The Birdie song

Since Ranger added 10 colours to the original black and white line up I wanted to try them. Now, Wendy Vecchi had her own colours added to the Enamel Accents range and they finally made it to the UK. Time to grab them and play...

If you wonder about the title of this post, I chose it because all I can see when looking at my bird is a happy thing sauntering in the fields singing his heart out!

Supplies:
Ranger Enamel Accents
Heat resistant Acetate
Paper Artsy Crunchy Waxed Paper
Joggles Quirky Bird #3 stamp
Rectangle dies from Spellbinders, Nellie Snellen and Stamplorations

You can catch my step by step on the Craft Barn blog and if you want to see the Master in action (Mr Holtz himself) introducing the Ranger colours there is a Youtube video.

On a different subject, I am joining the Stamplorations Linky party, celebrating their 4th Birthday and if you are curious to know what my wish list look like, there it is...

Thanks for coming by,
I am also entering the That's Crafty challenges.

Foiled Heart

Welcome to my second Heart themed make for the Country View Challenge, hosted by the lovely Hazel.

Still shunning the reds and pinks, I went metallic and enjoyed pulling out the Gilding Flakes.

First I applied double sided adhesive to a 6x6" (15x15cms) piece of light cardstock and die cut a central square. I keep the resulting frame for another project and die-cut the Sending Love heart (Memory Box) from the square.

I then applied the flakes over the sticky die-cut. I use a soft brush to pick up individual flakes if I need a particular colour or want a smooth finish. The sponge rubs away all excess flakes.  

I stuck the foiled heart onto a piece of black Core'dinations and to frame my center piece, I embossed a piece of Gemstones Core'dinations and applied Gold accents with DecoArt Metallic Lustre.

The folder is a freebie from a magazine (old stash...)

And because metallic are so difficult to photograph, first a full frontal pic:


then the shine shot:













And a different angle...

I am so glad I thought about the flakes, I don't think I have used them much, even though they do deliver that wow factor.

Don't lose your heart and enter our challenge, you could win £ 20 to spend on crafting supplies from the Country View Craft web shop!

I'm looking forward to see all your entries....

I am entering the SSS Monday,  SSS Wednesday challenges.

Theme and Sketch Inspiration

Still plenty of time to enter this month's Stamplorations Theme & Sketch Challenge and today the team is showing more projects to inspire you on the Stamplorations blog.

As I followed the theme but not the sketch last time, I am using the sketch for this card.

I started by my focal image, the bird from the Trendy Birds 2. First I inked and stamped it using water soluble inks (Ecoline pens), spritzing the stamp with water before touching the paper. I also sprayed the paper lightly to get more of the feathery effect.
Then I stamped the image again, this time with black dye ink.

To create the arc in the bottom corner, I used the smaller birds, going from dark to light.
I then stamped the sentiment, by combining 2 of those included in the same Trendy Birds 2 set.

For the background, I added Distress inks through the Retro Circles stencil and Shutters Mini.
I die-cut the panel down to card size using the Crazy Double Running Stitch die set.

Finally, with  enamel accents in Orchid, I added 3 dots bottom right and the bird's pupil too.

Do check out my teamies' makes on the Stamplorations blog and do create something on the Family theme and/or following the sketch for a chance to win some Stamplorations goodies...

Thanks for coming by,

I am entering the The Artistic Stamper and Penny Black and more challenges.

       

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,