Lady in black

I know, I know, it's been quiet over here for the last 2 weeks... No particular reason just a host of things (of the boring variety) have kept me away from the crafting table. Normal service should resume in February but in the meantime I did manage a fairly quick Clean & Simple make with an old favourite stamp.

I used the Dancing girl image from  the large Art Nouveau silhouettes set from Flonzcraft, which I believe is also available as an individual stamp.
The sentiment is from the Rubber Dance set "Adore me" and I embossed it with Wow embossing White Twinkle.

To finish I punched the corners with a Martha Stewart punch. Ahhhh… feeling nostalgic now!!!

Let me know in your comments if you have some of Martha Stewart punches and if you still use them!
Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the  SSS Wednesday, Craft Stamper, Lost Coast Designs, Stamping Sensations, Fashionable Stamping, Uniko Studio and The Artistic Stamper challenges.

Mini scrapbook album

I have a photo heavy post for you today, showing a mini album created with a single 12x12 sheet of designer paper which doubles up as a (special) Birthday card.

The front cover is stamped with an image from the Art Nouveau Silhouettes stamp set from Flonzcraft and I added a title with die-cut letters to which I applied gilding flakes.

On the first page I placed some photos and added stamped motifs (Katzelkraft, Prima and more).

Page 2 feature stamps from the Sew Sweet Stamp Set by Rubber Dance and an embossed corner with some Stampendous Frantage powder (the stamp is a CAC by Impression Obsession)

On page 3 more Rubber Dance stamps from the Retro Beach set, some embossed in Wow Vanilla powder

Page 4 uses stamps from Katzelkraft Paris Monuments and Paris Notre Dame sets.

Finally the back cover is adorned with another silhouette from the Art Nouveau Silhouettes stamp set from Flonzcraft.

Pure stamping pleasure and a lot of ink, although the background is patterned paper. To read up on how to make these types of book , you can look here for a tutorial. This has to be one of the easiest album to make, as it only need a few folds and one cut! Since this paper was single sided I added a cover from another piece of paper and a spine too. The construction allows for pockets if you want and I placed a tag in mine, bearing my birthday message for the recipient.

Thanks for coming by,

I am entering the Mini Album Makers, The Artistic Stamper, SSS Wednesday Challenge and Paperbabe Stamps challenges.

Vintage Flower

This is today's 2nd post, if you are looking for my fabric project click here. I recently noticed that I have a number of unused stamps begging for my attention, some of them I have had more than 12 months! Time to do something about it.
Furthermore I am promising myself to use the old(er) stash more... we'll see how it goes!

Allsorts are wanting Vintage and I couldn't pass this opportunity as it is one of my favourite genre and I wanted to use this as-yet-un inked Flower engraving from Flonzcraft.

Supplies:
MFT Blueprints 13
Core'dination black magic cardstock
Cuttlebug Embossing folder
Prima paper: Reflections
For you die from All Occasion
Thank you for coming,

I am entering the Craft Stamper TIMI challenge

E is for...

The letter for the latest Craft Barn Dictionary challenge is E, and there was no hesitation for this one, I had known the stamp I wanted to use for a long time...

I First stamped the Elephant (from the African Animals plate by Rubber Dance) with black dye ink and used masking fluid to protect it.
Then I over stamped and embossed a small diamonds texture (also Rubber Dance) with Vanilla EP (WOW).
The texture under its feet is from the Toxic set by Stampendous, chosen because it reminded me of parched earth.

For colours I used 3 shades of Brushos at the top, graduating from Orange to Lemon via Yellow, going the full Autumnal colour scheme... For the ground, I used Infusion in Golden Sands and a little bit of Moss Green Brushos.

I coloured the elephant with watercolour pencils (Derwent) and a water brush.

I then had an irresistible urge to add this tree silhouette (Flonzcraft) and partially stamped it with dye ink,  dragging some of that ink with a wet brush to create a hill for it to "live" on.

As usual, letter and definition complete the page.

Once in a blue moon, a creation turns out the way I saw it in my mind and, luckily, this is one of those times... so I'm quite pleased with it!
Whether my vision was any good is another matter.... perhaps YOU can tell me...



I am also entering the  Rubber Dance, Inkychicks, Penny Black and more, Stamping Sensations and Craft Stamper TIMI challenges.

Layered Stencil

Today we are kicking off the new challenge at Country View Challenges with the theme of Use a Stencil.

Also, alongside our Challenge, we are running a Blog Hop with a Sizzix Big Shot Machine & Die Bundle as the prize. To enter, you must be a Follower of our Challenge Blog and Hop along to each of our Design Team Members Blogs and leave a comment. We will still be running our normal monthly challenge and those who link their Use A Stencil projects will also be entered into our £20 Voucher draw. The Winners will be picked at random in early June.

