Can you repeat that?

It's time for a new Take It, Make It challenge on the Craft Stamper blog and this time it's all about repeats! Take a stamp and use it several times over to make your design - it could be a background, a focal point or whatever you can dream up!

I chose a stylised peacock feather for a lovey-dovey card that could be used for those tricky occasions when hearts and flowers don't seem quite right! The little motif in the centre of the feathers is a separate stamp so I used the "eye" in most and a single heart to go with the love theme. I cut out the feather with the heart and used silicone glue to give it just a tiny bit of height to accentuate it, just sticking it over the one stamped on the base layer.

This is one of those occasions where I'm pleased I have both sizes of Corner Chomper even though it does seem extravagent! Being able to round that corner and have the  white layer "nested" with the black border makes me happier than it should!

Stamps: Funky Feathers and Say It Loud (both Waltzingmouse Stamps)

Paper: Smooth white and black

Ink:
Versamagic by Tsukineko (Key Lime and Turquoise Gem)
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)

Other:
Corner Chompers
Silicone glue

Check out the blog for details if you fancy joining the challenge - we'd love to see you and there's a prize of a couple of lovely stamps from Visible Image as well as the chance to see your card published in the magazine if you're the winner!

The challenge is going monthly from March so if you've been used to a two month slot to join in with us, remember you need to get your skates on this time - closing date is midnight on 26th February!

Experimental hearts

I had a little play with various bits and pieces today. This week's MixAbility challenge at Splitcoast Stampers calls for the use of hearts (here) and the Pan Pastels challenge blog has another anything goes week with the option to join the DT in using fabric on your project (details here).

Very little stamping on here and more die cuts than I'd usually use! I started with two primitive hearts cut from mount board and lettering to spell the word LOVE (I cut the word twice and stacked the layers for a bit extra depth since Spellbinder dies don't cut thick materials). Then I covered the lot with double sided tape sheet and put fine-weave cotton fabric over it. I ran it through my Big shot with an embossing mat to make sure everything was stuck down well. I'd have liked a few more wrinkles in the fabric but never mind, the texture is still interesting!

Then I went to town with Pan Pastels and a charcoal pencil. The only stamping is some Hero Arts brush strokes stamped in the corners in Versamark and rubbed over with more pastel for slightly more intense colour. I left the edges of the fabric deliberately a bit frayed before sticking it to a card base.

I used my finger to apply the white Pan Pastel over the lettering as it seemed to give me most control.

What I learned - Mod Podge doesn't take Pan Pastel very well (I originally Mod Podged the fabric rather than using sheet adhesive); I love the look of fabric over die cuts; you need to make sure there's a support under the overhang of the second die cut to bring it to the same level as the other one before running it through the Big Shot. I'm also extremely pleased with my new fixative - it's a natural substance (based on casein, the protein found in milk and apparently the fixative preferred by Degas!) and it's in a pump bottle so there's no solvent smell or hazard if you're spraying indoors.

Materials:
Mount board offcuts
White cardstock
White cotton fabric
Primitive Hearts Bigz die by Sizzix
Spellbinders Font One dies
Pan Pastels (Turquoise, Permanent Red, Permanent Red Shade, White)
Charcoal Pencil
Brush Strokes stamps by Hero Arts
Versamark ink
SpectraFix Degas fixative spray

Thanks for stopping by!

Bright birthday

The weather is so awful here in the UK at the moment that I thought a bit of brightness might be in order in the craft room! I've just treated myself to a few new colours of Pan Pastels too so I chose the Bright Yellow Green and made a cheerful birthday card for my stash.

The  Pan Pastels blog has another "anything goes" challenge with the option to join in with the DT in using a stencil (details here).  I've actually used a mask but the terms seem to be somewhat interchangeable these days so I'm going to count it as playing along with the theme!

I loved how easy it was to feather out the edge of the pastel - quicker and easier than ink and sponge!

The pretty flowers are really quick and easy to do - they're a two step stamp and as they're clear, it's really easy to line up the various layers. I fussy cut by hand but Claire does have cut files available for this set if you have an electronic cutter and prefer to leave the scissors in the drawer!

The sequins are irridescent white and at certain angles they're almost exactly the same pink as the flowers!

Stamps (all Waltzingmouse Stamps)
Two Step Sprig
Leaf from Funky Flowers
Say It Loud

Paper: smooth white

Ink:
Adirondack by Ranger (Raspberry and Cranberry)
Versamark
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Pan Pastel (Bright Yellow Green)
Timeworks mask by Tim Holtz
8mm and 5mm sequins
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by - hope you're staying safe and dry if you're dealing with extreme weather!

"New" postcard

We've just had one of our occasional postcard swaps on Bubbly Funk. Our theme this time was "new" with interpretation completely up to the players! As ever, our cards are posted as genuine postcards so keeping it flat is good.

