National Gin Day

Hello crafters!
 I am back for a second dose of humour for the Country View Challenge held in the Facebook group where the theme is "Make Me Smile".

Are you preparing for the 8th of June world event? [1]

 Hmm... I am proposing a reschedule...  

[1] National Gin Day 2nd Saturday in June 

I used the stamp and matching die sets "Keep your Gin Up" by Visible image. 

The bottles at the back are stamped directly on the card front whilst the foreground 3 have been die-cut.  I stamped with dye inks in various colours and coloured the images with pencils. 
I created the sentiment on the computer.

So, no time to lose, create something funny and enter the challenge for the chance to win! You will find our May challenge here, in our friendly Facebook group. Our prize this month is 3 inkpads of the new release of Versafine Clair inks.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Allsorts and We Love Stamping challenges

Make Me Smile

It's the middle of the month but today is my first post for May's Country View Challenge held in the Facebook  group. The theme is "Make Me Smile" and I immediately thought of those Visible Image alcohol based stamp sets.

I first printed the sentiment on my base card to avoid spoiling a finished image... tip: always print a draft on cheap paper first!

I stamped bottle, glass and cork on white card and die-cut the images with the matching die set (99% Chance Of Wine). I coloured the bottle and cork with pencils.

 

I used the stencil Morocco by Daily ART to create a wallpaper impression and applied Distress inks for the table.

Finally I positioned the die-cuts on the based card.

I hope this card makes you smile and inspire you to enter our May challenge, if you do you could win 3 of the new colours of Versafine Clair inkpads, but you will need to join our friendly Facebook group here if you haven't already.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield      I am entering the Allsorts and Stamping Sensations challenges

Blue Monday

Today I have a 2nd inspiration post for our Country View Challenge,
where the theme is "Be Wordy"

Although Blue Monday was officially last Monday, I have a feeling the most miserable day will actually be tomorrow! So, I think, for those brave souls that attempted it, it's time to give up on dry January... and, as the card says...let the drinking be gin!!! 

I used the stamp and coordinating die set Keep Your Gin Up by Visible Image to stamp the glasses and ice cubes in shades of grey. The lemon slices were coloured with pencils as well as the bottle I had stamped in green ink. 

I stencilled the background with an older stencil, Sunburst by Andy Skinner (DecoArt). 

I hope you will join us in the Facebook group to enter our Country View Crafts challenge, anything with quotes, words or sentiment will be welcomed, as long as you use products or brands stocked at Country View Crafts. If you do you could win a bundle of words/sentiment stamps by Visible Image, Tracy Easson and 49 and Market PLUS a pack of chipboard words!

Cheers!

 Craftyfield   I am entering the SSS Wednesday, Stamping Sensations,   
                                                            Allsorts and the Lost Coast Designs challenges 

Wet January

For my 1st Country View Challenge inspiration post, where the theme this month is Be Wordy, I have an alcohol-based card for you... Dry January? Pfft... How are we supposed to get through the most miserable month whilst going on a diet and foregoing our tipples? No wonder we fail our resolutions as soon as we make them! 

I used the stamp and matching die set 99 % Chance Of Wine. All elements stamped and die-cut except the sentiment stamped directly on the base card. For the glasses I used Elements Premium Dye Ink Pad in Merlot, it seemed appropriate! I coloured the bottle with pencils. 

I created a background with Distress inks, using the mini stencil set 28 by Tim Holtz for the brick wall. 

I hope you will join us in the Facebook group to enter our challenge, anything with quotes, words or sentiment will be welcomed for our Country View Crafts challenge, as long as you use products or brands stocked at Country View Crafts. If you do you could win a bundle of words/sentiment stamps by Visible Image, Tracy Easson and 49 and Market PLUS a pack of chipboard words!  

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Lost Coast challenge

Gift of Lemons

Today I have a card from my Gin & Wine series with Visible image stamp set Keep Your Gin Up. 

 It hasn't got a sentiment so can be used on several (or no particular) occasions.  

I first stamped the glass with grey and blueish inks and masked it. Bottle and lemons were stamped with coloured dye inks and the words in Versafine black.

