A Bumper Blueprint Post!

Hello everyone, I hope that you are keeping well. This post could be a long one, so I hope that you have a cuppa handy! I have lots of projects to share with you today, featuring stamps from our TV shows on Create and Craft. 

My first project was a journal page spread that I created using the beautiful blueprint stamp bundle that we had on the TV show. The stamps featured were Cala Lily Blueprint, Freesia Blueprint, Wild Cornflower Blueprint and Sweetpeas Blueprint. I cut some panels of smooth stamping paper, two were 8cms by 14cms, and one was 8cms by 15cms. I used a small rectangle gelli plate and covered it with Evergreen Bough Distress Ink. I stamped the On The Tiles stamp onto the gelli plate using Broken China Distress Ink. I then stamped the gelli plate onto each of the panels. Once the panels were dry, I stamped one of the large images from the stamp plates using Versafine Clair Nocturne onto each of them. I missed out the Cala Lily Blueprint, as I only needed three. 

I coloured the images with pencils, sticking to a limited colour palette of mostly purple, magenta and green. I added Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide through a square stencil onto the panels, avoiding the images themselves.

Using a small round gelli plate, I inked it up and stamped over the top with the On the Tiles stamp in the same way repeatedly over a two page spread in my A4 journal. I worked out where I wanted to place the panels, and added ruler frames around those areas using black ink. I added smaller technical images from the stamp sets using Purple Delight, Warm Breeaze and Nocturne Versafine Clair Ink. I then added sentiments using Twilight Ink. Finally, I attached the panels over the top.

I always knew that I intended to make a card with an extra panel, so I made one as I went along. I created a background using Drawing Cartridge and Evergreen Bough Distress Ink. I added one of the sentiments and black ink. I often find that working in my journal is a springboard for a good card idea, and this was no exception.

I decided to make a set of cards using some of the technical images. They are so useful, these smaller designs. I very quickly inked up a square gelli plate with a variety of colours, then stamped over the background with a toning ink. I cut a piece of smooth stamping card and stamped one of the medium floral images and coloured it with pencils. I inked around the edge of the panel with the background ink colour. These were fairly quick cards, but really pretty and very effective. 

You could choose more masculine colours - grey, brown, ochre, etc. and make a range of masculine cards by adding the technical images instead of the flowers. These would make fabulous storecupboard cards for when you need a card in a hurry. I can think of lots of other stamps in the Chocolate Baroque range that I am going to give this treatment to for Birthday cards now, and I hope that it has helped to give you some inspiration too.

So now I am going to share a bunch of older cards with you, which if you have followed me or Chocolate Baroque for a while you will recognise, if not, then I hope that you will enjoy them.

The first card is a typical blueprint style, white embossing on glossy card, with Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink over the top, and the lovely Wild Cornflower Blueprint image to complete the card.

More white embossing and colouring on kraft card for the Cala Lily Blueprint this time.

A few cards showcasing the Freesia Blueprint stamp set. The first card, I have stamped the image onto a linen panel.

The second uses textured embossing on the background through one of our stencils.

Onto the Sweetpeas Blueprint stamp set now, and a little canvas where the image was stamped onto tissue paper and added over acrylic paint.

A horizontal panel matted over patterned paper. the little flower heads were placed into the flagpole centers as if they were in glass domes.

Finally, I used the postage stamp stencil and added lots of the small images from the stamp sets to create postage stamps.

I hope that I have given you lots of inspiration using these fabulous stamps. Thanks so much for stopping by, take care xx

Butterfly Flourishes

Hello everyone, I hope that you are keeping well. I am back with more projects to share from our April TV shows. 

My first project was created by stamping an image from the Butterfly Flourish stamp set onto a piece of Drawing Cartridge with Versamark and white embossing powder. I added Shabby Shutters, Evergreen Bough and Wilted Violet Distress Ink with blending brushes. I then covered the background with copy paper and ironed over the top to remove the embossing powder. This creates a faux batik effect, leaving a flat surface once again.

