Christmas in Paris

Sadly, no I’m not spending Christmas in Paris*, however, I really love these Parisian stamps by Elusive Images and just got carried away by the though of Notre Dame at Christmas!

stained glass and Christmas bells

I watercoloured that fabulous Elusive stamp and cut out the building. Then I used a collection of postal/ Paris stamps by Cavallini to decorate the card, along with a very old Hero Arts stamp of a snowflake. Again, there’s a subtle Sakura sparkle to this card that just doesn’t show in the photo, but it’s just the right December touch.

Maybe next year!

{ Rachel . Emilie . Jackson }

* although one of my blog visitors is spending her Christmas in Paris!

holly & peppermint

I’m certainly into the Christmas card making swing now, and I had fun with this glamorous, girlie greeting – I think this is what the ‘domestic goddess’ must wear while taking gingerbread out of the oven on Christmas eve!

not suitable footwear for heavy snowfall

Just a little painted shoe and some music paper & printed twill, but very festive! That flourish stamp is by Hot off the Press.

I added three small Swarovski crystals to the shoe for a bit of sparkle.

{ Rachel . Emilie . Jackson }

 

festive trimming

I’ve finally made a start with a few Christmas cards! I think this time of year gives you an excuse to use a bit more sparkle and dig out any trims that are ‘too fancy’ for the other eleven months!

Forget-me-not blue, cream & brown

So, there’s a touch of glitter on the ‘Believe’ message there, and small Swarovski crystals in the branches on the left. I drew the branches with those koh-i-noor watercolour crayons from Toulouse – still love those! And then it’s all finished off with brown crushed velvet ribbon.

Here’s a closer look:

economy meets luxury...

It’s not all fanciness though, as that band of patterned paper is actually the recycled inside of a business envelope. I’ve been saving that one for about 4 years in a box full of business envelope linings! The bird punch I got from the Stampington Shoppe – I haven’t seen it over here, please correct me if you’ve spotted it in the UK. It’s actually a robin punch, because as you may not know, American robins are long and slim, unlike the European ones. (US readers: Over here, robins are fat and round like a golf ball with feathers! Fabulous!)

merry!

These are two very sweet stamps from Hero Arts, teamed with some dried lilac blossoms and bobble trim, which I think suggests snowballs!

tied up with a bow

I watercoloured the tree and added Sakura gold sparkle, then forced the thread through some tiny holes and tied a bow.

Hope you’re feeling a bit festive now!

{ Rachel . Emilie . Jackson }

gales in viking, forties, north utsire…

Feeling very Novemberish just now, with windy, umbrella-inside-out days!

I found a tin full of dried flowers from about two years ago and so created this little autumnal card:

russet, berry, cream

If you look at this picture long enough, you may find yourself adding red wine and mulling spices to your shopping list this week for no good reason! (Or is that just me?)

The ‘November’ script is by Heidi Swapp, and is available in the UK from Wendy at The Stamp Attic.

Christmas cards tomorrow!

{ Rachel . Emilie . Jackson }

nesting

Despite the postal strikes, I keep making notecards! I love this little Hero Arts set of birds and birdhouses, and thought it made a cheerful card to send a few words of friendship.

nest for the winter

Pictured here is my favourite gift-wrapping sundry – natural raffia. Now it’s November I can legitimately begin planning for Christmas! I love Christmas and New Year, so I’m excited already. I’ve bought some gifts, but I haven’t made my cards yet, so some of them will be appearing here as I get through them.

{Rachel . Emilie . Jackson }

October sketch!

Here it is – the card sketch for October! Usually I like to create projects that are asymmetrical, that just appeals more to me. However, this month’s sketch uses symmetry for quite an elegant, could-be-formal layout. (It would work well for wedding invitations or something ‘a bit fancy’ like that.) Here’s the sketch…

the october sketch

Note the rounded corners at the bottom, and also that the ‘focal’ element at the top doesn’t need to be a circle – it could be anything – a flower, a fleur-de-lys, a star, etc.
Okay, now here’s what I made..

October romance

I just loved those Anna Griffin flourishes at the top, and I paid no attention to the credit crunch, tearing up a sheet of silver leaf to use as an eye-catching touch behind the flower (couldn’t quite believe I did that, but hey-ho!)
Here’s a closer look…

saying it simply

Spot the silver leaf?
Hope you liked that sketch, and let me know if you create something with it!

{ Rachel . Emilie . Jackson }

colouring in

This week I finally had time to use the two stamps I bought at the Festival in Port Sunlight earlier in October – a very sweet image of a girl with a balloon by Sugar Nellie, and a beautifully detailed chrysanthemum from Circa Design. They are such lovely images I just enjoyed using watercolours with them for an uncomplicated look.

nursery tea

(Vintage bear supplied by Mum!) As you know I don’t often work with ‘cute’ styles but there are a few young (and young at heart!) people in my world so I have a few stamps in my collection that are appropriate for them. Here’s a closer look…

"you made my day," she says

Unfortunately invisible on this photo are the sparkle highlights on her dress and stockings – you’ll just have to use your imagination.

For a more grown-up recipient, I played with this elegant Chrysanthemum design from Circa:

jewels of autumn

Again, there are subtle gold sparkles on the luxuriant petals of these flowers, but they just don’t show up in my photograph. Here’s a closer look at that found text for those who just need to know!

 

coquetry!

Coming soon … the October sketch!

{ Rachel . Emilie . Jackson }

fly to you

Thank you all for your patience – I’m back today with some artwork. Just a small notecard using a great Martha Stewart punch and other fab bits and bobs. Simplicity itself to take words winging to a friend.

winged correspondence

Later this week I’ll bring you October’s monthly sketch!

{ Rachel . Emilie . Jackson }

do not adjust your set

Hello all, I’m sorry there’s been no activity on the blog for a couple of weeks, I managed to come home from Toulouse a bit poorly, and my ‘extra time’ each week, in which I would normally update the blog, has been spent resting in bed! More fresh artwork will be arriving soon – thanks for bearing with me!

artisan show

Hello again! Just a brief post to let you know that if you’re attending the Artisan show in Royal Leamington Spa tomorrow, I’ll be leading two ‘make and take’ sessions at the Craft Stamper stand. We’ll be making some paper dolls in the style of my project from the October issue, using those fabulous Stampington images. You have to book your place – at the stand I think – and places are limited. The class runs from 11am – 11.30am and again from 11.45am – 12.15pm.

Provencal paper doll

Hope to see you there!

{ Rachel . Emilie . Jackson }