Masculine cards

In the middle of other projects I realised I need another Father's day card... I thought a CAS card would be quickest.
Wrong!

3 attempts at placing the stamps I had chosen, 3 attempts trying out colours, and finally working out the best cut to get a better proportion took ages!

Stamps:
Grungy Circles from  Uniko's Round in Circles Background builder set
Dog from Flonzcraft's True Gentleman set
Sentiment from Hobby Art's The Old Crock stamp set

Inks:
Kaleidacolor in Vineyard
Memento Black
Distress Walnut

For my base I used a silk card which takes dyes beautifully, and, since I am yet to lay my hands on one of those stamping tools (I'm thinking of getting Tim Holtz/Tonic one but it is on wait list everywhere) it's just as well.

Quite pleased I managed it in the end and that I am able to show something this week, as my posts have been rather unpredictable of late...

Thank you for your continued support,
I am entering the SSS Monday Challenge, SSS Wednesday Challenge, That's Crafty, Unikostudio, Stamplorations CAS challenges.

In the family way

No need to panic I'm not pregnant, I'm just trying to be funny as I announce the theme of this month's Theme and Sketch challenge at Stamplorations.

 For my first make I am showing a Father's day card since the event now looms large in the calendar (at least the crafty one!)

I used papers from a magazine freebie, Home Grown, designed by Hot Off The Press (very old...)

I stamped the cup from After Coffee with Memento ink in London Fog and applied a layer of Fossilized Distress Oxide all over, followed by Fired Brick stencilled with Nestled Circles Artplorations.
Taking the idea from last month's make (here) I used rub on letters to spell Dad and embossed the fussy cut cup with 2 layers of clear powder for a china effect.

All mats have been die-cut with the CUT-plorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies.

The sentiment from the Fond Expressions 2 is stamped on a die-cut from the same pack as the papers.

I hope you are inspired to join us and create something on the Family theme and/or following the sketch to enter Stamplorations Theme and Sketch challenge.

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the SSS Wednesday, WOW!  Embossing Powders and Craft Stamper TIMI 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

Fabrication

Today I'm showing a cushion cover I made from a length of calico,  with my own fair hands, cut AND sewn as well as decorated! For a step by step visit the Craft Barn blog.

Skilled seamstresses look away now, this is highly unprofessional but my previous covers had been hand sewn and this is an improvement!

Having noticed how the Tim Holtz layered stencils were similar in size to my test squares of fabric, I decided to make up a phone cover with one of them.


I placed the right side onto an old ironing board cover and cut out an equal sized piece.

When finished the inside of the cover has the material side of the ironing board cover, and the foam provides a little bit of cushioning for small falls and prevents scratches in my bag.

Not perfect But I do enjoy having a handcrafted item with me at all times !
Thanks for coming by,

Heartfelt

Already June and the 6th Country View Challenge of the year!
This month, the theme is Hearts, chosen by the lovely  Hazel.

Hearts often go with Valentine's Day but I was determined not to get any reds involved...

I started with a black tag and some Distress Oxide inks just to give a subtle wash of colour.

I used some gel medium and some Prima Marketing Finnabair Art Extravagance Texture Paste(in clear) to seal in the distress.


Next I stencilled with a mix of acrylic inks and Gesso through the Tim Holtz stencil set 10.

I added some background stamping with a Kaisercraft stamp and Archival inks.

The image of the girl is by Crafty Individuals and I matted it on an embossed panel (Stampendous Aged Rose).


The blue heart is made of 2 die-cuts from the Memory Box Wrapped Heart, one embossed with Aged Rose and the other colour matched with inks.

The row of negative hearts are from the Memory Box Triple Stitched Hearts.
The word Beautiful (Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 13PK - Adventure Words) is die-cut from Tim Holtz Substrate sheet and coloured with Distress re-inker in Walnut stain. A dash of Treasure Gold in Onyxite and White fire adds a bit of shine.

Come and see my teamies' creations on the Country ViewChallenges  blog.

Thanks for coming by,
Also entering the SSS Wednesday and WOW! Embossing Powders challenge.

Feline tag

A few challenges were requiring animals and I just inherited of a stamp set with Vintage cats' images that I just wanted to use! It was sold by Lakeland at the time so very very old!

I played for ages with my background and now can't remember the sequence of things but after the gesso I had several layers of Infusions and matt medium, Distress Oxides, Crackle paste, Grunge paste mixed with black paint and finally brushos...

It's that last bit that turned my tag into a fully grungy and dark piece, instead of the multicolour bursts I had in my mind's eye. Oh well...

I stamped the cats on tissue paper and using an acrylic paint pen coated the back before sticking down on the tag. I added a quote from A Paperbabe stamp set using the mouse from the same set as an accent.
Some Treasure Cold in Onyxite add a bit of shine on the Grunge Paste circles and butterflies.

I hope you've enjoyed your long weekend and took the time to craft too!
I am entering the SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday, That's Crafty, A Vintage Journey, Creative Mixed Media and SanDee & amelie's Steampunk Challenge challenges.

Journal cover

So I finally did it... I am getting a proper Journal.

When I say "get" I mean convert something into one, you know I can't resist a bit of recycling... I got this diary recently and, since half the year is already gone, it seemed pointless to use it as a diary. Plus with the calendar thingie on the phone...
I am not great with dimensional or 3D makes but Paper Artsy is investigating Assemblages this week and I was inspired by Alison's background here.

I started by selecting the shapes to add to my background, although later I changed my mind about the bottom label (which is hiding a logo).

Then I used gel medium to stick all the shapes and added a bit of crackle paste around them. This turned out to give subtle crackles but they are all lost in the final piece.

For colour I went back in time and used Inktense sticks, mainly because I couldn't find my Tim Holtz Distress crayons... I used a mix of mica sprays and water to spread the colours.

To add interest to the background I stamped (all from Paper Artsy) the scripts stamp from ESN10, the bell from ID02 and the leaf and circle trios from ELB33. The quote is from Hot Picks 1204, stamped on tissue paper. 
Finally, I used a small tag I had already stamped (Crafty Individuals CI-428) and embossed with clear EP to fit the Dovecraft frame I had selected for the bottom. I did several layers of green embossing on the frame, adding a sprinkle of Aged Aqua (Stampendous) on the last layer.

Having found my Distress crayon I used the Vintage to add shading to the tags and hearts.

I tipped the book to catch the sunrays in this photo so you can see the beautiful mica shine!

It had been such a long time since I did a bit of Mixed Media that I really enjoyed it so I must thank Paper Artsy and Alison who gave me the required push!

Thanks for coming by,


Also entering the Creative Mixed Media, WOW Embossing powders, Vintage Journey and SSS Wednesday Challenge challenges.

May Sketch inspiration

Welcome back for my second inspiration make for the Stamplorations Theme & Sketch challenge.
This time I am following the sketch.

For my base card, I partially cut the cardstock (Ranger Distress Mixed Media - Heavystock) with the Crazy Double Running Stitch Die.

I adhered a piece of vellum (a very old collection by Docrafts) centrally, only using glue at the top.

I used the Trendy Birds 2 stamp set and inked one of the big birds and 2 other bird motifs with a multi-colour inkpad (Kaleidacolor - Vineyard). I fussy cut them and glued them on the vellum.

I stamped the sentiment from the Fond Expressions 2 set on a rectangular piece of cardstock and rounded the corners with the 1/2" corner chomper.

Do check out what my teamies made on the Stamplorations blog and if you missed my first inspiration piece it's here. Then you will have no more excuse not to enter the challenge, following the theme, the sketch or both!

Thanks for coming by,

Powerful flower

Welcome to my second piece of inspiration for the Flower Power challenge at Country View, hosted by the lovely Monika.

I haven't got any work in progress photos but there is nothing complicated about this card. All stamps are from Paper Artsy, old and new.

I used watercolour cardstock for my stamped panel and stamped the flower (Hot pick 1205) using dye inks in purple and greens.
I masked the flower and overstamped repeatedly with the blade of wheat (ELB33) and the branch in black (Hot Pick 1008).

