Friday 3 October 2008

California Dreamin' and A Cracked Bone

The challenge this week on My Time To Craft is Trees and Leaves. I started this card by creating the image of a windswept tree on a stormy day but then I got stuck with where I would go next to finish the project. However while waiting for an appointment yesterday I came across the lyrics of the song "California Dreamin'" by the Mammas and Pappas and that was my inspiration to finish the card.

To create my picture, I first made the background using Adirondack dye inks and torn paper as a mask to for the hills. The stormy sky was a mix of Distress inks, mainly Weathered Wood and Dusty Concord. The tree is a stamp from Elusive Images, one of my favorites on the Design-A-Tree Set themeplate. I stamped it with Adirondack ink (Espresso) and then used one of the leaf clusters to stamp the leaves by colouring the just one or 2 leaves at a time with Stampin Up markers and stamping a few on the tree but most swirling in the wind.

The leaves on the front of the fold back part of the card are from a set of stamps that I bought in Partners some time ago. I tried a technique I first learned about on Michelle Zindorf's blog a while ago which was to ink my stamp first with Versamark then with the Adirondack dye ink and then once I had stamped this, heat embossed with clear EP. Once the leaves were embossed I coloured them with the Stampin' Up markers. I also used Versmark and the leaf stamp to stamp a watermark effect on the dark green cardstock, but it's not showing up very will in the photo.

The paper is from the Artylicious Season's Greetings CD, but I copied the image into my graphics programme and fiddled about a bit to get a grayer more stormy colour and added a text box with the opening lyrics from "California Dreamin". They may be a bit hard to read in the photo but they say : "All the leaves are brown , And the sky is grey, I went for a walk, On a winter’s day".

And the appointment I was waiting for when inspiration hit? Well that was my appointment with the Oral Maxillo Facial Clinic yesterday. If you read my blog regularly you will know I had a rather painful head to head collision with my dog last week. It turns out I have a hair line crack along one of my cheek bones. It will heal on it's own so thankfully no nasty treatments are needed.

24 comments:

  1. A fantastic card Phree...love it!! ♥

    No wonder your face hurt so much! Hope it mends itself quickly x

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  2. A really beautiful card. The images you have used are gorgeous.
    Sharon

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  3. Oh this is definitely a WOW! card Phree. Very skillfully done with gorgeous results.

    Glad it's relatively good news about your face but I bet it still hurts like blazes.

    Lesley XX

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  4. Glad to hear you don't need any treatment after your incident but I winced again at the thought of your cracked cheekbone.
    Lovely card. I've recently been inspired by song lyrics too so I was interested to see how you had used yours. The way you use text with your designs makes such a unique finished product. Very nice!

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  5. Your card is just stunning.
    Glad to hear there will be no lasting damage from your accident.

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  6. Oh my your card is wonderful Phree.
    Ouch you poor thing, glad to read that nothing needs to been done... One thing though did it knock any sense into you both, lol ;)

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  7. What a gorgeous card, I LOVE it! The background colours are just stunning.
    Hope your face is feeling less sore :)

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  8. Love the effects -BRILLIANT

    Glad you need no more treatment -

    TC
    :)

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  9. Oh my goodness.. a cracked cheekbone! I hope you feel better soon.
    Love your card, it is so artistic. Very elegant and serene. Many years ago I sang California Dreamin in my school choir. You have just bought many happy memories flooding back.
    Hugs
    Sandra xx

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  10. Fantastic work, love the card. Glad to hear you are healing well from your head to head.

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  11. Fab card Phree, hope your face feels better soon! Thanks for taking part in the MTTC challenge xx

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  12. What a classy looking card! Linda x

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  13. What a pretty card! I always love to come here and see the beauty you have created.

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  14. Pleased to hear that you haven't done anything more serious Phree (your accident) though it sounds bad enough as it is!!! What a stunning card, love the falling leaves, so beautiful! Please could you point me in the right direction of our own SBS group blog as I have lost the link :( Thanks, Denise x

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  15. Beautiful! I absolutely love this card.

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  16. Glad you're ok Phree and no treatment is needed, crikey it must have been painful, hope you're over the worst. Your card is superb! Love the techniques you've used, the tree stamp is wonderful. Great idea to use the song lyrics too. Chris x

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  17. Beautiful Cards...so sorry about the crack, your puppy is OK to I hope.
    Did your package come yet...went out on Fri. Hugs

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  18. What a great card, be good for any man or woman!
    Clairex

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  19. Hi

    Your comment on the hedgehogs hand made me chuckle .... THANKS!!

    Trust all's well, TC

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  20. Someone is becoming a pro at background inking and tearing papers ! Stunning effect resulting in a very elegant card. Just Gorge, darling ! X Fab

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  21. This is so very lovely!! Very beautiful!!

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  22. What a beautiful card and the leaf effect is fabulous !

    Hope you're feeling better x

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