Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy New Year !

Happy New Year!   I hope 2015 is a wonderful year for you.

Again I would like to thank everyone for your visits and kind comments.   I feel lucky to connect with friends close to home and fellow bloggers around the world through creative hobbies.   Thanks to all of you for giving me so much inspiration and encouragement.

I have a card design to show today that I very much enjoyed creating.    I used stamps designed by the talented Ryn Tanaka from Designs by Ryn (Trickling Water 2 Set and Patio Stone).

I combined Ryn's stamps with a flower stamp set designed by my talented 'teamie' Miranda Degenaars of Miracle Art Inspirations.  The flower & word stamp set were included with a set of two techniques books written by Miranda for Art Specially.   A sweet sister gave the books and stamps to me as a wonderful gift:)

  
I painted the background with Distress Paints.  Next I brushed watered down Gesso over the dried paint and then scrunched plastic wrap on top.   After drying I also sprayed with a metallic Glimmer Mist (which you cannot see in the photo). I also painted highlights with Gesso using bubble wrap and a round lid.

I stamped Design by Ryn's amazing Trickling Water 2 Set and the lettering from Miranda's stamp set with Cocoa Archival ink.   I also stamped Ryn's Patio Stone with Distress Inks in the background.

The flowers were embossed with brown on separate paper, coloured with Tombow markers and highlighted with white Wink of Stella and Luminate Smooch ink.   I 'fancy cut' the flowers and attached as shown.  The stamped image is one large flower with the smaller one,  I added the 2nd large flower on the left by gluing together.

All the best,
Shirleyx

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Season's Greetings

Hello everyone,  This is my second post today as I had a DT design for Chocolate Baroque earlier.

However I want to take this time now to wish all of you a Merry Christmas if you celebrate.   I would also like to thank everyone for their visits and kind comments in 2014.   I feel lucky to have hobbies that I'm passionate about and which have given me the opportunity to connect with friends close to home and blog friends around the world.   Thanks to all of you for giving me so much inspiration and encouragement.



This design features beautiful snowflake die cuts by Spellbinder and gorgeous snowflake background stamp by Chocolate Baroque. - Snowflake Outline - Big Bold Background.


Wishing you all the best for a wonderful and creative 2015!

Shirleyx

Steampunk CAS Style

Seasons Greetings,   I hope you are enjoying a wonderful festive season.

I have a quick make to show today featuring the fabulous ship from Chocolate Baroque's new Steampunk Sea World set.


I created a mask using a large cog die from Spellbinders.    I blended Lavender Distress Ink and then using the TCW Cog stencil I blended Salty Ocean Distress ink over top.  The ship was stamped with Cobalt Archival ink, coloured with pencils and highlights were added with a white pen.    Just a note is from Mackintosh Sentiments.


Thanks for stopping by,
Shirleyx

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Seasons Greetings with a Celtic Star

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well and if Santa visits your home, I hope you are ready!

I have a fairly quick design using one of the Celtic Stars by Designs by Ryn:


I blended around small circles die cuts with Persimmon, Raspberry and Mahogany Distress Inks.   I splattered water to create the drops.   Next I stamped a small star from Ryn's Celtic Star Set with Persimmon & Raspberry.

The large Celtic Star 4 and Water Droplets were stamped with Cocoa Archival Ink.  I highlighted the star and water drops with a white Gellyroll pen.  I also added white and copper embossing enamel here & there.  

You can also find Ryns' designs in unmounted sheets here or at various retailers around the world.

Ryn has posted a great tutorial at her blog showing a technique to make her water droplets look 3D!

Seasons Greetings!
Shirleyx

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Poinsettia Mandala

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying the season!  It's a busy time.

I have a card today using a beautiful stamp that I received as blog candy a while ago from the very kind and talented Ellen of The Serendipitious Stamper who is a member of Impression Obsession's Design Team,    I was very happy with it as I love Mandalas and poinsettias - Thank you Ellen !


The background was created by simply randomly stamping with a solid stamp by Hero Arts (Poinsettia Bloom) using Broken China Distress Ink.

