An Untold Story with Sin City Stamps

Super excited to have received my new (and first!) stamp set for Sin City Stamps! I work in all kinds of styles but vintage has been a constant theme in my work over the years and I've never grown tired of it. Actually, although based on vintage images, this set is pretty versatile and can be use in a modern context too. You can get them here. I have to say I am so pleased with the quality - they are really thick and beautifully cut! Thanks so much Kim!

Correspondence stamps retail at $18.99 USD (shipping to the UK is $6)

I didn't take any step pics for this one but I'll talk you through what I did.

This page is in my junk journal which is an old poetry book. First off I obscured the text a bit with DecoArt Media Titan Buff paint (watered down).

I stamped the pen nibs directly onto the paper with black Archival, masking off the largest one so they fit better on my page. They are lightly coloured with Kuretake Gansai Tambi Starry Colours watercolour paint - I wasn't too heavy with the paint so I didn't obscure the stamping. The pen at the foot of the page is coloured the same way.

My ink bottle is stamped in StazOn Ultramarine and the highlights are caught with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. I stamped the label again and distressed it by crumpling it up and then inking with Antique Linen/Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The text background is stamped onto card which has also been inked/distressed and then torn.

The Tim Holtz Paper Doll has wings (not from my set - but we've all got 100 butterfly stamps, right?). I gave him wings to fit with the stamped quotation 'There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." I thought it was fun and quirky to have him 'sitting' on the ink bottle.

At the end it all looked a bit brown so I added a very watery wash of DecoArt Media Prussian Blue Hue (I also coloured the wings with this and the Kuretake watercolours). I treated the acrylic a bit like watercolour by making it very runny and allowing it to pool on the page - it has soaked in more where there is no paint and less where the Titan Buff layer was applied - which I really like.

Hope you like my make and my stamps!

Don't forget to tell YOUR creative story!

Katy x

Two Minute Journal Page Background

Today I'm sharing the results of a challenge set by my dear friend Lou Withers on her Facebook group Junk Journal Junkies (check it out - it's a very friendly, happy place!). The challenge was to create a background for a journal spread in two minutes. Of course I turned to my favourite DecoArt Fluid Acrylics and bashed this page out!

In fact it only took 15 minutes to complete the whole thing and I'm actually really happy with it. Sometimes just going with the flow can really work (and sometimes I make something unspeakable!).

Hope you enjoy the video. See you soon.

Katy x

Products used:
DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics: Green Gold, Cobalt Teal Hue, Payne's Grey, Cobolt Turquoise Hue
Dina Wakley stamps
Washi tape

DecoArt Andy Skinner Blog Hop

Prepare for dark and maybe even scary this week as DecoArt and Stampendous join forces and we get to play with Andy Skinner's fantastic new stamps!

I've had a lifelong fear of clowns... not totally sure why... Could be that I had a Jack-in-the-Box when I was very small that terrified the life out of me. Could be that I got addicted to serial killer books (still am) at an inappropriately young age - John Wayne Gacy - shudder......... Whatever the reason, I hate clowns! So there was only one way to go with Andy's skull with clown nose stamp and that was cathartic! As I started to express my fears my journal page got a little bit macabre; sorry about that! But if I haven't scared you away yet, here's a step-by-step tutorial of how I created my journal page.

DecoArt products used:
Media Crackle Paste
Media Crackle Glaze
Media Antiquing Cream - Black, White
Fluid Acrylics - Payne's Grey, Dark Grey Value 3, Carbon Black, Pyrrole Red
DecoArt Stencil:

Other products:
Stampendous Andy Skinner Stamps
Permanent black inkpad

1) Apply crackle paste through a stencil and allow to dry. Once dry, use a dry brush to roughly apply Payne's Grey and Dark Grey paints.

2) Add some drips of Payne's Grey paint.

3 Stamp the skull with permanent ink. Add some shadowing with a wash of grey paint and paint the nose red. Cover with Crackle Glaze.

4) Allow the glaze to dry fully and cut out the skull. Mix black and white Antiquing Creams to make dark grey and apply all over. Allow to dry.

5) Wipe back the cream with a baby wipe or damp cloth - I wiped most of it away so it was just in the crackles.

6) Place the skull onto your page and draw around it with a pencil. Use the pencil marks as a guide to create a Payne's Grey frame around the area where the skull will go. Mine dripped a bit so I went with it, as it echoed the drips above.

7) Add more stamped detail using the barbed wire image and permanent black ink.

8) Add some splatters of black paint (I used a wooden skewer for this) and stamp the word 'Fear'. At this point I wanted some more contrast so added some red paint drips.

9) To finish glue the skull in place and add some computer-generated wording.

Normal prettiness will be resumed shortly but in the meantime thanks for your visit today! I hope you're not too scared to come back!!!

