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

Spirit Soar ATC

Morning everyone, good to have your company. Today I am sharing an ATC that I made with my new collection. I love ATC's, I often make a mini version or representation of cards that I have made. Here is the Dolphin, which I predict is going to be the next Unicorn or Owl used with the funky wave stamp from Leonie. I have been lucky enough to swim with Dolphins a few time now, they really are the most amazing mammals,

You will need:

Dolphin Stamp Set 1

ATC Sized Piece of Stamping Card 2 1/2 x 3 1/2''

Pebeo Drawing Gum

Funky Wave Stamp from Leonie (or Similar)

Clarity Moon Mask

Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink

Shaded Lilac Distress Ink

Versafine Black Ink Pad

White Gel Pen

Alcohol Markers

Copier Paper Masks of the Waves and Dolphin

Step 1: Start by stamping the waves across the bottom of your card, Mask of the waves, then add the Dolphin and the moon mask. Using a fan brush, splash a a few very small drops of drawing gum across the sky, cover the rest of your stamped area with the gum as well and leave to dry.

Step 2: Blend the sky using the Shaded Lilac first. Then from the outside edges of the card start blending in the Blueprint sketch, gradually blend towards the centre, making sure the area around the moon wants to be lighter.

Step 3: Remove the moon mask.

Step 4: Removing the remaining drawing gum.

Stamp 5: Stamp your sentiment, Use the alcohol markers to colour the Dolphin and the waves. Then use the white gel en to add a highlight on the words and more texture to the waves.

Here is your finished ATC, such a great was of keeping a catalogue of your cards and projects.

Thank you for joining me today, I hope to see you again really soon, I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial today along with the finished piece. Before I go there is one more thing, here is a 30% off voucher to use on your FIRST order (anything) from Hochanda, use code FEY5JBP7. 

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

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

Time - Showing us what Matters

Hello, I've got something a little different to share with you this morning. Yesterday Kim from Paperbabe Stamps brought her Male Mixed Media, stamps and stencils to Hochanda. I bought them a little while ago, they really are fantastic. I never been able to draw a successful face so these have really been amazing to use and have allowed me to try something new. If you didn't see the shows, they will be available on 'Rewind' via the Hochanda website.

For this I used the 'Side Swept Bangs' template, the instructions are super easy to follow. I used Stick n Spray from Crafters Companion on the back of mine to hold it in place. Next I positioned the facial features, using the coordinating stamps. For the eye's I used Blueprint Sketch Distress ink.

Once completed, I used a 0.3 & 0.5 black Copic Multiliner pen to darken the lines before rubbing out all of the pencil markings.

I started building up the skin tone with my alcohol markers, blending to add shape to the face.

I continued to blend, darkening around the sides of the face and hairline. Below the shoulders, I faded to the lightest shade.

I took a warm golden base for the hair, my chosen hair colour was dark brown but I like to start with a lighter base, after adding the darker colours the tones does show to give a more realistic look.

Next I took my 2nd beige colour to start the blending. Working with the hairs natural movement, blending from the root and from the tips, leaving a bridge in the mid-lengths. 

I continued with a deep warm brown applying in the same way.

Lastly, I took my darkest brown to add even more depth and tone before blending with the warm brown I had used previously.

Then using copier paper, I made a mask to cover the whole image.

The colours I used for this background were Blueprint Sketch, Dusty Concorde and Chipped Sapphire. I wanted to blend areas while still keeping some white without it starting to look patchy.

I made a stencil from the clock die from the 'Time Traveller' collection by Sheena. I also used another from Clarity, stippling through with Blueprint Sketch and Chipped Sapphire.

With Memento Black ink, I stamped a sentiment stamp from Bee Crafty, using the 'Time' part on the left had side and the rest in the top right hand corner. I next took the Hourglass stamp from Sheena's Time Traveller collection and stamped using Blueprint Sketch Distress ink.

I finally removed the copier paper mask.

Many thanks for taking a look today, I do hope you have enjoyed this step by step and the finished piece. If you would like to do something similar, I would highly recommend the stencils and stamps from Paperbabe, they have really helped me to do something that I have always wanted to do. Hope you will join me again soon, Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Water Garden

Here I have used the amazing new 3D Embossing Folders from Crafters Companion to create a card to suit any occasion. I've added bright bursts of colour with Brusho that suit the design.

I used watercolour card and a Tonic Die to create a deckled edge square measuring 4 1/4'', then embossed it using the  Country Garden 3D Embossing Folder. Then I selectively added the Brusho, suing Scarlet, Gamboge, Sea Green and Leaf Green before spritzing with water. The embossing is so deep that none of the detail was lost. I sealed my piece with a couple of layers of Spray n Shine.

To create the skylike background, I took a piece of Sheen Stamping card measuring 5 3/4'' square. I embossed with a Textures folder from Crafters Companion. I blended colour onto this using Blueprint Sketch, then Chipped Sapphire Distress Inks to darken the edges.

I stamped my sentiment and cut out using the same frame die, this time moving it after the first cut to get the smaller size that I wanted.. I then added the same colour Distress Inks as used for the background.

Using Centura Pearl White, with a hint of Silver, I made a 6'' Square base card. All of the edges of the layers were edged with silver using a Pebeo Silver 4 Artist Marker pen. I layered up, finally adding the sentiment with Collall 3D Glue Gel.

Thank you so much for your continued support and for the lovely messages here and on Facebook, I really do appreciate hearing from you, knowing that you are enjoying what I share. Hope to see you again soon. Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx