PASTEL FLORAL GOTHIC ARCH

Here is my entry for a number of challenges this week, Cute Card Thursday theme 'Floral', Papertake Weekly 'Pastels', Dutch Dare 'Favorite Things' (Stickles and Cuttlebug), Gothic Arches 'Open' and Tanda Teaser 'Watercolours'. Five in One wow. I created the background using brayered and spritzed pastel watercolours and Cosmic Shimmer sprays then ran it through the Divine Swirls embossing folder and cut out the Gothic Arch. I printed out the Daisy May download and embossed using silver powder then watercoloured and glittered with Stickles. I made a tiny shrinkie and added her with ribbon. I then added a lovely acetate 3d flower sticker (3D not too clear on the scan).

GOTHIC ARCHES GUEST HOSTESS

Well, I am delighted to be chosen to be a Gothic Arches Hostess this week and here is what I said on their site:-

'My name is Cynthia (Rainbow Lady) – a retired Craft and Drama Teacher, and I live way up in the Highlands of beautiful Scotland with my lovely husband Geoff. I am delighted and honoured to have been chosen as your hostess for this week. I am part of the ‘Get Everyone Stamping’ brigade for 2009 as I just love rubber stamping and the effects you can create.
So, the challenge theme for this week is ‘Inspired by the Rainbow’.
Take only two colours from the rainbow (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet), two rubber stamps and a Word of Inspiration’ and create something wonderful in your arch.
(well, with my name I had to pick something from the rainbow didn’t I???).
I look forward to seeing your works of art'

Here is the card I created for this challenge using Red and Yellow as my colour choices (yes, really, no purple to be seen). First, I took a white glossy card and created the background using red and yellow H2Os, then covered with Red and Gold Cosmic Shimmer Mists. I used a technique I saw Sheena do the other day on TV, by taking a plastic bag, scrunching it up and dabbing over the paints and mists to create a mottled and blended look. I then ran this background through the Cuttlebug Divine Swirl embossing folder. I cut out the arch shape and kept the corners to add over the top on the main arch, all edged with gold Pentouch. I stamped the words, from Elusive Images and added the red brad at the top with the red tassel and oriental coin. Then I stamped 5 images of the Oriental waterlily on red and yellow coredinations card, embossed them with Red and Black Cosmic Shimmer embossing powders, cut them out, curled the edges and decoupaged them adding clear glitter glue for extra shimmer.
I do hope you like the finished arch.

Fairy Arched Glade

Gothic Arches challenge this week was set by my friend Lynn the theme being 'Fantasy' (we are two of a kind in liking this subject). For this arch I sponged the background using oranges and yellows with a touch of red around the sun (sponged through a punched circle) . I added stamps from Dimension Fourth to create the fairy glade, adding a few silver peeloff stars and a touch of glitter from Sakura pens. I have made a few of these in the past and people seem to love them.

Mardi Gras

The challenge this week at Gothic Arches was 'Mardi Gras' - a topic that I love as I have a great collection of masks. This card uses my new mask stamp from Stamp Addicts and a smaller 4 masked cube from them too. The arch background was created using alcohol inks of various shades swooshed over glossy card. I then overstamped in black the smaller masks and added Stickles glitter glue. For the large mask I stamped using the resist technique and brayered with the Waterfall Big and Juicy ink pad. The eyes were from another piece of varying coloured ink cards. I added glitter glue in gold and clear, the black mask and two feathers and edged with gold Pentouch. I always had hoped when we lived overseas that I would get to New Orleans at Mardi Gras - never made it - but I can live in hope. Just realized that this fits DCM 'Green' challenge too.

Skating in the Moonlight

Here is my entry for this week's Gothic Arches 'Winter Sports' challenge. The background was created using various shades of blue Glimmer Mists then overstamped with the skates, tree, clouds, moon and star - all in Midnight blue Stazon - stamps from Dimension Fourth. I added colour using Sakura pens and some watered down ink from various ink pads and painted on using a waterbrush. I then added clear Glaze Drops and Glossy Accents for the ice, then dropped on some pale blue sparkles using Stickles glitter glues.

Gypsy Ladies

The theme for Gothic Arches last Sunday was 'Gypsies' so here are my three dancing gypsies and this also fits Sunday Stampers 'Blue' challenge today. The background was created using Glimmer Mists in various colours, then overstamped three times with the gypsy from Cornish Heritage Farms, in of course, black Stazon.. The message reads 'If you can Dream it you can Do it' from Elusive Images. I added a couple of gold peel offs and a gold tassel attached with a gold brad for embellishment.

