December Spectrum Noir Challenge

Hi Everyone

Ok, so I absolutely avoid messy crafty usually as I would rather keep clean.  I hate getting inky and messy and usually when I try I make an absolute mess.  However I love my finished card using Spectrum Noir Aquatints.

This months Spectrum Noir challenge is clean and simple and I love this type of card.  Although true to form I had the ink everywhere and even dropped some on my carpet.  I tried quite a few times to get it out and what worked was Leanns suggestion of lemon juice and bicarb of soda, luckily it came out really quickly as the carpet is a light biscuit colour.  So there is a top tip for you from Leann.  Although I really should be just made sure I didn't drop any in the first place.

For the card base I have used Centura pearl as my base card and matted my topper onto black card.  While browsing on pinterest one night I found a fab card and technique that I thought i would give a go one day and I wondered how this would work with the aqautints.  Here's the link and this ladies card is so much better than mine but this is my first attempt at something similar.

I've used colours 5, 8 and 25 and sorry I cant remember which packs they are out of as I have ended up mixing them up but you can choose any colours you like.  Then I've added the aquatint to a small piece of kitchen roll to use as a type of blotter, or ink pad and picked up the ink with scrunched up cling film.  then stamped with this cling film onto Sheena's stamping card.  I've used snowflakes from one of Sheena's ornate snowflakes stamp sets and finished with as sentiment from the friends and family sentimental pack, using versafine ink in black.

Hope you like it and don't forget to take part.

Louise xx

Spectrum Noir Blog Challenge - November

Hi Everyone

I've tried to get myself in gear to ensure I don't miss making challenge cards as I've missed a few lately.  So here is my second one for November and there's not much time left to take part.  The theme for the  Spectrum Noir Challenge is winter or Christmas and I've chosen a beautiful bebunni image and coloured with my spectrum noir markers.

The image is  Christmas Angel and I've used centura pearl card for the card base.  I've matted and layered with mirri card and some beautiful paper i picked up from an art store in London, ages ago.  Its been sitting in my craft stash just waiting to be used.  to complete I've just added some ribbon, a snowflake and some glamour dust.

Colours used blender, ig1 3 5 8, eb1, pp1 ly1 ly3 jg1, lg2, lg4

Hope you like it and pop over to take part as you just may win a prize.

Louise xx

Spectrum Noir Blog Challenge - Nature

Hi Everyone

Today's card is very simple and its for the Spectrum Noir Blog Challenge for August, the theme is nature.

So while demoing the spectrum noir pencils i usually colour a very simple butterfly image in with only 3 Spectrum Noir Pencils pencils to showcase how simple the pencils are to blend on their own. This is with a mixture of colours, it doesn't always have to be 3 shades of the same toning colour. I've coloured a fair few of these now but never finished a card with it.  The three pencils i have used are all from the essential set, 11, 56, 67.  I've used no blending solution or paper stumps this is just the 3 pencils blended together.

The Card base is made from CC black card stock, I've matted the butterfly onto Sheena's stamping card after stamping a little leaf flourish in shabby shutters distress ink.  The butterfly digi is on the spectrum noir DVD but you can also buy a rubber stamp, Flying Colours.  The sentiment is from the greetings set of vintage floral sentimentals, I just love these they come in handy time after time.

A very simple but effective card i think and i just love the colours.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Spectrum Noir Blog Challenge - Summer

Hi Everyone

A little summery card to share with you today and this is my card for the July Spectrum Noir blog challenge, which is Summer.  And you only have today and tomorrow left to enter....... July is coming to an end............

