One layer simple and quick project using ink, stencil and stamp

 After suffering a creative block, life, work and a house thats falling to bits, I exaggerate a little, but when you find that your creative time is lacking, and all you want to do is craft something beautiful, it can be hard to think of where to start.

After, a huge craft clear out and getting ready to re-decorate the craft room, I wanted to play for a while before doing this, if you find yourself stuck for where to start and you have found plenty of things to play with after a good tidy start simple.

I decided to go with a one layer card using just ink, stencils and a stamp.

Start with a card blank, you can use what you have in your stash, I tend to go with Neenah solar white 8/12 by 11 inch, cut at 5/12 and scored at 4/14.

This is 80lb cardstock and is great for inking without it warping.

You should be able to get two cards out of one sheet.

• Tape down to your work surface using a low tack tape if you find this to be too sticky dab over your clothing to remove some tack.
• You can decide how wide you want your panel to be, I have chosen to go with 1/12 inch.

• Next choose your colours, ideally you should have two shades that are similar, such as orange and yellow as you are going to blend these together using a blending tool.

• The ink I am using today is Stampin up Daffodil delight and Peekaboo peach from 2017-18 collection. (may not be available now but ink from your stash is great)
• Once blended moving your lighter colour down to the middle and your darker colour from the bottom to the top, apply your stencil.

• I have chosen this gorgeous tile stencil from Tonic Studios, using my darker shade I have blended over the full panel.
• I have chosen to go over with a little cosmic shimmer for some sparkle.

• Tape down once again and using a stamp of your choice, large stamps are better, stamp in a contrasting colour.
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• I am using a contrasting shade of Blue, use colour of your choice.
•  You can also use a stamp platform, this is the Misti Lite.

• Choose a greeting of your choice, decide on placement, top middle or bottom.
• Stamp using black ink, such as versafine clair or Memento, for crisp lines of text.

You could add small gems or crystal drops insteam of bulky stick on gems and that keeps your card as flat as possible.

I can feel my creative juices slowly returning, Ive really enjoyed sharing this project with you, as my first blog in a long time expect more tips and projects from me in the future.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Mental well-being

Woke up this morning and went outside to find aircraft spraying chemicals, two or three in the sky, Boris did warn us that he would be spraying a disinfectant and to keep our doors and windows closed. I don't know if i believe this, but what ever it was, I kept my doors and windows closed anyway. At this moment in time it would be quite easy for us to let our minds get carried away, if you have read George Orwell's 1984 you would understand. So to keep my mind healthy, crafting is the perfect antidote, using the creative side of the brain helps us to unwind and not think of things that we cannot change. Having Occasions to craft for and look forward to is a good excuse to get creative. So i've lined up a few I made for mothers today, with close ups and I will follow with a product list.

 Hero Arts Coffee Love Stamps and Dies

Altenew Big and bold alpha

I thoroughly enjoyed making these and I always find beautiful colour schemes on Pinterest, if you need colour combo's search for decorating colour schemes it also works well for card-making.

And before I go here's another in the same tones and colours.

Stay well and stay indoors xx

Mothers Day Ideas

Sometimes when im going through a creative streak I can make and make until I burn out. This was true when I was making my mothers day commissions, I just had idea after idea, then i felt a slump where i could not create no more.

This is just one of my favourites and I will post the others that I made, I used Big bold alphabet from Altenew with some gorgeous card from sizzix, and the big thanks also from Altenew, I really enjoyed doing this one and the person who received it was over the moon.

Hopefully be back later with more Bye for now 

Update

Due to the national emergency of this new virus I am forced to stay at home as many of you are doing to minimise the risk of the virus spreading. Whilst it may seem that this is only happening in other towns and cities, it is also happening in our town too. With the Staff of our hospitals and care homes being stretched to the limit, people selfishly panic buying and not self isolating is the most ridiculous thing I have ever encountered.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to do your part and stop what it is you are doing and STAY AT HOME this can be over very soon, but its up to us to help stem the spread, please listen and keep your family and friends safe.

Purse builder

What can I say about the collaboration between Concord and ninth and Inking Idaho, just that its a match made in heaven. I have been a big fan of concord and ninth for a long time and Inking Idaho, well I have followed her blog for a long time since my stamping up days and I know full well she loves good packaging. The Purse builder dies are a welcomed addition to the Concord range and they also come with a co-ordinating stamp set which I am absolutly loving, its perfect for giving gifts cards or small jewellry and is a perfect keepsake as it looks so good displayed on a shelf.

