A Place in the Sun

Hi Folks, here's another sample using the fabulous 'Echoes of Italy' stamp plate recently released over at Chocolate Baroque My OH and I dream of finding a little cottage over in Italy for when we retire, buying a little  Fiat cinquecento and whizzing about the countryside, soaking up the lovely views. I had that idea very much in mind when I created this project.

I created the background by using very thin masking tape, and measuring one and a half inch squares across the background. I used several colours of Distress Inks, and punched a square in a piece of paper to create a reverse mask to colour through, so that I didn't contaminate the other squares as I went along. Once I had finished, I stamped over the whole lot with the large crackle stamp, before peeling off the masking tape. That crackle stamp is such a great stamp.

I coloured the image with Distress Inks, and chose a suitable phrase from the 'Artful Affirmations' stamp set, before adding some Crealie flowers and Marianne leaves. I didn't have any brown brads big enough for the centre of the flowers, so I just glued some buttons over the top of the small ones that I used.

I look at this card and think, 'Oh well, I can dream....' If you get a chance, pop over to the Design Team Blog as I have a card featuring over there today too, also using some of the fabulous stamps from this set.

Thanks for popping by today, and enjoy your weekend, xx

Woodland Dreams

Glenda over at Chocolate Baroque has just released some great new stamps this week. I showed you a sample earlier in the week using the 'Echoes of Italy' stamp plate, and today, I thought that I'd show you one using the 'Woodland Dreams' stamp plate.

I have already posted this sample on the Chocolate Baroque Design Team Blog:

I used a selection of burgundy, brown and dark green inks, all embossed with clear embossing for my stamping.

For my sample today, I wanted to use a different colour palette, but the same stamps, to show the versatility of these stamps. I used a clear embossing powder on the Kraft card to act as a resist, and then covered the card with various Distress Inks. I embossed the tree and sentiment with copper embossing powder. I made some leaves from Clearly for Art, and coloured them with alcohol inks, adding some copper jump rings. I distressed the edges of my layers, and coloured them with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

So there you have it, two different looks, but the same stamps. Thanks for stopping by today, xx

Forgotten Friday 37- it's THAT time of year again!

Hi folks, I hope that you are all well, and keeping busy on the crafting front. Have you got nagging feelings about getting your Christmas cards made yet, or have you got lots made already? Anyway, it's not Christmas that I'm talking about today, it's Halloween. I decided to use some neglected Halloween stamps for my Forgotten Friday project this week, they haven't been used for a year, so I reckon they qualify for this post!
It's also given me the chance to incorporate my new Limited Edition Distress Ink colours, as if I needed much of an excuse for that!

I chose to use a large tag, and stamped and embossed a spooky house from Chocolate Baroque, before masking it with Eclipse tape. I then coloured my tag with the Distress Inks, and spritzed the tag with Perfect Pearls. I then used a fabulous embossing powder called 'Halloween' from WOW, the colour is great, to emboss the word 'Spookylicious', at the top of the tag. I coloured the image with Polychromos pencils. All I have left to do is add some toning ribbon, and my tag will be finished.

I have taken a sideways view of the tag as well, because it was really hard to show the shimmer in the light this morning.

Anyway, why don't you have a rummage through your stash, and see what you have neglected. Leave a link in my comments over the next week, and I'll pop along to your blog to take a look. Thanks for stopping by, xx

A Taste of Italy

Hi folks, it's unusual that I manage a midweek post these days, I know, as life always seems so busy. I've been away so many weekends lately, that I've almost forgotten what home looks like! I met up with two of my lovely Craft Stamping Quartet buddies Lesley and Jo at the Stamp Magic Show at Doncaster. We don't get to see each other very often, so it was great to see them even just for a little while. I was spending the weekend with my parents, so I took my Mum to the Show too, which was nice for her, as she is an avid crafter too. She has only recently got a Big Shot, and it has opened up a whole new world for her. She has had a new lease of life from a crafting point of view, and it is lovely to see.

I made a few modest purchases, as I have been to several shows recently, so not too much to report. I am looking forward to trying out my Vintaj blanks now in my Big Kick, as I have all of the necessary bits and pieces that I need to get on with that now. I found the Vintaj blog yesterday, that is certainly one beautiful blog to look at if you like anything Vintaj related.

This week, my followers reached the one hundred mark, I have had several new followers recently, and I feel very honoured that you have chosen to follow me. I appreciate all of of my followers taking the time to stop by to look at what I am doing, and I know that not everyone chooses to leave comments, but I'd like to say thank you anyway.