So I have used my Spectrum Noir markers and Spectrum Noir Pencils with a beautiful Skipping  image from Lily of the valley, as it reminds me of summer with her pretty summery dress on too.  My base card is Kraft card and I've matted with nitwit papers, promises and promises solids.  I bought the frame a while ago but not found a card I wanted to use them on as they are so special, so thought this was perfect and centered it over a sentiment stamped in dusty concord distress ink.  I've used white Frantage on the main image and added a few pearls and lace ribbon and finished with a very small flower die  and added a little bit of bling from Chloe.

colours used

FS1, FS3, FS4, TN2, TN3, TN4, EB1, EB3, EB8, LV1, LV2 blender, cr3, pencils 81, 89, 96 with blending solution and paper stumps

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Spectrum Noir Challenge - Backgrounds

Hi Everyone

This months Spectrum Noir Challenge is Backgrounds and I have to say I like the safety of colouring a pre stamped image in rather than create my own backgrounds.  But...........   there are lots and lots of different backgrounds that can very easily be created. on the spectrum noir blog, there are lots of ideas from simple dottie backgrounds to the more detailed backgrounds on Leanns Spectrum Noir Intermediate DVD.  I've also included a detailed cloud tutorial on the website and Leann also shows one in her dvd too.

So mine is just creating a sky with a few clouds, easy peasy...........  The stamp is Toadstool village 3 from the house of zandra who has some fab images just waiting to be coloured and I've coloured using the following pens and pencils

Spectrum Noir Pens IB1, IB2, IG1, Eb1, EB2, EB3, CR3, CR8, CR11, DR1, DR7, DG2, DG4, HB1
Spectrum Noir Pencils 89, 117, 96, 28,58

I've made the card base from watercolour card and embossed with the Make a wish 6x6 folder.  the image is matted onto kraft card inside the card after cutting an aperture with a circle in the front of the card.  The sentiment is from the verses sentimental stamp set and i then finished off with a wooden butterfly coloured with DR1.

Hope you like it and don't miss out on the chance to win a fab prize.........

Louise

Spectrum Noir Blog Challenge - May Flowers

Hi Everyone

Gracie and I spent a crafty afternoon yesterday making cards and she made some shrink plastic shapes too.

This months Spectrum noir challenge  is flowers so here's the card using the Romance Create a card die on watercolour card, backed with bright pink Coredinations, (Gracies choice). The flowers are made from vellum and coloured with CR11 and CR5, spectrum noit pens in the centre, made using the blissful flower quilling die. Love making these flowers, I've also added a few leaves too.

Hers what Gracie got up to with her Shirnkies and the heat tool, supervised of course.

Hope you like the card and there's just a few days left to enter the challenge blog.

Louise xx

Bamboo on Kraft Card

HI Everyone

For my recent spectrum noir post i shared a card i made used the new Neenah Desert Storm from crafters companion and my spectrum noir pens .  The full tutorial with colours used is located on the Spectrum Noir blog.

The stamp is Bamboos favourites, backing papers are maja design and I've cut a scalloped circle to mount bamboo onto.  I've used aged rose frantage on the edges of the striped paper to match the metal butterfly.  the die is a Butterfly Flourish and then just a little lace decorated with pearls along the bottom.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Shades of Grey

Hi Everyone

Time to share my latest Spectrum Noir Tutorial with you.  This time i have kept my card very simple and I just love the finished result.

The stamp is from Indigo Blu and this one is called Rose Blush, how beautiful is it.  AND while trying to find the link for you I have just spotted more of the same type so I can feel my bank balance taking a hit, there is a clematis, anemone etc, stunning!!!

The colours i have used and a tutorial are all located on the Spectrum Noir Blog and I think I have only used 6 or 7 shades of Spectrum Noirs so not a lot of work required an i think the colouring took me 20 mins max. My card base is made with Watercolour card and I've used Neenah to colour on to, with a hint of black matt card to layer with.  The stamp is a Stamp it Australia stamp set, sentiment swirls, its such a useful stamp set to have and the font is beautiful.

I think this one will be used for Kevin s Mams next birthday.

Hope you like it

Louise xx

Alva Colour

Hi Everyone

Just sharing with you today I card I have forgotten to blog about as it was shared on the Spectrum Noir Blog in February.

