A Christmas Candle

A full how-to tutorial from me over on the Lisa B. Design's Blog this week, with a look at how to use Imagination Craft's Art Stamps to create a beautiful Christmas Candle. Below is a sneak peek, click HERE to see the full post.

Back from a Crafty Blogging Break!

It has been a while since I have blogged, I know! There are two reasons for this really: I had my 4th baby in March and prior to that I have been posting each week on the Lisa B. Design's Blog! So, I have been busy, really! Along with all this I have managed to retreat into the crafty nook (otherwise known as my study) occasionally, and have made cards as often as I can! Here are a few things I have played with...

Sheena Douglass Perfect Partners dies and stamps, Distress Inks, Imagination Crafts stencil...

A card with an acetate front, Imagination Crafts Sparkle Medium, Tattered Lace Dies, Just Rite stamps, Spellbinders Dies and a Sue Wilson Border

Various Card-io Stamps, Versafine Inks

Polkadoodles stamps, watercolours, Distress Ink, Card-io stamps

Inkylicious stamps, Memento Inks, Clarity Stamps

I am still part of the Lisa B. Design's Design Team, so I will be posting a new project each week over there, each time explaining the products and methods used. Click HERE to see the blog and regular posts from the team!

Bluebells for Dad!

A little late blogging this card; to be honest I had forgotten that I had made it in between my other projects!
I made this card for my husband on Father's Day. I started with a 7x7 craft card blank from Anne Marie Designs. I have created the main topper using a large square of stamping card and then added layers of ink and stamps. The first layer was added using Pumice Stone and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink lightly across the whole panel. To darken the corners I have added Faded Jeans to the edges. I have then used the 2nd generation of Pumice Stone ink to stamp a script stamp across the whole panel. Using the 3rd generation of ink this time and Versacolour Blue Lagoon ink, I have stamped an Indigoblu flourish randomly across the whole panel as well.

Focusing on the top layers now, I have used the same Indigoblu flourish along the edges of the card, stamped this with Versafine and then heat embossed with gold superfine powder.
The painted bluebells were created with Sheena Douglass' Perfect Partners stamps. I have stamped the leaves with Colorbox Evergreen ink and the flower heads in Versafine Blue Lagoon directly onto the background card. Using inks in the same tones (Bundled Sage and Faded Jeans Distress Ink) this time from a tile, I have 'painted' the bluebell heads and leaves to give the image some substance.
The bluebells at the front of the card have been stamped onto white card and die cut using Sheena's matching Perfect Partners' Dies. I have cut three sets of bluebells and used the same inks as before to colour-in. The sentiment has been cut using Spellbinders Fancy Labels 8 and embossed on the edges with the same gold powder as before. The sentiment itself is from Clarity Stamps.

 

August Birthday

This card was inspired by colour! I wanted to make a card for someone who loved oranges and browns, so I decided to play a little! The grasses and flower stamps are from Lavina as well as some of her smaller silhouette flowers. The sentiment is from Clarity stamps. I have created the illusion that the stem are larger by adding a large punched border and stamping either side of them. I used a Big and Juicy Spice ink pad to add some depth to the colour and graduation. The flowers have been punched and coloured using the same ink and the card edges also distressed.

Butterfly Montage

This card is an example of me playing with some montage-style effects! Both the main image and the quote, (or should I say 'stanza' of the poem) are from Clarity Stamps. I have used Neenah card to stamp onto and Distress Inks (milled lavender and brushed corduroy) to colour in with. The big stamp is one large montage stamp  which has been stamped several times and sections taken from each image to add depth. and texture. I have coloured certain elements of the stamp to add focus and draw the eye in. To make the word panel, I have created my own backing paper using a stamp featuring grasses and a small butterfly (also by Clarity). These images have been stamped using 2nd and 3rd generation ink in the same colours as before. The main poem has been stamped in black Archival ink. Finally I have added organza in the background and gems added to finish.

Get Well Soon Teddy!

 This is another LOTV image, one that I think would brighten you up if you were feeling poorly! I have coloured the main image using Promarkers and the backing paper is from my stash (a DCWV one I think!). The sentiment is a Crafter's Companion one and the flower embellishment has been cut using my Cricut machine and the Art Nouveau cartridge. I have distressed the flower slightly to soften the edges (difficult to see in the photo I know!)