The Mandala Poinsettia by Impression Obsession was embossed with silver several times.  I 'fancy cut' the flower, painted with Tom Bow markers and layered as shown.  I used a circle die to cut out the first image.  I have other ideas for this stamp, it's pretty cool as it also has zentangle inspired patterns.


Funny when I created this one (a while ago) at the same time I was blown away by gorgeous card designs that Miranda created using the same stamp and more.  If you have time, it's well worth it to visit Miranda's blog here and also her blog here....enjoy!


Seasons Greetings,
Shirleyx

Friday, December 19, 2014

Colourful Steampunk under the Sea

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.

I'm back with another Steampunk under water design using the fabulous new stamps by Chocolate Baroque.  I used both Steampunk Sea World and Steampunk Funky Fish stamp sets.


I used Dylusions inks in the background including white.   I blended Distress ink over a Cog stencil by TCW and stamped using the bubbles from the Decorative Edges set with Salty Ocean Distress Ink.

The rest of the images were stamped with Cobalt Archival ink, bleached out and painted with Dylusions inks.  I highlighted with several metallic and white Gellyroll pens.  The curly top designs at the bottom are from a stamp in the Punky Flower set.

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge #6

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.  

I have a design today for Chocolate Baroque's Colour Challenge #6.   I used stamps from their beautiful Peacock Parade set.

The background was created using Mowed Lawn and Mustard Seed Distress Inks, water and an acrylic block.   I also blended both inks over the TCW Peacock Feathers stencil.   Next, I stamped  peacock feather designs with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink.   

The main image was stamped with Cobalt Archival ink, coloured with Inktense pencils, highlighted with Gelly Roll pens, cut out and attached.   I also added Stickles.



And below is the challenge inspiration photo.  We would love it if you could join us at Chocolate Baroque's Colour Challenge #6 for a chance to win a £15 gift voucher at Chocolate Baroque.


Thanks for your visit and have a great day!
Shirleyx

Monday, December 15, 2014

Patio Stone Christmas Ornaments

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well during the busy season.

I have a Christmas design today in which I created ornaments using Design by Ryn's Patio Stone stamp.


Background:  Persimmon and Raspberry Distress Inks using the acrylic block technique.   I splattered watered down Gesso over top.    I stamped using one of the Celtic stars from Celtic Star Set with Preserves DI.

I embossed Patio Stone with silver & white glitter powder on separate cardstock and die cut the circle around them.  I sprayed Midnight Dylusions inks & water over top.   The pretty star & bow die cut is by Memory box -  I cut the star off and attached as shown.  I added glitter and bling to the stars.  

Seasons Greetings,
Shirleyx

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Steampunk Jellyfish with Texture

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying the busy festive season, it's hard to believe that we are getting into mid December.  

Well today is another break  from Christmas designs as I have a mixed media piece featuring  Chocolate Baroque's  wonderful new Steampunk stamp sets, Steampunk Seaworld and Steampunk Funky Fish.  I love the Jellyfish !


I had a lot of fun creating the background for this design.   I started with Distress paints and then added a sand texture gel (Studio Acrylics) and a thin layer of crackle paste here & there.   I used a little Silks mica powder over the sand texture and spritzed with water.  After dry I added Krystal Gel over the sandy areas.

I stamped the images with Cobalt Archival ink and coloured with Prisma pencils.  I used a metallic gold Gellyroll pen to highlight the cogs.

I used both sets which are on an introductory offer this month: 

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Chocolate Baroque Challenge #5 Digital Download

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.

I have a Valentine's design today using beautiful background papers that are this month's free digital download available here at Chocolate Baroque's Colour Challenge Blog.



I stamped the beautiful Poppy Heart on the blue background paper and coloured with Prisma Pencils.  The sentiment is from Mackintosh Sentiments.  It's hard to see but the black piece across the card was embossed before adding pearls and attaching.

We would love it if you could join us for a chance to win a £15 gift voucher at Chocolate Baroque.

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirley x

Monday, December 08, 2014

Cogs and Steampunk Seahorses

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.
 
Well I have a break today from Christmas designs as Chocolate Baroque has launched amazing & quirky Steampunk stamp sets, Steampunk Seaworld and Steampunk Funky Fish.

The card below features Seahorses from the Steampunk Funky Fish set.


The background is Dylusions inks and when dry I embossed with a folder by Crafts-too.   I rubbed a little metallic paste here & there to highlight the cogs. I added die cuts by Memory Box and Spellbinder which I painted with 3D stamp paint. The Seahorses were embossed with silver and coloured with Tombow markers.

Here is a look at both new sets which are on an introductory offer this month:



Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the festive Season!
Shirleyx

Saturday, December 06, 2014

Snowflakes

Hello everyone, I hope you are having a great weekend.  I'm very drawn to snowflake images and today have a card featuring them.

I used Design by Ryn's- Snowflakes stamp in the background and beautiful die cut snowflakes by Joy. 



The background was a 'mop up' sheet from a project when I used Midnight Dylusions ink.  I sprayed green and white Dylusions over top,  spritzed with water and let it run.   When dry I stamped Snowflakes with Cobalt Archival and Mowed Lawn Distress inks.

The die cut snowflakes by Joy were coloured with Glimmer Glaze.   The sentiment is from a great Penny Black set - Christmas Cheer.  The little branch is from a McGill punch.



Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Tuesday, December 02, 2014

Daylilies, Trickling Water and Warm Colours

Hello everyone, here we are into December already!

I have another card to show using Design by Ryn's amazing stamp designs.    The images are summer, the colours are fall and our current season is grey but this gave me an escape.

 
The background was created using Raspberry and Marmalade Distress Sprays.  I over stamped with Honey Locust Leaf using Purple Archival  (I stamped off a few times) and Persimmon Distress Inks.  Design by Ryn's negative leaf designs (you can find more here) create awesome backgrounds, I love them.

I stamped the amazing Trickling Water 2 and Water Droplet stamps with Purple Archival ink.  I lightened behind them by adding water, blotting off and then highlighted with a white pen.  Again these water images are amazing, they look 3D.

I stamped Daylily several times, coloured with Inktense pencils (and water), cut them out and and arranged as shown.

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Autumn Edges in Cool Colours

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.    Time is flying as here we are at the end of November already.

I have a non Christmas design to show today using Chocolate Baroque's new fabulous Autumn Edges stamp set.  As we are getting to the end of Fall Season and the hot colours have left, I've used cool colours for this card. 


The center background was created with Dylusion Spray inks -  I spritz water after spraying the inks, added a little sea salt and let it dry (which creates the watermarks if you are not familiar with this easy technique). 

I shook the salt off and then stamped the Owl from November Fairy and part of the leaf edge to the top and bottom with Cobalt Archival ink.    Using a little bleach and brush (do not use synthetic brushes with bleach) I removed the colour inside the leaves and around the owl.  This technique gives a bit of a batik look.  I added a little colour back onto the leaves using Distress Inks on my craft mat with a brush and water.

The light blue background is coloured cardstock.  I stamped part of the tree and solid leaf edge with Cobalt Archival ink.  The leaf die cuts are by Impression Obsession, I embossed them on the back with a stylus after blending Distress Inks over top. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Chocolate Baroque - Challenge #5

Hello my dear blog friends, I hope you are doing well.

I have a Christmas design today for Chocolate Baroque's Colour Challenge - #5.


The background is a piece of Basic Grey designer paper from my stash.  I like using the solid colours to stamp over and then colour with my Prisma pencils.    This one took some time, but it's very relaxing, I enjoy it very much.    The background is one of the fabulous Big Bold Backgrounds - Snowflake Outline.  The angel image is from the  Gothic Angels set, I coloured her with Inktense pencils and added lots of stickles to her wings.

And below is the challenge inspiration photo.  We would love it if you could join us for a chance to win a £15 gift voucher at Chocolate Baroque.

This is a card design by me using the same techniques, you may have seen my post in January 2014
Thanks for your visit and have a great day!
Shirleyx

Saturday, November 22, 2014

A Christmas Postcard

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying the weekend.

I have a card to show today featuring a beautiful stamp by Crafty Individuals that I've had for a while, the lady is so pretty.

