April Tagalong

Hello

I've been joining in with challenges set by Isa. This month the tag challenge is on the theme of shimmer and wings. There is also a colour challenge which is analagous. As time is at a bit of a premium at the moment I have tried to combine them.

The background has plenty of shimmer using Cosmic Shimmer pixie powders and Pentart glitter paste. The stamp set is from Angela Poole and comes with co-ordinating stencils as well.

If you are interested you need to ask to join the tagalong group. 

Not long now until the swifts, swallows and martins are back, hopefully bringing a bit of sunshine with them.

Have a lovely week xxx

Start the year with a splash

Hello

Happy New Year! 

I have started the year off with a cheerful, fun card, using a Giogiocraft stencil, Cosmic Shimmer pixie powders and Inktense pencils.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by. I hope that 2021 brings you many blessings and an abundance of creative inspiration xxx

Spring is in the Air

Hello again!
Like buses, nothing for ages then two posts at once!

I'm hoping if I say 'spring is here' enough it will make it so, but at the moment the weather still seems decidedly chilly. My spring project is live on The Craft Barn blog today.

For more details do take a look at the blog.

I hope that you have a lovely weekend ahead. Thank you for stopping by. xxx

Beary Christmas

Hello there
If you're feeling a little frazzled with Christmas preparations here's a little something to make you smile...

 

Can't have too many bears!

Thank you for stopping by xxx

Comparatively Speaking

Hello
I've been having a little play with Brusho, PaperArtsy Infusions and Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powders.

I tried sprinkling, spritzing, washes, layering, sprays, glazes and bleaching to name a few techniques. To see the results of my labours and how they compare have a look at The Craft Barn blog today.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Happy crafting xx

D is for Dance

The latest dictionary challenge at The Craft Barn is the letter D with the added twist that there has to be some pink included.  It was easy for me to think of a word as I have a much loved stamp which came immediately to mind.

Scanning is a bit wonky but never mind.  Made this challenge with just a few hours to spare!

Materials used:

Stampendous: tutu toad

Joy Crafts:dance to the music

Fancy Pants: bella brush

Clarity stencil: trellis

script stencil

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paints

Cosmic Shimmer shimmer paints

Archival Ink: jet black

Claire's Stuff

Blogging two weekends in a row!  Must mean I'm winding down at work and gearing up for some holiday crafting.  I'm off on a course next week and it occurred to me I might need a notebook.  The perfect opportunity to try out a technique that Lindsay Mason introduced me to.

First I masked off the spine on a cheap supermarket notebook.  I stuck on embossed paper, die cuts, metal embellishments and metal studs, then painted everything with a coat of Little Black Dress (sorry I forgot to photograph that step).

I then covered the background with Viva Decor Maya Gold, working the paint in to all of the nooks and crannies.  When the base was dry I used two more colours to paint the letters.

To finish off a little Treasure Gold was used to highlight the edges and bring out some of the texture.
 

No chance my notebook will get mixed up with anyone else's!

Have a lovely day x

Materials used:

notebook

assorted die cuts and embellishments

Cosmic Shimmer glue

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paint: little black dress

Viva Decor Maya Gold paint: gold, cacao, turquoise, emerald

Treasure Gold: white fire

Fabulous Boot

With a few girlie birthdays coming up I thought now was the time to get out the Fabulous Boot 2 stamp by The House of Zandra.  First the background was stamped all over with swirls in Vintage Photo Distress Ink and the circles shaded with Promarkers.  Next a frame was die cut and the Fabulous Boot was stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black, allowing the top of the boot to come off the frame.  It was then restamped another twice on pieces of card so the flowers and boot could be decoupaged.  The images were shaded with Promarkers and assembled with silicone glue and Cosmic Shimmer glue.

Entered in:

Craft Stamper's Take It, Make It Challenge for January 2015

Materials used:

The House of Zandra: Fabulous Boot 2 stamp

background swirl stamp

Memento Ink: tuxedo black

Ranger Distress Ink: vintage photo

Promarkers: marine, island lagoon, frosted jade, shale, tan, crimson

Cosmic shimmer glue, silicone glue, double sided tape

Countdown to Christmas

Hi there
Time to start facing up to the fact that Christmas is fast approaching.  Here's something I've made to help keep track of the days using Tando Creative's Christmas Countdown Frame.

