A CAS Christmas

Hi, now I've started my Xmas cards I'm feeling a bit more motivated to carry on.  I've decided that clean & simple is the way to go because; a) CAS cards look elegant (I don't generally do CAS but everyone else's look elegant), and b) as they take less time (I'm presuming) therefore I'll get more done!

Here's the first couple I made using Stampin' Up's Dasher - this is the only SU stamp I own, and he's kicking off my Xmas collection with some gilding flakes which I bought at Port Sunlight in October - they contain the most beautiful metallic colours, such as blues, greens, coppers, golds, oranges, etc. :

A tent card

A close up to try to show the colours

and one of the others:

A side opening card

I used Indigo Blu Flitter Glu with the gilding flakes - the Flitter Glu gives a lovely, clean finish.  It's the tackiest stuff I've ever used - I nearly couldn't get the lid off, lol (I must be less messy in future).  The sentiment is stamped and gilded in the same way, and a hole has been punched and some ribbon threaded through and tied.

Get Creative are asking for cards made using just two stamps, so I am going to enter my cards into their challenge, as I've used the same two stamps on each card.  I'm also going to enter the Really Reasonable Ribbons' current challenge of CAS Christmas plus Ribbon, and PanPastel are looking for Fireworks/Exploding Colours in their current challenge so I'm entering before it closes, as my gilding flakes have the most beautiful, bright, shiny colours.

I hope you like them - there will be more gilding flake creations making an appearance over the next few weeks, of that I'm certain!

Maria x

At Last - Christmas Cards

Well, tag cards - close enough!  Hello!  As Christmas is almost upon us (or it feels like it!), I thought I should make a start, so I've made a couple of cards for the other two finance ladies I work with - they will be pleased, as they never got one at all last year (I was sooo late)!!!

I made these tags using Tim H's technique highlighted in the 12 Tags Of Christmas 2009, Day 7, and featured at Studio L3 last week - thank you Linda, I've not seen the 12 tags of Xmas before!  I really wanted to play in this challenge, but was too late unfortunately.  I've used the same technique on both tags, detailed step-by-step in the link above, however I used acetate to make the mask and sprayed a little stick n spray on back, as I don't have the proper TH mask sheets.

Tag Card #1

After stamping the image, I stamped flourishes with acrylic paint, added lighter shades of DI, masked main image and added darker shades of DI, stamped background text then blotted acrylic flourishes with damp tissue.  I stamped the sentiment with Versamark and embossed in a gold metallic.

Tag Card # 2

Both tags have been mounted onto Kraft cardstock which I've cut to size and inked the edges.

The main image is from  Crafty Individuals, the background scrip/text stamp is from an Andy Skinner set called Simply Angelic from the Craft-Room, and the flourishes are from La Blanche.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Card #1:   Do You Stack Up - A Splash of Blue,  The Artistic Stamper - Backgrounds,
Tando Creative Challenges - Blue and Brown


 Card #2:  Art Impressions Stamps - Red, Green & Metallic, Card and Scrap - Traditional Christmas Colours, The Artistic Stamper - Backgrounds

I'm off the mark at last (apart from making the envelopes!)!!!

I hope you like them.

Maria x

Another Postcard!

Hi, a very short post tonight!  I've promised my daughter that we'll sit down and watch a film together tonight so I'm racing to get everything done that I need to, including scheduling this post.

In keeping with the Craft-Room Challenge, here is the other postcard that I made over the weekend:

I used DIs on the cream patterned oriental background paper, then some further DIs through masks.  As I'm really starting to enjoy stamping onto tissue and layering onto my project (I can see lots of benefits to this!),  I stamped the building, sentiments and six flowers onto tissue then carefully layered them on using Ranger Glue & Seal Matte (I love this stuff!), arranging three flowers in opposite corners.  I coloured the flowers with Worn Lipstick DI and added some gems (not too sure about the gems).  The centre image has been stamped in Jet Black Stazon onto previously alcohol inked glossy card - the background is pale pink/purple but this doesn't show up too good in the photo - then matted & layered twice and adhered to the postcard.

Stamps are by Paperartsy (Ink & the Dog) - Asian Plate 4

I'd like to enter this into The Stamp Man Challenge Collage/Collage Backgrounds, Happy Daze Challenge - An Explosion of Colour, and Let's Ink It Up - Favourite Technique.

This is a lot more colourful than my usual projects as I love very soft & muted colours, but I hope you like it!

Enjoy the rest of the week!

Maria x

Travel/Postcards - Craft-Room Challenge DT Project

Hi, such fabulous entries into the Father/Male challenge over at the Craft-Room Challenge, however it's onto the next one already!  That was a quick two weeks!

The theme for the next fortnight has been chosen by the very talented Debi and it is "Travel/Postcards".  There's a £10 voucher for Craft-Room up for grabs in the random draw and, as usual, we will pick a top 3. 

