Happy Lunar New Year

Happy New Year

Wishing you good fortune for the year ahead xx

More monoprinting

Hello

I'm just posting a quick one today as I have fallen behind with the monoprinting challenge set by Kim Herringe for those following her course and hope to get a few prints done later. 

9. Grass 

10.Beetle

I love how these two are a pair, but the combination of print or ghost print creates a totally different feel.

 

11.Scooter

Thank you for all your lovely comments on earlier posts. I have taken your advice and started turning some of the prints into notelets and cards.

Hope you have a lovely week ahead xx

 

Romantic steampunk

Hello
Hope you are having a relaxing day wherever you are. At least crafting is helping some of us keep sane during the virus lockdown. Today I'm sharing the latest in the #craftingwithgiogio projects on the theme of steampunk or vintage. I was inspired by this painting of Elizabeth I for the colour scheme.

I started by covering the page with black gesso, using thick paint and heavy brush strokes to create some texture for the curtains. I added the Giogiocraft laser cuts and peel offs, and gessoed those as well, before laying down a first layer of paint.

I like using PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paints for crafting as they come in a wide range of colours and so I don't have to think about colour mixing. Even more importantly they come in opaque, semi-translucent and translucent so they are amazing for effortless layering, and they dry very quickly.

 

With all the painting done I added stamping with DecoArt dazzling metallic paint and highlighted the peel offs and die cuts with a variety of gilding waxes. To finish off I added some tiny watch parts, which were a present from my sister, with just this kind of project in mind.

 

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Do take the opportunity to see the other lovely creations #craftingwithgiogio. Thank you for taking the time to stop by.  Enjoy the weekend xxx

The Key to My Heart

Hello
This week has been a very special one thanks to the love of my fabulous family and friends who have showered me in birthday treats. It's had me thinking about what's important in life and for me it's not the stuff we have, it's the memories we share with loved ones.  Having said that I did get birthday money and I have bought myself some lovely crafty goodies...craft stuff doesn't count!

Over on The Craft Barn blog hearts have been prominent this week. I had a lot of fun with this mixed media tag.

Take a look at the blog for more details and don't forget the winter sale is still on at The Craft Barn.

Off now to have a little play with my new crafty stash. Thank you for stopping by. xxx

Christmas Bauble Card

Hello
A quick one today to share the second of my Christmas card designs for this year using the lovely bauble stencil from Giovanna Zara. I bought mine through her Dawanda shop and you can see her ideas and tutorials on her blog.

I can see a lot of uses for the different elements at some point in the future!

As I've said before the secret to Christmas card making is a simple design that can be put together production line style. I stencilled first in vintage photo Distress Ink  around the outer parts of the image and then went over with festive berries. I then very lightly added some Imagination Crafts Starlights in antique gold before stamping a sentiment. To finish off I added a pale shadow in alcohol marker and some metallic nailhead gems.

Unfortunately the flash picks up the gold but flattens some of the colour and shading which make it look more 3D. Quick to do and will be eye catching across a festive room at Christmas.

Thank you for taking time to stop by. xx

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

Fab-U-lous

Another quickish make...

Materials used:

Imagination Crafts stencil: beautiful blossom

Kaisercraft: film edges

ProMarkers

Distress Ink