ATC updates

I've just posted the April swaps, though I don't think they'll go now until Tuesday - sorry for the delay but I was mistakenly expecting one more set of cards. Anyway - they are in the post box!

So....onto the May swap - how can it be time for the May swap already?! If you would like to join in, please email me on ljm.design1@virginmedia.com so that I can make a list of who is partaking. If you then find you can't get the ATC's made in time, please can you let me know so that I'm not hanging on for them.

For anyone new to the swaps, you need to make and send me three ATC's with the monthly theme and you will receive three cards back. ATC's must be 2.5" x 3.5" and you can use whatever materials you wish to make them. They can be on heavy card, mountboard, fabric etc - your choice. Just email me for the address details.

This month's theme is "Fabric"....thought I'd come up with something a bit different this time! You can interpret this however you wish...use real fabric or not, feature a costume, lace, pleats.....whatever you can come up with! The deadline will be 31st May - don't forget the Bank holiday though!

A special offer...

Another special offer on my online digital downloads! Until midnight GMT this Sunday, 24th April, you can purchase any two digi designs for £3.50 (four for £7.00 etc). You'll be charged the full cost but I will refund whatever you've paid over and above the special offer price. You can find them here... https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LindsayMasondesigns/items

Angels...

I spent most of today with my sister, Heather, visiting our mum and having a spot of lunch together. I also borrowed Heather's camera so I could grab a couple of photos of some things I've been working on this week. 

The completed piece is an 8" x 8" canvas which I created using DecoArt products...Media Misters spritzed over the gessoed and crackle pasted canvas and Media Fluid Acrylics used to add patterns and to paint the Angel. I used Glamour Dust on the wings...has to be done!

The second photo shows a 7" x 5" canvas which I'm still working on. As you can see, I've drawn and cut out the figures and am in the process of painting them.

 

What I do is to draw around the cut shape onto the canvas so that I can leave that area relatively free from texture. Once the canvas and the figures are painted I apply the cut out to the relevent space and add some shading around it to make it look part of the canvas. A couple of coats of DecoArt varnish (which finish I use depends on the look I want) seals everything nicely.

Two posts in one day....think I need a lie down now!

Cards, tags, door hangers and journal pages!

I'm doing a round up of projects made in the last week by my talented DT members...time rather got away from me over the last few days with lots of meetings, all day events and a quiz night too (our team didn't win!). So, catch up time no, with projects created by Millie Moss and Tracey Fairgrieve.

First up is a card made by Millie using my digital image "Gregory". Millie has personalised the card in a clever way with the balloons and the "acrostix" lettering.

     A closer look at Millie's great colouring skills. Love his bright and shiny cheeks!

Next up is a journal page made by Tracey....

.....how clever is this! Balloons feature again as you can see. Tracey has used one of quotes and trees which are all from my stamp sets. The quirky little chappie holding the balloons and stretching his arms wide is from my "Kookie Kreatures" digi download sheet, which features six crazy characters.

This is such an imaginative page that would also work really well as a greeting card.

Millie created some whimsical gift tags which would grace any parcel or could be used on the front of a card or on a scrapbook page. 

The characters on the tags are all from the "Kookie Kreatures" download which is an A4 sheet which can, of course, be resized to suit whatever a project requires. Here are all of Millie's tags....

Love them!

More creations from this particular digi sheet now....seems a popular choice for the Design Team!

Next up are two cards created by Tracey....

.....I can't tell you how much that kitty card is appropriate for one of my pusscats, Tara! She is a round ball like the image and her biggest joy in life (obsession!) is eating!

These two cards are so much fun and would be perfect for any animal loving friend. I really like the touch of white on Foxy's chest and the background is lovely - another of Tracey's great skills!

Millie has shown the versatility of downloadable digital designs in this next project which is a door hanger....

You can see by the ruler next to the finished piece that Millie has enlarged "Heart Angel" to a full A4 size. Millie explains how she made the hanger...

"Door hanging made for granddaughter Amelie. Lindsay Mason's digi image 'Heart Angel' enlarged to A4. Printed on patterned papers and paper pieced onto the original image. Embellished and pearls/gems added. Backed with thick card hanger for door handle."

What a great idea! I bet Amelie will love this!
Here's a closer look...

Finally, another creation by Tracey. This could be a journal page or a card...even part of a child's story book. This one really tickled me and I specially loved the pair of little eyes peeping up at the cheese!

How cute and funny is this! The mouse is from that same "Kookie Kreatures" set. You can read more about Tracey's projects on her blog 

Hotchpotch Creations

Hope you've enjoyed seeing these great pieces by two of the talented Design Team!

Pop by again soon for more!

Two cards...

Two very different cards to share this evening. The first is by DT member Elaine who has used my "Flourished Skull" digi image to create a really unusual card that would appeal to a lot of people that I know!

I love the border that Elaine's created...teeth! Lol!

The flowers and butterfly help to create the whimsical feel to this card.

A closer look at the details.....love the sheen on the flowers and the great colour combination. Notice too how the skull is raised up from the background for a more dimensional effect. Nice one Elaine!

