Wednesday 22 January 2014

Cool Blue Ombre Technique

I love trying techniques that I've either not tried before or revisit that I've not done for a long time. It's been an age since I got lots of goodies out and spent time on one project and had a good play. The Ombre technique is featured in the January edition of the Craft Stamper magazine and I thought I'd have a play with inks and stamps.

With only water I brushed it onto a piece of A4 white card. Then I decanted a little Dylusions London Blue ink into a small pot and dipped the brush in the blue ink and brushed across the card from side to side. The ink became faded the further down and blended well with the water. When dry I cut the card in two pieces and saved one for the second card.



For this card I used one piece of the card that had been coloured with the Ombre technique and stamped the Reindeer Landscape stamp from Chocolate Baroque with Versamark Clear ink and heat embossed with white powder. I trimmed the image and like a true crafter the bits left over attached them in horizontal strips and stamped the sentiment.


For the second, I cut card into five millimetre strips and attatched to a piece of card forming a Bargello pattern which is used often in quilting. I used the Flora and Fauna stamp which is also a Chocolate Baroque stamp using Versafine Onyx Black ink and added Derwent white Coloursoft pencil to the flower heads. I finished by mounting and adding a sentiment. I was delighted that I made two cards from the one sheet of card that I'd coloured.




Many thanks for visiting,
Debbie

Sunday 12 January 2014

A Tranquil moment captured in a frame

Good Morning. Rather than making a card with these beautiful stamps, I chose to make a piece of art to frame and display in my craft room. At the moment the walls are all white after being newly decorated and I've decided they will stay that colour as it feels a lot bigger to work in.


I thought it would be easier to post photos of how I made the background rather than try to explain all the details. This is the first time I've done this so please excuse any mistakes.

I started by stamping the lady from the Serenity Stamp set with Versafine Onyx Black and embossing with clear powder. I coloured her with Alcohol pens and trimmed her out then went on to create the background.

I drew three different sized circles on a piece of copier paper and started by cutting out the smallest and colouring.


Next I cut the second size circle and sponged more ink.


Then I cut the third size and added a slightly darker ink.

I placed the stamped lady onto the sun to see how she fitted with the size of it.


Happy with it so far I made a mask and added a few different green Distress Inks.


When the background colouring was done I stamped the branches and irises with green ink and added a few white pen highlights. Unfortunately I didn't photograph the stamping of the frame as the light was fading. I hope this has given a little insight into the making of this project.

Thank you so much for visiting today, Debbie xx

Saturday 4 January 2014

Fairy Calendar a work in progress project

During the summer the Chocolate Baroque Design Team were sent the most beautiful fairy stamp sets. I set too with a large project of making a calendar. The pages are made from backing papers from the Artylicious Essence of Nature CD. A favourite of mine, I was present when the CD arrived at the old unit and help to pack them, it was great fun. I played about on the computer and found a free calendar and made each page and printed onto light weight card. I started with September so I could start using it straight away. Here are the photo's so far.






As you'll see I haven't got any further than March's picture but intend to finish before I turn the page.


Thanks for visiting

Debbie

Friday 3 January 2014

Tranquil Tags

Happy New Year and all the best for the coming year.

I have made a couple of tag cards from the firstly Tranquility Stamps and any one with an eagle eye will spot I mixed the wording up on them, so sorry if I've confused. The two sets work so beautifully together it's hard not to use a combination of both.


I started with stamping the Buddha Lady sitting on the stones with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured her with Alcohol Pens. I then cut a paper circle to mask a moon and laid over the image. Tumbled Glass Distress Ink was used for the sky and I was careful to not put to much ink over the area already coloured. The branches from the tree on the Serenity set is ideal for framing the scene.


The second tag is made from stamps from the Serenity set. Again, I started by stamping the main images of the water flowers and the lantern and coloured with pens. For the water and hills I used torn paper as masks with sponges and various colours of distress inks. I love the moon rising against a pink/blue sky of a sunset.

Many thanks for visiting. Debbie

Wednesday 1 January 2014

Happy 2014


I haven't done a resolution for a few years now and don't intend to, they always have a feeling of disappointment about them. I think that tells I have no will power what so ever. I've put a little thought into my two words for 2014 and have chosen 'Be Good'. I intend to interpret be good in lots of ways, 'be good choosing what I eat,' 'be good at all I do,' 'be good to others,' I think you might get my drift.

I love all things craft and have a few unfinished projects on the go that are pick up on an evening things. I'm making a rag rug, a knitted blanket and intend to make a new quilt for our king size bed.
Here are photos of a few projects from 2013

A birthday lap quilt


A tote bag


A lunch bag gift


A baby boy quilt


Another baby boy quilt


An Advent calendar


I also intend to keep my newly refurbished craft room floor tidy this year.

Best wishes for 2014

Debbie xxx