On a piece of smooth stamping card, I stamped the butterfly flourish image from the same stamp set, and a butterfly from the Butterfly Perfumery stamp set. I coloured these with co-ordinating coloured pencils, (I used Caran D'Ache pencils).  I cut the butterflies out, and arrached them to the card. I drew the antennae using a fineliner pen. Because I had ironed the embossing powder away, I was able to draw over the surface of the background easily. I also added a sentiment.

Faux batik is such a useful technique, you can stamp over the top and colour the clear areas with pencils, inks, etc. It adds so many possiblities to your backgrounds.

For my second card, I used the same colour Distress Inks as before, and swiped them over an acrylic block. I spritzed them with water, and pressed the block onto a piece of Drawing Cartridge. I allowed the background to dry completely. I used the two corner stamps from the Butterfly Flourish stamp set, and created a very simple card design, stamping with Twilight Versafine Clair Ink. I added a sentiment from the same stamp set. By varying the colours, you could make this into a masculine card.

I will be back soon with more cards to share with you, thanks so much for stopping by, take care xx

April Butterflies

Hello everyone, I hope that you are keeping well. I have lots of projects to share with you this month, using stamps that we featured on the TV shows on Create and Craft. I will spread them out over a few posts, and show you some older projects as well, using the same stamps, I hope that you don't mind.

Our A Year of Stamping stamps are proving to be very popular, and this month's edition, a cluster of butterflies, is no exception. I created several examples to demonstrate if necessary for the shows, but just ended up showing one in the end. I always like to be prepared! I made a background using red, yellow and orange Brushos, sprinkled onto Drawing Cartridge, which I spritzed with water. I let this dry completely. I them stamped the A Year of Stamping Issue 4 - April with Versafine Clair Nocturne and clear embossing powder. This makes the image more vibrant, and creates a gutter for painting, very handy, especially when I need to paint quite quickly during a demo.

I sprinkled a little bit of each of the three colours of Brusho onto an acrylic block and spritzed them with water, then using a paintbrush, I painted the three large butterflies. I added a little bit of red where the dots indicated shading near the butterfly bodies.

I made my own card blank using two pieces of black card. I cut two strips 15.2 cms long. I scored one at 15.2 cms, then folded it on the line. I trimmed the excess away leaving about one and a half cms beyond the fold, and then attached the second strip of card. I then shut the card, and cut the back piece to match the front, using a sharp knife and a ruler. This card is small enough to run through a standard die cutting machine and cut a circle aperture in the front, which is what I needed. I placed the painted background into the card, and put the spare piece of black card, (slightly trimmed) behind it, for stability. The black card base really makes the image pop.

Some time ago, I created a project using this image. I stamped the image three times, once onto book paper, once onto smooth stamping card, and then finally onto patterned paper. I decoupaged the image to create a very colourful project. We showed the card last month as a sneaky peek on the TV shows.

I wanted to recreate this project as a potential demo, but in a different colour option. I used Inktense pencils to colour the book paper and smooth stamping card on the bottom two layers. I chose a zingy green and orange, as they contrast each other so well. My top layer is a patterned paper designed by Lesley, but I have added some Distress Ink to darken it a little bit. I have embossed the top layer with clear embossing powder, when I stamped it. I chose a green card for the matting layer, and used a corner rounder on the edges, to follow the shape of the stamp itself. Again, I have used black card, to make the colours pop. This project requires a bit of cutting out, but I listen to some music, or watch a favourite TV programme, and I am finished before I know it!

My last project using this stamp was to remove the background entirely, and to create a backgound myself. I applied some Distress Oxide to an acrylic block- Twisted Citron and Broken China, which I spritzed with water. I pressed the acrylic block onto a piece of Drawing Cartridge to get a watery background, which I left to dry completely. I inked around the edges with Wilted Violet Distress Ink, and the using Warm Breeze Versafine Clair, I inked up the Square Bubbles stamp, and stamped little bits of it randomly over the background. I held the stamp in my hand, and curled it up, so that only a little bit of the stamp touched the background each time. I did get rather messy fingers!