I am first in the hop
Christine   ------> You are here!
Gabrielle
Jennie
Rachel
Sue
Evelyn
Doreen
Nikki
Monika
Hazel
Brenda
Corrie
Jane

Lots of possibilities with stencils and, for this first project, I wanted to use "flat" techniques with the stencils. [It turns out later that I couldn't resist a bit of dimension..]

You can use stencil as a resist with a variety of mediums that all work in a different manner.
Here I have chosen Gesso and MicroGlaze (now available from Rangers as Distress Glaze).

Gesso gets slightly tinted by the dyes in the sprays whilst the MicroGlaze is totally impervious to wet media... on top. I did get some staining from underneath however, as my tag got wet through!

So it looks distressed... let's call it a happy accident and carry on...

For sprays I used all different brands as I have been buying one bottle every time a new brand comes along in order to find the Holy Grail (the fine spray bottle that doesn't not clog even with micas). If you're wondering,  I do have a promising lead but have to play test some more.

Both of the stencils used for resist have been die-cut with thin dies using junk mail.
The Harlequin is the Tim Holtz Mixed Media 1 and I was lucky to manage cutting this recycled plastic. Generally plastic yields to the pressure of the dies, indenting the material, but not cutting it through.

After the sprays were thoroughly dried, I used stencils with Distress inks. That's when I decided to stencil my London skyline (also recycled junk mail) with texture paste rather than inks. For good measure I then stamped into it before it dried completely.
I won't tell you how long to wait because it depends on so many factors, I haven't worked it out for myself! The trick is to create a test area of the same thickness on a piece of scrap paper to test when it's ready.

I painted the city in black and used Treasure gold in Amethyst (Paper Arty) to pick out the details, then decided to stamp a few things in black ink on the tag itself and a quote on a piece of card.
Quote and compass are Rubber Dance stamps, the cities borders are from Flonzcraft.

In this photo you can see how shiny the micas are, and reflect the light intensely compared to the Treasure gold.

The final touch is an arrow (Tando Creative) which, although made of fairly thick chipboard), can be embossed in a standard embossing folder. After embossing I pressed the arrow into my black dye inkpad and when dry I brushed Tresor gold in Amethyst and White Fire.







I hope you like my tag and that you will try out these, or one of the many stencil techniques available. Come and join the Country View Challenges with your stencilled makes.

Don't forget to leave a comment below before visiting my teammate Gabrielle for your next stop on our hop!

  I am entering the tag in the SSS Wednesday Challenge and Tando Creative challenge.

All things spring

Time for a new challenge at Vintage Stamping Challenges.

Our theme this month is All things spring and I am showing you a late Easter make using the Animal Landscapes border 01 by Flonzcraft. This set has 8 different borders of which I used 2 for this  simple scene I framed with an old aperture card.


This is what I did, step by step:

I marked lightly where my oval aperture would lay on a piece of white cardstock and stamped my rabbits and poultry in black ink. Note that the rabbits are stamped in a downward curve, a benefit of using polymer stamps as they can be curved.

I had to do this first so I would know where to shade my hills next, using masks and several shades of inks from yellow to green. You can use standard paper to create hill masks, indeed the feathery line of torn paper can be a bonus, but here I used an adhesive release paper. It's very smooth and acts like a silicone mat for the ink.
For the sky area I created a sun mask with a circle die and applied blue ink fading it towards the horizon. I then removed the mask and applied a little bit of yellow on the sun.

I lined up my cardstock behind the aperture and measured where I needed to cut my panel to fit.
Once glued in place I added the sentiment stamped in red ink.

I hope you will join us for this spring theme at Vintage Stamping Challenges, you could win a $20 voucher to spend at Flonzcraft, our lovely sponsor. Your make doesn't need to be Vintage but will need to showcase some stamping (rubber, clear, foam etc...) but NO digis.

Thanks for coming by,
  I am entering the Craft Barn and the SSS Wednesday challenges with my spring make.

New Year, New stash

Don't you love January... After Christmas and crafty sales there is new stash to be tried and played with, yeah!! Hence the theme of the Vintage Stamping Challenges this month.

My new stash is the Tonic Studio Twined Lily Square Die set, although the Flonzcraft stamp I used is also on its first outing. It's  Drinking Tea, also available in the Art Nouveau Silhouettes sheet. Don't you love the oh so delicate details?

I die-cut my frame twice, once with black Core'dination and once with white cardstock, using the white inside for my stamping.
For the backing I used a Melissa Frances 6x6 paper and inked the edges with Distress inks.
A punched border from pink dotty paper (Martha Stewart) and an ivory ric-rac die-cut provide a bit of a colour contrast whilst a sheer ribbon bow adds that finishing touch for this very feminine card.