 Not only can you get great use out of your patterned paper stash, you can even create your own patterned paper and stretch the use out of the dies the possibilities are endless, I hope you enjoy it as much as I am

Thanks for stopping by, till the next post take care

Its been too long

You don't realise until you get older how many layers there are to a person, what makes them tick, the things that make them happy, sometimes the simplest things can evoke an emotion that unless your paying attention you might miss. I'm going to take this opportunity to thank the friends and family that have really been there to support me in the life changing decisions that I have had to make, and I made this card for you guy's you know who you are, the stamp set is Geode by concord and ninth and I have used mixed media paper and water colours on this to get lovely blending and I glittered the edge and added some crystal effects to give more dimension, the photo really does not do it justice in the centre I have die cut the greeting and lifted it up with more die cuts, it really didn't need much as the image says it all.

 Altenew's Mega succulent has really been challenging me to get those alcohol markers put to good use, due to work commitments I haven't crafted in over 2 years and I have really missed it having this time out has made me realise where my calling is, and I do believe I know where my heart is at and always has been so this giant flower which I purposefully coloured red to mimic a rose is for me, life is too short to be unhappy and when I'm happy i make others happy, its just how it is Peace and love x

More Yummy for your tummy

Hello and good evening, if you're like me you like to have a little something sweet after your tea what would you go for?  Would it be a chocolate dessert or a sticky toffee pudding?

Well, I've been trying to steer away from this kind of things, and I found that a scoop of ice cream does the trick to cure the sweet tooth. This stamp set from Concorde and ninth really makes my mouth water, with all the components to make yourself a really yummy dessert.

Heres the scoop stamp set from Concorde and ninth

 And as usual here's a close-up

 I stamped the image using Memento ink as I was going to color with Copic markers, and I figured if I was going to have three scoops it has to be Neopolitan, pinks, browns, and yellows.

the papers I used were some old Stampin up papers that I really love, and I finished off by stamping the main sentiment from the set in white embossing powder.

Hope you like it

TTFN 

Lost in procraftination

I often think that too much craft stash can be a bad thing, although I have bought with good intention on using it straight away then something crops up with the mini-me and I get totally sidetracked in her drama.

But good crafting comes to those who wait and I am always relieved when I get to stand at my desk to craft.

Altenew new day 6x6 papers

Lawn fawn Quinns alpha

I found this technique on youtube called inlaid die cut words.  If you search Jennifer Mcguire she has some brilliant tutorials on how to do this. I made this one for my Husbands birthday last week as it wasn't too feminine or too masculine, it was just right as we had only just got married two weeks before so it's his first card as a married man, but to be honest I do make him cards all the time just because.

There are so many tutorials on youtube and I find this a great resource when I get crafters block.

What I would like to do is to get back into using ribbon and gems and buttons and other embellishments as the new products that are coming out now only seem to require sequins or liquid drops. It's hard not to want to cram everything onto one card but I do like simplicity also just like the card above, all it needed was some wink of Stella and that's that.

Well that's enough from me but I do have a backlog of blogs so you may see me later

TTFM XX

Hello again

Its High time I stopped procrastinating and started using the things that i make and put to one side, ha ha i do like to do my own head in sometimes but when you have a creativity block, just make mundane things and put to one side till you are ready to make something, anything.

I had made these plaster faces a long time ago i was planning to use them for my Final piece for third year degree and i never did but i found them and decided to use them to make brooches, a bit of black acrylic paint and some guilding wax and a top coat of gloss

And here we have it a vintage looking brooch fit for any of your very stylish jacket

I hope you like it xx

Life on Hold

Hi, how are you, I cant believe its been since June that i have been on my blog. Sickness took hold of me in the worst way, and i have been knocked for six, i wont go in to detail, but I am now at recovery stage and feeling like i can function like a human being instead of an immobile vegetable that i have been stuck on pain killers watching life go by, and not being able to participate.

My mind is now again my own, and i am completely rebooted like a computer and i can start re-learning to do all the things that i forgot how to do, like browsing the internet, and listening to music and coloring, using the materials that have been neglected in my craft room.

Walking in there, in to my craft room was like looking at it with fresh eyes, its been three months, and i had forgot what i had in there, I have decided it needs a clear out but to do that i must be ruthless and think of the things that i love playing with, and those things that i have not touched in a while.
I had gathered a lot of products with projects in mind, and i hope to start some in the next couple of days and i would like to journal the projects, so that i have a diary of everything i do failures as well.

I have looked back on past posts and realized that i could use my blog for so much more than craft, i have so many other passions my job being one of them and i have missed it, but  i can keep up to date with the new release of Autumn winter clothing at Simply Be I love the staff at Meadow-hall and the atmosphere of the shop its large and stunning and fresh and we have Jacomo upstairs, SHOPPING FOR GUYS IS SO MUCH EASIER THAN SHOPPING FOR WOMEN, why because they dont shop often enough so they dont get a chance to get bored of what they see and they are always surprised at how they can achieve a cool and trendy look. I love to see their faces light up, and that also goes for women who dont shop regular enough, they lack the confidence to rock what ever they like, if you like it wear it, tha'ts,  that.

