Getting the hang now...

of this pencil sharpening lark..... I still feel really guilty cos I am hurting them... but can do it with less apologies and fewer tears! :-)

Been having a play today with some new stamps... and dragged the Big Shot out to use some of the bigger dies I have....  here are the results.....

Using Oriental Tilda, various papers from the humongous pile I have, coloursoft pencils and Marianne dies

Another Tilda....  the flash has made this one come out very very bright.. so Sunglasses alert!!!  Coloured her with Derwent InkTense pencils then blended them with Zest It... I knew the InkTense were vivid... but I was surprised how vivid... love them....  the papers are from a stash of PaperMania ones I bought the other year.. an Easter pack.. all citrussy (?) yellows and greens, and again the much loved Marianne dies

Right.. off to stamp up a few more

hugs .. xxxxxx

Final Installment of the Pencil Mutilation Saga!

Well.. until I start the next pattern and mutilate them all over again!!! :-)

Ok.. last instalment ended with the leaves done... so on to the roses... I was dreading this bit.. cos me and flowers Do Not Get On!   But... I was brave.. and had a go......

So far... so good.....   onto the second rose.......

and starting to feel a bit smug.. this is only my second try at this... and no Kanni to help/rescue me!

With the roses as good as they were going to get... I dared not fiddle... that is when it all goes wrong... onto the gridwork....

Lots of crosses to cut out.. and all the middle bits and the four "windows"  oooooo so much scope for it to go Very Wrong....

But it didn't!!!!!!  Yayyyy Me!!!  Have to say I am feeling a bit smug and pleased with myself.....  LOOK!!!

Really really happy with how it turned out....  even if it did kill a couple of my pencils! LOL

The pattern is by Kanni .... details here ... some truly stunning designs.. she is so talented it is untrue.  The pattern was traced onto black parchment and was coloured in using Derwent Coloursoft pencils...  I think they are fabulous... I know people swear by Faber Castels, but on parchment I much prefer the Coloursoft becasue they are so.. well, soft!  They blend beautifully and because they are so soft, you can use a fair bit of pressure without accidentally embossing the parchment as you go!

Right.... off to get some work done.. coffee break over.. then this evening I can decide which pattern to start next!

Have a great day.. and thanks for reading
xxxxx

Pencil Mutilation.. part two!

Wellll... I still haven't messed it up... but there is still plenty of time to do so, so no worries! LOL

Have got a seriously wounded White Pencil though.... poor little thing.. little being the right word... I think I will have to buy it a Very Special Present to make up for the abuse....  and the Green too.. He has been wounded above and beyond the necessary! :-)  But you do neeeeed Very Very Sharp pencils to do this....  Will just have to buy me some more then!!!!

 OK...  who stole part of my pencils???

Ahhhh.... Found the missing bits......

That is a Very Painful Picture for me to look at..... Proof of the mass mutilation of my Pencils!!! :-)

Anyway... quick picture diary of what I have been up to since 7 this morning....

And that is where I am at... oh... I have just coloured the stems.... so... can put it off not longer... onto the Scary Roses....  Just as I was getting the hang of the leaves!!!   LOL

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Pencil Mutilation!!!!

:-)

Hi there... had a lovely couple of days... blubbed myself silly all day yesterday through the Royal Wedding, so beautiful and perfect... loved it!

Today, I shed a tear again..... because I had to ........  I hardly dare say it...... sharpen a pencil!!!!   I am still in shock... my poor poor pencil!!! But I did apologise profusely as I went along!!  :-)

Loooooook... it is all little.. and hiding in shame at the edge of the tin.... (it is actually much shorter now, but I couldn't bring my self to capture further humiliation for it!!)

OK OK.. I am a bit sad when it comes to my pencils, can't help it.... but I am hoping I put my poor little white pencil through the agony of being sharpened for a good reason......

Halfway through the first layer of white......  I am attempting a beautiful pattern by the wonderful Kannikar Sukseree, whose fabulous Colouring on Black Parchment Workshop I was incredibly lucky enough to attend earlier this month.  It was a real mind blowing day for me...  I loved the effect of colour on black.. and have finally found time to have another go....  not as easy though without Kanni within helping/rescuing distance!!!

This is how I have left it for tonight... I am Very Pleased with it, and stopped before I pushed my luck and ruined the whole thing!  Tomorrow I will be attempting the colours.... with baited breath!

