Month: April 2017

Fantasy Fairies

 

 

I have been playing with my Brusho’s again……I seem to create quite a mess – on the card and off of it! I was inspired by three challenges today – Cards In Envy, Fab N Funky Challenges, and Stamp with Sarah Kay. The first two challenges were to create fantasy cards, and the third challenge was for a water-colour background.

I started to get my Crafters Companion water-colour card – I had used the last of it! Now what do I do? How can I do a water-colour background without water-colour card? It won’t flow as well. I was in crisis mode! Luckily, their Chesterfield store is a mere 10 minutes drive away…………on with the make-up, did my hair, got in my car – and was back home within the hour. Of course, one has to look around the shop whilst there, doesn’t one? Guess what I found? These lovely, adorable fairies from Lavinia Stamps…..ideal for what I wanted to create. They are quite solid, but adorable. Out with the old idea, in with the new!

So – water-colour card cut square to fit my 7 inch square white card base. I used my Misti to stamp my two images facing each other, one higher, in Ranger Perfect medium. Misti because with the textured card I usually need to stamp twice. Added white embossing powder and heat set it. Then to the background. I thought the white embossing would resist the colours, so I just went on in there.

I wet down the card – both sides – taped it down, and sprinkled my chosen Brusho colours onto it. Turquoise at the top, Crimson in the middle, Lime Green at the bottom. A sort of sky and sunset and grass thingy going on here. Until they ran together! Blinking tape didn’t keep it flat! I mopped up extra colours, tried to stop the red running into the green, then the blue ran down – muddy colour in the middle! Wet it down again, kitchen towel to mop-up some colour, added one colour at a time, dried it, added the others. Don’t you just love kitchen towel??!!

I then used black Versafine to stamp some floral elements from Stampin Up ‘Flowering Fields’ stamp set. An older stamp set, but I like the little images – very versatile. I think it looks like the fairies are playing in a fantasy sunset field, dancing on the flowers – well – that was the look I was going for, anyway.

Attached the watercolour card to black, then added to base card. Of course, I added some glitter, and I think I’ve managed to catch this in the photo – Spectrum Noir clear sparkle pen. Pushed a little extra out and just flicked it onto the card.

I think I’m getting the hang of Brusho’s – I mean, you actually can’t plan very much where they are going to spread to. There may be a knack to them – but I’m enjoying exploring their capabilities…….

 

 

 

Smile in the rain

 

I have been having a play with a stamp set from Newton’s Nook, and the matching die set ‘Newton’s Rainy Day’. I have this for a few weeks now, and because I really, really struggle with cute animals and colouring, I have been holding-off playing with it. Today has been the day I have girded my loins and just got on with it.

I am not a colourist, I dabble – much like many of us, I am sure – and sometimes make mistakes, sometimes it works out right, but tend to (mostly) have fun playing.

This is my idea of playing. I stamped the main image four times – twice on Crafters Companion water-colour card, and twice on IndigoBlu stamping card. I coloured them all with my Zigs, and added Spectrum Noir sparkle to all of the umbrellas and water puddles at the end.

I found I didn’t know what colours to use except definitely wanted a yellow duck, and definitely wanted a blue puddle – the rest were experiments in colour. The cards with the purple cat and the red umbrella, and the brown cat and grey umbrella were in the IndigoBlu stamping card. I found that the zigs didn’t colour that well on this card, and left pen marks. The colour sank into the card very quickly, and I went over the imaged two of three times to try and even things out.

For the water-colour cards I wet down the area of card first, then went in with the colours, using my water-brush to spread the colour around a little, for a more uneven and water-coloured effect. I like the look of the texture of the water-colour card, so didn’t add too much depth.

The ‘Smile’ sentiment is from Altenew, which comes with a stamp and die set, but I only used the die. To get a full yellow effect, I wet down a piece of water-colour card, then ran my Stampin Up ‘Daffodil Delight’ ink pad across it. I used my water-brush to even the colour a little – but not too much – dry the card, then die cut the word out. The little sentiment is from the same Newton’s Nook ‘Rainy Day’ stamp set. I thought the two worked together quite well.

As I am trying for more clean and simple cards, I left them at that. No embellishments, no added sequins – just as they were.

I will be entering a card for the following challenges:

Addicted to Clean and Simple

Crazy for Challenges

Make My Monday Challenge

Addicted to stamps

Crafty Catz weekly challenge

Colour Crazy Challenge

Crafty Friends Challenge

I thought I’d give you an update about my late, late, late Christmas presents for my friend, and one week late on the birthday card and presents – all received very gratefully and graciously! Thank goodness.

 

Happy Birthday

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Despite all the cards I make, I am almost a week late with a card for one of my close friends. Even though we are based in the same hospital, and our office is next door to each other, it is very rare – not even weekly – when we see each other. She works two days a week, and I sometimes work at other sites. Needless to say – I am mortified!!!

