Willow Landscape

Morning Friends and Crafters, I do hope you all enjoyed your May Day bank holiday weekend. It's not long until I am back with my new collection on Hochanda, it's going to be very exciting, with lot's of demonstrations and giveaways too. It will be my very first One Day Special so a big celebration, I do hope I can count on your support. It's a very different collection and I really can't wait to share it with you. Today I am sharing a  card I made using the Weeping Willow stencil from my Blooming Marvelous Collection.

You will Need:

Craftascope 'Not Just The Gift' Stamp

Craftascope 'Weeping Willow' Stencil

Clarity Stamp Landscape Mask

Clarity Stamp Moon Mask

Clarity Stamp Tree Stamps

Distress Inks: Chipped Sapphire, Blueprint Sketch and Black Soot

Clarity A5 Stamping Card

Clarity Black Base Card 8 x 8'' cut down to size

Step 1: Position your moon & hills mask in place then with the spray adhesive position the stencil.

Step 2: Blend the sky using the distress inks from dark to light. Then remove the willow mask.

Step 3: Place the negative mask to protect your sky. Also protect the white edges around your design with copier paper and spray.

Step 4: Use the remaining masks to create your landscape with the lighter blue distress inks.

Step 5: Remove the moon mask, then stamp the trees in place to complete your design. Use the landscape masks to ensure that the trees sit nicely on the ground.

Step 6:  Finally stamp the sentiment within the large moon. Then mount onto your black card base.

Thank you for visiting today.  It's that time again and Nominations are open for the Craft awards. It would be amazing to be nominated in some of the categories. Every bit of support is appreciated , I really do value it, it means an awful lot especially for newcomers to the craft word. I love to be able to bring my collections, especially as they are different to what is out there This is the link to nominate your favourite Crafts and brands: Best of Craft Awards.

I know blogging is now becoming less and less popular and I see that this year they have even removed the category for best blog. I suppose it's only a matter of time until most people will use the more popular forms of social media. I think it's a great resource for some crafters, I love to share so I will continue for as long as I get visits. I do hope you will use your vote to support your favourites. For now take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Tree of Life

Morning, Great too have you join me this morning. I am sharing one of the cards I made for the launch of 'A Little Bird' stamps and stencils from Clarity, Barbara launched them last weekend. If you would like to watch the shows for inspiration, they should still be available on "Rewind' via the Hochanda website.

You Will Need:

Clarity 'A Little Bird' Stencil

Clarity 'Life' From the Stamp Club

Clear Embossing Powder

White Stamping Card

Centura Pearl White/Silver Base Card

Black Card

Distress Oxide Blueprint Sketch

Distress Oxide Seedless Preserves

Distress Oxide Wilted Violet

Versamark Ink Pad

Black Soot Distress Ink

Step 1: Ink up the reverse of your stencil, using the Distress Oxide Inks. Then run through your machine, this will give a wonderful emboss to the finished image. Coat this with clear embossing powder and heat. Next stamp 'Life' using Versamark and again heat emboss with the clear powder.

Step 2: Use Black Soot to completely cover the whole area. You want to get a really dark solid black. Trim around the full stencil, including the rounded corners.

Step 3: Mount onto black card, leaving a very narrow border, ten mount onto your white base card.

This technique gives the illusion of a coloured die cut which has been mounted onto the black card.

Thank you so much for joining me today, I do hope you have enjoyed the tutorial along with the finished card. I hope you will join me again very soon to see what I have to share with you. For now, Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Rose and Fern

Morning Friends and Crafters. For today's card, I have mixed 2 stencils from Be Creative along with one of the stamps to add some interest and texture to the piece. Here is have used the Distress Crackle stamp.

You will Need 

Nouveau Fern Stencil

Rose Bloom Stencil

Distress Crackle Stamp

Versafine Black Ink Pad

Distress Ink Blueprint Sketch, Chipped Sapphire and Black Soot

Alcohol Markers

Black Fine Liner, Alcohol and Waterproof

Pebeo Drawing Gum

White Stamping Card 6 x 6''

Red Card 6 1/2 x 6 1/2''

Black Card Base 7 x 7 ''

Step 1:Take your white stamping card and position your rose, draw through with your fine liner. Next overlay your fern stencil and repeat but dont go over any of your previous lines. Mask of your design with Pebeo Drawing Gum. Starting with Blueprint Sketch, blend in from the edge of your card.

Step 2: Continue blending with Chipped Sapphire

Step 3: Around the very edges, blend a little with Black Soot 'less is more'. Finally use the distress Crackle stamp all over the design with Versafine black ink.

Step 4: Remove the drawing gum

Step 5: Using a selection of alcohol markers colour your design, adding depth and shade.

Step 6: To finish your card, Layer it onto a red mat to bring out the rose, then mount onto your black card base.

Thank you ever so much for joining me today, I do hope you like the finished card along with the tutorial I have shared. I hope you will join me again when I will be sharing something else with you. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Stand Out From The Crowd!!

Morning Crafters. Today I am sharing another of the samples I made for the launch of Jungle Dreams from Michelle. Once again, it's been created using only one of the many images in the collection along with a couple of the sentiments to create the card and insert. Welcome to today's tutorial, I hope you enjoy it along with the finished card.

You Will Need:

Jungle Dreams Collection

Distress Inks: Faded Jeans, Blueprint Sketch,Chipped Sapphire and Black Soot.

Alcohol Markers: Yellows, Oranges and Red

Pebeo Drawing Gum

Sheena Stamping Card

Small Paint Brush

Adhesives and Base Card

Step 1: Print out your chosen image onto Sheena Stamping Card.

Step 2: Choose your sentiment. Tip: Print a page of sentiments, it save card and you will have the for other projects.

Step 3: Create and print your insert onto super smooth paper.

Step 4: Fill the image with Pebeo Drawing Gum, create a few splats by tapping your loaded brush onto a pen or ruler above the piece.

Step 5: Start your background, using Faded Jeans around your image, blending outwards.

Step 6: Next blend from the edges with Blueprint Sketch towards the middle.

Step 7: Repeat with Chipped Sapphire, always fading towards your image.

Step 8: Repeat with Black Soot, to really deepen the richness of the colour. Go easy here. Once the inks are dry, remove the drawing gum. Cut out your sentiment and bled around the edges.

Step 9: With your Alcohol markers, colour your image, blending from red to yellow.

Step 10: Assemble your card as shown in the photo.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit today, I do hope you have liked the tutorial and the finished piece. Hope to see you very soon. Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx