Umbrellas ready!

We are starting a new fortnightly challenge at Use Your Craft Stash, and we are onto U and V. These letters at the end of the alphabet are getting a bit tricky. The only thing I could think of was Umbrella - and it reminded me of a card I made in June 2015 for the Scruffy Little Kitten launch. There was a image of a little girl with an umbrella, and a great sentiment from one of the stamp sets - called Rosie. I tried to follow my own instructions from that blog post but I seem to have omitted a few things. I am pretty sure that I didn't make it at A4 size - and when scoring the top of the card for sticking I must have done the back piece - and not the front. I realised both mistakes when I made them with this card!! Am still pretty happy with it - although it is rather large!

I used the same sentiment as before, from the Scruffy Little Kitten stamp set called Rosie, but this time used a Hobby House Topper from a Daisy Mae Draws Ready to Colour Art Book called Days of Summer. I coloured it with Spectrum Noir markers - BT4, 5, 9 for the umbrella, CT1, 2, 3, 4 for the wellies, OR1, 2, 3, for the flowers and LG1, 2, 3 for the leaves and grass. The base card is from Papermill, and the spotty card I bought from my local market.

Hopefully brollies won't be needed this week - although that might be optimistic!

Happy crafting,

Cxxxx

Easter at Use Your Craft Stash

As many crafters know, we all build up a huge stash of things as we race to get the newest dies, paints, stamps, inks etc etc And we're all bad at using up our stash.  So, over at Use Your Craft Stash, our aim is to get people to do just that - use your craft stash. We have no prizes on offer, but will be setting a weekly theme. And this week is Easter.

Now, I don't make Easter cards, so had to rack my brains to think what I had in my stash that would be suitable. And then it came to me - Bebunni!!  So, I had a look through and decided that Brighten My Day from Bebunni Floral would be a perfect choice. 

If you have seen my post from a few days ago, you will know I have a list of things in my stash that I want to get out and play with, and this seemed like the perfect time. So, instead of reaching for my watercolours, or my alcohol pens, I went for my Spectrum Noir ColourBlend Pencils.

As you can see, I have all the sets of pencils, along with the blending solution and paper stumps. I decided to restrict myself to just one set - the Essentials.

I started by colouring Bebunni, with White, Smoke, Taupe, Pewter, Black and Peach. 

And the Daffodil was coloured with Linen, Eggshell, Canary, Pumpkin, Nectarine and Pewter.

  

For the leaf I used Pistachio, Sage, Jade, Taupe and Black. I really like the blending solution to help get rid of the hard lines.

I decided that I needed to ground Bebunni, and used Smoke, Taupe, Pewter and Black. I then gathered all the papers - Core-dinations Brights Yellow and Green card, Papermania Yellow patterned paper (this has to be well over 10 years old), and I think the green stripe is also DoCrafts/Papermania. The Easter "words" card is another old one - and I really cannot remember where this came from.  I then dug out my XCut Egg des - these are the two smallest sizes, along with the paper strips that were for the Crafter's Companion Quilling dies.  

I also dug out some old embossing folders to add texture to the eggs. These are from Crafter's Companion - Verity Rose collection - Flutterby, Cupcake and Destiny.

And then I inked them with Mustard Seed and Lucky clover Distress Oxides.

 

The mats and layers were cut using another very old workhorse from my stash - Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Squares and Grand Squares, and also the Rectangles.

Even the ribbon has been around a while. You used to get packs with (I think) 4 ribbons wrapped around a piece of card. Not sure what make they were - but both of these were from packs like that. And of course, I used my trusty bow maker from Tattered Lace!! 

If you have craft stash to use, come and join us on FB at Use Your Craft Stash. You don't have to take part in the weekly themes if you don't want to, but get some inspiration and share your makes using your stash.  We look forward to seeing you.

In the meantime, take care and stay safe. 

Cxxx

Framed Rose Picture

The 3D folders are back today with lots more inspiration from Debbie. And don't forget there are some amazing stamps and dies to go with them. 

