Category: Art and crafting styles

I decided for this week’s challenge over at Craftyhazelnuts Christmas challenge blog where Hazel gave us the theme of feature a tree, to use this adorable pig image from an old Making Cards magazine set.

I kept it simple as it’s a larger size image and just mounted it on red, gave it a hand drawn border and then added a die cut sentiment and some cute flowers for embellishments.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

My friend Darcy let me know about another artist offering watercolour tutorials, this time as Facebook videos, so I thought I would have a go.

The artist is Elle Smith (Facebook name is Elle Smith Art). She does a loose watercolour paintings with animals mainly so very different in style to Matthew Palmer who we are doing the landscape paintings with.

I started with a pheasant in flight…

There is a lot more drawing for these ones but it was still an enjoyable couple of hours. I would say its about half drawing and half painting.

The next I tried was a giraffe, this time I did the drawing in one session and the painting in another.

Super happy with this … think the head should have been a little longer but happy with how it turned out.

So far I’ve also managed to do the drawing for a highland cow but not got around to the painting part yet. Will share when I have!

Am enjoying playing with watercolours and learning new skills. Would recommend Elle’s tutorials for people just starting out as they aren’t too difficult. Matthew’s are more complex but he talks through each stage really well so again anyone can have a go and learn.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Once again the family gathered last Sunday to do a Matthew Palmer watercolour.tv online live workshop. This time he was teaching a moonlit night city scene… Think Venice.

This is what I created…

Not exactly Venice in style but happy with my made up scene!

And here are the families efforts…

Each has its good parts and bad parts and once again fun was had… although the stress of adding those lampposts at the end was big style tense!!!

Didn’t take many in progress shots but here are the couple I took!

As you can see it goes through the “hot mess” stage before it starts to pull together into a picture.

Once again pleased with what I created. This weekend not doing a live one but instead one that we’ve purchased from a few weeks ago as we didn’t fancy the theme this week. So will of course share the results once we have them!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

This week’s challenge from Hazel is to include bells in our Christmas card design for CHNC.

I chose to add stars through a stencil using modelling paste and then stamped the bell inage in the centre. I added colour using watercolour pencils. Then I stamped the sentiment onto the banner and added it using foam pads.

It’s quite a simple but elegant design. I’m very happy with it. Love how the stencilling works and how clean and simple the design looks.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

This month I decided to use a Christmas gift. The papers and embellishments were a secret Santa present from a crafty group. It was nice to use some coordinated bits to create these cards.

They are so bright and cheerful. Perfect for times like now I think!

So good to have a play with the bright and cheery papers.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Today’s DT contribution for CHNC was themed for a child. I don’t really do cards for little ones… But I liked this image… and figured that a child would like a Santa and reindeer image too!

I teamed it with some fun papers, and the black sequins for a funky card.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Last Sunday we chose, as a family, to do a watercolour class with Matthew Palmer online. I had been seeing the excellent paintings my friend Darcy has been doing with these classes so was eager to see what I could do, and whether it would interest my princess.

Well it was hard work, but fun.

Here is the end result…

And here are some process pics…

And here are the three finished pieces.

We all really enjoyed the class, so much so that we booked for the next one this weekend. So will of course share what we make after that class.

The great thing is that we can rematch the video as much as we like to have another go at the picture… might do this one again to work on some of the areas I was less happy with… but I must admit I am super happy with the end result!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Ooops I am late with my blog post today for my design team contribution for Craftyhazelnuts Christmas challenge blog. I managed to make the card yesterday but only just getting round to blogging it today. It’s amazing how busy you can be when on lockdown! I guess as I’m still working a full time job the only difference in my day is a lack of commute to and from work so the week is as busy as it ever was, just with more anxiety and less driving!

Anyway that’s enough about that… onto crafting!

This week’s Christmas card theme was to include a house or building so I went for the gnome house/ Santa’s workshop!

I kept it simple with watercolour pencil colouring… And a dark red card blank.

I also added a little piece of patterned paper under the main image to give some contrast.

So now it is back to the house cleaning tasks I’ve decided to achieve today! Hope you enjoyed this little crafty interlude into your day!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

42 years of marriage is what my parents celebrated today… So I made this card. Unfortunately not managed to get the card to them yet… But as they know getting cards to people on time is not my strength… lockdown or no lockdown!

I kept it relatively simple. A piece of Art by Marlene paper that I stamped the Clarity stamps wired heart all over, and then edged.

Then I stamped and embossed with pearl powder the heart onto white and cut it out.

I added a strip of lime ribbon and stamped the sentiment onto the card blank. I then grabbed some sequins and added those as the finishing touch!

Simple but a lovely modern anniversary card for my mum and dad.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

I have another set of coins made from scraps. This time for my UK Stampers Forum swap.

I used gelli prints left from the Russian art dolls project. I covered the background entirely with one print and then stamped the letter and number stamp (from Craft stamper magazine) onto the whole base to make them all similar.

I then added the canvas heart sticker and took some other scraps and embossed the flower stamp (another Craft Stamper stamp) and fussy cut them out.

I added the paint dried up bit off the top of the bottles and a gem to the centre of the flowers.

I then used a Darcy stamp for the sentiment embossed on black card.

Love how they came out.

Happy crafting!

Catherine