Today's workshop with a new Starburst Stain set!

Oh dear, it's been a long time since I last posted hasn't it!  I'm totally behind with blogland and have a lot of catching up to do. 

I've had a lovely day today, we had a workshop with 3 very nice ladies who came to play with Starburst Stains and learn some techniques.  It was especially good as we had a new Starburst Stain set to play with that only arrived yesterday. 

We started the day with a brilliance ink background technique that the ladies also wanted to try and then got stuck into the new set.  I had asked for a new set similiar to Icicle Creek, which is the palest set that has gold as the secondary colour.  

The new set is called Icicle and Snowflake which has the same pale shades as Icicle Creek but with silver as it's secondary colour.  It is really pretty and it is going to be gorgeous to use next Christmas!

We made lots of backgrounds with different techniques with the new set then moved on to the French Country set. 

Time flew by so there was a frantic frenzy to make cards at the end.  Here are the easel cards the ladies made.

Angela's card

Cynthia's card

Sue's card

Sue also managed to make this card.

Thank you ladies, you were great company, see you all at the Harrogate show!

This was a last minute workshop as we'd had to cancel the one just before Christmas so we finally had the chance to repeat it.

I will be sending out /emailing details of workshops up to June this week to those that have requested information.  There is a variety of classes, they are mainly technique based workshops, such as metal embossing, making an ultra thick embossed picture frame similiar to those that I've posted about recently,  techniques with Tim Holtz/Ranger products.  If you are interested please email us at thestampman@btconnect.com.

Thanks for visiting, enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Jill

Butterfly wishes box from last Monday's show

I used one of the Tim Holtz Ornate Plates as an embellishment with one of the Adage Tickets on a box I decorated for last Monday's Create and Craft show.  It was used on one of the Craft Creations blank boxes that featured on the show. 

Not content at leaving it as it was, I decided to emboss part of it to match the embossing powder I used with one of Kay's flourish stamp designs from Aspects of Design 58 Fancy Flourishes, I dabbed around some of the detail with a Versamark pad and added Moonglow Midnight Teal Obsidian embossing powder, I wiped some of the excess off where I didn't want it before heating.  I then added a little gold embossing powder the same way.

I embossed the butterfly from the Aspects of Design 3 Botanical stamp sheet with the same embossing powder and added a gold curly clip that I had stretched out and cut in half.

I used the Moonglow Mardi Gras set to colour the box.  I spray the stains onto my non-stick craft sheet then dabbed them randomly onto the box with a screwed up piece of copier paper to give a stippled effect.  This works nicely as you get tiny puddles forming.

I added a small piece of card ready for a sentiment or address to be added that has been mounted onto gold mirri card.

It is a shame the photo doesn't show how luscious the colours are!

Jill

PS:  Did you spot the missing curly clip on one of the butterflies... it was lost in transit and I only just spotted it after taking the photo, darn it!

Dragonfly Music card and box

You may recognise this as the demo I almost finished!  The images are embossed with Moonglow Midnight Gold Obsidian two-tone embossing powder which is a gold/black combination.  The gold is an antique shade, I like using this powder as you get a good impression with it being black but have the soft gold too.  Best of both worlds!

The card is plain at the moment, I may add some embellishment or may just simply add the right wording when it is needed!

The shrink ribbon... ie organza ribbon heated with a heat gun to make it curl, it takes on a different texture and appears wired.  It wasn't until afterwards that I wondered if they thought I was trying to set fire to it.  So, I'd better say, be very careful if you try this at home and if you have a heat gun that throws out a lot of heat, then keep it well above ribbon.  Health and safety lecture over:)  Just be careful!!!

I have scheduled this post and hope it works OK as I am down at Create and Craft filming a live show.

I am filming this show on behalf of Craft Creations, if you enjoy making decoupage cards and would like any of the products they will also be available from them at http://www.craftcreations.com/. 

Although it is something completely different for me, I've actually really enjoyed making all the sample cards for the show.  I am on at noon on Sky 671 or Freeview 36 if you are able to watch the show.  It should be repeated a couple of times and I will post details of the repeats as soon as I know them, so I'll probably post again later when I get home.

Jill

Moonshadow Ink/Dragonfly Music/Dry Paper Stipple

Back again...

OK, the card I want to show tonight is one I made with Buccaneer Bay Blue Moonshadow Ink and the Dragonfly Music design from our Aspects of Design 3 - Botanical stamp sheet. Click here to see the full sheet of designs

I wanted to make a start showing some techniques that you can use with both Moonshadow Inks and Starburst Stains.

Dry Paper Stipple
I applied a wash for the background panel with the inks and a large brush onto A4 card (use smooth or textured card). I then crumpled up some plain old copier paper and stippled the still wet ink all over to create a pattern before it dried, the patterns will form more obviously when it is in that in between stage of wet and dry. Just keep going until you are happy with the pattern, picking up the wet ink to stipple on dry areas.

I sprayed the next layer onto another A4 piece of card with the same ink to create a matching contrast to the previous panel.

When it had dried I embossed the image with Moonglow Midnight Gold Obsidian embossing powder which gives a two-tone gold/black effect. The gold has a slightly different shade to normal gold embossing powder which I like for this type of work as you get a more defined outline for the stamped image with it having black in it as well, but still get the wow factor from using gold IYSWIM!

I've then detail painted the design adding the odd blob from the detail paint brush for extra shimmeriness. While you still have ink on your large brush, wipe on the side of a palette with the brush which will add a little paint into your palette, it will allow you to detail paint without having to stir up the mica from the bottom of a large jar, or apply some ink from the brush to a non-stick craft sheet or piece of acetate (which also act as non-absorbent palettes). You will still need to stir the ink on the palette/mat though, it is just a cleaner and easier way of doing it.

You can try blotting the painted image with kitchen towel while it is wet to lift some of the ink to give a blended faded effect.

I've then layered it up using black card and black brads onto an A5 card. It is not an overdressed card, simple with the effects of the Moonshadow Ink being the main focus.