I found this stamp Alva Colour while browsing the web and treat myself at Christmas time I think on the Bunny Zoe website. I just love fairies and I think this goes back to when my sister and I read about the young girl who had photographs of fairies at the bottom of her garden, which of course all turned out to be fake.   It was one of the first sites I found when starting to make cards and I love it, there's so much to choose from.  The spectrum noir markers used are all listed on the blog and my card base is using, Kraft cardstock.  I've matted onto coredintations card and then used a sheet from a paper pad, Country Lady, Margaret and I shared a pack when we visited the NEC last year, so its a good way to feed my paper addiction but not have so many in my collection.  The roses and leaves are made using the same papers and card using Bitty Blossoms dies and the borders are Damask accents.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Spectrum Noir Challenge - Green

Hi Everyone

For the month of march the spectrum noir blog challenge has been green, something to do with a certain St Patrick i think.

Here's my challenge card and you can find more on the blog page.  I've used the Soar stamp from the Rachelle Anne Miller range and coloured her with Spectrum Noir markers.  The colours used are listed below.  The papers are from my stash and i matted them with Kraft card.  i made a couple of tags using my Favorite tags dies.  Then added a button and a few flowers.

blender, TN7, TN4, TN3, TN2, TN1, EB3, FS4, CT1, CT3, CT4, CG4, CG3, CG2, CG1, CR3, EB1

There's only today and tomorrow left so hurry if you would like to enter.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Animals or Critters

Hi Everyone

OMG how are we nearly at the end of January?  I've been going to share this card for a while now thinking i had ages left but there's only a couple of days to go before its feb.

So the theme is animals or critters for the Spectrum Noir blog challenge of January.  I've chosen butterfly's from a Stamp-it Australia  stamp set and matched it with an embossing folder, ornate butterfly.  To create the background I've scribbled 3 shades of spectrum noir pens, using the chisel end of the pen onto the reverse side of the stamped image embossed in black, onto some heat resistant acetate.  Then I've spritzed it with spectrum noir blender solution popped into a spray bottle and dabbed it with cut up kitchen pan scrubber.
The colours I've chosen are LV2, LV3 and BP3

I love the effect after you matt this onto gold mirrir card.  The card base is made using crafters companion matt black card and I've embossed two shades of centura pearl card to match, then finished off with brads and a sentiment.

Ok, now i have realised its nearly February i need to quickly make two new challenge cards, one is masculine and the other is a clean and simple card.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

FOOD!!!!

Hi Everyone

The Spectrum Noir Blog Challenge for December is food............  So i have chosen a Lily of the Valley stamp i bought ages ago and had not even used once............  This one is called Icing the Cake.

All of the colours of the Spectrum Noir pens used are on the spectrum noir blog page and I've used crafters companion black matt card stock for the base.  Then some red card from my stash and the patterned paper is from Colemans when i demoed a couple of weeks ago.  Claire and i bought 2 packs and shared them.  Its an A4 paper maker pack in cream and black and its gorgeous, we also got the pink and blue too....  Then I've cut my coloured image out with the circle die from the Chantilly lace diesire die and used the black card stock for the matching Chantilly lace die.  I've also used some Frantage on the edge of my image, the smallest tag from the scalloped tag  diesire set and finished with a bit of matching black ribbon.

This card has gone to my friend Audrey who called me the other night to say she loved it. I'm just about to lock myself away in my craft room to make some more Christmas cards.  I am not allowed out until i am done as i have left it far to late this year.

Hope you like it and don't forget to pop over to the blog and take part for a fabby prize.

Louise xx.

Little Ivy

Hi Everyone

I've been so busy that's its been a whole month since I've posted and i even missed the post of my next crafty make on the spectrum noir blog.  It went up on the 16th November i think.  But, its been a busy month what with the NEC, then a demo at Graces Middlesbrough and then this weekend gone at Colemans in Rushden.  I'm not complaining, i wouldn't have it any other way...............  although i need a weekend off soon.

