Snowy Trees

Hi Folks, just a quick post to show you some batch cards and tags that I have been making for Christmas. I have made some masterboards using white embossing as a resist, then covered the backgrounds using the wrinkle free distress method. I blended Distress ink over each snowflake using Cut 'N' Dry foam, to make them really pop.

I left the end third of each background free from embossing, and cut my ovals from that section. I then stamped the trees with dark brown ink, and once this was dry, embossed the image with white embossing powder, offsetting the image slightly. This makes the trees look like they are covered in snow. This is the beauty of clear stamps, as you can line them up exactly, then move them just a tiny bit, before placing them down again.


I cut some tags and co-ordinating strips for the Christmas cards from the remaining pieces of card. I layered the ovals onto toning scalloped ovals, and stamped a sentiment taken from the Warm Christmas Greeting stamp set onto each card.

Once I had created the background card, these projects were very quick to make. These are perfect at this time of year, when as a crafter, I need to have lots of items in my storecupboard to send to friends and family.

 I hope that I have given you some ideas using these stamps anyway. Thanks for stopping by, Judith xx

Leafy Zentangle Butterfly

There are some lovely leaves on the Tangled Garden stamp set, just released at Chocolate Baroque and I wanted to make a feature of a few of them in this design. I decided to create a rambling frame, by stamping and masking them around the outside of the background, which I had painted with Ecoline ink. I then linked the leaves with small areas of tangled designs. They are simple twirls and dots, not very complicated at all.

I coloured the leaves with pencils. I then stamped the Butterfly onto a spare piece of card and coloured it with pencils as before. I added some wire and some toning pearls for antennae. I stamped a sentiment taken from the 'Patchwork Butterfly' stamp set onto the background to complete the card.

I love using butterflies in my card making, and I think that this one will become a firm favourite. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Autumn Fairy

Hi Folks, I've had a chance to do a bit of crafting today, and decided to ink up a couple of unused stamps. I've wanted to use these stamps for a while, but just haven't had the time. They are both from Designs By Ryn, a Canadian Company, and Ryn the owner and designer, sells some fabulous stamps.

I coloured the fairy, and used a bit of artistic licence, making her little friend a red squirrel, using Polychromos pencils. I used rich Autumn colours, our trees are still covered in these shades and are really stunning at the moment. I stamped the background with the Circle cluster set, using Crushed Olive Distress Ink. I then made a flower using handmade paper cut from Nestability shapes, and a couple of leaves, using the Sizzix Tattered Leaves die. I inked the shapes using Distress Ink, spritzed them with water, and crinkled them, before heat setting them with a heat gun. I added a brad to the flower, which I coloured with Pesto alcohol ink to achieve the perfect colour.

This card is going to someone as a Birthday card, so it is already on its way to the recipient.

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Recycle/ Anything Goes

Hi Folks it's time for another challenge over at the Artistic Inspirations Challenge Blog and the theme this week is Recycle/Anything Goes.

I have chosen to make a Christmas card using a great image from one of the sponsors this week, Robyns Fetish.I printed the image and coloured it with my Polychromos pencils, before cutting it out. I layered the image onto some cardboard packaging from a box that held Milk cartons. I stripped off the top layer of paper, and sanded any remnants away, revealing the ridged surface. I edged the card with Tarnished Brass Distress Stain. I also used a piece of ribbon left over from a flower arrangement, which I laid over the top of the ribbed card.

The background paper is a digital download from Chocolate Baroque called 'Holly Tumble' it is really pretty, and the colours suit my project perfectly. I added a sentiment from a clear stamp set, also from Chocolate Baroque, and edged the tag and kraft background with cranberry adirondack ink.

There are some great prizes on offer this week on the blog:

Sassy is offering the Winner 4 digis of their choice

Teri is offering the winner 4 digis of their choice

Susan is offering the winner 5 digis of their choice

So why don't you hop along to the blog and see what my design team mates have made, and have a go at making something yourself? It can be any kind of project, a card, tag, box, altered item, whatever you like.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Robyns Fetish Anything Goes
Southern Girls Challenge Thinking About Christmas
Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Autumn Leaves

It doesn't really feel like Autumn now, more like Winter really, but the colours are really splendid. We live in an area surrounded by forests, whichever direction we drive. The trees are just beautiful at this time of year in their various cloaks of gold, copper, rust, and bronze, it is really spectacular. Soon, the branches will be bare, and they will look a bit forlorn, but for now, I am enjoying the leafy firework display whenever I venture outside the warm house.

I have made a card using a new stamp set from Chocolate Baroque, called Terrific Treescapes, which tries to reflect this time of year. I have also incorporated one of my favourite all time sayings from the same company, I just love this phrase. I used Pan Pastels for my background, and then stamped two of the tree images over the top. I took some of the small Sofft sponges, and picked up colour and dotted it across the trees to try and give the impression of leaves blowing in the wind. I have also created a carpet of leaves on the ground, underneath the trees. I then took a leaf from the Sunny Sunflowers stamp set, and stamped this across a piece of Kraft card in various Autumnal colours. I also edged the card with ink to give it a border.

I am going to enter my card into the following challenges:

JellyPark Challenge Back To Nature
Do You Stack Up Leaves and Trees
Pixie Dust Studio Fabulous Fall Colours
Simply Create Anything Goes
Crafting For All Seasons Falling Leaves

Thanks for stopping by, Judith xx

Monochrome Blossom

Here is another sample using the Tangled Garden set of stamps from Chocolate Baroque I've used the large open blossom, and filled the petals with various zentangle patterns, using a Micron pen. I stamped the image three times, to create a layered effect, and coloured the petals with watercolour pens and a blender pen. I've added white highlights.

I drew a freehand addition myself in the form of a swirly stem, and added an aura around the outside. I then coloured this with pens as before. By using the blender pen with watercolour pens, it gives a lovely variation of shade, especially in larger areas.

I used a piece of black card to mat my design, and then placed this onto a cream textured card. I added some flat-backed pearls to finish.

I'll be back soon with another sample, thanks for stopping by, xx

Zentangle Butterfly

Here's a Design Team sample that is posting on the Chocolate Baroque Design Team Blog today. I have used a large butterfly stamp from the new stamp set 'Tangled Garden', that I mentioned in my previous post.

The full details of how I created the card can be seen on the design team blog page. Basically, I have created a wrinkle free Distress background after masking off the string, and edges of the background. I have then drawn the Zentangle patterns in the white areas, and coloured the designs with watercolour pens using a blender pen.I coloured the butterfly and flower the same way.

I find the process of tangling very relaxing, and have really enjoyed working with these stamps. I'll be back in a few days with another sample. Thanks for stopping by, xx

A piece of ZIA

There are some gorgeous new stamps over at Chocolate Baroque right now and I've been busy making samples with them for the Design Team blog However, here is a project that I made just for fun.

I drew a frame on a piece of watercolour paper, this is a piece of HOT pressed watercolour paper, and is very smooth. It is ideal for this type of work, as the pen flows very easily across the paper. I stamped the large flower onto the paper, and then made a mask using Eclipse paper, which I placed over the flower, once the ink was dry. I stamped the leaf image twice, and removed the mask. I stamped a couple of small dragonflies onto the background, and then filled the remaining area with the Tangle pattern Florz. I used a filler design inside the frame.

I stamped a couple more large flowers, and a butterfly image onto a spare piece of watercolour paper, and filled in some of the areas with tangle patterns. I then coloured the designs in with pencils, and cut them out before assembling the project.

I'll be showing you a few more designs using these lovely stamps over the coming days, so please  keep popping back.

Thanks for stopping by, xx