I used a background paper designed by Lesley once more, and added a bit of Distress Ink again, to tailor the colours exactly to my design. I stamped and embossed using Versamark and white embossing powder. I added the antennae using a white gel pen.

I will be back very soon with more projcts to share with you. Thanks so much for stopping by, take care xx

Colourful Spring Projects

Hello everyone, I hope that you are keeping well. I have some projects to share with you today, showcasing stamps that were featured during this month's TV shows on Create and Craft.

My first project was created using the lovely Breath of Spring stamp set. I brayered some Fossilized Amber Distress Ink onto a round gelli plate, and then stamped the pretty leafy scroll image repeatedly onto the gelli plate, using Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink. I used the gelli plate like a big stamp, and pressed it onto a piece of smooth stamping card.

I stamped the main image from the Breath of Spring stamp set onto a spare piece of smooth stamping card. I also stamped the little butterfly that appears on the swirl a couple of times. I coloured these images with pencils and cut them out. I attached them to the gelli plate background, and added the word 'Spring' from the stamp set. Finally, I mounted the background onto some black card.

My second project is a variation of an old project. I stamped the Hanging Flowers image onto a piece of book paper, using a greenVersafine Clair ink. I coloured the image with pencils, and added some shading around the edge with Distress Ink. I made a larger background using Twisted Citron Distress Ink, and stamped the leafy portion of the Hanging Flowers image around the edge in the green Versafine Clair ink to create a border. I also added a dotty stamp from the Floral Clock stamp set, using second generation stamping. I added some ribbon and kraft card mounts to both layers to complete the card.

My next two projects featured a pretty little stamp from the Floral Clock stamp set. I found a watery background in my stash box, which I had originally created using Distress Inks. I stamped the flowers across the background using grey Versafine Clair Ink, adding a butterfly and a sentiment. I then chose a grassy stamp from the Spring Foliage stamp set, and using a green Distress Oxide ink, I stamped the image in second generation stamping. This gave a feeling of a field of flowers in the background, and meant that I did not need to mask off my foreground flowers, great if you want to create quick cards.

I coloured the images with Zig Clean Colour Markers, blending the colours into each other, and using a brush and some water if I needed to even the colour out at any point. Going back with one of the paler colours helps with the blending process anyway. I added a piece of black card behind the background before I mounted the panel onto a white card blank for a great clean and simple card.

I took the idea a little further and decided to create a little wrap around card using exactly the same design. I made the strip slightly longer, and then attached it to a little 4" x 4" black card. This would make a great little notelet for so many different occasions. I love making these small cards, as I think they are so useful; anything from gift tags, to Get Well cards, a pick me up card, or just to say hello card. 

My next project is a variation on an older project, and I have changed the way that I made this slightly. My older project was created by painting over scrapbook paper and creating a masterboard. This time, I used a roller and added Distress Ink to smooth stamping paper. I then created the layers in exactly the same way as before. I added stencilling and stamping, taking images from the Floral Clock and Parsley Clock stamp set. I drew around a chipboard tag and cut out the shape on the background, then attached it to the tag. I sanded the edge to reveal the white edge.

I used a spare piece of smooth stamping paper and stamped three butterflies from these stamp sets, and coloured them with pencils. I cut them out, but before I adhered them to the background, I stamped just the antennae directly onto the background where I wanted to place the butterflies. I then placed my coloured butterflies over the top.

My next four projects are all older projects, but I am sharing them with you again. The first is a die cut circle stamped with images from the Parsley Clock stamp set. I have coloured the images with pencils, and added Distress Ink to the background. I matted the die cut onto a piece of textured card.

