Craftascope Another Birthday!!!

Morning Friends and Crafters, Well, I do hope you got to see my show yesterday. What did you think? I would love to know unless it was disastrous of course, then I would rather forget all about it. I am scheduling this post to make sure there is lots of inspiration for you, so for me the show hasn't taken place yet, (Thats funny I feel a bit like Dr Who). I am really looking forward to seeing what you create, so I do hope you will share, it's the most exciting part. This is ever such a simple and fast card to make, great for a blokes card and you can add any joke or sentiment you like in the speech bubble.

You will Need:

Craftascope 'Trent' Media Stencil

Clarity 'Firework' Stencil Club Issue No 42

Basic Tag or Speech Bubble Die

Basic Square Die

Stamping Card

Black Fine Liner 

Black Card

White Card Base 8 x 8''

Selection of Distress Inks

Black Versafine Ink

Copier Paper

Step 1: Cut an aperture in a scrap piece of copier paper, place over your stamping card and ink through. Remove the paper and cut out with a die, about 1/4'' larger to allow for a white border.

Step 2: Use your black fine liner to add a wobbly double line around the card. Use Tacky glue to mount it onto black card.

Step 3: Cut a sheet of stamping card to 7 1/2'' square, and get your stencil ready.

Step 4: Selectively ink through the stencil using a selection of bright distress inks, No need to do the centre as it will be covered. Mount this onto black card. Cut a speech bubble or similar and stamp your chosen sentiment or joke. back with black card and secure to the card with 3D glue gel.

Just a little extra here: If you have not shopped with Hochanda before, here is a voucher code giving you 30% off your first purchase (FEY5JBP7) it can be used for any purchase, feel free to share it.

As you know I love writing my blog and helping as much as I can, well I would really love for you to add you support by adding me as a favourite blog. All you need to do in that section is choose other and add my blog address nickinbarnsley.blogspot It would be great to get a mention even if I dont come anywhere.

Here is the link to add your support for all of the categories. 

https://www.britishcraftawards.com/


Until Tomorrow, Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Christmas Crackers & Cracker Box

Morning Friends and Crafters, everyone seems to be talking Christmas at the moment. They all seem so far ahead with cards and other preparations for the coming season. I really don't know where the year has disappeared to. Today I thought I would make a start and make some luxury Crackers and a box for them decorated with Foamiran Poinsettias.

You Will Need:

Green Foamiran  (022)

Purple Foamiran (011)

14 Craft Bar Poinsettia Die Set  

Light Pink Berries Snowy

Bunch of Stamens White

Glue Gun

Tacky Glue

Tonic Cracker Die

Sheena Stamping Card

Box made from Centura Pearl White/Silver Card

Distress Inks, Wilted Violet, Chipped Sapphire also the Wilted Violet in the Oxides

Leonie Pujols Snowflake Stamps and Border Stamps

Tonic Die Cut Sentiment

Matching Thin Ribbon

Step 1: Cut your crackers using Sheena Stamping Card, using the die.

Step 2: Assemble and decorate your crackers, here i used Leonie's stamps and border stamp. I have stamped with the distress inks, I heat embossed the border with silver embossing powder. Tie the ends with matching satin ribbon.

Step 3: Use the 2 smaller sizes of the poinsettia die to cut a selection of your foamiran.

Step 4: Fold the petals together and twist them, be quite firm with them, leave them twisted for 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 5: Gently unfold the petals but dont open them too much, this will have formed you a base and wonderful shape to the petals.

Step 6: Layer the poinsettias together, I have used 2 of each together. Keep the large and small separate. I have then added the stamens to the centre, then edged the leaves with Tacky glue and sprinkled with crystalina glitter.

Step 7: To each cracker I added a poinsettia and a sprig made from the Berries and bunch of mixed stamens, all secured with hot glue.

Here are the finished cracker and box.

Many thanks for joining me today, I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial along with the finished project. How far are you with your preparations for Christmas? I do hope I am not the only one falling behind. I do hope you will join me again very soon. For now take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

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

Birds on a Branch

Morning, I hope you are all enjoying your Easter brake and looking forward to your Easter Eggs tomorrow. As most of you will be busy today, I am sharing a very simple card today and keeping it short. Fiona was on Hochanda yesterday, launching the new Spring & Summer Collection from Crafters Companion. Today's card uses the stamps from the collection.

You will need:

6 x 6 'Spring Is In The Air' Stamp Set

Pebeo Drawing Gum

Versafine Black Ink Pad or Similar Black Pad

Sheena's Stamping Card 22 cm x 15 cm.

Distress Inks Faded Jeans, Blueprint Sketch

Claritystamp Moon Mask

Claritystamp Landscape Mask Set or Torn Copier Paper.

Watercolour Markers

Black Fine Liner

Matt Black Card

Centura Pearl White 'Hint of Silver.

Step 1: Take your card and ask off a 2 cm border all around the edge using copier paper. Stamp out your design, Place the moon mask in the sky area and use the drawing gum to mask your stamping.

Step 2: Use your masks create your landscape, hills and sky.

Step 3: Remove the moon mask, drawing gum, border masks and colour with your choice of markers.

Step 4: Using the black fine liner, draw a squiggly line around the image. Then layer onto a black mat before adding to your Centura Pearl card base. Add a sentiment and there is your finished card.

Thank you for taking the time to take a look today at what I am sharing. Would love to have some of your comments and thought. Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Parchment Jungle

Morning. Are you all keeping warm, I do hope so. A bit of a shock, when your expecting spring like weather. It's freezing here today, no snow, but ice storms instead, with thunder and lightning last night. Today I am sharing a parchment project, made using the wonderful images from Jungle Dreams brought to us by Michelle from MJM Studios.

For this project you will need:

Jungle Dreams Collection

7'' x 7'' Parchment (to allow for scoring and attaching)

Pergacolours

Parchment Scissors (your preferred)

Twin Needle Tool

Mapping Pen

Perga Ink White

Embossing Tools

Pergamano Embossing Mat

Clarity Moon and Landscape Masks or Copier Paper

Sheena Stamping Card 6'' x 6''

Red Liner Tape

Distress Inks: Faded Jeans, Blueprint Sketch, Chipped Sapphire

Step 1: Create and print your design for the parchment onto paper or card.

Step 2: Trace your design to the parchment, using a mapping pen and white ink.

Step 3: Emboss your design from the back of the parchment using your small ball tool. Then add shading and whitework to add more depth, movement and texture. Always rest your work between sessions of whitework.

Step 4: From the back of your parchment, colour your design in colours of your choice.

Step 5: Take your card and create your landscape, building up the hills and mountains using the distress inks, always leaving a very pale section where they meet. When the land is complete and you are happy, add the moon mask.

Step 6: Continue with your background, building up the sky colour, always creating a deeper shade around the edges, fading out towards the moon. Remove the moon mask when finished and very lightly swipe from one side to add the smallest amount of colour, this looks like clouds or mist. You could add trees etc, but I chose not to on this piece

Step 7: Using a twin needle tool, prick all around your design. I dropped my tool and damaged one of the tips, so it's not very tidy. (another is on order).

Step 8: Using your snips, cut around your design (as shown)

Step 9: Score your parchment at 1/4 and 1/2 inch. Do this very gently and fold.

Step 10: Using red liner tape on the outer tab, secure to the reverse of your background. Sit back and enjoy your project.

Thank you so much for joining me today, I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial and the finished piece. Hope you will join me again. 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