Glenda over at Chocolate Baroque has some new stamps that she has released this week. There is free p & p until tomorrow. There are two sets 'Woodland Dreams' a lovely tree based set, and 'Echoes of Italy', an Italian based set. This set is very close to my heart, as I love Italy, and frequently go there on holiday. I have made several samples with this set, some of which you will be able to see over on the Design Team blog this week, and a couple that I will post on here.

My first sample that I have chosen to show you here is very photograph heavy, but please bear with me, as I really enjoyed making this one! Some of you will have seen the start of my Paris journal a couple of weeks ago in my Forgotten Friday post. I had already made this particular little journal as a sample for Glenda, using the fabulous Echoes of Italy stamps, among others in the Chocolate Baroque range.

 
I chose to use the fabulous Echoes of Italy papers as a background for my pages, and they just went perfectly with these stamps. I used chipboard covers, and Kraft card for my pages. I have used the stamps mostly as background accents throughout the book, as you will see, but added them to tags as well, which I will use for journalling later.

Here, I have used a photograph as a pocket, to place tickets and memorabilia behind. There are some useful little scroll stamps, great for adding to the tags, as little edge stamps.

This double page reflects a trip to Venice, and uses the 'Weekend in Venice' stamp plate too, also some of the 'Harlequin Mask' stamps. The crackle stamp on the 'Echoes of Italy stamp plate is a stamp that I am going to use over and over. It is a fabulous stamp, and a great size too. I added a train ticket to Venice, some Euros, as everything is so expensive there, and a little leather tag, as we go to the markets to buy leather goods in Venice.

There is a much softer feel to these pages, as this was our visit to 'Casa Juilietta', or Juliet's house. There is a photograph of the balcony, and a statue of Juliet herself.  I love Verona, it's a beautiful city. I have used a piece of lace for a pocket, to add to the feminine feel.

Gardone is a town on Lake Garda itself. Everywhere is very bright and colourful, the buildings are painted in strong yellows, terracottas, etc. There are bright flowers everywhere, and the colours are an explosion on the eyes. We visited Il Vittoriale, a house and gardens that reminds me very much of Portmerion for its quirkiness. There is even half of a ship in the garden! The lake views are stunning, and there are lots of statues, arches and columns everywhere. The stamps were just perfect to add to the atmosphere of my pages.

For my last two sections, I have two very different pocket options. On the left, for the visit to Malcesine, on a cable car visit, I have used a conventional little diagonal pocket, matching the paper to the background. On the right hand side, for our trip to Milan, I have used a beer mat for the pocket, tucking photographs, receipts, and other memorabilia behind.


My little book only measures 6" x 6", it is a great size to hold in your hand, and look through. It has fold out flaps, and with its pull out tags, is very interactive. I hope you have enjoyed looking at my project, and I'll be back soon with another one. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Forgotten Friday 36- Some old and new

Hi folks, a quick post today, as I'm travelling Northwards to visit my Parents for the weekend. My card this week is not strictly all forgotten stash, as it was not made solely for this post. However, there is enough hoarded stash that I am bending the rules to use it!

I made this card for my Nephew's Birthday recently, using Pan Pastels. It was the first time that I had ever tried using these, and I love the vibrancy that they give on projects. I gessoed over some Viva Terra that I had brushed through some sequin waste. I then added some pastels to give some base colour, and then stamped with Versamark and used the pastels again to get a stronger colour laid onto the card. I then added feature stamps with Stazon . I used a piece of Stampbord as the main section, adding an ideology clock and spinner for an element of interest. It's hard making cards for lads, and I know that he was pleased with his card.

Have a rummage through your stash, and if you make a project with your forgotten items, please leave a comment, and I'll pop along to your blog to take a look. Thanks for stopping by today, xx

Forgotten Friday 35- getting ready for another trip!

Hi Folks, it's been a week since my last post, and a lot has happened since then. I went to visit my Daughter last weekend, and we had some much needed time together. I helped her sort some bits and pieces out for her student house, making her room feel a bit more homely. It was lovely to see her.

I also went to the Happy Stampers show at Port Sunlight on Saturday. This is my favourite show I think, as I love the atmosphere, and the stands that exhibit at this show. I met up with my two blog friends Jo, and Lesley, sadly missing Elaine, or our quartet would have been complete. We met up with several of our Chocolate Baroque Guild friends, who we rarely see these days, so it was lovely to see them again. Lou, Rebecca and Sarah particularly, it was so great to see you girls.

I love to catch up with Jo (Zart) and Jennie at the show, but I had a terrible headache on Saturday, so I only managed the briefest of hellos girls, sorry. I bought some new rubber from several stands including Stamp Camp and Lost Coast, and am really itching to make some projects with those amazing stamps. It was very busy at the show, and sadly I didn't get to all of the stands, so there were several that I know I missed that I would have liked to have looked at.

