Lots of pictures today! It's been quite a busy day, craftwise, but very enjoyable. I started by making the two christmas cards for one of our group challenges. As always, these cards will be auctioned and the money will be donated to a nominated charity. I had great fun doing these, very basic, but (I think) quite effective!

The odd picture is of a backing paper I created using a method described in one of my magazines. This paper was created using a piece of kitchen paper which I then covered with acrylic paint - dark blue and dark green, applied with wet baby wipes. I then dried the paper using my heat gun and scrunched up the paper to give it some additonal texture. Finally, using 3 different shades of metallic acrylics, I added highlights to the paper, again applying the paint with a baby wipe. I allowed this to dry overnight, then used it as the backing paper on the 3 ATC's pictured here. This technique is good fun - a real excuse to get messy!! The results are fabulous, as always the photo doesn't do it justice at all. If you've got a few minutes to spare, why not give it a go?

Now on to the ATC's. The theme for these was Vintage anything, the only problem with having such a wide theme is that it can be difficult to choose what sort of images to use. Having spent a considerable time browsing a vintage images cd, I finally chose the images I've used here.

The first card has the caption - "You're the only girl I ever loved", I found the picture very appealing and the caption suited my sense of humour. I resized the image then layered it onto my chosen backing paper. I then threaded up a dusky pink button and attached it to the top right hand corner of the card, and added a bead 'creation' to the top left hand corner.

I chose the image for the second card because I liked the cat! As good a reason as any, I think! Having resized the image and attached it to the background, I finished it off with a tiny pendant (rescued from my daughter, who was about to throw it away because it was broken!!) and a fabric flower. The result is a pretty, feminine card.

The final card is a beautiful image of a vase of roses - one of my favourite flowers. Because the image is so beautiful, I felt it didn't need a great deal of embellishment. I resized the image and attached it to the background using tiny purple brads, then added a dragonfly brad.

These cards are now winging their way to my swapee, so yet again, I'm waiting to find out whether someone else likes my art!

I did receive a lovely email today from the gentleman who ordered the chinese cards from me. He was delighted with the cards and said that he couldn't have been more pleased. I was well chuffed, much as I enjoy creating art and craft, it's a lovely feeling when someone else appreciates the things I've made.

I've made a start on a layout in one of the round robin books that I'm working on. This one has the theme 'Castles in the Air' and is a fantasy themed book. I decided to use a unicorn as my basis for this spread, I love unicorns. As unicorns are fantasy creatures anyway, I thought I would make mine pink! I've completed the background for the spread, and have finished the unicorn, but still have to assemble the spread. I'm also searching for a suitable piece of text to finish it off. I will definitely take a photo once I finish the spread - I'm really bad at taking pictures of the altered book spreads I do, and am trying to train myself to photograph everything I make - it's lovely to have a record to look back on.

Anyway, enough chatter from me for one night! I'm off to google for unicorns now...