We are going out for a meal on Thursday night, so I shall have to give her the card and presents then – but even five days is nothing compared to my still having her Christmas presents here. With me! Almost four months! How outrageous is that!!??

Anyway, to my card. Still a last minute thing, but I returned to my die cutting roots again. I put my purple card away yesterday, so you can there isn’t one drop of purple to be found. Brown. That is what we have – brown. With a little sparkle.

I started with a white 8 inch square card base, and added some patterned paper from Be Creative! I am  trying a new glue. I usually add most of the layers with double-sided sticky tape, but I had a craft clear-up and found quite a few bottle of Tonic glue, so thought I would try that. I’ll let you know how it stays stuck down………

I then die cut flowers from Stampin Up ‘Stylish Stems Framelits’  and layered Kraft card with a darker brown card for two tone effect. The dark brown card I ‘found’ in a pile I was saving for later, for something special. Why do we do that? Isn’t the card we are currently making that special card to use our stash on? I am sure I have items which I am ‘saving’……………

I then die cut some ferns and leaves with Sue Wilson ‘Finishing Touches – Mosaic Leaves’ and layered them altogether using Pinflair glue. The Pinflair glue allows me to move items around until I get the positioning right, and also allows things to be ‘shoved’ under each other.

I then stamped the sentiment using my Misti – despite me already having layered the die cuts (I know, I know!) from the Altenew ‘Wishing You’ stamp set.

I may have rambled a little and gone off on tangents, but that’s because I’m hoping you haven’t all stuck with my complete and utter tardiness with cards and presents for my friend….

I shall be entering this card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

That’s Crafty Challenge Blog

Always Fun Challenges

Aud Sentiments Challenge

 

 

 

Starry Sketch

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I seem to be having a purple passion moment or two. Both yesterday and today I have made cards with purple. I think I’ll have to move my purple card stock away from me for a while……….Until then, here is a small little card inspired by Watercooler Wednesday and Time Out Challenges. Both of these challenges I have been thinking about for quite a few days, and finally – as hubby is watching the golf catch-up – I have sat down to create this card.

I started with a light pink card base then matted this with a black layer and purple layer. On the purple layer, I die cut three strips from Crafters Companion Die’sire ‘Simple Stitched Edges’ dies. These strips are actually 12 inches long, and you could cut several make a couple of cards at the same time.

The two circles are cut from my ever favourite, and so aptly named MFT – ‘Zigzag stitched circle’ dies. I stamped and embossed the large star from MFT ‘Stars Above’ die set, using my sparkly Wow powder ‘Grape Crush’, then die cut the star with the matching die.

The sentiment is from that same stamp set, stamped with Versafine black onyx, another of my favourites.

I added a black layer as I wanted the sentiment to be in black, and thought a black layer under the purple would bring it together, and also make the stitched and crossed stripes stand out a little more.

The addition of the sequins added an extra something, and for once – they weren’t added because I smudged! I just wanted them there! Talk about pressure for stamping again and not smudging. I think I’ll have a little bet with myself how many I can stamp in a row without smudging…….

 

 

 

Three colours only

It’s been an absolutely gorgeous day here is Chesterfield, UK. Bright and sunny, so a little time spent in the garden throughout the day. It’s only when the sun went down, and it turned cooler, that my thoughts then turned to making a card. Well, I did want to make a card earlier, but the weather was just toooo nice.

I chose to make a bright and cheerful card again today, so my thoughts turned to the current challenge from CAS Colours and Sketches.

Their current challenge is to use three colours only, clean and simple card, but you could also use the basic white/grey/black/white/Kraft for sentiments and outlines. I managed to use two of the specific colours – Pear Pizzazz and So Saffron, but I didn’t have Wisteria Wonder. I had a look at the Stampin Up web site of my demonstrator (Shell Bower) to get an idea of the colour, then went hunting through my other inks. I came across my Ranger Archival Ink ‘Violet’ which seemed to match quite well with what I saw in t’old tinterweb.

So – now what to do? I had been meaning to use my little Card-io Majestix stamps for a while, so sat down and had a look through my stash. I decided on a mixture of sets, one with flowers, which I stamped in the Violet ink, leaves in Pear Pizzazz, and a flourish I stamped in So Saffron. They are cute little stamps, aren’t they? I do think they are expensive for what you get – but as long as they get used, right?

The purple layer of card matched the violet – from Creative Expressions, I think – and then a white base layer.

You may be asking what those little flourishes are doing at the top of the card? Well…..guess who smudged? Yet again! Don’t tell anyone – they’ll never notice. Just between you and me!