I hope this inspires you to pull out your stamping stash and to show us at Vintage Stamping Challenges what new supplies have excited you. You could win a $20 voucher to splurge at Flonzcraft, our lovely sponsor,  and your make doesn't need to be Vintage... it just needs to showcase some stamping (rubber, clear, foam etc...) but NO digis.

Thanks for coming by,

Also entering the Live & Love Crafts, Allsorts, Stamping Sensations, Penny Black and more, That Craft Place  and SSS Monday challenges.

Winter Trees

We have reached the final challenge for this year at Vintage Stamping Challenges  and I wanted to make something different, something a bit theatrical, a grand finale for Christmas. And the theatre box was born...

In my box I was trying to create the impression of looking through trees to the lit window of a house on that special night. I hope I have succeeded!

My lit window is the Girl with Bird stamp, from Flonzcraft also available in a large stamp sheet full of silhouettes.









I die-cut round apertures of increasing sizes in each of my panels and decorated them with die-cuts:
* stars: Papertrey Ink (centre of Snowflakes)
* Tree branches, Deer and Christmas tree: Memory Box
I cut the tree branches and Christmas tree from a piece of watercolour paper on which I had tested Brushos, not very successful as a background, but I loved the variegated look it gave the die-cuts. Quite pleased I saved it from the bin...

Hop over to the Vintage Stamping Challenge blog to see what the rest of the DT has made this month. Join us in showcasing some winter trees for the chance to win a $20 voucher for the Flonzcraft shop.  Remember your make doesn't need to be vintage but it does need to have some stamping (rubber, polymer, foam...), no digis allowed!
Thanks for coming by,

Also entering the Country View Crafts -Create a scene, Memory Box, Crafty Sentiments, Craft Stamper and That's Crafty challenges.

Traditional Christmas

With Halloween behind us the next big event in the crafting calendar is looming large. So at Vintage Stamping Challenges we are concentrating on Christmas, and have chosen Traditional Christmas as our challenge theme this month.

For our Traditional Christmas theme I immediately thought of Graphic 45 and pulled out a few papers from an old collection (including the sentiment).
I used this sweet image from Flonzcraft, our sponsor, and stamped it in black (dye) ink on a very smooth card.

I added some Core'dination cardstock for matting and die-cut the mats to add interest without further bulk.

All layers have been inked all around the edges to give more of a Vintage look and my main image has had the Distress ink treatment (Antique Linen and Walnut inks).

Hop over to the Vintage Stamping Challenge blog to see what the rest of the DT has made this month. Join us in creating a Traditional Christmas make for the chance to win a $20 voucher for the Flonzcraft shop.  Remember your make doesn't need to be vintage but it does need to have some stamping, no digis allowed!

Thanks for coming by,

Also entering the Bunny Zoe's Crafts, Penny Black and more, SSS Wednesday Challenge challenges.

Tim Holtz style

What if Tim Holtz did Art journaling... this is the theme of the Vintage Journey challenge this month and I was piqued. Indeed what would HE do, I mused.

I got around the journaling aspect by borrowing someone else's words and type (from the Rubber Dance Affirmations plate) as I hate my own handwriting.

For my background I used Gelatos on a shiny textured paper which allowed the pigment to glide well. Why Gelatos and not Distress inks you ask? Well for one the inks I have are of the grungy range not the cleaner, brighter hues of more recent releases and secondly they would not dry on this paper! But the effect is similar I think...

I used a Tim Holtz stamp (CMS 021 - Enjoy the Journey), chosen for its masculine and vintage feel. I added some old clock faces from a freebie set (Papermania) and a Flonzcraft set (True Gentleman).

I thought about adding some stamping to the background but with the paper texture small motifs (think script stamps) weren't working well.
I think Tim would have added lots more and gone further but for me it's enough!

Tell me what YOU think in your comments,
Have a crafting Sunday!

Also entering That's Crafty, The Artistic Stamper and Craft Barn challenges.

One for a tweenie

No grunge, Distressed or Vintage today, pink and girly it is... for a young girl, not quite a teenager but too old for dolls and teddy bears!

I fancied doing a bit of colouring and I have very few stamps for this, I chose this image from Flonzcrafts and watercolour pencils which means my make is totally following our theme at Vintage Stamping Challenge.

The base card, one of my favourite shape, is a lovely smooth silk card that take the ink very well, so well I needn't have pressed so much on my stamp!

With such a contrast between the deep black of the stamped image and the white of the card I was tempted to leave it CAS without adding anything. But this isn't for me, so I needed a few more things to make it look "finished".
On came the die-cuts and I know it doesn't look like many but I used 6 different dies!

At the centre of flowers I added a tiny bit of Flowersoft, it's great to use some of the neglected stash!

Thanks for coming by,

Entering the Live & Love crafts, Inkychicks, That's Crafty, Polkadoodles and Bunny Zoe's crafts challenges.

