A Get Well Card

Hello everyone, it's time for another week on the Chocolate Baroque Challenge Blog, and my turn to provide a bit of Design Team inspiration this week. I have made a Get Well card for someone special who is having an operation this week, and wanted a lovely cheery feel to the card.

I created a wrinkle free distress background using Scattered Straw Distress Ink, and then added ink through a stencil over the top, using Latte Adirondack Ink, and Seedless Preserves Distress Ink. I then stamped a tree from the Fantasy Woodland stamp set around the edges, using Memento Ink in Pear Tart and Grape Jelly, plus Seedless Preserves Distress Ink.

I coloured some cartridge paper with Shaded Lilac Distress Ink, and Pear Tart Memento Ink, and then stamped two small trees from the same stamp set several times, using darker ink. I cut these out, curled them slightly, and stuck them onto the background. I added a green button into the centre of the flower. I added a sentiment from the Card Sentiments clear stamp set.

I matted the background onto purple textured cardstock, and die cut three butterflies from some of the left over card. I added these to the background to finish my card.

Hop over to the challenge blog to see some more DT inspiration, and find out how you can take part and win a £15 voucher to spend at Chocolate Baroque. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Kaleidoscope Bird

Hello everyone, I have a final project to show you this month using the Birds of Paradise multibuy stamp set from Chocolate Baroque.

I have recently taken up crocheting, and love the brightly coloured blankets with the variation of patterned motifs spreading across from one side to the other. My background uses one of the little motifs from the stamp sets, and a range of Distress Ink colours to replicate this idea. I started my background by painting a section of smooth watercolour with a wash of aquamarine acylic paint, and dried this thoroughly. I drew a grid of diamonds with pencil, and then chose my colour palette of inkpads. I stamped the little motif across the background, and once it was dry, I rubbed out the pencil lines.

I painted a smaller piece of watercolour paper in the same way, using the acrylic wash, and then coloured the Damask Panel  using Distress Markers in the same colours as I used on the background. I stamped and embossed the birdcage onto a piece of pale green vellum using gold embossing powder. My bird was stamped onto a sticky label and coloured with Polychromos pencils to match the overall colour scheme.

Finally, I have added a sentiment taken from the stamp set to complete the card. I used a dark blue Distress Marker to edge all of the pieces of watercolour paper.
 

This layout would look great in black and white, or metallics as well, to create a more masculine card. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Birds of a Feather.....

I have done a couple of collaberative pieces of work with Lesley lately, and recently had the opportunity to join together with my Design Team mate Debbie in a couple of canvas projects. We decided to make two canvases between us, one horizontal, one vertical, and swap them over once we had each created a background. 

Debbie started her canvas by sticking small pieces of Melange Tissue and flowers from a serviette to a canvas panel with Glue 'n' Seal. Next she mixed some gesso with Peacock Feathers Distress Paint to make a tint and brushed it randomly around the canvas.

I used some Melange Tissue on my canvas along with a different serviette, covering the remainder of the canvas with gesso, and adding a wash of teal and linen acrylic paints, toning in with Debbie's colour scheme. Here are the canvases before we swapped them over:

Using the cherry blossom image from the Tranquility set I stamped it several times onto tissue paper and then coloured the images with Polychromos pencils. The bird, from A Little Bird Told Me was stamped on 160gsm white cardstock and then also coloured with pencils. Finally I stamped the sentiment from the See Beauty clear stamp set onto tissue paper as before. I attached everything using matte medium.

You will need to pop over to the Design Team blog to see what Debbie did to my canvas. We had a lot of fun creating these, and I hope that we have given you a bit of inspiration along the way. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Tropical Bird

Hello everyone, I have a project to share using the Birds of Paradise Multibuy stamps that are currently on offer this month from Chocolate Baroque. I have chosen to use a colour palette that is outside my usual comfort zone, but I really wanted to create a tropical feel to this card.

To make my background, I spritzed a piece of smooth watercolour paper with some Dylusion sprays, and then used a Crafter's Workshop stencil to add some depth. I used Distress Inks to add the shading; Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire, Mowed Lawn and Pine Needles.

I used a little flower spray from the Wisteria Lane stamp set to create some branches to hang the bird cage from. I stamped the image randomly around the top edges of the background, using Library Green Archival Ink. I stamped and embossed the birdcage using gold embossing powder, ensuring that the background was completely dry, so that the embossing powder did not stick to the rest of the background.

I stamped the bird onto the background, and then again onto a spare piece of card. I coloured the second image with Polychromos pencils and cut it out before adhering it to the background. I added a sentiment from the Card Sentiments clear stamp set. I matted the background onto a piece of dark green card to complete my project.

I hope that you will experiment with your colours as I have done when creating your projects, you never know where the journey will take you! Thanks for stopping by, xx

Brusho Bird

Hello everyone, I have a Design Team card for Chocolate Baroque to show you today. It is an Oriental themed card, using my favourite colours and some wisteria stamps taken from the Serenity and Wisteria Lane stamp sets.

I created my card by stamping and embossing the bird and bird cage from the A Little Bird Told Me stamp set onto smooth watercolour paper using white embossing powder. I dropped Brusho crystals over the background, choosing green and turquoise for the bird, and violet and lime green for the background. I spritzed my card with water, and blotted it with kitchen towel, to lighten the colours, and mop up the excess water.

I stamped the wisteria images using Distress markers around the edges of the card, using Peeled Paint, Seedless Preserves and Dusty Concord. I added some detail to the bird and birdcage using Copic markers.  Finally, I matted the background onto a white card base.

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Vintage Poppies

Hello everyone, it's time for another post on the Chocolate Baroque Challenge Blog, and this week, we have a free digital download for you. I have created a card using the download to provide a bit of inspiration, and hope thatyou will pop over to the blog to take a look at some more DT inspiration. We are also looking at some fabulous customer artwork that has been entered into the challenge this month. The blog is fast approaching its one year Anniversary, and we are preparing for the big event, which is not to be missed, as there will be prizes across the month. Do keep visiting the blog if you get a chance, and leave a comment if you have the time.

To create my card, I printed off Lesley's download onto some smooth white card, and trimmed it to 19cms x 19cms, and matted it onto a black card blank. I added some self-adhesive cream lace across the card. I took a piece of Prima Epiphany paper, and die cut a circle, and then stamped the poppy image from the Flora and Fauna stamp set, using Versafine Onyx Black ink. I coloured the image with Polychromos pencils, and then edged the circle with Hickory Smoke Distress Ink, before attaching it to the card. I have not added a sentiment yet, because I will wait until I know what I need to use the card for before I add any wording.

I hope that you will join in the challenge, as there are still a few days left. Here is the link to the post where you can add your entry.

Thanks for stopping by, xx