From far away a friendly light

Seems like an age since I posted a card on here due to my being away for over a week. This is one I created tonight for our son John whose birthday is on the 3rd. As he lives in York I thought the sentiment on the stamp, from Stamps Happen, was appropriate. Simply stamped in Stazon on the white arch card I painted it using Lyra crayons and with some added Sakura touches to glitter sections slightly. I think I can also enter this for Gothic Arches turquoise challenge today as well as there is a lot of turqoise around.

Happy Birdday Arch

Here is my 'Blue' and 'For the Birds' challenge cards, the first for Arty Girlz and the second for Gothic Arches. I created the background using the new Garden of Romance MCS cd then overstamped in Midnight Blue Stazon the birds and flowers from one of Glenda's sets. I added a tiny gold edge with Pentouch gold marker and added the sentiments then layered the arch onto a pale blue card.

An arch within an arch

Gothic Arches asked for 'Cats' and Lots to do Sunday asked for 'Silhouettes' so I have combined the two with this card. I stamped and coloured the arch with the silhouetted cat from Dimension Fourth, then cut out the windows and mounted onto acetate. I then stamped the outside background with the squirrel and a few blades of grass and a couple of flowers and a bird then sponged the green and blue background areas and the window sill with inks direct to paper. The curtain background was made using Stardust Stains with the scrunch technique and chopped and torn to form the shape. I added the curtain blue tassel with a brad then cut the whole card in the shape of the Gothic Arch.

Night at the Big Top

'Clowns' never were my favourite part of the circus, usually quite scary, but here my friendly looking one is performing in the big top with the red curtains behind him. For the floor of the ring I used some yellow furry paper that I have distressed with Ranger inks to look like sand and the clown and his props are rubons. The back of the ring has also been distressed. This is for the Gothic Arches 'Clowns' challenge today.

Dreaming of Espana

Gothic Arches challenge this week was 'Spain' which I found quite difficult as I don't have any Spanish stamps at all. So I had to play with colours instead and used Stardust Stains to spray the background using three different shades of orange and reds. They are lovely and glittery in real life. I stamped various travel icons in brown Stazon then added three Spanish die cuts - oh just remembered, Papertake Weekly asked for 'Die Cuts 'too. The last little touch was the Barcelona sticker.

Butterfly and Floral Flourishes

Whilst I was making the previous card I thought I would also make my arch for Gothic Arches 'Flourishes' challenge using the same stamps. As before from Dimension Fourth and Tapestry and coloured with chalks again.

Viva La France

'France' is the topic for Gothic Arches this week so here is mine. The background was created with various alcohol inks then overstamped with a selection of French stamps with an added expoxy sticker to complete the look.

Adirondack Chair

Gothic Arches challenge this week was 'Chair' so here is Joanna's wonderful Adirondack chair and lovely sentiment. Stamped in black Stazon and simply coloured in chalks with a chalked background.

Fairy in the Garden

Here is my entry for the Gothic Arches 'Garden Fairies' challenge this week. The stamps are from Dimension Fourth stamped to make the scene, in black Stazon onto a background coloured with direct to paper inks of varying colours. Then highlighted with pens from Stampin' Up and a few silver star peeloffs.

My Doll and Me

'My Doll and Me' is this weeks topic for Gothic Arches so here is mine. The main image from Crafty Image Emporium is layered onto pink card then over the arch which consists of various fancy papers torn and layered. The sentiment is on white vellum from a vellum Quotes Stack.

Collage de Paris

The challenge today at Gothic Arches was 'We'll Always Have Paris' so here is my collage. The stamps are an assortment of clear France stamps and the background I created using various alcohol inks swirled over glossy card.

By the Sea

Gothic Arches challenge this week is 'By the Sea' so here is my version. Created with Art Impressions stamps and various chalks this gives a more tropical view of the sea - certainly our seas never look like this.

Green Asian Gothic Arch

Three challenges in one here with 'Green' for Sunday Stampers, 'Asian' for Gothic Arches and 'Quotes' for Scrummy Stash Cafe. The background paper for the arch was created on white glossy card, using alcohol inks, bottle, lettuce, meadow and gold colours mixed together and pounced with the applicator. I then overstamped in green Stazon with various Oriental leaf and branch stamps. The butterfly and acetate cover are from a QVC kit attached with an Oriental coin and a green pearl brad. I added a Chinese quote on parchment torn and edged with green ink.

Moonlit/Sunlit Enchanted Grotto

Here is my entry for Gothic Arches 'Transitions' challenge and what a challenge it was. This card shows the darker moonlit grotto with our evening fairy spreading twinkling stars through the trees and the sunlit grotto with the sun and flowers out and the daytime fairy enjoying the sunshine. All stamps from Dimension Fourth stamped in Stazon and coloured in chalks and Sakura pens and inks.