90 Shopping days

I wanted to join in the Lost Coast Designs challenge this month, using the lovely stamps I won on their last challenge. With Linda sending them quickly and both US mail and Royal mail doing their bit efficiently I got them in record time.
So I had to use them...
The "Numbers" theme wasn't a natural fit for the stamps but the Penny Black and more "Get Ready for Christmas" challenge gave me the answer! I don't really want to make Christmas stuff just yet and, although it probably is what the Penny Black team expect to see, I took the theme literally and concentrated on the "Get ready" bit.  [I hope they will let me off...]

I used papers from the Curiosity Corner collection by Trimcrafts and stamped one of the LCD Big Anthropomorph Birds on both the DP and a piece of white card, which I then fussy cut.
I coloured the image with water based markers.

The sentiments have been computer printed and die-cut with MFT Blueprints. The number 90 has been die-cut from red card with the Die'sire Essentials die -Numbers.

If nothing else, the combination of the vintage image with the very modern obsession with shopping makes me smile... and I hope you'll find it funny too.

Thanks for coming by,
My bird is also entering the That's Crafty challenges.

Altered Brush holder

A Vintage Journey is running an Altered Art challenge this month, and that prompted me to turn one of the container I have saved from the rubbish into a brush holder.

First, I prepared the tube by applying 2 coats of Gesso, then I stuck down a piece of rice paper with gel medium. I painted the rest with pink and greenish yellow Fresco acrylic paints (Paper Artsy).

Some pictures of my holder showing the different "sides"

 

The stamp is from Rubber Dance (Summer Love) inked with Versafine ink.

 A piece of Rice paper from Imaginations Crafts (Pattern 342)

Some stencilling with Fresco paints (Paper Artsy)with a Tim Holtz mini Layering stencil (TH - 10).

And to finish I applied 2 coats of Ultra Matte varnish (DecoArt).

Thanks for coming by,
Also entering the Rubber Dance (Theme), Rubber Dance Forever Challenge, Creative Artist and Craft Stamper TIMI challenges.

Cute but CAS

I should be working on  a DT project but I'm waiting for the crackle medium to dry.... using a heat gun is not an option because the crackles aren't as big if you do...

Instead I find myself inspired to make the Rubbernecker(s) smile... with an Autumnal card.

The stamps are from 2 Paperbabe stamp sets, designed by Kim Costello. I don't know about you but the sentiment always makes me smile!
I stamped tree, branches and leaves individually with a Kaleidacolor inkpad (Autumn Leaves), since the stamps are small enough to ink them with each small pad of colour independently. In fact, I actually used several inks on each leaf with yellow, green and orange to mimic real life autumn leaves which do not lose their green colour all at once.

The leaves are die cut from fun foam and coloured with DecoArt Mixed Media acrylic colours.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stamping session, in particular building a tree and creating a carpet of fallen leaves exactly as I wanted...

Do tell me in the comments if you like the card and if it does make you smile!

I am also entering the Addicted to stamps, SSS Wednesday, Paperbabe, Allsorts and The Artistic Stamper challenges.

Time for Gelatos

The holidays might be receding in our memories but I am still thinking about the vibrant colours and brilliant light of the summer...

I used a failed Gelli print as a base for my journal page and experimented with Gelatos in my favourite colour(s).

Come and see the details on the Craft Barn blog and, if you missed it, have a look at the Midori style book that contains this DIY journal here, my readers comments tell me this was quite the popular project... so many thanks to my followers for those encouraging words!

Have a lovely weekend,
I am entering the Inky Chicks challenge.

Stamping and embossing on metal

Today is my second post for the Country View Challenge inspiration  piece on the theme of Metal, chosen by the lovely Miriam.

This time I went for a more delicate technique of embossed metal, with a stylus!

First I die-cut a square of aluminium (another re-cycled container for a ready meal) and embossed a border with a Cuttlebug folder on all 4 sides. In addition, I embossed a paperclip in one corner.

Working from the reverse, I stamped my image, a freebie from Craft Stamper, with Archival ink.

I prefer to use the reverse in case I scratch the metal with my stylus as I should be using nylon but use metal depending on the size of the embossing ball I need.

Of course it does mean the image is reversed!

Next, using the stamped image as a guide, I use the stylus to create the first embossed lines on the reverse. This will show the outline of the design on the front.

Now I work  alternatively from the front and the reverse, progressively deepening the embossing. I use a mouse mat for embossing and a stamp block for refining.

Finally I apply black paint, let it dry a bit and softly buff the raised areas for contrast.

Make enough squares and you could get this... as I did some years ago (check out the post here).

Finally I added a piece of vanilla coloured metal that I embossed with a Ten Second Studio Kabuka mold (no8) and a piece of black metal die-cut with a Mixed Media Thinlit (Sizzix) before mounting the lot on Kraft card.

I hope I have inspired you to have a go at this technique or at least to use something metallic for your entry in the Country View Challenge. A £20 voucher is up for grab for one lucky crafter...

