A Gift For All Seasons

Hi everyone,

I enjoyed making my first bookmark so much a couple of weeks ago that I decided to make a few more as Christmas stocking filler presents … goodness knows why as I have hardly made any Christmas cards yet!! This evolved into the idea of challenging myself to make a set of 4 bookmarks as a single gift set, themed around the 4 seasons. I don’t have much in the way of sentiment stamps to reflect each season so I decided to go with seasonal images and colours, coupled with some of my inspirational words or verses that rarely get inked.  I also tried to take the opportunity to incorporate a variety of stamping and inking techniques across the 4 pieces.

Here is the full set. All of the bookmarks consist of a decorated panel adhered to backing card, with a hole bounded with a small die cut and threaded with ribbon from my stash. The common denominator on all 4 pieces is the Woodware alphabet stamp.

And here is some detail about each individual bookmark …

Spring

For this bookmark I created a simple colour wash background with “Twisted Citron” Distress Oxide ink daubed onto my craft mat and a water brush. I then stamped my sentiment using Sepia Versafine and heat embossed, then coloured my brushstroke flower stamp with Marvey watercolour markers, spritzed with water and stamped to create a soft watercolour effect. I then stamped the alphabet with “Peeled Paint” DI and heat embossed. 

 

Stamps: flower - Penny Black “Jonquil” (3587K); sentiment - Penny Black “...dreams...” (2711F); alphabet - Woodware "Additions";

Media: Tim Holtz DO and DI inks; Marvey watercolour markers.

Summer

For this one I created a “smoosh” background with a mix of “Kitsch Flamingo” DO and “Antique Linen” DI inks, then stamped my sentiment using “Picked Raspberry” DO and heat embossed. I coloured my flower stamp with Marvey Watercolour markers, spritzed and stamped as above. I stamped the alphabet and  extra foliage using “Cracked Pistachio” DO and heat embossed, and finished off by randomly stamping and heat embossing small dot clusters around the flower using Versamark and detail white embossing powder.

Stamps: flower - Penny Black “Blush” (2666K); sentiment - Penny Black “"The Journey” (3177F); alphabet - as above; dots - Woodware “Additions”;

Media: Tim Holtz DO and DI inks; Marvey watercolour markers.

Autumn

I blended three colours of DO (Fossilized Amber, Ripe Persimon and Barn Door) using my foam blending tools, and using a home made mask to create the sun; I then splattered with water to create some texture.  I stamped my flowers, tree branch and alphabet using Sepia Versafine and heat embossed, then created a composite sentiment by masking off parts of 2 different sentiment stamps. This was made a lot easier using my Press to Impress stamp positioning tool. 😀

Stamps: flowers and bird branch - “Meadow Flowers” set free with cardmaking magazine; alphabet - as above; sentiment - composite of unknown sentiment set and Crafter’s Companion stamp/stencil set “Life Happens”;

Media: Tim Holtz DO inks.

 Winter

I blended my sky background using Chipped Sapphire, Salty Ocean and Tumbled Glass DO and a mask for the moon. I created a bit of landscaping by blending Tumbled Glass and Chipped Sapphire DO’s and using torn paper, then spattered with water to create a “snowy” texture. Lastly I stamped and heat embossed the tree (Versafine Onyx), alphabet (Faded Jeans DI) and sentiment (Colorbox Pigment ink)

Stamps: tree - Penny Black “Before the Snow”  (3993K);  alphabet - as above; sentiment - Crafter’s Companion stamp/stencil set “Fairy Kisses”;

Media: Tim Holtz DO and DI inks; Colorbox pigment ink.

Challenges I would like to enter: 

(the full set of bookmarks unless otherwise stated in brackets)

Classic Design Challenge (November) - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Country View Challenge (November) - Christmas Gifting

Crafty Calendar (November) - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations #427 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Creations In Pink #38 - Anything Goes (Summer)

MAWTT #136 - Anything But A Card - TOP 5

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #2145 - Anything Goes

Penny Black Saturday Challenge (November) - Anything Goes with option of Not A Card 

(Spring, Summer, Winter)

River of Creativity #7 - The Gift

Try It On Tuesday - Make It Magical (Winter)

Phew! I think a need a bit of a lie down after that little lot. It was a lot of effort to create these, but I am pleased with how they have turned out and would secretly like to keep them for myself ... but I will resist!  Take care, and thanks for visiting today.

Hugs,