Inspired by Circles

Only a few days left to enter the Country View Challenge where the theme is Circles. If you haven't entered yet, maybe my second dose of inspiration will galvanize you into action!

Did you notice how neatly stars fit in circles? The thought just tickled me and this was the inspiration for this panel.
I got so involved in the art making that I forgot to take pictures until my background was well underway... So here's a quick recap:

I started with a thick recycled cardstock panel and covered it with a piece of scrapbook paper (Docrafts, Gorjuss collection) thereby avoiding the blank canvas syndrome!
As I wanted to use wet mediums on top of the paper, I used DecoArt Ultra matte varnish to protect the paper and provide some tooth for the paints (use clear Gesso if you have it).
I stencilled circles with Textured Paste Transparent Matte (Ranger) in 2 corners, and used the Pixelated stencil (DecoArt) in the opposite corners adding Frantage embossing powder.

After drying and embossing, I applied 3 colours of acrylic inks, using a spray bottle to make it move and drip a bit. Some areas were too dark and too bright so I knocked them back with a little bit of gesso.
The photo shows the 2 texture stamps (Andy Skinner for Stampendous) I used with white pigment and black dye ink to add interest to the background.
For fun, I used this found object for additional stamping:




Those with youngsters will recognise the ammo for a toy gun.... it gives a lovely hole reinforcers (washers) impression.
For my focal point I used a text stamp (Da Vinci by Rubber Dance) on a die-cut circle stencilled with blue Distress ink (Scribbles by DecoArt). The bottom mat is a die-cut (Nellie Snellen) I found in my scraps, already coloured, embossed and generally interfered with, colour matched to my project with Gelatos.
I selected embellishments for their circle shape and chose some accordion flowers which I sprayed with pink mists.

And since my quote is about stars, I made a bottle cap embellishment with a stamped and embossed star (Crafty Individuals).

I felt there was something missing so I retrieved 2 scraps of papers and a die set (Spellbinders) and got to work:





















On the left is an offcut of a home printed photo and on the right a scrap of a failed Brushos experiment. Once cut they suddenly look more interesting don't you think? Anyway, from this set I chose 2 to include in my project and assembled with a ruler die-cut out of stiffened fabric.

If you'd rather attempt something quicker for the Circles challenge, have a look at my previous make here.

Thanks for coming by,
I am also entering the SSS Monday, We Love To Create, Stamplorations MM & Stencil, Stamplorations Theme& Sketch, SSS Wednesday and WOW Embossing powders challenges

Peacock CAS

Recently I saw a background made with drops of alcohol inks on glossy cardstock and the vivid colours made me want to try.

A simple image and sentiment on top and voila, a both rough and CAS make!

The image is a freebie from a magazine (Simply Card & Papercrafts, year/issue unknown but probably classified as Vintage!). I stamped it with Archival and as you might find it difficult to see from the photo what bird it is, it's a Peacock.

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the Casology, Craft Barn, SSS Wednesday and That's Crafty challenges.

Charming ladies

The theme for the July Crafty Individuals challenge is minis.

Maybe it's cheating but I used clear shrink plastic as my base for my handbag charm, obtaining a miniature at the stroke of a heatgun!

The image is from the Ladies Who Latte (CI-401) set and I stamped it with Archival ink. I was impressed by how clean the impression was, considering the shrink plastic was not sanded and this image is particularly detailed.
I used a bit of acrylic paint to block the face and limbs of my ladies to "flesh" them out and die cut the image with a spellbinders die. (I used the die twice to create the same top and bottom shape, partially cutting each time).
I then backed the shrunk piece with a paper from the Crafty Individuals Seaside book (No 6) and,  as an afterthought, decided to decorate the back of my charm by sticking another piece of the same paper (it's not double sided if you wondered) and stamping an image on top of the paper.

The image on the back is from the Vintage Perfumery (CI-341) set.
To protect the tag from bumps and scratches I applied a layer of glossy accents on both sides.

I made a charm with left over beads and added a sandal charm with a length of chain to finish my handbag charm.
The pink flower is just there for the photo by the way!

Thanks for coming by,
Also entering the Colour Crazy and  All Sorts challenges.

Nostalgic colours

The letter for this fortnight's dictionary challenge at the Craft Barn is N and I thought how perfect it was to try out my Shabby Chic stamps (Andy Skinner for Stampendous).

As a departure from my usually blank canvas, I chose to create this page with a piece of Prima paper in Vintage colours, providing the Coffee and Cream hues effortlessly!

I stamped and masked my images and created a shadow with Distress ink and Cut & Dry foam.

 

As usual dictionary definition and letter (today stamped in black ink) to finish the page.

 

One of the more easy ones... Wonder if the next one will be a twister?

Also entering the Graph'It markers, Penny Black and more and Craft Stamper TIMI challenges .

