Sentiment as the main image

It is May and Mother’s Day in the US is coming up so I chose to make a mother’s day card for the new challenge over at Creative card Crew. We are sponsored by Simon Says Stamp so this is your chance to win a gift card at a very well stocked online store :-)
The challenge this time is to use a sentiment as the main image. I found a saying about mothers after a quick online search. The sentiment was written using my new fountain pen (Pilot Namiki Falcon) with a flexible tip. I was able to make the words look similar to Copperplate calligraphy script, but it is not quite there. It is best to use proper nib and ink. The background text says Love and Mother (in English and Norwegian) and the words were written in clothesline lettering. This is a fun and quick way to write decoratively. It looks as if the letters have been hung on a clothesline.
I hope you like our new challenge and join us!

Ribbon

This fortnight we are playing with ribbon over at the Creative Card Crew challenge blog and we are sponsored by the Paper Shelter.
I fell for their collection “cirque”. It contains background paper and the girl and you get colored, uncolored and composition. I have never used colored digital stamps and backgrounds before so I was curious on how to personalize my card. This is what I did:

• Printed 3 copies of the background.
• The 3 backgrounds where cut and layered to make dimension
• Glossy accent was used on her hat and shoes (does not show much in the picture)
• White Tim Holtz ribbon was colored using the limited edition color “Iced spruce” (from the Christmas collection). I got so excited when I noticed that this color matched the pre-colored images!
• Holes were made on all four corners and the ribbon attached
• A base card was cut from Bazzil card stock

Kraft paper

I love using Distress Ink and the new challenge over at Creative Card Crew is perfect for it: Use kraft paper. The card I have made is for a confirmation (religious rite of initiation) that is going to take place in May. “Konfirmanten” is the designation of the person who is going to go through the rite.
The card base is kraft paper, just beige and no pattern. I also used that for the sentiment tag. There is also news paper print on thinner kraft paper. Both this and the Tim Holtz kraft paper with the globe was colored using Distress ink.
The metal flower is made from Graphic 45 supplies: Large flower, small flower and button.
We are sponsored by Simon Says Stamp this week so you can win a gift card if you join our challenge.

Spring

It is time for a new challenge over at the Creative Card Crew blog. The theme this time is fittingly called ‘Spring’.
We are sponsored by Stamp Fairy. So why not create a nice spring/Easter card and join the challenge? You could win a gift card in Stamp Fairy’s online store :-)

The Stamp Fairy bunny on my card was colored using Copics markers. The calligraphy was made with dip pen and ink. The style is Copperplate. I have been practicing the letters for a while, but you can see that I need to improve the flourishing (the loops should be more even).Two green ribbons where placed as a belt under the bunny. Happy spring!

Strong bones

This is a bookmark I made after the Houston Calligraphy Guild Retreat in June 2011. This is a very fun hand to write and involes a lot of pen manipulation (twisting). It is very fast to write as well so I am definately going to practice more on this one. The Pilot Paralell Pen (6.0 mm) is perfect for it. I am also thinking of getting a pen nib for this (Automatic).

Halloween Tilda

This card was made for the Totally Tilda – Halloween challenge.

The card was made from a brown lunch bag. The Tim Holtz edge distressing tool was used on every layer of paper.

Supply list:

• Tilda – witch stamp from Magnolia
• Brown lunch bag
• Brown string
• Pumice brown distress ink – to make papers vintage colored on the edges
• Distress ink to color Tilda
• ATC card covered with scull stamp and lettering
• Metal flower
• Tiny staples
• Metal “bling”
• Edge distressing tool
• Paper: Haunted Spiders by My mind’s eye
• Paper: Hallowe’en Wonderland Collection – The Mad Hatter by graphic45

Halloween pumpkin

This card was for a display of Gothicized Italics at the Houston Calligraphy Guild. It was also meant for my mother afterwards, but I forgot it at the meeting. So I hope one of the other calligraphers found a use for it! :-)

This is what I used:

• Black polka dot card stock
• Black paper flowers
• Pumpkin stamp
• Distress Ink for coloring
• Ribbon
• Orange stickles
• Purple stripy paper
• Orange “bling”
• Ink and nib for the calligraphy

This card is part of these challenges:
Anything goes - week 20 – ribbons
Everybody Art #112 – Halloween

Congratulations – a girl

This is the card I gave to my friend, Hanna, when she got a baby girl. The stamp is from Magnolia and word “Congratulations” is an attempt to write in the Copperplate hand.

A Copperplate attempt

Testing my beginner Copperplate skills on an envelope.

Envelope

Grandmothers

Proverb about grandmothers in Norwegian: "Grandmothers are never out of hugs and cookies."

Halloween party invite

No, it is not for Halloween this year! Nice try ;-)