DT member Millie has been busy again, making a really super card for a little girl. Millie has combined my "Little Angel" and "Kookie Kreatures" digi images which I think creates a very dreamy, fantasy scene that I think would delight any little girl.

Here are a couple of close ups of Millie's lovely work....

Millie's colouring is so

delicate.

She has really brought those characters to life!

Home Sweet Home

Here's a lovely project from DT member Tracey Fairgrieve who has used my Home Sweet Home stamp set. Tracey wanted to create something "homely, bold and bright".

I think Tracey definitely achieved that...the finished piece has a lovely warm atmosphere.

Tracey can't decide whether to keep this as a journal page or to frame it...I think I would like it on the wall!

To see more pictures and read more about how Tracey created her piece, check out her blog HERE.

Inspiration comes from lots of sources....

....and for DT member Teresa this time it was from reading the book "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children"  by Ransom Riggs. I haven't read the book (yet!) but the film, by Tim Burton, is due out soon. One I will definitely be seeing as, not only was it filmedin my home town of Blackpool, but two of my friends were extras so it will be fun to look out for them on screen!

Anyway, back to Teresa who used the book as inspiration for her journal page spread. As you can see, Teresa has used quite a few of my digi characters....Little Louisa, Delbert, Gregory, Percy, Zomboy and Jilly....all coloured to perfection!

This is such an intriguing journal page - doesn't it make you want to read the book?

Gregory, Percy and Zomboy, with Jilly up in the sky! I love Teresa's use of colour...so vibrant and with brilliant shading.

Little Louisa (as twins...apart from the hair!) and Delbert. Very interesting things going on in the background too.

If you'd like to read Teresa's description of the page, then pop over to her excellent blog The Fat Cactus.

Meanwhile, DT member Sallyann has created a story tag using characters from my "Fungi Fun" and "Kookie Kreatures" digi downloads. Sallyann tells me it was claimed by her son before she could even write on the back of it!

More brilliant colouring from Sallyann whose subtle use of colours is just perfect.

If you'd like any of the images used by Teresa and Sallyann, you can find them HERE. Once downloaded and saved, you can use them as often as you wish and you can reduce or enlarge the designs to suit your own projects.

Hope you enjoyed these projects as much as I did.

Colouring from Kelly...

DT member Kerry has been colouring some images from my "Quirky Buildings" digital download. 

As you can see, there are six different buildings on the A4 sized sheet.

Kerry says that she used Spectrum Noir Pencils and some glitter to colour the images and she plans to use them to make cards.

You can read more from Kerry herself on her blog HERE.

Thanks for sharing Kerry and I look forward to seeing the cards! 

Day of the Dead style...

DT member Tracey has sent me this picture of a project she's been working on featuring my "Flourished Skull" download. It should appeal to fans of the Gothic style or the Mexican "Day of the Dead" celebrations!

Tracey says that she used Liquid Pearls and Glossy Accents to achieve the effect on the skull - love it! 

This is the digital download that Tracey used, available

in my Etsy shop HERE.

A cheerful start to the weekend...

Well, the wet, grey weather continues here in Lancashire...April is living up to its reputation so far that's for sure! However, DT member Teresa has shared a really bright and cheerful journal page that's sure to cut through the gloom.

Teresa has used my "Fungi Fun" digital images to create an Alice in Wonderland style page...

 ....I love the colour spectrum that Teresa has used.

These little characters are sure to bring a smile to your face!

Notice the way that Teresa has created  subtle patterns in the background sections using markers and pencils.

You can find more details of how Teresa created the page on her blog The Fat Cactus as well as checking out her other great projects. You can find the "Fun Fungi" download HERE

Have a great weekend everyone!

ATC swap for April

April 1st, so time to sign up for this month's ATC swap if you'd like to join in. The theme for this swap will be "Water" (I know, April showers and all that - not very original!) which you can interpret however you wish. If you'd like to join in, please email me for my address on ljm.design1@virginmedia.com or, if you already have it, just to register for the swap so I know who's joining in.

The basic rules are that you need to send three standard sized ATC's (2.5" x 3.5") by the deadline of 30th April along with a self addressed A5 envelope with a large letter stamp attached. You can either make three similar cards or three completely different ones as long as they are relevent to the current theme. Each card should ideally have a title, date and your name on the reverse. If you've made a batch of the same design ATC's you may wish to put numbers on the back too ie #1/6, 3/6 etc. Several people asked me about what the ATC's should be made of....that's entirely up to you....stiff card, mount board, fabric etc.You don't have to use stamps or any particular products...anything goes!

If you then find you cannot partake in the swap please can you let me know so that I can remove your name from the list of "swappees" (!) that I'm expecting ATC's from. Hope all that makes sense!

Here are three ATC's that I created a few years ago now - all hand drawn with a fineliner pen and coloured with Promarkers. You can use anything to create your cards for the swap.

Some of you may remember helping me to create a display for Stitches Trade show back in 2011 when Personal Impressions had launched a range of ATC sized stamps!

I put together all the ATC's in a three tier "cake stand" style arrangement made from card. It certainly provided a talking point at my demonstration table that year! Happy Memories!

I really hope you can join in with this month's swap - the more the merrier!