My first blog awards

I have just received blog awards from two of my friends at the same time: Ольгусенок and Fennec. Огромное спасибо, девушки!



The rules are as follows:
1. Thank the ones who awarded your blog (check)
2. Link up the blog of the one who awarded yours (check)
3. Show the awards in your blog (check)
4. Pass the award to 10 different bloggers.
5. Add links to those 10 blogs.
6. Inform the bloggers about the award.

Ok, there's my ten in alphabetical order:
Анешка (http://a-neshka.blogspot.com/)
Забава (http://myblogfortyna.blogspot.com/)
Сузана (http://quillingwithfun.blogspot.com/)
Creative (http://beautifulchaosart.blogspot.com/)
Inna (http://increations.blogspot.com)
Kandi (http://kraftykandikrafts.blogspot.com/)
Nati (http://natiquill.blogspot.com/)
Nenika (http://elena-scrap.blogspot.com/)
Pastila (http://pastilka.blogspot.com)
Sahulka (http://marinehemd.blogspot.com/)
Some are very popular, some a not, but their blogs are definetely inspirational and creative. Don't forget to visit their blogs and check 'em out =)

Пара конфеток: моя и не моя

COLLECTION is CLOSED. RESULTS can be found THERE
Запись закончена. Результаты ТУТ

Может быть, вы помните моих "кошек-в-окошке"?

Они у меня лежат без дела, подарить никому не могу, потому что все, кому могла бы, ее уже видели - а без сюрприза неинтересно. Потому хочу ее разыграть. Кто-нибудь хочет таких кошек? =)
Оставьте комментарий к этому сообщению (или аналогичному в ЖЖ). Становиться ПЧ не обязательно, но если захочется - буду рада. Если разместите где-нибудь ссылочку на моих кошек - тоже неплохо, присвою вам еще один номер. Разыграю котеек среди желающих 10.10.10. Идет? =)
That's a tiny blog candy I'm going to give away on the 10th of October. A cat-in-the-window card. Rules are simple. Leave a comment. No need to become a follower, but if you do I'll be glad ;) if you will post a link to this candy somewhere in your blog or at the sidebar I'll give you double chances of winning the card. Ok?

Cat pillows

One bride asked me to make two pillows for her wedding. When I agreed, I thought we were talking about regular small ring-pillows. But it turned out that she needed real couch pillows for the photo shooting.
That's what I made for her:

They don't look very "wedding"-like, nor elegant, because the bride wanted them to look "cozy" and "homemade" to add a touch of coziness to the shooting, which will take place at her wedding this saturday (25th of September).
So I tried to make them as soft, naive and cozy as I could.
Milk-colored fleece soft pillows (40 cm by 40 cm, 16" x 16"), crochet names of the bride and the groom of creamy-chocolate color and yellowish-red felt cats.
That's the close-up of the cat:

I drew about 15 different cats for the bride to choose from, she selected this one: the most "childish" I think =) Eyes are made of tiny pompoms, so they are 3d and they follow you from whereever you look at them.
Red cats in Russia are supposed to bring good luck - I hope these cats will make the newly weds' life prosperous and lucky too =)

Pont Alexandre III

A layout devoted to the bridge of Alexandre the III in Paris.

Мост Александра третьего в Париже. В основе бумага Бэззил Бейсикс с фестонами темно-синего цвета, тисненый "горошками". В середине штемпельной подушкой белого цвета по собственноручной вырезанной маске прокрасила овальчики, в центрах - золотые пайетки (на мосту золото присутствует, хотела его поддержать)
The background cardstock is from Bazzil Basics, scallopped edge and dotted embossing. I wanted to create a dark page for a long time - I'm always amazed when I see dark layouts with white accents, so I had tot ry it myself! Didn't dare to use black paper yet, so it's just dark blue (since my husband on the photo has a blue shirt on - it's a good color deal). So I had some fun with white ink, used a hand cut mask with scallops to make a kind of round edge between the three black&white photos and the colored one. Places golden sequins in the centers of the negative scallops to support the golden parts on the bridge:


Название: первое слово тоже сделано с помощью маски. Второе - вырезано из бумаги, на которой наштамповано Paris, если присмотреться. Номер "3" - тоже вырезан, покрашен золотым акрилом и покрыт лаком для ногтей с блестками.
The title is "Pont Alexandre III", the first word is made with the help of mask too, the second word is cut out of the white paper with stamped "Paris" word upon it (with blue ink; not the best of me decisions though). And the "III" is covered with gold acrylic paint and nail polish with golden sequins.


