Vibrant Doodle Landscape

Hello everyone, I hope your week is going well.  It's been extremely cold here, minus 40 with the wind-chill.. ugh.  

I have another vibrant design to show today using Chocolate Baroque's fabulous Sketchy Doodle Landscape set.  I love this doodle image and it is available as a Cling Single as well.

The background is once again Dylusions inks (many colours).   I stamped one of the fragments from Harlequin Fragments it picks up one of the doodle designs in the landscape.   Did I say I love this landscape yet?   I really like doodle and tangle designs so this is 'right up my alley'. 

I used Tom Bow markers to colour the scene with lot of water to create the 'clouds'.   I added liquid pearls to the flower centres.

Thanks for stopping by and have a crafty day :)
Shirleyx

Vibrant Retro Flower

Hello everyone,  I hope you are enjoying the weekend.

Chocolate Baroque's fabulous new stamp sets for February are Sketchy Doodle Flowers and Sketchy Doodle Landscape.    I've been working with Sketchy Doodle Landscape which has been great fun and seems to beg for vibrant colours.

The background was created with Dylusions Inks along with white Brusho crystal inks.  It's not difficult - I spray Dylusions inks, spritz with water, sprinkle a tiny bit of white Brusho powders and spritz a little with water (if needed) again.   When dry  I over stamped with a fragment from Abstract Fragments.  I embossed the main images from Sketchy Doodle Landscape with black, coloured with Dylusions ink (using a brush and water on a craft mat).    'With Love' is from Mackintosh Sentiments. 

Thanks for your visit and have a great day!
Shirleyx

Playing with Brushos and Dylusions Inks

Hello everyone I hope you are having a great weekend.

I had more playtime with Brushos crystal inks and this time I decided to combine them with another favorite medium - Dylusions inks :).   The cheery colour makes me think about Spring.

I sprayed Dylusions, sprinkled Brusho's here & there, and spritzed with water where I wanted the crystal to move.  I painted the Moth with Brushos and highlighted with white acrylic paint (thanks for the idea Ryn:))

Design by Ryn stamps:  Luna (the moth), Hanging Droplets Set and Trickling Water 2.
Design by Ryn stencil:  Maidenhair Fern
Memory Box stencil:  Texture Disperse

Chocolate Baroque Stamps:  Joy & Art are from Artistic Expressions set

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!
Shirleyx

Pretty Flowers by Chocolate Baroque

Happy Weekend everyone, I hope you are doing well.   We've enjoyed a cool but sunny day today.  We've been working hard all week to catch up with the garden and lawn work.

I have a card to show this evening that I created a while ago featuring beautiful stamps from Chocolate Baroque.     

The background for the above card was created with Dylusions inks (Midnight, Teal & White)  All the stamping was done with black Archival ink.   I used a couple of stencils with Ocean Distress Ink over top.

I coloured the flower from Pretty Poppies with Prisma Pencils and highlighted with a white Gellyroll pen.    The top corners are from Poppy Meadow and the bottom from Fancy Flourishes.   The sentiment is from Mackintosh Sentiments.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of the weekend,
Cheers, Shirley

Patchwork Trees in Greens & Blues

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.

I back with another couple of designs using Chocolate Baroque's fabulous new whimsical Patchwork Landscape set.  I've been using this colour combo a lot recently, must be my desire for Spring and gardening :)

I used Cut Grass and Vibrant Turquoise Dylusions Inks for both backgrounds above and below.   All Stamping was done with Cobalt Archival ink.   I coloured the top one with Gelly Roll pens and used a fragment from Textured Fragments on the smaller background (above).    I used TCW Circle Explosion stencil on the larger background and doodled highlights to compliment the design in the trees.

I coloured the flowers with Prisma pencils and again used a white Gellyroll pen to highlight.   The clouds are from Fantasy Castles.   The sentiment, flowers and tree are all from Patchwork Landscape.

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirley

Green and Orange Sea with Tyvek

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.   Spring is making an appearance here, we've had a few nice days, it feels great.

Maria, one of my kind and talented teammates at the Chocolate Baroque Design Team mailed me some Tyvek envelopes after I admired her gorgeous artwork using this material.  Just colour and then heat between card stock with an iron - amazing texture is the result.    If you have time please take a visit to Maria's blog here, her colourful designs are very beautiful,  I'm sure you will enjoy your visit:) 

I had fun with my first 'play' using Tyvek along with stamps from Designs by Ryn for the card below.  It's an unusual colour scheme for the sea, but what can I say, except that it didn't start out as a sea scene. 

