Month: October 2017

Playing with backgrounds

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Hi there. I’ve been playing with my Avery Elle ‘Brring On the Joy’ stamp and die set. I saw this on a YouTube channel, and thought how cute they looked. If you know me at all, I struggle with cute. I never know how to colour the little animals, how to arrange them – but I thought with penguins it would be simple…..a little bit of black, a little bit of white, some colour for the scarves and shoes….and there we have it.

Now, my main struggle was the background. I wanted to play with my Distress Oxides, and took the ‘Faded Jeans’ – the only oxide I have that is blue – and set to playing.

I first used normal card – too much blending, and the card started to break down. Without water, too. So – water-colour card. Actually, this is a little thinner than card, but thicker than paper.

I did one background by smooshing the ink pad onto my craft mat, added water, and then lay the water-colour card down. This was too random for me, and not enough coverage, so I took my blending tool and made it more even. That was pretty decent.

The I just took the ink pad, ran it over the water-colour card, wet it down, evened it out…a more solid background. Kinda liked that too.

The next one, I ink blended the traditional way, and even used a cloud stencil I had handy for some detail in the background…..You can tell which one that is. I just kept playing, and trying different techniques, and the only one I didn’t really like, and couldn’t do anything with – was when I didn’t use water-colour card or paper……. quite obvious, really! Oh – and I finished off with some water splattering……..got to really – rude not to!

I think I’ll be making some similar cards, as I like the sentiments, they are cute……and I liked playing with the oxide.

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

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge – Christmas

The Merry Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Christmas with the Cuties – Christmas animals

 

 

Coloured Birthday

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Hello everyone. I hope everyone is doing well, and enjoying the day…..

This card was made in a larger format, to leave some clean space on the card. The colours are from the current challenge from CAS Colours and Sketches – Pumpkin Pie, Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz. I first stamped the flowers from Stamps By Me, in Crumb Cake, then again – using my Misti – stamped over the top of the colour with Ranger Perfect Medium, and embossed with clear embossing powder.

I coloured the flowers with Pumpkin Pie, and the leaves with Pear Pizzazz, before using my Lawn Fawn ‘Wonky Rectangles’ to cut the panel. I then used the Sue Wilson ‘Shadow Box Collection – Stitched Lattice Frames’ to emboss the grid pattern into that panel. I also used the three rectangles from that same die set to cut a thin frame out of Crumb Cake Card, and another layer to go underneath the white panel. That way, I had stitching on all the layers.

The bottom thinner frame is stuck directly onto the base card, with the flower panel and it’s Crumb Cake layer being raised on 3D foam pads.

The sentiment is from Stamps By Me, stamped in Versafine Black Onyx.

As it is very, very windy outside today, I photographed inside again. I probably spent as much time hunting for a suitable photo situation as I did putting the card together…..

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CAS Colours and Sketches – Pumpkin Pie, Pear Pizzazz, Crumb Cake

CASology – grid

Seize the Birthday – anything goes birthday (not using optional theme)

 

 

 

 

 

Colours, Sketch, Feminine

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Hello again, everyone. I have made a card with more die-cutting than stamping today. The colours were inspired by Color Throwdown and Watercooler Wednesday, and the layout by Freshly Made Sketches.

I have a fad for orange at the moment. It seems to have been in my crafting for a few months now, and I really have to try to move away from it – but then Color Throwdown used orange as part of the colour scheme this week. Yay!

I used a spellbinders die for the large circle, and the ‘beautiful’ word die from Stamps By Me, as was the ‘Birthday Wishes’ stamp. This part of it was actually quite easy. Now for the more complicated part…..

I wanted to use a rose die from Stamps By Me, which comes with the intricate rose, plus a larger border die. I didn’t want the bits to fall out of the rose, so turned to some Glad Press ‘N’ seal which my sister gave from when I went to Canada.

20171005_215529 v2Once I had cut the rose out of Kraft card, I managed to release the die cut without many pieces falling out, used the press ‘n’ seal on the front of the rose, glued the back of it all, then picked it up with the press ‘n’ seal, and placed it on the larger rose outline die, gently removing the press ‘n’ seal, leaving the rose stuck down onto the outline. I didn’t fancy piecing all those bits back in, so I am glad not many of them fell out!

