Monday 28 April 2014

What do you use your brayer for??

Materials used:-
Creative Palette from Stampendous
Stampendous NKCRS02 Wired
Stampendous M178 Poppy Stems
Brilliance Graphite Black
Versafine Vintage Sepia
Basil 12 x 12 paper
White scrapbook paper
Pewter brads
Burlap ribbon
All available from:-
Your local Exmouth stockist is:-
How many of us have a brayer tucked away in our crafty drawers which rarely sees the light of day? I know mine didn't until my recent love affair with the Creative Palette by Stampendous. In case you're not familiar with the CP it's great for mono printing.
 
My scrapbook layout this week is my small commemoration to the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War 1. The photos which you see here are of my great uncles (my grandmother's brothers) both of whom sadly did not return. I inherited a big tin of really old & fascinating photos when my father died so it was lovely to be able to use them at last.
 
Anyway I digress! I have printed the background to the photos using the Creative Palette & acrylic paints. When absolutely dry I have over printed  using the "Wired" stamp set which has great textures for this kind of design. The poppy stamp has been used on the piece by Rupert Brooke & it's quite an old Stampendous wooden mounted stamp but is still available in a cling version. As you can see I have torn all the edges & sponged with Graphite black & Vintage sepia before attaching to the green Basil card. The embellishments come from Woodware's pewter brads & the new Burlap ribbon.
 
Here's a step by step guide to how I achieved the background prior to over stamping 

I always place the Palette onto newspaper- I'm so messy!! 

Next add small amounts of acrylic paint
& spread over the entire Creative Palette
with the brayer.

Press some large bubble wrap onto the paint
to remove some of it
 

This is how it will look when you remove the
wrap- work quickly acrylics dry soon! 

Press your card firmly over the paint

Peel the card away to reveal the print

You can add more layers & textures until you are
happy with the result
 

The finished print before over printing, sponging
edges & tearing. 

Thursday 24 April 2014

Bubble Blooms demo at Japonica

 
It was my turn to demo at Japonica today & I was using Jane Gill's Bubble Bloom stamps "Constance" & "Clarissa" but trying to give them a slightly different look. here's what I came up with.
 
I've added some punched daisies, Candis, Elements, yellow Stickles, & Liquid Pearls. the background for the card blank comes from a Perfect Print paper pad "Saffon"
 

Here I've simply stamped straight onto a white linen card blank & coloured with Sakura Gelly Roll Glaze pens adding crystal glitter as I worked.

Lastly this one has been stamped onto black card using a white inkpad & filled with the bright, glittery Candy Bonbons.

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Blue is the Colour

Materials used:-
Dreamweaver stencil LG615 Large Vase  
Dreamweaver Glossy Blue &  Crackle embossing pastes
JGS 341 Mini Flowers
Woodware & Magenta 12 x 12 papers
Versafine Majestic Blue
Splendor inkpad Antique
Cotton ribbon - blue
Stickles Waterfall
A5 blue card blank
All available from:-
Your local Exmouth stockist is:-
 
We're all blue this week but not feeling it!! As Jan at Japonica has recently become an accredited Dreamweaver tutor (well done Jan!) we're really getting into all things Dreamweaver at Japonica & loving the results. It's been great to get out my stencils & dust them off & I've learned so many new techniques from Jan's recent demos.
 
Here I have used blue glossy paste with the stencil for the  base for my vase & when it was completely dry I put the stencil back in place & applied a thin layer of the Crackle paste. As it dries the cracks begin to reveal themselves like magic! When all was thoroughly dry I again put stencil back in place & applied a little shading to the edges of the vase using the silver square from the Splendor inkpad (these pads have 12 different mini pads so perfect for colouring stencil work). I then cut out my vase & mounted onto my prepared card blank - you may want to use extra strength d/s tape for this to hold it really flat. As you will see I have randomly stamped one of the flowers from the Mini Flowers set all over the background of the card. I have then stamped the other flowers onto the various papers using Majestic Blue. Now cut out &arrange your flowers in your vase using 3d foam pads.To finish I have used a length of the new cotton ribbon from Woodware which has a distressed, shabby look to it  & I have just highlighted the flowers with some Stickles. 
 
 

Saturday 19 April 2014

CARD MAKING MARATHON" A fun day filled with all things crafty ladies (and gents) love!  Debbie and Jan will provide inspiration, deliscious cakes & make the tea for you, whilst you simply enjoy your favourite card projects."
On       Sat June 28th 2014
At        Glenorchy Church Hall, Exeter Rd, Exmouth
Time   1pm til 6pm (Afternoon tea served around 3pm)
Cost     £30  (deposit of £10 will secure your place)

INCLUDES:-
*  20 projects planned and designed by Japonicajan and CraftyDebs.
                 (you can make as many as you like)
*  Afternoon tea (incl Sandwiches, Cream/scones/jam & cakes.)
*  ALL RESOURCES needed to complete projects ie card, inks, stamps embellishments etc.
*  Handouts, samples for your guidance, NO TUITION but we will be there to guide you where
               necessary.

BRING YOUR OWN:-
* Craft tools -dsa tape, trimmer or knife/mat, pencil/ruler.

CONTACT:-
Jan or Debbie at JAPONICA, 22 The Parade, Exmouth Devon
Tel 01395 271739 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 01395 271739 FREE  end_of_the_skype_highlighting
E: janetcaudrelier@msn.com


 

Wednesday 16 April 2014

April's Sketch Challenge

Materials used:-
Stampendous Creative Palette
Stampendous CRV237 Lone Bird
Stampendous Jumbo Cling CRS5029
Silhouette Songbird
Artemio Music Score (10006029)
Versafine Onyx Black
3mm & 5mm s/a black pearls
8" x 8" card blank
Acrylic paints
All available from:-
Your Exmouth stockist is:-
Time for this month's sketch challenge & I have been putting the prints I produced a few weeks ago using the Creative Palette to good use. I have stamped using the Stampendous Lone Bird & the sentiment from the Silhouette Songbird set. I have also randomly stamped the Music Score on the background & panels of the sketch. The print using the creative Palette was made using the Jumbo Peony set. To finish add the pearls
 Here's a closer look. 
 
#
 
And here are the 3 prints which I have used in the sketch.








Here's the sketch why not play along
 
 
 

Thursday 10 April 2014

Sweet Dreams

Materials used:-
Stampendous HHCQ03 Jelly Bean Nap
FRCL166 Patchwork Alphabet
Sakura Gelly Glaze pens
Versafine Onyx Black
Organza ribbons lemon, shocking pink
pale green & terracotta spotty
6" x 6" white card blank
All available from:-
Your local Exmouth stockist is:-
 
We're answering the challenge of another of Woodware's lovely retailers this week, Nina Creativity Cards from Eastbourne. The theme is "Sweet Dreams" & I have taken it literally with this cute HouseMouse design from Stampendous- if anyone's having sweet dreams he certainly is!! I've stamped with Versafine coloured the mouse with pencils & the jelly beans & letters with Sakura Glaze pens. As you can see I have cut out the individual letters & mounted with foam pads. To finish I have put lengths of 4 different coloured ribbons together to tie a big frothy bow.
 
You can see Nina's card on the Creativity Cards and Craft Blog
 
You can also find Creativity Cards and Craft on Facebook.
 
 

Monday 7 April 2014

Nature- Sunday Stamper Challenge

 
I've indulged my addiction for decorating boxes again this week (I will do something different soon I promise!!). This started life as a sweetie box my mum had for Christmas. Now she knows me so well that nothing goes in the bin without checking first that is isn't craft worthy! I saw straight away that this little beauty had potential.
I've stamped a piece of scrapbook paper ( you know from the pile what might come in handy some day!!) using the Stampendous Butterfly Post & I've shaded the image with some Distress markers in Milled Lavender & Tumbled Glass. I've also shaded the corners of the paper with Weathered Wood, Tumbled Glass & Milled Lavender- the stamping was done with Seedless Preserves. I've added some paper roses, punched leaves, some lace, pearls & a lacy die cut butterfly. Here's a look at the side of the box. 
 


Friday 4 April 2014

Only Words

Materials used:-
FRS149 Always Remember
Dreamweaver stencil LX7014 Daisy Background
Splendour inkpad -Circus
Dreamweaver matt white stencil paste
Brilliance Graphite Black
A5 Craft card blank
Mark Richards copper Nailheads
Key Lime Liquid Pearls
Black card
All available from:-
Your Exmouth stockist is:-
 
Sometimes the main focus of a card needs to be the wording if we are trying to send reassuring or comforting wishes. I have chosen "Always Remember" one of the new season's single stamps from Francoise Read  as I think this phrase just says it all for someone who is having a tough time. I have used a Dreamweaver stencil for my background with matt white embossing paste. When the paste is completely dry I have replaced the stencil & applied colours from the Splendour inkpad using a small stencil brush & I have picked out the centres of each flower with Liquid Pearls  If you're not familiar with these pads they have no less than 12 colours in small square individual pads so ideal for stencil work.I have used the stencil again on the card blank to softly add some pattern. Just layer both pieces onto black card & add some Nailheads to finish. 

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Keepsake Box

 
If you've got a box- decorate it!! This started life as a plain old delivery box. Here you'll see Tim Holz Distress inks ( Tea Dye, Wild Honey, Vintage Photo &  Antique Linen) Tim Holz Tattered Florals & Leaves & Hardware Findings dies, Cuttlebug corner die, Woodware  Vive le Plume clear stamp, a script embossing folder, enamelling via the Melt Pot , buttons & corrugated paper. 
 
I started by  completely inking the box with the Distress inks & stamping parts of it. I also added  pieces of torn embossed card & the inked corrugated paper. For the top of the box I die cut the leaves dipped them into the Melt Pot & then popped them onto a Molding mat (Clearsnap) for the texturing. The butterfly was made from a Martha Stewart silicone mould a mix of embossing powders & a light dusting of Mica powder. The flowers are die cut from an old dictionary & stained with distress inks. Add the lock & hinges & just go mad & put it all together!
 
Here's a side view
 
 
 
The original box