Just Playing!

You may have noticed that the fabulous Imagination Crafts has joined Crafter's Companion with their amazing range of mixed media products. I've been a bit lacking in motivation recently, so it's taken me a while to have a play. 

I treated myself to a selection of goodies and for this project I used: 

Rice papers - 399 and 403

Magi-Bond Decoupage glue

Fabric decoupage glue

Starlight Paints - Heather, Clotted Cream,Topaz

Starlight Wax - Dark Orchid

Stencil - A4 - Crosshatch Elements

Magi-Cutz - Moroccan Trellis

I also used:

Crafter's Companion Watercolour card

Crafter's Companion Essentials Flowers for All Occasions 3 & 4

A mirror frame (bought loads of these years ago from Ikea)

Pebeo White Gesso

Wooden Butterflies, old buttons, ribbon, lace and pearls from my stash

Art Basics Heavy Body gel

I started by mixing Heather with white gesso and covering the complete frame. I then layed out the the rice papers to decide where they would go, and used water to help me tear them. 

 The rice paper was stuck down with Magi Bond decoupage glue.

Next, I stuck down a load of old buttons - the sort you wouldn't really want to use on anything special. Because I wanted them to stick really well, I used Heavy Body Gel - this stuff is amazing at sticking - but don't expect to ever remove it afterwards!!  

Dark Orchid Starlight wax mixed with a bit of water was sponged through the Crosshatch Elements stencil on the bottom left corner, and also over the buttons.

As I wanted quite pastel colours in the background, I mixed all three Starlight paints with with gesso.

The Clotted Cream mix was painted over the buttons. 

This was also dabbed over the other parts of the frame. The brush I was using is very old and clumpy and formed just the right kind of texture to dab on. I repeated this with some of the two colours. 

It was also used to base coat the two wooden butterflies. 

And to paint onto watercolour card to cut the flowers.  I also used Clotted Cream directly over the Topaz/gesso mix.

As ever, I managed to forget to photograph a lot of stages towards the end. So, I adhered a piece of white lace down the right hand side, and a piece of white organza ribbon across the bottom - both with the fabric decoupage glue. The gesso mix of paints was dabbed over them.

Next, pieces of the magi cut were covered with Dark Orchid Starlight Wax, and the butterflies were painted directly with the Starlights. I also dabbed the Starlights over the buttons. Dark Orchid was also used to edge the mirror. Finally the flowers were cut out, arranged and a small pearl placed in the centre.

There are a few things I would change - but overall I'm pretty happy for a first play with a big range of products.

Off to think about what to do next with all these goodies!! 

Cxxx

New 3D Folders

Morning. Not long until the launch of the gorgeous new 3D embossing folders, with complementing dies and stamps. 

Here's another of my makes - one of those mirror frames from Ikea, painted with a mix of Pebeo White Gesso and Pebeo Deco Matt Sepia. 

I used the Kraft card with the Textured Swirls embossing folder. The pieces near the corner were painted with the Gesso and Sepia mix before embossing, and the center one, it was dry brushed over after embossing. Both were inked over with Walnut Stain Distress Oxide - as was the frame itself. 

I also used the Rose Vine, Take Flight and Floral Delight Dies, adding texture to the base, and as embellishments over the top.

Enjoy the shows.
Cxxx

Mixed Media Hearts

Morning. Today I have a bit of mixed media for you, using Crafter's Companion Die'sire Mixed Media Contemporary Hearts.

I started with one of those black framed mirrors from Ikea (bought loads ages ago and am still working through them!!  I used Sheena Douglass Pop Dotty stencil with some Pebeo Modelling Paste to create a textured background.

I then painted over this with Pebeo Black Gesso.

Next I cut a load of hearts from a range of materials - black and white mountboard, self adhesive vinyl, self adhesive velvet, craft metal, and textured grungeboard. I added some onto one corner for texture and painted over with Pebeo Iridescent Blue Black paint.

The rest of the hearts were arranged on the frame after sponging some with the Iridescent Blue Black paint, and also Iridescent Silver. Finally, I stamped a sentiment and mounted it onto a piece of black card sponged with the Iridescent Blue Black paint.

Take care,

Cxxx

Dome Front Card

Morning!! Did you catch the launch yesterday? Leann will be back this morning at 9am with more of these lovely dies.

This is a large dome front card, made using the Spring Garden dies. I used Matt Black card with one of the Centura Pearl Metallic Golds. 

The embossing is using the A4 Sugar and Spice Delicate Floral folder, with highlights of the embossing brought out with Pebeo Empire Gold Gilding Wax. The inside sentiment is Classiques Only Words Happy Birthday, and I used the 1" Alphabet dies for "Mum".

Be sure to tune in this morning.

Cxxx

Flower Canvas

Morning!! Didn't get round to posting yesterday, so thought I should get on with it this morning. So I have a little canvas to share, made using Crafter's Companion Spring Flowers Mixed Media dies. 

I used a little canvas and painted the edges dark blue, then added strips of white canvas from a roll to make the edge look neater. 

I cut the flowers out of denim (2 layers) and the canvas roll (3 layers). I also used Funky foam (1 layer).

The sentiment is from the Die'sire Sentimentals Nature set, stamped with Midnight Versacraft onto canvas roll.

Cxxx

Smitten Kitten

Today I have an 8x8 card made using Crafter's Companion Catitudes, using the first of the twin CDs for the image, sentiment, embellishments and one of the papers.

I also used the silver embossed musical paper from the 8x8 pad, and embossed a piece of black card with the matching embossing folder. I highlighted this with Pebeo silver gilding wax.

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

Catitudes!!

When Crafter's Companion brought out Marilyn Robertson's Kimono range, I fell in love with it!! And now we have Catitudes too!! It's launching tonight on Hochanda at 8pm - and is just as amazing as Kimono is!!

There is a great collection including a CD, dies, embossing folder, paper pad and stamps. This twist-turn pop up card is made using one of the Character sheets from the CD, along with the flowers and sentiment - also from the CD. 

Inside, I used the Opulent Chandelier embossing folder - and highlighted it with Pebeo Silver gilding wax before cutting out the centre piece.

I have also used the Champagne Glass, Elegant Chandelier and Classic Chaise dies - along with paper from the 8x8 Paper pad. 

Be sure to tune in for the launch, and for the shows tomorrow.

Cxxx

The Beach

Morning!! Thought I would pop on quickly to share another Spectrum Aqua Pen card. This one is using Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Sketchy - The Beach.

I used Peacock Blue, Sea Green, Kingfisher, Desert, Fawn, Chestnut, Boulder and Evergreen from the Nature pack - and also Slate from the Essentials. For the image, I masked areas as I went along with Pebeo Drawing Gum. 

The background was create by scribbling onto a white tile, spritzing and transferring to Crafter's Companion Watercolour card. I added a little rock salt while it was still wet.

The green flowers were originally white, and I coloured them with the Sea Green marker.

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

Day 94 - Blog Post 500!!

Wow - 500 blog posts - nearly 100 of which have been just this year!! Been out and about today, so not much time to craft. 

But this is what has been sitting on my craft desk all day. Hopefully will do something with it tomorrow.

Cxx