are a lot of  videos on line which will explain the process.

Once I had my image sized correctly and printed onto tissue I very carefully coloured it using the Polychromos. Because it is so easy to tear the tissue I had to work very lightly building up the colour in a series of layers. I did not attempt to burnish as I think the tissue would not be strong enough to take it, that is probably why the photo is showing up areas that are quite grainy looking.

When my image was coloured as best as I could do I carefully tore around the edge leaving a little border then glued it to the page with a bookbinding glue. Because the edge is torn rather than cut it gives a softer join so once the glue had dried it was hard to see where the image and the page meet with the naked eye (the photo shows it up more as it is zoomed in).

When I left school I trained as a librarian and we did a bookbinding and book repairing unit at college. I will always remember the lecturer talking about how evil sellotape is and should never be used to repair books! He was right, of course, over time it yellows and goes brittle and leaches into the paper damaging the pages. Do you know the correct way to repair ripped pages? Go on have a guess! Yep tissue paper and bookbinding glue! I knew that unit would be useful again one day even though I ended up working in school not in a library.

Thanks for popping in. Take care.
Pippa

Shades of Purple on the Path of Positivity

Can you believe it is already the middle of October? It is certainly feeling more Autumnal here in the UK, our long hot summer is receding into memory as the wind and the rain make their presence felt. I quite like the changing colours of Autumn, it's just that it has been a bit sudden this year.
There is still a bit of colour left in the gardens, particularly a lot of purple flowers. Not sure if it is a general thing or just this year but most of the colour left does seem to be purple. We have visited quite a few National Trust gardens recently and they all had purple flowers in abundance.

As you may know this month the optional theme for The Path of Positivity Challenge is Shades of purple and we are now half way throught the challenge month so here is my card for the midway reminder.



Materials used:A Day For Daisies - Christmas Shopping
X-Press It card
purple paper
white paper coloured with purple ink
flowers and leaves cut with Britannia dies (from stash)
fancy rectangle die set
5x7" card blank
Copic pens:
skin - E000, E00, E21, E11, E04, R20
lady's dress - V20, V22, V25, V28
girl's dress - V0000, V000, V01, V12, V15
lady's cloak and girl's hat - V05, RV66, RV69, V09, V99
hair - E21M E25M E29
grass and hat leaves - G21, G94, G99
red box and flowers - R29, R39, R59, R89
yellow boxes - Y13, Y15, Y17, YR18, E15, E18
blue box - BV0, BV02, BV13, BV04
girl's boots - C3, C5, C7, C9

The little flower I already had in my stash made and not used on a previous project, it was pure chance that the colour worked with the picture! I have not added a sentiment to the card because I am not sure yet how I will use it. It could be a Christmas card or even a winter birthday card so for now I am leaving it open.

I hope you will join us along the path. Remember the theme is optional although following it makes you eligible for another chance at the prizes on offer from our two sponsors this month. All the details and how to enter can be found at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.
Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
A Bit More Time To Craft #78 - Anything Goes
A Perfect Time To Craft #10 - October Anything Goes
The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up #46 - Anything Goes/Gear Up for Winter
Your Scrapbook Place - October Anything Goes
PIP Challenge #1841 - Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #91 - Anything Goes
A Gem Of A Challenge #228 - Anything Goes
Jo's Scrap Shack FFC #255 - Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T Challenge #486 - Christmas 

I Don't Do Halloween

Time for a new challenge at Path of Positivity and this time in our colour journey we are focusing on Purple.
Purple is my favourite colour which I think I may have mentioned before. I love the richness of the deep hues that make me think of the Magi at Christmas even though no one knows what they wore! Purple does get a mention in the Bible but in a different context suggesting it was a colour cloth for rich people. Of course purple is also associated with Easter, the soldiers mocking Jesus put a purple robe on him, again although they meant it as mockery, suggesting the royal connection.
The lighter tones of lilac are also beautiful, more delicate and make me think of Springtime with the purple crocus and even the odd puple looking bluebell.
So really purple is a colour for all seasons.



Materials used:Limited Runs - Snail Mail #1
X-Press It card
purple card
white card
scalloped edge rectangle die
Victorian edge cutter
Adirondak Wild Plum in pad
Distress Ink - Frayed Burlap
5" x 7" card blank
Copic pens:
shell - V05, RV66, RV69, V09, V99
body - YG21, YG03, YG17 YG67
grass - G21, G94, G99
sky - B000, B00

The image and sentiment are printed together on the X-Press It card and cut out with a rectangle die. The edges have been highlighted with the Frayed Burlap ink. The middle layer is cut from white card and coloured with the Wild Plum using a stencil brush.

We have two fantastic sponsors this month, Limited Runs and A Day For Daisies. To find out the prizes on offer and how to enter please go to the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog where you will find all the details. While you are there please do take a look at the amazing work from the rest of the Design Team.

I hope to meet you along the Path. I'll be the one wearing purple! Take care.
Pippa


Entering the following challenges:
A Bit More Time To Craft #77 - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations #208 - Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart #222 - Anything Goes
Crafts Galore Encore #56 - Anything Goes
PIP Challenge #1839 - Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create #213 - Anything Goes/Clean and Simple
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends #90 - Anything Goes
HIMCR #372 - Freestyle 
FFC #253 - Anything Goes
Crafting With Friends #74 - Anything Goes