Anything but a Christmas card ......... how about a decorated candle?

This weeks LOTV challenge is 'anything but  a Christmas card .....  mmmmmm, what could I make for this challenge, a birthday card? a thank you card, a box? no, I decided to try and make a decorated candle which had been lying in the cupboard since last year.   Andrea and I usually spend Saturday afternoons crafting together, but she is in agony with her back, so much so, we had to ask the out of hours Doctor to visit us today and prescribe various types of pain relief - she's now a little bit more comfortable, and I expect she will fall asleep soon with the cocktail of pills he's given her.  So I had to craft on my own which wasn't quite the same - get well soon Andrea, love from Mam xx

I stamped the LOTV image onto white tissue paper then coloured it in with Copics.  I chose darker colours as  I thought lighter ones wouldn't show up so well.  I cut out the image as close as I could and laid it on the candle - amazingly, due to static I suppose, the paper clung to the side of the candle.  I cut a strip of grease proof paper and put it over the stamped tissue then firmly held it tight at the back.

Now, there was one teeny weeny problem, the heat gun we have had for years and years was chucked out a year or so ago, so I had to try the hair dryer - and it worked!  I used the highest heat, and wafted it about until I could see the wax change colour - I think next time I will just heat straight onto the tissue paper.  I had a couple of dribbles, but they smoothed down OK.

After I had added my favourite Stardust Stickles to my image, I decorated my candle with some 38mm cream guipure lace 7mm shockin pink satin ribbon, rose leaves and 30mm pink two tone mulberry roses, all from here. 

This candle will be a little gift for someone but I will make sure they know that if they were to light it they must remove all the lace, flowers, ribbons etc, and take great care if it burns down past the tissue paper, as it may burn.

See you soon and don't forget to pop over to the Ribbon Girl blog on Sunday when I will announce the winner of the Pink and White Colour Challenge and also the Reindeer Give Away!!

Mary G x

Tilda is in the pink .............

Here is a Christmas card in a non-traditional colour  - yes, it's salmon pink!  I've coloured the Magnolia Tilda in with pink copics and used loads of stickles to make her glitter.  I've gone to town on this card and even stitched around the image and frame!

I didn't need any excuse to get out my brand new Magnolia heart branch die to enhance my flower arrangement (small rose and some white pretty blossoms), and even managed to squeeze on a gorgeous snowflake cut with my new Magnolia die (I got a mistletoe branch and the snowflake in one pack - it'll be beans on toast for the rest of the month lol!!)  The background paper looks like sheet music, but toned in with everything.

I used 38mm white guipure lace and pink twill stripe ribbon to finish the card, plus some self adhesive clear sparklies and a light spraying of irridescent glitter from Crafters Companion  - looks even better in real life!  I popped one clear gem into the middle of the delicate snowflake, it really is very pretty and I can see it will be used lots.

Guipure lace, twill ribbon, pretty blossoms all from Ribbon Girl

I will enter this card into the Just Magnolia challenge which is to use pink - I think this fits the bill!! Also into A Gem of a Challenge .

Calendula - the flower of October .....

This weeks challenge over at Daring Cardmakers is flower of the month - Calendula and Cosmos - I decided to make a card based on calendular (pot marigold) and coloured up my image with Copics (not promarkers as previously written, I think I've been reading too many blogs this evening lol .......)

I added plenty of Stardust Stickles to the centre of the flower.

As this wasn't a 'less is more' type of card, I managed to squeeze on loads of bits, including a medium orange polka dot button, some Berisford orange delight satin ribbon in two widths, 5mm orange gingham ribbon, tiny orange ric rac, orange and white Divine bakers twine, cream guipure flower lace and a gorgeous bronze colour dragon fly! (all available from Ribbon Girl) and three self adhesive pearls from stash.

I've had a busy but enjoyable weekend card making and sewing - it's a while since I sewed as you will see when I put the pictures on! I'll be back tomorrow with my card for the LOTV challenge and a sneaky peak of one of my sewing projects.

Mary G x

Inspired by violets .....

6th February - At last, I've found time to make some cards!!  I coloured one of Andreas' Hanglar stamps with Copics at the Durham crop last Friday night - this little gardening girl with her cart and gardening equipment has been mounted on some green card which tones with her boots! The background paper is by Wendy at the Clipart Fairy.

I added some 22mm guipure lace above the strip of green card and added some 25mm mauve satin ribbon.  I added quite a lot of Stardust Stickles to enhance the image. Lace, ribbon and stickles all from Ribbon Girl

Violet coloured flowers from Wild Orchid have been placed on top of green leaves made with my favourite Martha Stewart leaf punch - I also used the leaves as 'corners' and enhanced them with a violet coloured rhinestone.  I will enter this card into the Daring Cardmakers challenge and also the Just Magnolia and Hanglar & Stanglar challenge 'with ribbons'
Oh dear, it's so long since I made a card, I've just noticed I didn't shape the ends of the satin ribbon before photographing the card lol!