I'll join into the Allsorts Challenge Blog with this one as the current theme is "No Designer Papers" which is right up my alley as 99% of the time I create my own backgrounds.   However I still have some beautiful papers hanging about in my stash :)


I stamped the main image, Christmas Postcard Collage, on glossy paper and coloured with TomBow markers (with a craft mat, water & brush).

The background is Dylusions inks and stamped with the beautiful snowflakes from Chocolate Baroque's A Child is Born set. I also added little circles from a stencil using white pigment ink and then embossing with glitter powder. 

The flower die cuts are by Crealie- CL CF 18 (coloured with Distress Inks and a top coat of clear Glimmer Glaze)

The branches are by Sizzix- Tim Holtz Alterations - Holiday Greens (coloured with Distress Ink and cut into smaller pieces).

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Enjoy the Magic of the Season

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.  It's been cold here with snow again this week, winter has arrived early but it's feeling more like Christmas!

I have a design to show today using stamps by two awesome companies: Chocolate BaroqueDesigns by Ryn


The background is Evergreen Distress Spray.  The Pine branch was stamped with the same colour Distress Ink.   The Faerie (coloured with Prisma pencils), corner designs and sentiment were all stamped with Cobalt Archival ink.  I added glitter to the fur trim on her dress.

Chocolate Baroque stamps:  Corner design and Pine branch are from New England Winter.  The sentiment is from the Christmas Magic set.

Designs by RynOrnament Faerie.

Thanks for stopping by
Shirleyx

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Celtic Stars

Hello everyone, I hope your week is going well.

I have four designs today using Design by Ryn's beautiful Celtic Stars.   Each star is available individually, cling mounted and they are all part of the unmounted Winter Collection.  These amaxing designs are hand drawn by the very talented Ryn.

My first design features Celtic Star 1 (currently on sale 50% off this month).


I started the background by stamping a small star from the Celtic Star Set with white pigment ink and embossing with clear.  The colour is a mix Dylusions spray and Distress inks.  I used a Memory Box stencil to create the small circles with pigment ink and glitter embossing powder.   I painted with Crackle paint over top.  The Celtic Star was embossed with silver and painted with Tombow markers.


Next up is Celtic Star 2:


The background is Tattered Rose Distress Spray.  I used a Memory Box stencil and Tea Dye Distress Ink to create the pattern.  I also stamped along the edge with retired Climbing Vine.

Next is Celtic Star 3:


The background looks like a Gelli Plate print to me, but it's not.   I used this sheet to 'mop up' ink off the background of the top card.  it created blotches where the embossing resisted the ink.  I also used the top of the stencil that I used on the top card turned over and stamped onto the background.  The star was embossed with silver and painted with Tombow markers.

And finally is Celtic Star 4, also on sale this month,  the background is a cleaner style:


I used pigment inks blended over stars that were stamped with white ink.  I used the darker ink to stamp again in the background.  It's hard to see the 'ghost' effect in this photo above.  The star was stamped with Cobalt Archival ink and coloured with Seedless Preserves Distress Ink (using water on an Acrylic sheet., I 'need' the spray in this colour :)).

And here is a close up of Celtic Star 1 and the background where you can see the effect of the Distress Crackle paste:


The sentiments are by Chocolate Baroque.

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirley

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Autumn Edges

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.

I have a couple of  vibrant designs to show using Chocolate Baroque's fabulous new Autumn Edges.  I love the colours of Fall, but they are fading here :(



The leaves at the top are from Autumn Poppy and the Mushrooms from Autumn Edges.

I used Distress Sprays in the background and bleached out some of the stamped areas and painted with Distress Inks. (using a craft mat, brush & water).  The outlining is with a white pen.  I added glitter to the 'ground'.  The sentiment is from Amazing Birthday.

The flower die cuts are by Crealie which I coloured first with Distress inks and then painted over with Glimmer Glaze.  

And below is the 2nd leafy design :)



I painted the leaf edge stamp from Autumn edges (in the middle of the card) with Tom Bow markers, spritzed a with a little water and stamped on white card stock.