I found I actually have more of these little stamp sets than I thought, so I may have more of a play with them this week, and see what I come up with. There are a good selection of examples on t’old tinterweb, so perhaps I may play and post what I have done.

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh Sketch

 

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After doing some quite complicated techniques and dark colour schemes the past few posts, I just thought I’d throw a spanner into the works and do a clean and simple card based on the sketch challenge for Freshly Made Sketches.

I know it’s my second posting of the day, but I have had my crafting head on, and hubby has been golfing……..

I used a 6 inch square card base, with three little squares attached with 3D foam. Each square is cut using Crafters Companion Essentials Scalloped Squares, after stamping with one of the stamps from Altenew ‘Simple Flowers’ stamp set. I used Catherine Pooler inks – Rockin’ Red, Something Borrowed, and Grass Skirt.

I always wonder whether to stamp first and then cut, or cut first then stamp……this time I stamped then cut. Is there a supposedly correct way? Or do we do what we usually do – whatever works best for us?

The sentiment is from Stampin Up ‘Vertical greetings’, which is a great little stamp set with other vertical greetings, and topiary stamps. I stamped with Versafine Black Onyx, using my Misti.

I use the Misti a lot when stamping, especially when stamping directly onto the card base, as I never seem to get it quite right first time. I always seem to get the depth of colour wrong, or it doesn’t stamp correctly, and the Misti just help me to line things up, and double/triple stamp if needed. I then added the squares as per sketch pattern.

A quick card, as clean and simple as I think I can make it……

 

 

Mojo Sketch

This card was inspired by Mojo Monday Sketch challenge. I have turned the sketch around 90 degrees but you can still see the inspiration sketch in there.

It seems I am staying with my darker vintage look for today, completely different to the cards I made several posts ago. I don’t know why I am going that way currently – the sun is shining, the birds are singing, the pheasants are making a blinking racket(!!) – all a good thing, though.

For this card, I used an 8 inch square Kraft base card, and cut a smaller square in a deep purple colour which I think matched the tone of the rest of the card. I embossed this smaller square with the Tattered Lace ‘Autumn Leaf’ embossing folder, which has a gorgeous imprint of different leaves, and attached that to the base card.

The layers are from a patterned paper pad from Be Creative. The second layer had a couple of birds on each edge, so I just took the middle out of the paper and stuck them down together so it looked like they were still connected. The circle is stamped with a Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous set ‘Phrases 2’, and cut using my MFT ZIgZag Stitched Circle die set. This circle I raised with 3D foam, but the rest of the layers are flat to the card.

I don’t very often used patterned paper, and yet I have stacks of pads and collections I absolutely MUST get around to using. Maybe this is the start of a patterned paper thing. You never know. I don’t think I can be predictable with my crafting – it is all in what inspires me for the day. I may set off doing one thing, then get completely turned-around and go onto another thing.

Does anyone else have a stack of toppers they have made, and yet aren’t attached to cards yet? I am sure it isn’t just me. I know my sister in Canada has the same sort of collection. We see it as cards yet to be made, but can easily be grabbed for emergencies. (Not sure what those emergencies will be, though!

The more I set out my items to make this card, I realised how versatile and it could be, for any occasions, and so I shall also be entering this card into the Addicted to Stamps and More challenge with the theme of ‘Anything Goes’, and Moving Along With The Times, with the theme of ‘Into the Woods’.

Inspiration from photo

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This evening I have been having a play with some of my more vintage or shabby stamps and papers. I was looking for something to make for the Inkspirational challenge, and decided I wanted to go away from my colourful recent posts, and concentrate on more of a monochrome look.

I began by thinking of Tim Holtz dies and stamps, and remembered the ‘Mixed Media’ dies I bought a while a go and never used. I am sure you will have bought things ‘just in case’…..well now I have a reason to use them.

I started with an 8 inch square Kraft card base, and added a piece of patterned paper from a Be Creative paper pad – also that I have had for quite a while. I cut the corner die from the paper, for a diamond effect, and stuck this to the base card. I also didn’t want the paper to be the same size, and cut off a couple of inches to leave a Kraft border. Once I had stuck the paper to the card, I curled and rolled the top right corner, and slightly curled the bottom right corner, to create more interest.

The sentiment is from an IndigoBlu set ‘Take The Time’, and the large clock is from Tim Holtz collection from Stampers Anonymous ‘Vintage Things Blueprint’. I used the Versafine black ink, and then distressed the paper with Frayed Burlap and Old Paper to create a more vintage feel.

The small clock was stamped using Frayed Burlap and came from another Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous set called ‘Little Things’, whilst the tree/vein effect came from an IndigoBlu set ‘Nature 1’ again stamped with Frayed Burlap.

I then distressed the side panel and main paper panel again with the inks.

I played and experimented a little with this card, using quite a few stamps from different sets, when I usually stick to one or two sets at most – maybe main image with a sentiment from another set.