Katy x

Take My Hand for DecoArt

Today I've created a very layered journal page using my Media supplies for the DecoArt Media DT. I love working with lots of layers, with just a hint of what went before peeking through each time. I think it gives a piece lovely depth and interest and it's a fun way to work too. I also like how the translucency of the Fluid Acrylics means that the dark grey background doesn't entirely cover my other layers, and elements peek through. I created a step-by-step to show you my process.

DecoArt products used:

Media Fluid Acrylics: Green Gold, Cobalt Teal Hue, Payne's Grey

Media Matte Medium
Media Gesso - White
Decou-page Paper: Moroccan

Find all these products at decoart.com

Other:

Permanent black inkpad

Oil pastel in turquoise
Stabilo All Pencil

Masks (Donna Downey)

Scrape Green Gold paint over a journal page. Add Cobalt Teal Hue stamped with a piece of bubble wrap.

Apply some pieces of tissue and Decou-page paper using Matte Medium.

Add areas of white gesso all over. Add some stamping randomly using both Teal paint and black ink.

Add more Green Gold paint over the white areas.

Add some scribbles using an oil pastel or similar.

Add some further 'stamping' with bottle lids and bubble wrap using white gesso.

Scrape some white gesso onto the background using a credit card. This was the finished background before applying the grey all over.

Place the masks and sponge all around them with Payne's Grey. Blot the paint back in some areas so it's patchy (also the pastel resists the paint a little too). Outline the figures in Stabilo All pencil and add water to give the shapes more definition. Finish with scribbly journaling (it's personal - you're not supposed to be able to read it, hence the scribbly hand!).

I hope I've shown you today how lots of layers can create read interest in your designs, even when you limit yourself to a small number of supplies.

See you soon!

Katy x

Stampendous October Catalogue Sneak Peek!

All this week the Stampendous DT are sharing a little preview of the new releases coming in the new catalogue. Lots of lovely new stamps and stencils are coming your way!

I'm sharing a quick journal page today created with the Pizzazz Flower stamp.

I used a messy 'wet on wet' watercolour technique to colour the flower stamp - I wet the stamped area with water first then dropped wet watercolour paints into the water with a brush (I used Prima Confections watercolours). The paint spreads, flows and mixes - it's very unpredictable but gives a lovely loose look I think.

I added flicks of watercolour paint all over and a wash of paint over the stamped wording before finishing with a doodled border.

I love the fresh look of this technique and hope you do too!

Katy x

Stampendous products used:
Stampendous Cling Stamp Flower Pizazz CRR286
Stampenous Cling Stamp Follow Your Art CRH289

Sunny Journal Page for Susan K Weckesser

Today I've created a journal page that's a homage to our wonderful Creative Team leader, Susan K. Weckesser herself. Susan is quite the most positive, upbeat and optimistic person I think I have ever met. So my words on this page remind me that she always sees the good in every single day including the bad, hard ones; even on the darkest days, the sun still rises. Thank you Susan for being an inspiration.

It's quite pared down (for me anyway!) as I wanted the beautiful stamps to take centre stage here. I really love both sets I used here!

Susan K. Weckesser Inc products used:
Fly Away stamp set by Unity
Grunge Fun stamp set by Jillian Vance
Colorbox Color Pop Inks: Ice, Sky, Mystery, Snow

Details of how I made it are on the Susan K. Weckesser blog today,

I hope you like my journal page and that you've had a sunny day today :).

Katy x

Unicorns and Glitter for Susan K Weckesser CT

I know - pink unicorns? And glitter? Where is Katy and what have you done with her???

But I have to admin I love this whimsical little fellow with his unicorn fart - tooooo cute! (OK it's probably not a fart, Susan's mind is far too pure, but unfortunately mine isn't and it appeals to my silly side!)

The challenge this month for the Susan K. Weckesser is journal pages. I have a couple of journals - one is A5 but I also have a teeny weeny little one I got in Jo-Ann's last time I was in the States. I love the size of this because it's quick to create and also I can take it with me when I travel.

You can find a step-out of how I made it on the Susan K. Weckesser blog today!

Hope you like this little cutie.

Katy x

Products used:

Susan K Weckesser for Unity Stamp: Unicorns and Rainbows
Susan K. Weckesser Colorbox Color Pop Ink: Ice
Raindrop stencil (That's Crafty)
Modelling paste (DecoArt Media)
Stickles: Stardust
Alcohol markers
Blue ink sprays
Black inkpad

That's Crafty Zest Zing Challenge - part 2!

If you haven't joined in yet, there's still time to win a voucher in the latest That's Crafty Challenge - Zest Zing. Break out those summer brights! I'm here halfway through the challenge to bring you a little bit of inspiration with a technique video.

Today I'm creating a messy journal page with paints and a palette knife - easy peasy and messy - and great fun!

Enjoy!

Katy x

Products used:
PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paints; Tango, Zesty Zing, Coral, Nougat, Bora Bora
That's Crafty Dinky Stencils: TC005 Bubbles, TC019 Distressed Harlequin
Dina Wakley and Tim Holtz stamps

Very Vintage Journal Page

I recently got hold of some of the Prima Confections watercolours - and they are NICE! So creamy and bags of pigment, I am rather besotted.

