Crazy Critter Monsters

If you haven't seen them yet, you must go and look at the fabulous new Zinski Art stamps over at Paper Artsy!  I am just a little bit in love with these amazing and quirky stamps.

They were ideal for the birthday card for a very amazing little girl.  This is the card that I made.

The background is a 2nd generation Gelli print that I had in my stash.  This was cut and added to a 5x5 card blank and a scribbled border drawn around.

The images were cut and then painted in random quirky colours using Prima watercolours and then some pencil shading added.  These were cut out and added to the card blank.

A simple greeting was added to finish.

Very simple but very quirky and fun!

Thanks for looking.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas.....

Now I can't stop singing the song in my head!  It's official - Michael Buble's Christmas album is loaded into the CD player of my car!

I thought I would share one of the Christmas designs that I have made
for my cards this year. 

I actually started these cards before the Alcohol Ink challenge on the Paper Artsy blog.  And I had such fun making them.

The background is created using alcohol ink.  It's been so long since I used them - I had forgotten how fabulous they are!

I then stamped the large background snowflake from JOFY for Paper Artsy - this is an amazing stamp!  I stamped in different ways so that the cards were all slightly different - some were stamped in white, others in blue.  Some were embossed and others had a ghosting image where I removed the ink leaving the white background.

The snowman was stamped and coloured using Prima watercolours.  This was mounted and added to the card and a scribbled border created around the edges.

To finish I stamped a sentiment and added a few gems.

I also created some in a landscape design too:

These were really great fun to make.... mainly due to the amazing stamps designed by Jo Firth-Young!

It certainly got me into the Christmas card making frame of mind that had disappeared this year.

Thanks for looking....

All You Need Is Love

In October we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary (15th!!!  I know!!!)

I waned to put a bit more effort into an anniversary card and used some of the techniques that I learnt from the Seth Apter workshop that I was lucky to attend in September.

This is the finished card

To start the card I created a Gelli print background using a 6x6 Gelli plate, Fresco Finish paints and a Dina Wakely stencil.  This is the print that I pulled from the plate:

Next, I set to work with a pink Posca pen and drew around each shape that made up the hearts.  This took forever but I think was worth it!

The next step was to highlight some of these shapes with a white Posca pen in order to make the heart stand out a bit more.  You can actually see the difference in the next photo as I remembered to take a quick snap before I highlighted the heart in the top right corner.

This is how it looked with all of the hearts highlighted...

I then cut the print to size and added it to a grey card blank.

The main images were stamped onto the second print that I pulled from the Gelli plate.  These were cut out and added to the card.

To finish I scribbled and added a greeting and seam binding.

I was really pleased how this turned out.... so much so.... I created a page in my small journal:

The 'how to' for this journal page is very similar to the card and so I won't go through the steps again.  I had great fun creating these.  And actually found it very therapeutic.  I even remembered to pack the card to take to Portugal as we celebrated our anniversary while we were there!

Thanks for looking....

Mini Journal Play Time

Today I am sharing the pages that I have created in my mini journal over the last few months.

This first page was created by brayering Fresco Finish paints.  I then stamped various shapes over the pages.

Next, I created a border using a That's Crafty stencil and Little Black Dress Fresco paint.

The main image is a Trish Latimer 'Word Girl' stamp that was coloured using Polychromo pencils and then added to the page. 

I finished the page by adding a Tim Holtz quote and scribbling in white marker.

This journal page was again started by brayering Fresco Finish paints. and stamping shapes.

The border was created using a JOFY mini stamp - this is sooooo useful!

The main image is from Kaisercraft - I love this cat - he reminds me of my Sid with a look on his face as though he hasn't been up to anything!  This was stamped and coloured, then cut out and added to the page.

I stamped the Tim Holtz quote - this is a great quote.

To finish, I added shading, scribbling and little doodles!

My final page was really just me playing around - and I actually like it so thought I would share it!

I started this page by stamping various Tracy Scott Paper Artsy stamps. 

I then started to colour these in using Prima watercolours (I have a slight addiction to these).

Once I was happy I coloured in the background in a random and not perfect fashion.

To finish, I added a scribbled border, highlights and little scribbles.

I really like my mini journal - it's such a great size.

Thanks for looking....

How Can It Be December Already!!

I honestly can't believe how quickly this year has gone!  I have been a bad blogger and not shared anything for a long time - I just lose track!

So, I thought I would share some male cards that I have made over the last few months.

