Harvest Dance

Mmmm, this morning the air had that certain whiff of autumn: damp leaves, fresh earth - it's really 'back-endish' (as my mother would say - meaning, 'getting towards the end of the year')!  So I really wanted to give this image an outing today - it's perfect for this time of year.

I'm entering this in this week's Our Creative Corner challenge, where the theme is 'Fall Colours' and the palette is:

So here it is:

Image:  Mo's Digital Pencil, 'Harvest Dance';  Pink Petticoat, 'Dandelion Wisps'

Paper: digital paper by Scotty Girl, 'Autumn'

I love this image - so fairytale-like.  And when I saw Pink Petticoat's Dandelion Wisps, I knew it would make a great supplementary background image.

If you haven't checked out Scotty Girl's Etsy store yet, you should - she has some wonderful digital papers at very reasonable prices and I love them!

So, this is a real hybrid card - part digital, part me-made. I'll try to describe how I made it.

I used MS Publisher for the card itself - this is basically an A4 landscape sheet, divided into two columns to give two A5 'sides'. I zeroed the top, left and right margins and set the bottom margin to 5 cm, giving me a card (when printed, trimmed and folded) that is roughly 14.8 cm x 16 cm. 

Then, I inserted a 'Picture', 'From File', and chose the digital paper I wanted.  I then cropped this (note, I didn't just make it smaller - I cropped it to maintain the size of the pattern) to fit between the midway point of the A4 document and roughly halfway across the right-hand side of the card, also cropping the bottom to the bottom margin. 

I inserted another picture 'From File' and this time chose the first Dandelion Wisp.  I rotated it and placed it as I wanted it then I copied, resized and re-rotated two more of the Wisps until I was happy with the 'front' of the card.  I printed it out, trimmed to 16 cm deep, and folded it in half. 

I printed out Harvest Dance in the usual way and coloured it up with my Copics, going in with my Prismas between the elves to add some shading.  I inked the edges and towards the image with a cream ink pad, just to knock back the white.  I did the same with the card itself, for the same reason.

The addition of a dark green mat, a touch of green satin ribbon and three green brads finished it off.

And if you're still reading (well done you!), I'd just like to say a big 'Thank You' to Joyce, who has very kindly awarded me a 'Beautiful Blogger' award.

I'm very touched by this - it's always lovely to know that someone out there is not only enjoying my blog but is finding inspiration in what I do.  All of us in Crafty Blogland know how much it means to have our work appreciated by others.

But ... and there is a 'but' ... I now have to tell you 7 interesting things about myself and that's the hard bit!  I can tell you any number of things about myself but interesting ... well, that's another thing!

Here goes: 

1. 
   
   I was once on television, in a game show called 'Game For a Laugh' and I have the little trophy to prove it!
2. 
   
   I qualified as a bi-lingual secretary, French/English, when I was 20.
3. 
   
   When I was young, my ambition was to be a concert pianist.
4. 
   
   I know how to say 'I have a sweaty bum' in Greek!
5. 
   
   My name means 'Little fairy, goddess or nymph' - look it up in the Oxford English Dictionary if you don't believe me!
6. 
   
   My first meeting with many of my colleagues in a previous job was whilst I was dressed as Wilma Flintstone, auctioning off cake for a good cause!
7. 
   
   My father designed the first building that Charles and Diana opened as a married couple (and he nearly stood on Diana's foot at the royal luncheon!).

There you have it!

Finally, I must pass this award on to 7 of my favourite bloggers:

Peggy Marsh

Mina Hartley

Paula Williamson

Linda Heavens

Becca Feeken

Anita Thorsen

Rachel Jakes

All of them are superb colorists - I admire their work so much.  Their blogs are funny, informative and, best of all, inspirational - thank you for sharing, ladies.

So that's it for tonight - another early start tomorrow so I'm off to bed to read, with the help of my NEW KINDLE!!!!! Yaaaay!!!!! 

Happy crafting.

xxx