Floral Passion

Time for the Craft Barn quote challenge! This week I chose the word passion, whilst the colour scheme was supplied by A Sprinkle of Imagination (I used Aqua, Pale Lime, fuschia and purple) and the Floral theme by Pan Pastel UK.
As for the technique, I went back to my all time favourite, pastel on top of Versamark. Not only this method allows multi-coloured stamping in a much easier way than inks, but the colours are also much more vibrant, solid and velvety.

I stamped flowers and leaves without masking (Papertrey Ink), which is why some of the overlaps aren't quite as good as I would have liked. After applying the different shades of pastels I cleaned up around the images with an electric eraser.

I will repeat myself here for the benefit of my new readers that may not have tried the Versamark and pastels/chalks technique: it is fool proof, the results are fantastic and it needs to be seen in real life to be fully appreciated. You can see another example here and here.

Thanks for coming by,

Fabric Stamping

I didn't think I would get the time to enter the Paper Artsy challenge this week but I had to make a phone cover so it was a perfect opportunity to join Keren Baker in her fabric stamping.

I used the houses from the LCP012 set on top of a previously stamped harlequin motif.
I used Versafine, not realising that it wouldn't dry straight away on fabric, and as a result I got black ink everywhere! You have been warned...

The stamped fabric (recycled from an old sheet) has been first stitched together with the "wadding", in this case a piece of recycled ironing board cover, before stitching the sides together (sadly not perfectly straight). With so much recycling I am also entering the Craft-Room challenge.

Unlike the last time I tried this project, I didn't have the actual phone to hand so I couldn't check at each step if the fit was correct. If you could cross your fingers for me that it will be OK...

Masculine card

A quick post to make the deadline at Fashionable Stamping, where the theme is" Circle the Globe". Excellent excuse to use my world map stamp (Docrafts) and make a masculine card inspired by the Lisa.B Designs fortnight's worth of men cards. Although my map is square I surrounded it with embossed circles...

I don't have a bubble wrap stamp such as the Kaisercraft so I used the real thing... Not as easy to use but it did the trick, in a distressed sort of way, but that's fine, we LOVE "distressed" us crafters!
The designer paper has been embossed with clear powder then highlighted with distress inks. On the right of this panel I embossed the card with a sprinkling of regular gold, filling in with a darker gold.
Finally I embossed some chevrons with Sticky stuff and applied gilding flakes. No need to distress further here,, as the Sticky stuff is very temperamental so the result is always less than perfect.
I layered my stamped map (I used Sepia and black Versafine on the stamp), added a sticker and a stamped tag fastened with a screw brad.

I am also entering the WOW Embossing powders challenge.

Thanks for coming by,

Unique and Fame Quote

These are the words selected for the latest Craft Barn challenge.
As usual after a break, my mojo deserts me and I had difficulties coming up with anything. I had several false starts and changed my choice of words twice! In the end I settled on unique and recycled a technique I have used recently on a scrapbook page to produce my background.

For my base, I recycled a scrap piece of cardboard (thank you Amazon) and die-cut it.
I drew around a Crafter's Workshop stencil (Garden Gate) with a water based pen. I then applied a wash of Limelight and Claret Fresco paints on top which both softened the lines and obscured them a bit. I used several Big Brush pens to colour a small script stamp and stamped repeatedly all over the panel.
I used the Chicken wire stencil (also Crafter's workshop) with black ink and stamped a Lynn Perella image (Paper Artsy) as I thought the lady is unique...
To finish I added the quote, handwritten with a pen nib and black ink on a die-cut label.

I feel there is something missing, but as I said, my mojo didn't budge so I left it at that.

I am also entering the Totally Gorjuss and Craft Room challenges.

Thanks for coming by,

Mail Art

With a lot of crafting products coming out of the USA where their standard card size is A2 (4.25" by 5.5") instead of our European A6 (4" by 6") I now find myself designing cards in that format. But then I have no corresponding envelopes!

Fortunately, even without punch board or score board, envelopes are easy to make and, even better, they can be tailored to the recipient or made to match the card inside.
The Artful Times challenge couldn't be more timely and this is what I have produced:

I used free papers from magazine (I can't think how to use them otherwise) and embossed 2 corners with some Tim Holtz folders. I created a mask with a die-cut label (Spellbinders) and stamped a small flower stamp (magazine freebie) around the mask to create the address panel.
I added stamped and die-cut flowers & leaves (Papertrey Ink) and for closure a hand written piece of washi tape.

If you haven't yet tried to make your own envelopes, find yourself a template (plenty on the net) and have a go!

Paper Artsy

This week on the Paper Artsy blog, Liesbeth Fidder made a sewing tin complete with small pockets, all covered with lovely stamping. I loved her altered tin but I will need to wait until the next barbecue/bonfire before I can make my own. In the meantime, I thought I would have a go with a box that can't get the fire treatment! Sara Naumann made a beautiful book cover using tissue papers, a photo and the stamps she designed for Paper Artsy and I used this idea to customise a plastic glass case (see Sarah's project and video here) albeit without the photo.