I will have time over the weekend to have crafty playing, so I am sure I will be showing you what I have done.

Brusho and butterflies

 

I’ve had a little play with my Brusho’s! I don’t know if this is what you are supposed to do with them, and I don’t know if this is the effect one hopes to achieve – but I like it! Such a little burst of colour. Like magic when added to water.

The inspiration for playing with my Brusho’s came from the Addicted to Stamps and More site. There is an inspiration photo which immediately brought to mind the small set of Brusho’s that I have. I haven’t really experimented with them, but thought I would give it a go.

I tried three techniques, and actually like them all, for different reasons. The first thing I did was to cut some of my Crafters Companion water-colour A4 card into 4 pieces. That way I could experiment with four different methods at the same time, rather than try one, and complete the card, then another etc. I like to look at the different outcomes all at once, then decide what I want to do with them.

First technique: wet the water-colour card front and back, then drop my Turquoise Brusho onto it very gently, slowly, miniscule fleck by miniscule fleck – it still burst all over my card! Then my card started to buckle, then the colour was running to the edges…..so I took my piercing tool – which I use to poke out the bits from intricate dies – and pushed the middle down, to keep it as flat as possible. I wanted the colour in the centre of the card, not the edges. This is the piece of card I used to cut my Tim Holtz Butterfly Duo out of, and embossed those same two butterflies with the matching embossing folder. I then added those butterflies to a piece of white card, and drew the antennae on with a black gel pen. I will think about adding a sentiment, but actually quite like them as they are.

Second technique: I dropped flecks of Turquoise Brusho onto dry water-colour card, then sprayed water onto it. Only a few drops of water at a time, again very sparingly, so I could try to determine where the colour and water was going to go. It didn’t quite work out that way, as the burst of colour really is very dramatic, but I liked the effect anyway. I kept some of the areas drier than others, as I like the effect of the Brusho grains when they are not completely saturated by water. I then used the same Tim Holtz Butterfly Duo die and embossing folder but with white card, and adhered the butterflies plainly and simply onto the spattered blue card.

The third technique was to stamp and emboss a butterfly and floral element from an IndigoBlu stamp set called ‘Nature 1’. This is a lovely stamp set, which has clouds, and grass, edge of a tree, and a gorgeous sentiment. The butterfly from this is quite solid – what I wanted – so I stamped the butterfly and the flower/thistle/weed (don’t know what it is!) with my Ranger Perfect Medium, embossed it with detail white embossing powder from Cosmic Shimmer, then wet the card and dropped my turquoise Brusho onto it. This time, I wanted a more ‘washed’ effect behind the butterfly and flower, and saturated the grains very well, let them run all over the embossed images, just so the image would be highlighted by the background colour, as the embossing resisted the colour of the Brusho, as expected. (Was that a really long sentence? Did I waffle on a bit?)

I then added some Tonic Crystal Drops in Midnight Blue to three of the edges, stamped a sentiment from the Altenew stamp set ‘Birch Land’ and adhered that with foam pads.

I have four other colours of Brusho’s and I feel I may be making similar cards with similar effects in the very near future. However, I may also have to do an internet and YouTube search for hints and tips when using these – but still going to have fun experimenting with them.

I shall also be entering one of these cards into the following challenges:

Just add ink

Crafty Friends Challenge Blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clean and Simple Sketch

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A quick and easy blog post for today – working all week again, so not sure how much time I’ll have in the evenings – depends on what time I get home and what hubby wants for tea……..!

I’m having a go at the sketch challenges at the moment, and am struggling with keeping them clean and simple – and think I’ve been a little too clean and simple with this card. I thought I’d post it anyway, as I actually do like how it turned out. I like the simplicity of the flower and sentiment, and the contrasting colours of the two base layers.

This sketch was from CAS Colours and Sketches and I think I’ve achieved what was asked……we shall see.

The base card is from Create and Craft – a Topsy Turvy card I have a stock of, with the inside of the card being a lighter blue. The next layer is almost like a burnt orange, with a lighter reverse side, but that lighter side on this piece is a little ‘wishy washy’. I think it’s a pink – but quite bland. Anyway, didn’t use it so it doesn’t really matter.

The white card is from Stampin Up, and I stamped the ‘Best Thoughts’ flower in basic grey, also from Stampin Up. The sentiment was cut out of Lawn Fawn Narwhal card, after I had attached some double-sided sticky sheet to the back of it. I was thinking of using my Xyron again – but the sentiment is quite long – almost 6 inches, so thought it would be a waste. The double-sided sticky sheet worked very well.

I admit this is a very simple card, but I will probably do it again, using different colours for the base card, just to see what effects I can create – some pastel colours, some maybe black and white cards. I may even try colouring – you never know……