Girlfriends Forever

Hello crafters, 

Today I have a second inspiration make for our Country View Challenge on the theme of "Romance and Friendship" hosted by yours truly!

I first created my background with alcohol inks on Yupo paper, spritzing with alcohol and dripping  Alcohol blending ink.  Then, I applied Ranger's alcohol lift ink with a brayer to the whole Yupo sheet and transferred the "print" by pressing white cardstock on top of the Yupo. (second prints can be done but will be paler). 

I stamped the Paper Artsy girls from the fifties (HP1207 set) an old one but perfect for this card.

I added a sentiment from a STAMPlorations set (sadly not active at the moment)  

The paper and mat have been cut with the AALL & Create die set #33 - Splodazzlers

To enter the challenge, hop on to our friendly group here and upload your project to the challenge album. You could win both stamp sets pictured below from the Country View Craft shop.
 

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the  Simon Says Stamps Monday, 

                                                         Addicted to Stamps, Polkadoodle, Stamping Sensations and 

                                                         We Love Stamping challenges 

Mail Art page

Over the last year, my faithful  readers might have noticed a marked dip in the number of my posts which matched the lack of crafting... As things return to normal, slowly, I spotted the Mail Art call from Victoria. I have never done Mail Art before but as I have plenty of postmarks and postal imagery stamps, I felt it was a good opportunity to get me back in the swing of things. 

All the details are on the Paper Artsy blog and you can spot all the art under the #PaperArtsyMailArt tag on Instagram and Facebook. 

Our contributions will join Victoria's Vintage journal and we will get back a piece of her Mail Art. 

The background is Infusions (Rocky road) and Brushos (Aquamarine, Moss green) and some Antique Linen Distress ink to add an aged look to the piece.  

Most of the stamps are from Paper Artsy: ID02 (Owl), HP1111(Phrases), ELB33 (Corner) and HP1110 (Chambord Castle).

The miniature postcard has been created with several partially stamped images from MN30 (the writing) and other stamps from my collection.

I really enjoyed this project, using some of my favourite (oldies) stamps and the idea of rejoining the crafting community. 

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Allsorts (it's their Birthday!) and SSS Monday                                                                  challenges

In the stars

This is a post I didn't think I would be able to write following a family bereavement, but, serendipity played its hand and here is a second inspiration make for our Country View Challenge. 

As I thought about the theme, it seemed fitting. Souls are often referred as stars in the sky and I took it as a sign. 

I used a Paper Artsy star stamp (JM06), the Art Marks and Noteworthy 2 stamps sets, both by STAMPlorations, to create the sentiment. All were stamped and embossed with white EP. 

For added colour I applied some Versamark with a sponge on top of the stars and added mica powders, in different colours. Here's the shine shot: 

Do enter the Country View Challenge with a starry make of your own for the chance to win a £ 20 voucher to the online shop but be quick there is only a week left...  

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the challenge

Moody grays

Today a journal page as grey as the skies... 

I used Lavinia Graphite grey ink all around the the page and stencilled through Paper Artsy PS001. 

I stamped several images from EEV06 and ESN10 in different shades of grey, the large compass stamp is from ESC11. 

Finally I added the word (my mood at the time), which I coined because I couldn't find anything better,  was created with an old Dymo machine. 

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Lost Coast Designs challenge

Papers and paints

Here is a second set of makes with the Craft O'Clock So Lovely When You Smile collection. 

First a Mixed Media creation, using a large MDF tag from a the That's Crafty sampler pack.

I prepared the tag with Gesso and then applied several colours of Paper Artsy Fresco paints with palette knife and brush.
Then I stencilled in several places some texture paste tinted with more Fresco paint through the Crafter's Workshop TCW454S stencil.
I layered pieces of the different papers and muslin, and added my frame sprayed with shimmering grey ink and highlighted with gold paint. Inside the frame I placed a paper doll, chosen for her smile...
Finally a bird die-cut from the Chipboard pack echoes the fussy cut bird from the extras sheet, which I painted in watercolours (the paper will accept the paint very well in small doses).
A sideways look at the tag :

My second offering of the day is a very simple design suggested by one of the 8x8 paper, this elongated flower composition screamed Slimline card to me and I couldn't think of anything to add but matting and layering to enhance the image so I just added a sentiment to finish.

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

Experiment in foiling

Only a few weeks to go before Christmas! You must all be fed up with making cards, no? 

Well, if you are, relax, our Country View Challenge, which this month is hosted by Jane, is "Not a card". 

I created a Masterboard with Fresco paints and stamped motifs from two Paper Artsy sets (ELB33, EEV06).
I had in mind testing hot foiling with stamped images and used 2 techniques on my Masterboard. The leaves were embossed with Frosted Crystal EP (Ranger Antiquities) and the wheat grass and has been stamped with gel medium before foiling.

These 2 techniques,  EP+foiling and stamped gel medium+foiling give VERY different results....

