Make it for a child at the FSC

Another 2 weeks have flown by, which means it's time for another challenge at the Fashionable Stamping Challenge. This time we would like to see your projects for a child. The DT have have come up with some fabulous pieces so make sure you hop over to the main blog.



I have to admit that I'm not good at making things for children, and I do struggle to find any inspiration. But, when I saw this stamp by Crafty Individuals it all came together quite quickly. I also made the conscious choise to stay away from pink, which I also struggle with ! The main image is stamped using black Archival ink then I've watercoloured parts of it using DI.The background paper is from the Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby paper stack as is the stripey piece which I've done some quick zig zagging around with my sewing machine. The words are made using those little cubes on letters, you know the ones, only a £1 (if you're in the UK) for the whole alphabet. The word 'secret' is taken from a PaperArtsy stamp, and I've masked off the rest of the stamp so I could use just this one word. The balloons are made with a Quickutz die and I've blended DI over the card first and then stamped them using another Crafty Individuals stamps. I've used the TH Distress Doily die and blended DI over it.


The ribbon is seam binding that I've dyed with DI and spritzed with water so the DI reacts with it. The hearts are from a set of Chippies and I've painted them with acrylic paint, then used the fabulous PaperArtsy Crackle Glaze and then painted over it with white acrylic paint. The little embroidery accent came with an order from the lovely Linda from her Etsy shop. If you've not checked this out, you really NEED to !

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

• MAWTT - Lots of layers
• Allsorts - It's your choice
• Panpastel Challenge - Use a ribbon
  

I hope you get chance to join us for this challenge.

Spring.......almost !

I am sooooo late with this post, it should have been done yesterday but, you know when you have those weeks when it doesn't seem to matter what you do, time just slips through your fingers ....well I have had one of those this week ! Anyway, I'm catching up now, so onto today's project which is my (late!) DT post for The Stamp Man. The theme for this challenge is Colours of Spring / Easter, so anything you want to do as long as it fits with the theme. As usual there is the prize of a £10 voucher to spend in The Stamp Man online store.


For my tag I cut two using the Tim Holtz Tag die, one from thin chipboard and the second from white card but I also used the Mini Butterfly die inside the tag shape to make an aperture. I used some acrylic paint on the chipboard and when that was dry I stamped the script stamp from the TH French Marketplace stamp set. On the top layer I blended different DI's then stamped the mesh from the Aspects of Design Floral stamp set in Olive Archival ink. Then I stamped the flower trail from the AoD Beautiful Butterflies set. The sentiment is from the AoD Rambling 2 stamp set. The letters are cut using the Vintage Market die and I covered them in Spiced Marmalade DI, stuck them to the tag and then covered them with Glossy Accents. While the GA was still wet I sprinkled tiny gold beads over the top (they went everywhere !).


The butterfly is cut using the TH Mini Butterfly die and I've used the Paint Dabber resist technique, using the text stamp from the TH Market Place stamp set. The flower is made using the TH Tattered Flowers die from Crinoline and has been coloured using Distress Stains - Scattered Straw and Wild Honey. The 'ruffly' ribbon is TH Trimmings that has been coloured using Distress Stains Scattered Straw. To finish off I used some Liquid Pearls and dotted it over the flower trail and onto the centre of the butterfly, added a Philosopy Tag and a Trinket Pin. The little flower charm is from my stash.

I'm entering this tag into the following challenges:

• Gingersnaps - Words of Wisdom
• Crafts and Me - Shades of Spring
• DYSU - Distress
• Cute Card Thursday - Winged Things
• Crafty Catz - I spy with my little eye something beginning with ....'B' - Butterfly !
  
• Fussy and Fancy - More than Words
• Our Creative Corner - Over the Edge
  

A home for Wendy !

One of my New Year resolutions was to get myself more organised in my craft room. I've got stash, stashed in every nook and cranny and it can take me as long to find what I'm looking for as it does to make it ! .....lol......So, I thought I would start by getting my stamp sets into some sort of order. This is quite a long post so make sure you're sitting comfortable and have a cuppa to hand too !

I've gathered one or two sets of Wendy Vecchi stamps over the last few months and as they come with the superb sheet that the stamps stick to and the pre-punched holes, which are just inviting them to be put into a folder, I thought I would start with them. I've used mountboard to make the covers, I've got loads of offcuts and it's quite sturdy so will stand being used regularly ! As the stamp sets are quite tall I didn't have any paper that was large enough, so I gathered together all of the little pieces of paper that aren't really any use for anything, and used them as a patchwork around the edge to fill the gap ! I stamped on one or two of them with a WV text stamp.
The centre panels are made with pieces of DP and I sprayed Glimmer Mist Coffee Shop and Gold and also Perfect Pearls Heirloom Gold and then 'swooshed' the paper through the liquid. Once it was dry I did a few 'splodges' of Wild Honey Distress stains, then I started to stamp !


I didn't use every single Wendy Vecchi stamp I have, but I made a good go at it ! The little blue flowers are stamped onto Grunge Paper which I've covered with Broken China DI and then cut out. The heart is also stamped onto Grunge Paper, which is covered with Barn Door DI and cut out.


The inside of the covers was painted with pale blue acrylic paint and then I stamped over the top with a WV border stamps using black Archival ink. The centre panels have been stamped with a WV background stamp using Coffee Achival ink and I've blended DI around the edge.


The letters on the front are Tim Holtz Grunge Board letters and I painted them with blue acrylic paint then with black acrylic paint. When they were dry I sanded them and then rubbed some Broken China DI over them. I somehow managed to stick the 'V' onto the Grunge Board panel at an angle, which is why it's a bit 'jaunty', but I quite liked it in the end !



To finish off I went around the edges of both covers with Tissue Tape and grunged it up a little with some black acrylic paint. Isn't Tissue Tape wonderful !

So now, Wendy has a home ! I just need to find a home for T!m now too !

I'm entering this project into the following challenges :

• Crafty Catz - My favourite things - Grunge Paper !
• Snazzy's Design Team - Studio 490
  

A card for a man !

For my Katzelkraft DT project this time I've used the Transportation and the Alphabet Corrupt sets.


I started with the background and stamped the brickwork stamp with Versamark and then used my Pan Pastels over the top. I stamped the word 'Time' using the Alphabet Corrupt set. The main image was stamped on a piece left over from the background and then cut out using a deckle edged Nestability. The centre pieces are from an old book and the top layer has been flicked with bleach.

The metal pieces have been made using a Ten Second Studio mould and I've then used black acrylic paint over them. The words are all stamped onto Kraft card stock and attached together with an eyelet.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

• Creative Card Crew challenge which is Masculine.
• Crafts and Me - Distressing
  
• C.R.A.F.T - No designer paper
• DYSU - Layers
• Crafty Cardmakers - Monochrome magic
• Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything goes
  

All of the stamps I've used are available exclusively from The Craft Barn in the UK and from Katzlekraft in France.

WOYWW 15 February 2012

Well this is a rarity, but I got home and there was still some light left so I thought I'd take a quick photo and join in with WOYWW. Pop over to Julia's to check out everyone else's !


I decided to have a play with my Pan Pastels last night and rather than make a project do some stamping and see where it lead me. I ended up with a master sheet which will be used in some birthday cards that I need to make. I did some stamping with Versamark and also used a stencil, the layers are building up nicely but I think that it still needs some more. You can also see some Crafty Individuals stamps, they will also be featuring in the said birthday cards !

Right I'm off for a nosey around !

It must be love !

Now this is a rare occurrence, 2 posts in one day ! Well, I thought as Valentine's day is ony a couple of days away I ought to get my card made for him indoors. Fortunately, there's a rugby match on this afternoon so I've not had anyone looking over my shoulder !

As is my usual style, I started with background. I used a Stampin' Up stamp called En Francais then stamped the Love Birds by Darkroom Door and the couple are a Katzelkraft stamp. I used the big dot stamp by Wendy Vecchi and stamped using Fired Brick DI. The swirls are done using a Crafter's Workshop template which I've drawn round and then added some of my own doodling. Quite like the effect so may do that again. For the horizontal piece I stamped using an unknown music stamp then tore the card and used DI and splashed some water on onto it.


The lock and key is what inspired this card as I was having a sort out and came across this Sizzix die, which I have to be honest I'd forgotten I'd got ! The back of the lock is cut from thin chipboard and then I've coated it with DI then used the wonderful PaperArtsty Crackle Glaze and coated it with black acrylic paint. The top of the lock is stamped with the music stamp and then I've used DI over it. The key is from the same die and I used the Crackle Glaze, but it didn't crackle as much as I wanted so I sanded it to reveal more of the red and then used a little Walnut Stain DI. The wings are hand drawn and cut from Grunge Paper. I covered them with DI and then stamped them with the En Francais stamp. The word is from an Oxford Impressions stamp set and the button is from my stash.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp and Show - Torn edges, Distress inks, a button and some wings
  
• Divas by Design - Love
  
• Truly Scrumptious - Love and hearts
  
• C.R.A.F.T Challenge - Valentine's Day
• DYSU - Love
  
• By the Cute and Girly - Love is in the air
  
• Crafty Catz - Valentine's
  
• Fussy and Fancy - Show some love
  
• PaperPlay - Love letters
• Cards for Men - Seeing red
• PanPastel Challenge - Love and Romance
• Snazzy's Design Team Blog - Love/Romance
  

Right while the rugby is still on I'm off to my craft room to play some more ! Hope you're all having a great weekend. It's starting to go foggy here, but at least it's not as cold.

Monochrome plus one !

It's time for another challege at The Fashionable Stamping Challenge. This time we would like to see monochrome plus one other colour and of course you need to stamp ! Make sure you check out the fantastic work of the rest of the DT.


The project I'm sharing with you is a box and card I made for a friend who left work recently. The colours I've used reflect the colour that she likes to wear. I made the box and then stamped the top panel separately using a Wendy Vecchi background stamp, the sentiment is also a Wendy Vecchi stamp.


The butterflies are by The Stamp Man and I dyed some seam binding with Distress re-inkers to match and added a Type Charm.


For the card I started with the background and stamped it using one of my favourite Wendy Vecchi text background stamps and then stamped over that with a Katzelkraft flower stamp. I watercoloured the flowers using Distress Inks. The embossed panel is made using a Tim Holtz EF, the card was coloured using Shabby Shutters Distress Stains. The text panel is a piece from an old book that's had DI blended around it.


I used the Vintage Market die for the letters, which I've inked with DI and covered with Glossy Accents. They're mounted on a panel that's been stamped with the same stamp as the cover of the box. The frame has been made from black glossy card stock and Nestabilities. The swirls are cut using the Mini Flourish die and the butterflies with the Mini Butterfly die. The rose is made using the PaperArtsy Scalloped flower die, I prefer this die for making roses as it has a lovely shaped petal. I cut the flower from card that I'd used Shabby Shutters Distress Stains on and then when I'd made the rose I used my melt pot to make it a porcelain flower. The two leaves are also made using a PaperArtsy die and I've put them through an EF to add the lines. Some more dyed seam binding with some black ribbon and that's it !

I'm entering this project into the following challenges:

• Anything Goes - Bingo line - Distress; Make your own flowers;2 or more stamped images;Swirls and pearls (pearls are on my butterflies)
• Charisma Cardz - Things with Wings
• Gingersnap Creations - Glorious Greens
• Craft your passion - Anything goes + no patterned paper
  
• Craft us Crazy - Anything goes
  

I hope you get chance to join us for this challenge.

It's all about texture !

We've come around to the next challenge at The Stamp Man and this time we would like to see lots of texture on your projects. As usual there is the fab prize of a £10 voucher for you to spend in The Stamp Man's online shop.

The card I'm sharing with you is one I've made for an order and it's for a man. I started with the background and used the Apsects of Design Classical Instruments set and stamped the notes with white Paint Dabber, dried it and then blended DI over the top. The paint resists the DI beautifully, I have to say it's one of my favourite techniques. I then embossed some card that I'd covered with Old Paper Distress Stains, using the Allegro EF. I used DI direct to the card to highlight the embossing. The tickets and sentiment were stamped onto Kraft card stock.

I used some watercolour paper for the main image and I stamped different colour DI's onto my craft sheet, sprtized them with water and 'swooshed' the paper into it. I then sprayed it with some diluted Chipped Sapphire re-inker. The swirl is cut from cardboard that I've taken the outer layer off, using the Elegant Flourishes die. The numbers are cut using the Vintage Market die and I've used DI and then Glossy Accents, The frame is made using the Tag and Bookplates die and I've added a Type Charm. The piece of tape is from a tag from a pair of jeans, so a little bit of recycling too !

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• Stampin' for the Weekend - Photo inspiration (blues, creams, browns)
• Pan Pastel challenge - Happy Birthday
• ABC Challenge - I for In Pairs ( I've used 2 tickets)
  

I hope you get chance to join us for this challenge.

One snowy afternoon......

I hope you're all staying warm with the latest cold snap we're having. I have to say that the weather gave me the perfect excuse to hide away in my craft room and I took the opportunity to make this canvas which had been in my mind to do for some while, but I'd not found the time for it. I also saw that the latest challenge for Crafty Individuals is Spring and that got me thinking...


I started by using acrylic paints on the canvas, I streaked it rather than painting it wholesale, I like the effect much better. As the canvas is on a wooden frame it was difficult to stamp on to. I rather liked the smudged effect I got when I stamped the Crafty Individuals swirl with Olive Archival ink. I used a stencil for the flower and used acrylic paints to stencil it.


The words are all done using a Ten Seconds studio mould. I picked up one or two when LB Crafts was closing down and I just love the way they've turned out. I used acrylic paint to distress them, a sea green colour and then black. The egg timer, which is from a Rubbadubbado set, is stamped onto metal and I've then used a paper stump to make the timer part a little rounded. I've used watercolour paper for the rest of my stamping. I've stamped different DI's onto my craft sheet and then spritzed them with water and 'swooshed' the watercolour paper through it. The watercolour paper sucks up the colour beautifully, and then I've stamped onto it once it was dry. The face is another Rubbadubbado stamp from a set I bought when I first started stamping. It's layered onto a piece of mountboard that I've painted with acrylic paint and also used PaperArtsy Acrylic Crackle Glaze ( I love this stuff!). The 'Time is a Dressmaker' stamp is also from a PaperArtsy set and is mounted onto a piece of a page from an old book which has been covered with Old Paper Distress Stains and then I've used Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain DI around the edge. The flowers and leaves are Wendy Vecchie Art Parts and I've covered the large flower with paper that's been stamped with a Wendy Vecchi stamp and the smaller flower has been treated to some more Crackle Glaze. They're mounted onto a small canvas that is covered with Tissue Tape. The leaves and the other flower are painted with acrylic paint and then stamped over with Wendy Vecchie stamps. The small flower has a bottle cap in the centre. The little bird is from a PaperArtsy stamp set and I've stamped onto Shrink Plastic, cut it out and then shrunk it !


The coupled cycling is another Crafty Individuals stamp and is stamped onto watercolour paper that's had the same treatment as the other pieces. It's mounted onto a piece of a page from a book, which again has had the same treatment as the other pieces. The gorgeous filligree corner pieces are from the lovely Linda's Etsy shop and I've used Lettuce and Pesto Alcohol Inks to colour them. The butterfly is cut from Grunge Paper which is covered with Crushed Olive DI and then stamped over using a Wendy Vecchi text stamp and I've added a spinner to the centre.

That turned out to be a bit of a mammoth post ! I hope you didn't get too bored !

I'm entering this project into the following challenges:

• Crafty Individuals - Spring
  
• DYSU - Anything goes
  
• Divas by Design - Anything goes
• Die Cuttin Divas - Anything goes
  
• Allsorts - Free and Easy
  
• Happy Daze - A technique you love to use ( I love using acrylic paint on metal)

Corset in pink !

For my Katzelkraft project I've made a birthday card for a colleague at work, and before you say it, yes it's pink ! The lady in question isn't a grungy type of girl so I thought I'd better go more on the girly side !


I stamped the background with white paint dabber and when it was dry I blended Tattered Rose DI over the top and then I rubbed over the top with a damp piece of kitchen roll. I stamped butterflies with Tattered Rose on the background piece too, unfortunately the photo doesn't show it very well. The embossed panel is a Stampin' Up EF called Vintage Wallpaper. The bird cage is by Poppy Stamps and I've stamped over it using the text stamp from the Paris Postal stamp set with white paint dabber and blended over it with DI so the paint resisted the ink. I used the same technique on the butterfly and also on the bottom die cut layer.

The flower is made using the Tattered Flowers die from Crinoline. The brad is a Marah Johnson and the ribbon and pearls are from my stash.

I'm entering this card into the Charisma Cardz challenge which is Vintage.

All of the stamps I've used are available exclusively from The Craft Barn and from Katzelkraft in France.