Thanks for coming by,

Midori book

Well not exactly a Midori , my own DIY version. Come and read all about its making on the Craft Barn blog.
Be warned though this is a long post!

The cover has been decorated with acrylic paints, texture paste and stamping.

Supplies:

Calico
DecoArt paints
Grunge paste (PaperArtsy)
Imagination Crafts Drop Screen stencil
Tim Holtz Sunrays stencil
Tim Holtz Mixed Media die-cut (used as a stencil)
Archival inks
Paper Artsy stamps from ESN10 and ELB33
Prima Bloom sprays
Elastic cord, clock charm, 1/8" eyelets

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the Mini Album Makers challenge (their very first!), Creative Artiste, SSS Monday, Craft Stamper TIMI and the SSS Wednesday challenges.

Warning : Cute ahead (Baby card)

This is cute, with decoupage, pastel colours and lots of paper... not really my style but it's for a baby, what can you do!

I made this Twist & Pop card (very popular at the moment):

I won't give you instructions as there is plenty out there already, in print or video, and I struggled myself so I'm not sure I could explain it in clear terms! Watch the video clip to see the kinetic element in action:

For supplies I used old papers and decoupage sheets (Docrafts and magazine freebies), alphabet dies from Spellbinders, MFT and some die-cuts from an old book about scrapbooking.
If nothing else, a stash busting project!

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the Allsorts challenges.

Bloomtangled card

This was painful for me... in fact I very nearly didn't do it at all, but I convinced myself it was for the best and cut up that lovely Bloomtangled page I coloured last month to make up this card:

I used the CUT-plorations Stitched Snow Hills to cut black Core'dination to sandwich a snippet of the page and added a die-cut word (Adventure Words: Script by Tim Holtz), cut from the same page.

In hindsight the black lines from the page made it hard to read against the black cardstock so I went around the word with white gel pen.

Thanks for coming by,
Also entering the SSS Wednesday challenge.

Tulip tesserae

The last fortnight has been about Hybrid inks at Paper Artsy and I saw many inspiring techniques and projects. Despite the lack of time I was determined to enter the challenge...

I chose Wanda's technique, which you can read for yourselves here.

 After inking with the Distress Oxides (Salty Ocean, Wilted violet and Picked Raspberry) I stamped the tulip from the ELB02 set.

The sentiment is from the ELB03 set.

In the top left hand corner I used matte paste as Wanda had said that the effect was more subtle than glossy paste and I wanted to compare both.
Here's a close-up :


Love the effect... I hope you do too!
Have a great Sunday,

Embossed metal frame

Time does fly... holidays over, back to school is upon us and of course a new challenge at Country View! This month Miriam has chosen Metal as the theme, the perfect opportunity to use some of my favourite techniques with the shiny stuff!

But first, if you haven't been checking out the new stash at Country View Crafts, let me share my excitement upon the introduction of the Rubber Dance stamps... I'm especially thankful for Susan stocking them as, with the sterling falling, it's a lot easier buying from UK stockists!

My favourite images are Vintage, photo realistic, nature inspired and, as luck would have it, those are the ones first available at Country View Crafts here. (I'm hoping for more in the future...)

This is what I made:

At this stage I don't know if I am going to keep it as is and display as a photo frame or if I'll stick it on a card blank.

To make my frame I used a piece of aluminium saved from a ready meal (some survive the cooking unscathed and can be cleaned up well).

I die cut a rectangle from the middle, handy as I had the "Alu" brand embossed right in the middle... But I may still use the piece if I can hide it!

I then embossed the frame with a Cuttlebug folder which name I sadly didn't write down and has been lost to the mists of time...

If you recognise it, please let me know!

Next the fun bit... wet embossing and playing with powders.

I used Versamark all over the metal and started by sprinkling some of my mysterious mixes of EP.

I say mysterious because I made them a long time ago and can't really tell what exact colours are in them.


Before melting I covered the whole frame with a tarnished gold EP. The overall look is of distressed and aged bronze, but, in the next step I will bring back some gold.

I used Versamark again on the frame, but this time I try and ink just the raised parts and then apply mica powders in copper and gold to highlight the embossing further.

The focal image, Dancing woman from Rubber Dance has been stamped with Versafine black.
I added D. Oxides in Antique Linen and Walnut stain and spritzed a bit of water to age the piece. I created a brown frame to mat the image (just like a painting).

To finish I embossed another piece of recycled metal, ivory coloured, with the word "Authentic", and decided to add the die-cut word on top, coloured in black with an alcohol marker. Beware the paint has a tendency to rub off, so if you find black metal use that instead! A bit of copper wire threaded through holes and voila!

Here's the shine shot:

I hope I have inspired you to work with metal and that you'll enter our Country View challenge, nothing to lose and a £ 20 voucher to spend on some lovely supplies if you do...

For more inspiration check out what my teamies made here and come back on the 15th, when I'll post my second metallic project,

Thanks for coming by,

Also entering the Rubber Dance Forever, Craft Stamper TIMI and SSS Wednesday challenges.