Ruby fairy...

Well, my son and I have been in Wales for a couple of weeks visiting my folks and I can't believe how fast the summer holidays have gone! I am back at school on Tuesday and the Head has asked me to go full time in year 2 until one of our staff is able to return from illness. He has indicated that it may go on until Christmas. This will obviously have an impact on my 'work/life balance' but I hope to keep on posting cards, if not quite as frequently as before!

Allsorts had a tough challenge for me this week- no rubber stamping! Rubber stamping is what I do! However, back in July I was lucky enough to win the prize over at Stamp Something Challenges which was $10 worth of digital stamps from Fred She Said. I have never used digi stamps before so decided that this was the push I needed. Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge was 'flights of fancy- anything with wings' so I have used the Little Miss Bitty Fairy image.

As I said I'm a total novice with digi images and as I printed on an inkjet I was rather worried about the ink running when I coloured. I decided to paper piece the dress by also printing her onto this Pink Petticoat paper. I coloured her skin and hair with brushmarkers but the effect looked really flat so I braved watercolouring them onto her cheeks and hair for more shading. I was desperate to use my shimmering watercolours for her wings so went for it and was pleasantly surprised when I didn't ruin it! Any hints on colouring digital images or links to useful info would be very welcome!

In keeping with the challenge, the sentiment has been computer generated then cut out and embossed with my wonderful new Spellbinders ribbon tags dies.

The colour combo of 'ruby, cream and gold' comes from Colour Create. Great opportunity to use this sumptuous red cardstock which is coated and embossed with swirls and circles along with this lovely matt gold and hammered cream- all from the local Pay-per-box. I used a few scraps of the printed paper and gold to decorate the inside.