Today's journal page uses these lovelies for a delicate drippy background - the watercolours catch in the texture of the embossing paste and I love the effect.

Here's how I made it - there's a short video on the background and also a step-out below :).

1) Add flowers with texture paste onto mixed media paper. I used Dreamweaver Embossing Paste and the stencil is from Prima.

2) Mix some Prima Confections watercolours with water and apply around the embossed areas. Spritz lightly with water.

3) Repeat and spritz a couple of times, tipping up the paper to create drips.

4) Add some stamping with a Prima stamp and yellow ink.

5) Add a big blob of Prima Heavy Matte Gel with a palette knife down one side of the page.

6) Embed loads of fun stuff in the gel and leave to dry - I used cheesecloth, Frantage and micro beads.

7) Add a strip of lace, a chipboard circle, some pearls and a Tim Holtz Sizzix die cut butterfly. Apply Vintaj Patina metal paint to a bookplate and pen nib and finish the page with these elements.

Hope you like my watercolour page. Am totally in love with the new Prima watercolours!

Katy x

Stampendous Hop Birdie Journal Page

All this week Stampendous are having a blog hop along with Nathalie Kalbach to showcase some of her gorgeous Stampendous stamps!

Here's your hop list for today!

Stampendous Blog

Rae Missigman

Marsha Valk

Katy Leitch - you are here!

Alison Heikkila

Mark Gould

Louise Healy (Stencil Thursday post)

There are three lucky commenters during the hop that will each win a prize package that includes all three of Nathalie Kalbach’s Foam, Cling Rubber and Stencil Stamp sets. This is open to everyone! To be eligible comment on each blog post on the Stampendous blog and that of each designer’s blog post on the hop this week. Give a shout out to your place of residence, we want to see how far our hop goes around the world! We’ll announce winners on Monday June 20.

***

Today I am sharing a journal page created with the Bird stamp set. I adore the sets that came out last year that have a cling stamp, a two-sided foam stamp and a stencil. as they have lots of creative possibilities. I also love that the stamps are BIG - I am not a fan of tiddy little stamps, especially when it comes to making journal pages.

Here's how I made it:

1 Create a background with Gelatos by blending blue. green and yellow shades. Take the stencil from the bird stamp set and sponge the paint from a DecoArt Mister in Yellow Green through the stencil.

2 Stamp the foam bird onto a scrap of patterned paper - stamp over in orange ink using the rubber bird stamp to create pattern (it doesn't matter if you go over the lines as you'll be cutting the stamp out). Cut him out and set aside for later.

3 Stamp the circle image onto the background in yellow and orange inks. Stamp the curved image in black for the bird to 'stand on' and stamp the edge of one of the other stamps around the edge. 

4 Splatter with page with black paint. Add some circles stamped in white gesso with bottle lids and some smears of gesso and orange Gelato on the edges.

5 Finish the page by adding the birdie and a printed quote.

Hope you like my happy journal page! Enjoy hopping this week.

Katy xxx

Products used:
Stampendous products:
NKCFS02 Stampendous Nathalie Kalbach NK Studio Bird Foam and Cling stamp and Stencil
NKCRS05 Stampendous Nathalie Kalbach NK Studio Kaffee Klatsch
NKCRS04 Stampendous Nathalie Kalbach NK Studio Fiesta

Other products:
DecoArt Media Mister - Yellow Green
Black acrylic paint
Faber-Castell Gelatos
Scrap of patterned paper (from my scraps box so I don't know the brand!)
Inkpads in black, yellow and orange

Journal Page with DecoArt Misters

I'm afraid I've been at the video camera again! Today I am sharing a short video showing how I made this background using the DecoArt Media Permanent Misters. Hope you enjoy it!

Katy x

Fragile for Visible Image

I've created a simple (but I hope effective) journal page for Visible Image today. How Fragile... is one of the newest releases. I only got my mitts on it on Saturday but I was eager to have a play straight away. This whole spread uses a very minimal amount of supplies - basicially one stamp set, three spray inks and some clear embossing powder.

Here's how I created it:

1 Heat emboss the cracked glass stamp several times in clear embossing powder - I worked straight onto my journal paper because I am working with water-based sprays and gesso would resist them.

2 Lightly spray over the page with Broken China Distress Spray Stain, blot and dry.

3 Spray Faded Jeans and Hickory Smoke sprays close to the paper, concentrating on the centres of the stamped images. Push the wet sprays outwards towards the edges of the stamped images with a paintbrush. Blot and dry. Repeat if desired.

4 Spray the Broken China here and there to eliminate any harsh brush lines or obviously blocks of colour.

5 Rub over the embossing gently with a cloth to remove some of the ink and make the white pop more.

6 Stamp the phrase onto cardstock, spray very lightly and from some distance with the Hickory Smoke ink to get a light splatter of ink on the words. Cut out and add to your page.

Thanks for visiting today!

Katy x

This is the stamp I used -  How Fragile we Are