Sooooooooo, tomorrow Leann and i are off to the big smoke.  We've been talking about this for a while and finally have been able to fit it in.   We leave tomorrow, hopefully if the trains are running......  what a weekend to pick........  although there is always plan B if there are no trains, drive to Peterborough and drop Leanns TV samples off ready for next week and then a quick train journey into Kings cross.  i think its only about 45 mins - an hour.  So either way we will get there and I'm sure i will have some photos to share with you.

Anyway, here's my card for the Spectrum noir Christmas blog challenge November, sorry you cant enter now as its finished.  Although there is another one already up for December so i will have to be quick and share that one.

I've used a Lily of the valley image, Little Ivy, coloured with my fabby brand new Spectrum Noir Pens, colours are on the Spectrum blog.  The base is our fab new Crafters Companion Kraft Card, with red coredinations embossed using a holly embossing folder.  Hope you have one as they are all sold out although a mistletoe 6x6 is still available and would be just as good.  The patterned paper is from my stash as is the ribbon.  I've also die cut a bow using the same embossed coredinations and a stamp from the Mistletoe kisses sentimental stamp set using fired brick distress ink.

Hope you like it.

Louise

Spectrum Noir Challenge Blog - Orange

Hi Everyone

My first post since vie returned from hols and this card has been ready for a month, just no time left in the day...............

So the them is orange this month and it would have been easy to make a Halloween card but i decided to colour this image in as ive had her for ages and not even tried. She's called Fairy Fae from Tiddlyinks and i just love her, she is very delicate and sooooooooo pretty.

All of the colours ive used are listed on the Spectrum noir blog, where you can find details of how to enter but October is nearly gone so get moving.

I've used paper from my stash and i think these two are from K&Co, backed on coredinations and a centura pearl card base.  The die is a sissix die that i bought in belgium and not sure of the name. I've used spray and sparkle iridescent on her wings and the cloud background is done by masked a cloud cut out and using tumbled glass distress ink.  It so easy to do but not got time to show you today.  If you would like details please leave a comment below and i will find some time to add it.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Spectrum Noir Blog - Embellishments

Hi Everyone

My card for October is using a beautiful belles and whistle image that I've not even stamped before, shameful.  (I've searched for this one on-line and can't find anywhere to buy it now, maybe I've just not searched enough) However i wanted to show how spectrum noirs could be used for other things and not just colouring images.  My blog challenge for September was using the refill inks direct to make a background paper and this time i have used my pens direct to vellum to colour tint a quilled flower.  This one is a small sunflower but you could use any of your choice.

I've used my favourite black card, Crafters Companion new Matt black cardstock, Spectrum Noirs and the patterned paper i picked up on one of my demo days at a local craft shop but i think i got the last pieces. However i have searched on-line and here's a place you can find them, the black background, the yellow polka dot, but I'm sure if you search more you could find single sheets.

Then I've added some black lace from my stash, leaves using leaf 2 and some black pearls.  The sentiment is printed from my pc.

You can find a full list of the colours used on the Spectrum Noir Blog.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Spectrum Noir Blog Challenge - Travel

Hi Everyone

The September Spectrum Noir Challenge is Travel, and it is nearly at and end, only tomorrow left to add your entry.  So i have chosen a stamp set from Stampit Australia, Around the world.  The base card has been made using the matt side of centura pearl white card. First i stamped several of the images in versamark ink and embossed with black embossing powder. I have used 3 distress ink pads, vintage photo, frayed burlap and peeled paint.  Then once the inks are applied i've used a bottle of spectrum noir refil blender ink and EB5 and randomly dropped the ink onto the surface.  Once i trimmed the background to the correct size for my card i have use black soot distress ink on the edges to remove the white edge.

Then i've added a sentiment from the same set, some twine and a charm and a black border using a spellbinder edgebility from my die stash.  The base is Crafters companion Matt black card, i love this new card from CC, its really sturdy to make card bases.....

