Let's Play: Show neglected art supplies some love.

Caroline Dube at A Colorful Journey has a new monthly challenge called Let's Play.  February's challenge is to show some neglected art supplies some love and see what you can create.

I've had a chipboard wall plaque and some unused crackle glaze for a long, long time and so decided it was time to try to create something with them.  Here is what I made:

Chipboard plaque: first coated with gesso, then modelling paste applied through a Kaisercraft stencil  called 'Damask'. Painted with pale grey acrylic paint, then Inka Gold 'Rose Quartz' wax added to  bring out the relief of the design.

'Home' word: This chipboard piece was a gift from a friend in a swap - her clever husband cuts the pieces himself.  It was painted white, crackle glaze applied, then, when that was dry, lush pink paint applied on top which cracked to give this finish. Since this was the first time I've used crackle glaze, I was quite pleased with the result :)  The word's edges were inked in Ranger  jet black archival ink.

Flower cluster: Flowers made from white card, die cut with Spellbinders 'Spiral Blossom One' die and edges inked with Prima Chalk Edger in Old Rose. Leaves also die cut from Spellbinders 'Foliage' dies  and coloured with Tim Holtz distress inks (Crushed Olive and Vintage Photo) and water, then shaped. Arranged with pearl stamen accents and shop bought cream roses.

Heart, butterfly and bird: all are chipboard pieces, either painted, inked or waxed and with edges inked. Tiny black crystal for bird's eye.

Thanks for looking!

Tag: Animals and Insects

So... I've seen some blogs where a project is entered for several challenges. I thought I might try this for a change today.

Here's the tag I made using snippets of left over card.

Tag background: Balzer Designs 'stick flowers' stencil, Inkylicious ink dusters, Memento inks. When the background was inked, I splashed some water, let it sit, then dabbed it up with tissue to create the water stain effect. I inked the reverse of the stencil, sprayed with water, then stamped and brayered it onto the non-inked part of the background. 

Images: These Inkilicious Twinchie bee stamps (I think these are now discontinued) were heat embossed with Black Sparkle powder onto scraps of white card.  Bee body was coloured with watercolour pencils, and wings with crystal glitter. They were fussy cut and attached to tag with pop dots.

Flower: Prima flowers with inked edges and black crystal gem. Leaves cut from white card with Spellbinders Foliage dies, coloured with distress ink and shaped. Pearl stamen and natural fibres attached.

The back of the tag was covered in book paper, aged with distress ink and stamped with a flourish stamp from Inkylicious Elements 1 set.

The challenges I am entering are:

Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge  Week 7 - Animals and Insects

Pixies Snippets Playground Week 217

Thanks for looking!

ATC: Baby, it's cold outside

Whoo-hoo!  I was the winner last week on Wicked Wednesday's ATC Challenge. Thanks to Jenn and the design team.

Baby, it's cold outside...

... is the title for this week's Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge.  Here is my entry:

Card background: White card first heat embossed with stardust stamp and snowflake embossing powder for snow effect, then painted with ultramarine and violet watered down acrylic paint. Over stamped with fir trees and heat embossed with snowflake powder again.

Image:Winter Warmth digi stamp from Time for Tea Designs on Etsy, coloured with First Edition markers and watercolour pencils. Crystal glitter applied to muffs and bob on cap; glossy accents on wellington boots. Imaged attached on pop dots.

Computer printed words, edged with nautical blue ink.

Thanks for looking!

Rubber Dance Challenge 1

The February Challenge at Rubber Dance is to use the specific colour scheme  Kraft, White and Red (with the option of Romance). Here is the card I created:

Kraft:  Kraft card for base card, stamp mount and leaves
White: White card stamped and die cut for flowers and leaves; border punched strip,
Stamps: Inkilicious Julianna stamp, heat embossed with gold glitter powder.
Red:    Glitter tape, ribbon
Crystal gems

Thanks for looking!

ATC: Seeing Red again...

Seeing Red ATC 1 and ATC 11

This is my second ATC for the Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge # 196.  The theme is "Seeing Red".

Background: modelling paste through TCW Tiny Circles stencil, acrylic paints (vermillion, crimson and black) applied with baby wipes. Card edged in Ranger black archival ink.

Images and sentiment:The cherubs are from the Victorian Valentine stamp set by Papermania coloured with markers and Spectrum Noir pencils, blended with gamsol, iridescent crystal glitter on wings and coral 3D Pearl Effects on robes. 

Black crystal gems.

******

This is my other ATC for the Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge # 196 - "Seeing Red" 
(sorry, but as I'm new to blogging I didn't use the permalink in the link tool)

Background: stencil (Dylusions chequered-dots) and modelling paste around card edges, acrylic paint (phthalo blue, viridian hue and black) applied with baby wipe. Card edged with Ranger black archival ink.

