Distress Inks and Flowers

Hello everyone, I have a couple of bonus projects to share with you this month, not featuring on the Design Team blog. I have created a large tag using some favourite stamps from the Pretty Poppies and Poppy Meadow stamp sets.

I started to make my tag by stamping the main image, and then adding a mask. I coloured the background using Fossilized Amber and Peeled Paint Distress Ink, spritzing the background with water, and allowing it to dry completely. I stamped around the edges using the Large Crackle Background stamp, and Peeled Paint Distress Ink. While the mask was still in place, I stamped the small silhouette flower around the poppy image, using first and second generation stamping. I used red and green ink on the image for a more realistic effect.

I removed the mask, and coloured the image with Distress Ink and a waterbrush. I used Ripe Persimmon and Festive Berries for the flowers, and Peeled Paint for the foliage, adding a touch of red to the leaves and stems for depth. I used the same colours on the butterfly.

I coloured the seam binding ribbon with the same inks, blotting off the excess ink onto a piece of cartridge paper, then scrunching the ribbon, and drying it with a heat gun.

I spritzed the piece of cartridge paper that I had mopped my ribbons onto with some water, and stamped some images from the Silhouette Grasses stamp set over the top using various different colours of Versafine Clair Ink. I used first and second generation stamping. The butterflies are from the Baroque Meadow stamp set, and the sentiment comes from the Words to Dazzle and Sparkle stamp set.

This was a really quick card to make, and was just using a scrap piece of card. Thanks for stopping by, xx

It's about the Little Things

Hello everyone, I have a few projects to share with you today which were featured on Lesley's recent TV shows on Hochanda. I had the opportunity to viit the TV studios and see Lesley in action close up. It was very interesting to see the processes involved.

I am focusing on the DL sets that were on the show, using some of the little worker stamps, and showing how they can be used in a variety of ways.

For my first card, I created a very pale wrinkle free distress background, using a Salty Ocean and Wilted Violet Distress Ink, before adding an oval mask over the top. I added a bit more Distress Ink, and some shading around the edge of the mask and the edge of the card with Paris Dusk Memento Ink, to give the feeling of some shading and depth to the background. I also added a bit of grey pencil around the edge of the oval mask. Adding the grey pencil really helps to create the impression that the oval is a separate layer on top of the background.

Using one of the silhouette images from the Autumn Hedgerow stamp set, I stamped over the background, using a variety of ink colours in tones of blue and plum ( Memento Teal Zeal, Nautical Blue and Archival Plum), using first and second generation stamping, to give a bit of depth to the background. I removed the mask, and stamped an image from the Pretty Poppies stamp set, using Archival Cobalt Ink, and added a sentiment from the same stamp set inside the oval. I coloured the image with Distress Inks and a waterbrush.

For my second project, I created a gelli plate background, by brayering some Peeled Paint Distress Ink onto my gelli plate, and then scrunched up a piece of cling film and dabbed some Fired Brick Distress Ink onto the gelli plate with the cling film randomly. I took a print from the gelli plate and trimmed a piece of background to size. From the spare offcut, I stamped and embossed the two butterflies from the Butterfly Poppy Collage stamp set, using copper embossing powder, and added some extra colour, using Distress Ink.

I created another panel using Shabby Shutters and Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink, and then using a mixture of the small stamps from the Autumn Hegdrow stamp plate, I stamped and embossed the focal image using copper embossing powder. I added background stamping afterwards, using a mixture of Autumnal colours and first and second generation stamping, building up the design until I was happy with the result.

To create the card, I added some hessian ribbon and some olive green ribbon to tone in with the overall colours that I had used. I added my all time favourite sentiment, taken from the Nature's Peace stamp set.  I adore this sentiment, and love the opportunity to use it whenever I can.

For my final card, once I again, I created a gelli plate background, in much the same way as the previous card, using the same colours. From the offcut, I die cut a small rectancle, and stamped the small berry image from the Nature's Peace stamp set over the background, using second generation stamping, as I wanted a very pale effect. I stamped and embossed the verse from the stamp set, using Potting Shed Archival Ink and clear embossing powder.

For the main background, I stamped another small image, the leaves and nuts this time, again using brown ink. I coloured the images using Polychromos pencils, for a vintage feel. I matted my layers using dark brown card, and created a very masculine card, great for lots of different occasions.

