Barking...

So nice today to just relax, feel as if I've been on the go all week.   I didn't manage my 'lie in',  and was in two minds whether to go to a country fair.  In the end I compromised, and tidied up the garden, pruned all the rose bushes, and after doing all that I was too sore to go anywhere.  But need to get jobs done as I have a date for my operation,  so guess I ought to slap some paint on the hall! 

My intention for the afternoon was to use my other new owl stamp and make a calendar.   I remembered I had this embossing folder,  so once the card was embossed I inked it up, then applied the Radiant Rains (Julia they are on the CnC site, and you will like them!)  I used the copper and gold, which when well with mahogany and rusted hinges inks.  So left that to dry, on top of TV,  a great drying place!   And turned my attention to the background.

I used a metal leaf charm as a template and used various inks,  autumnal colours, round the edge of the card, cut to the shape of the finished piece. Then dragged more ink over it in a random fashion,  you can just pick it out at the edge of the pick, which also shows my lovely owl,  a friend has just seen it and reckons it is an Irish owl! 

I cut the flourish with the Marianne dies,  and inked it,  it is pearlescent card, so wasn't taking the ink as I'd liked, but it was working as a branch..

And here he is, in all his glory!   I stamped the owl on to super smooth card,  used pro markers to colour him,  then used UTEE on him to give a glazed effect.  The rose buds are from the Marianne range of dies, they come as a spiral die,  I inked, coloured and embossed them.  The sentiment is from the Hocus Pocus set (Indigo Blu), and it was finished with a mini calendar.

With all the inking it took all afternoon,  I needed to make the 'bark' pop, so just matted and layered it.  I like the owl because of  his quirkiness.   He's part of a much bigger stamp, Woodware range.  I like the rusty hinge ink,  TH range,   but you do need to be careful as it can be a very strong colour, so there was lots of dabbing.  The whole thing is stuck onto a piece of chipboard,  which is for a book, but I've used to make the calendars.

Yes I was at my desk!  I am so happy with it,  and it will be even better once I get the stash all sorted, it is a bit of a jumble at the moment, so I need to do some sorting out this week.   The desk seems to have made all the difference, which sounds silly,  but just having everthing to hand makes life easier,  plus the stash isn't being spread round the room anymore.  And at the end I just close it all up!   Brilliant.

Hope you've had a good weekend,  not managed to make any challenges this weekend... again!   Tho think the Owl may qualify for a few.    Thanks for stopping by,  it is much appreciated.