Friday, August 10, 2012

Tied Up in Knots

This week it's Lythan's turn to set the challenge over on the Daring Cardmakers
"Get Knotted!
You can use bows, knots, ties, knotted bow ties - anyway the
words take you is fine!
And once more the team have come up trumps - even with the holidays and the Olympics and everything
So come and be inspired and then play along by linking up
 and leaving a message."
I've made a couple of cards again this week, though one of them is not quite finished!

I had the idea of having a go at making some knots of the sort that used to be done by fisherman - the sort of thing you see displayed in frames in seaside pubs.  However while doing a bit of a google search I was diverted by Celtic Knots, and then by some that had been copied from stones in Alnmouth, Northumberland.  As Alnmouth is just along the coast from my home village I just had to see if I could do anything with these patterns.
It didn't take long for me to give up trying to do anything with a piece of string...hehe!
So I turned next to good old Craft Robo, and cut the design three times.  To be honest, it's not as "tidat" as I'd have liked, it's better to begin with a bigger image and clean up the edges.  This one is quite small and it would have taken way too long to tidy it up, but by now I was determined to use it so there you go.
I actually cut it six times, planning to do two rows of the knot design - but it took ages to poke out all the waste bits so I decided 3 would be so much better ;)
I like the idea and maybe I'll even go back and see if I can improve on the template, and look for some others too.
Materials and Tools
Smooth White 14cm sq  card blank
black Bazzill card
Pink satin ribbon
Black Prima flower, Pink flat-back pearl, Tiny black gems
Home-made decal rub-on sentiment
Craft Robo

I've seen a lot of the lovely shambala bracelets around lately and thought I'd try using the idea on a card.  You use a simple flat knot at either end of the bracelet and between the beads so it definitely counts for the challenge!
While I was poking around among my beads looking for some that weren't too big and bulky to use on a card, I came across a tin of alphabet beads that I bought years ago from Eclipse in the US and a plan to get ahead with a commissioned card presented itself.  Now all I need to do is work out the best way to add the baby's info when she arrives!  Apparently the scan say's its a girl, so fingers crossed it's tight!
 Materials and Tools
 Smooth White 15cm sq card blank
Papers "Beautiful Moments"  6x6 from Carta Bella
 Silver crochet thread, alphabet beads
Yellow flat-back gems
EK Success border punch, and small daisy punch

 
There are some fab ideas for Lythan's challenge to see over on the Daring BLOG, so please head over and take a look.  I hope you'll give the challenge a try and share your own ideas with us.
That's it for today, thanks for visiting, please come back soon

5 comments:

Angelnorth said...

These look great Kathy - the Celtic knot design is really striking and your baby card is cute!

Karen said...

Just for one minute there I thought you had been stamping!!!! I have to admire your patience with getting the image tidy...looks fantastic to me! What a brilliant idea to use shambala knots & the 'baby' beads for the baby card Kathy x

tracy said...

what lovely cards kathy :)

Unknown said...

Hi Kathy,
I'm back in the blog world! No idea how anything works but hope to be back on track soon ..... after I have found everyone again and spent a few hours catching up with all the lovely creations out there :)
Hope all well with you x
Bex

Lythan said...

The celtic knot card is so striking and the baby card so perfect for a baby. I'm really in awe of your crafting skills and imagination Kathy :)