The first card that I am showing is the card that I made for Dan's birthday. I wanted to keep this quite simple so that the main car image stood out.

I created a card blank using black card and stamped the cog stamp from Tim Holtz in white Archival in 2 corners.

For the other corners I cut up mart of a masterboard that I had created using Fresco Finish paints and Seth Apter stamps and stencils/

The main image was stamped in Archival and them distressed, mounted onto black card and then onto the card blank.

To finish, I added metal embellishments.

Next, is a card that I made for a friend's birthday:

I added different layers to the card blank. 

The main image, from Tim Holtz, was stamped in Archival and then a wash of Gold watercolour was added.  The numbers were also coloured in Gold watercolour.

The final card to share uses one of my favourite ever stamps which I never get bored of using:

This Paper Artsy 'Gentleman' image is just timeless.  I adore it!

I covered the card blank using a painted masterboard.

The image was stamped and mounted onto card before attaching to the card blank.

The Greeting was die cut and added. I created shadow around it to make it pop.

So.... that's what I have been up to over the last few months!!

Thanks for looking.....

Many Happy Returns

A couple of weeks ago it was a friend, Lewis', birthday.  Lewis is a cat lover and so I knew exactly what stamps to use for his card.

I started off by creating a masterboard using Fresco Finish paints, stencils and gesso.

I cut this up and layered it onto black card.

I die cut a Tim Holtz frame in black and adhered this to the centre of the card.  I added crackle glaze to the frame but unfortunately you can't see it very clearly in the photo.

The cat was stamped and coloured.  It was then cut out and adhered into the middle of the frame.

To finish I added blue gems to one corner.

I really enjoyed making this card!!

Journal Swap

For the next page of Darcy's journal she asked me to create a page using my favourite song words or poem.

Anyone that knows me will know that I am a huge Robbie Williams fan.  And one of my favourite songs is 'Come Undone'.

I spent a couple of days trying to think about how I could transform this into a journal page..... then it hit me!  I had some zip ribbon in my stash - and that this would be perfect.

I started by adding torn music tissue paper onto the journal page.

Next I brayered various Fresco Finish paints onto the page in Blues and Snowflake.

Following this I added lots of stamping and marks.

I then added the zip and more tissue paper (as seen in the photo above).

Next I started to add a black music border around the edge. 

I used a Carabelle Studio stencil to add the Title of the song.

You can see the difference between the first 2 photos.

To finish I gathered my paint pens and started to add music notes, splatters and doodling, as well as adding some of the lyrics around the page.

This is my finished page - very different to the first photo!

I enjoyed creating this page for Darcy and hope she likes it!

Thanks for looking.......

Mark Making In My Mini Journal

I wanted to craft in my small journal and thought I would continue with the mark making theme.

I brayered the page using Guacamole, Mermaid and Buff. 

Next I used a Paper Artsy Ink and Dog mini brickwork stamp and stamped around the page in Shadow Grey Archival ink.

Next I stamped, coloured and cut out the pussycat (how cute is this image).  I glued this onto the bricks.

The Tim Holtz stamp was stamped in black Archival.

I used a mini JOFY stamp and stamped around the edge of the page.

After this I went to town with mark making!  I drew lines around the border and quote.  I added marks to some of the bricks.  I drew scribbles, splatted paint and I squiggled.  As well as adding words that describe what the quote means to me!

I found doing this page very therapeutic.  It was great fun.

I am submitting this to the Paper Artsy mark making challenge.

Mark Making Using Tracy Scott Paper Artsy Stamps

The topic of the fortnight over at Paper Artsy is mark making.  The examples of different types of mark making are fabulous. 

I have recently bought the new Tracy Scott stamps and Prima watercolours and so set about having a play with them.  I decided to add some mark making to my play!

I started off by creating a layered paint background so that I could practice some of the techniques that I learnt.

I then stamped the largest stamp in Tracy's sets and filled the blank space in using the others, including adding a border.

Next, I started to colour and shade the images using Prima watercolours. 

Once this was dry I set to work with various paint pens to create my 'marks' - this includied line drawing, squiggles and writing.

I really enjoyed this so I decided to play some more!

This time I stamped the mages in Archival ink.  Once heat set I randomly painted around them in watercolour and painted inside the images.

Once this was dry I took out my paint markers and doodles and made marks around the page. 

A very simple page but I like the burst of colour and the way some of the marks make the images stand out more.