I used watercolours to paint the flower and die-cut the panel with the Sizzix Thinlits Mixed Media. I added some Distress ink in Squeezed Lemonade to the base card before attaching the finished panel.

I added the sentiment, another Thinlit die also designed by Tim Holtz (660215), cut out of black cardstock. I am quite partial to these words sets and already have several in my stash...

I had planned to add a piece of twine and maybe some splatters, but, in the end, I thought my "powerful" flower should stand its ground alone!
As an after thought I should have used hot pressed (smooth) paper rather than this textured card as the imperfect stamping made it difficult to accurately colour the flower.

Thanks for coming by,
Also entering the Artistic Stamper, Addicted to stamps and Craft Stamper TIMI challenges.

A B C...

Welcome to my first post as a Guest Designer for Stamplorations Theme and Sketch Challenge!

The most eagle eyed amongst my readers will have noticed my side bar badge and I had been sitting on this piece of news for such a long time I am really excited to make my debut!

 

For my first inspiration make I chose to follow the theme - Alphabet.
I don't know about you, but I have lots of rub-on remnants from when I first started making my own cards and sentiments were either rub-ons or peel offs... how things change! What better way to use up those extra letters from disparate sets than making a feature out of them... I do love a stash busting project!

I applied randomly all my rub-on on a piece of cardstock and coloured with distress inks before stamping the cup from the After Coffee set. The "C" (for coffee of course) was then protected with a layer of glossy accent. Once fussy cut I used a bit more ink to define the cylindrical shape and provide contrast with the C.

To make the background I stencilled some crackle paste onto watercolour card using the Retro Circles ARTplorations. After drying, I tapped Brushos and Infusions powders in several shades of yellow and red with a brush and sprayed water until I was happy with the result. I expected the paste to resist somewhat the colours but to my surprise the stencilled areas came out darker than the rest. The effect was pleasing so I kept it.

I cut a piece of card with one of the Stitched Snow Hills CUTplorations  and stamped the sentiment (also from the After Coffee set).

A splattering of white acrylic paint and a piece of twine finish the card.

I hope you are inspired to enter the May Theme & Sketch challenge, following either the theme, or the sketch, or both! Do check out what my teamies made on the Stamplorations blog and do come back on the 19th of May for a second dose of inspiration.

Thanks for coming by,
Also entering That's Crafty  and Craft Stamped TIMI  challenges.

Make a wish

My method of scrapbooking is so slow I haven't done much recently and I am glad I finally managed one layout to add to my Vintage album.

If you want to read how I made it please go by the Craft Barn blog where I have written a step by step. I will share here some of the ideas behind my choices.

The photo is one of the rare photos we have of a great aunt. The story goes that she was a seamstress and this influenced my choice of paper and embellishments (buttons, lace, fabric, thread etc...) but was a frustrated actress. I believe this photo was taken on the occasion of a village play and is the only one where my great aunt shows her fun side.

I don't often do single pages layout as I have too many pictures but she deserved a full page to herself, her 5 minutes of fame at last...
Thanks for coming by,

I am entering the Craft Stamper TIMI challenge.

Flower Power

First day of the month, May day, Bank Holiday in the UK and most of all... time for a new Country View Challenge! This month Monika has chosen Flower Power as the theme, so we will be looking forward to  your floral makes.
Being a bit short of time these days, I designed my card around shortcuts and using some of my older supplies.

I used this very old stamp set and taking direct inspiration from the way the stamps are lined up in the pack I placed a selection on my card base and picked them up all at once.

Then I let the inkpad do all the work for my ombre look by using the Kaleidacolor in Blue Breeze, inking all the stamps in one go.

In the picture left I show the pack from which I used the base card and sentiment stamp. It's a magazine freebie from... years ago and it came in handy!



Without further ado the finished card:


Over to you now... if you enter our Country View Challenge you could a win a £20 voucher to spend on crafty goodies so get crafting!

Thanks for coming by,






I am entering the Penny Black and more, That's Crafty and The Artistic Stamper challenges.