I then added some Spectrum Sparkle around the rose outline, and stuck it to the circle with 3D foam pads.

Challenges I am entering with this card:

Color Throwdown – Orange, Kraft, White

Freshly Made Sketches – Sketch

Watercooler Wednesday – anything goes feminine

 

 

CAS Christmas Reindeer

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Hi there. I have finally found time to play with my Mama Elephant ‘Little Reindeer Agenda’. Finally! I bought this set and the Santa set a few weeks ago from Seven Hills Crafts, and just haven’t been in the mood to play with them. Today, that changed. No idea why, but it means I have a couple of cards to share with you.

I stamped eight of the little reindeer in black Versafine, and coloured them with my Zigs. I added some shading to the reindeer, even though they are very small, but used a flesh colour, and a light tan colour – just a little dimension. I used the matching dies to cut them out and then tried to decide the lay-out.

That problem was solved by the current challenge from AAA Cards. The sketch they have – I thought – was ideal for a lay-out using all my reindeer. I then decided not to put them straight, but the put them a little ‘wonky’, which could mean movement, but it actually means you don’t have to line things up perfectly. :)

One sentiment is from the Little Santa Agenda set, and the other sentiment is from Avery Elle ‘Brring on the Joy’ – a set with penguins I may use very soon – now I’m feeling I need to make some more Christmas cards.

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I covered the reindeer with my glitter pen, and added some Nuvo Drops to noses – they are all Rudolph (artistic license), and another three drops for some added colour. Can you see the little ‘personal’ touch on the second card? The larger drop wasn’t quite dried when I stood the card up to photograph it, and it started to droop just as I took the photo……slightly less than round now…….

 

I will be entering the following challenges:

AAA Cards – sketch

Christmas at Sweet Stampin’ – anything Christmas

Crimbo Crackers – Reindeer

Addicted to Stamps and More – make your mark

Winter Wonderland Challenge – anything goes Christmas

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a creature/critter

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas 

 

3 colours water-coloured

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Hi all. I’m afraid it’s another indoor photo today, as it’s very grey, miserable, windy, and rainy outside. I am more of an Autumn and Winter person, and like watch rain and snow etc. – when I’m inside near a wood fire, of course!

The colours for this card was from the current challenge from Hand Stamped Sentiments – So Saffron, Always Artichoke, and Night of Navy. I first stamped some of my Altenew Tulips onto water-colour card, then coloured them with my water-brush. As I only have the markers for the tulip colours, I scribbled them onto an acrylic block, then took my water-brush and coloured in the flowers. After the first layer had dried, I went back in to add some shading – in the same colours – but a second layer gave some added dimension. I also use the matching dies to cut them out.

For the Night of Navy background, I took some water-colour paper this time. I sprayed the paper liberally with water, then dropped in the Night Of Navy with the water-brush – from an acrylic block again – and moved it around a little. I find the Stampin Up inks are actually very good when it comes to water-colouring, and it didn’t take long at all. (Well – I did use by heat gun a little!)

I cut the rectangle out as I didn’t want a lot of blue on the card, and stuck everything down as you see.

The sentiment is from Stamps By Me, stamped in Versafine black onyx.

I have also been playing with my Derwent Inktense pencils today, and will be using them on another project. I must have watched quite a few YouTube videos on these pencils, as well as going onto the Derwent website. What you can do with these seems to be endless, if you are an artist – which I definitely am not! I do, however, like the intensity which comes from these pencils, and that you can touch a water-brush to the nib itself to pull some colour off. I’ll be trying some layering, some shading – all new to me. What a challenge I have set myself……….I may have to search for some classes near to me…..

I will be entering the following challenges with this card:

Hand Stamped Sentiments – So Saffron, Always Artichoke, Night of Navy

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge – anything goes

CAS on Sunday – use a die cut

QKR Stampede – anything goes with twist of cutting it up