Tuesday 31 October 2017

Winter Trees Christmas Card

Hello there
The school half term break is over and so I feel I can legitimately start thinking about Christmas. I've begun the Christmas card assembly line. The secret to Christmas card making is to keep it simple (relatively) and be able to work in batches. It can also mean compromising a bit, maybe skipping the embossing you would normally do and cross your fingers the ink doesn't run! The idea is not to create fine art but to end up with something that looks striking from across the room amid other cards.

I've been looking forward to using the CraftEmotions Christmas tree, branches set. This is a great set for layered images.If you don't celebrate Christmas it's still a lovely set for winter scenes and birthday cards.

Image result for craft emotions clear stamps 

First I stamped the step 1 small trees in iced spruce Distress Oxide ink on a square of watercolour paper. Masking off the bottom of the trees helps to avoid them looking like they are floating in mid air. I did this 28 times! The only thing that limited me was the number of appropriately sized card blanks at the end.
 

Next I over stamped the step two trees in faded jeans...28 times.


Then I repeated with the step 1 large tree in seedless preserves...


...before overstamping the step 2 image in wilted violet. The advantage of the Distress Oxides is that they can be layered and not get muddied together.


A light spritz with water helped to blend the colours and soften the edges. I blotted with kitchen paper to stop it spreading too far.


I smooshed broken china onto a craft mat and used a wet paint brush to watercolour the sky, then added colour beneath the trees.


To finish off when the paper was completely dry I stamped the step 3 images in silver ink and added a border with a Kaisercraft border stamp.


To finish off I mounted it on a white card blank and stamped a sentiment with my trusty stamping tool. Once I had positioned the stamp and tested it on a square of scrap paper I knew that every single sentiment would be perfectly positioned. How did I ever manage without a stamping tool?!


Making cards this way really cuts down on the time you use to swap over equipment. I also had everything lined up in order on the bench ready to go. 


And there we are. Design one completed. I usually try and make four or five designs of Christmas cards just so that it's not too boring. I have 3 more designs coming up before Christmas on The Craft Barn blog and another to share here using the lovely Giogiocraft bauble stencil...but that's for another day.

Thank you for visiting my blog. xxx

Friday 13 October 2017

For the Girls

Hello
Somehow it slipped by me that my project was up on The Craft Barn blog this week. There have been lovely projects which will make great gifts as well as decorations.




The bottles are great fun to decorate. I've used the technique in the past in another project that you can see here.

Right off to bed now as I'm hoping to get up bright and early and put my mind to a couple of crafty projects in the morning.

Have a good weekend. xx

Sunday 8 October 2017

There is always hope...

Hello
At last a chance to play with some of the stamps I picked up on my travels this summer. First up the Banksy little girl with a balloon - There is always hope.
 

 
 
I picked this up from StempelBar in Berlin. Actually I spent quite a few pennies there on Banksy and graffiti art stamps. There may well be a few more cards and projects to come in this style!

Saturday 7 October 2017

Animal Farm

Hello
Business and housework sorted for the weekend...time now for a bit of crafting. First of all just to let you know that my latest post for The Craft Barn is live today on the blog.


I really love these cheeky chaps from the PaperArtsy Elena Zinski range.


The cards are actually one layer apart from the paper flower. Hop over to the blog for the step-by-step tutorial and find out how to achieve this effect with masking techniques.

No time to chat...crafting awaits! Hope you have a lovely relaxing day. Thanks for stopping by xx

Sunday 1 October 2017

Fresh October brings the pheasant...

Hello
October already! Where has the year gone? The first Sunday of the month means that it is time for the next verse of The Craft Barn's twelve month challenge based on Sara Coleridge's poem The Months. Here's my mini canvas, a bit off centre to get the pheasant's tail in!

Fresh October brings the pheasant,
Then to gather nuts is pleasant.
 
 
The leaves are fabulous colours and I've seen some spectacular fungi around, although it's looking a bit rainy and grey here today. Do have a look at the blog to see what everyone else comes up with and as always I will try to visit as many of the entries as possible.

Happy crafting xx