Good morning. How is everyone? It has turned really cold in the last few days so I'm finding it hard to sleep at night as my bones really don't like the cold. I think I may need to invest in an electric blanket. At mum's, we have the roofers doing some work in her conservatory as it was leaking (a bit closer to raining indoors every time it rained). So the whole roof came off last week (still no roof) to be replaced. Not the best timing as it poured over the weekend and as much as they tried to protect us from rain, it rained still inside.
Yesterday I went to the East Northants Groovi Group which is organised on one Saturday and one Thursday each month by Rosalind Mclellan and Lynda Hidderley at Colemans Craft Warehouse in Rushden. We take our own projects we want to work on, help one another, chat, giggle, drink tea/coffee, eat chocolate, eat cake (made by Jean Page Burt - Thank you Jean, it was so yummy) and yesterday there was homemade ice cream too by Ros (Thank you Ros. I'm drawing up a list of flavours I would like so its easier for you each month). It was so lovely to meet up with everyone in such a relaxed fun way and cannot wait till next month for all the hugs, cake and ice cream. If you are in the area it is so worth popping in and for dates you can request to Ros to add you to the group page on Facebook .
I have to be honest, I spent most of my time there chatting and distracting everyone and I am glad everyone there loves me enough to not mind. Lol. I had started a card with an idea a few weeks ago and was working on it 5mins here, 5 mins there so was determined to get it finished while I was there. I have taken as many photos as I could remember to take. It is a combination of using a stencil and various Groovi plates.
Groovi Plates Used:
Nested Squares Picot Cut Die & Groovi Plate Set (ACC-DI-30698-66)
Trellis Stencil 9"x11" (STE-PA-00027-91)
Floral Moon (GRO-FL-40446-03)
Tina's Morning Glory Flowers Parchlet (GRO-FL-40969-01)
Nested Scallops Circles (GRO-PA-40558-03)
Straight Basic Grid (GRO-GG-40202-12)
1.) Using the picot nested squares Fresh Cut die, cut the largest square frame and 3rd from inside square frame on regular parchment and emboss the corresponding squares from the Groovi plate.
2.) On the back of the large square, lay the stencil on top of the parchment and using masking tape, mask around the inside square outline. Using the artistry ink and clarity brush, dry brush the colour over the parchment.
This is what it looked like once the masking tape was removed.
3.) While the ink is drying on the large square, I embossed the parchlet from the morning glory plate on the small square.
4.) From the front, deboss the 2nd from inside double circle outlines from the nested scallops circles plate.
5.) On the back, over the straight basic grid, emboss dots between the double set of squares.
6.) On the back, emboss the circles in the little flowers and colour the little flowers and leaves using Perga Colours Exclusive pens. Colour the gem on the front (see below on how to) with Perga Liner B pencils. Deboss between the double circle outlines around the gem. By debossing it gives the illusion the gem is popping out of the parchment. Add a little sparkle on the circles using Pergamano sticky ink, mapping pen and Perga glitter.
Here is how I do my gems on parchment and everyone has a different way of doing them. Look up on YouTube for different ways of colouring gems. By reading lots of blurb on google about uploading a pdf on here I have tried to upload the file for you to download and print if you wish but not sure it has worked so I'm attaching a photo of it even though it is small. Click on this link and hopefully you can view it and download it.
On my gem above, I have not added cracks so it is optional. If you do not have the Derwent blender and burnisher pencils, you can use your Pergamano Perga Liner B pencils and blend the colours using the blending nibs and Dorso oil to give the gems a smooth finish. I mounted the parchlet piece on northern lights designer paper, white card and black card using brads.
7.) Going back to the large square, emboss the floral moon design on the back in the coloured stencil sections.
8.) On the back, emboss the circles and colour the flowers and leaves using Perga Colours Exclusive pens. Add a little sparkle on the circles using Pergamano sticky ink, mapping pen and Perga glitter.
9.) To finish, mount the large square on northern lights designer paper, white card and black card using brads and stick this on 8"x8" folded white card. Stick the parchlet piece in the centre using 3D foam pads.
I really enjoyed creating this one and as it gave me a chance to play with the stencil that I've had for a couple of years but never used. If you liked seeing this card using a stencil and Groovi plates, here is a slightly different way of using the 2 together. https://butterfliesandglitterwithtinacox.blogspot.com/2017/01/groovi-with-jos-flower-stencil.html
Off to have some breakfast and do some design work ... and try and warm up.
Take Care. Enjoy.
Love and laughter
Tina
