That's torn it

It's DCM day and this week Dawn is asking us to "tear it up" - add something ripped or torn to your project.

I still have pages from an ephemera pack I bought ages ago from a local outfit that put them together from books that were beyond rescue. I tore a strip from a page featuring a children's story and used it to anchor the stamped image. I used a charcoal pencil to smudge underneath it to give it a bit more heft.

It's ages since I used bubble wrap to stamp with - I thought it would suit the style here and used the same ink to add a touch of colour to the balloon.

Stamps: 
Joy by Carabelle Studio 
Essential Messages by Hero Arts 

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Tumbled Glass)

Paper: 
Bristol Board 
Torn book page

Other:
Charcoal pencil 
Corner Chomper 

Size: 7 x 5"

Thanks for stopping by!

Geometrics

Leo is setting the challenge this week at Daring Cardmakers and she's asking us to make geometric patterns on our cards. Any kind of shapes used repeatedly to make a pattern is fine here, Leo's only stipulation is that it shouldn't simply be a piece of patterned paper, you should make the pattern yourself (stamps, die cuts, stitching etc).


I decided to make my pattern with die cut circles, double sided tape sheet and glitter. In the end I chose a reinforcer die from a tag set so I ended up with rings rather than solid circles.

I stuck the die cuts to a square covered with tape, keeping my fingers off the sticky as much as possible (keeping the release paper handy and using it as a shield is a good idea). Then I burnished fine glitter over the piece to complete the pattern and stuck it to a black mat.

A stamped butterfly and a simple sentiment finish off a fairly bold, graphic look.

Stamps: 
Antique Engravings and Essential Messages by Hero Arts

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Microfine glitter
Tag die set (Tim Holtz/Sizzix)
Double sided tape sheet
Copic markers
Corner Chomper

Size: 14cm (5.5") square

Take a look at the blog to see what the team has been up to with triangles, squares etc - it would be lovely to see you there with your own geometrics, too!

Thanks for stopping by!

Bricks and mortar

I needed a new home card with a masculine vibe - this is the eventual result. It really shouldn't have taken as long as it did but for some reason it was a bit of an uphill struggle. I was kind of content with the result but hubby really likes it and as he asked me to make it in the first place that's the main thing!

I decided against adding a sentiment, I think it's nice to have a card that speaks for itself with imagery sometimes and I hope the brick embossing and the key add up to the right message!

Stamps:
Key Elements (an old Cornish Heritage Farms set)

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Vintage Photo)

Other:
Dry Stone Wall embossing folder by Crafter's Companion
Back to Nature dies by Sizzix

Thanks for stopping by!

Mirror, mirror

Sharon is setting this week's dare over at Daring Cardmakers and she's asking us to include a reflective element in our cards this week.

I started with some watercolour paper and stamped the seahorse then used a mask cut from a Post It to cover him up and stamped the streaks in three Distress inks. I spread the ink just a little with a damp paint brush and then added three stamped splashes.

There's just a tiny touch of Copic shading added to the seahorse before finishing with a stamped sentiment and the very shiny dots. They're the "waste" portion from various dies that include a hole which are domed with an embossing stylus on a piece of fun foam. The mirror card really is very reflective - you can see the window frame if you look carefully!

Stamps:
Under the Sea by Darkroom Door
Brush Strokes and Say It All by Hero Arts

Paper:
Watercolour
Silver mirror card

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlscent Chocolate)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Salty Ocean, Peacock Feathers, Broken China)

Other:
Copic marker (Eggshell)
Tag and bauble dies
Embossing stylus 
Corner Chomper 

Thanks for stopping by, hope you have a lovely weekend!

February elements

It's the first dare of the month at daring Cardmakers and Svenja has provided our "elemental" photo this time. As usual the dare is to take at least three elements from the picture to use in your card.

I chose the cogs, the diamond shape and the loose coil of wire as my elements and made a clean and simple, masculine-looking card.

I have no idea what happened with the Enamel Accents - it went on looking like enamel dots, nice smooth domes. I left the card aside to dry overnight and discovered all the dots had a central dimple the next morning! It's done it very neatly so I decided it could just be considered "supposed to be like that"!

For the diamond frame, I used a knife and ruler to cut around the aperture left after die cutting one of the solid shapes.

I used a red Spica glitter pen to go over the stamped sentiment which probably just about shows on the detail shot.

Stamps:
Cogs background by Indigo Blu
Essential Messages by Hero Arts

Paper: Bristol Board

Ink:
Shadow ink by Hero Arts (Soft Granite)
Memento Luxe by Tsukineko (Love Letter)

Other:
Geometric shape dies by Hero Arts
Enamel Accents by Ranger (white)
Spica glitter pen by Copic (red)
Silver metallic thread
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by!