 My next project was created on a piece of tea dyed Drawing Cartridge for a vintage feel. I added lots of stamped splatters, and coloured the image from the Floral Clock stamp set with pencils.

I used green card for the main image for a change in this next project. I stuck to a simple palette of yellow, orange and green to colour the image from the Parsley Clock stamp set, and my Brusho background mirrors that colour palette.

 

Finally, I used a Brusho background for this last project, creating a Bokeh effect with a butterfly stencil. I stamped the mushrooms from The Shroom Clock stamp set onto some patterned papers, and added white highlights with a gel pen. I added more stamping to the bottom of the background, which I coloured with pencils.

 I will be back next month to share some more projects with you. Thanks so much for stopping by. Take care, xx

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

Sharing Some Tips With You

Hello everyone, I hope that you are keeping well, I have a final few projects to share with you from this month's TV shows today.

To create my first project, I smooshed some Distress Oxide onto a craft mat. I used Twisted Citron and Broken China, which I spritzed with water. I placed a piece of Drawing Catridge over the top, and then turned it over, and presseded a piece of scrunched up cling film to the surface, before leaving the card to dry. I used another piece of Drawing Cartridge to mop up the left over ink on the craft mat, and I will use that background for another project.

 

I used the Universal Butterfly stamp to stamp just the bottom portion of the stamp three times onto some patterned paper, using co-ordinating colours of ink. I chose an olive green, a deep pink and a claret. I cut the todstools out for later. Once the background was dry, I used the same three ink colours to stamp a foliage image from Silhouette Grasses along the bottom half of the page. I used first and second generation stamping to create some depth to the design. I added a couple of dragonflies from Just Butterflies to the 'sky' area of the background, and also a sentiment from Technical Butterfly, I coloured elements of the toadstools with coloured pancils, and stuck the images to the background. On some of the toadstools, I covered up the ladybirds, I moved the smaller toadstools around to make the colour groupings more random, and I added the butterfly to a toadstool over another ladybird. I did not want all three toadstool groupings to look identical, but more individual. I also varied the height of the middle group. Once the images were glued down, I added some shading at the base of the images with a grey pencil to ground them.

My second demonstration on this show was a very quick card using the Mini Slim Words. I used a gelli plate and Distress Ink to add some colour to a piece of Smooth Stamping Card. I chose Squeezed Lemonade as my base colour. I then inked up the heart strip with Kitsch Lemonade Distress Ink and stamped over the background until I had covered all of the yellow. I moverd the strip along slightly each time to make the pattern slightly random.

I took the Love word strip and created a frame, you have seen me do this before with the larger word strips. I simply started stamping slightly along one side, and then turned the background and butted up to the edge of the stamping each time. I found that I need to miss some of the words off as the strip was slightly too wide for this size of background. If you are not sure how something will work out, you can always practise on some copy paper first.

Finally, I added a sentiment from Loud and Proud in the centre. You can make lots of variations on this card design, and vary the colours. It would make a great batch card idea for Christmas too.

I mentioned practising on copy paper, well I was preparing for the TV shows and we also had A Year of Stamping Issue 1 - January on the show. I wanted to try out an idea and used copy paper, as I quite often do to see if it workedokay. My copy paper sample looked so good that I made it up into a card. I would normally have repeated the project on smooth stamping card, but I wanted to show you my finished copy paper project.

I used a stamping platform to stamp the image, which I then coloured with Pan Pastels. I stamped the image again, to ensure a nice crisp finish, as sometimes Pan Pastels can make your image look rather cloudy. I have used a piece of background paper cut to size. It was teal and brown as you can see, but one side was rather plain where it had been trimmed. I added some colour with Distress Ink, and tghe stamped a splatter stamp from the Timeless stamp set to add some detail. The paper looks more complete now. I edged the background paper with a black inkpad so that it matches the main image.

I hope that you have enjoyed my projects and that my tips will be useful. Thanks so much for stopping by, your vists are always appreciated. Take care xx