Creative Expressions - Chrysanthemum Stained Glass Circle

Today's share is another Creative Expressions die and, like yesterday, is from a Sue Wilson collection. I have previously used this die in another project which focussed on paper piecing. Click here for that blog post.   

For this project, I wanted to see if I could create something that resembled a stained glass piece, since that's the name of the collection. I used Cosmic Shimmer Watercolour Inks and Glossy Accents.

Click on the image to see the video demo, and please feel free to follow me here on my blog, or on FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

Happy crafting, 

Cxxxx

Creative Expressions - Peony Floral Panel

Two cards to share today, using the lovely Peony Floral Panel. Sue Wilson from Creative Expressions has a whole load of these floral panels in her collection, and they can all be mixed and matched.

On this first card, I have created an inky background with Distress Sprays. I also used the dies to create masks to ink through. I cut out with one of the panels and cut in with the other.

The second project is a pocket card and tag. The little card opens and there is a pocket in the front for the bookmark. No inking this time, just patterned papers.

 

Click on the image to see the video demo, and please feel free to follow me here on my blog, or on FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

Happy crafting, 

Cxxxx

It's Not Who You Are That Holds You Back .....

Had a play in my art journal yesterday. And also had a play at creating a video/reel of it. I don't think I did too badly for a first attempt.

I have four different journals - some have more in than others. This one is one I tend to do double page spreads with a quote and an image. It's just something I like to do - and the quote is usually relevant to how I am feeling at the time. And I think this is where I am at the moment. Having recently retired from a long teaching career - a job which is all consuming but gives you a purpose and identity - I am currently struggling to know exactly what I am. Looking for what I want to do now seems to throw up an endless list of what I am not. 

This is the finished project - not entirely the way I initially envisaged it - but I always enjoy the process. And this is one journal where I want to like the end product. I have another where I have experimented or followed prompts, and in that one there is a lot that I don't like - but that helps me to sometimes just let go of the end product and focus on the process. 

Here is the speeded up and edited video, having removed all the faffing and prevaricating.

Products used:

Arteza 14cm x 14cm Sketchbook

Distress Oxides: Picked Raspberry, Ripe Persimmon, Fossilized Amber

Distress Mica Stains: Winterberry, Flickering Candle, Jack O' Lantern

Distress Archival: Vintage Photo

Stamps: Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Just Thoughts (very old set); AALL & Create #662 One Of A Kind; Imagination Crafts Texture Stamps (from two different sets - both old)

Stencils: AALL & Create #147 Coffee Stain; #38 Cracked Walls 2

Tim Holtz Stamping Platform

Tim Holtz Stamping Blocks

Blending Brushes - cheap ones from Amazon

Cream card from stash

Thank you for popping by. 

Please feel free to follow me here on my blog, on Twitter, FaceBook,  Instagram or Pinterest.

Happy crafting, 

Cxxxx

AALL & Create - #327 Ribbit Ribbit

I am relatively new to AALL & Create stamps. Am probably more drawn to those created by Tracy Evans and Bipasha, but love how all the designers have their own styles.

This stamps set is by Tracy Evans, and is called Ribbit Ribbit. I have another project with this stamp set which I have blogged previously. Click here for a look, as I have used different elements from the stamp set on that one than I have here.

I created the background by first spraying using Distress Oxide Sprays in Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet and Mermaid Lagoon. I then used some of the smaller stamps from the set to add more texture using the same colours in the ink pads. The Lotza Diamondz stencil was then used on top. 

The main stamp and the wording were stamped with Spectrum Noir Finesse Waterproof Dye Ink Pad in Pebble.

Click on the image to see the video demo, and please feel free to follow me here on my blog, or on FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

Happy crafting, 

Cxxxx

Elizabeth Craft Designs - Garden Bouquet

I love flowers and am lucky to own an array of older Elizabeth Craft Designs flower dies.  Yes, they are not the latest dies, but in this day and age where our budgets are squeezed, look at what you already have in your stash. If you have been crafting for a while, chances are that you have something you can use. This card uses 3 different dies from their Garden Notes collection: 1190 Bouquet Stems and Branches; 1638 Crocus; 1590 Grecian Windflower.

These dies are created to allow for good representations of the real flowers. However, don't be put off by that. Use your dies how you want to, as I have in this card. You wouldn't recognise that these "should be" crocuses and windflowers.

I have also used patterned paper for the flowers rather than colouring them, but you could equally create an inky background and cut them or cut them from white and colour them. So many possibilities. I love the Bouquet Stems and Branches. Elizabeth Craft Designs made several of these type of dies. 

Click on the image to see the video demo, and please feel free to follow me here on my blog, or on FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

Happy crafting, 

Cxxxx

Eizabeth Craft Designs - 1478 Garden Scene

Today's share contains a couple of cards using Elizabeth Craft Designs - 1478 Garden Scene die. This is very much like a "Create a Card" type die. These are great for creating quick cards, as the work is pretty much done for you.

I chose to use two different techniques. The first one is an inked background using Mermaid Lagoon and Cracked Pistachio Distress Oxides and Sprays. The sentiment is from Julie Hickey Designs - Everyday Sentiments.  I love the Tim Holtz Distress Range - particularly the Oxides and the Oxide sprays. 

The second one is the quickest way to use this type of die, where patterned papers make the background. Again, the sentiment is from Julie Hickey Designs - Everyday Sentiments. 

Click on the images to see the video demos, and please feel free to follow me here on my blog, or on FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

Happy crafting, 

Cxxxx

Elizabeth Craft Designs - Garden Party

Well, it's been almost 6 months since I last blogged and shared anything crafty on social media. And that is for a whole host of reasons.

Up until the end of June, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to create a lot of video content with a whole range of products and techniques. I have shared some of this previously, but still have a massive amount to share. My intention is to begin to blog the rest of this from now onwards. 

Once this came to an end, I kind of breathed a sigh of relief at having time to step back a bit. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the 9 months I had, but it was good to take a step back. I have also not really been crafting since then - apart from friends and family and am now starting on my Christmas cards. I have spent the past four and a half months focussing on other things I enjoy - predominantly my garden, but also cooking, preserving and baking.

I am now at a point where I feel that I want to start playing again. I spent some time sorting through my craft stash and re-discovered a whole load of things I forgot I had, and it's time to start using it! Having been on Design Teams and been a demonstrator, your stash builds without you really being aware of how much you have. Once I have shared all the things already created and filmed, I am thinking of potentially having a go creating some content independently. Not sure how - or if - this will happen, but it's bubbling around in my head.

Anyway, my intention is to share the 60+ projects and videos that I haven't yet shared, grouping them together where I have created different projects with the same item.

So, am starting with some Elizabeth Craft Designs. These are created using a set of stamps called Garden Party. 

Both were stamped with Versafine Clair - Nocturne and embossed with clear embossing powder. 

For this one, I used Cosmic Shimmer Watercolour Ink to colour the image.

And for this one, I used Faber Castell Goldfaber Aqua pencils. 

The patterned papers and card are from my stash - as are any dies used to cut the layers.

Click on the images to see the video demos, and please feel free to follow me here on my blog, or on FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

Thanks for popping by. Happy crafting,

Cxxxx