So..... this is my submission for marking!  Thanks for looking.....

Mixed Media Mash-Up With Seth Apter

Last week I attended a Seth Apter workshop that had been planned by Paper Artsy.  It was such an amazing day.

I thought that I liked to layer, but I have never layered so much in my life.... I kept thinking it wasn't going to work but did! 

I won't go through all of the techniques used but took some photos throughout the day to see some of the stages of my project.

This was my first second layer (first being Buff Fresco).  We were so lucky that we were able to use the new Seth Apter Fresco paints - I am hooked - totally amazing colours!

I thought I had lost it at this point!

Then more layers were added...

This is a close up of the previous photo:

I thought that at this stage I was happy!  And that was it.... but Seth said that 'More is More'...

I finished most of the project during the class. This is a photo of us all with our 'almost finished' pieces....

At home I finished off using paint pens to outline and add marks to my project.  This is the final work...

I am delighted at how this turned out.  I learnt so much during the class.  Thank you so much to Paper Artsy and to Seth for such an amazing day.  It was a blast - and I can't wait for the next one!!

Thanks for looking.......

Love Is In The Air!

There have been a lot of weddings and anniversaries to celebrate.  Here are the cards that O have made for them....

These first 2 cards are identical apart from the background papers used.  For these I used the lovely Paper Artsy Sara Naumann stamps, which I have stamped in Archival ink and coloured using Fresco Finish paints.

For this card I used a Stampin Up die and matching stamp set.  I kept the colours quite plain and elegant,

Aside from this I am busy creating wedding invites!!  I won't share these until they are in the hands of the bride!!

Thanks for looking.....

Mini Journal Fun!

I have caught the journal bug big style recently.

I have my usual large journal on the go.  Darcy then asked me to do a journal swap with her (which I jumped at) and then I found small Cath Kidston journals less than half price in the local shop.  They are really cute too - scalloped edges!

I started off by gluing pages together to strengthen them.

I then couldn't wait to start creating.  Here is my first page.

I started by lightly misting the page and sprinkling it with Infusions.  I am still totally in love with these.  I dried this with a heat tool because I am far too impatient!!

Next I started to stamp various Everything Art Paper Artsy stamps in Archival ink across the background.

The main image was stamped onto card stock and coloured using Polychromos.  I glued it to my page and then went around it using a black pencil.

In order to make the quote stand out I used a dab of stone paint and spread it over an area big enough for the quote.  Once dry I stamped the quote in Archival ink and rubbed a black border around it with my finger.

I then started to scribble and draw with a black fine liner.

To finish, I added a crown which I distressed with a bit of black paint.

I am really happy with the end result.  A great first page in my new small journal!

Thanks for looking.....

Male Birthday Celebrations

I have had quite a few male birthdays to create cards for recently.

Here are some of my makes:

Firstly is this card that I made for our nephew, Thomas.

I decorated a card blank with background paper.  I stamped some of the fab small images on the JoFy stamp set.

The 'boy' was stamped and coloured using Polychromos.  It was then cut out and mounted onto a stitched oval die cut.

To finish I added a lovely polka dot ribbon.

I simply love this card!!

Next is the card that I made for our nephew, James.  James turned 16 this year - goodness knows where the time has gone!

I mounted various papers onto black card. 

The main image was stamped onto distressed paper and the greeting was stamped and punched out.

I then layered it altogether until I was happy with the finished card.

Next is the card that I created for our Brother-in-law.  I actually used stitching on this card (yes, I know!!).  I used my old favourite Jalopy stamp for this.

Finally is the card that I created for our friend, Piers. 

Here I assembled various background papers.

I stamped the Tim Holtz cogs in the new Wendy Vecchi Shadow Grey Archival ink (my new favourite).  I then stamped the vintage car over the cogs in coffee Archival.

I finished the card with black gems.

So..... there they are!! 

Unlike most people I love  creating male cards!!

Thanks for looking......

Any Reason To Craft!

Crafters look for any reason to craft!

So.... my husband has been busy planning a huge car meet and all of the money raised will be going to a very deserving charity.

In conversation I asked him if he had created tickets yet - the answer, no - so I jumped at the chance to create them for him.  I wanted to keep it simple due to the volume being created.  Here are my tickets for his event....

The ticket strips were die cut from a Tim Holtz die.

Next, I stamped small car images that I purchased from Victorine Originals (American company) some years ago.  I have used these stamps so many times - I love them.  These were stamped in Archival ink.