I used one of the stamps from the Beautiful Bouquet stamp set coloured with Fired Brick and Walnut Stain Distress Ink, and cut out into a fram with the Parisian Mirror Die. In the background, I used the Textured Swirls embossing folder, with more of the Walnut Stain and Fired Brick. The butterfly is from the Take Flight die set, and the swirl at the bottom from the Floral Delight die set.

Debbie will be back with more shows at 4pm and 7pm today. 

Simple and Elegant

Did you catch the 10am show with the new 3D embossing folders, dies and stamps? During that show Matt really liked this sample - showing how simple you can keep it, yet how elegant and effective it can be. 

This is the French Lace folder embossed onto Sheena White Stamping Card. I then painted over the design with Old Paper and Spun Sugar Distress Inks. To highlight the embossed detail, I put some ink on my finger and went over the top. The lace edges are painted with Spectrum Noir Clear Overlay Glitter Sparkle Pen. I stamped the sentiment using Spanish Moss Versafine.  

Tune in again at 4pm for more inspiration.

Take care,

Cxxx

New 3D Embossing Folders

Afternoon. It's been a busy few weeks with loads going on here with alterations to the house, demo days and of course working on samples for the fab new 3D embossing folders from Crafter's Companion - part of the 12th Birthday Celebrations.

There are 6 folders in the collection - with some great co-ordinating dies and stamps. On this gift bag I used the Rose Bouquet embossing folder, and coloured it with Antique Linen, Fired Brick and Frayed Burlap Distress Oxides. I used the Rose Vine die to cut the corner embellishments, and the Beautiful Bouquet Stamps set for the tag. 

Be sure to tune in to Hochanda tomorrow at 10am to see the launch.

Take care,

Cxxxx

Everlasting Love

Morning!! Today I have a card made using Leonie Pujol's Everlasting Love, coloured with Spectrum Aqua Markers.  If you know the stamp, you will know that it only has two flowers, and I wanted three, so I used Pebeo Masking Gum to mask out the first stamp, and then inked up only the extra piece I wanted.

I then masked the third flower off so I could do the background - essentially a wet on wet technique. I did this on another piece of card, too, for an extra layer for the card.

I then built up the colour on the flowers. 

And, as always seems to happen, I forgot to take anymore photos!! So, I completed the flower, leaves and stems, and then matted and layered to complete the card. 

The main Spectrum Aqua colours I used were: Florals - Marigold, Jasmine, Sunflower, Bud Green, Leaf Green, Orchid, Heather.

Cxx

Elephant!!

Good morning!! I'm still trying to catch up with sharing cards I made last year - and this is one of them. I made it for my step-daughter for her birthday, just before she when to Thailand. Part of her trip included spending some time at a elephant sanctuary - so I thought this would be an appropriate image to use.

It is, of course, Sheena Douglass' Marching Elephants from her Taste of India collection. I coloured the image with my Spectrum Noir markers: Elephant - IG3, 4, 5, 7; Ground - IG1, 2; Cover - FS2, 3, 4 & GT1, 2, 3; Tusks - TN1, EB1,2. I added a little sparkle with Spectrum Noir Clear Overlay Sparkle pen. 

I then embossed teal card from Papermill with the co-ordinating folder, and then swiped Pebeo Silver gilding wax over the top. The papers are from two different pads from The Works: the peach from the Pretty Pastels, and the teal stripe from the Vintage Chic.

The sentiment is from Crafter's Inspiration 6, stamped with Memento Gray Flannel. I finished it off with ribbon and Hobby House flowers.

Cxxx

Tropical Nectar

Morning!! Fiona is on again today with the Spectum Noir Illustrator pens. 

This tag is made using Sheena Douglass "A Little Bit Sketchy" Tropical Nectar stamp, coloured with:

Flower: Basics - Flame Red, Portrait - Cream, Hues - Gold 
Leaves/Stem: Tints - Pale Citrus, Hues - Pear Green

The sentiment is from Crafter's Inspiration 6, stamped with Versafine Onxy Black.

