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Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.

Chocolate Baroque has just launched a wonderful new whimsical stamp set, Patchwork Landscape.   We've had so much creating designs with these stamps, my card below features the lovely cottage from the set.

The background was created with Mowed Lawn and Peacock Feathers Distress Inks using the Acrylic Block technique.     I stamped part of the flourish tree from Fantasy Woodland at the top and the flowers from Patchwork Landscape at the bottom.  The cottage was stamped with Olive Archival Ink and coloured with Prisma pencils.    I blended a little Distress Inks around the image.  Best Wishes is from Loving Sentiments.    I coloured the Crealie die cut flowers with Mustard Seed and Mowed Lawn Distress Inks.

Dies:  Crealies Flowers CL CF 25 and Marianne Design Flourish LR0150

Thanks for your visit and have a great day!
Shirley

Wild Geraniums

Hello everyone, I hope you are having a great week.  I've been extremely busy so I haven't had a chance to visit blogs recently.   Life will slow down again but once our snow melts, it will be time for gardening.  We can't believe it but it still seems like mid winter most days as we have a lot of snow and it's been very cold.   But soon it will start to warm up....we hope :)

I have a two card designs today using a beautiful stamp set, Chapel Road - Da Vinci Botanicals available from Class Act Inc.    I used a favorite colour combination for the first one.  I've used these two colours so often that a couple of my friends call them the 'Shirley colours' :)

To create the background I used Broken China, Mowed Lawn and Peacock Feathers Distress Inks using the acrylic block technique.    When dry I used TCW Ferns with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink.  Next I used TCW Circle Explosion stencil with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink & White Acrylic paint.

I cut a strip off the background and stamped the whimsical sunflower edge from Chapel Road's Large Sunflower set and 'hello' (from Impression Obsession) with Cobalt Archival Ink.

The background behind the Geranium from Da Vinci Botanicals is Mowed Lawn Distress Ink again using an acrylic block.   I stamped the flower with Cobalt Archival Ink.  I bleached the ink from the flower and coloured with Mustard Seed and Peacock Feathers DI using my craft mat, brush and water.  I distressed all the edges and sponged Chipped Sapphire DI before assembling the card.

The second card below uses the other Geranium from the Da Vinci Botanicals set:

The background was created with Shaded Lilac and Seedless Preserves Distress Inks using an acrylic block again.   I stamped the Flower Words background stamp with Seedless Preserves DI (I lightly spritzed with water before stamping).

I stamped the flower on watercolour paper with Cobalt Blue Archival Ink and coloured with TomBow Markers #685, 155 & 177.  

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,
Shirley

Spring Fairy and Flowers

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying the weekend.

I have a design today using Chocolate Baroque's gorgeous new Spring Fairy Collection.  

The background is a sheet that I printed from CB's beautiful Leafy Brocade Printable Papers.   The  May Fairy was stamped on water colour paper with Cobalt Archival ink, coloured with Tom Bow markers and cut out.   I added holograph glitter to parts of her dress.  I coloured the die cut flowers with Distress Inks.

Dies:  Crealie Creative Flowers CL CF 20 & CL CF 19 and Memory Box - Pierson Corner. 

Thanks for your visit and have a great week,
Shirley

Fantasy Love Birds

Hello everyone,  I hope you are doing well.  

Art Journal Journey's challenge theme for March is 'Fantasy Scene'.  I had the idea to create a fantasy  scene between two birds meeting up in the Spring 'mating' season.   Now I'm more curious about real birds -  How do they choose each other to build a nest and have babies?  Does their 'relationship' become a love story?  They are amazing to watch while building their nests.

The colours are more vibrant that my photograph is shows.   The background is Dylusions spray inks with layers of stencil images using Distress Inks over top.   I stamped Designs by Ryn's Compound Leaf around the parameter and a fragment from Chocolate Baroque's Abstract Fragments over the birds.  The birds were created with a stencil, acrylic paint and doodling.

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirley

Fantasy Castle with Blue and Green

Hello everyone, I hope all is well.

I have another design today using Chocolate Baroque's new beautiful Fantasy Castles set.   These castles have so much wonderful detail, they are great fun to colour with pencils.

The background behind the castle is Broken China and Mowed Lawn Distress Inks using an acrylic block and water.  I coloured the clouds from Magical Landscapes and castle from Fantasy Castles with Prisma pencils which I used Cobalt Archival ink to stamp.   I added glitter to the rain and water fall.

The larger background was created with Salty Ocean and Mowed Lawn Distress Inks again with an acrylic block.   I stamped Wisteria from Wisteria Lane and the trees from Magical Landscape with Mowed Lawn DI ink.   I stamped the brick work using a fragment from Abstact Fragments with Salty Ocean Distress Ink.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day,
Shirley

Magical Landscape

Hello everyone, I hope your week is going well.  We got hit with another winter snow storm and will have to dig ourselves out again today.   I have daffodils from our garden on my blog header but it seems like it will be a long time before they actually bloom again.

I have another castle design to show today using Chocolate Baroque's beautiful new Magical Landscape set.

I created the background with watercolour paints (an inexpensive set) wet on wet.   I have a tutorial at this post using this technique if you are interested.   I sprinkled a little salt over the paint while it was wet which created small watermarks.

I stamped the images with Cobalt Archival ink.   The fairy from May Fairy was stamped on separate paper and decoupaged.   I coloured the castle with Prisma pencils as well as the fairy's dress and wings.  I added lots of glitter on the moon and water, but it's hard to see in the photo. The sentiment is from Fairyland Words.

