Monday 30 April 2012

Creative Chemistry

At last I have started the Creative Chemistry course by Tim Holtz. I have been watching everyone doing their tags and found some time last night to have a go. You can still register for this class and once you are signed up all the course contents are available to you for ever. So cool as you can take the lessons at your own pace like me.

Day 1


Spritz and Flick, Brushless Watercolour, Wrinkle-Free Distress.


I particularly loved how the butterflies turned out for this technique.

Day 2


Alcohol Ink Agates, Archival Resist, Reflections Stamping.

I am eager to complete the rest now so I can make my tags into a little book to keep as my aide-memoire for techniques.

I hope you have a week of crafty goodness and stay healthy.

hugs {brenda} xox

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Sunday 29 April 2012

PanPastels - Spring Time

I wanted to do something different with my card today and was in the mood to create digital images. So what I did was find this gorgeous group of birds at The Graphic Fairy and set about making a background using my PanPastels and masks, but I didn't fancy printing out the image and then trying to cut it out. So what did I do? I scanned my background into the computer and had fun playing around with ping files and a frame from DigitalCrea


So having merged all my elements together I have printed it out and added embellishments to finish it off.


You can see the design of my PP background using masks and embossing ink.


I added some music transparency with one of my downloaded butterflies I love to use.


 This is called a hybrid card because it combines both digital and 3D handmade elements together.

I hope you will join us at PanPastel UK challenge blog this week with our 'Spring Time' theme and if you do you could be in with a chance of winning a PanPastel set from our very generous sponsors at Your Creativity Store.

Have a happy Sunday.

hugs {brenda} xox

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Wednesday 25 April 2012

Watercolour paper shabby flowers Tutorial

Here is a tutorial for some shabby vintage flowers using watercolour paper. This is the most sturdiest of papers that I have used because the wetting and drying of it makes it keep it's shape and form. 
Try it and see.

I have used a 230gms watercolour pad.

I used a Sizzix sizzlet die on the left and tattered florals on the right.

Take 2 large tattered florals, 1 large sizzlet and 1 small TF die cuts.

Ink the edges with distress ink.

I used victorian velvet distress stain misted with water ...

... and dipped the die-cuts in making them wet.

Fold each die cut around the end of a paint brush.

Scrunch it up and hold it down on your heat resistant craft mat and heat dry it. 

Do the same for each one.

Uncurl each flower carefully.

Punch two small flowers for stamens. I used pink photocopy paper.

Soak them in the distress stains and mist them with water.

Scrunch them slightly and dry them.

Now start assembling the flower. I use art institute glue.

Hold each flower for a couple of seconds and push it down into the one below.

The four water colour paper layers assembled.

I added the stamens and thought I would take the photo on white paper.
Look what happened to the colours!!!

Here it is back on the craft mat.
A good photographer would be able to explain why this has come about with the colour changes, but I haven't the faintest idea LOL.

This is the method I used on a scrapbook page which can be found here.

I hope you enjoy using watercolour paper for your flowers.

hugs {brenda} xox

Challenges to have fun with -
Thanks to Gina - Butterfly Effect - Flowers


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Monday 23 April 2012

More Dylusions

Had another play with the Dylusions inks and in fact I have added to my colours, well got to have a range of them eh?


Spray, mask and spray again. Stamp over the top; add stamped image cut out and very little else except some doodling with white pen.
Eh voila.

hugs {brenda} xox


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Sunday 22 April 2012

FSC - Embossing

My second post today and slightly later than normal for Fashionable Stamping Challenges.

Another fortnight gone and another challenge where the theme is to use embossing - dry or heat - and on my sample this week there is lots of heat embossing, the background, the clock and the butterflies.

This is an 8 x 8 scrapbook page and has slightly curled - hence the odd shape to it.


I made the background by making a stamp Tim Holtz style (see his new book P66 to see how to do it) and using this and the TH Mona Lisa and Paris stamps with embossing ink and applying clear embossing powder over the images on black card. When dry I painted over the whole piece with white, burnt umber, honeydew and london fog acrylic paints and before this was perfectly dry I wiped over the embossed designs to remove most of it. This exposed the black embossed images through the paint layer to create a shabby vintage look.



The clock and photo mount are TH dies, the clock was heat embossed with weathered wood distress embossing powder and the mount was given a burnt umber coat of paint and then the crackle effect made with paperartsy crackle glaze and white and honeydew paints over the top.


The butterflies are white downloaded vintage images given a spritz with water and distress stains, heat dried and then embossed with clear embossing powder.



I love using watercolour paper to make flowers and I used a mix of tattered floral die-cuts and hand drawn cut outs to make these. A mix of vintage photo, and walnut stain DIs and weathered wood and walnut stain DSs have given these a vintage effect.


The photo is circa 1969 and someone I know really well lol.
Finished off with some collage elements, what do you think?

I am entering this into the Creative Craft World challenge this month to make something smaller than 12 x 12 and to include black.

Enjoy your Sunday.

hugs {brenda} xox

Challenges to have fun with -
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything Goes
Crazy 4 challenges - Black cardstock
Our Creative Corner - Butterflies






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PanPastels - Add a Flower

Another Shabby Chic card from me today with a sweet vintage image bought in a set at a craft fair a few years ago now.

This is for the new PanPastel UK challenge this week and I hope you will join us showing us your flowers.

