Poppy Canvas for DecoArt

Here's a sneak peek of my poppy canvas, appearing on the DecoArt Media Blog today with a full step-by-tutorial. Hope you enjoy it!

Katy x

Shine for Visible Image

Hello there! My make for the Visible Image DT today uses two of their BRAND NEW releases which are now available to pre-order. As soon as I saw the Shine Bright stamp I knew I wanted it. Something that little bit different...

Also new are the MDF monoliths which are perfect for making pieces for display and also for practical makes (more on that from some of my teamies to come). I've created something purely decorative today.

Here's how I made it:

1) To create the background I layered scrunched tissue paper over cardstock (you could also work straight onto the MDF if you prefer). I added a die cut clock and some string before painting the whole thing with black gesso,

2) When the gesso had dried, I dry-brushed all over with paint in purple and blue shades (I used DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics). After that, I dry-brushed a very small amount of white gesso onto some of the raised areas.

3) I painted some die cut cogs with silver metallic paint (also DecoArt Media) and added them to the background along with some washers and nuts from the DIY store.

4) I stamped the light bulb onto white card and coloured it with Distress Inks (Mustard Seed and Wild Honey). I added silver Sakura Gelly Roll metallic pen to the lower parts.

5) I then stamped the lightbulb again onto Dura-Lar film using StazOn (you could use acetate instead). The Dura-Lar can be heated and gently shaped and here it's curved gently to resemble a 'real' lightbulb. Apply more silver pen to the back of the film light bulb and glue it over the card one, just adding the glue towards the base where the black stamping will hide it.

6) Stamp a portion of the 'inspire' dictionary stamp onto a scrap of card, swipe lightly with Distress Ink in Mustard Seed before securing behind a bookplate.

Hope you LOVE this stamp as much as me!

Katy x

I used these fabulous Visible Image products:

Monoliths

Shine Bright stamp set

Imagine Dream Inspire stamp set

Da Vinci Tryptich for Rubber Dance

I simply love the art of Leonardo Da Vinci - what an incredible man he was. Now I could never even attempt to emulate this genius of the art world but I've been inspired by his beautiful work using the awesome Da Vinci stamp set from Rubber Dance. Find out how I made this at the Rubber Dance blog.

The Tando frame and easel are sprayed with the Distress Spray Stains - let me just say these rock - you need them!

These are the stamps I used:

DAV1-L: Da Vinci

BK2-1E: Flourishes

Why not have a go at this technique for your entry to the Rubber Dance Colour Challenge, which this month features vintage tones?

Katy x

Andy Skinner Workshop

Here's my journal from a recent class I did with Moxley Massive and Andy Skinner. I adore this rust effect and I got the DecoArt paints already so I can do it again :).

Andy's lovely version is below but I wanted to go more feminine with mine.

So I used these lush new Da Vinci stamps from Rubber Dance - they are just so gorgeous, an homage to one of my favourite artists.

DAV1-L Da Vinci

Katy xx

In Flight Slide Mailer for Rubber Dance

I fell in love the Vintage Birds stamps we were sent in this month's DT package - this set is so versatile with lots of great images. Plus I am just a sucker for birds!

I decided to make an altered slide mailer with my stamps - all the info and pics of what's hiding inside can be found on the Rubber Dance blog.

Below are the gorgeous stamps I used for this make:

B2-L - Vintage Birds

CO5-1E - Vintage Postcard

I loved making this!

Katy x

Warhol Inspired for Rubber Dance

I've been inspired by Andy Warhol today for this quick and colourful card make, created using TR1-L: Travel set from Rubber Dance. At first glance this set shouts vintage but I wanted to use it in a different way.

I started by dividing my card into four with very light pencil lines, then stamped the image in four different primary shades of Archival, once into each of the segments. To finish I stamped the word 'Discover' in black ink and drew a line around the edge to frame.

TR1-L: Travel

Don't forget to play along with this month's challenge over at the Rubber Dance blog.

Hope you like my card - see you soon!

Katy x

Tando Inchies Week

For Tando inchies week I made a little pair of earrings using the Tando Inchies Straight pack of shapes. These are great cheap Xmas gifts as the inchies cost just £1.90 and you get lots in a pack. They make great earrings because they are so lightweight. While they are not totally weather-proof, a coat of varnish will prolong their life - just don't wear them in a hurricane!!!

I firstly rounded two of the edges with a Corner Chomper to give a more pleasing shape. I then gessoed the shapes before adding a layer of Viva Decor Precious Metal Colour in Emerald then heat embossing the Rubber Dance background in gold. I edged the pieces with gold Krylon and sealed with varnish before finishing with a few crystals.

Why not make a matching pendant too?

Lots and lots of inchie inspiration over on the Tando blog this week - check it out!

Katy x

I sense a blue and green theme....

Not remotely deliberate but it would appear today's offering is also blue and green.......... It's a canvas I did 100 years ago with the wonderful Hels Sheridan, using Distress Paint onto burlap panels. That's me sneaking a little kiss on my wedding day :).

It was my good friend Lou Wither's idea to add the tiara twists with the pearls (because I wore pearls on my wedding day) which I thought was genius!

I was the only one who used a photo on their canvas but anyone who has ever met me won't be remotely surprised at that! Here's Hels' original (the observant amongst you will now see just how long it has taken me to get it completed!). And that I didn't follow the instructions.......................