Enjoy your day!!
Cxxx

Sparkling Flowers

Today's offereing is an 8x8 card that uses a Just Inklined digi called "Open Rose Vase". The sentiment is from Crafter's Inspiration 6, stamped with Onyx Black Versafine.

I used Spectrum Noir Sparkle pens to colour the image:

Roses: Red Berry, Crystal Clear, Spun Gold 

Leaves: Black, Holly Green, Crystal Clear

Vase: Black, Sterling, Crystal Clear 

The embossed background was created using an Embossalicious 8x8 folder called Rose Garden.

Cxx

Spectrum Noir AquaBlends

Fiona was on Hochanda yesterday with the gorgeous Spectrum Noir AquaBlends. This is using Sheena Douglass' Magnolia Blossom on Crafter's Companion Watercolour Card.

The pencils I used were :

Flower: Florals - Elderberry

Leaves: Naturals - Cypress, Oregano

Stem: Essentials - Black Umber 

I made the image into a circular easel card using Crafter's Companion Matt Black card, with some pink from my stash.

Cxxx

Teddy Bear!

Morning! More colouring today! This time with the Spectrum Noir Illustrator pens. The image is from Just Inklined, and is called Baby Boys Clothes. However, you can see that I chose to use pinks and purples to colour it in.

The colours I used are: 

Teddy: Tints - Blossom, Moonlight, Tones - Pink Lace, Vintage Pink, Portrait - Ivory

Blankets: Tints - Vanilla, Moonlight,
Blossom, Tones - Pink Lace, Vintage Pink, Wisteria, Old Lavender, Portrait - Ivory
Booties: Tones - Wisteria, Old Lavender, Tints - Lavender, Vanilla, Moonlight,
Portrait - Ivory

The sentiment stamp is from Crafter’s Inspiration 6, the patterned papers from an old Kanban A4 pad, and I decorated with pearls.

Cxxx

A little watercolour....

Something totally different today! A circular tent fold card I made using the Spectrum Aqua pens and Sheena's Passion Flower stamp from the "A Little Bit Sketchy" range.

I love the Spectrum Aqua pens as you can scribble them on a tile, spritz them, and use them for backgrounds, as well as using them directly on the card. That's how I created the background for the card.

I did attempt the Bokeh effect with Pebeo White Gesso too - but it was rather a feeble attempt and really doesn't show up.

The main colours I used were from the Nature set- Sea Green and Peacock Blue. I also used Essentials Black and Spice for centres and Florals Jasmine and Orchid for centres.

Cxxx

Birthday time means new goodies!!

Morning!! It's been a while since I have blogged. Not because I have nothing to share, but just that I don't seem to have time to get on here and blog!! Anyway, just had to pop on to share with you some samples I have made using the brand new Illustrator pens from Crafter's Companion. They come with a brush nib as standard, and the other end is an ultra fine nib. There are eight packs of 6 pens, and 4 packs of 12 pens. 

The first of my samples is using a Just Inklined image called Masquerade. The colours I have used are:
Feathers: Portrait - Ivory
               Earth - Khaki, Moss Green, Raw Sienna, Goldenrod

               Tints - Vanilla, MoonlightMask: Earth - Petrol Blue, Pale Mint          Tints - Duck EggRibbon: Portrait - Ivory
             Earth - Raw Sienna, Goldenrod
             Tints - Vanilla, Moonlight

The base card is Papermill Teal card, and I have used Hobby House flowers for embellishment. The sentiment is from one of the free Crafter's Inspiration sets!

Don't forget to join Leann at 10 on Hochanda for the launch!! 
Cxxx

Sunset!!

Back today with another Spectrum Aqua card. This again uses Sheena's "The Beach" stamp - but this time with more sunset colours.

The colours I have used for this one are: Sunset, Amber, Topaz, Kingfisher, Peacock Blue, Sea Green, Boulder, Evergreen, Desert, Fawn, Chestunut from the Nature set and Charcoal and Moss from the Essentials set.

I used the scribble technique to create the background card, then spritzed it with water...

... before placing a piece of watercolour card on top to soak up the colour. Matt Black card helps to bring out the the sunset colours. And now I shall be heading out into the garden to do some tidying up before a little family BBQ tonight.

