Life Is Better

Hi guys!  Remember this one?  My ode to grunge!  Who said hearts always have to be pretty!  Every once in a while you just have to let loose and try something different.  This may not be my favourite card, and it may not even be to your taste, but I had a ton of fun making it!  I started with a piece of coordinations kraft core centre red card.  I used the Lattice embossing folder from Creative Expressions (designed by Sam Poole) and embossed the background.  I lightly sanded the top of it to reveal the kraft core centre.  I used the edge of my scissors to distress around the edges, added a bit of curling to the corners and a few tears in the edges too.  Next I cut a strip of hessian (burlap, to my fellow Americans) and I pulled a bunch of the threads out to open the weave up more.  I glued it across my background for texture.  I had some old matboard swirls laying around in my stash so I painted them.  I used the Eco green red as a base, then coated them with watered down PVA glue and put a layer of gold on top.  I heated it and wiped across it to take some of it away, giving a further distressed look.  I glued them in place then started in on my focal element.  I cut a piece of kraft card in a two inch strip and stamped it with a snow cap pigment pad and a swirl stamp.  I then scored it so I was able to concertina fold it to make my rosette.  I glued the ends together to form it and used several glue dots to hold it down in place (note: hot glue is better for this, but I always end up burning myself so I avoid it like the plague!)  I swiped the edges of it with some gold paint very lightly.  I cut the small heart in the timeless Amour set in red, then cut the small heart insert with the outer heart die in kraft card to glue over the top, giving you the heart element shown.  I glued it in the centre of my rosette to complete my focal element. I stamped my sentiment on kraft card and cut it out with the fancy tag die.  I lightly inked it with Antique Linen distress ink while still in the die.   I pierced the edges of the double kraft card mat to complete the card.  Grunge, grunge, grunge and more grunge! I promise a girlie one tomorrow!  Finished dimensions are 7" x 8" in size. 

 

Yesterday, I put up the last of the charity auction cards for awhile.  I need to get all of the cards sent out before I leave for the States later this month.  I don't feel that I can sucessfully continue with the auction while I am away, but I would like to pick it back up when I return as there has been an amazing amount of interest and we have raised some money for a worthy cause.

 

Now for the weekly Comment game winners.  We had two extra qualifying posts this week also, so lots of winners!

For the week of April 7th, the winners are:

 Debbie Ravenshill!!!

Lisa Durno!!!

Phil D!!!

 

For the extra qualifying post on March 30th, the winners are:

Christine (andypandy)!!!

Anne O!!!

Jackie Trinder!!!

 

For the extra qualifying post on April 1st, the winners are:

Gwen70!!!

Sue Oakley!!!

Sandybee!!!

 

Congratulations to all!  Please email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your prize.  Thanks for all your lovely comments, I really appreciate them every one of them!  All for now, Sue x