I hope that my projects have given you lots of ideas using these great little stamps, either by themselves, or mixing and matching with stamps from other stamp sets. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Time Saving Cards

Hello everyone, I have a couple of speedy cards for you today. They form part of a regular feature over on the Chocolate Baroque Design Team Blog- Fifteen Minute Cards. We aim to create cards made in fifteen minutes or less and they can be clean and simple in style, or simply cards that are quick to make. These can be cards aimed at beginner stampers, or for someone who needs to make a card in a hurry, or maybe a batch of cards. We try to show that speedy can still be elegant and stylish, inspirational and have a wow factor. You do not always need to spend all day making a card. I cannot promise that these two cards deliver on everything that I have just written about, but they might give you some ideas to go off and try something quick for yourself.

To create the first card, I used some kraft card, and a stamp that I have not inked up before, which I was surprised about, considering how long I had owned these stamps. I used Versamark and white embossing powder to stamp the image from the Pretty Poppies stamp set, before colouring it with Zig clean colour markers. I chose earthy tones to tie in with the kraft background, and they happen to be my favourite colour palette. I added a sentiment from the same stamp set, using Plum Archival Ink. Finally, I added a plummy coloured card to mat the background, before adding it to a kraft card blank. This will be a handy store cupboard card, as there is always an occasion to send a card like this to someone who needs cheering up.

To create my second card, I found a Brusho background in my scrap box, and stamped the Big Bold Background Leafy Brocade stamp over part of it, using a Versafine Deep Lagoon Ink. I cut another strip of the background, and stamped the large sentiment from the Birthday Words stamp set using the same ink. I edged both pieces of card with Memento Teal Zeal Ink, before attaching them to a white card blank. This card was so quick to make, these Big Bold Backgrounds cover the card so quickly, and the large sentiment finishes the card in an instant. I always have spare Brusho backgrounds left over from previous sessions, but this could just as easily have been created with a gelli plate background.

I hope that I have given you some ideas for some quick cards. I am certainly going to make a few of these to have on hand just in case I need a card in a hurry. There will be another Fifteen Minute blog post at the end of the month, but do pop over to the Design Team Blog, to see what the rest of my team mates have made today.

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Colourful Butterflies

Hello everyone, over on the Design Team Blog, we run a feature twice a month called Fifteen Minute Cards. The Design Team girls create quick cards in under fifteen minutes and we add a short description alongside each card for the viewer to see how the cards were made.

For the current post, I have made a card using stamps from the Butterfly Blush stamp set to create a multi-coloured background. I used a variety of Memento Inks, and stamped the images onto a piece of white card, building up the images until I had more or less covered the background. Sometimes I used second generation stamping to give a variety of shades, and a feeling of depth to the background. I then added a co-ordinating image from the Just Butterflies stamp set, which I coloured with Zig Clean Colour Brush Markers. I stamped part of the image onto the background first, to get the antennae onto the background, saving me the job of cutting them out.

I added a sentiment from the Pretty Poppies stamp set, and a string of dots trailing from the butterfly with the aid of a stencil, using a fine-tipped black marker.

Please pop over to the Design Team Blog to see the inspiration provided by the rest of my Team mates. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Thank you cards

Hi Folks, I have a project to show you using the gorgeous new Winter Fairy stamp set from Chocolate Baroque. Around this time of year, we have lots of thank yous to send, and so I decided to make a gift wallet containing some thank you cards, using lots of the fairy images from both this stamp set and the Autumn Fairy stamp set.

I started my project by cutting some paper masks from scrap paper and inking through the masks with a variety of Memento inks onto plain white card cut to size.

I blended the colours as I graduated down the area that I was shading to get a soft blend. I removed the mask and stamped one of the fairies from the stamp plate over the shaded area. On each card, I added a sentiment taken from Words of Gratitude or Pretty Poppies stamp sheets. I added black matting to the cards to tie in with the stamping.

I cut two pieces of black card 21cms x 19.5cms.  I then scored 1.5cms at one end of each piece, and overlapped them, sticking them together at this point. I scored 2.5cms at each outer edge, and 2.5cms along the bottom, cutting out a gap where the overlap occurred along the bottom. I trimmed the bottom edges slightly at each of the four ends. I folded the sides and the bottoms inwards, and secured the outer corners with glue or double sided tape.

I placed a piece of ribbon across the middle of the front of the folder before sticking on the front design. I actually used two pieces of ribbon, a shorter piece on the right, and a longer piece on the left to wrap right around the back.