Cxxxx

Watercolour Orchids!!

Finally have found some time to blog!! And thought I would share one of my samples for the Spectrum Aqua pens that are on Hochanda this weekend.

I really enjoyed making this one - I absolutely love watercolours - and Sheena's flower stamps are always great to colour. This one is A Little Bit Sketchy - Orchids.

I started by stamping the image to the left of a piece of Sheena Stamping Card, and painted over it with Pebeo Drawing Gum. 

I then used my paint daubers/sponges to add colour. I scribbled it onto a white tile first and added some water before splodging it on! I used Red Violet and Aquamarine from the Primaries set.

The drawing gum was rubbed off - and the re-applied just around the edges of each petal.

I then used Red Violet for the Orchids, Sepia (Essentials) for the stems, and Jasmine (Florals) for the centres.

I stamped the orchids twice more, and painted them in the same way, before cutting them out and layering them onto the original one.

The sentiment is also from the same set.

Hope you are enjoying the shows! 

Cxxxx

Do More of What Makes You Happy!

A few weeks ago, I took delivery of my new Happy Planner from Me and My Big Ideas. I had been looking at them for a while and when Crafter's Companion started to stock them, I just had to get one - along with a few accessories including stickers, pocket cards and other bits and pieces. I'm not really sure how I envisaged using my planner with all these fabulous goodies - but in the end I have come up with what suits me - and I'm loving using it. 

But sorting through all the lovely extra bits and pieces, I realised that it was opening up a completely different possibility to me. So, with a goal in mind, I invested in a set of the expander rings for the planner and the punch that goes with it. The punch may well get used for the planner - but the expander rings are for a completely different purpose.

I have decided to start an art journal, as I love playing with all sorts of techniques and media, and as I no longer sell my cards etc, this would allow me to create for a purpose! And being able to punch the pages and add them to the rings gives me more scope than working in an existing book. The motivational quotes that came with some of the Happy Planner things also spurred me on. I intend to either use them on the pages - or as inspiration for the pages.

I have started by creating the front cover for my journal, which I am going to laminate to make it durable. There is such a wide variety of products in my stash, I decided to use up some of my oldest acrylic paints - my Eco Green tubes!! Some of the paint had separated in some of the tubes - but I've given them a shake up - so they are good to go!!

I took my starting point from this Happy Planner Pocket Card, because I feel it sums up what the point of this is for me - doing more of the messy stuff that makes me happy!

I began by making a background on Sheena White Stamping card with Eco Green paints - White, Butternut, Raspberry and Green Patina. And I really didn't like it.

So I mixed some white Gesso with water and went over the lot - then added more colour back in - but really watered it down.

I wanted to use Leonie Pujol's Everlasting Love stamp - I really love the style of it - and it reminds me of gardening - which is also something I need to do more of to stay happy!! I stamped it with Memento Rose Bud.

And then covered it in Pebeo Masking fluid! Big mistake, as the ink ran into the liquid!! But I pressed onwards.

I used stamps from two of the original Textures collection - Basket and Burlap, and Journal Jottings. The tyre tread and footprints are for the activities I love doing! I persevered with the Memento Ink - and used Rose Bud, Pistachio and Pear Tart.

Once I had stamped over the background I realised that I had stamped the flower image a bit too low down to be able to attach the card with the words - so I partially inked the stamp, and then stamped it again.

Because a lot of the ink had disappeared with the masking fluid, I used my Spectrum Noir AquaBlend pencils to go over the image - and to colour it in. I picked three colours to echo the inks - Rose (Florals), Tobacco (Essentials) and Pesto Green (Naturals).

To add more definition to the edges, I added a thin white line with the Pebeo 4Artist Oil Marker (fab new addition to my stash) and then drew a line on the inside with my Rose pencil and went over with water.

I did a little of all these things to the card with the words on too, so that it would blend in. After adding a few dots with my Pebeo marker, I mounted it on white card so that the messy back is covered before I laminate it!

Looking at it, I think I would have added more foliage to the left of the card - but I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out!

Cxxx