ATC Swap

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.  It's a long weekend here, as it's a civic holiday on Monday, lots of people are enjoying a mid summer's vacation.  It continues to be very hot and humid, I'm not a 'hot weather' girl, I prefer moderate temperatures.  But eventually our bodies adjust and we don't notice it as much and balmy evenings on the deck or patio are wonderful.

Recently I took up a talented artist's, Win Dinn, from Western Canada offer to swap ATCs.   I was looking forward to seeing her art in miniature format as I know she uses lots of texture in her mixed media.

Well to my surprise I received 4 ATCs and many pieces of fun texture art that I can use on cards or mixed media pieces.     Thank you again Win !

Below is the ATC that I mailed out to Win.  I used a Gelli print and a Hummingbird stamp by Designs by Ryn. 

Stamps by Designs by Ryn:  Leafy Branch and Perching Hummingbird.  Ryn's stamps are also available in unmounted sets at a very good value.

I sent along this card (below and seen in a prior post) with the ATC.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend,
Shirley

Friends

Hello, I hope everyone is doing well.

I have a design to show today that I made a while ago using stamps by Chocolate Baroque and die cut flowers.

I used Baroque Orchids in the background, stamped, watercoloured (at little) and highlighted with a white pen.   The die cut flowers (Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms) were stamped with a fragment from the Textured Fragment set.  The sentiment is from the Amazing Birthday set which I can no longer find at their website.  I also added a little Berry Sprig die cut by Memory Box.

Thanks for stopping by. 
Have a great day,
Shirley

Beautiful Moth

Hello everyone, I hope all is well.

I have a card today using a stencil and stamps by Designs by Ryn, including one of her amazing water designs.  There are some 'copy cat' companies out there, but Ryn's water stamps are a very high quality and I think the most realistic design.

I truly don't understand how some business owners feel that it's 'OK' to steal someone's designs, it's just morally wrong.   I understand that a stamp company may see an opportunity in the market for water designs and create stamps using their own drawings, which is the legal and ethical way to conduct business.  (they are out there).    However, stealing ideas and designs from a sweet young lady who is managing a small business on her own is just so wrong.    We all should know that stealing anything from anyone is wrong.

I could say more, but I'm now off my soap box, rant is over. 

I started by using Maidenhair Fern stencil with molding paste.  When dry I sprinkled Brusho ink powders, spritzed with Gold Glimmermist and let it run.   I like how the gold mica gathered around the raised image.

Lucine the Moth was stamped on separate cardstock, coloured with inks and cut out to attached.  I also stamped Hanging Droplets in the background and added the die cut word by Tim Holtz (Sizzix).  Ryn's stamps are also available on unmounted sheets at a very good value.

Below is a close up where you can see stickles on the Moth.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,
Shirley

Crackling Rose

Hello everyone, I hope you are having a great summer.

It's been very hot and dry here, the worst drought that I can recall.  But last night the skies opened up and we received a heavy down pour for an hour.  I've been worried about the trees that are stressed and dying, so I was so happy that the rain will gave them some relief.   Most homeowners in our area don't seem to realize that young(ish) trees need water to survive.    

My card today features the beautiful Crackling Rose stamp by Chocolate Baroque.   After seeing many flower & rose designs at Miranda's blog, I could no longer resist and ended up buying this one.  

I used Distress Inks and water in the background and when dry stamped the Crackle Rose with Memento ink.   After colouring the Rose with Prisma pencils I added some paint using a stencil around the border.

The background was much larger, but I wasn't happy with how it turned out, too much pink for me I suppose.  But I spent a lot of relaxing time colouring so I trimmed a lot of the background away.  It looks better but still a lot of pink !

Well that's all for today, have a wonderful weekend.
Shirley

Friendship gives Wings to the Heart

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.     We are experiencing drought and heat but today is a little cooler.    

I have a card to show today using beautiful stamps by Designs by Ryn.  The quote is by Chocolate Baroque.

The background is Distress Inks and a lovely stencil with vines, but it doesn't have the name on it, I can't recall what company it's by.

Designs by Ryn stamps:  Leafy Branch, Streamertail Hummingbird, and Flower Lace (background of bottom).   I used a stencil with small circles and white acrylic paint here and there.  I coloured the bird with Distress Inks and highlighted with a white pen.

Chocolate Baroque stamp:  Quote is from Pretty Poppies set.

Thanks for stopping by and if you live in Canada or the USA, enjoy the upcoming long weekend :)
Shirley

Art using Stencils

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.    We are doing well and keeping quite busy.    I haven't had much time in my craft room or for blogging but thought I would show this card I made a few weeks ago.

I used mostly inks and stencils, the only stamping is the quote by Impression Obsession.  The butterflies were inked thorough a stencil after creating the rest of the background.  I added little dots and outlined with a white Gelly Roll Pen.  I also added some Silver Frantage.

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day,

Shirley

Smile and Be Yourself

Hello and Happy Weekend, I hope you are all doing well. 

I have a card and tag to show today which I created using whimsical stamp sets designed by Marja DeVissor for Kico Stamps.

I created the same background for both using Dylusion spray inks & over stamped with a tangled circle. Most stamped images are from Plate 51.   The girl on the tag is from Plate 73 -I extended her body using a pigment pen.

I coloured the stamped images with Distress Paints, white heavy Acrylic Paint and Distress Inks (using my craft mat with water and brush).

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.
Shirley 

Hummingbird and Cornflowers

Hello everyone, I hope you had a a great weekend.    We are getting much needed rain here today, so a perfect time to play in my craft room :)

I used Designs by Ryn's stamps and Creative Expressions Dies for my card below.   I think I have lots of different flower dies, but when I saw this whimsical Cornflower Set by Sue Wilson of Creative Expressions, I couldn't resist.  I think they compliment Ryn's Circle Clusters set.
 

The background started with Distress Inks (Citron, Mowed Lawn and Peacock) on my craft mat, spritzing water and then dragging mixed paper through.   After drying with a heat gun I stamped Circle Clusters with water - a technique that Miranda demonstrates at her tutorial here.

When the background was dry again I over stamped with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink using Circle Clusters and highlighted with a white gell pen.

The beautiful Booted-Racket tail Hummingbird which is also available on Ryn's unmounted Hummingbirds 2 sheet was stamped with Memento Ink, coloured with Distress Inks using a brush and water on my craft mat and Prisma pencils.  I also highlighted with a white gell pen.

Happy Birthday is from Chocolate Baroque's Amazing Birthday clear set which I can no longer find on their website.

I blended Peacock Feathers Distress Ink on the tips of the Cornflower die cuts.   Creative Expressions Dies:  Coneflowers CED1424 and Olive Branch CED1460.  

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week,
Shirley