I tried to shoehorn in several "new" elements - a new technique, a New Year theme (it is still January - just!) and a new stamp (OK, not that new but the first time I've used it since it didn't get used for what I originally planned for it). I've gone a bit "eclectic mixed media" in the hope it will suit the recipient!

My new (to me) technique was to tint modelling paste with Pan Pastels. The dots on the left are made from the paste applied through a sequin waste mask so they have a bit of dimension. Tinting with acrylic paint can make the paste a bit sloppy but this worked brilliantly, especially as the pigment is so strong you don't need much. Just squeeze a little paste out onto a non-stick mat, rub a sponge over the Pan to dust some powder off onto the paste and mix with a spatula. The dots on the right are flat - I just inked the card and then used a babywipe through the mask to remove some of the Distress ink.

The Pan Pastel blog has another "anything goes" theme this week with an option to play along with the DT in using a metallic (details here). I don't have any of the metallic Pan Pastels (they do look lush though!) so although I incorporated the theme, I did it by giving the party puffin a sparkly crown with a metallic gold glitter pen. If you fancy playing, there's no requirement to use Pan Pastels or other Premium Craft Brands products, it's just that I tend to use the challenge as a push to use the Pans I have.

Stamps:
Party Puffin by Alice Palace at Crafty Individuals
Just My Type alpha stamps by Ma Vinci's Reliquary

Paper: Smooth white

Ink: 
Graphite Black Brilliance by Tsukineko
Broken China Distress ink by Ranger

Other:
Maimeri Light Modelling Paste
Turquoise Pan Pastel
Black pastel pencil
White Posca paint pen
Copic fineline marker
Fiskars squeeze punch (stars doodled by drawing round a punched shape and cross hatching to fill)
Copic markers
Sequin Waste mask by Tando Creative
Gold Spica Glitter pen

Thanks for stopping by!

Warm hugs

I had such fun experimenting with Pan Pastels on canvas for my first foray into 2014 that I thought I'd have a go at something a bit bigger.

The weekly mixed media challenge at Splitcoast Stampers has been set by the very talented Dina who has asked us to concentrate on warm colours. As I'm usually drawn to the blue-green end of the spectrum it was fun to push the other way here! I combined with this week's PanPastels challenge again as I used something other than card as my substrate.

I played with PanPastels, acrylic paint, Posca paint pen, Versamark, pigment ink and Copic marker (on the sequins) to mix up the media. Colouring neutral embellishments with Copics (or other alcohol-based markers) is a great way to get coordinating elements without having to have every colour under the sun on hand!

Stamps:
Jumbo Rose by Stampendous
Truly Appreciated by Hero Arts

Paper:
Bitter choclate
Canvas (inkjet printer type from the £ shop)

Ink:
Pearlescent Chocolate Brilliance by Tsukineko
Versamark

Other:
PanPastels (Diarylide Yellow, Orange, Permanent Red)
Red acrylic paint
White Posca pen
Drywall tape
Sequins

Thanks for stopping by!

Pastel Indigo?

Oh dear - a rather late "Happy New Year" on my blog! A horrible cough and cold put paid to crafting early in 2014 for me, I'm only just starting to feel human enough to venture into the craft room!

As a little kickstart, I visited a couple of challenges I haven't played for ages. This week's challenge at PanPastels is "anything goes" with an extra push to use something other than card as a substrate  (here - challenge closes 12 noon on Tuesday). At IndigoBlu it's "from the heart" (details here - challenge runs to 20th of Feb).

I decided to try a little clean and simple with a side order of grunge and although I made a card I did use a couple of things other than cardstock with the pastels. I stamped the script in Versamark on a little piece of canvas and rubbed Turquoise over it - the colour sticks more intensely to the Versamark than the plain canvas so you get subtle patterning. I use cheapo canvas that's sold for inkjet printing photos for this kind of thing as you don't mind experimenting and maybe wasting some if things don't work out as you'd hoped!

The heart is done with modelling paste through a handcut stencil - I originally intended to go straight onto the card with it but the canvas was a bit too thick for that to work well (because of the "step") so I did it on a separate scrap of card, cut it out when dry and coloured it with PanPastels. It's the first time I've tried it and the "tooth" of the dried paste takes the colour really well.

Lots of reflection here this morning so I'm afraid the pearlescent ink looks very different on the card base than it does on the canvas - it's the same and looks better in real life, honest!

Stamps:
Sarah's Choice by IndigoBlu

Paper:
Smooth white
Canvas

Ink:
Pearlescent Chocolate Brilliance by Tsukineko

Other:
Diarylide Yellow, Oranage, Permanent Red and Permanent Red Shade PanPastels
Meimeri Light Modelling Paste
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by, I hope 2014 is kind to you!

'Tis the season

I haven't played in the Splitcoast Stampers Mixed Media challenge for ages so I thought I'd get a Christmas card done using Birgit's challenge to go bright.  I've used pigment ink, dye ink, glitter and sequins to add bright colours to my card - the green glitter and green stars are a better match in real life, it just proved impossible to get them matching on a photo.