The background is Persimmon & Raspberry Distress Inks using an acrylic block and water.   I over stamped with a leaf from Autumn Poppy.

Happy Birthday from Birthday Words and the small solid leaf border were stamped with Cocoa dye ink.   The fabulous leaf die cuts are from Impression Obsession which I coloured with Distress Inks.

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Monday, November 10, 2014

Pretty Pansies and Waterdroplets

Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed the weekend.

I have a design today in a favourite colour combination using Design by Ryn's pretty Pansies and her new amazing Sideways Droplets along with Raindrops set.   I think I was dreaming about summer while creating this, it's been dreary here this past week.


The background is Dylusions Inks and Gold Glimmermist.   I stenciled using Design by Ryn's Maidenhair Fern with several Distress Inks and Gold Brilliance ink which gave a neat effect but hard to see in the photo.   I stamped the Pansies several times, coloured with Tombow markers, cut them out and arranged as shown. The matting and stamping is navy not black as it appears. The quote is by Impression Obsession - C3671.

Designs by Ryn now sells her stamps in unmounted sheets at her website and also at retailers around the world.    You can still buy mounted individual stamps at her website.

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Saturday, November 08, 2014

Colourful Fruit

Hello everyone,  I hope you are doing well.   It's wonderful to back with Chocolate Baroque's Design Team after taking a couple of months off during our move.        

Chocolate Baroque's new Mellow Fruitfulness is a wonderful set with elegant fruity images that will work well for gift tags on homemade jams, cook book covers and more. My first design below was quick to make with the exception of the colouring.


The background is Peacock Feathers Distress Ink (using an acrylic block to apply) along with blending the same ink with a honeycomb style stencil.   I stamped a fragment from Texture Fragments with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink.  The images from Mellow Fruitfulness and sentiment from Words of Gratitude were stamped with Black Archival Ink which I coloured with Prisma Pencils.

And here is a look at the Mellow Fruitfulness set:


Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Thursday, November 06, 2014

Amazing Trickling Water and Hanging Droplets

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.

I have a design today for Designs by Ryn using her new amazing Hanging Droplets Set and Trickling Water Set 2 stamps. I also experimented with Kristal Gel by Viva and Ryn's Floral Spiral stencil.  Ryn has a talent for capturing the 3D look in her original, unique and hand-drawn water effects stamps.  See more water designs here in her Texture stamps section.


To create the background I started by using Peacock Feathers Distress Ink with water and an acrylic block.   Next I added circles using the same Distress Ink and TCW Circles Explosion stencil.

I used Kristal Gel medium (by Viva) over Ryn's Floral Spiral stencil, when it was dry I sprayed Midnight Dylusions ink, spritzed water and let it run.  After drying again I stamped the large stamp from Trickling Water Set 2 and small stamp from Hanging Droplets Set with cobalt Archival ink.  I blended Sapphire DI over top here & there with a lettering stencil.   I painted the water images a little with Distress Inks, water and a brush (using my craft mat) and highlighted with a white pen.  Update:  I did not use Gel on the water droplets, the images are amazing, seriously :)

Tuski the Moth was painted with Tombow markers, cut out and popped up. I added lots of glitter to her (him?).  You can see the glitter gel below, it acted as a resist to the spray ink.


Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,
Shirley x

Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Chocolate Baroque Challenge #4 in Nouveau Style

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well this week.

I have a design to show today using the Free Digital Background available from Chocolate Baroque's Colour Challenge Blog, which features the colours for the current challenge:

 
The background is the free download that you can find here.   I stamped the beautiful lovebirds from Nouveau Lovebirds with black ink, coloured with Inktense pencils and highlighted with a white Gelly roll pen and glitter.  The background behind the birds was created using Distress Ink & water on my craft mat.  I stamped the deco pieces from the set on the background paper (not straight at the top, it was hard for me to just leave it that way!).  Love is from Artistic Expressions

And below is the challenge inspiration photo.  We would love it if you could join us for a chance to win a £15 gift voucher at Chocolate Baroque.

Design by Lesley Wharton

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Saturday, November 01, 2014

Reindeer with Snowflakes & a Relaxed Cat :)

Hello everyone, I hope are having a great weekend.   It's just above freezing here and we have light snow!  I am so not ready for it, but it won't stay, it's melting as it hits the ground.    Hopefully we will enjoy some warmer days this month. 

I have two more Christmas card designs to  show today.    The beautiful stamps are from Chocolate Baroque.


The background above was created with Seedless Preserves Distress Ink and Faded Jeans Distress spray (yes I bought more!) using the Acrylic block technique.    I over stamped with a couple of snowflake negative designs from the A Child is Born set with Distress Ink and I also added some texture with white Acrylic paint and bubble wrap.   The main image is from the Reindeer Landscape set which I cropped a little and coloured with Inktense pencils.  The sentiment is from Christmas Magic.

I coloured the snowflake die cuts from Joy with Distress Inks and then sponged 3D stamp paint over top.  The 3D paint adds lots of sparkle and texture which is hard to see as it's difficult to get proper photos of sparkle and glitter.  I've just discovered this fabulous paint (thanks again to the helpful staff at our local scrapbook & art supply shop).    The little branches are from a McGill punch.




And below is a card without stamping.....

The background above started with an embossed sheet using a pretty snowflake folder (by Leane Creatief).  I sprayed Dylusions inks over top and also dabbed some white Acrylic paint with the Circle Explosion stencil by TCW.    The black die cuts are from Memory Box.

And here is our furry boy relaxing .... he is so sweet. 

I am not obese it's just this position I'm in that makes me look 'full figured'  However Mom says I could lose a pound or two:) I'm doing the best I can since I can no longer roam outside freely.   Mom says that I'm co-operative most of the time.  I go outside with a harness and leash, I hope there are no other cats that can see me.  (Cat's don't roam freely in our town, it's against the bi-law and it's not safe for cats - Shirley)
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Vintage Flowers

Hello everyone, I hope your week is going well.

I have a design to show today that was great fun creating.  I've been hoarding collecting flower dies for a while, but don't play with them often.  I get 'stuck' in my comfort zone but I drool over flowers on designs that I see at talented blogger's posts and Pinterest.

I didn't have room to keep my Cuttlebug out in my other craft room.   I've gained more space in my new "studio" and have a spot to keep a new Press Boss die cutting machine out which is making it easier to play with dies.   Yes we downsized our home but I've ended up with a larger craft room.  I'm a lucky lady.



The background started with Distress Stain Sprays - Antique Bronze, Tea Dye and Tattered Rose.  I blended a little Peacock Feathers Distress Ink over top here & there.   I blended Walnut Distress Ink over a couple of stencils and then stamped with a few designs from the Eccentric Edwardian set by Chocolate Baroque.

Flower Dies are by Heartfelt Creations, Tattered Blossoms - I stamped over the flowers with a fragment from Texture Fragments by Chocolate Baroque with brown dye ink and blended Tea Dye, Peacock and Walnut Distress inks and after the flowers were embossed (on the back) I painted over with clear Glimmer glaze.  Thanks to helpful employees at our local scrap store, I have new paints as well :)

Flourish die is by Die-namics also painted with clear Glimmer glaze.

Clock die is by Marianne Design, I coloured with blue ink and then added 'Cowboy' Glimmerglaze over the blue to give it a patina look.


Thanks for visiting my blog and have a great Halloween,
Shirleyx

Monday, October 27, 2014

Christmas Angel with Pinks and Green

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.   It's getting cooler here, but nice & sunny today while I'm writing this post.   

I've been back in the craft room and created a couple more Christmas cards. I have one to show you today using two of Tim Holtz's new Distress Stain sprays.  I only bought two bottles as I wasn't sure if they were any different than the Dylusions inks that I love so much.   I would be lost without Distress Inks, and don't have the Distress Stains, so these are right up my alley.   I guess the difference is in the colours.  I'll be back to our local Scrap Shop for more:) but I'll try not to duplicate colours that are close to the Dylusions spray ink line up.  Picked Raspberry Stain Spray is pretty close to the Cherry Dylusions spray.

