Autumn Butterfly

 

     This months challenge at The Paper Funday is Anything Goes with an optional twist of Autumn Colours. I love the colours of Autumn so I chose to use them on a butterfly.

     The butterfly was stamped using a John Next Door media plate and a selection of dye based inks, the main body of the silhouette being in yellows with a touch of rusty orange around the outside.

     To get the shimmering flowers the inked image had to completely dry then using the same media plate a stencil was laid on top and a generous layer of Versamark was added to the media plate. This was then stamped on top of the coloured shape and dusted with pearl mica powder. A very light spray of an in-expensive hairspray was used to fix the mica.

     To finish of the image panel some silhouette stamps were used with Versafine black ink and then the sentiment was added.

     To get the same shade of orange as a mat layer a plain white layer was coloured but only around the edge that would be seen, then a black mat layer before going onto a white card blank.

     You will see that the card changes with the angel of view, the mica is always there but when it catches the light it really shines.

     Come along and join us at The Paper Funday with your creations this month, we have lots of inspiration to help get you started.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Try It On Tuesday - Sparkle and Shine

Sunday Stamps - SSC295 Autumn Bounty     (Top Cup)

Art Impressions - #339 Stencil or Mask

Blossom Heart

     With several anniversaries this month I made another card using the heart shaped Media Plate from John Next Door. This time I used John's idea with the Blossom flowers, it came out better then I expected.

     Using my stamp press I loaded it with a piece of white card, covered the card with the acetate grid sheet (to keep the card clean) and positioned the media plate on top and closed the lid to pick up the media plate. I then positioned the die cut flowers across where the heart shape would print.
      Using two shades of red pigment Izink I inked up the media plate and used a brayer to blend them on the plate. I closed the stamp press and printed the heart over the flowers, then opened it up, removed the flowers and without re-inking closed the stamp press and stamped again to get more definition around the flowers.

     I used the ink pads and a finger dauber to go around the edge of the media plate and stamped it again, this adds an edge to the shape and gives the appearance of dimension.
     I also added a tiny butterfly shadow using a stencil made from a die cut, Versamark and pearl mica powder.
     To get a matching mat layer I used the red inks to colour around the edge of a white mat. Once dry I layered up the heart panel on the mat and then onto the white card blank.
     I added the die cut flowers to the heart panel and stuck a tiny gem in each flower, red on the white flowers and white on the red ones. All that was left to add was a tiny black die cut butterfly and stamp in black the words 'Love is...'.
     I like this technique, John said it was easy and he's right, it also adds something a little different to using a media plate.


Materials List    Available from your local craft shop
JLGP006 Media Plate - Heart
JND113 Blossom Die
JND0013 Everyday Sentiments
Pigment Inks
Versafine Black
Versamark
Pearl Mica Powder
Stamp Press

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Creative Knockouts - Dis Cuts/Punches

A Perfect Time To Craft - Anything Goes

Creations In Pink - Anything Goes In Mainly Pink

     Die Cut Divas - Anything With A Die Cut

Love is....

     .....not just for Valentine's, this would make a good anniversary card too. Not Just Cards have a new challenge starting today, I'm sure you'll find some inspiration over there if you haven't already looked.
     I don't have run through pictures for this one as I got carried away and forgot all about the camera! It started with a heart shaped Media Plate, three shades of red/pink inks and a hard brayer. Starting with the palest ink at the top I inked up the heart with all three shades and then used the brayer to blend them on the plate. Stamping the plate onto white card left me with a gorgeous pinky shape, I then used a stencil on the plate and inked the middle tone ink through it, removed the stencil (actually forgot to do this once!) and stamped the image over the pinky heart.
     To get the gorgeous shine I thoroughly dried the heart shape, cleaned off the plate a little and then used the same stencil, but in a different position, with Versamark. Again removing the stencil, stamping the image onto the card but this time dusted the heart with pearl mica powder.
     The two birds stamp is from stash, I can't remember where it came from, stamped in Versafine black. Using a stamp press makes life so much easier when stamping silhouettes as you can stamp the image a couple of times to get a really solid image.
     The little sentiment is one of John Next Door's stamps, again in black and tucked away in the corner. There is a thin black mat layer to set off the black on the image panel, followed by another thin layer, this time in pearl pink.
     The photo below shows how the card looks when the light doesn't catch the mica shine, the pattern still shows but muted.