Brrr!!!

It's October and Autumn is truly upon us, flamed coloured leaves are falling and it's getting cold and windy over here. I feel like my Flonzcraft Girl with dog (also available as part of this full sheet) who is bearing the brunt of those nasty gusts that blow the remaining leaves off the trees, although not so elegantly!

This month's theme at Vintage Stamping Challenges is die-cuts and I pulled several of my dies to create a background for my Art Nouveau silhouette:

• 2 sizes of  Spellbinders labels (image and mat)
• leaves (Joy crafts)
• Jumbo rick rack (Papertrey ink)
• Notebook Edge (My Favorite Thing)

I used some designer papers from Prima and HOTP adding some machine stitching with a multi-coloured metallic thread (the TIMI challenge at Craft Stamper gave me the idea).
The leaves have been coloured with Gelatos or copper powder (plus vinegar for a verdigris effect!) to highlight the raised areas.

The brown mat for the image has been embossed with a Tartan X-cut folder for some added texture.

Hop over to the Vintage Stamping Challenge blog to see what the rest of the DT has made this month. Join us and Use your die-cuts for the chance to win a $20 voucher for the Flonzcraft shop.  Remember your make doesn't need to be vintage but is does need to have some stamping, no digis allowed!

Thanks for coming by,

Entering the Stamping Sensations, Craft Barn, Papermilldirect, Country View Crafts and SimonSaysStamp challenges.

Diamond wedding anniverasry

Being the resident crafter in the household, choosing theme, colours and designs for cards is usually left to me.
Not wanting to be late with a 60th Anniversary card for my OH's parents, I created this one without asking for his input. How wrong was I?.... He managed to find fault in every aspect....

First, the shape, because even if it said Diamond anniversary, it didn't stand up very well, second the creases (the heavy weight cardstock cracked abominously when I scored and folded it) and finally he objected to have to write the message on the back. I'd easily concede he was right about the first 2 but I am not aware of any etiquette about the message having to be "inside".
Am I missing something? Please let me know in your comments!

The stamps used are from Flonzcraft and perfect for a couple who got married in the Fifties. The Diamond shape and the gold/silver threads were inspired by this card. But instead of using designer paper I created my metallic threads with foils and spray glue, incredibly easy! I used spare bits of paper to mask around the diamond shape and also a Spellbinders label shape where my sentiment was to go before spraying the glue.

I now need another idea for a 60th anniversary card...

************************************************

Now for an update....
Following your comments on this card, and after laughing at your suggestion to give my OH free run of my craft room for a spot of card making! - as if I want him to know how much stuff I REALLY have....)-

this is what I did :




I cut and scored a new piece of card as before except that I added enough width to "create" a 3rd panel. When opened the panel will reveal the handwritten message (as per OH request). I cut out the back panel (the one with the foil) from the old card and stuck it to the new one so I didn't feel like I had completely wasted my time...
On the plus side the added weight on the back helps the card stands better.



The extra panel offers more crafting surface which I immediately put to use with a "60" as per Chrissie's suggestion, a sentiment and a rick rack shaped stripe of glitter (diamond-ish colour). The "60" shows even when the card is closed whilst the sentiment is hidden by the diamond shape.

And the OH's verdict I hear you ask? Yes he did like it, at least he thought it was "all right" which passes as high praise!

I am entering the WOW Embossing powders and Bunny Zoe's Crafts challenges.

Tic Tag Toe

Sandy & Amelie Steampunk Challenges are playing Tic Tac Toe this month and I selected the top line.

For my crackle I used Imagination craft crackle medium on top of red and black acrylic paint. My top layer was originally pale lavender but looked awful and I applied Transparent oxide to change the colour.



For my words, I created this panel with selected Steampunk words - who knew there are dedicated sites to Steampunk words? - using Wordle.net and printed it on cardstock that I had already stamped with a Harlequin motif (The Artistic Stamper) in ombre fashion.


The top Hat is a stamp by Flonzcraft (True Gentleman set), die cut with a Nellie Snellen die and complete my Tic Tac Toe line!


To that I added bits from my odds and ends jar, previously cut, stamped etc..:

• The Eiffel Tower: Tim Holtz Alteration Paris embossing folder
• British flag:  The Artistic Stamper London set

If pressed to justify how these all fit together, I can come up with a reasonable explanation... coz I had to do precisely that when my OH challenged me.
In short it's a representation of the "Entente cordiale" between the France and Great Britain.
The English lord is tipping his hat to the Old Lady (that's the Eiffel tower, BTW). And since the Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 it's the correct period for Steampunk. Phew!! I should get points for that...

Thanks for coming by,

Also entering the Craft Barn, The Artistic Stamper,  and Crafty Sentiments challenges.