All colouring was done with pencils.

Cheers!
 Craftyfield       Challenges entered:  

                                                            We Love Stamping and Stamping  Sensations 

A glass half full

Today I have a CAS card from my Gin and wine series made as a gift. 

This one uses the Stamp set Keep Your Gin Up and the wood grain stencil from the mini stencil set 10 by Tim Holtz.

I used masks to layer the stamping and stencil the background and coloured the bottle and lemons with pencils.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Lost Coast Designs and We Love Stamping
                                                       challenges

                  

 

CASe of wine

For the first time in a long time I have been able to make more than 2 projects a month!

Starting with a CAS card that is part of a series of 10  I am making for a gift. 

I will be adding envelopes, tags and will also make a box to present them.  

I have used Visible Image 99% Chance of Wine stamp and die sets for this card. 

The 2 glasses at the front are die-cut the others stamped directly on the base card, using grey and maroon inks. 

I added colour to the cork and a "table" under my glasses with pencils and the sentiment has been printed on the card. The other half of this funny quote is revealed on the inside page: 

 

Thanks for coming by, Cheers!

 Craftyfield      I am entering the Allsorts, Stamping Sensations, and                                                                                    We Love Stamping challenges

Birthday Card for a man

Today I am showing my second inspiration piece for the Country View Challenge, where the theme is "Birthday card for a man", chosen by Corrie. I went with drinks which is more neutral than masculine but this one IS for a man so... 

I stamped the glass at the front first and masked it, stamping the bottle and the second glass over it using grey and blue inks. I added the spray from the ice cube hitting the drink in various shades of blue.
I coloured the ice cubes, glasses, lemon and bottle with pencils and stamped the words in black.

The sentiment "It's Your Special Day" is from the Essentials Sentiments set SYC007 from Sentimentally Yours.

All the other stamps are from Visible image, most from the Keep your Gin up set with the "today's forecast..." borrowed from the 99% Chance of Wine set.

Your turn to create a Birthday card for a man and link up your project to the Country View Challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

Craftyfield           I am entering the SSS Monday Challenge, Allsorts, 

                                                       We Love Stamping,  and Stamping Sensations challenges

New Year, new stamps...

For those of us who have over indulged during the festivities we should be considering

 a dry January... but it's a new year so new be-gin-nings... 😏

I got the Keep Your Gin Up stamp set from Visible Image as a sort of Christmas present for myself and for its first outing I made a CAS card with it as I always think this is where you can really "see" the stamp design.

I stamped the images in Memento grey ink and the sentiments in black Versafine and red inks. Glasses, ice cubes and bottle have been coloured with pencils.

I am looking forward to create a series of such cards for a Gin connoisseur friend!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield    I am entering the following challenges: 

SSS Monday, Allsorts, Stamping Sensations, We Love Stamping           

More coasters

Some organised people have all their Christmas gifts bought and wrapped by now, having used the whole year to scour the shops for that perfect present....  Well, not me and certainly not this year!

However, WHAT do you buy for the person that has everything? How about a crafty gift made by you and and for that special person? Christmas gifting is the theme of our Country View Challenge this month, chosen by Miriam and I hope you will get ideas from our DT. 

 

My first idea is coasters, I have been creating a few, each time in pairs, and this is my latest offering:

My base is recycled coasters but your can find fresh ones with a holder here.I created the background with Cosmic shimmer matt acrylic paints, this took several layers as I changed my mind... including adding some copper paint here and there. 

My choice of image is from 2 Visible Image sets: the spiral clock from Ahead Of Our Time and the shattered clock and matching background from the Somewhere In Time.

Once dry I stamped my motif with Cosmic shimmer Flake and glitter Glue using a piece of Distress foam and applied my flakes. You can find similar colours to the one I used with these mixes: Silver Dream, Warm Sunrise both from Cosmic Shimmer. Now being the control freak that I am I don't just dump the flakes haphazardly on the image... noooo I try and place a gold flake here a copper flake there etc... but you don't have to do that! 

Once all the image is covered I start removing the excess with my fingers , then with a dedicated sponge (it looks a bit like wire wool but made of plastic thread).

For the shattered clock I first stamped the background stamp with black to enhance the contrast with the foil.

I added a bit of darker colour around the coasters with a Pitt brush pen.

Now these will join the other pairs to get their hard core varnish so they can be used for hot or cold drinks.

And of course let's look at the SHINE.... 

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. Just remember that cards do not qualify for this challenge. 

Thanks for coming by,

I am entering the Paperbabe, SSS Wednesday challenges.

Sparkling silhouette

Still some months of cold weather and rain ahead and it looks like this poor girl got caught in a downpour. Should have stayed indoors it's lockdown here anyway!

I suppose I should mention that Silhouette is the new theme at Country View Challenge, which this month is hosted by Rachel.

The background started as a failed alcohol inks experiment, I thought I would try and save it by using Distress inks through stencils (Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Mini Stencil Set #39), a much easier technique for control! 

I then stamped my image (Visible Image - Sparkle In The Rain) in black.

Then I stamped the rain... I used Versamark only and embossed with clear powder. To give an impression of the rain falling both in front and in the back of the girl, I inked the stamp partially.

Finally I stamped the sentiment in black and embossed with holographic embossing powder for... sparkles! Closer look at this:

In the end I think that my grungy background works well with the stark black silhouette. What do YOU think?
Have a look at what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog for more inspiration 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 Allsorts, Paperbabe, Stamping Sensations challenges.

Dreamscape Journal page

This did NOT turn out as I intended... 

My journal page for our Country View Challenge, on the theme "Not a card",  was to be Vintage, soft colours, shabby chic... Somehow we ended up with this bright, colourful and fantasy scene. Go figure...

I started with a Gelatos background on Gesso'ed pages:

I then removed colour through stencils, above Fibres from Visible Image and Tim Holtz mini layering stencil set #43  below

Then I used the star stencil from the same TH set and the Strobes stencil by Visible Image to finish the background.

By now I was well on the way to a landscape, with strange colours, yes, but I could see river(s), sun and stars... I retrieved some stamps and set out to further that impression.

I stamped a forest with Lavinia's Tree scene set and some Dandelions.

The Moon and Mia the pushy fairy... I think she pushed the stars in a maelstrom...

And finally Mini Mushrooms, the Large Path and some foliage (Berry Leaves):

And to reward you if you have read so far... the finished page:

I do hope you like my page and will be inspired to enter the Country View Challenge. If you do, you might win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop. And that ain't bad, is it!

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

Another wet Bank Holiday

Trust British weather to give us clouds, rain and cold temperatures over the Bank Holiday after giving us the hottest week on record…

 

Soooo rain it is….

 

As serendipity would have it, I received this wonderful stamp set from Dot at InkArt Designs, who had a birthday this week, and it was only fair I should create a Birthday card with it!

All the images are from the same stamp set, Sparkle in the rain (Visible Image), which Dot happens to have on offer, so if you're in the southern hemisphere... hop to it!

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

Experimenting with alcohol

This should be treat for everyone... My team mate Sue has chosen "Do More Of What Makes You Happy" as the theme of our Country View Challenge this month so all you have to do is use your happy colours, favourite stamps etc..

My faithful readers will know I am a bit of a technique junkie and will not be surprised that, for my first make, I chose to test a new one for me: Gelli printing with alcohol inks. Yes, trying new things makes me happy!!!

As this was a bit of an experiment and I had to work quickly before the inks dried I didn't take any photos but no fear my method is inspired by a video from Barbara Grey who can explain better the process! But in a nutshell, this is what I did:

1. I applied alcohol inks on the plate, added a bit of alcohol, spread the colour with a brayer and placed my stencil on top.
2. With Archival ink and the felt tool I applied colour through the stencil.
3.  removed the stencil, let dry the inks a few minutes and brayered some white acrylic paint on top, then lifted my print with a piece of card.
4.Optionally you can use the alcohol ink remaining on the stencil to create one or more prints by reviving the dried up inks with sprayed alcohol (NOT blending solution).

