Week Twenty-Two: Balloon House

I love the movie Up, and I know most people who have seen it say the same. I have often thought about the image of the house being lifted by balloons as a great metaphor for so many moments in life, so I decided I would make a house flying by balloons on a card.

I didn't want to copy the house in the movie, I just wanted a simple little cottage-type building that could represent any house.

This image works for so many different occasions that you might give a card, farewell or bon voyage, good luck, thank you ("you lift my spirits" might be something you'd write inside) or even congratulations would work in the right circumstances. It's a versatile image, perfect for card making.

This took a lot of paper. Way more than I expected. The balloon cluster just kept growing, sooo many balloons to make it look 'right' to me.

I like this because it's simple, cheerful and bursting with colour, which is the name of the game for me at the moment. I'm in a colourful mood.


Now if you're in the Brisbane, Australia region and are wanting to learn quilling in a hands on way, or even if you just want to come see my work in person, or love a good craft market, then take a look at this:

I will be selling all the pretties I've made lately, and teaching quilling to those interested in giving it a go! I'd love visitors so if you're in the area stop by for some fun.


Next week's project is very colourful and would be an excellent swimmer...and may already be sold before you even get to see it.

xnata

 

Week Twenty-One: Treble Clef

This week's project was actually a lot harder than I expected!

To make the outline I used berry pins in styrofoam with my design drawn on paper and covered with baking paper, but it was very fiddly, as was adding in filling such as the lines behind the musical notes. It required tweezers, so you know it was serious.

Despite the difficulty I am very happy with the result and I think with practice I would get good at this one.

For colouring I didn't want it all black, or just black and white, so I added in a few shades of grey and one duck egg blue type shade. I think it gives it the softer look I was hoping for that black and white just wouldn't have given it.

Next week we're going Up!

xnata

Week Twenty: Baby Cards

I'm two days late, I know. Do you want to hear my excuses?

I'll tell you anyway. I'm busy is the obvious one, let's just move on, the other is I've been preparing for a potential teaching opportunity, that's right, I'm going to teach quilling at a market at the end of the month! I'm still trying to decide just what the design of the card will be, but I've got the general design planned and colour scheme, and I'm going to be nice to my learners and have all the bits cut to size and everything.

The second reason is something that I'm sure will inspire all my paper crafting readers to wince - I spilled a glass of water on my quilling project. I know, I know. I'm clumsy and a twit. It wasn't good. I've made hundreds of quilled projects and this is the first time I've done it, hopefully the last.

Anyway, on with the show, I've got two posts to do this week.

This is an oldie but a goodie, I've done these many times and it's always a big seller, the baby shoes card!

I've done one for a girl and one for a boy as you see. It's a bit of a 'vintage' image really, because you don't see many babies wearing the old knitted booties anymore do you. I don't anyway. Someone gave me a yellow pair for my son and I think he wore them once and proved he could kick them off in about a minute, so we went to socks and left the knitted ones for the keepsake cupboard.

They are sweet as a card though, don't you think?

I must make a few more of these before I do this market, baby cards are always so popular.

Next week (meaning this week, if you can keep up with my late story) we're on to a musical subject that I really quite like.

xnata