A warm welcome to all my visitors,

Thank you for taking the time to come and look at my blog, I really do appreciate it. I would love you to leave me a comment, even if it’s just to say Hi. It means I can come visit you!

All my designs are original, so copyrighted to me. If I have been inspired by someone elses work, I have named them in the post, and where able, I have provided a link.

Please feel free to use my designs for inspiration, I just ask you to credit me, and provide a link back to my blog.

Thanks, Shaz XX

Tuesday 31 December 2013

Scrapjourney: favourite 5 (or so) of 2013

http://debby4000.blogspot.co.uk/
I visited ShazinOz this morning, and she had linked to  A Scrapjourney, a blog by Debby, where crafters are invited to list their favourite 5 projects they made in 2013. She's not being picky over the number, lol, just that they are made in 2013. Which is good, because I had an extra couple I couldn't decide between. I actually found a few I enjoyed for different reasons- trying something new, came out better than I expected (always a bonus), or ones I really enjoyed doing.
 So, in no particular order, here are my 2013 favourites:








This is one of the simple, came out better than expected cards. Just a brayered background and silhouette style stamps in black.








This was a ' I wonder if this will work/came out better than I expected' card, using the SU Swallowtail Butterfly in a triple stamping format, with colour just sponged over & around the image, after it had been stamped in Versamark & heat embossed with white powder.






 
I really enjoyed making this one, for my eldest sons birthday,as we are both huge Edgar Allen Poe fans. It was a couple of new techniques tried, lemon juice heated to age the paper, and a Stampbord removable fridge magnet.




 This one was a real experiment, and definitely falls into the 'came out better than expected' category. I wanted to try using artists pastels, as I have loads, so really can't justify Pan Pastels as well. I stamped all the images in Versamark, onto a background of sponged Distress inks. For each image I grated artist pastels over it, using a nutmeg grater, then buffed off with cotton wool balls.




I was pleased with how this one came out, as I was CASEing a card seen on Pinterest, using an Indigo Blu stamp. I don't have the stamp, but had a fairly similar one, and was hopeful it would produce a similar effect, which it did.









 I loved the dramatic gothic imagery of this stamp, and simple black stamping on a background of various sponged reds really did it justice, I thought.



 Last, but definitely not least, as its probably my favourite, is the card I made for my Beloved Hubby this Christmas. The image, Snowy Postcard, by Stampendous, was stamped onto white pearl card then cut out with the Spellbinders Heirloom Ornaments 2nd to largest die.The white backing was cut from the largest. I stamped the image again on a post-it, and masked the buildings & snow, then sponged an assortment of blues for the sky. Then it was sprayed with Crafters Companion Iridescent Spray & Sparkle, which is hard to see, but gives the snowy areas a lovely sparkle.To get the black matt for the bauble, I drew around the outside of the die, and cut by hand. The Poinsettias are a Le Crea die, which is smaller than most Poinsettia dies, and works well on cards. The two hearts are triple embossed, using UTEE over Anitas Blue Glass embossing powder- the one heart then having a texture stamp inked in silver pressed to it while still molten.So my Favourite 5 is actually a Favourite 7- but what's a couple of extras between friends?

11 comments:

Donna said...

Fab selection of cards Shaz and all so different in their designs. I love the silhouette cards and the way you distress certain parts...really love the lemon juice idea, so clever! Happy New Year to you and your family :) Donna ♥ x

Monica said...

Good to look back and choose a favorite. I like cat one

Jackie Scott said...

Such beautiful cards and all made so differently love your techniques and use of products! Experimenting can be fun and your results prove it!

Krisha said...

I think your card to your hubby takes the prize! They are all really fantastic cards and show just how diverse your art is.
Happy New Year!

Hettie said...

Oooooo! Gorgeous cards Shaz but your Hubby's C card is my favourite.
Happy New Year to you both.
We were ok with regard to the flooding thank goodness. Hope you are both well.
Hugs
Hettie
xx

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I am enjoying seeing these best of posts all over the place. I think you picked a great selection. I think I like the black and white one best but I am torn because the Poe card is exciting as is your Gothic one. Actually, they all rock!

gardenpinks said...

Love all your choices as I did first time around. Please don't ask me to choose my favourite though!!
Happy New Year to you and yours
Lynn xx

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Oh Shaz a great review and so good to see ... it is interesting isn't it to see just where you have been in 2013 .. all lovely inky shares... every blessing of 2014, we are already here over in Oz...

Julia not up yet and dont blame her!
..thanks so much for popping over and sharing, Shaz in Oz.x

Desire Fourie said...

Shaz this is a wonderful selection of cards and a great reflection of your beautiful creative style. {I would love you to take part in my 130,000 Page View Give-away. Thank you so much if you have already entered and good luck.} Wishing you a wonderful 2014 and may it be all you want it to be. Hugs Desíre {Doing Life}

debby4000 said...

Oh what wonderful creations Shaz.
Thank you for joining in with My Favourite Five of 2013
luv
Debby

Helen said...

Fab cards!! Helen 2

An End of an era

An end of an era

I write this with a broken heart, that only time can heal My beautiful, wonderful wifelet Shaz (Silverwolf) passed away peacefully in the ea...