Calendar Challenge Week 5

The theme of the Craft Barn challenge this week is "Pink and Birds".

Had I known this last week... I would not have used a bird stamp! So this week I had real trouble with inspiration, since birds aren't really my thing and I do not own cute birds stamps that would go with a pink color scheme!

For the main image I combined 2 tree stamps  and a bird then splattered some pink and turquoise watercolour over.I was aiming for a "cherry trees in blossom" impression.
For the bottom border, I have used part of the Crafty Individuals-266 stamp to create "stamps" (cut with pinking scissors) and over-stamped with several postmarks.

Thanks for coming by,

Calendar Challenge Week 4

This week's theme for the Craft Barn Calendar challenge is Yellow and masks.

 I had an initial idea of the mask I wanted to use, but alas, it did not fit in with the yellow colour scheme ! Instead, I opted for a contemporary colour scheme which had me employ numerous media (Promarkers, watercolour pencils, dye ink, crafting inks) in order to achieve the colouring without one colour bleeding in another.

The mask is the flourish, coloured with cut & dry foam. I am quite happpy with the result, on the basis that, and this is very unusual for me, the end result is what I had in mind when I set out ! Yes, even when heart in mouth I did the splatter of yellow in lieu of leaves and a free-hand branch for the bird it did not turn out a complete disaster as it could so easily have.

Calendar Challenge Week 3

This week's theme for the Craft Barn Calendar challenge is Green and Flowers. No problems with inspiration there... I have plenty of flowers stamps! My choice of images has been constrained by the technique I wanted to use on this page as not all rubber stamps work equally well (acrylic stamps work even less well).

To take advantage from the watercolour paper my calendar is made from, I applied watercolour crayons (Neocolor but Inktense blocks would work) directly to the stamps and sprayed with water before stamping the flowers. The butterfly has been stamped with regular inkpad before coloring and then masked before stamping the central flower.

If you have never tried this technique have a go,  it's unpredictable but great fun!

Calendar Challenge Week 2

For this second week the theme of the Craft Barn Calendar challenge is Red and embossing

I have put a smattering of red, including the heart which received the embossing treatment. It is not visible in the picture but I have taken inspiration from Isa's project and flicked a few specks of gold embossing powder before covering the lot with clear powder for a distressed effect.

I took advantage of the calendar being made out of watercolour paper and painted the background and stamped images with watercolour paints.

Hope you'll like it.

Calendar Challenge : Week 1

For the next 12 weeks the Craft Barn has a Calendar challenge. Each week one calendar or one page of the calendar must be done using the Week 1 Challenge theme, blue and crackle.

I have decided to do a full calendar, on the basis that among my stash I do have a blank that I have failed to tackle so far and this is the push I needed.

My page this week has some stamping, stencilling and crackle. The latter doesn't show too well in the picture. Some of the colour choices were dictated by the supplies I had, and I faced several hiccups along the way... unlike a card, where one can start all over again if necessary, with this calendar there is only one chance !

Thanks for coming by,

Hanging about...

The Crafty Individuals challenge for September is "Hanging about", literally (as a physical hanging) or not. I have chosen the latter after researching a way to make my stamped image "hang" within an easel type card and finding that yes, it DID hang but it just didn't look right.

So, as I am attracted to photographic stamps these days and was really looking forward to use the CI - 284  stamp, I went for a non literal "hanging" and my gals are indeed hanging about!

I have first inked a piece of card with distress inks and then stamped in black ink over the top. I used a Spellbinder label to cut the stamped image out the cardstock and then cut another piece from the remaining inked cardstock to use as a "shadow" frame.  

Rather than use patterned paper on the right of the card I used Tim Holtz tissue tape.

Tip: I often use the tape as masking tape when I ink cardstock and hey presto, as a bonus to my inked cardstock, I get inked tissue tape which matches my project. If I don't need it I just keep it for a later project.

Thanks for coming by,

Gilded Christmas Tree

I got some rolls of silver and gold foil last year and have loads left so what better to use it on Christmas makes!

The main image has been embossed with a folder then glue pen applied on the raised areas then the foil. To ensure that the foil is in good contact all around the embossing the easiest is to put the card back into the folder and press firmly. I am still working on the best way to apply the glue... may try a brayer next.

Bright and beautiful

Long time no post! Yes I am just back from hols and have a mountain of stuff to catch up with (I will need ANOTHER holiday after that).
Well I don't know about beautiful but bright it is...This is my entry to the Crafty Individuals August Challenge.

I have used several dye inks on the stamps (CI 221 and CI 228) and kept everything else to a minimum.When I come to use it I will probably add a greeting bottom left.  The paper is from an old Making Memories pad.

Alcohols inks and acetate

Over at the Craft Barn blog, the challenge this week is to use alcohols inks choosing one of the methods presented in 6 lovely projects.
My attempt below very nearly qualified for the Clean and Simple, but no, I couldn't help it and let it snow!
And yes it is this time already... at Craftyfield the Christmas Card making season is opened...

For the design I have used a Katzelfraft stamp and traced over it (from the reverse) with my outliner, before filling/painting with the inks. The stamp represents baubles but I decided to turn it upside down into balloons or abstract trees.

So have you started your Christmas makes ?

Teacher's Card

Not sure the card says "Teacher" when you look at it but I have made it for a teacher so...

I have used my favorite cardstock (Core'dinations from the Chocolate box and Whitewash collections) chosen to complement the patterned paper and add texture with embossing.

The brown and pink Core'dination piece has been die-cut with a Spellbinder Nestabilitie die and the right edge has been die-cut with the Fleur de Lis border from the same brand.

Hope you'll like it,

Glittered Butterflies

Here is a card for my "I need a card right now" stock. I have left a space bottom right for a greeting and the theme isn't male or female specific and could be used for all sorts of occasions.

The small butterflies have been punched out of the card base and the ribbon has been stuck down behind this line of butterflies allowing the bodies to appear darker. On a separate piece of card placed behind the butterflies apertures, I put some glue down and applied the glitter. Finally I put some glossy accents over the glitter, this avoids glitter falling off when the card is handled and it gives the butterflies more dimension.
The main image had been stamped with a sepia ink for the body and antennae and a light color for the wings. I then used coloured pencils over the wings.

Thanks for stopping by,

Bon Voyage card

First of all thank you my first follower! This is encouraging and gives me an incentive to keep blogging.

For this card, I designed a mini postcard on my computer and printed it on off-white card before distressing with ink. I also printed a small map. For the pretend road, I used 2 widths of ribbon and stamped some "trees" with acrylic paint. The stamp is actually a heather type flower stamp but I masked the stalks. The car is made of shrink plastic, colored with permanent pens and clear embossed on the windows.

Thanks for coming by,