Making a scene

The sun has been very shy in the UK but at last we've had some hot temperatures and can think of summertime and keeping cool by the sea...


I created this scene with Life's a Beach Girlfriends (Crafty Individuals CI-284) and Cape Lookout Lighthouse (Impression Obsession) both stamped in Versafine Sepia. On reflexion the Sepia image didn't make an impact and I decided to add colour with pencils.

I finished by adding some seashells embellishments made out of super light air dry clay and decided to keep it CAS(ish),  light and airy like the seaside breeze!

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the SSS Wednesday, That's Crafty, Polkadoodles, Live and Love Crafts, Paperbabe, Anything but cute and Craft Stamper TIMI challenges

Dahlia Art

Casology is having an Art week and I imagined a half painted flower scene.

The brush is part of a stamp from the Artist Plate set by Rubber Dance, Delightful Dahlias are from Papertrey Ink and the Altered Art sentiment/splat is from the Messy Art set by The Artistic Stamper.

For the flowers I used several shades of dye inks, the brush was stamped in Versafine black and the splat with a DIY inkpad (the pad is made with Cut & Dry stamp pad felt from Rangers). Up close you'll see the texture of the felt has also been "stamped", which I thought added a little interest.

Hope you like it, let me know in your comments,
I am also entering the Stamplorations CAS, Craft Stamper, Bunny Zoe's Crafts and the SSS Monday Challenge challenges.

Layered words and Glaze resist

I was intrigued by the Tim Holtz's July tag, but in a rebellious mood I decided to make a Birthday card instead of a tag.

As usual, if you want the (correct) step by step, you should get it direct from the master here, but I will share my experience below, good and bad!

My base is a 6x6 Kraft cardstock and after die-cutting it with a stitched square die, I distressed the sides with a pair of scissors and Walnut Distress ink.
Initially intending to thread through my top panel, like Tim,  I cut a slot around my word die-cut, but I had to change tack as you will see..

For my top panel I stamped an image from the Curiosity set (Andy Skinner for Stampendous) and applied Distress glaze over it to protect it from the subsequent layers.
Rather than just colouring the background with inks I decided to use a Distress Crayon technique, effectively mixing a 3rd technique in this one project!
First I coloured with a blue crayon then, with a damp baby wipe, I removed the colour through a wood grain stencil (Mini Stencil Set 10 by TH).
As before I distressed the cardstock all around the panel.

On to the Layered Words technique... Plan A was to die-cut the base cardstock with a "Birthday" die, however the word was quite unreadable, something I didn't realise until I had slotted my top panel inside.

Mmm... I pulled out my alphabet dies to emulate one of Tim's block words dies and a new piece of cardstock to cover the mistake. I also had to use ribbon to hide the holes and you can see from the photo that I only coloured the bit of the ribbon that will be on show.

To finish, I added a piece of ribbon with stitching detail and stamped and embossed 5 small hearts with WOW silver EP in lieu of brads.

Now do you think the recipient is going to think I'm implying that he is an Antique? I certainly hope so!

Thanks for coming by,
I am also entering the SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday, We Love To Create, WOW Embossing powders  challenges

Weird or What

And the choice was... Weird. I'm of course talking about the latest Dictionary challenge at the Craft Barn, where the letter is W.
My word suggested itself when I saw the Dream in Darkness challenge who goes for anything Quirky, Weird, Odd or Dark.

I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted to do with the zip stamp I bought recently from The Artistic Stamper and it was weird...

The Butterflies in the zip opening are by Crafty Individual (CI-231), which I inked with dry Brushos and sprayed with water for stamping. [I now have a considerable number of cardstock odds and ends full of butterflies as the Brushos give a large number of impressions]
The rest of the stamping is the Collage BIGZ by Katzelkraft inked in Versafine black.
For colours I added a mix of inks with Distress foam.

And for final touches, the printed dictionary definition and the letter W, a die-cut (Die-namics alphabet).

Thanks for coming by,
I am also entering the The Artistic Stamper, Sandy & Amelie Steampunk, Craft Barn (Butterflies), Penny Black and more challenges

At face value

Finally the July, the official kick off for summer holidays and weather... and also of the latest Country View challenge. where the theme is Circles.

For my inspiration piece, I made simple circle stencils out of acetate and used Distress foam to ink 3 circles of increasing sizes in pink, blue and green.
Inside I stamped 3 faces from the Collage Mix plate by Rubber Dance and the Muse sentiment from the same set.

I die cut my panel with the Stitched Rectangles by Craft Too and matted it on my base card.

So you see... going in circles doesn't need to drive you round the bend!
I hope you join us at Country View Challenges this month and wonder what you will make.

Thanks for coming by,
I am also entering the SSS Wednesday challenge