I spent quite a bit of time at the IndigoBlu stand with Kay and Alfie. Kay was demoing their new Flitter Glu, a really great new product that you can ink up your stamps with, and apply gold leaf or glitter over the top. It captures really fine detail. I'm going to make some bits and pieces with it soon, so watch this space. I was really proud to see some of my samples on their stand too, including a couple that I dropped off to them on the day.

My favourite purchase of the day had to be a new Vintaj Big Kick, which will be able to emboss Vintaj blanks to use for jewellery or mixed media projects. I will also use it to replace my Big Shot, which I've had for quite a long time. I run a card class from home, so the Big Shot will still get used in the class anyway.

Okay, on to today's project! I have chosen to rake through my very neglected Darkroom Door stamps this week. My Husband has booked up for us to go away on a short holiday to Paris next month, to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We have never been there together oddly enough, I've been a few times, on school trips, etc, but we've never gone as a couple. I've decided to make a small journal to record memories of our trip, and collect ephemera that I bring back. So, I have covered the front and back covers of my journal, and started to prepare the pages. I will add pockets, and make some tags, hopefully by the time we go, the journal will be ready!

I have gone with a soft plum colour scheme as my overall base for the journal, it's my favourite colour. I have chosen the Montmartre stamp as the main focal stamp for the front cover, stamped onto a piece of Kraft card with a Versafine, and added clear embossing powder. I have used a white pencil to highlight the street lamps. I have added the word Paris in a Tim Holtz frame, and metal corners to the cover. I hoard my ideology bits for no reason whatsoever, and decided that I should actually use some on this little book. As I make progress with the album, I will try and show you more photos.

So, if you feel like having a rummage through your crafty stash, and making something with a forgotten or neglected item this week, add a link to my comments, and I'll pop along to take a look. Thanks for stopping by today, xx

Friday news

Hi Folks, I'm away from home this week, so there won't be a Forgotten Friday project from me. However, if you would like to link anything you have made with your neglected stash to this post, I will pop along to your blog to take a look.

I am heading up to Happy Stampers North West on Saturday, but spending two nights with Megan, my Daughter either side of the Show, in Stoke. It will be some much needed time together, so we are very happy about that.

For the past few months, I have had the fabulous news that Kay and Alfie of IndigoBlu wanted me to work as part of their Design Team. I have sent off some samples which will be on display at the Show on Saturday. I have added a link to their blog in my sidebard. Had any of you spotted it? Here are one or two photos of what I have been making for them:

Aren't the stamps lovely? I have had a lot of fun making these, and have lots more ideas, so look out for more posts coming your way soon, hopefully.

Thanks for stopping by today, xx

This and that

Hi folks, I promised another Christmas sample last week, and never got around to posting it for you. So, I thought I'd post it today. I have created my background using oil pastels and Zest it, which is really quick and easy, plus it smells nice too! I have used some more of the newly released stamps from Chocolate Baroque in particular the lovely holly owl swirl stamp, as my focal stamp, and also a background stamp too.

I also have two samples to show you from the Steampunk Christmas stamp plate that I have had sitting here for a little while. The first, typically in Christmas colours, of Kraft, red and greeen, has been edged with aluminium tape. I ran this through an embossing folder, and coloured it with alcohol inks. I made my flowers with glassine paper, and embossed them with gold embossing powder.

Now, I made this sample a while ago, and I used Queen's Gold embossing powder, a good make. The sample looked lovely. Recently, I've looked at it, and the flowers look terrible, the embossing powder doesn't look shiny anymore, I don't know if glassine just doesn't like embossing powder. Has anyone else had any experiences with glassine and embossing powder?


My final Steampunk sample is not Christmassy at all. I wanted to show the versatility of these stamps, that they could be used for all year round , and so I made this canvas project. I poured UTEE into an oval Nestability, stamped into it and put some micro beads in too. I rubbed some Inka Gold into the cogs, to highlight them. I stamped the wording onto tissue paper, and added it onto the canvas with Matte Medium. I drew around an oval Nestie, adding partial cog shapes, before cutting it out to make a mat for my UTEE piece. I stuck some old keys and cogs on to finish.

Life is kind of busy at the moment. We are going through more than our fair share of ups and downs I feel. However, so are a lot of people, and we are no worse than many of you out there. If you are going through tough times, I feel for you. I am thankful for my crafting and very good friends.(If my lovely Daughter happens to read this, then I love you too, Megsi!)

Anyway, thanks for stopping by today, xx