Christmas 2013 Notepads

Welcome! I trust you had a fabulous Thanksgiving.

I hope at least a few people remember me.  It’s been such a long time since I posted anything and I wonder if anyone checks for updates from my blog anymore.

I had been extremely busy making plans and then travelling (part of my wishlist) that I haven’t been able to post any projects to my blog in two months and several months before the last post in September too.  To top it all my laptop has been hiccuping ! I need to write an update on what I’ve been doing, as well as post some photos of my visits abroad. 

But in the meantime, here are some notepads which I created for my ex boss at her request - very simply put together using Papermania design sheets, borders & punch cuts and scraps from old Christmas cards.  The plain red and green background paper is from a craft store in Mumbai that sells handmade paper.

The colours are really bright but my images look hazy - can't figure out why.  

I love these British mail boxes

 a detachable bookmark in the pocket.  The vintage child image is from a chocolate wrapping.

snowflakes from my small collection of snowflake punches interspersed with tiny, star stickers.

The snowman is punch cut and assembled. I coloured in the edges of my image with watercolour pencils and then ran my brush over it to give it a soft effect. 

another little pocket and tag partially pinned down by the embossed poinsettia.

this one has lots of glitter but my photo image is rather poor.

Thank you for visiting me and leaving such nice comments. I read your blogs and stare at your creations intending to leave comments and them somehow time runs away from me. I apologize for that.  Lately it seems the hours in a day are just not long.   I will try and be better!

My home in Mumbai is currently under much needed renovation and that means I won’t be able to create or maybe even just work at any craft in the weeks to come.  We hope to finish at least a week before Christmas Eve.

I envy all of you  and your awesome creations.  I could never even strive to match your work.

Wishing you Season's Greetings and happy crafting !

Lena

Fall leaves ice pail

 

There was a time when I thought glass painting was only for windows !  I’ve come a long way since and there’s no end to visualizing images on glass. The biggest "wow" factor for me was when sunlight shone through the glass of my first ever attempt at faux stained glass painting.  I now see painting on a simple object as creating something pretty, out of nothing.  

There was this plain ice pail I bought that I just had to work on.  I love drawing twigs and leaves.

It doesn't show on the photos but the leaves are edged with gold and copper glass liner.

It looks really good when filled with ice cubes that lend a frosty background to the fall leaves.
I later gifted it to the younger of my two brothers.

And now I must catch up with my favourite blogs - can’t wait to see all the projects that my blogger friends came up with.

Lena

Diwali 2013 Notepads

Hello !

I’ve been away for far too long.  I hope everything is good in your part of our globe.

Last week was a happily busy one for me.  Here are the notepads I’ve just made as Diwali gifts. The Festival of Lights will be celebrated this year in the first week of November.

First order ready to be sent out.

Bye and happy crafting.

Lena

Cherryblossoms, Daffodils and Butterflies

Hi folks,

I've just completed three new picture frames and here they are:

Pink sequin flowers and silver 3D branches make up this "Cherryblossoms" frame. The background is charcoal grey and silver sponged to give it an "aged" look.

This one is dull gold and burnt sienna sponged.  The butterflies are decoupage (design paper from the UK sent by Simone).  I've then outlined the butterflies in gold 3D acrylics and added liquid glitter to their wings.  One coat of clear varnish to seal it all.  I don't know which photo is clearer but I think the fine grooves in the frame show a little better in the second one.

and the last one was quick.  Matt black frame with gold daffodil outline stickers studded with green gems.

Thanks a million to Tina from England for a box of ready to use art supplies.  The daffodil stickers are from her.

Maroon, Amber and Red

Happy Women's Day !

And what better way to start the day than by crafting !  As I post this it is already past 4 pm here in India !

A big thank you to all the lovely people who commented on my work in the past two days.  I truly appreciate your comments.  It makes me feel so good.

Continuing with my latest craze for decorating notepads....

 ..with a flower spray and folded tag.  The gems and gold glitter on some of the borders just refuses to show.  

Leaving a border all around, I highlighted a little of the design in the squares - with 3D gold metallic and then stuck the gems.  Actually this paper is a light brown and the gold and amber embellishments show very well.  Took several photos but the colour just does not come out right.

