Back to Basics 2 Landscapes

Morning Friends and Crafters, For those of you who saw my second episode of 'Back to Basics' with Craftascope last night. I really hope you enjoyed it and found it useful & worthwhile. After the show I added a few finishing touches as discussed and added a little sentiment. So here is the end result, do excuse to odd finger print. You can still take a look at the video on my youtube channel and I have added the link to this post to, so pop over and see how it was done.

As I said on the video, I will be adding to the series for as long as I get your requests. So if there is anything you would like to see included in the future shows, then please leave your comments on the comments under the video so I can find them easily.

This weeks 'Natter with Nick' offer ended last night but there are still some really great buys on my Etsy store, some are a little low on stock now, but hopefully you will find what you want to add to your Craftascope Library. I did a second demo on last nights show, I added it as a separate video and you can see it here.

Well I have lots of preparation underway for my first stand at Stamperama in August, not long to go now. I will be sharing lot's of new goodies before visiting Hochanda on the 13th August. Well thats all for no, so Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Moonlit Couple

Morning, I have another project for you this morning using the 'Rustic Wedding' Signature Collection from Sara. Just by changing the colours used, the look and feel changes completely. I thought it might be a good idea to share to show you how versatile it can be, even when used within the wedding theme. We all adore the Rustic look, but it's always good to make as much use as possible from your stash. A quiet moment for the Happy couple in the moonlight, after all the excitement of the day, The Perfect Ending.

You will need:

Rustic Wedding 'Just Married Die'

Rustic Wedding 'Always and Forever' Stamp Set

Matt Black Card 6 x 6''

Sheena Stamping Card 6 x 6''

Centura Pearl Hint of Silver Card Base 6.5 X 6.5''

Distress Inks: Faded Jeans, Blueprint Sketch and Chipped Sapphire

Silver Embossing Powder

Versamark Ink Pad

Anti Static Bag

Heat Gun

Pebeo Silver Gilding Wax

Self Adhesive Sheet (single sided)

Clear Glitter

Step 1: Create your landscape on the Sheena Card, Use ripped copier paper for the hills and mountains. Use the Distress inks, the deeper shades towards the edges and lighter towards where the hills meet to give the moonlit illusion. Use Stick n Spray to secure a circle to your piece, position it where you would like your oversized moon.

Step 2: Add your sky, again the darker shades blending towards the centre, getting lighter towards the moon and land. Deepen the edges with the deepest colour. Then stamp a few tress for depth of your scene.

Step 3: Centre your die within the black card, cut and emboss the first. The cut a further 2 the same, layer them up using Tacky Glue, keeping the embossed piece at the top.

Step 4: Use a section of self adhesive sheet behind the bride, trim around the edges with scissors. Cover with clear glitter to add sparkle to her dress. Secure to your background piece with either foam tape or 3D glue gel.

Step 5: Using Versamark, stamp the 'Just Married' sentiment within the banner and emboss with silver embossing powder. (Don't forget to use your anti-static bag first). Trim around the banner, shape and add to your design.

Step 6: Sparingly add the silver gilding wax, to the trees and leaves to add the hint of moonlight. The to finish the card add to your card base, made with Centura Pearl, Hint of Silver.

Thank you for joining me today, I really hope you have enjoyed the tutorial along with the finished card today. I do hope you will join me again as there is always something to share. For now take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

An African Mystery

Hi. I have another big project for you today, in fact the largest piece I have done to date about 60 x 40cm. It's my piece for the All-and-Create Africa Challenge No4. The first idea was an African landscape, which evolved as a result of research, elements I wanted to create and a story. There are a lot of elements all of which, tell just one version of a mans journey. So what's the story surrounding this mans life? Was he part of the Trans-Saharan gold trade, providing gold to the Mediterranean economies that demanded it. The man was unearthed at the foothills near to the Sahara Desert. Among his possessions were some trade beads, traced back to Ghana, threaded onto copper wire. Whats your version of his story?  

To start with I created his face using a polystyrene head and allginate. This was filled with plaster, I made the mould to one side rather than face on.

The face was secured to my board. Then using polystyrene, I created the high and low points to start the land.

Using Ivory Powertex and Calico I began building the landscape, creating Mountains,hills,valleys and delta's.

The next layer was sand to create the ground, here i used a selection of fine and medium sand. Then added more layers of a texture paste in certain areas which gives another interesting texture, completely different to the sand.

To add pictorial interest to my piece and tie in with the story and theme, I create a landscape within a map of Africa. I made a stencil with copier paper and then used distress inks.

Then it was back to the main piece, building up various layers of colour from pale creams, yellows through to oranges and reds, leaving each to dry before moving on to the next. 

The final stage of the landscape was to create even more dimension, texture and colour. I decided to use rust, with it's lovely rich but sometimes unpredictable colours, which was scary. I went back to this many times with vinegar, brushing and moving it around to get the effect I wanted. Here is a photo of part of the process. It's looking a little disastrous and close to going in the bin.I was constantly worrying, wondering whether all the work so far had been wasted.

This project was a great learning process for me. I had loved geography and studied (minimally) parts of Africa in secondary school. This time round I read about the trading beads and found photos of some from Ghana. I wanted to make some and include them as an element in the finished piece. First I rolled out some paper clay into thin sausages and left to dry.