 Why not pop over and take part, there will be a fab prize and all you need to do is follow the them and use your Spectrum Noirs.      

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

A little bit Summery

Hi Everyone

My tutorial for the Spectrum Noir Blog is now up, well I'm a day late..........  I love love love Sheena's little bit floral stamp as flowers always come in handy for all sorts of occasions so i have chosen the beautiful Dahlia to colour.

The full technique and the spectrum noirs colours used are on the blog if you would like to have a go.  The background is using 3 different distress inks, squeezed lemonade, picked raspberry and peeled paint.  First i embossed the card with versamark and then used white embossing powder. Then when you add the ink with cut and dry foam the white powder resists where the embossing powder is.  Then just a few bits and pieces to finish and a tag from the Scalloped Tag pack of dies.

I was demoing a similar card at Strikes Stokelsey yesterday, and this week i am demoing at Crafty Nook in Durham on Thursday, details below.  Please pop in if you can it would be lovely to see you.............

Event:	Demo Day at Crafty Nook
Date/Time:	Thursday 5th September
Location:	Durham
Description:	Demo Day at Crafty Nook in Durham with Louise Welsh. 10am - 4pm Please call 0191 374 0877 for more information. Address: Unit 27 Durham Indoor Market Durham DH1 3NJ

Hope you like it

Louise xx

Anything but a card Challenge

Hi Everyone

This months (August) challenge on the Spectrum Noir blog was to create a project but not a card.  So while out and about i scouted for something i could decorate and this is what i found at Houghton Hall Garden Centre on Saturday gone when i was demoing.  The frame only cost me £2.40 and i think it will be a perfect addition to Gracies bedroom.

I have covered it with Gingham paper from the Party Paws cd and some purple braiding,  i also bought from the same craft shop.  The link takes you to a full pack but in each shop its sold separately for only £1.00 per roll.  Then all i have done is coloured two lily of the valley images, Lovley Lilies and My Best Friend  in with my spectrum noir pens in matching colours. and cut them out and stuck onto the frame.  To complete i have just added a few liquid pearl drops.

 Colours used

hair EB1, TN2, TN3, TN7, EB3, EB8, BG7
Skin, FS2, FS3, TN2, CR3, CR4
Dress & Hairband HB1, LV1, LV2, LV3, JG1, , JG3, JG7
Flowers and leaves DG2, DG4, GB1, GB5, EB3
Cat IG1, IG3 & IG6

Pop over and take part, you just might win......

Hope you like it

Louise xx

Friendship

Hi Everyone
A really really quick post from me today as i need to go and pack for my London trip.........  i can't wait after the match last night as Murray did amazing against Janowicz.

This card is for the July Challenge on the Spectrum noir blog challenge and this month it is friendship.

I've not coloured many Bamboo images so i chose this one party with Bamboo, coloured with spectrum noirs.  The backing paper is from the party paws papercrafting cd and a panel of coordination's using the perfect paisley embossing folder.  Then to finish i have used a sentiment stamp from the party paws range and tag die, then a few bits and pieces from my craft stash..

Hope you like it.

Louise xx

Summertime

Hi Everyone

Goodness me i forgot to share this card with you.  I made it for the Spectrum Noir Monthly Challenge in June but its been and gone now.  (Whoops)

So, I've used a belles and whistles stamp planting some love (isn't it just gorgeous)  and the reason i picked this for summertime is as have always loved gardening in the summer and still do.  I hate it when its windy and cold but in the summer when the sun is out i can spend all day in the garden tidying things up

Coloured with Spectrum Noirs and the papers are raspberry road from a a pack free in a  magazine i bought ages ago.  The dies are Marianne, Rectangle and Heart and stamp set from the collectable range.  i have then used a Martha Stewart border punch along the edges of the centre piece of card with added liquid pearls.   The large pink flower is using a small sunflower quilling die and the other two are out of my crafts stash.

Hope you like it.

Louise xx