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirley

Sunflowers with Colourful Inks

Hello everyone, I have two colourful Sunflower designs to show you today using beautiful Chapel Road stamps, a line available from Class Act Inc.    These flowers make me think of summer, I can't wait.  Actually I would be happy with Spring flowers :)

Stamps by Chapel Road - Large Sunflower Set and the background is Flower Words

To create the large background I used Vibrant Turquoise, Midnight and White Linen Dylusions Inks.   I stamped the Flower Words with Salty Ocean Distress Ink.  

I used glossy paper and Sailboat Blue, Purple Twilight & Citrus Adirondack Alcohol inks to create the background behind the sunflower.   The Sunflower was stamped with Black Archival ink.  I added colour to the flower with Tom Marker #062.    I cut the main image out and attached to the larger background over ribbon.   The sentiment and whimsical border are also from the Large Sunflower Set.

And below is a 2nd card created using Sunflower Set.

The background was created with Cut Grass, Fresh Lime and Vibrant Turquoise Dylusions Inks.  I sprayed over top with Gold Glimmermist and blotted with a paper towel which created the water marks.    I stamped the whimsical border with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink.

The Sunflower was embossed with black and coloured with Tombow Markers #55, 158 & 993.  I cut around the image and popped over the background.

Thanks for your visit and have a fabulous day,
Shirley

Magical Spring Fairy

Hello Everyone, I hope you are doing well.    I'm dreaming of Spring......but we still have 2 to 4  feet of snow on the ground and it hasn't been mild enough to melt much of it.

Chocolate Baroque also launched their beautiful Spring Fairy Collection this month.    I have two cards using these stamps today, the first features one of the beautiful fairies.

The background was created with London Blue, Cut Grass and White Linen Dylusions inks.   To create the water marks, I sprinkled sea salt while it was still wet and when dry, brushed it off.    I stamped the fairy from March Fairy & beautiful sentiment from Fairyland Words with Deep Purple Archival ink (it looks blue in the photo).   I stamped the Winter Aconites from Spring is in the Air with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink.   I coloured the images with my Prisma pencils.    I added glitter to the fairy wings and some tiny pearl flowers that I found in my stash.

I also have a CAS design that was quick to create.   

I cut a circle in card stock and used the negative for a mask.  I blended Squeezed Lemonade and Peacock Feathers Distress Ink inside the circle.  I stamped 'Spring' and the pretty little Robin and branch with Cobalt Archival Ink and coloured it with my Prisma pencils.  I also added some glitter to the foliage and bird. 

Here is a look at the Spring Fairy Collection, available individually or as a multi-buy. 

Thanks for your visit and have a great weekend,
Shirley

Steampunk Roses with Texture

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.

I have Steampunk design using mixed media which was great fun.   I didn't have a plan and was just 'going with the flow'.   

I started with a piece of mixed media cardstock.  I adhered Tim Holtz tissue wrap with Gel medium.  I coloured over top with Neocolour II crayons, sprintz with water and let it run.   I wasn't too happy with the colours and it almost went into the re-cycle bin.  However once dry I added light molding paste over the TCW Gears stencil and painted over top with Silks Acrylic glaze which allowed some colour to show through.  I also used Pearl UTEE around the edges.

I embossed the Roses from Chocolate Baroque's Steampunk Butterfly with silver on watercolour paper, painted with both Tombow markers and Acrylic glaze.  I cut the roses out and attached over the background. 

Thanks for your visit and have a fabulous day,
Shirley

Gelli Print and Flowers

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.   Welcome the new followers, thank you for your interest in my blog :)

I have a card today that I used a Gelli Plate print for the background.   The circle pattern was created with a basket from a jewellry cleaner jar.  I have a bunch of prints waiting for me to do something with them.     I also used some dies that don't seem to get much play and a few favorite stamps.

Stamps:   Designs by Ryn - Spiral Branch (coloured with Gelly Roll pens), Chocolate Baroque - 'Love' is from Artistic Expressions & Texture Fragments.

Dies:  Heartfelt Creations - Tattered Blossoms (stamped with a texture fragment and coloured with Distress Inks), Memory Box - Fresh Foliage

Thanks for your visit and enjoy your week,
Shirley

Fantasy Castle

Hello everyone, I hope you are having a great weekend.  It's still very cold with piles of snow here in Ontario, Canada.  We are looking forward to Spring, it's been a very long, cold winter, the toughest that I can remember.    However the sun has been shining a lot in the last month which always feels good. 

Chocolate Baroque has just launched gorgeous new stamp sets for March:   Fantasy Castles, Magical Landscapes and a Spring Fairy Collection.

I have a design today featuring a castle and clouds from the gorgeous new Fantasy Castles.   I love the details in all the new designs they are quite beautiful.  I wanted to create a true fantasy with a castle in the sky surrounded by clouds.  

I used Teal & Cut Grass Dylusions Inks to create the smaller background.   Next I stamped the castle and clouds with Cobalt Archival Ink.    I bleached the ink away from the clouds and painted them with Midnight Dylusions Ink (using my craft mat, water & brush).   I coloured the castle with Prisma pencils and added glitter to highlight some areas.  

The larger background was created with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink using an acrylic block.   I stamped with a decorative textile stamp from Indian Textiles using Shaded Lilac Distress Ink. 

I distressed all the edges and added a little Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink.   I added a strip of background between the layers that I had cut away from the smaller background.

Here is a look at the new Castle stamp collection on special this month.   They are available individually or as a set:

If you have a chance, please drop by Chocolate Baroque's Design Team Blog to see what my talented teammates have created.

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirley