Same stamp different ways

This is the WOW! Embossing Powder challenge for this October month. I liked the theme but I couldn't get any ideas on what to do so I played around with different combinations of stamps and techniques until I nearly gave up!  I had one last go at the week end and finally chose what to do. I kept it simple using just one stamp and a minimum of embellishments.

I first inked the Snowflakes background stamp (Impression Obsession) with a multi coloured inkpad.
For my second way with the stamp I white embossed a matching piece of cardstock. I then die-cut a piece with a Spellbinders die and threaded through some blue paper as a "ribbon".
I then decorated my strip with very small die-cuts in silver.

The most time consuming part of the card has been the gluing of the tiny gems at the centre of the small snowflakes!

Thanks for coming by,

Hug and nowhere

Once again I turned to the Paper Artsy blog for inspiration for my entry to the Craft Barn Quote challenge. The words are Hug and Nowhere and I selected a quote based on my having the perfect stamps from Paper Artsy for it (Hot Pick 1208).
Wanda had used alcohol inks on tiles and I wanted to have another go after the less than successful attempt in this project. You can see her wonderful work here. I'll admit there isn't a lot in common in the end, apart from the alcohol inks and the painting, but having chosen such detailed stamps and used paper that turned out even more absorbent than glossy paper let alone ceramic,  things didn't pan out this way.

Still I liked the atmospheric results, so I went with it.

Without further ado a dark, wet wintry London:

For the background I started like Wanda with drops of ink and added alcohol to get it moving because the card was absorbing the ink and the inks were drying too fast. Getting increasingly desperate I added inks, alcohol, more inks, added the opaque Snowcap, the shimmering Pearl, more alcohol... you get the picture.

I stamped the Big Ben image partially with Versafine and embossed with clear powder so I wouldn't have to worry about painting later. It wasn't very dark so I switched to Archival for my bus. This worked out well, as clear embossed Archival ink is almost as dark as black embossing and it made Big Ben recedes as per aerial perspective.

I painted the stamped image with white as way to make them stand out from the background and when dry wiped the embossed areas clean. The embossing still looked cloudy so I reheated it and this brought the shine back.

I added the quote by Vivienne Westwood in pen and white ink and a bit of silver around the panel.

Thanks for coming by,

Baby Girl card

Cute alarm!!!
Quick post to show you a congratulation card for a new baby I had to whip up as the bundle of joy arrived a little bit earlier than planned!

This has the benefit of pushing me into using some of that stash of papers from magazines. The embellishments include a die-cut border (Tattered Lace) threaded through with some paper and baker's twine, as well as a die-cut safety pin (X-cut). I also made a vellum envelope to house my decoupage bear image, from the same freebie paper stack.
I am entering the Live & Love Crafts challenge.

Couldn't do steampunk, grungy or distress for such a small cutie now could I?

Christmas Sparkle

At Christmas with so much competition facing my cards on the mantelpiece, I search for techniques that will make an impact whilst not being too taxing to make! One of the ways to achieve this is to use a different shape or something with a kinetic element.

Having settled for tri-shutter cards, I cut 2 out of a 12x12 (less waste of cardstock compared to A4) and all the designer papers at the same time (quicker overall!).

My first card below is all about the big glittered snowflake matted on pearlescent cardstock. To make it, I stuck some double sided tape (large width) on a piece of cardstock, die-cut it ( Papertrey ink) and then applied white glitter (quite chunky) followed by a very fine bluish glitter. I kept the waste, a star shape, and glittered it gold.
I took this opportunity to use up some very old stash such as the Peel Off sticker and bauble die-cut on the right hand side panel

For the base I used Docrafts Kraft cardstock (the last one of an old pack), the papers are from the Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium collection (an oldie!).
Another look at the card laying flat:

On the reverse side, where the writing will go I have kept things simple, adding only small stamped images (Craft Stamper Freebies):

The elf is coloured in pencils and the baubles in gel pen.

I will post my second card, which I intend to be more vintagey, as soon as I put the finishing touches.

I am entering the Country View Crafts, Oldie but A goodie and Inkychicks challenges.
Thanks for coming by,

Vintage tones

When the Craft Stamper magazine started a series of articles about Scene stamping, I was hooked. The reason I got into stamping in the first place, is that no drawing skills are required to get a perfect result every time. So, I take great pleasure in combining my stamps to create something unique and my latest purchase of "dedicated" scenic stamps provides me with new possibilities. This is the inspiration for this card, along with the colour scheme provided by the Rubber Dance challenge.