This is a rare beast as it's a workshop creation that's actually going up on the craft room wall. My lovely creative space is very nearly finished in there now - hopefully be completely done this weekend. Yay!

Gingersnaps Challenge - Versamark

Here's my contribution to this week's Gingersnaps challenge. The theme is Versamark and I've actually used three different Versamark techniques here:

-Watermark - the background text (Prima) is simply stamped with Versamark onto the kraft card to create a watermarked effect.

-Chalk - the swirls are stamped with Versamark then chalked over in a slightly darker colour chalk than the kraft paper to make them stand out a little from the text

-Gilding - the heart is stamped with Versamark, Stamp 'n' Bond then gilding flakes applied.

Just a simple little card. Not very seasonal I know - might have to save it for Valentine's Day next year!!!

Something a bit different

This week I fancied having a go at something a bit different and made this domino necklace. I really enjoyed making this, especially as it was super quick to do! I am not a natural at jewellery making as I find it a tad fiddly but these chunky pendants are super easy.I inked the domino with Versamagic Ink, drying with a heat gun between layers. I stamped the dandelion image (Hero Arts) twice in black Brilliance Ink and again dried it by blasting with the heat gun. Then I covered the whole thing in a layer of Stickles so it is super sparkly. To finish I glazed the piece with Glossy Accents and finished the back with a scrap of Basic Grey paper.

I didn't have a jump ring big enough so fashioned a double looped one (for strength) from silver plated wire. I then just added some faux suede cord, cord ends and a clasp :).

Thank you to my pal MJ for the pre-drilled domino :).

K x

Gingersnaps - Wings

Here's my entry for today's Gingersnaps challenge theme, which is 'wings'. Nice easy one this, so no excuse for not playing along!

My project is an altered noticeboard to hang in my craft room on which to write all my projects pending and notes to self (memory like a sieve...). I got the noticeboard for about £1.20 reduced in Morrisons supermarket. I forgot to take a picture of before, but trust me it was truly minging!

Of course although I made this over a week ago I am still waiting for OH to put it up for me... Why am I not surprised???

Here's how I made it in case you'd like to know ;).

Materials...
Prima frame stamps (sorry I don't know the name - they are frames and borders but I chucked the packaging)
Prima stamp: Notary (script)

Hero Arts stamp: Silhouette Grass

Tim Holtz stamps: Slight Alterations

StazOn Ink: Timber Brown

Distress Inks: Broken China; Tumbled Glass

Glimmer Mist: Gold

Brilliance Ink: Gold

Paper flowers

Cream and white card

Ink blending tool

Pearls

Chipboard letters (Thickers)

Krylon pen: Gold

White acyrlic paint

First of all, I sanded the inside edge of the original picture in the top part of the frame and then created a border with gold Krylon. Then I used a baby wipe to apply a wash of white paint to the wood. I then left this to dry. When dry, I stamped the corners with StazOn.

I coloured a piece of cardstock with the two blue Distress Inks then over-stamped with the Tumbled Glass using the Notary stamp and one of the Tim Holtz background images from Slight Alterations. With the Notary stamp, I inked in up really randomly in the middle of the stamp so I didn't get edges on the stamping (i.e. I stamped an incomplete image each time).

I then stamped the Silhouette Grass, varying the height so it didn't look too uniform. I followed this with the corners and butterflies from the Prima set.

I stamped the butterflies (including the ones on the corners) again onto cream card. After cutting out, I added them with Silicone glue so the wings are lifted as if they are flying off the page.

I finished by painting all the heads of wheat and butterfly centres in gold Glimmer Mist (this makes them catch the light but is still subtle). I embellished with pearls and paper flowers. Finally I stamped a border in gold and added the lettering along it.

I look forward to seeing your creations over on Gingersnaps :).

Katy x

Bottlecap trinkets

Just sharing a really quick little thing I made the other day. We popped into the local DIY shop and they happened to have a pack of bottlecaps for a bargain price, so of course I picked some up!

It's a little pendant I made using some really old BasicGrey stamps which I think are now discontinued and a Brilliance inkpad. Not much to it really.


I squish my bottlecaps in the Big Shot and it works a treat :).

A little BIA project

When I first got my Bind-it-All it sat unloved for a while, but I've been using it rather a lot recently. Yesterday I still wasn't feeling too well so gave up on doing big projects and just had a play with some new stamps I got from Innovative Stamp Creations.

Innovative Stamp Creations (ISC) are a small US firm so you might not have some across them but their stamps are just lush. The set I've used here is called Tranquil.

I sprayed the background with four different shades of Glimmer Mist, so although you can't tell from the photo it's all gorgeous and shimmery! I then repeat stamped the larger flower image from the set in red chalk ink and the smaller flower image in orange to make a background. The set only comes with one bird so I reversed it - I stamped the first one in brown and cut it out. Then I stamped a second one and flipped the card over, inking on the back over the area where the bird is. Then I cut it out and I had a reversed birdy to make a pair. I sprayed both with yet more Glimmer and then just finished with the 'notes' word. Hope you like :).

Charming!

Today I thought I would share with you a little weeny bag charm I made ages ago. It's similar to one I created for Craft Stamper magazine earlier this year. It's created from a bottle cap and a Tim Holtz Fragment - the Fragment is stamped and coloured on the back and then glued into the bottle cap. I finished it with a little flower bead and some yummy pink crystals.

It's been on this bag sometime and it seems to be surviving pretty well!