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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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