The background was created with Dylusions inks and stencils.    The texture of the 'coral' is with the Tyvek heated.   The fish is from Design by Ryn's Koi Set and the bubbles from Rising Bubbles (the bubbles are on sale...50% off during April!) one of my favorite stamps by Ryn.    Hello is from Impression Obsession - A3579.

Thanks for your visit and have a wonderful 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

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

Playing with Blue and Lilac

Happy Valentine's Day !  

I hope everyone is doing well.  I was away enjoying some time with family in warm sunshine and now back to the land of snow and cold.   I'm behind visiting in blog land but will try to catch up over the next few days.

When I had a look at the beautiful DT samples for the February's Blue or Lilac Challenge at Lavinia, I wanted to join in.   But I only own three of their lovely fairy stamps and nothing else to create a scene or to add other stamping.   So I came up with this design, I tried adding flowers but they were not working for me.

Lavinia stamp used:   Fleur Silhouette.
Dies:  Spellbinder - S4-383 Marvelous Squares
Stencils:  TCW - Circle Explosion and Star Fall

I stamped the fairy with black archival ink on glossy paper that I blended Blue & Lilac Alcohol inks over.   The two mats were created with After Midnight and Crushed Grape Dylusions inks.  I blended Shaded Lilac Distress Ink over the two stencils.   I added a little glitter to his wings.

Thanks for your visit and enjoy your day,
Shirley

Art Journal Journey - Silence

Hello everyone,

I have an Art Journal page today for this months' Art Journal Journey challenge - Silence.     I enjoy silence very much, I don't like a lot of noise for extended periods.    I like silence in the garden, when I'm sleeping, reading, creating and when sitting by the water enjoying the view.     My Journal page is a underwater scene where I imagine it's very silent.

The background is Dylusions inks (London Blue, Vibrant Turquoise, Calypso Teal & Linen).

I added pattern with TCW Stencils:  Circle Explosion & Coral with Mowed Lawn and Picked Raspberry Distress Inks

Design by Ryn stamps:
  Sea Bubbles - stamped in white pigment ink, highlighted with Gelly Roll pens
  Rising Bubbles - stamped with Colbalt Archival Ink, painted and highlighted
  Seaweed Set - open design, stamped with Colbalt Ink and highlighted with a white Gelly Roll pen
  Kelp - stamped with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink
  School of Fish - stamped with Colbalt Ink
  Wanda (the Angel fish) & Seahorse Set - coloured with Tombow markers & decoupaged

Voice of the Sea is by Impression Obsession ( C5053)

If you would like a chance to win my blog candy, please leave a comment at this post here.  I'll make the draw on January 17, 2014.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,
Shirley

Count the Moments

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well and managed to get some rest after all the festive activities.   It's been extremely cold here but we are warm & cozy inside and it's a nice time for creativity.  I would like to welcome the new followers, thanks for your interest in my blog  :)  

I have a card and an Art Journal page to share today using stamps from Designs by Ryn in one of my favorite colour combinations.

The background is Dylusions Inks and a stencil by Joggles - Star Flower Mask.    I sprayed over the stencil (mask) for the Journal page (below) and then I turned it over to use the ink that was left on it to create this background.   I embossed Compound Leaf with a green glitter powder and stamped Abstract Leaf Set with Cobalt Archival Ink on the background.

Selini the Moth was stamped on another sheet of paper covered with Dylusions inks sprays, coloured a little with Prisma pencils, highlighted with a white Gelly Roll pen, decoupaged and popped up over the background.  I also added glitter which you can see a little better in the close-up below.    The excellent quote is by Impression Obsession - D1379.

Next is a 'New Year' Art Journal page - I was just playing, going with the flow and allowing myself to be messy.   

The background started with Dylusions inks sprayed over Joggles - Star Flower Mask.   I also used TCW Spinning Top stencil with black acrylic paint over top of other acrylic painting and stamping.  I stamped Design by Ryn's Fiddlehead Set with Distress Inks.   The sillouette was created with a self-made stencil using black acrylic paint and doodled over top.  

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirley

Serenity for 2014

Happy New Year!   I hope 2014 brings you happiness, health, serenity and lots of creative activities.

I have a design today using Chocolate Baroque's new gorgeous Serenity A5 set.

The background is Teal & Turquoise Dylusions ink.  I stencilled a little over top with TCW Pointy Circles and stamped in the background with a beautiful feather image from Peacock Parade.   I embossed with gold UTEE around the edge of the background.

