Using Up Your Scrap Papers

Hello everyone, I am back with my final project using the lovely bird stamps featured in last month's TV shows on Hochanda. I have created two cards using scrap pieces of paper as the main feature, to show that sometimes what might be considered as something to throw away, can be made into a great feature for your cards and other projects.

For my first card, I made a background using Distress Oxides in three different colours, and then stamped some foliage from the Nature Swirls stamp set to create a scene using coordinating Versafine Clair inks. I stamped and embossed some of the images from Sing Your Song and Live Out Loud, using Versamark and some two tone embossing powders onto scraps of Lesley's My Floral Soul papers. I cut the images out, and added then to the scene. These papers are so lovely, I want to use up every last inch of them!

For this project, I decided to use the large owl from the Wise Owl stamp set as my focal image.

I had been making some gelli print backgrounds, and had a scrap piece of paper that I had cleaned the brayer with. The multi coloured greens looked lovely, and the paper was too good to waste. I stamped the owl using Versamark, and added two different shades of embossing powder before heat embossing, a copper and a verdigris. I then stamped some of the swirls from Let Your Heart Sing and Dawn Chorus, using Versafine Onyx Black ink, and added some flowers from Orchard Design A Tree, which I coloured using Distress Markers. I also added the sentiment from the Live Out Loud stamp set.

For the background, I used a gelli print created with green Distress Ink and bubble wrap, and stamped some of the feathers from Wise Owl and Dawn Chorus with Versamark, and swirled some mica powder over the top. I added matting layers of black card to complete the project.

Thanks for stopping by, xx

Kim Moody Nautical Stamps

Hello everyone, today on the Chocolate Design Team blog, we are featuring Kim Moody's latest stamp designs. Earlier this month, Lesley showcased the stamps in a one hour TV show on Hochanda, and the Design Team had a lot of fun creating some samples. Here are my projects:

I used one of Lesley's My Floral Soul papers to stamp the Harbour Master image, using a dark blue Versafine ink. I coloured the image using Koh-I-Noor pencils, coordinating the colours with the paper itself. I added a large 'porthole' cut from metallic card, and added some screw brads to complete the effect. A sentiment was stamped onto a piece of scrap card left from another project.

I stamped the main image from A Dip In The Sea onto kraft card using brown Archival Ink. I coloured the image using Polychromos pencils, deliberately keeping the image muted. I stamped the smaller images onto three circles from the White Board Hearts and Circles pack. I added a bit of colour around the edges with Distress Ink and coloured them in the same colours as before, before adding a thick glaze, and distressing the edges with brown ink.

I chose another piece of Lesley's paper as a background, and then stamped the lighthouse from Looking out to See! onto a piece of Drawing Cartridge. I extended the scene using a permanent black marker, and added the signs to complete the foreground. I masked the lighthouse and the signs before painting the background with Koh-I-Noor paints, stamping the clouds with Distress Inks. I edged the panel with black ink before attaching it to the patterned paper, and added a sentiment to finish.

Do pop over to the Design Team blog to see what my Team mates have made using Kim's fabulous stamps. There are even some projects from Kim himself! Thanks for stopping by, xx

A New Year Wish

Hello everyone, it is hard to believe that another year has passed.I hope that you have all had a good Christmas and are looking forward to the new year with optimism. I know that not all of you will have had someone to celebrate with, or are missing loved ones. I hope that you can enjoy the friendship that we offer at Chocolate Baroque through the blog, the Facebook Group, and the Ning Group. The groups are all very friendly, and if you sign up for Chocolate Baroque's weekly newsletter, you can find the links for each place in the newsletter. You can ask questions, pick up lots of tips, and find heaps of inspiration.

Personally, I have had a mixed year, but I always feel that a new year offers the possibility to try new crafting challenges, and to learn new skills. I always want to be able to do something else! My craft room is bulging as it is, but there is room for more, and I love to experiment with colour and texture. My two projects that I am sharing with you today are both very cheery, and will hopefully chase away the Winter blues. The first one is a scrapbook page that I made as a TV demo for the Hochanda shows last month, featuring Lesley's Designer Papers 8" x 8" - My Floral Soul, and the Movie Strip Collage stamp.

I started the project by stamping a fern from the Wild Meadow stamp set onto the background, using Versafine Clair ink. I added a sepia photograph of my parents, celebrating their golden Wedding Anniversary. I changed the photo to a sepia effect, because I wanted to use it for a different occasion. I stamped the flower image onto a spare piece of pale kraft card a couple of times, and coloured it using Koh-I-Noor paints. I decoupaged the image, and added it to the page. I made my own ticket, and stamped a sentiment from the Shared Beauty stamp set onto the centre. I added brown ink onto a couple of scrabble tiles, which are my Mum and Dad's initials and a bingo piece, to represent the number of years they have now been married, and also added those to the background.

These papers are lovely for scrapbook pages, they are the perfect size, and are great to add a bit of stamped detail if you wish. I added a piece of kraft card behind mine for extra stiffness.

My second project uses the same background paper , but in the plain version, to make a pretty card. I stamped the Be Kind image onto some book paper a couple of times, using Versamark and gold embossing powder. I added three different colours of Distress Ink for shading. I also stamped and embossed the image onto a piece of kraft card, and added the book page flower layers onto the kraft card script layer. I then adhered this panel to the decorative paper. I stamped the sentiment onto the background with a deep orange ink, which I then used to edge the paper. A kraft card mat finishes the card.

Thank you for your support in 2018, your visits to the blog, and your kind comments. Have a wonderful New Year, and I look forward to your visits in 2019.

Take care and best wishes, xxx