TCR 65 "Sommarbad" (summer dips in the sea) and TCR 65B "Stockholm In My Heart" and the page I tried to upload yesterday

The colours in the palette that TCR released on Friday are among my absolute top favourites; blue and tan with a hint of mint. Here's the gorgeous palette:

The tan made me think of old and battered sepia photos and as you all know, I love old photos. This one is from MIL's photo album and shows DH's two cousins with their dad one summer in the early 1950's. DH spent all his childhood summers with his maternal relatives on the Swedish island called Gotland. It has the most magnificent fine-grained sand beaches but also a coastline of soft, round cliffs. THE perfect place for mainland holiday makers, even now.



I used craft cardstock on top of a patterned blue/tan/newspaper print paper from Swedish designer Pion Design. I dry brushed Gesso and misted with TA in Suede before I used a heavy hand to distress the edges.



The big alphas were in craft before I misted them in TA Glimmer Chalk in Cornflower and then glazed them. I really like the shine to them, reminds me of the surface of water.



Some flowers that I snipped of a bouquet of silk flowers and the golden puddle is Universal Ink in Gold. Just like the moonshine on a clear night and the reflexes of the sun in water.



This one is to show you the "snowpaint" that I've used before. It's like Gesso mixed with very fine sand. Gives a fantastic texture IRL.



And the WP lighthouse that so many have used before me.

As I love any hue of blue, I couldn't resist making a second LO for TCR #65. I called it "Stockholm In My Heart". Any Swede immediately starts humming this song when they hear the first bars being played. It's an ode to my hometown Stockholm and how beautiful she lies between the bracken waters of the Baltic Sea and the sweet waters of the lake Mälaren. As I've mentioned so many times before, it's all about water in Stockholm and no wonder, the thousand-year-old city is built on 11 islands connected by bridges. Enough of geography.



The pic is of me and hubbs on a balmy summers evening a couple of years ago, we're having pick-nick with our best friends and the skyline of our hometown can be seen in the background. I handstitched around the whole page and also stitched some leaves and flourishes along the left side. The alphas are Prima and originally green, so I altered them by dabbing some Sky Blue and Chestnut Roan on them.



More gorgeous Imaginarium Design chippies, just love them. I started by chalking the flourish in Chestnut Roan, then dabbed it with Sky Blue before I Stickled in Cinnamon, Waterfall and Patina. Some minty pearls and jewels to finish it.



All papers are from Swedish designer Inkido. Dotted lace/netting from WP.



And a close-up of the pic and the misting. Mask from Prima. I would like to suggest you click for a larger image so that you can really see the blue/cream/green floral paper under the tan one. I just adore those brand-new papers from Inkado! I fussy cut loads of the roses and layered them along the left-hand side of the page on top of the stitching and in the cluster at the top.

Yesterday Blogger wouldn't let me upload a page that I had made just for myself. Let's see if it works now instead.



More typical Swedish summer images. This time the photo is of grass straws of wild forest strawberries, sweeter than any cultivated strawberries, laid out on the soft round cliffs found in the Stockholm archipelago. Even though its very late in the night, the cliffs are still warm from the sun earlier in the day. Here you can also see some of the famous summer light. Remember we're talking of almost midnight here!



All the papers are Anna Griffin Franscesca. Absolutely divine, soft, mild greens, blues and pinks. Here I have experimented making accordion flowers for the first time ever. Lesson learned is to use really strong glue and not fib with the pleats ;))





Just like old wallpaper! and a sweet posy of a Prima branch, scrunchy seambinding and a trail of fussy-cut blooms from another line by Anna Griffin.



Dear me, now I must have bored you stiff with my florals and fussy cutting. Hope you scrolled down and skipped the uninteresting pics. For those of you who have actually, yet again (boy, this is getting a habit) come all the way down here - cudos to you! and a really really big humble thank you!!

Should you generously also want to leave some comments or tips on how I could have made them better, I thank you a second time!!

Wednesday is coming to its end over here, it has been a really warm and sunny day. I think we'll settle for some Italian antipasti and cantaloupe for dinner. Some rosé of course and Doreen, if you read this - here's to you sweets! psss, I have had a couple of them Mojitos too ...

Cheerio for now! xoxoxox Eila