On the left before foiling, the stamped image have a lot of detail but after foiling the one that has been embossed is almost a solid image whilst the wheatgrass and leaf stamped with gel medium is barely visible.

So there you are both methods tested for you... 

If you want a better result, fear not as Country View Crafts is now stocking the latest tools from Heidi Swapp to stamp/write & foil. 

 

Over to you now, have a look at what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog and link up your project to the challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

I am entering the SSS Wednesday and Paperbabe challenges.

Bird's nest

Today for my second inspiration post for our Country View Challenge, I have created a Mixed Media tag with lots of bits from my leftovers "bin". I based the colour scheme on the complementary colours red and green but chose the less aggressive shades of each, adding white to the primary colours.

My tag base is a Mixed Media paper on which I first used Distress inks in green and pink.

I then stamped with Memento inks in green and pink several stamps from Paper Artsy ESN07 and ESN10 - my go to texture stamp sets- both by Sara Naumann. I added some black ink stamping with an ancient Kaisercraft texture stamp and a few motifs from a Finnabair/Prima stamp set (Trust the magic).

I added some (transparent) crackle texture paste here and there and highlighted the cracks with dark Distress inks.

The bird is die-cut out off felt with a CUTploration die (For the Birds), the Authentic is die-cut from metal with a word from the Thinlits - Adventure Words: Script by Sizzix/Tim Holtz. Other bits joining the cluster are partial die-cuts and a piece of home made washi tape and of course the "nest" made of twine with added shiny stones, magpie style, which are Stamperia Glamour - Sparkles in Sparkling White. I bought them for snow but being a bit chunky they were perfect as treasure...

Another look:

What colour pair are you going to choose for your own Contrasting colour entry to this month's  Country View Challenge ? Remember that if you link up, you are in with a chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop!

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the SSS Wednesday, We Love To Create  challenges.

Complementary coasters

And the holiday season finishes with a whimper... not much to rejoice, so I am thankful for the enjoyment I get from crafting. Not quite sure what is going to happen this September school wise but at least our Country View Challenge is kicking off as expected.

This month Evelyn has chosen Complementary colours as the theme. I'm guessing lots of you will already know what complementary colour pairs are, but if not, any decent search engine should give you the necessary explanations.

Today I chose my favourite "male" colour scheme with blue-orange as the complementary pair.

I used alcohol inks with a plastic palette, alcohol lift ink and polymer plate to lift the print onto my MDF coasters, which I had first prepared with Gesso.




I cleaned up on separate pieces of cardstock, waste not want not... and on a whim added gold foil on what appeared to be still sticky.

Then, I simply stamped quotes from Paper Artsy set HP1901 and HP1206. I have a few more coasters to do so I will leave the finishing for some other time, but these will need protecting with several layers of varnish, preferably one that can take high temperatures for hot drinks.

Over to you now, have a look at what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog and link up your project to the challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the SSS Wednesday and Paperbabe  challenges.

Summer Fields

Roll on summer and nature's exuberant burst into life... and our Country View Challenge, which this month is hosted by Rachel, who chose summer fields as the theme.

Now I like a meadows and wild grasses but for some unfathomable reason I could not come up with an idea for days.

In these situations I go back to basics and design around simple stamping. In this case, I used the Grasses stamp (Art Stamp -from Imagination Crafts) inked with a gradation of Distress Oxide inks.

In black Versafine I stamped the sentiment, from the set HP1205 and the long grass from ELB33 both by Paper Artsy.

Clean and simple...

Over to you now, have a look at what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog and link up your project to the challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

And just for fun, a bit of reminiscing, here are some of older makes with wild grasses...

This one made Top 3 in 2013 in a CV Challenge!!!
My very first DT make for CVC

Thanks for coming by,

Industrial Man

This weekend I lost myself in blogland, YouTube and other Facebook Lives and had to push myself to actually create something and stop dithering...

I knew the theme was going to be Steampunk as SSS Monday, SanDee & Amelie's and The Artistic Stamper challenges all Steampunk as their theme.

I chose this Gelli Print because it looked industrial to me and perfect for a Steampunk vibe. With hindsight it isn't the best backdrop for my industrial man and other bits I used.

I added some cogs aged with Rust powder and paints.

Stamps:
Paper Artsy Hot Pick 1110
Carabelle Texture plate The Instant

Hope you like it anyway!

Thanks for coming by,
I am also entering the Allsorts, SSS Wednesday and Bleeding Art challenges.

All good things

For my second inspiration make for the Country View Challenge on the theme "Splatters, Splashes and Drips", I tried to save a failed design.

Originally, it had been stamped and stencilled with Distress Oxide inks and, when it didn't turn out as planned, I added Tim Holtz resist spray through a DIY stencil (Memory Box and Tim Holtz dies if I recall correctly). The reason I used die-cuts and not bought stencils is that the Resist spray will not clean up off of the stencil.

I applied Fresco paints in several layers and stamped with the hand writing from the Paper Artsy set HP1903 in Versamagic Eggplant and another image from the same set in black.

My focal point is a sentiment from the Paper Artsy HP1901 stamped with Versamark and embossed in white. The stamp already has some splatters on it but I felt duty bound to add mine. I tried flicking white paint with my Graphmaster acrylic paint and wow! it worked perfectly. Saved me on the hassle of getting a brush, water and paint and the clean up that follows...

All I can say is the end result is better than I started with, and I would love to know what you think....

Don't forget to enter our Country View Challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the shop.

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the The Artistic Stamper and Addicted to stamps challenges.

Mysticism

Already time for my second inspiration post for the Country View Challenge, where the theme, chosen by yours truly, is Hands Stamped.

Today I have a Journal page for you, which is loosely based on Halloween. I know, I know it's already happened but it was still in the future when I was making it. I assemble images relating to Astronomy, dark woods, a full moon, incantations and a black cat in what I hope is a Journal page with a foreboding atmosphere.

As a base for my page is a scrapbook paper which I darkened at the edges with Distress Oxides. I also used some Distress spray in Blueprint at the centre for colour variation.


For the moon I used Gesso and stamped and embossed the moon image from the Paper Artsy set HP1903.

I stamped and embossed in white the other 2 large stamps and the hand written note in black ink on a hand made paper piece pretending to be vellum (the olden times vellum, not our crafter's translucent stuff!)




I partially stamped the tree image, a large square background stamp from Impression Obsession, and the cat (a Craft Stamper magazine freebie) in black ink. I anchored the cat with a dark grey pastel stick.



I created a sort of milky way with white pastel which I brought around the cat for a bit of mystery and into the trees as menacing fog. To finish I added stars with white Gesso (if it looks blue it's because the Gesso picked up the blue dye from the Distress Oxide spray) and some iridescent splatters.

All a bit odd maybe, but I thoroughly enjoyed pulling together these stamps from my stash and all in all I quite like the page!

Over to you now to create something with stamps for our Country View Challenge. I am curious to see the stamps in your stash or failing that your carved vegetables and found objects … you use in your makes to make an impression..

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday, Creative Artist, Craft Stamper TIMI, The Artistic Stamper challenges.

Autumn morning (bis)

Today is my second inspiration post for our Country View Challenge where the theme is Bokeh.

 

And yes, as the title suggest, another morning... although this one is very abstract,

so it really is up to you what you see in my make!

I have no step by step because I had no idea where I was going with the piece of cardstock I started with. I applied some Fresco paints in Butter, Pumpkin Soup, South Pacific, Blue Oyster and Claret. I did this in several layers until I was happy with the result.

I then used a DIY stencil and a foam sponge to apply gesso for the Bokeh effect, and here too I had to apply several coats to get the circles to stand out.

I added some stamping with the Paper Artsy set ELB33, the dotty border and corner with Distress Oxide in Denim and the wheat in Versafine Clair Pinecone. Neither of these inks dried on the acrylic paint and  I hastily embossed with clear EP.

I stamped the sentiment from the same set with Black Versafine and embossed with Wow! Chai Latte  EP, which has a subtle sheen and slight opacity.

 

I hope you like my make and will play with us at Country View Challenges, there's a £20 voucher to win...

Happy weekend!
I am entering the Addicted to Stamps, Bleeding Art, Craft Stamper, We Love To Create,  Creative Artist challenges.

Trees and Leaves

Please to finally post something again as I have been less present than usual on my blog. I was spurred on by the Allsorts challenge which had me at "trees" since I can't resist buying tree stamps....

Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my last post, many of you enjoyed the Alcohol Lift Ink technique. It's not that a similar effect couldn't be done another way, but it certainly was the easiest! And since you enjoyed that technical post... here's another one for you.

Today the technique is compliments from the Distress Oxides.


I wanted to create a background of Autumnal leaves to my tree image and wanted leaves and trees to use the same hues but the background had to be less bright.


I happened on this property of Distress Oxides when, by chance, I used it on photo paper and found that the dry "pigment" part of the ink, a whitish powder, was rubbing off the photo paper at the slightest touch.

And when the pigment is taken away there is no "Oxidation" effect anymore but the brightness of the Distress dyes comes to the fore.

Even at the stamping stage you can see that whilst the dye ink has been transferred to the photo paper a lot of the pigment stayed on the stamp.



Next I started buffing the stamped image with a paper towel and you can see the difference in brightness between the buffed area and the untouched image.



To assemble the card I used a Stitched rectangle die (from one of the MFT Blueprints), and the STAMPLorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle to cut the background and the mat. I then added the Hello (Tim Holtz/Sizzix Sentiment words) and a leaf brad.

And now for the full reveal...

Stamps used:
The leaves are from the Paper Artsy ELB33 set.
The trees are from the Crafty Individuals CI-429 set

Hope you like my card and have enjoyed reading about the D.O technique!

Thanks for coming by,
I am also entering the SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday, and Unikostudio challenges.