I managed to get a few interesting backgrounds and some not so great but it is a fun technique. The alcohol inks haven't stained my Gelli Plate except for the yellow (Lemonade), not the end of the world as it is a light colour.

I didn't want to hide the background, which I see as a view over a coastal town surrounded by hills, so I just added some birds (I re-positioned the stencil for that) and the sentiment which I embossed in Midnight Blue.

Supplies:
Ranger Alcohol inks
Archival Mini inks pads Kit 4
Visible Image Strobes stencil
Visible image Where the Dreams take you stamp set
Visible Image Ahead Of Our Time stamp set (the birds)
Versamark Inkpad
Midnight Blue Embossing powder

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, Paperbabe, We Love To Create  challenges.

Phone cover #4

Although my sewing is not up to much, I do like giving my phones a DIY soft cover to protect them. It's cheaper than shop bought hard cases and I have the opportunity of decorating my cover as I wish...

Following my last upgrade I needed a new cover... This time I went with stencilling and used the Visible Image Fibres stencil with some So Soft fabric paints, mixing my purples as I went, aiming for a dark to light ombré effect.  I used calico fabric as my outer layer and re-cycled a piece of ironing board cover for the inside.

I am glad I managed to stencil with limited seepage under the stencil and the dimensions are correct so I am still pleased despite the wonky stitching!

Thanks for coming by,

Visibly recycled

I have been meaning to upcycle these pots for storage and needed a bit of incitement and inspiration in equal measure. The Visible Image challenge has seen to that so there it goes:

I first drew a template for the piece of paper I would need to fit around the pot. Trial and error... hours later I used my Gelli plate to print several colours of Fresco paints (Paper Artsy) on the paper. 

When dry, I stamped the eyes (Where Dreams Take You from Visible Image), reversing the left one by stamping it on the back of another clear stamp. I added white colour pencil and blue for the iris to enhance the features. 

For more interest I stamped fragments of script and maps from the Scripted Streets set (also Visible Image).

I also used some washi tape to the top and a circle of painted paper to the lid to disguise as much of the ugly plastic as I could.

One down, 4 to go...

Thanks for coming by,

Maelstrom

Rainbows are very popular in the UK at the moment, as a symbol of hope for a better time and just to cheer people up with bright colours.

I took up the challenge(s) and this image evolved as the combination of the sense of being blown uncontrollably by a whirlwind and the hope that there are better days "At end of the rainbow".

I thought the Visible Image stamp set Ahead of our Time had everything to represent my idea!

I created my rainbow colours background with Gelatos on a piece of card prepared with Gesso.
Then I used the Visible Image Stencil Strobes to remove colour.
I added the "clock" stamp with Versafine and embossed it with clear EP.


I stamped the falling people with Brilliance Graphite Black as I wanted the image to stay matt but wasn't sure Versafine would dry on the Gesso'ed and Gelato'ed surface.
And although I had aimed for solid black silhouettes, the Gelatos had an odd effect on the ink, which I decided was a good thing!

Finally, also a mishap I accepted to live with, I stamped and embossed the "Future" with Wow Yellow EP only to realise that the colour wasn't opaque as I'd thought.... I overstamped with Versamark and applied Vanilla on top, which allowed the image to show but does give a grainy look...

Let's hope for better days...

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the SSS Monday, Addicted to stamps, Stamping Sensations challenges.

Eye Eye

Welcome to March and our new Country View Challenge! The theme, chosen by the lovely Jane is "The eyes have it" and your project needs to feature eyes in a prominent way to qualify for the prize.

I went with the obvious and I think we will see many makes with this popular Visible Image stamp (Where dreams take you).

Using Versafine Clair in Pine Cone I first stamped the eye on my Gelli plate, took the print immediately and then stamped the second eye without re-inking.

To give a bit of background I used Distress Inks and a stencil (Fibres also Visible Image and also very popular).

I finished by stamping the sentiment, from the same set, separating the first line from the other two to keep the wide format.

For more inspiration  have a look at what my DT mates have created on the theme, and join us in our March challenge for the chance to win a £ 20 voucher.

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