Hearts cut from card: prepared with modelling paste through TCW Tiny Circles  stencil painted with crimson, vermillion and black acrylic paint. Hearts edged in Ranger black archival ink.

Stems and leaves cut from card painted in acrylic paint  - viridian hue, medium green, yellow and edged in Ranger black archival ink.

Red crystal gems and  printer generated text.

Thanks for looking!

ATC: Seeing Red

This is my ATC for the Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge # 196.  The theme this week is "Seeing Red".

Background: stencil (Dylusions chequered-dots) and modelling paste around card edges, acrylic paint (phthalo blue, viridian hue and black) applied with baby wipe. Card edged with Ranger black archival ink.

Hearts cut from card: prepared with modelling paste through TCW Tiny Circles  stencil painted with crimson, vermillion and black acrylic paint. Hearts edged in Ranger black archival ink.

Stems and leaves cut from card painted in acrylic paint  - viridian hue, medium green, yellow and edged in Ranger black archival ink.
Red crystal gems. 

Printer generated text.

Thanks for looking!

Pocket Letter Challenge: Stamped images

I love making and trading Pocket Letters. Up to now, though, my pocket letters have tended to be collage-style.

Here is my first entry to the Lost Coast Portal To Creativity Challenge #21. The challenge was to create a Pocket Letter using real stamped images, as opposed to digital stamps.

I received an Inkylicious Ink Dusting Starter Kit  for Christmas and thought this was perfect for this project.

Here is my pocket letter inside the trading card sleeve:

ATC backgrounds: White card, Memento ink pads (red, yellow, blue) and Inkylicious Ink Dusters

Stamps used:
Top row : 1st and 3rd card - free fairy stamps and sentiments from PaperCraft Essentials magazine #127; 2nd card - Inkylicious 'From within the heart' sentiment stamp

Middle Row: Inkylicious "Picture Perfect'  stamp and mountain & valley stencil

Bottom Row: Inkylicious "Olive Branch' stamp and 'Birds on wire silhouette' stamp

Here are some of the individual cards:

This pocket letter is available for trade if anyone is interested. I'll fill the back with crafting goodies and a letter. 

Pocket Letters

One of my passions at the moment is Pocket Letters; an idea founded by the lovely Janette Lane. It’s basically a way of connecting with like-minded people [papercraft crazies in particular] around the world, making friends and sending a pen-pal letter along with some atc “art work” and crafting goodies in a 9 pocket trading card protector.

There is a Pocket Letter Pals network where you can sign up for free, create a profile, join groups and events, make friends and get started. There’s also a Facebook group.

I’ve made some wonderful online friends and received some really beautiful Pocket Letters.

Any one, of any age, can do this! It’s great for youngsters to increase their confidence and communication skills.


So … what are you waiting for?


You can find out more about Pocket Letters on Janette’s blog here


If you sign up to Pocket Letter Pals, you can find me here.

Here are a few of my pocket letters, some are themed, others are 'open'. 

My style is ATCs in front and craft goodies and letter in the back:

 

 

 

 

 

xoxo

Vera Lane ATC Swap: Mix It

Here is my ATC for the Vera Lane Facebook  Mix-It Swap.



The background is Gelli printed with acrylic paint and Blazer Designs stencil (mini stick flower) from The Crafters Workshop.


Cat woman is a mix up of Whimsical Girl with Florals and Les Chat (Franoise). The image was coloured with Sharpie markers. Gel dots were added and stamped alpha letters.

ATC: Head Shots

Here is my ATC for the current challenge,  #195 "Head Shots", over at Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge



Background: acrylic paint - cerulean blue, ultramarine and white - sponged onto white card.

Washi tape, ribbon, star gel stickers

Santoro Mirabelle "Adrift" stamp - stamped on card, coloured with First Edition markers and fussy cut.

I have such a lot to learn yet about marker pen colouring!

ATC: You Animal

Here's my first entry to Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge #194


Background: black card with gelli print paper using Spring Green and Canary Yellow docrafts acrylic paint and Balzer Designs stencil (mini stick flower) from TCW

Images: digi stamps from Vera Lane Studios - Les Chats & Whimsical girl with florals (doodles were a free download) - coloured with Sharpies.

Here goes...

Well...here goes...

A BIG hello to anyone reading this post!

I've been meaning to start a blog for some time, but somehow other things just keep getting in the way. So, today I've decided to take the plunge ... 

I plan for my blog to contain stuff about my journey and adventures in creativity and crafting, so anyone new to crafting can play along.
I'll also share some of my random thoughts, ideas and daydreams. And, of course, plenty of photos.

      Hope you'll join me in the days to come!

xoxox