Next I set about colouring them with watercolour pencils.  The colouring isn't amazing but fine for the tickets.

All 330 tickets are unique and hand made!  I must admit I am really pleased with the outcome.  Dan was really pleased too!

Journal Swap

I have completed my next journal page in the swap with Darcy.  This page took me a couple of weeks to complete - I started when I had a really heavy cold and had to keep painting over the page because I couldn't get anything to work and didn't like what I did!!

While trying to get it completed, Paper Artsy released their latest JoFY stamps.... well.... what can I say?!  Totally, totally love them!  And the ideas started to flow!!

Here is my page:

I started off by creating a brayered background.  I apologise that I can't remember what colours I used but I think it was tinned peas, guacamole, granny smith, glass blue.

I used the Paper Artsy Darcy stencil to create blades of grass and tone in the grassy section.  I also stencilled longer grasses on the page.

Next I stamped the JoFY stamps in black Archival ink.  I decided to colour them using Polychromos and set about colouring until I was happy (I could colour non-stop!).

Following this I used a Darcy stencil to create a torn edge around the page.

The Tim Holtz stamp quote was stamped onto old music paper and then cut out and added to the page.

To finish I added white details and wording in areas on the page about things that I love.

I am happy with the finished result!!

Paper Artsy #3Up Infusion Fun

Before I start, I hope you've got a cuppa - it's quite a long blog post with loads of photos!!

It's #3Up week at Paper Artsy this week.... basically - a lucky few of us are picked to create a project to be shown on the Paper Artsy blog. 

I was one of the lucky few.  My task was to create a project using the fabulous Infusions and some stamps that Leandra would send to us.

Here are the stamps that I received:

I know, right!  How generous!  They were all pre-loved but in perfect working order!

So, I racked my brain and eventually decided to create a little atc book - I had some canvas atc's and thought that they would work well with infusions.

Before setting out to create my project I had a wonderful crafty day with my bestie, Caz.... we tried Infusions with lots of different mediums and in different ways so that I could choose what to use.

To start the project I gesso'd both sides of every atc so that the infusions would have something to 'grip' to and not just sink into the material.

I decided that I would cover the backgrounds using 2 Infusions techniques.

Firstly, I applied them with a brayer:

I liked this technique because it looks quite distressed!  To brayer them I sprinkled the Infusions onto a craft sheet, sprayed a small amount of water and them brayered like I would with paint or ink.

This is a close up of one of them:

For the opposite sides I applied the Infusions with Paper Artsy Satin medium:

To do this I sprinkled the Infusions direct to the atc and then brushed satin medium up and down to cover the atc.

Next I set about using the fabulous stamps.  I wanted them to blend into the background and look printed but knew that this might be tricky on canvas.  Instead I stamped onto tissue paper using Archival inks:

I also used another technique by sprinkling infusions directly onto tissue paper, activating them with water and then drying.  I then stamped in Archival ink:

Once I had created enough stamped images I tore around them and started to apply them to the canvas atcs using Matte Medium.

Following this I decided to try another Infusions technique! This time I wanted to create a Grunge flower.

I used the Paper Artsy Grunge Flower die to cut out 8 flowers from tissue paper. 

I positioned the flowers so that they overlapped and then added a brad to the centre.

Then the fun started!

I started with the top flower.  I sprinkled Infusions onto the flower, sprayed it with water than scrunched it up to the middle.  I did the same using another colour of Infusions and alternated until all of the flowers were coloured, wet and scrunched.

At this point you could leave it to dry naturally - but I'm impatient! LOL!! So I started to dry it with a heat gun and as each flower dried I unfolded it.

This is the result:

I was really happy with this and it felt like a dried flower!

(Hope you're still with me and not asleep!).

To finish I then embellished all of the pages and added my flower to the front.

The final technique was ribbon.

Here I cut white seam binding and wondered what it would be like to colour with infusions!

I sprinkled the Infusion powder onto my craft mat and sprinkled with water.

I then scrunched the seam binding into the water until it was covered. I then dried this with my heat gun:

Phew!! So - that's how I made my project!

So - what did it actually look like??

Here are the pictures of each page.....

The front:

Inner pages:

Back page:

So - that's my project!! And I really enjoyed creating it!

Pop over to the Paper Artsy blog to see the other fabulous creations from fellow #3Upers!

Thanks for being patient with my blog post!  Thanks for looking!!