Белые цветочки на странице - штампы; Все срезы фотографий тонированы (ч/б - синими чернилами; цветная - золотым акрилом), подложки под фотки ч/б белые с мелкими фестончиками (поддержать изначальные фестоны по краям), по краю цветной фотографии нарисованы листики прозрачным лаком с золотыми блестками. Листики по углам - пайетки.
White flowers on the layout are stamped. All the edges of the photos are a little distressed with color (black'n'white - with blue ink; color photo - with golden ink) - it's not very noticable on the picture, but this twist adds so much interest in real life. Photos are matted with scalloped mats my CraftRobo has cut for me - they are meant to support the original scallops of the Bazzil Basics cardstock. And the color photo has a nail polish matting - which is glossy and has golden sequins in it, it's fun to look at it from different angles. The leaves in the corners are sequins too.


Tried to become a part of the design-team of St.-Peterburg Scrap-club with this project. Of course, no success =)

Pink wedding card

Today I'm showing a card for the wedding. The wedding was actually in August, but the couple was honeymooning, so I just got the chance to wish them all the best. And the colors of the wedding were white and pink (I'd evern say magenta). And so there's the card:

It is absolutely 100% handmade, though not archive quality…
Some closeups:

The centerpiece is a newly wed couple. I was inspired by Ty Wilson’s posters, and used tiny paper stripes to make an alike looking picture – almost quilling. And some pencil strokes to color the pic. The bride’s belt is made of satin ribbon. For the bouquet I used kids’ clay called ‘i-clay’, and a feather (from the pillow) colored with ink.


With this card I'm entering a few challenges:
-A pocket full of posies challenge - Floral fantasy; roses embossed on vellum, rose pricked on the ivory background, roses in bride's bouquet. (19/09)
Скрапстудия Sun House - задание 4, "Миллион, миллион, миллион алых роз". Роз, правда, не миллион, и они не алые, но розы ведь! =) (19/09)
-Pear Tree Designs - Challenge 17, pink! Pink of all shades is present =) (19/09)
-Cutie Sunday - Pretty in pink; well, pink is pink =) Or rose. Or magenta =) (19/09)
-Stampin' Susters in Christ - real or faux stitching. I used real stitching with white thread on the pink frame. (18/09)
ScratFIT - Go Green! In this card I did not use any special scrap stuff. The frame is created with the help of foam sealants, covered with magenta paper. The "beads" on the lady's corset are actually millet (yes, edible thing!) covered with nail polish. Charms are hand made out of recycled wire, filled with the same nail polish. Greenery in bride's bouquet is a colored feather I got from my pillow. And the whole centerpiece is surrounded with rose-petals frame done in the technique of tissue stippling. To achieve that colorful irregular effect I had to color a plain white facial tissue with beetroot juice - couldn't think of anything greener %) (30/09)
-Cupcakes inspiration - Challenge 76, be inspired by a wedding picture:

Pink satin ribbon, lots of fluff, white dress and wedding theme - I suppose I'm in =) (19/09)


All the patterns I used (stitching, pricking, embossing, quilling) I made myself =)

Tissue stippling

Forgot to mention that I have created a tutorial for the technique of tissue stippling, which I used in Medici fountain layout and Happy pregnancy card.
It can be found there, in English.

Забыла написать, что моя статья/мастер-класс на тему торцевания опубликована на портале Скрапбукинг для всех: МК по ссылке

Mosaic layout

In the beginning of August I took part in rus-scrap.ru challenge called "Crazy lifting". Participants had to scraplift someone's project. I chose a layout done by Theresa Amlong in technique of mosaics: