Making a Mark

Hello everyone, I hope that you are keeping well. I have a few more projects to share with you showcasing the fabulous stamps that were featured during the TV shows this month on Create and Craft.

My first project is a DL card, created using a piece of book paper, which I coloured with some Rusty Hinge Distress Ink around the edges. I added some stamping using images from the Timeless stamp set, the splatter stamps are so useful to create an aged look. 

I stamped the Tagtastic stamp onto a piece of Drawing Cartridge that I had previously stained with tea and sprinkled with salt. I wanted to fill the tag image completely, so I used some of the smaller images from the Timeless stamp set to cover the blank areas; the bar code, the big splat, the mini clock, and the label definition. I used a bit of the Rusty Hinge Distress Ink and some water to colour some of the clocks on the main image.

My other two projects are older cards that I have shared before. I know that lots of our viewers are new to Chocolate Baroque, so I hope that you will not mind me sharing these again. 

The first card was created by stamping the fabulous large butterfly from Patchwork Butterfly onto a Brusho background from my stash. I stamped the image in one corner, and masked off the image with Masking Tissue. I then added images from Numerology, Make Your Mark, and the sentiment from Patchwork Butterfly over the background in colours to co-ordinate with the background colours. 

I coloured the butterfly with pencils, and added some shading around the edge of the butterfly with a grey pencil to create a shadow.

My next card was created using a Distress Ink background, using ones of blue and brown. I added stamps from Make Your Mark, Timeless, and Steampunk Butterfly to the Background. I embossed two Butterflies from the same stamp set using copper embossing powder, and coloured them using Inktense pencils. I added a sentiment from Punky Expressions.

My last two projects for today were made with the A Year of Stamping Issue 2 - February stamp. I wanted to show how different one stamp could look. For the first interpretation, I stamped the image on smooth stamping card, and coloured the mage with blue toned Inktense pencils. I created a matching background with Distress Inks and added some white embossing over the top. I used a circle stencil, and a stamp from Make Your Mark. I stamped the image itself using a deep blue Versafine Ink, instead of black for a change.

The second version was stamped on grey card, and coloured with regular pencils. I added some white shading in the circles behind the flowers.  The background was again made with Distress Inks in zingy colours this time, yellow, green and pink. I added stamping using images from Make Your Mark and Numerology.

I hope that you have enjoyed seeing what I have created. Thanks so much for stopping by, your visits are always appreciated. Take care, xx

Spring is Coming!

Hello everyone, I hope that you are keeping well. I have a few projects to share with you today, showcasing stamps that featured in this month's TV shows on Create and Craft. These pretty stamps are so cheerful, with their images of birds and flowers. They remind us that Spring is on the way, even if it does still feel rather chilly outside!

My first project is a little card created using Distress reinker for the background. I coloured some seam binding ribbon with the reinker, and patted the ribbon onto a piece of Drawing Cartridge to help to blend the colour. I added some of the left over droplets to the background as another layer, drying each layer with a heat gun.The resulting pattern on the background is really quick and easy, and makes a super starting point for the rest of the elements that I added to the card.

I used some patterned paper to stamp and emboss one of the small worker stamps from Spring Bird Tulip repeatedly, using Versamark and white embossing powder. I fussy cut along the top of the images, to create a ribbon effect. I stamped the Artist Trading Heart onto another piece of the patterned paper, and stamped an image from Spring Bird Crocus with a sentiment from the stamp plate. I added a splatter from Numerology. I coloured the image with pencls, and some shading with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. I then constructed the card, layering the stamped strip, the coloured ribbon and then adding the heart, onto the coloured background. I edged the background with black ink to match the outline of the heart.

My second card also features the Artist Trading Heart stamp, but this time, I have created a one layer card. I stamped the heart, and masked it with a heart stamped onto Masking Tissue. I then stamped the Big Bold Leafy Background onto the background. I coloured the leaves with pencils, and added some shading around the edges of the background with Wild Honey Distress Ink. I added some grey pencil around the edge of the heart to give the impression of a shadow.