First I applied some Distress inks (Antique Linen, Tattered Rose and a touch of Walnut) to a piece of tissue paper.
I used stamps from ESN07 and one from LCP012. I had to ink up the latter as I won it recently in a previous Paper Artsy challenge (sadly only a small portion remains on the finished article).
I then glued the tissue with gloss gel medium and realised the colour was too pale so I mixed a glaze with Walnut distress re-inker and gel medium. I wished I'd had Vintage photo instead as it is a lot warmer and less potent but if I still don't like it in a few days I will add orange tones.

Thanks for coming by,

Roses are red(ish)

I was inspired by the Craft Room challenge to pull out my photo realistic Roses stamp (Impression Obsession) and team it up with a rose I made recently with embossing powders in a WOW mould.
I tried to get green leaves and pink petals and it worked well enough so I am quite pleased with the result. My favourite embellishments are the ones I have made myself and with this mould I am able to make endless variations of roses.

The colour scheme suggested itself from the choice of the paper pad I used (a VERY old pad from Making Memories) and the roses of course!
I used a die-cut tag (also Impression Obsession) and a flourish I got from a magazine recently which I HAD to try...
I am also entering the following challenges: Pan Pastel UK (colour palette), The Artistic Stamper (in the garden), Country View crafts (Nature's glories) and Ladybug Crafts (favourite embellishment)

Thanks for coming by,

#3UP with Paper Artsy

If you don't know what #3UP is:

At the end of each 4 month blog cycle, Paper Artsy fills the spare week by featuring the work of their followers, generally highlighting their newest releases. The participants are randomly drawn and receive items from the new release to work with.

The wait is over, the secret is out... phew I can talk about it!!! Yes.. I was very lucky to be drawn for the #3UP challenge this semester, and today being the Chatsworth Paper Collection blog post, you will gather that this is what I have been working with.

As I had never used the Paper Artsy papers before, I wanted to give the Chatsworth a thorough road test in my project and I can tell you they did live up to the expectation, being as good quality as they appear (they are a hefty 240gsm) and resisting all my (wo)manhandling very well.

I am showing you here a snippet of my project but you must go to the Paper Artsy blog for the full reveal and catch what my fellow #3Uppers have done tonight.

See you there....

Shabby Chic Attempt

I love the look of Shabby Chic and have attempted the style several times, alas without success, but spurred on by the Pan Pastels UK challenge I though I would try again.
I used fabric and embossing to create texture and the many layers that seem to be the signature of this style.
I think I got the shabby.... not so sure about the chic!

For the background I sprayed through a Prima Doily stencil and embossed a Quatrefoil design on the lower right corner.
I distressed a scrap of paper and stamped it with a Newsprint image.
The larger piece of material has been stamped using Crafty Individuals CI-207 set.
For the smaller one I used the kiss stamping technique with a Harlequin background stamp (The Artistic Stamper) and a flower background. Difficult to see the motif of that second stamp but the effect is pleasant. I sprayed this piece with Pink, Lime and blue patina sprays.

I added a piece of DIY washi tape, coloured staples, a die-cut corner and a border die-cut from fabric that I have gathered with some embroidery floss.

I am also entering the Artful Times, Stamping Sensations, Crafty Individuals and The Artistic Stamper challenges.

Let me know in your comments what you think,

Altered Bottle

I love embossing and I am keen to try new ideas to use with embossing powders. When the Arty Inklings challenged us to alter bottles I knew it was time to try embossing on glass, something I have shied away (for good reason as it turns out).

Yes, glass is slippery and round bottles also make the actual stamping difficult. I tried to roll the bottle on the stamp and the stamp on the bottle and both methods are as awkward as each other.

Still, I declare the embossing distressed so it's all good...

To finish I have stamped a ticket die-cut to write the contents of the bottle or act as a gift tag.

Thanks for coming by,

Embossed metal

This fortnight the quote challenge at the Craft Barn is for the words Change and/or Truth. Truth be told... but no wait ! I'll save that...

The background must be one of the laziest technique ever. I just dotted small globs of paint in Fresco Claret, Limelight and white, spreading it with a credit card. That's it ! Minimum clean up too...
I used a stencil punched out of card (EK Success) to apply Sparkle Medium in Jade (Imagination Crafts).

Of course this left me more time for my metal frame embellishment, which I die-cut (X-Cut) and then embossed with several embossing powders (Clear, dark green, light green, dark gold and Aged Aqua all different brands). The clear was supposed to create "holes" in the embossing to allow the cream colour of the metal to show through. Obviously I didn't sprinkle enough for it work as intended!

Then, I embossed a border cut from silver metal with a Ten Seconds Studio mold, applied some watered down paint and before it dried poured Clear Holographic embossing powder over it.

The quote is written with sepia ink and a dip pen.

I am also entering the Imagination Crafts and WOW Embossing powder challenges.

Thanks for coming by,

Bright and cheerful

With the temperature going up and nature awakening to spring I fancied a bit of colour as a rest from vintage or grunge. The palette is provided by A Sprinkle of Imagination and I chose Ruby red, Mauve and Pale Lime (plus black and white).

The focal image is from Indigo Blu who have a Spring Blossoms challenge this month.

I used alcohol markers to colour the image, adding a bit of lime watercolour around the image.
The patterned paper is an old magazine freebie and the punched border has been colour matched with the same markers I used on the flowers.

I am also entering My Mum's Craft Shop and Ali Craft challenges.
Thanks for coming by,