Wish me Luck!
xxxxxx

Frantic week....

Don't ya love school holidays!!!  Made this card for a very special friend of mine for her birthday this week, and finally managed to get it uploaded in time for the CD Sunday Birthday week challenge....  I made a Parchment card for the occasion, and to follow the CD Sunday rules, the butterfly and the flowers all come from a CD (Springtime Butterflies and Lace)

Sorry this is such a short post... but I am heading out the door shortly with the kids on a "day out"  Beautiful weather...so should be a great day

Right.... off to feed the wallaby's....  Taking my camera... so hopefully an update later
xxxx

Diary of a Weekend of Workshops....

Hi all... what a Fabulous weekend I had last weekend!  I was very privileged to be at The Parchment Festival, and had a blast!  Here is a quick (!) run down of what happened....  please excuse the use of Fabulous and Wonderful etc so many times, but I cannot think of any other words that fit!!!

Friday....

We had two workshops on the Friday...  One with the Wonderful Dorothy Holness, whose work is sooo exquisite it is untrue...  we were working on a beautiful flower spray using poly cromos and blending techniques... I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop as you may have noticed I love my pencils, and it was fabulous to have such a brilliant teacher to guide me....   Although not finished yet,... here is my piece so far...

Our other workshop on Friday was with Kanni... and all I can say it that it was Mind Blowing!!!!  I was a little nervous about this workshop having attempted Kanni's patterns before... The Kimono!! LOL  But I was totally amazed by it... it was.. well.. Mind Blowing!!!  Her work is amazing... We were using black parchment and then building up colours to create the most beautiful and vivid artwork... I just loved it to bits and bits... and bought loads of black parchment so I can do lots more!  Unfortunately, I didn't have my colour soft pencils with me... although I was tempted to drive the 21/2 hours home to get them!! LOL  The top flower was my first try, the middle my second, and the bottom one I did that night back at my friend Carols house using her Colour softs which saved me a long long drive! LOL  It was much easier with the CS for blending etc... and I now have justification in buying the complete set that I purchased a little while ago!

On the Saturday we had the Festival.. which was Great!!!  Met sooo many wonderful people and also spent a bit!   But it was all needed!!

On Sunday it was back to the classroom... We had a workshop with the Oh so wonderful and luvverly Tina Cox, which involved painting with felt tips.... she knows this is wayyyy out of my comfort zone, but she is such a fabulous teacher (and friend) that I was soon totally engrossed and having a ball!  I still have the back to do, but most of the work on the front is done except the tree and some fine detail....  in the picture it is still attached to the pattern as it looks better that way at the moment!  I am very pleased with what I produced, especially as I Don't Do Painting! LOL  There is a lot of grid work to do too around the picture.....

The final workshop was with Dorothy again, who I have to say did the most fantastic job as she was standing in for another tutor who sadly couldn't make it..... The thought of being given a project like this and a week to prepare a workshop leaves me in a cold sweat!!!  The workshop was originally designed by Linda Williams and it is truly stunning... although it was using my favourites.. pencils again.. I was terrified when I saw the finished piece.....  But... I was a big brave girl and I had a go... and Loved it!  The detail is incredible and I totally enjoyed myself, it was brilliant ..... still needs a lot of work, very fine work, but I am looking forward to finishing this too....  again in the photo, it is still on the pattern so you can see more of the detail etc....

Well.. that was my fabulous, brilliant and wonderful weekend..... and it was THE BEST!!!!!

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Happy Happy Day!!!

Big huge smiles here today.... Very long story.. but very happy girlie!! 
Back in work mode.. and just finished a new CD for the Parchment Festival this coming weekend.. will be launching it there, then putting it on the website for Monday.
The theme is birds... lots and lots of Beautiful Birds....  29 folders, each with two different topper sheets, a waterfall, shaker card/quick card, 4 papers, 2 tiles and an insert... so that is 11 times 29.. which equals loads and loads of pages for six quid! LOL

Will be doing loads of demos with it at the festival (hopefully.. bet I spend too much time chatting and shopping!!!) as I think the toppers on it are great for people who want to do the beautiful parchment work, but like me, cannot draw a straight line...  print it out... gridwork border and a beautiful card...  simples! ;-)

Here is a sneaky peekie or two....

xxxxxxx