I'll be back in a few days with another sample using these lovely stamps, but in the mean time, keep checking the Design Team blog for more inspiration from my team mates. If you leave a comment over there this month, you could be entered into a draw, so leave some love for them. Thanks for stopping by.

EDIT: I was asked by a commenter what sort of brushes I use to make my backgrounds on these cards. For these particular cards, I just used some cheap little shaving brushes from a supermarket, and have one for each colour group that I store in a plastic basket. I dab off the excess ink onto scrap paper, see my photos for reference, as this avoids brush marks in the shading. You can get a lovely smooth background with brushes. Any good stencilling brushes work as well.

I hope that this helps, xx

Alcohol flourishes

Hi Folks, there are some new stamps at Chocolate Baroque released this week,that will be a great bunch of stamps to have at your fingertips. They are a range of texture stamps, including things like woodgrain, brick walls, stones, and lots of other fabulous designs. The stamps are broken into two sets, but are also available as a multibuy.

I have used a couple of stamps from the Nature Fragments stamp set for this card. I created a wrinkle free distress background first of all, and then stamped the ornate flourish stamp across the background using three different colours of Adirondack Ink, Eggplant, Stream and Wild Plum. I coloured some Glossy card using Eggplant and Wild Plum alcohol ink, and then stamped the panel with the negative flourish image, using silver embossing powder.

I die cut a butterfly from plum coloured foil, which I embossed through a die cutting machine. I used some alcohol ink to change the colour of the raised areas. I matted the design onto teal coloured card and added some plum ribbon. My sentiment came from the Pretty Poppies stamp set.

Thanks for stopping by, Judith xx

Dancing Poppies

Here's a card I made recently for the Chocolate Baroque Design Team Blog using one of the new clear heart stamps. This one is Poppy Baroque Heart.

I stamped a row of poppies across my background card, using a stamp from the 'Pretty Poppies' stamp set. I used Eclipse masking tape to enable me to make the row of poppies look three dimensional. I then coloured the background with Pan Pastels to create a mottled sky effect.

I used Distress Markers to colour the poppy images. The sentiment comes from the 'Artistic Expressions' stamp set. I stamped the heart onto a spare piece of card, coloured the image with Distress Markers as before, then covered the whole piece with Ultra Thick Embossing Powder.

Poppies are my favourite flower, as many of you know. It was a real pleasure to work with these stamps, and I think I shall be using these a lot more!

Thanks for stopping by, xx

What's Black and White and Red all over?

Hi folks, do you remember that old joke from when you were little? A sunburnt penguin, we all used to chorus. It's also what my next sample for Chocolate Baroque looks like as well. I wanted to create a black and white theme, with splashes of red for the poppies. I used a large background stamp from the Dusky Damask themeplate, and stamped it in two opposing corners of a piece of white card. I edged the card with some red Distress Ink. I stamped and embossed the poppy image onto a slim oval of white card, and painted it with Distress Stains.

I made a flower from crinoline, and sprayed this with Distress re-inker and water, scrunching the petals, and heat setting them with a heat gun. I added a large black button in the centre. Some black satin ribbon completes the card.

These new stamps are such a treat to work with. The Design Team have made some fabulous samples. Keep popping over to the blog to see what they have made. Thanks for stopping by, xx

My favourite flowers!

Hi folks, any regular readers of my blog will know that I love Poppies, of any shape and colour from the little field poppies to the big blowsy peony poppies and the show off oriental poppies, I love them all. There are some new stamps that have just been realeased over at Chocolate Baroque called Pretty Poppies and Dusky Damask. They are absolutely beautiful, and are right up my street. There are poppies, (of course!), and some absolutely lovely sentiments. There are some big background stamps, and some useful little floral stamps to create your owm backgrounds as well.

My first card shows the poppies at their showiest, and I love this stamp. I have created a background using a technique that my lovely crafting friend Elaine taught me. I have used leaves from a plant called the 'Plume Poppy' to make my own background. For the slim panel I have pressed poppy leaves between two sheets of watercolour and run them through my Big Shot.I have then simply inked the edges. I have then stamped the image, coloured it with Polychromos pencils, and decoupaged the butterfly.

I love the sentiment on this card, and it will be so useful for those friends that mean a lot. I apologise in advance if everyone gets the same one!!!!

Anyway, why don't you pop over to the Design Team Blog during the next few days to see what my team mates have made with these stamps? They have made some fabulous projects. Thanks for stopping by, xx