Here too the paisley looks gorgeous but the design appears blurred.  Created by sticking a paisley motif taken from another design paper.  Then I piped in 3D gold, glitter pink and glitter gold over the motif.  The top of the cover holds a wrist band which I bought from a local shop.  

All design paper used is handmade in India.

And now I shall go and make myself a cup of chai.  

Cheers !  Hope you all have a wonderful day !

Lena

Shades of brown and maroon

I seem to have been bitten by the craft bug considering how feverishly I've been crafting lately.

These four notepads have been decorated with an Oriental touch.  All design paper used to cover the notebooks is handmade in India.

 I love working with strips and here are amber gems to soften up the browns. The tea set image is from the magazine section of our Sunday newspaper.  I liked it too much to throw it away. 

 colour print out embellished in gold glitter

 white 3D pearl to highlight the cherryblossom and gold glitter piped into the centres.

my favourite strips - horizontally this time.

I love this design paper and have it in several other shades.  Also, there's something about clean pen sketches that fascinates me.

Apologies for the slightly wonky pictures but I'm that way myself !

Thanks for visiting !

Have a great day !

Child's frame

This one was easy and quick.  It's for someone who likes a lot of glimmer and bright colours.

The frame came in matt black finish so there was no need to paint it.  Blue velvet ribbon on double sided tape is at the two corners.  The edges of the tape that were exposed were covered with silver glitter. Then sat the two punch craft butterflies which were glittered in blue and edged in silver.  The rest, as you can see, is filled with flowers and dot gems.

"Antique" Olive & gold

Completed this big frame last weekend using acrylics and a bit of decoupage.

I first painted the frame in grey.  The second layer was in olive green.  Then I scratched it gently here and there with sandpaper so the grey shows through.  To embellish I've used my favourite gold and bronze 3D acrylics ranging from glitter to metallic, for the leaves and scrolls.  The butterflies are decoupaged and then lined with glitter.  Finished with a clear coat of varnish. 

Liebster Award

I'm honoured to receive this

About the Award - This award was designed to be a blog award in the pay it forward fashion. Once you've been nominated you award it to blogs that you like that have fewer than 200 followers to encourage new visitors to visit these new blogs. 

Rules for Acceptance - Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to their blog. Post the award onto your blog. Give the award to 5 bloggers who you appreciate that have fewer than 200 followers. Leave a comment on their blog letting them know that you have given them this awesome award.

A huge bunch of thanks to Carol Yates for passing on the Liebster award to me.  I’m still reeling !

In turn I would like to nominate

Sally Roberts – the koukou’s nest 

Sue J -   MadCrafter  

Anne-Elise -   FromAnne-Elise with Love

Rita  at   RMGCreations  

Val at Aquarius Blog  

Love to all

Lena

Four Cards & a Bookmark

Good evening from very warm Mumbai !

In the past few days I made 3 birthday cards and some other stuff as well.  Thanks a bunch to Tina from England for the package containing lots of pre-stamped & embossed images, labels and punch cuts.  I used a few of her gift offerings to make the cards below.  They are very simple and not at all like the fabulous cards you girls make but all the same, it is what I worked at recently and wanted to share.

The cardstock and base design paper is from my stock as also the lace, ribbons, flowers and gem embellishments.

This is my first ever House Mouse (should it be "Mice"?) card and also first time using dimensions.  I created this for an English lady.  On the inside I made two pockets with stiff, mauve and white gingham paper.  Into these pockets went two tea sachets and I forgot to photograph the inside. 

I was a bit stingy in using all the images of this set, sent by Tina, and so some went into the card below.

This is for a young man who works very hard and travels a lot on the job.

The central image is actually taken from the sample paper of the "For your Man' set by Papermania.  Why waste it...it looks cute ?!

My second time using dimensions.

The "Relax" stamp is a gift sent by a friend from the United States.

the inside of the card...... I hand wrote the sentiment.

and this one is for a lady in the U.S. who simply adores cats !

The card below was made for Shawn's birthday last month and the bookmark as well.

 No stamp was used.  I sponged in the yellow and peach water colours and later drew the spider and webs with a black microtip pen.  Saw this image somewhere on the net but can't remember exactly where.

It's been a long but rewarding journey for Shawn - from Mumbai to Chicago !