  
The background is Picked Raspberry and Evergeen Distress Sprays with Distress Inks in the same colours blended over a couple of stencils.    I also added stars using the stencil and light molding paste with glitter over top.

Stamps by Chocolate BaroqueGothic Angel set, the corner is from New England Winter set and the sentiment is from the retired set Beardsley Baubles.

I embossed the angel with silver, coloured with Tom bow markers and added lots of stickles to her wings.

If you would like to see some gorgeous tags using Distress Stains by Astrid visit her blog here, you won't be disappointed.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Christmas Poinsettia

Hello everyone, I hope your weekend is going well, this is my second post for today!   The previous was to participate in the Art Journal Journey challenge.

I have a design today that is a little different for me.   I love flower dies, I own lots of them, but I don't use them enough.    On the design below I used the Spellbinder Poinsettia with the JustRite matching stamp but you can see I didn't do the best job lining them up.

One of my kind & talented blog friends kindly advised me about the JustRite Christmas Linky Party  so I'm joining in, thanks Shona !


Embossing folder:  Sheena Douglas - Festive
Flourish Stamp & Die by Heartfelt Creations
Poinsettia & Label Die by Spellbinder
Poinsettia Stamp by JustRite
Winter Wishes is by Impression Obsession

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
Shirleyx

Secrets in the Forest

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.

I created this page in my journal for  the Art Journal Journey for October Challenge which is "Deep in the Forest".   I almost didn't show it as it's such a quick make, but I wanted to participate and time is running out.  If you have a chance to visit their blog, you will see lots of wonderful artwork by the talented participants in the challenge.

I recently received a gift from my dear Tante in the Netherlands - a new stamp set designed by Marja for Kico Stamps.   In the set is a mysterious tree and I thought it would work well in a forest 'scene' and could be a little 'spooky' for this time of year.    

I also used Design by Ryn's Flowing Branches stencil and her Leafy Branch stamp. The tree and mushrooms are from the Kico Stamp Set Plate #60 (designed by Marja).


I wonder what other secrets are in the forests?

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Christmas Magic with a Stencil!

Hello dear blog friends, I hope you are doing well.

All is well here and I'm enjoying more time in my craft 'studio' this week.  It's still pink but my sweet husband has built me some great shelving to store my inks on my desks.     When the room is painted and reorganized again (not sure when that will happen) I will take photos.  I love to see photos of your craft spaces so I will share some here as well.   

One of the cards I made this week was this very 'quick make' for Christmas using Design by Ryn stencil and stamps.  At the bottom of this post is good news for Ryn :)


I used a tip from Maria to create the background.  I took a circle die cut and blended Distress inks around it (move it around the page and change colours).     I then used a larger piece of cardstock with a circle cut out as a mask and stenciled inside the circle.   I traced the circle with a Gelly Roll Pen and drew the topper.   Next I stamped around with Patio Stone and Sea Bubbles.   Quick & easy!

Design by Ryn stencil:  Floral Spirals
Design by Ryn stamps:  Patio Stone and Sea Bubbles
Distress Inks:  Evergreen Bough, Mowed Lawn,Squeezed Lemonade, Salty Ocean
Sentiment is by Impression Obsession - B3585

Also good news for Design by Ryn - Her unmounted sheets of stamps and stencils are now sold in following retailers across the world.   You can still order single mounted stamps and stencils from her web store.

Austria: Elisabeth's Bastelhaus - http://www.bastelhaus.at/
Germany: Stampellaedle - http://ssl.stempellaedle.de/shop/
Germany: VR-Creativ - http://vr-creativ.com/
Japan: Zu's Studio - http://zusstudio.typepad.jp/blog/
Netherlands: De Stempelwinkel - http://www.de-stempelwinkel.nl/
Switzerland: Atelier Rägeboge - http://www.stempelseite.ch/
United Kingdom: "Oyster stamps" - http://www.oysterstamps.co.uk/
United States: Susana's Custom Art and Card Design - http://www.susanascustomartandcarddesign.com/

Australia:  Marker Maniacs: http://markermaniacs.com.au/

That's all for today, thanks for stopping by
Shirleyx