Back to Black

Well its finally like summer here in the South Coast of England. We are expecting 30 degrees this weekend!!.

I took my artwork outside to photo and am a bit disappointed with the picture. In real life I'm pleased how it turned out. I made it specifically for the That's Crafty Challenge which this week is Back to Black.

I first painted the canvas with black gesso and then added die cut corners from black card before coating again with gesso. I used a stencil from a recent edition of Cards and Papercraft, with Pebeo Dyna Paints. The butterfly stamp was from the same set which I stamped and embossed with WOW! Embossing Powder Metallic Gold Sparkle.

I just wish you could see it in real life to see the shimmering effect!

Other challenges I am entering

Artistic Stampers - Floral Fantasy
CountryView Crafts - Flower Power

Mixed Media Tag

Back now from the Easter break and ready to craft! I really enjoyed making this tag using different kinds of medium.

I used Distress Crayons and Gelatos to colour the background of the tag before stamping onto it with a text stamp. I dry brushed some of the area with white acrylic paint. The trellis is a die cut.

For the butterflies and flowers I stamped onto watercoloured card coloured again with Distress Crayons and Gelatos. I used WOW!Embossing Powder in Brass to emboss the outlines.

Finally I assembled them all onto the tag and added some glitter (well I am The Sparkly Fairy!)

I hope you like it!

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Make My Monday - Embossing

A Inky Mess - Anything Mixed Media

Crafts and Me - Things With Wings

WOW! Embossing Powder - Anything with Embossing

Mixed Media With Wings

Over at The Mixed Media Card Challenge the theme is WINGS and there is also a DT Call!

For my entry I used a favourite stamp set which I think was from Inkadinkadoo originally. I can't believe I have never used this particular one.

First I stamped the image onto book printed paper and then used Watercolours and Spectrum Noir pencils to add colour. Some of the areas I highlighted with gold pen. The dots I then applied using a stencil and Peeled Paint Distress Ink.

I hope you enjoy your weekend!

Other challenges I am entering:

Bloggers Challenge Flutterby Challenge - Flutterby

Craft For the Craic - Wings

Fashionable Stampers Challenge - Things with Wings

Ink on My Fingers - Books (Book Paper)

Craft Stamper - Take It Make It

Spring Butterflies

Over the weekend I found a bit of time to have a play with some different techniques and materials.And this is what I came up with.

First I painted kraft card with Gesso. I then used the butterfly stamp with Staz On ink so that I could watercolour the images with Distress Pens.  The text stamp was randomly used over the card as well as applying Bundled Sage ink through a stencil.  Finally to make the butterflies really stand out I used Glossy Accents on them.

Challenges I am entering:

Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Flying Things

Make My Monday - Distress It
Fantasy Stampers - Distress It

Melting in the Heat

Hopefully that's not the last of the summer now as its been raining in the south for a couple of days. Last night we even had thunder.

Well I have been melting in the heat (excuse the pun!) whilst working on my entry for Craft Stamper Magazine's challenge Take It Make It.  The challenge is to use a layered embossing powder technique featured in the magazine by Birgit Koopsen on pages 30-31 of the July 2013 issue.

For my entry I used a selection of WOW Embossing Powders to create the layers. I used a mask to apply Versamark ink through to achieve the dotty effect.

I then overstamped using a black Stazon inkpad and a butterfly and roses stamps. I added colour to the stamped images with Promarkers. Finally I added a small scattering of Frantage to the bottom right hand corner. 

I wasn't sure how to finish the project off so decided on a card. To add more interest I stamped around the edge with Dusty Concorde Distress ink using the same rose stamp. I am really amazed at the effect you can achieve with this technique!

Back in action

Its been a couple of weeks since I've been able to blog. I went down with a really nasty virus Easter Weekend and have only just managed to get out of bed! The Easter holidays have been a wash out for me! and have left me extremely weak and wobbly!

I did manage to catch Hels on Create and Craft with the Melt Pot and have ordered some Beeswax which I hope to be able to play with soon! I have had my melt pot for some time but its not been used to its potential.

I made this card a couple of weeks ago after trying a different technique - stamping with Aquamarkers. I used a set of stamps from Docrafts and coloured them directly with the Aquamarkers. I drew out the colour using a water brush at the end.

I am entering this card into the following challenges :
Happy Campers - Flower Power
Simon Says Stamp  - Spring Flowers
Country View Craft Challenge - Butterflies