I embossed the Buddha from Serenity with gold directly over the background.   I stamped a second Buddha image with Cobalt Archival ink and embossed a third image with gold powder on separate cardstock.   Next I decoupaged the cobalt Buddha and the gold Lotus chair and layered over the main image.   I embossed the smaller feather images also from Peacock Parade with gold and decoupaged as shown.  All the images were coloured with Prisma and Inktense pencils. 

I'm including a few photos taken after the 48 hour ice storm that hit here the weekend before Christmas.   We are thankful that our electricity was only off for one day as many families went much longer in freezing weather.  Some waited over a week for hydro lines to be repaired.    Sadly there is extensive damage to trees in the Region.  We won't know the extend of damage to our shrubs until the Spring when the snow melts. Our trees are younger and seemed to survive well.  Nature is beautiful and sometimes cruel.

Taken on the third day, still very dark.  The ground is snow & ice covered, the shrubs and trees are ice covered, that's not snow!

Candied Crab Apples covered in ice. 

Taken when the sun was setting, a couple of days after the ice storm.

I would like to thank everyone for all your visits and kind words at my blog during the last year,  I appreciate them very much.   I'm looking forward to the inspiration I gain from visits to your blogs in 2014!

Have a great day
Shirley

Love with a Steampunk Owl

Hello everyone,

I have a card today featuring the fun Owl from Chocolate Baroque's new Steampunk Birds set.  I plan to give this to my husband on his next birthday as he really likes the steampunk designs. 

 

The background is Turquoise Dylusions Ink which I stenciled over with TCW Gear stencil.    I stamped the cog fragment from Steampunk Butterfly with Peacock and Walnut Distress Inks.    Love is from Artistic Expressions.   The Owl was embossed with copper powder and coloured with Tombow markers.  I carefully cut him out and popped him up on the background. 

Thanks for visiting and have a great day,
Shirley

Spiral Branch with a Hummingbird

Hello everyone,  I hope you are doing well.

I have a card today using Designs by Ryn stamps that makes me think about summer instead of the winter that is upon us and will probably be here for while.   

The background was created using the green Dylusions inks along with a little white linen and Turquoise.    I blended a little Mowed Lawn Distress Ink using TCW Cell Theory stencil.

I stamped Sea Bubbles with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink around the background and then stamped the beautiful Spiral Branch with Cobalt Archival ink.  I coloured the leaves with a white Prisma pencil.  

Flying Hummingbird 3 was stamped on watercolour paper and coloured with my Inktense pencils.   I added lots of holograph glitter with a glue pen.

Let the Adventure Begin is from Chocolate Baroque and available as a single clear stamp or in a complete collection of Fairyland Words.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend,
Shirley

Bliss with gorgeous Floral Stamps

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.

Chocolate Baroque also announced four new gorgeous Floral clear stamps which are on special for the month of December.   I love flowers and thoroughly enjoy working with these. I used the new beautiful Snake's Head Fritillary on this card:

   
The background was created with Vibrant Turquoise and Cut Grass Dylusions spray inks.   I added a little sea salt while the inks were still wet.   I stamped branches from Spring Foliage with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink and the rest of the stamping was done with Cobalt Blue Archival ink.   The foliage at the top is also from Spring Foliage and the bottom edge is from Floral Edges.   I highlighted the Fritillary and branches at the top with Prisma Pencils.   Bliss is from Artistic Affirmations, another word stamp set that I use frequently.  I also added glitter on the top branch and on the leaves of the Fritillary.

Here is a look at all four new beautiful clear floral stamps available individually or as a multi-buy.  These stamps are on special for the month of December.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend,
Shirley

Masculine Birthday Greetings

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.

I have a card design today that I think works well for a man using stamps by Chocolate Baroque including their new fabulous Nature Fragments set.

The background was created with Melted Chocolate (how appropriate) Dylusions Ink.   I stamped using two tree trunk wood grain fragments from Nature Fragments with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink.     I embossed two trees from Fantasy Woodland and sentiment from Birthday Words with brown powder.   I blended Broken China Distress Ink over the trees and label.   

Die:  Spellbinder - Elegant Labels 4 S6-005

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirley

Winter Fairies for Christmas

Hello everyone, I hope you are having a great weekend.  I would like to welcome the new followers and again thank everyone for your visits and kind comments, they are very much appreciated!

Chocolate Baroque has recently launched their new beautiful Winter Fairy Collection.   I have a couple of designs today featuring stamps from these sets.  I used images from December Fairy for the card below.

The background was created with Calypso Teal, After Midnight and White Linen Dylusions spray inks and I sprinkled a little salt while wet.   I stencilled a little over the background using Circle Explosion by TCW.   I stamped the angel with Seedless Preserves Distress Ink, embossed with clear, cut it out, matted and coloured a little with Dylusions inks.     I added snowflake die cuts from Impression Obsession which were generously given to me by a kind friend.

Next is a beautiful Fairy from February Fairy.

I created the background with Festive Berries Distress Ink using an Acrylic Block.   I stamped the trees from Reindeer Landscape with Festive Berries DI.    I embossed the holly edge from Christmas Edges and Believe from Reindeer Landscape with gold.  The Fairy is also embossed with gold, coloured with Tombow markers, cut out and attached.  I added Diamond Stickles to her wings and dress.

Here is a look at the Winter Fairy Collection which is available in three individual sets or as a multi buy special.

If you have a chance, please visit Chocolate Baroque's Design Team blog to see what my talented teammates are creating.

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!
Shirley

Fantasy Meadow Flower

Happy Friday ! 

I have another 'blue' card today featuring a gorgeous flower from Chocolate Baroque's beautiful Fantasy Meadow set which is the stamp of the week, starting today.    I've had this set for quite a while, it's another favourite.   I've also used a fragment in the background from the new fabulous Nature Fragments set.

The background is again with one of my favourite Dylusions inks blue colour combo.     I picked up droplets of ink from my craft mat to create more texture:)   I blended Picked Raspberry DI over TCW Chicken Wire stencil and then stamped with a fragment from Nature Fragments.   I coloured the flower with Prisma Pencils and added Stardust Stickles to the centers after the card was assembled.   

Here is a look at the complete A5 Fantasy Meadow set that is the stamp of the week (on sale!). 

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend,
Shirley

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone, I hope the Goblins & Ghosts don't 'come to get you' :)    We will enjoy watching the little ones dressed up and 'trick or treating' tonight.  My husband hopes that we don't run out of candy because he wants to eat lots of 'left overs'.

I have a Journal Page to show today that is a little different, but since it's Halloween colours I thought I would post it.   As Ryn advised, creating in your Art Journal should be free and spontaneous :)

I used Design by Ryn's new Fiddle Head Set along with her famous Water Droplets.

I also used favorite stamps from Chocolate Baroque.   I created texture in the background with a fragment from Texture Fragments, 'Art' is from Artistic Expressions and the sentiment is from Artistic Affirmations.   

The background is Dylusions Inks, I also added a little Distress Ink after it was dry.   I stamped with black ink and highlighted with a white Gelly Roll Pen.   The border is TCW-Chequered Dots Dylusions Stencil which I added with black Acrylic Paint.   I also used TCW-Ferns which is hard to see  and a solid leaf stamp by IO - Hydrangea Leaf H8466 in the background.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day,
Shirley

Blue Christmas

Hello everyone, I hope you had a great weekend.

I have two 'Blue' Christmas cards today, using beautiful stamp sets from Chocolate Baroque.  I used the new Reindeer Landscape set for the card below along with a couple of beautiful Memory Box Dies.

I used a favourite Dylusion ink combo (Calypso Teal, After Midnight & White Linen) on the background.  I stamped the trees from Reindeer Landscape with Deep Purple Archival Ink and added lots of glitter.    Believe also from Reindeer Landscape, was stamped with black Versafine Ink.   I used Memory Boxes Dies - Deer Trio & Snowflake Corner (they cut like a charm!) with black cardstock.    The Deer Trio is great as the bottom doesn't cut so you can cut to whatever shape you need for your design.    I added lots of glitter to the trees and snowflakes.

I used the new Fancy Flourishes clear set along with an older favorite Christmas Flourish for the card below.

The above background was created with the same three Dylusion Ink Sprays.    I spritzed a little water to blend, blotted with a paper towel roll and added a little sea salt before it was dry to create 'stars' in the ink.  When dry, I used TCW stencil - Star Fall with Picked Raspberry & Peacock Feathers Distress Inks and white Acrylic Paint.

I stamped the Flourish from the new Fancy Flourishes set with Salty Ocean Distress Ink around the border of the background.    The sentiment from Bold Christmas Words and the Christmas Tree from Christmas Flourish were stamped with Black ink.   I added stickles to the tree. 

Thanks for your visit and have a great day!
Shirley