I created the vintage look by inking a panel of white card with Distress inks before stamping my scene..
The lighthouse image is by Impression Obsession, the clouds Stampscapes. Finally the splodges (no, not coffee stains) are from a set called Messy Art (Artistic Stamper). I had this set on the table because initially I was going to use the big splat behind the lighthouse before I realised that to read as the light shining outwards from the lighthouse I needed a dark background and light ink. Still, there is next time...
I kept the rest simple and added what I hope are nautical knots, before matting on a crackled background.
Since my crackle disaster a few weeks ago, I am glad to report my new crackle medium (Imagination Crafts) works perfectly. Thin layers give fine crackle, thicker layers bigger crackle. The only thing to keep in mind is to apply the topcoat quickly in one pass of a brush- it helps if the paint is fluid (if not water it down first).

I am also entering the Imaginations Crafts challenge.

Hope you like my scene,

Aurora Borealis

After my arch card last week I wanted to use the remaining blank and create a scene along the same line, this time trying to create a Northern lights type of sky.

The stamps are all Stampscapes and I used dye inks for the colours.
I am entering the Fashionable Stamping challenge.

Thanks for coming by,

Experimental paste

Over at the Craft Barn the words for the quote challenge are Destiny & Gift and I have chosen my quote first, "Control your own destiny or someone else will", with no consideration to what I could or couldn't represent...
Well, after long searches in my stash and many brain storming sessions, nothing came up... Serendipitously though, the end result shows how little control I had over the design!

I turned to the Paper Artsy blog for inspiration and combined ideas from 2 Paper Artsy creations, a canvas by Gillian and a folder by Julie Ann, both using Sara Naumann stamps which I am a bit (OK a lot) partial to.

I used cardboard as it featured in both makes, and initially, followed Gillian's first layers. I didn't like the result so I tried to emulate Julie Ann's background adding the Quatrefoil motif die-cut and some stencilled areas as per Gillian's make. For stencilling paste I made a mix from sand texture, yellow micro beads and pink glitter (you've got Prima to thank for that idea). To that, I added texture paste to give it some opacity against my dark background. With hindsight blue or pink micro beads would have been better!

All stamps used are from ESN10 and I used paints with them. Quite impressed on how the script, which is very delicate, came out. I have delegated the elegant script to my printer as I wanted it smaller than usual.

I felt it was missing something and I considered melted gold wax drippings but chickened out, opting for white paint splatters instead. Treasure gold would look lovely too especially on the textured dots.

Thanks for coming by,

Multicolour Stamping

I love inking my stamps with colours be it inks or other media so the Craft Stamper technique challenge is right up my street!

The Autumnal colours were suggested by the Craft Room, Pan Pastel UK and Stamping Sensations challenges.

I used 3 large background stamps (Impression Obsession - Canvas and Grunge; Hero Arts/Sizzix Flourish) to create my "patterned paper". I combined different inks on the Canvas & Grunge and used watercolour crayons for the Flourishes. To give a seamless effect I use cut & Dry to blend the inks where the tone change is too big (e.g. from Walnut Stain to Antique Linen).
When using the crayons I use as little water as possible (better to get the crayon wet rather than the stamp) to preserve as much of the design as possible. Here is a pic of the stamp with the watercolour crayon so you can see how much there is.

The Crafty Individuals image has been inked with several Faber Castel big brush pens and I used Distress inks and Cut & dry to age the panel.

My finishing touches include gilding flakes on die-cuts and other die-cut pieces.

Love that technique and playing with the crayons is great fun,

CAS Die cuts only

With this card I am aiming for a simple but elegant look with a bit of sparkle.

Both the Happy die and Snowflakes are from Papertrey ink and the Christmas stamp I embossed in white is from a set given in a magazine.
For the Snowflakes I used a card weight vellum with an iridescent coating which add a subtle sheen. I simply stacked the 3 sizes available in the set and glittered the centre star.

Nothing particularly difficult here except the fiddly gluing of the inlaid Happy!

Here you have it simple Christmas!
I am entering the following challenges : Inkychicks, That's Crafty and Wedodoobadoo.

Thanks for coming by,

Arch Christmas Scene

The Artful Times challenge want to see Arches this fortnight and I am glad because it forces me to use this shaped card that has lurked in my stash for eons as I have been devoid of ideas about what to do with it!
Coincidentally I have bought new stamps (Stampscapes) so, obviously, they had to feature and this is what led to this design.

I have stamped my images in black, brown and green India ink (Faber Castell Big Brush pens) on glossy cardstock, mixing the colours on the stamps as per the stamping technique in the November issue of Craft Stamper since I am entering their challenge this month.
I then used various dye inks to colour the background, preserving some lighter areas as snow.
I enhanced those passages with some white pigment ink, dabbed on with a cotton bud, and some white gel pen.

I still have some arched shaped cards, imagine gothic windows, and no clue what to do with them as there is this central pillar to deal with. Any suggestions welcome!
I am also entering the Wedodoobadoo challenge.