Love is in the air at AVJ

A Valentine type theme starts today at A Vintage Journey,  The lovely Astrid is the host and she has chosen the title and describes it thus -

It being nearly the end of January, it's not long until Valentines day.

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine,

And man cannot live without love.

So the saying goes. For this challenge please share what moves your heart with us, be it a Valentine's card for a loved one, a heart themed project, or something else that expresses what true love means to you. Just make sure that Tim's style is evident in what you make.

I have taken the opportunity to make a card for my dear hubby.

A heart with festive berries, barn door and aged mahogany distress paint, dried and covered with rock candy crackle paint. When the cracks appeared and it was dry I painted with brushed pewter distress paint letting it seep into the cracks and wiping off the excess before it dried on. Then covered with walnut stain distress stain and baked on with a heat gun.

A pair of wings were dabbed over with brushed pewter DP, dried, sanded and inked with walnut stain distress stain.

I always collect pieces together that I think will go on my card.

These are the two pieces that formed the background layers. The striped piece is from Tim's Merriment paper stash and the dark red panel is a left over from Christmas where I had used the reverse monoprint technique using the holiday knits stencil. To give me more of the colour I wanted I dipped it into festive berries, barn door and aged mahogany distress paints, smooshing it on my mat and heat drying. Love the effects of the deeper mottled inky background and blended paints on top.

Using a small flourish embossing folder I added texture to the corners of the background piece and gently blended over fired brick and walnut stain distress inks.

I used the trellis framework, cut three pieces from another piece like the red panel, sanded the edges and blended walnut stain over before adhering them to the background

 Finally I added the collected elements to finish my card.

Now I just need to keep this hidden for a few weeks before I give it to Ken.

We are looking forward to seeing what projects you make with a 'love' theme and if you enter the AVJ challenge you could be in with a chance of winning a £10 gift voucher from Country View Crafts, our fabulous sponsor, where the prices are keen and the p&p is free.

Have a wonderful weekend.

hugs Brenda xxx