The paper is Papermania and I cut the frame using a Sizzix die out of white card and coloured it up with PPs and edged the main linen card with the same pink PP as well.


The flower is Prima and I used Meiflower ribbon and the lace is from my supplies. I also stamped with Fresco Finish white paint on a green metal corner, placed a white shabby charm under the lace and added Stickles to the flower and round the edge of the backing paper.


We are sponsored as always by Your Creativity Store who give the winner an amazing PanPastel set. So I hope you are tempted to join in and if you love your PPs or have yet to experiment with go take a look at what they offer.

My teamies have produced some fabulous creations as always for your inspiration.

Have a wonderful Sunday. 

hugs {brenda} xox

Challenges to have fun with -
Rogue Redhead Designs - Spring Fashion Colours

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Friday 20 April 2012

Shabby Chic/Distressed at The Stamp Man

Hi Everyone

I am hosting the new challenge at The Stamp Man and for the next fortnight and we would like to see your shabby chic or distressed creations.


I had great fun making this card. Since my fabulous win at Terry's blog I have been totally inspired by Linda Coughlin's blog and her gorgeous shabby chic creations and my design has been influenced by her lovely work.


I have layered music paper washed with watered down white acrylic paint, an embossed piece run through the TH Postcard embossing folder then covered with distress stain, heat dried and white acrylic sponged over the top to catch the raise areas.


The doily die was stippled with picket fence crackle paint and when it was dry I blended some DIs on it very lightly.


The addition of 2 different types of lace a punched border and a fabric flower made from TH tattered flowers and a Sizzix flower dies (Funkie Junkie style).


The focal image is the 'I love Paris' stamp by Stampendous sent to me by Jill, with the flowers coloured in using distress stain and TH marker. The tiny tag was also from Jill and has been inked, spritzed with water, stamped with a TH mini, some lace added to the bottom and also white pearls.

Supplies -
Stampendous 'I love Paris' stamp
Music paper
Tim Holtz Postcard embossing folder
Tim Holtz alterations die - Distressed Doily
Distress stains - Victorian Velvet
Distress Inks - Victorian Velvet, Vintage Photo
Distress Marker - Victorian Velvet
Tim Holtz Crackle Paint
White acrylic paint
Mini tag
Martha Stewart border punch
Star Dust Stickles
Shabby ribbon coloured with Victorian velvet DS

I hope we will see you at The Stamp Man for this challenge and if you join in you do of course stand a chance of winning a £10 voucher for Mrs Stampman's on-line shop.
Have fun.

hugs {brenda} xox

Challenges to have fun with
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything Goes
Sugar Creek Hollow - Die Cuts or punches
Card and Scrap - Flowers
Crafts and Me - Vintage
Papercraft Star - Something French

Saturday evening up-date -    firstly the lovely Diane at 1CardCreator has suggested I link this to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound. My pleasure to do so and I will be off to explore the other blogs that participate.

Secondly - I have no idea what has happened tonight but Blogger has changed the whole look of the back-rooms here so that I am finding it a nightmare to find my way round and to even find this post to edit!!!!! Do we really have to go with the changes without being asked if we want to? That really annoys me.

Have a great evening xoxox
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Monday 16 April 2012

New Dylusions

I just had to have a play with my new Dylusions inks last night and this is the result.


I also used TH and Stampotique stamps and stamped the mushrooms onto a scrap piece which I had swiped the left over inks through, painted over with the inks and then used clear embossing powder to make it pop more. The doodling was done with both a black and white pen and the quote is from my sheet I have prepared myself to use for tags like this.

Have a great Monday and a fab week. I am just waiting for my grandaughters to arrive for the day as both their Mum and dad are starting new jobs today.

hugs {brenda} xox

Challenges to have fun with -
Stampotique Designers - Oodles of Doodles
Frilly and Funky - Take your word for it
My Mojo Monthly - Tagology
WOW - Nature or Vintage inspired



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Sunday 15 April 2012

PanPastels - One for the boys

I have a postcard for you today as my DT piece for the PanPastel UK challenge - One for the Boys. I wanted to stay away from the cars and transport theme so I opted for photography instead. It certainly isn't girly so I am sure will fit this theme ok.


The background was made with PPs and masks to give that layered, texture look, I stamped straight onto the card as well as stamped images and cut out. I also coloured the reverse side by covering it lightly in the colours I had used on the front to give it an aged, vintage look. This is a Penny Black stamp.



Don't forget we have an amazing sponsor who provides a sample pack of two PanPastels for you to try out with, do go over to Your Creativity Store to see their amazing prices on these fabulous pans of colour.

I hope we will see you over at the challenge blog too to show us what you have been making with a masculine feel to it. Remember you don't have to use PPs in your piece, but of course we love it when you do.

hugs {brenda} xox

Sunday morning catch-up
I had a brilliant day yesterday at Ally Pally catching up with friends and meeting new ones and still some I missed.
Lovely people I caught up with were -
Von - Messy me
Shirley (FSC) - Shirl's Cards
Joanna - Under a Creative Spell
 Ruby (Ruby 2 Shoes)
 Gillian of Gillian's Mixed Media Musings 
 Nikky - Minxy - The Altered Inker
Heidi - The crafty goat girl
and very quick hellos to
Lin - Yours Artfully
Hels - Ink on my Fingers
and Jane and Penny from The Art of Craft
Although I spent alot of time chatting I still managed to spend loads of money!!!

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