It's All About the Tale

Hi!  Today, I'm sharing photos, layouts and techniques with vellum.
The photos were taken on our trip to Tasmania last year, at the historical township of Richmond.  Here they feature the many ducks and water life that frequent the river flowing through the town. We'd gone down to the river to take photos of the convict-built bridge, and saw an abundance of ducks, geese, cormorants and other waterbirds putting on a show for everyone who was there. It really was quite amazing. The ducks in particular, were very nonchalant about the human visitors, waddling past, waiting for the odd handful of bread scraps from some of the visitors, not in the least bit wary. We'd only planned to stay about 10 minutes, but were there still an hour later.

The vellum techniques displayed in 2 of these layouts were part of a Wacky Wednesday class at Julie's at  timetocreate.com.au

 The photograph was put onto an altered vellum background. A brown vellum was alcohol inked in solid colours, with some metallic silver highlights. and attached to the background with metal brads, put into an embossing folder and through the cuttlebug.I highlighted the embossed section with silver stayzon. A bit of stamping (not really seen here) and the title, inked and finished with glossy accents, completed the page.

This was a piece of patterned and embossed vellum, changed with the addition of Opals embossing powders, Viva precious metals and Inca Gold. A flourish of chipboard, coloured again with Opals, and title completed the page. The ducks really do look as though they are telling a tale.



 





This cormorant was whizzing up and down the river, looking very busy.

 

 

The background paper was foiled in streaks to resemble water shining in the sunlight. A piece of metallic card was embossed with one of my favourite folders "Waterfall", stamping with Picket Fences Distress Stain and stayzon, embellishment coloured with Opals and metallic title completed the page.

Thank you for visiting. Di

Iris folding: not just for cards

I like exploring different techniques using paper, ribbons and lace. After teaching myself how to do Iris Folding on cards with paper and ribbons, I explored the "I wonder..." and developed designs that could be used on layouts, embellishments and as feature backgrounds.
As a family, we love photography, featuring the great outdoors and sometimes, we manage to capture each other pursuing this shared love.
What better way then, was there to combine the two into those "I wonder" monents.

A photo of my son, who hates being photographed, taking photos at Pirate's Bay, Tasmania. Also shown is one of the photographs he was shooting at the time.The iris folding incorporated street maps from Tasmania.

Iris folding has been used as a major feature in the background for these photos, showing the three of us at Russell Falls in Tasmania.
Thank you for looking, Di.

PENSIVE

Hi again, on not such a great outside day.
Today I'm going to share with you another photo of two of this year's tawny youngsters. They had been jostling trying to find the right spot, not too sunny and not too shady. When they were a little younger, they used to crowd each other out on the one branch, but as the weeks passed, they often sought their own space, but still fairly close to each other.

The tree they sit on in the garden is about 30 years old and has very rough bark, which they seem to favour. Growing up between the branches is a giant Strelitzia  nicolai (Blue Bird of Paradise). With its large banana -like leaves, the tawnies often use this as an umbrella, keeping off rain and too much sun.

This is one of the above tawnies, I've decided to feature in a layout. It's also the same tawny as in La La La.
I like using texture in many of my layouts and have done so here with a piece of sinnermay. Lots of distressing... torn paper, rolled edges, inking. The title used fabric covered letters, which were coloured and then picked out with self-adhesive beading.
Thanks for looking, Di

Cameos

This is a layout showing 3 generations; my grandmother, mother and self.  We believe that Grandmother's ( Rachel Rosina) photo was her wedding photo. We're not quite sure how old she was, but believe her to have been about 18. The photo of my mother (Maisie Victoria) was taken when she turned 18. My photo was taken when I had recently turned 20, and a bridesmaid for my best friend. Not only do these photos show the differences in fashion styles of the time, but also in the colour of the photos.

 To match the feel of the photos, I've used an oval-shaped layout to represent a mirror, lots of quilling, (all the flowers, and as decoration on the butterflies) and stamping. This will eventually find its home in a suitable frame.
Di

I'm Sure I Can Sing!

This is a layout I completed recently using a photo taken of one of this year's tawny younglings. Usually we only ever see one youngster with mum and dad, but we were thrilled, to find three youngsters this year.

A part of the background is paper altered by placing on leaves which had been sprayed with colourwash (used as stencilling just prior).... one part of the many enjoyable classes offered by Julie at Time To Create.
I love trying new techniques and using these, so as well as this, I've also used a ghost stamping technique.
I know the youngster is really only yawning (and what a mouth span) but..... what if!
Di

Sunset
Taken from the street in which I live. I wait throughout the winter, to take shots featuring the skeletal appearance of a deciduous tree. This photo was taken last year. So far, this year we haven't had such spectacular displays, and the leaves from this particular tree have only recently dropped... very late.

Out in my garden I saw.....

Welcome to my Blog. I am lucky enough to have a family of tawny frogmouths share my home.
They are so inspirational and I just love watching them and the antics that they have.



I am also a crafter and a passionate photographer of sunsets.
I am making my way around blogger getting organised so I'll see you soon!
Di