Anything Goes new challenge at CWD

Hi Folks, I am posting my blog post for Crafting with Dragonflies slightly late this week, as I have phone line and Internet connection issues at home. Apparently, our phone cables around the village have been stolen, and we could be without phones for some time. You have to wonder at what some people will do to make some money. So, I have managed to get online by hook or by crook, and here is my post.

The theme for this fortnight's challenge is Anything Goes, and it is a card related challenge. I have chosen to use a couple of stamp images from Inkylicious, which are previously unused in my stash, shameful I know, but I have so many stamps! I stamped both stamps onto pieces of mount board cut using Nestability shapes. I used Distress Markers, so that I could get a variegated effect with the colours. I then covered the pieces of mount board with three layers of UTEE, to create a tile effect.

I covered my card with a lovely piece of DP from my stash, I have had it for so long, I don't even know where it came from, but the design is just gorgeous. I added some lace, and two metal butterflies, which I painted to tone in with the overall colour scheme.

 

 

Hop over to the challenge blog to see what my team mates have made for your inspiration, and have a go at entering the challenge. All you need to do is make a card with the theme of 'Anything Goes'. Thanks for stopping by, xx

 

Oriental Screen

Hi Folks, here is a project using more of the stamp of the month stamps from Chocolate Baroque. I have used a piece of card measuring 12" x 9", which I have folded into three, scoring at 4" and 8" along the long  sides top and bottom. While the card was folded into three, I die cut the top of the screen using the Tim Holtz Vintage Cabinet card die. Tip: if you just place your top cutting plate over the area of the die that you want to cut, you won't cut any further into your screen. I die cut the bottom of the screen in the same way using the Tim Holtz Baroque die.

I trimmed a piece of Firefly paper to 12" x 6" and then stamped the background stamps taken from the Tranquilty and the Moonlit Waterfall stamp sets onto the paper, and coloured them with Inktense pencils. I then used Images from Oriental Crane and Serenity/Tranquility Multibuy to stamp my main images, which I also coloured with pencils.

I punched a leaf image from the top of each screen panel, and added some tiny gems for decoration.

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Japanese Water Garden

I have created a scene using the stamps of the month from Chocolate Baroque. I have stamped the main images, and then masked over them before stamping the flowers to fill in the background. I have used a mixture of both stamp sets to create a feeling of a Japanese water garden, using architectural features as well as plants. I have also used a wall stamp from the Landscap Edges stamp set to create the path along the bottom of the design.

I have coloured the project with Polychromos pencils.

I'll be back in a few days with another project, thanks for stopping by, xx

Tranquil Tree

Hi Folks, I wanted to create a masculine card with an oriental feel using the new oriental stamps from Chocolate Baroque. I created a background by embossing some kraft card with a stencil through my die cutting machine and then adding some Distress Inks for definition. I added a wash of colour to a piece of handmade paper and stamped the tree and bird from the Serenity stamp set using brown archival ink.

I made a 'stone' by cutting a piece of card into an oval shape and punching a hole in one end before applying some texture paste. I stamped the word Tranquility taken from the Tranquility stamp set. I added some acrylic paint over the top in various shades of brown, and blue, drying the paint after each application. Note: you do need to make sure that the piece cools down before you add the next stage, or the paint cooks. Finally, I added some dark brown paint, which I wiped away before it was dry. The paint settled into the letters.

I tied the 'stone' to the card using some string in a criss cross design.

Thanks for stopping by,  xx

First post of the year

Hi Folks, it's been a while since I posted, last year in fact, so I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I'm playing catch up with my teamies over at The Chocolate Baroque Design Team blog showcasing some of this month's new stamps. I've not been so well, and so here is my first sample.

I've chosen a theme of bamboo for this card, and created a background using various green toned Distress Inks. I spread some texture paste through a bamboo stencil down one side of the background. I used a mask of the main stamped image to locate where I needed to stamp my bamboo images, and then stamped those to create a frame for the central image. I coloured the main image and the bamboo images with Distress Markers. I added some gilding wax to the textured bamboo, and then matted the background onto some green card.

My design team mates have created some stunning samples this month, with lots more to come, so keep checking the design team blog. There is a Design Team call out at the moment, so do take a look if you are interested. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Christmas Tags

Hi Folks, it's time for another challenge over at the Crafting with Dragonflies challenge blog. This time the theme is Christmas tags, so useful at this time of year. I always like to make my own gift tags to add that personal touch to my presents, so these tags will come in really useful.

I have chosen to use an image from one of our sponsors this week, QKR, called 'Santa's List', which I have coloured with pencils in vintage colours. I have embossed my tags with a music embossing folder, and then coloured the raised areas with Distress Inks. The finishing touch is some fab gingham ribbon.

Our Sponsors this week are QKR, who are offering the Winner 5 digis of their choice:

Sassy Studio Designs who are offering 4 digis of the Winner's choice:

So, why not head over to the challenge blog, and take a look at the inspiration offered by my Design Team mates, and enter into the competition yourself? It is the last challenge for this year, but we will be back next year with lots more challenges for you. So have a lovely Christmas from all of the Dragonflies, and keep crafting. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Baby Duck

Hi Folks, I have a Steampunk sample using softer colours to show you today. I wanted to make a congratulations card for a new baby using the paddle duck image from the Steampunk Birds stamp set, and so I chose soft pastel tones to create my card. I created a background using a texture stamp from the Nature Fragments stamp set, which I embossed with white embossing powder. I then covered the card using Squeezed Lemonade and Spun Sugar Distress Inks, before stamping the texture stamp again with Spun Sugar Distress Ink. I decoupaged the duck image, using three layers (the base layer is on the card), and I coloured the image with Distress Markers. I added a sentiment from the Loving Sentiments stamp set.

Some green lace and pink safety pins finish the card.Thanks for stopping by, Judith xx

Steampunk Cockerel

Hi Folks, I have another sample using the Steampunk Birds rubber stamp set to show you today. I love this cockerel image, and wanted to give it a French Country feel, as soon as I saw it. I have coloured the image with Inktense pencils, and inked around the edge of the card with Scattered Straw Distress Ink. I have used dark green card to mat my layers, and added some gingham ribbon and a couple of cogs, in keeping with the steampunk theme. The sentiment is from the Loving Sentiments stamp set.

Thanks for stopping by, Judith xx

It's a Hoot

Hi Folks, I have a sample to show you today featuring the new Steampunk Birds unmounted stamp set from Chocolate Baroque. I have used a small chipboard frame which I have painted with blue and brown paint, and then covered it with Tim Holtz tissue wrap. I added a coat of matte medium to protect the tissue wrap and left this to dry. I added more paint over the areas that I wanted to highlight, like the buildings and the butterflies.

I stamped and embossed the owl using copper embossing powder, and also stamped some flowers from the Punky Flowers stamp set. I coloured these using Distress Markers. I die cut a branch from brown card, and assembled my project, adding some brass cogs, and a spinner. Finally, I added a sentiment from the new stamp set.

I will be back in a few days with another sample, showcasing these quirky steampunk birds. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Check out the new stamps at Chocolate Baroque

Hi Folks, there are some great new stamp releases over at Chocolate Baroque today. First up there is a set of steampunk themed rubber stamps called Steampunk Birds, great for lots of feathery makes, combined with a steampunk flair, and a little bit of humour with some quirky sentiments on the stamp plate as well.

I have made a rocker card with one of the images, adding one of the phrases. I thought these two little birds looked great rocking backwards and forwards on their handle. I have added some coils from the Punky Flowers stamp set, and an embossed background.

My second card uses one of the new clear flower stamps, the Fritillary. I have created a wrinkle free Distress background, embossing two corners, and then chopping the panel into three sections. I have coloured the image with pencils. I matted the sections onto a black card blank, adding some ribbon and gems to finish.

Keep checking the Design Team Blog for lots of samples from my team mates over the coming weeks. Thanks for stopping by, xx

Blue Fairy

Hi Folks, here is a Wintery sample for you using the Winter Fairy stamp collection from Chocolate Baroque. I stamped the main fairy onto a piece of white card, and then created a mask which I placed over the image. I stamped some mushrooms from the Autumn Fairy collection and then created masks for those as well. I made some paper masks for the hills, by tearing some scrap paper, and sponged various shades of green Memento Ink across the background. Fnally, I used some blue Memento Ink to create a sky, adding a circle mask to create a sun.

I added some yellow Memento Ink in the circle area for the sun, and embossed some trees using white embossing powder. I then removed the masks and coloured the stamped images using Graph it markers. To finish, I added some glitter glue along the edges of the hills and to highlight the mushrooms.

To create the background, I embossed some snowflakes from the Reindeer Landscape stamp set using white embossing powder, and then covered the background with blue Memento Ink. I used a sentiment from the Winter Fairies stamp set, and added some blue organza ribbon and some gems to finish.

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