It was only after I'd finished that it occurred to me the only stamping is the sentiment which is unusual for me!

I punched the stars in a sheet of acetate and used it as a stencil to sponge on green and pink inks and then doodled round them with both black and silver. The fancy lattice die cuts are stuck onto double sided tape sheet and the glitter burnished into the sticky apertures.

Stamps:
Sentiment from Miracle of the Holidays by Hero Arts

Paper: smooth white and black

Ink:
Brilliance Graphite Black by Tsukineko
Shadow ink Mint Julep by Hero Arts
Adirondack Raspberry by Ranger

Other:
Fancy lattice die by Spellbinder
Fiskars squeeze punches (small and medium star)
Hot pink and mint green glitter
Silver gel  pen
Black fineliner
Sequins
Double sided tape sheet
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by!

Ombre challenge!

It's time for a new challenge on the Craft Stamper blog. As there are several projects in the January issue featuring an ombré look we'd like you to explore ombré on your stamped project this time.

I made a quick one layer card using the technique described by Sylvia Blum on pp.6-8 of the magazine. I just used low-tack tape to mask off my strip to adapt the technique to a single layer rather than using a separate piece of cardstock.

It's a "new home" card but my stash didn't yield a sentiment in a font I liked with this look so I went with a "congratulations" sentiment and I hope the keys will convey the "on your new home" for me!

I think the grauated colour helps to create a sense of movement, not only pulling the eye in the same direction as the sentiment but also going with the "moving" theme for a family getting a new home.

Stamps:
Keys from Antiques by Cornish Heritage Farms
Sentiment from Say It All by Hero Arts

Paper: Smooth white

Ink:
Adirondack ink by Ranger - Stonewashed
Distress ink by Ranger - Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire
Brilliance by Tsukineko - Graphite Black

Other:
Scor-It
Corner Chomper

You'll find lots more lovely samples and all the details of how to enter here on the Craft Stamper blog. The winner gets the chance to have the project published in an upcoming issue of the magazine as well as a prize of some great Kate Crane DVDs - we'd love to see your entry!

Little monster

I needed a light and flat card (it needs to go trans-Atlantic) for a young man celebrating his seventh birthday. None of the kids I send cards to are really little monsters but he probaby comes closest!

He's certainly not the tidiest of children so what started out as a very clean and crisp design (just the lettering and the monster) looked a bit too tidy somehow. Once I'd added the splotches it seemed much more "in character". Being able to stamp them gave me a sense of still being in control though!

Stamping individual letters might seem a bit of a pain but I like the bigger format for the sentiment and the fact you could do any wording you liked. I gave mine a sort of "ombre" shading to go with the funky lettering style and deliberately didn't try to stamp on a straight base line.

I used Glossy Accents to give the eyes some sheen and dimension and rounded one corner for a casual feel. The inside of the front is lined with plain paper to hide the bleed-through of the Copics that's pretty much inevitable when you add shading as it tends to soak the cardstock.

Stamps:
Monsters Ink by Technique Tuesday
Brush Strokes by Hero Arts
Journal Letters by Hero Arts

Paper: Smooth white

Ink: 
Brilliance Graphite Black by Tsukineko
Adirondack Sunset Orange by Ranger

Other:
Copic markers
Corner Chomper
Glossy Accents

Thanks for stopping by!

Notecards

I made some notecard sets for last week's sale at the new village hall...

There are six cards in each pack (two fish, two seahorse and two scallop shell) with a variety of sentiments on the front so they'd make a good selection for people to dip in to whenever the need arose. I thought they'd make nice little gifts and indeed, a lady who who was about to pay for one set then said "Oooh, I'll have two more sets I think, they'd make lovely gifts" without any prompting from me!

These are simply stamped with just a hint of Copic colouring on the images (very pale and very light-handed so there's no bleed-through on the single layer cards). I die cut a square in a piece of acetate to use as a mask and sponged on the ink for a block of colour. Acetate's great for this as it means you can see exactly where you're positioning the mask's aperture in relation to the image and the edges of the card.

I sold enough stuff that I was able to put just over £40 (my profits) into the village hall fund which was good. The fair seemed busy most of the day, with Santa's grotto doing a particularly brisk trade!

Stamps:
Under the Sea by Darkroom Door (fish and seahorse)
Antique Engravings by Hero Arts (scallop shell)
Say It All by Hero Arts (mixed sentiments)

Paper: Smooth white

Ink:
Pearlescent Chocolate Brilliance by Tsukineko
Blue-toned dye inks (Distess Salty Ocean, Adirondack Stonewashed and Pool if I remember rightly)

Other:
Copic markers (Eggshell and Cool Grey 1)
Cello bags and sheer ribbon for packaging