Tutorials

Tuesday, 2 June 2015

Yes it's that time.....Ready for another Lavinia Challenge - Challenge # 6 June Use any Colours You Like

Morning All

I really don't know where the time is going but it's June already and that means it's time for another Lavinia Challenge..... This Month its Challenge #6 "Use Any Colours you Like" !!! .....

You could win a voucher for £40.00 to spend in the Lavinia Stamps Web Shop http://laviniastamps.com/shop/ ...... So go on give it a go as you know you have to be in it to win !!!

Here are my Four Samples that I have made to inspire you although with all the fantastic entries that are coming through I think you have loads of Inspiration yourselves.....

For my first Sample I cut a 2" circle in a piece of card but if you have a stencil that would be better and easier to use but you need the inner and outer circles. You can use a die cutter and that way you can get both..... I blended Fossilized Amber and Squeezed Lemonade and for my Moon giving a darker side to show the light source.....I then blended Chipped Sapphire and Broken China in the Sky, then I blended Shabby Shutters, Abandoned Coral and Fossilized Amber together for the foreground meeting the blues at the horizon..... I then stamped the Spring Trees in the background about one third up the page leaving enough room for me to stamp the 2 little Pixie Stamp called "Star Gazing" into the foreground between the trees which immediately gives it perspective..... Then right in the foreground using the same Ink colours I used the Lavender Stamps and then highlighted it with a Gold Sparkle Gel Pen. I stamped and cut out 2 more pairs of fairy wings and layered them up just for a bit of interest....Whoops nearly forgot I then used the Stamp called "Leaf Trail" stamped in Archival Ink first and second generation ink again to add perspective at the top of the card.....





 



For my second Sample I did much the same as before but this was because I really love the look of the first Sample so needed to do another one using some different stamps which are just as gorgeous. On this one I used 4 of the new Distress inks being Cracked Pistashio, Blue Lagoon, Abandoned Coral and Fossilized Amber and what beautiful colours they are..... I randomly blended the inks on the card obviously putting the blue into the sky and then just put the rest where they fell, lol there was no plan.... the I went to work with some water splashes which always amazes me at how much colours is removed. I then dabbed it dry with kitchen towel and left it to dry thoroughly before I stamped anymore..... I knew the stamps I wanted to use and for my main image I chose the "Tree Goddess, "Luna" she is beautiful..... and then from the Tree Limb that she is sitting on I stamped the "Trailing Ivy" and then from the tree limb to the base of the card I stamped the "Fairy Web and the Spider.... The "Leaf Trail" again was used to help me give some balance to my card and at the top hanging over the moon I stamped the pretty "Willow" Stamp in first and second generation ink.... once I was happy with what I had done I highlighted again various points with the Gold Sparkle Gel Pen.... I nearly forgot on this one I stamped and cut out 2 more pairs of fairy wings and layered them up just for a bit of interest....
 




 
 
Now for my 3rd Sample I wanted to do something different and although I had something else in my head this is how it turned out and I am quite pleased with it.... Hope you like it !!!
I masked off a section using "Post It Notes" about an inch from the bottom of the card and about 2 inches high and made a scene within there just using a piece of torn copier paper to create my hills and then I have stamped the "Christmas Tree Group" from left to right again in 1st and 2nd generation ink. I then used one of the tiny £1.00 Fairy Castle Stamps in the distance.... The "Leaf Trail" and yellow flowers from the same set was used stamped from the top edge cascading down over on the left hand side of the card where I then added the flowers and I used one of the "Zen Flower" Stamps from this set and coloured them using the Spun Sugar Distress Ink watered down and painted on roughly with a Wild Honey flower centre which I cut out and shaped the flowers with my fingers and then layered them up. On this I chose to just layer up twice so not to make them too high..... once I had put the card together with Matts & Layers I added the "3 Dancing Fairies" and the £1.00 "Slender Mushrooms" to the bottom right hand corner and once I was entirely happy with the card I added extra interest with my Gold Sparkle Gel Pen and some Stickles to add some bling.....
 



 
For my finally Sample No 4.... I thought I would have another go at something different and it didn't quite come together but I will adjust it and save my thoughts for another day as I will make it work, I promise you I will..... I started with a blank card and cut away a section from the centre and added Acetate to the back to make it steady enough to stand up..... For this card again I used one of the pretty Zen Flower Stamps and handed painted them in Shaded Lilac and Spun Sugar and cut them out. I also used the "Maple Leaf" stamped using a 3 different Greens in Distress Inks, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint and Crushed Olive and inked them up with the paler colour first and then just dabbed a touch of the Crushed Olive to the edges of the leaves..... Once dry I cut them out with the leaf stems and laid them out until I was happy with the design and then glued them on one by one..... I added a tiny word Stamp to the back page of the card so you could see it through the acetate and then out come that Gold Sparkle Gel Pen again to add some interest.....
 


 
Well that's it for Month 6 Lavinia Challenge and I must now go and feed my poorly Cat Jasper as many of you will know all about his poor state and I am trying to help him through this tough time I just pray he makes it.....
 
Thanks again for popping by and hopefully see you again soon xxx
 
Lots of Love
xxx
 


Tuesday, 26 May 2015

Tim's Flower Garden .....

Evening All.....

I was trying to get these finished for you over the weekend and Bank Holiday so that it may have given you some inspiration to have a go yourself at creating some lovely cards not necessarily using the same stamps but just the techniques that I used.....

For these I used the beautiful Tim Holtz CMS215 Stampers Anonymous Cling Mounted Stamp Set - Flower Garden Stamp and I just adore these flower stamps so much..... I think I have a soft spot for the Daisy Stamp although I love them all.....

I just had to use them all as I didn't know which to start with ..... which is why I held back until I completely finished all the cards so I could share these with you so you could see the beauty of the whole stamp set.....

I started by stamping the Flower Heads as the stems come separate which is a great idea as that way you can place them anywhere you want and then add the stems afterwards..... I then painted the Flower Heads with masking fluid ( I used the Pebeo one the same as Sheena Douglass does as it is water based and therefore it makes the brushes easy to clean afterwards) and then once dried I stamped the stems as that way there is no criss-crossing of parts of the stamp and you will get perspective with the images..... I then used a long bristled paint brush to splash some spots of masking fluid over the rest of the background...... For 3 of the backgrounds I mixed loads of water with the coloured distress inks I chose and then splodged the card in it to make the random splodgy messes, lol.... and for the other 3 I blended colours together and then pulled the small ink pads gently from the edges for a random striped pattern..... Once they were all dried I then gently rubbed the masking fluid off which left the white spots and of course the flowers and stems which I then painted using distress inks in my chosen colours..... Highlights were added in with gold and silver sparkle pens and then I added some coloured sequins and diamantes to add interest.  

Thanks for popping by and go on give it a go don't worry about the stamps you have but just have a go at creating those interesting backgrounds and don't forget to give me a nod so I can have a look at your beautiful creations too !!!

Must fly as I have 3 days to get ready for a 12 hours Card Making Event to raise monies and cards for the Charity to sell and the proceeds go to Demelza House Childrens Hospice and also the Ferret Rescue Centre and believe me they both need as much money as we can raise..... Wish me Good Luck as I know I will need it to get me through the long week ahead.....

Tat ta for now and until the next time .....Big big hugs xxx















Sunday, 17 May 2015

Art Impressions "Girlfriends".....Such fun !!!

Happy Sunday Everyone and I sure hope the Sun is shining in your part of the Country. It is here it's just so glorious, bright and just the tonic we all need after some of those grey days we have had recently.....

