X is for Xylem

This fortnight on The Craft Barn dictionary challenge the letter is X. I was desperate not to do Xmas and so when I saw the new Carabelle Studio stamps one sprung to mind with possibilities...something a bit more abstract this time. X is for xylem, the system which transports water from the roots around a plant.

The background was made with layers of Fresco Finish paint through the 'Around the World' mask. The 'Circles and Dots' stamp was stamped on tissue, painted white on the back and adhered with gel medium. A second one was stamped and cut into individual circles. Colour was added with Derwent Inktense blocks and finally the Distress Ink was used through the mask on the edges.

Thank you to everyone who has commented on previous posts, either here or on The Craft Barn blog. Your comments are really appreciated.

Materials Used:

Carabelle Studio stamp: circles and dots

Carabelle Studio mask: around the world

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paint

Distress Ink

Archival Ink

Derwent Inktense blocks

Multi medium matte

tissue paper

O is for Outlandish

This fortnight's letter on The Craft Barn dictionary challenge is O.  A bit of a remake of some cards I made earlier in the year, but I love the Art of Brett Weldele stamp set so any excuse...

I had a great time at The Craft Barn today on a workshop with the brilliant Kay Carley and treated myself to the Kaisercraft stamps used here with my voucher from the last dictionary challenge.

Materials used:

Stampers Anonymous: mister meow meow and tweets mcgee, slight alterations

Impression Obsession: solar system

Kaisercraft: hexagons, honeycomb

Katzelkraft: so special

Tando stencil: letters

Dylusions paint: fresh lime, london blue

Derwent Inktense blocks

Archival ink

Brusho Flowers

One of my favourite techniques, because it always works out well, is to emboss in white, spray with water, sprinkle with Brusho and watch the magic happen. You can manipulate the Brusho by spritzing with more water, moving it around with a paintbrush or lifting it off with a paper towel. Once the first layer is down you can drop in more to deepen some areas. To finish off use a fine black pen to outline and alcohol markers to colour small areas. Finally a few spatters of paint to tie it all together.

Materials used:

PaperArtsy: JOFY 33

Brusho

Dina Wakley acrylic paint: night

White embossing powder

ProMarkers

gel pen

Bird Tote

I’ve wanted to do something with some tote bags I have for a while and finally a free afternoon has given me the chance to play. First some card was put inside the bag so that the paint and inks didn’t seep through to the back. Then the branch was stencilled in black fabric paint and set with a heat tool.

 

Then one at a time the birds were stencilled on to the branch in colour and the back and wings added in black, each time heat setting before the next bird.

 

The fabric between and around the birds was saturated with water. Inktense blocks were used to add colour which was then softened with more water and blended out. The final stage was to make sure everything was heat set by ironing it under a sheet of baking parchment.

 Think that might make a nice little present for a birdwatcher I know!

Materials used:

Cosmic Shimmer Lustre Fabric Paint: graphite noir, royal purple, Atlantic blue, 

sea green, golden lime, Moroccan rose

Americana stencil: feathered friends

Derwent Inktense blocks

H is for Hippy

Back from holiday and just scraped in with this fortnight's entry for The Craft Barn dictionary challenge for letter H. Short on inspiration, I flicked through the old dictionary I'm using and came across the definition for hippy which rather amused me. So here goes...

The Inktense blocks were a holiday souvenir from the Derwent shop. I'm looking forward to getting to grips with them properly. Watercolour course starts up again soon so watch this space.

Materials used:

Lavinia stamp: Zen Ella

GiogioCraft stencil: floral circle

XCut embossing folder: floral curls

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paint

Derwent Inktense blocks

gesso

gel pens, Stabilo All pencils