I was bit thrown by this challenge as I don't really have any travel stamps as such.  As tempted as I was to jump in the car and head down the M60 to Hobbycraft, I decided to try to be creative and use what I already have - a challenge in itself, lol, and that's what it's all about (i told myself bravely)!  This is what I came up with:

and this is how I made it:

Using a collage style paper from GCD Paris Nights as the first layer, I mounted it onto a piece of chipboard to make it easier to work with.  I then added some Old Paper DI then, using a small amount of cream acrylic paint, swiped inwards from the edges to give it a bit of a faded look, and also to pick up some of the linen effect of the paper.  I stamped the car directly onto this, and then stamped the guy with the brolly, the champagne label, the harlequin pattern and "enjoy the journey" onto tissue paper, which I adhered using Ranger Glue & Seal Matte.  I tried to position Brolly Man looking at the Eiffel Tower.  I then cut out a few pieces off the same collage paper and added this on top.  I also stamped a little quote, again onto tissue paper, which says "artistically altered", and positioned this on top of the car, and a little cream broderie anglaise to soften the look a bit.  I tissue taped a bulldog clip and positioned at the top.

I did make another (completely different) postcard, but will save that for tomorrow!

Please check out the samples by the rest of the team for inspiration as they are truly stunning.

I'd like to enter this into Squiggle Stamps - Anything But A Card, The Culture Shock Challenge - Umbrellas,  & Deep Ocean Challenge - Vintage.

Have fun, and I look forward to visiting you.

Maria x

"Thru the Window" in Coffee & Cream, with a hint of dark chocolate!

Hi, thankfully the weekend's here at last!  Friday evenings are the best, when you've got the whole weekend to look forward to!  I'd like to share a door hanger with you, which I've made over the last couple of nights and would like enter it into the Fashionable Stamping Challenge before it closes, as I love the theme of their challenge at the moment.

I wanted to try out some Mica Tiles which were a bargain buy many moons ago, but I really didn't have a clue what to do with them, so I decided to have a play and see what I could create, and this is what I came up with:

The door hanger was painted in brown acrylic then swiped over with cream acrylic.  I stamped the text in Timber Brown Stazon, sealed with Ranger Glue & Seal Matte, then added a little of various distress inks with Cut n Dry.

For the image, I covered white cardstock with Antique Linen Distress Ink and stamped the image using Timber Brown Stazon.  I coloured it with neat distress re-inkers (I sooo love colouring with these!) in various brown & cream shades.  I wanted to try and create an illusion of "night time outside" and depth so I added a very small amount of distress ink in the window area with a cotton bud, then placed a piece of Mica Tile over the image and went around the area I wanted the tile to fit into with a pokey tool, to gently break it in the right place.  Once this was done, I adhered it using glossy accents.  It's finished off with a silver star charm alcohol inked in shades of brown, some lace, and various bits n bobs in different shades of brown or cream.
Rubber Stamp from Crafty Individuals, Distress Inks & Alcohol Inks from Craft-Room, Door Hanger from Wilkinsons

I would like to enter my door hanger into the following challenges:-

The Fashionable Stamping Challenge - Coffee & Cream with a Hint of Dark Chocolate
Addicted To Stamps - Shabby, Shabby Chic, or Vintage
Come and Get It - Anything Goes
Stamps and Fun = Creativity - Vintage
Bearly Mine Challenges - Anything But A Card
Creatalicious Challenges: Distress Your Edges
Whimsy Inspirations Challenge - Monochromatic
Crafty Individuals Challenge - Winter Wonderland

Thanks for visiting, and have a lovely weekend!

Maria x

Craft-Room Challenge - Father/Male

Hiya!  Beautiful Black & White entries last week over at the Craft-Room Challenge - as always it will be so difficult to choose a top 3!  However, it's time to move onto the next challenge, the theme of which has been chosen by the very talented Mervi, and the theme is "Father or Male".  As always there will be a Top 3, and a random winner will be chosen to win a £10 voucher for spending on goodies at the Craft-Room Online Shop. 

I'm sure I'm not alone in struggling when it comes to making a card or project for a guy!  In the end, I chose to make a paperweight for my brother's upcoming birthday in December:

I used the wooden block from an old mounted rubber stamp (which I will now need to mount on EZ mount!), and painted it a couple of times with brown acrylic then, once dry, a layer of the amazing Eco-Green Glue, then a layer of cream acrylic.  I used a heat gun (from a distance) to slowly dry it and it crackled!  This is a technique that I don't have much luck with!!!  Once dry, a layer of Glue & Seal Matte, then the CI image & sentiment were stamped onto tissue then laid onto the wet glue, and brushed over with more Glue and Seal.  A couple of further coats of G & S , then I coloured the image with neat distress reinkers, added a cog with attached word tiles and a zipper pull coloured with a bit of alcohol ink (to make it look a bit rusty).  I went around the edge of the block with a little frayed burlap, then a little metallic rub on.  My aim was to make it look as aged and old as possible!

I chose the image because my brother always looks after my springer spaniel Jack when I go on holiday - Jack adores him and follows him everywhere!  I hope he likes it, because if he doesn't, he's getting nothing else!!!

Eco-Green Paint, Cog, Alcohol Ink and Distress Re-inkers are from Craft-Room, Stamp is from Crafty Individuals and Metallic Rub On is from Happy Daze.

I did enjoy making this and that crackle is definitely a challenge for me!  Check out the projects by the rest of the Design Team for inspiration as they are fabulous!

I am entering my paperweight into the following challenges:-

Fashionable Stamping Challenge: Coffee and Cream with Dark Chocolate
StampsFun=Creativity: Vintage
Stamps R Us Challenge Blog: Masculine
Addicted To Stamps: Shabby, Shabby Chic or Vintage
Pan Pastel UK:  Distress It
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle: Monochromatic
Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Anything Goes
Moving Along With The Times: No Girls Allowed

Have fun, I hope you like it and I look forward to visiting you to see your fabulous creations.

Maria x