Next, I painted them with matt black gesso.

I then painted the 3 thin lines with yellow ochre.

To add the design, I used a white 4Artist marker from Pebeo.

Colouring the face came next, I had already built up the colour as I did the landscape, but now needed to tie it in with the background, I used layers of burnt umber, black and reds, distressing these as I went to get the finished result.

The first layer of rust was finally finished, I was extremely happy with the effect and wonderful colours it had given.

I layered up my pictorial element onto black card, drew in a double black line to create a frame and stamped using a mixed font from Clarity.

Meanwhile I added more rust and texture around the face to ensure it appeared as part of the landscape rather than just stuck in.I wanted it too look like it was coming 'OUT OF AFRICA'

Thank you for stopping by today and taking a look at this project. I hope you like all of the photos, the close ups really show the detail off, much of which is impossible to see without seeing it in real life. Take care and Happy Crafting.

Autumn Sunset

Morning, I wanted to share a card, made using Leonie's Dies in a different way. If you did miss the Launch shows for Leonie's Stamp and Die collection on on Hochanda, It is still available on their website via the Catch Up facility on the TV Schedule (8th & 9th June). Don't wait too long as it will soon disappear.

To start I cut the 'Entwining Branches' Die from copier paper to make myself a mask. Then positioned and secured to my Velvet cardstock, which measured 6'' Square.

I built up my landscape first, using a selection of distress inks and masks. You can use torn copier paper to make masks for the hills and mountains. For this I used: Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge and a small touch of Aged Mahogany. I blended the colours to leave very pale colours at the bottoms of the hills and mountains to add a feeling of depth.

I then added my trees to the landscape sizing them to add to the perspective of the land. The are tree stamps Drawn by Sheen Douglas.

I positioned a circle mask, which would become my sun and coloured the sky using mainly scattered Straw, blending the edges with a little Wild Honey Distress Ink.

I removed the mask from the sun and added a small amount of Scattered Straw Distress ink to take away the starkness of the white. I then added the 'Be Happy' stamp. I finally matted this onto Satin Gold card before mounting onto my base card.

I hope you like today's project along with the step by step I have included. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and I hope you will be back again, Bye for now, Take care and hope to see you tomorrow for more.xxx

Misty Morning Scarecrow

It was very misty this morning, the sky was the most beautiful shades of blue and the mist was sitting in the pockets of the land. I have tried to show that in this card I made for the Monthly Clarity Challenge blog.

I used the Scarecrow as my main image and wanted it to appear that he was coming out of the card. I started by stamping him onto my base card and onto a piece of copier paper to act as a mask. Then layered masks over him to create the frame, sunrise, and hills. Using a Clarity Countryside Stencil, a clarity moon mask, a clarity landscape mask and so torn copier paper.

For the landscape I used, Bundled Sage and Mowed Lawn Distress Inks. For the Sky I used Adirondack Cloudy Blue and Stonewashed. For the sun I used Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade Distress Inks.

I then removed the Stencil and replaced it with the Countryside mask (inner) and masked my frame with washi tape. I offset the mask slightly to achieve a slightly 3D look and continue the misty feel. I blended away from my mask first and then blended off from the frame using Blueprint Sketch distress ink,

The frame was deckled using a black fine line marker and the space between coloured with my alcohol markers. I then removed the mask and coloured the scarecrow using my Alcohol markers. I cut out the frame using a craft knife and ruler, and finished by cutting around the parts of the scarecrow that extended past the frame.

Finally I layered this onto white cardstock then onto a black pearl card.

I am entering this card into the Clarity Blog Challenge Number 38 

Let's Go Fly a Kite

Something completely different using just two of Leonie's new stamps, the Kites from The Tangled Tails set and the Branch from The Branching Out set from Leonie Pujol. I found the branch particularly useful as It bends really well giving lots of scope for trees etc. The sentiment on this card is from the Fanciful Phrases collection from Creative Expressions.

After deciding on the size of the image, I made a box frame by taking a sheet of Centura Pearl and adding a 3/4''measurement to each side. Then using my big score board scored at 1/4'' and 3/4''. This gives the frame a 1/2'' depth and leaves 1/4 to attach to the base card. I then used an oval die to create the aperture.

Firstly, I stamped the kites in the area I wanted them in and masked them off using Pebeo Drawing Gum and leaving it to dry naturally. Then I created the landscape using some torn paper, I used 3 distress ink pads for this: Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn and Forest Moss applied with cut n dry.

I then masked of some clouds made with torn paper and used Adirondack Cloudy Blue and Stonewashed for the sky. The tree branches were stamped in Coffee Archival, the foliage was made using the same distress inks as the grass with the addition of Pine Needles.

After colouring the kites, I attached embroidery thread to the kites by making a hole and threading through the holes to the back of the card. The oval Background was  then stuck onto my base card, Blue Centura Pearl from the Brights selection from Crafters Companion. I used acetate in the aperture so before securing it, I made a hole for the kite tails to come through to the front. For the kite handle I used 3/4'' of paintbrush and glued it while winding it onto the handle.


I have entered this card into the Penny Black April Birthdays Challenge.

I have entered this card into the Country View Crafts April Spring Challenge. Flying a kite on a mild spring day.