Today I am sharing with you another of the fun "Art Impressions Girlfriends" Stamps that I have use on one of my cards..... I just love these stamps and enjoy doing some of the fun cards that they produce..... I also used in the background the Joggles Stencil called Sunshine and I just adore this stencil and thought it was so fitting for today..... I have also used the Clarity Stencil called chessboard which makes a perfect flooring..... I coloured the figures in the beautiful Memento Inks which have such a lovely opaque look and such wonderful colours.....

Anyway that's it for today so thanks for popping by and hopefully see you soon. I off to finish some more cards for you to see very soon.....

Enjoy your Day !!!

Lots of Love
xxx







Sunday, 10 May 2015

My Play Day at Eileen's Crafty Workshop......9th May 2015

Morning Crafters.....

I really hope that you are enjoying the Weekend, beautiful Sunshine at last..... I know I am and it all started yesterday as I went to Eileen's Workshop in Allhallows Kent and had a fantastic time with all my Crafty Friends and Oh what fun we had ...... although I did feel as if I was speed crafting in the beginning, lol..... I say that because I haven't really stopped in the last Month with Demo Days, demoing at the Show in Maidstone and last weekend My Own Workshop at Oyster Stamps..... A lot of work goes into making all these happen so yesterday was "My Time" to play but I still felt that I was on that Roller Coaster rushing here and there and juggling Work in between.....

Anyway here are my makes from Yesterday and did I enjoy making these or what..... I so did too !!!

First is my Canvas which I used Acryllic Paints on but I chose for some extra effects to use Iridescent ones to give it that super shine and a bit of bling and I think I have managed to do that along with using the Sparkle Gel Pen.....
 



.....and now for my cards which I really love..... First one was adding a bit of texture with Texture Paste and on Watercolour Card it allowed us to use plenty of water to move the Distress Inks around to create the beautiful background.... Colours I used are Broken China, Picked Raspberry and Shabby Shutters..... I added my bling with the Sparkle Gel Pen in Gold and Silver just to add the subtle glimmer.....

 

 

 .....and for the finale which I just love..... called "Northern Light"..... Done again with Distress Inks in the colours listed below and using a Penny Black Stamp...... Sorry the name I have forgotten,  It's my age, lol

 






 
Well there you are and thanks for popping over to see them. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask and I will try to answer any queries you may have.....
 
I must just add these two photo's of Martine with as she says "All the Gear but No Idea!.... Martine doesn't do mess so she was all togged up to cope with Eileen's "The Messy Ones" Techniques, lol ..... Hellen is the one next to her trying hard not to pee her pants and Janet the other side is just so used to Martine as they work together that she is totally in her Crafty Zone and how she stayed there I really don't know !!!


 
One last word..... I just wanted to mark the day today as it would have been my Mum's 89th Birthday ..... Shw would have been the same age as the Queen..... So Mum whether you may be I hope you are having a lovely time and lots and lots of love and there isn't a day that goes by when I don't think of you as it was you that got me into Crafting many years ago now and I really cannot imagine Life without it..... Love you very much !!!
 
Lots of love to you all out there too !!!
xxx
 
 






 





Friday, 8 May 2015

Stampendous Peonies..... Oh so pretty !!!

Hello again.....

Well I have just finished my latest card and for this I use the pretty Stampendous Peonie Stamp and boy do I love it.....

I stamped onto a music paper and then coloured the flowers with Wild Honey and Seedless Perserve Distress Inks using a Baby wipes so I got a rather patchy effect than the usual smooth blended look.... I then layered it up onto a stencilled Distress Inked blended background using the same colours and using a Penny Black Stencil called Floral Spray and again the same Distress Inks I stencilled the image over the background and using a Baby Wipes to take colour out I remove some colour and left the white showing through ..... Using a Gold Sparkle Gel Pen I lightly went around some of the images to give extra interest ......

I really didn't know when I started where I was going with this design but when I finished it I actually love what I did.... Hope you do too !!!

Thanks for popping by and see you again soon with another creation !!!

Lots of love
xxx