   

Materials List    Available from your local craft shop
JLGP006 Medai Plate - Heart
JND0013 Everyday Sentiments
Pigment Inks
Versafine Black
Versamark
Pearl Mica Powder
Stamp Press

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts - Add A Heart

Sweet Stampin' - All You Need Is Love

CAS On Friday - Love

Always Fun - Love/Valentines

Crafty Cardmakers - Love Is All You Need
Dream Valley - Love
Make My Monday - I Heart You

Spread A Little Sunshine

     A non Christmas card for Not Just Cards using a new Two Jays stamp, Tree and Bridge.

     I have used a media plate for the background on this card, with a stamp press it's so easy to ink up the plate, spritz with water and stamp it onto the card. I stamped the plate a couple of times but left any white patches in the sky as they could pass for clouds.
     Using the media plate again, after a good wipe over, I added Versamark through a stencil to the plate. As the plate hadn't been moved it went perfectly over the dry background, leaving the sticky sun rays, which I dusted with pearl mica powder.

     To get a matching mat layer I cut a piece of white card and sponged the edges to co-ordinate with the background.
     When it came to stamping the image black looked a little too harsh, so i used Memento Grey Flannel instead.
     I searched through my stash to find some silver paper that had a sheen similar to the mica powder for another mat layer.
     I have chosen not to add a greeting on the outside, I would normally add one inside when it's needed but I no longer have the card as it was a sample for John Next Door and Two Jays stamps.
     Please pop over to Not Just Cards to see all the inspiration from the DT, come and join us with your creations, as the title says it's Not Just Cards.


Materials List    Available from your local craft shop
JLGP004 - Media Plate set of 4
CTJJ114 - Two Jays stamp  Tree & Bridge
Versamark Ink Pad
Distress Inks
Pearl Mica Powder
S57262 - 3D PVA Glue Stix2

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Addicted To Stamps - Anything Stamped Goes

Sweet Stampin' - Make Your Own Background

Country View - Hand Stamped

Feelin' Good About Journalling

     This is my first venture into the world of journaling, so I've chosen to use it as my DT project for Altered Eclectics. I have always been a little worried about starting something in a nice new book, what do I do if I don't like it? The answer is make a loose leaf journal, that way I only keep the pages I'm happy with.
      I had a Bind-It-All machine as a gift and decided this was a perfect opportunity to use it. I have cut all my pages using various types of card and punched the holes ready for binding. I thought if I had the holes done at the beginning it would help me keep any important decoration away from that area.

     To ease myself into this journey I chose a theme for my art journal, one of my favourite songs.
     This page is cream, coloured around the edge with Distress Ink Old Paper, then I used a crackle stamp and the same ink to add pattern.
     I printed a copy of the music, tore the edges and folded it up a little,then coloured it with Old Paper, adding some stains through a stencil. Once dry I stuck it to the aged page.

     I found some images of Nina Simone on line and printed one out in sepia tones, this I fussy cut and stuck over the music score.
     Using an alphabet stamp set I added 'Nina' to the bottom corner and embossed it with Wow Perissa, which has a lovely metalic mix of bronze, gold and silver.
     Two of the corners are stamped with a tatty corner design and covered with bronze mica powder, a quick blast of hairspray over this keeps it in place and stops it rubbing off. To finish the aged look I went around the outside edges with an edge scuffer, leaving the binding edge smooth.
     It's quite a simple page but for my first one I am pleased with how it turned out, I dare say I shall become more adventurous as I progress through the song. The covers are cut from mountboard which will lend themselves perfectly to some mixed media, but I plan to complete the song before starting on them.
     Altered Eclectics is a challenge for anything altered or mixed media, just no cards or ATC's, so please come and join us with whatever you're working on.

