Left of Center...New Challenge

Today's card is a design team make for the wonderful team over at Left of Center Creative Challenges. A new challenge has just begun and will run for the next fortnight. The theme for this challenge is Fantasy Christmas. As always you have the option of going LOC..for all details about that, please check out the LOC blog.

 We are so lucky to have been sponsored by the fabulous team over at Morgans Artworld. I just adore working with their designs. I think that I have a bit of a thing for detail and love being able to take my time. For my card..which will be the Christmas card for someone special..I began by stencilling the trees and creating the background. I coloured the image with my inktense pencils and then cut the image out and added it to the background. I finally added some snowflakes.

I haven't been on much as I'm still trying to get everything finished. I've still got some presents to finish and one order that was  late coming in. I am so happy to share that my Christmas tree is up and I loved every minute of setting it up in honour of Henry. The tree is white...so very different from all my other years and has white lights. I have only a few clear crystals on the tree as well. Under the tree is white  and crystal ornaments with candles. The candles are battery operated as there is nothing the cats like better than sniffing flames. There is nothing that says bad Christmas more than the smell of singed hair..lol. I still have the mantlepiece to decorate but I may do that tomorrow. That's also going to be white and crystal with family photos taking pride of place. I've also been so lucky and have been given another white tree which has lights included..so I'm going to have that in the kitchen. The really unusual thing this year is that none of the cats have really bothered with the tree..perhaps it's because there are hardly any dangling bits on it. At least that's what I'm hoping and I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed
Well the coffee is calling and then it'll be back to work.A Christmas film is on the television and at least that will keep me in the festive mood. I hope that all your Christmas preparations are all going well. I have shopping still to do next week and then I should be organised..apart from wrapping, writing Christmas cards and cooking..lol. So until next time..take care and happy crafting.

Left of Center..........New Challenge

Today's canvas is a design team make for the wonderful team over at Left of Center Creative Challenges. A new challenge is just about to begin and will run for the next week. The theme for this week is to use a stencil. As always you have the choice of going LOC. For all details about that..please check out the LOC blog.

 We are so lucky to have been sponsored for this challenge by the fabulous team over at Morgans Artworld.

As soon as I saw the image that I've used..I knew that it was the one. I loved the amount of detail that was in the image and it took me a while to work out how the heck I was going to use a stencil with it. This is always my problem..I pick the image first and then have to work out how I'm going to fit it in with the theme. As I sat looking at this image, I thought that it would be nice to make it look as if we were looking at her through a window..so I decided to make the edges of the canvas as if it were a stone wall. I made some texture paste and stencilled it through a stone look stencil, I let that dry and then painted it with my acrylics. I added the image to the center..I had coloured that with a mixture of my promarkers and my watercolours. A strange mix I know but for all the stone work in the image, I wanted a watercolour look. I finally added die cut leaves which I had also coloured with my watercolours. I'm sorry that my watermark is across her face but the image was just so detailed I needed to protect the image.
It's still hot here in the mountains..we have had odd showers but that's about it..I would still love a bit of a breeze. I have always been an autumn/winter person. I love it when there is frost in the air..even when I was a child I felt the same..All the cats have gone out again..they really don't know what to do with themselves..they pop back every half an hour or so..have a little nibble of their food and then disappear out again.
As most of you know, my friend Sparkle is not keen on the glitter..lol Well he came in laughing the other day. He had put his shorts on because it was just so hot and was headed off in his car to the net village. As he was driving a sparkle caught his eye and lo and behold he had a piece of glitter on his leg..lol. I wouldn't mind but it has been quite a while since my glitter had been out. I've come to the conclusion that the glitter must be in the air in the cottage..lol
Well the coffee is calling and thank goodness I've now got some. I had just got to the point that I was getting a no caffeine headache when my friend arrived with a large jar. Happiness reigned and a couple of coffees later, I was back on form. I've lots of work to do..so I'm off to have a coffee and then begin. My watercolours are ready to go. So until Monday...take care and happy crafting.