Inside the heart, I stamped an image from the Spring Bird Crocus stamp set, colouring the leaves to match those on the background.

I used a super sized manilla tag to create another project using these lovely stamps. This would make a great bookmark, and I am thinking of using this tag for that very purpose. 

I coloured the tag with Distress Ink, and added the image from Spring Bird Tulip to the bottom of the tag. I used the branch sections of the image to add additional pieces to the image, and then added some branches to the top of the tag. I added some first and second generation stamping using and image from the Spring Foliage stamp set, just to balance out the stamping on the tag. I added a sentiment in the middle, and coloured the images with Inktense pencils. I had a bit of the coloured seam binding left over, and I added a bit of green organza ribbon to tie in with the overall theme.

Finally, an older project which I am sharing again. A double page spread from a little four inch Pink Pig journal. This journal is so cute, and I loved creating this page. I used the main stamp from Spring Bird Tulip as before, and stamped areas of the branches to create a frame around the edge of the pages. I had coloured the pages with blue Distress Ink, and splattered them with left over droplets. I coloured the images with Zig markers and a water brush.

I hope that you have enjoyed my projects. Thanks so much for stopping by, your visits are always appreciated. Take care, xx

Colourful Fabric Projects

Hello everyone, I hope that you are keeping well. Hopefully you managed to catch our latest TV shows on Create and Craft on Friday, we always appreciate your support. The Design Team and I had a lot of fun creating projects with the stamps that featured on the shows, and you will see lots of our designs popping up on social media over the coming month. Be sure to check out our Facebook Group where we share lots of our projects.

I am sharing projects from one of my demos with you today; a quick, medium length, and a longer lenth project. They are all based on the same technique, depending on what time you have to spare, and which project you fancy creating. Initially, I used a square piece of fabric, which I painted with acrylic paints, (Paper Artsy). I spritzed the paints with water to loosen them up a bit, and blended them where they met on the fabric, just like I would if I were using inks on card or paper. Once I had covered the fabric, I dried it with a heat gun.

I chose stamps from Make Your Mark and Numerology and, using Archival Ink, I stamped the images onto the fabric. I chose colours of ink to co-ordinate with the background, Manganese Blue and Plum with a bit of Jet Black. I added a sentiment from Words to Dazzle and Sparkle on my original card, but during the demo, I used the phrase 'Make Your Mark' in the large circle. I added the fabric piece to a black card blank using strong double sided tape.

I decided to create a canvas using the same method of decorating fabric strips using acrylic paint and the stamps. I cut thick and thin strips, and used stamps from Make Your Mark, Numerology, Timeless and Just Useful. I used coloured Archival Ink as before, adding Olive as an extra colour. I painted the canvas background in the same colours and added some stamping to the canvas as well, using the splatter stamp and the very useful equation stamp, both from the Numerology stamp set. I worked out where I wanted to place the fabric strips, and glued them to the canvas using Matte Medium.

Finally, I used a tutorial that I had seen from Altered States Studio and I am adding a link to the video that I watched for my last project, here. I created a fabulous fabric basket using more decorated strips of fabric and used pva glue, (the tutorial recommends Elmer's Glue which is really easy to get hold of, and I got a clear version which works really well). You need a base to create your project around, so I used the bottom portion of a milk carton, but you could use a balloon for a more rounded basket. You then wrap cling film around the pot, and paint a layer of the glue on first before adding your fabric strips. Place your patterned inner strips on first, and plain layer next for rigidity, then finally, your decorated strips. I put my basket in the airing cupboard overnight. I put it inside a plastic crate, so that it wasn't touching any of my towels! 

My photos show the basket before I trimmed the top, it looks much neater now!

This would be a great project to create with your children in the holidays if you don't mind getting a bit messy. You could create several pots and use them for your paint brushes, pens, pencils etc. You could use the fabric strips for covering journals or boxes, the possibilities are numerous. I hope you will be inspired by my suggestions.

I will be back soon with more projects to share with you, your visits are always appreciated.

Take care xx