The Other Cat's Out Of The Bag

     Another cat card, again safely delivered and free to be blogged. I made this one at the same time as the Happy Birthday one but this does differ slightly.

      I started by placing the media plate on the stamp press and inking it up with Izink dye inks, three colours all blended with the brayer.
     I stamped the white card, used the brayer again, no more ink, and stamped again just to get a good covering. 
     With just a little more ink dabbed on around the edge of the media plate, using a blending egg, inking the oval was finished. The media plate was cleaned off gently with a soft cloth to remove excess ink.
 

      For this next technique the image panel must be completely dry. Using a different stencil I used Versamark to make the pattern on the media plate  and stamped this sticky pattern on to the inked oval.
     The next step was to cover the Versamark with pearl mica powder to create a pattern that will change depending on the angle of the light hitting the card.
     Using the same cat but a different greeting I stamped them onto the image panel as before and again added a purple layer between the black and white layers. Just to fix the mica I gave it a light spray of inexpensive hairspray, which doesn't seem to affect the ink or stamping.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:
Crazy 4 Challenges - Ombre   (W)

My Time To Craft - Stamped Background   (F)

Seize The Birthday - Birthday   (F)

Show Us Your Pussies - Cats Only   (M)

Powertex Dark Materials

     A local friend has just become a Powertex tutor and I was one of the lucky few to be invited to play with this amazing product. There aren't any run through pictures for two reasons, one is I was so engrossed in playing I totally forgot and the other? even if I had remembered, my hands were so mucky I couldn't have held a camera anyway. Don't worry it's all water soluble, I went home nice and clean.......ish!
     We started with a canvas board and some natural fibre fabrics, the Powertex soaks into natural fibres but it's not so happy with synthetics. Each piece of fabric was massaged with the product, then we painted the boards and began to assemble the fabric. It's hard to believe that this fabric will dry as hard as rock.
     With the addition of a few buttons, beads and MDF shapes the project took shape, quite literally. All the odds and sods can be stuck on with the Powertex, no need for extra glue. With a little gentle heat from a hairdryer, a heat gun is too hot, it was ready for me to add colour.
      We used some mica powders mixed into a tiny bit of varnish and then applied it by the dry brush method, this is something I need to practice I think.
     My head is spinning with ideas for Christmas, I can't wait to start playing with fabric for ornaments. We started on board just to get the feel of the product but there are so many other possibilities.
     Please come and join us at Altered Eclectics with your mixed media projects, anything but cards and ATC's. You have a whole month to create something to show us.

I would like to enter this project in the following challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes   (F)
A Bit More Time To Craft - Anything Goes   (M)

The Male Room In Orbit

     There is a new challenge at The Male Room starting today, space/science is the theme for this fortnight.

     I've never made a spinner card before so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. I began by cutting a hole in some black card and a large circle of black card to go behind the hole.
     I used masking tape to hold the two pieces of card together while I used mica powders through a galaxy mask, plus some chunky embossing powder sprinkles. I put a small mark on the back of the cards so that they could be lined up again later.
     The inner circle of card was stuck on to a white card blank, then I die cut the planet and mounted it on two layers of foam pads in the centre of the black circle. The outer black card was then mounted on double foam pads and placed over these circles.
     The rocket was stamped and embossed in silver, coloured in silver with a red nose cone and gold flames. To get the rocket to spin around the planet it was mounted on two pennies that have a round foam pad between them, these pennies just fit in the slot that runs around the planet. There are some very good tutorials for this technique on You Tube.
      Our challenge runs for two weeks so please come and join us with your masculine space/science creations.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

The Paper Girls - Travel/Holiday   (F)

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes   (W)

Happy New Gnome

     Welcome to the first challenge of the new year at The Male Room, our theme is 'New Beginnings'. As usual our challenge will run for two weeks so you can join us with your masculine projects.

      I chose to make a 'New Home' card using one of my media plates and some new Lavinia Stamps. I challenged myself to produce a masculine project with what are usually considered rather feminine images.
     To start with I stamped the Gnome house in Versafine black, then stamped on some Stix2 masking sheet and cut it out. With the mask in place I used the media plate to add a circle of shades of blue, trying to get a darker edge on the side farthest from the house.
     I stamped two toadstools in blue and used a water brush to lift some of the ink away where the spots are, this worked better than expected on the I-Zink's.
     With the mask still in place I dried the stamping and then used a stencil on the media plate to add Versamark, just before stamping this layer I used an ant-static pad over the inked area and then stamped this layer over the blue inks. A dusting of pearl mica powder now revealed a starburst of light form just behind the house. This has a picture changing effect as the card is tilted in different directions, one way you can see the toadstools and the other you can see the starburst, perfect for a magical card.

     Please pop over to The Male Room for lots more inspiration from our DT and a great guest designer too. Have very Happy Crafting New Year.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Always Fun - Something New  #39   (W)

Simon Says Stamp - Something New  (Mon)

Card Mania - Monochromatic    (M)

Mix It Up - Anything Goes option Masking #9  (M)

House Of Cards Mixed Media

   My interpretation of 'Mixed Media' is the use of different techniques and mediums so this is what I came up with for our new challenge at House Of Cards.

 

     I don't have any pictures of the main panel under construction because I got carried away with the idea and forgot all about taking any.
     Using Distress Oxides I coloured some white card, then spritzed it with water. In this picture I have coloured the white card blank to correspond with the main panel, so when it is all layered up the colours continue past the black border. It didn't look right on a plain white card blank.
   

     Once dry I used a stencil of butterfly wings and inked through it with Versamark, then dusted it with pearl mica powder. A quick spray with hair lacquer to fix it and I could move on to using a very fine pen to pick out some of the edges to highlight them. This gives the wings a little more definition, especially when viewed without the mica shine.
     The body of the butterfly is a small lightbulb made with hot glue in a silicone mould, it has been dusted with pearl mica aswell.
     The sentiment is stamped and embossed in white, with just the main word picked out with the same fine black pen used on the wings.
     Please come and join us at House Of Cards, you have a whole month in which to create your project.

Mixed Media and/or Colours

I would like to enter this card in the following challenge:

Crafty Friends - For A Girl or Lady  #74   (F)

Leaf It Out

     It's an Autumn theme at The Male Room this challenge, just remember to make your project suitable for a man or boy.
     I have a stamp set in my stash with the most gorgeous leaves in various sizes, I also have a collection of mica powders in beautiful colours so what could be better than to use them together.
     The base card is a chocolate brown pearl card, dark card shows off mica powders so well. The wording is stamped and embossed in CS Bright Gold before adding the leaves, these are all stamped in Versamark and then dusted with a mix of green, gold, bronze and rust coloured mica's. I also stamped a spare small leaf and fussy cut it to mount on foam pads to add a little more interest. The mica panel was dusted to remove excess powder, then lightly covered with hair spray to fix it.
     The image panel is mounted on a thin layer of old gold paper and mounted on a Kraft card decorated with more leaves stamped with Versamark but this time dusted with brown chalk.
     Come and join us at The Male Room with your masculine autumn makes, pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at all the inspiration we have for you.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Make My Monday - Autumn Colours

One Stitch At a Time - Leaves

Couture Creations Vintage Rose Tag

      This week I've used some more gorgeous papers from Couture Creations along with some Cosmic Shimmer from Creative Expressions.
     The tag is cut using Tim Holtz Sizzix Tag and Bookplate die. I then die cut a white card Vintage Roses by Couture Creations and coloured it with alcohol markers. Using the same die I cut the large rose head in funky foam, in the photo you'll see it's purple. Die cut shapes in foam make great stamps, this way you can get everything to match on your card.
     I have used Distress Ink Victorian Velvet to colour the tag, then using the foam stamp I have water stamped to get the white roses. Water stamping with Distress Inks is when you use a damp stamp to lift the ink away from the card, stamp and mop up with a clean piece of paper towel.
     After stamping a random pattern with water I then stamped with the same Distress Ink to build up the pattern. Before it all dried I went over the whole tag with Cosmic Shimmer mica powder Pearlescent, this stuck to the background and the pink roses but not the white ones as they were dry.

     The small postcard is from Couture Creations Vintage Rose Garden paper pad, as is the word Smile. The paper roses are made with paper from the same pad that was left over from making the little gift box last week. Inside each flower is a tiny pink flower shaped gem to add a little sparkle.
     With the addition of a burgundy ribbon the tag is complete. What do you do with a tag once you've made it? Use it on a present, send it as a small note or just give it as a nice surprise.


Materials used:
Couture Creations - Vintage Rose die
CC Paper Pad - Vintage Rose Garden
Cosmic Shimmer - Mica Powder Pearlescent
Distress Ink - Victorian Velvet

I would like to enter this tag in the following challenges:

Fresh Brewed Designs - Flowers
My Time To Craft - For A Special Lady 

Come And Get It - Make Your Own Background

Mmm....Chocolate

     Why is it chocolate makes me think of purple? Well this stamp by Creative Expressions is called Chocolate so I just had to make a purple card.
     The base card was a large white DL size, it reminded me of a large chocolate bar. The purple wrap in the middle is Foundations card Amethyst which is cut about 1/2 inch shorter each end to allow for the 'foil' ends to show.


     The ends have been coloured with Distress Ink Dusty Concorde, but they need to shine like foil, so I have used Perfect Medium on top of the Distress Ink and then dusted with Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powder Purple Orchid. This comes in a set called Subtle Shades, it looks pink in the pot but it has a blue interference colour in it, so when it's dusted on it has a purple shine.
     I decorated the purple wrap before attaching it to the card just incase anything annoying should happen. The silhouette stamp was done using Perfect Medium and Cosmic Shimmer Detail White embossing powder.

     The lovely swirl pattern is a JustRite stamp called Elegant Fronds stamped in Perfect Medium and allowed to dry, it gives a great watermark type effect.
     The sentiment comes with the image stamp, again done with CS Detail White on to lilac card and then die cut using Spellbinder Labels Twenty-One. I have also used a little Dusty Concorde on the lilac card before removing the die, this is mounted using foam pads.
     Once happy with the wrap I have used red line tape to stick it down on to the card blank, I have found that mica powder can make it rather difficult for ordinary tape to grip. The tiny corner decorations are some little peel offs I found in my stash, I wanted something small but all my corner stamps were too big.

Material used
Foundations Card - Amethyst
Single Stamp - Chocolate
Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powder - Detail White
CS Mica Powders - Subtle Shades
Distress Ink - Dusty Concorde
Perfect Medium Ink Pad
JustRite Stamp - Elegant Fronds


   
   

Happy New Year

     Happy New Year to you all !   This is a little early, but as there are two posts tomorrow I didn't want it to get lost.
     The stamp is by Sheena Douglass, it's on the same set as the roof tops on Christmas eve. This one has been stamped on black Foundations card using an Adirondack Snowcap Ink pad.
     

      The fireworks are a splash stamp from Clarity stamped with Perfect Medium and dusted with Cosmic Shimmer mica powders, these powders look different colours at different angles but all look fantastic on black card. A light spray of inexpensive hairspray when the mica is finished will help keep it in place.
     There is a small white border around the black card and then it has been mounted on a blue pearl card. It was a quick, clean and simple card to make, perfect for a New Year greeting for those last minute card arrivals that you weren't expecting.

I would like to enter my New Year wishes in the following challenges:

Inkspirational - Photo Inspiration #72

Just Inspirational - New Year

Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Goes
Loves Rubberstamps - Something Old, Something New (Roof scene-new,splash-old)

One Layer Bauble....well almost!

     Welcome to my second project for the Creative Expressions design team, I have had some fun visiting old techniques and trying a new one, I hope you like the outcome.
     I love a large and beautifully decorated Christmas card but when we have so many family and friends living overseas it can be very expensive, so I have chosen to make a 'postage friendly' card. It's almost one layer, I had to add a small bow, it just didn't look right without one. It's only 5 3/4 inches square so it should fit through the little gauge they have at the post office as an ordinary letter.

   As I wanted to use Distress Ink and create a snowflake effect I made my card blank from Coconut white cardstock, this card works beautifully with Distress Inks. I have tried others, some work and sadly some do not. I would suggest that once you find a card that works for you keep a small piece and write what it's called and where you got it from and keep it somewhere safe.
   

    Place your die shape on the inside of the card front and tape it in place. DO NOT CUT the shape, just emboss and you will get three lines on your card like this.
     Remove the die and use it again to cut the same shape from a sheet of copy paper or thin card. Keep BOTH pieces, these will be used as masks.

     Place the paper with the hole in carefully over your embossed shape and tape down with low tack tape.
     To create the snow scene you will need to tear another piece of paper with a sloping edge to act as your mask for the snow drifts. Place this torn strip across the top third of the hole and using Distress Ink Chipped Sapphire colour in the shape.

     Move the torn strip down and change the angle, this time only colour along the edge of the strip to make a shadow effect. Do this one more time further down the shape changing the angle again.
    To get the snowflake effect spritz water on your clean fingers and flick it at the card, leave for a few seconds and watch the ink lift away from your card. Dab the water off with a clean piece of tissue, you will now have snowflakes falling, this is the beauty of working with Distress Ink, they react with water to create great effects as long as it's on the right card.

     Remove your masks carefully and allow to dry. Stamp the tree from the Snowflakes and Sprigs set using Archival Ink Cobalt Blue on your snow scene. Add a tiny shadow under the tree with a little Chipped sapphire on a damp paintbrush.
     To get the silver border around the shape place the die back over the shape and draw around it carefully.

     Now you will need the paper shape you cut earlier when you made your mask, place this over the scene to protect it while you stamp the snowflakes.  Dust  your card with an anti-static bag, this will help reduce any areas that might pick up the mica where you don't want it. Using Perfect Medium Ink and the small snowflake from the same stamp set, stamp at random over your card, leaving the bottom right corner clear. Now stamp your greeting in the bottom right corner with the same ink, I have used a stamp from the Winter Greetings set.
     Once all stamping is done dust the card with Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powder Silver, this will stick to your stamped images, dust off excess powder with a large fluffy brush. If you have some mica where you don't want it this can be removed with a soft rubber. I use a battery powered rubber, it spins which allows you to be very acurate with it. I have also given the card a light dusting of hairspray to fix the mica.

     The bauble needs a bow, I have used a bow that's on the top of a different bauble stamp also by Creative Expressions. Stamp and emboss two bows with Cosmic Shimmer Silver Shine. Cut out the bows, there is no need to leave a border around the embossing because Cosmic Shimmer doesn't crack when you cut close to it. Cut one full bow and one with no tails, turn over the no tail part and gently stretch the card with a large ball tool to give it shape. Paint the bows with Cosmic Shimmer Drawing Ink Blue Midnight and assemble, attach to the top of the bauble.

     To decorate the inside of the card use the small snowflake again with the Archival Ink Cobalt Blue and stamp around the edge of the card.
     Stamp the greeting, which is also from the Winter Greeting set, in the same ink on the centre of the card.
     You could also add a snowflake to the envelope for that little extra decoration.
   
 




Materials Used
Snowflakes and Sprigs stamp set
Winter Greetings stamp set
Spellbinder Heirloom Ornament Die
Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powder - Silver Shine
Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powder - Silver
Cosmic Shimmer Drawing Ink - Blue Midnight (Garden Set)
Perfect Medium
Archival Ink - Cobalt Blue
Coconut White Cardstock

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Keep It Flat
My Perfect Life - Any Christmas Card
Stamping Sensations - Christmas
Crafty Calendar - Christmas
Christmas Cards All Year Round - No Patterned Paper
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Anything Goes