Grunge paste was added to the front panel using Tando's Grid Moroccan mask.  When dry all of the pieces were painted with gesso and then Fresco Finish paints.  The raised paste was highlighted with Treasure Gold.  The edges were thickly embossed with Frantage embossing enamel and more was sprinkled over the frame to add extra sparkle. For a little extra shimmer the stockings were speckled with Prima Color Bloom Spray Mist.  The pieces glued together easily with Cosmic Shimmer glue.

As my sister is crazy about Christmas and this is a gift for her, the stockings are all double sided enabling her to start her countdown on 16th September with 99 days to go!

I'm entering this in to Tando's Creative Challenge for November 'Something with a Use'...a very specific use! 

Thank you for looking xx

Materials used:

Tando Creative: Christmas Countdown Frame

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Acrylic Paint: snowflake, eggplant, lilac, claret, space cadet, inky pool

PaperArtsy: grunge paste 

White gesso

Cosmic Shimmer: glue

Treasure Gold: white fire

Stampendous Frantage: shabby white embossing enamel

Prima Color Bloom: tea stain spray mist

Owl Clock

Hello again.  This weekend I thought it was time to assemble my Tando Owl Clock and inspired by all of the Halloween colours around I decided on bold purple and orange.

First the front got a layer of PaperArtsy Grunge Paste and while still wet, a bark pattern was drawn in to it.  The rest of the pieces were painted with a layer of gesso.

The inside faces and clock dial were painted with a layer of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish yellow submarine and the remaining outer faces with eggplant.  The textured front was painted first in a layer of chocolate pudding, right down in to the grooves.  The ridges were then highlighted with lilac and when dry, a layer of eggplant was added.  Eggplant is a translucent colour so the lilac could show through giving highlights and some of the brown was left showing in the grooves.

Using autumn fire with a fairly dry brush, the edges of the yellow faces were given a distressed look.

Having decided to paint first and then assemble to make it easier to get to the insides, I realised that once the pieces were glued together there would be bare patches where the pieces slotted in.  More paste and more paint were needed to fill the gaps.  It still seemed a little flat so a touch of treasure gold was used to bring out the bark texture.  The kit comes with one owl but I added pieces from Tando Bird Set 1 Small.

 Great fun to make and very easy to assemble.

Materials used:

Tando MDF Owl Clock

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Acrylic Paint: snowflake, little black dress, yellow submarine, autumn fire, limelight, eggplant, chocolate pudding, lilac

Paper Artsy: grunge paste

Treasure Gold: white fire

Cosmic Shimmer: glue

I'm entering this in  Tando Creative's Challenge for November. Thank you for taking the time to look.

Tando Triple Birdhouse

Thank you for popping by.  Here's something I made a couple of weeks ago.  The kit comes in flat pieces and I did most of the painting while flat, just touching up the joins at the end.  To start with everything got a cover of white gesso, except for the outside of the front and back pieces, which started with a layer of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish little black dress.  Once dry a thin layer of crackle glaze was applied over the black and left to dry.  For the base colours I used mermaid, guacamole and cheesecake.  A good tip when using crackle glaze is to apply it with a piece of Cut-n-Dry foam to get a nice thin layer.  When you apply the paint over the top it will start to crack quite quickly so make sure that you do not apply it too thickly and NEVER go back over it to fill in any gaps or you will just cover up the cracks.

The roofs had an additional layer of a translucent shade (south pacific, yellow submarine and hey pesto) painted and/or stencilled on, with a little snowflake paint rubbed on the edges.  JOFY stamps were added with black archival ink and painted in with more Fresco Finish colours.  Then it was all glued together with Cosmic Shimmer glue and any gaps touched up with paint.  It now sits on my window sill at work cheering me up as I plough through endless admin.