Altenew to me any way!!

Hi hope you are well today, I have been inspired once again by a stamp collection from Altenew, and wow I love these so much their style is elegant and unique, and although I love quirky and cute these are, simplistic, and fresh and i love them.

I have already been to the website and found an array of stamp and die sets that i really, really like.
on this card I have used the build a rose stamp and die set and teamed it with some distress ink splats and a few clear droplets to make it look like rain drops and also a few sequins to embellish.

And as usual a close up

  I added tome embossing to the greeting, which is also from the set and a wink of stella to the rose just because, he he I hope you can see improvements to my photography as well I have been practicing.

Till next time thanks for stopping by

Laundry

What a great two days we have had so far, if only i had the time all the curtains would be down and in the washing machine. Which is what inspired my card today is Lawn Fawns Loads of fun stamp and die set, I absolutely adore this set its so fun and quirky and teamed with the plaid papers, makes the most adorable cards and labels. Ill keep this post short and sweet and get on with my washing Lol. Hope you have a great day.

 

Thanks for stopping by

Happy Mail

Hello hope you are having a good afternoon on this a dreary day, but i hope my next post brightens it up a little for you as i am totally excited about Lawn Fawn stamps at the moment, and i am also playing with Altenew as well which are totally genius for clean and simple fun cards.

This card is from the set Happy mail, correct me if im wrong and it also includes scripty sentiments. In the background i have used Argyle back drops which im loving as it goes well in any color. For a change im giving you the close up first.

 

Hope you love this card as much as i do thanks for stopping by

 

Mama Elephant

Well thankfully my friends very rarely get sick its usually me, lol, so I never get the chance to send a get well card, but this one was really cute, I cased this from My sweet petunia and i loved how simple and effective it is. I changed the color to a sickly green which makes it all the more a get well because those emotions dont look well at all, but it still has a fun element to it, I took the advise of sweet petunia and double stamped first in memento ink to color then over stamped with Versafine, and then stamped again in Versamark, I then embossed to give it a more raised look.

And as usual here's a close up, I added some gems as i couldn't resist

Hope you enjoy this post see you soon

Organisation and inspiration

I think organisation clears the mind, tidy work space tidy mind. I have always liked solutions that make my crafting easier and quicker, and this one from Connie Stewart has to be the best one that i have found for ink refills

And on that note, I was also organizing my wardrobe and came across a dress that i had not worn for at least ten years, it is from a big department store on sale and i have never worn red before but I loved it, I had also purchased a small gold handbag, so that inspired me to create this card that i really liked once id finished it with the patchwork perfection dies from Tonic studios, red and gold card and a small sentiment from my stash.

 

Hope you like it see you soon.

Wedding floral

Well after a long day at work, and after putting Holly to bed i decided to have a play with the First Dance die exclusive to  Crafty Devils Papercraft

I love it its so versatile and im not done playing either so you may see more of this one(sorry to bore) but im sure you'll like what i come up with

And heres a close up

I shall update you with the details later peeps but for now good night and thanks for stopping by

A lovely couple

And here is  me thinking that my crafty, time was going to be limited, well as you all may know by now the shop is closing and my last day there is Saturday. I have enjoyed every moment i have spent there.
So on to my make for this evening keeping it short as i have a number of things i have to do before i go to bed.

This card uses Tonic Studios First Dance die which is available  exclusively from Crafty Devils Papercrafts, I started out with a 7x7 card blank, then matted this with Bazzil basics cardstock measuring 6 3/4x6 3/4, then another layer at 6 1/2.

I also used the lovely Tonic studios patchwork perfections paper pad its really nice and a good weight for die cutting available from Crafty devils papercraft. I then finished this off with a wink of stella and some black ribbon from my stash.

Supplies

First Dance Tonic Studios die 

Patchwork perfection paper pad 1090e

Bazzil basics card stock

white card blanks 7x7

A wink of stella

 Till next time thanks for stopping by

Catch up and related topics

Hi all, I hope you are all doing well this is the first time on my day off that i have decided to Blog. Im sad that i have left it so long. I do enjoy it, but when work takes over and you put your all i to it things get left behind, i hate when that happens and at the moment Im  starting to weigh up whats most important to me.
I do love my work so i want to make sure that the transition in to redundancy is as smooth as possible and that looking for alternative employment is as easy as i can make it.
Looking for work is not hard there is a lot out there, it depends on if you are going to change what it is you need to be earning to break even at the end of the month.

So i figured if i get a chance to make and create i should share it with you and be thankful that i have crafting to stop me from going in to meltdown as i feel that at my age i shouldn't have to be looking for work i should be settled, crafting is the only consistent thing in my life besides family, and i dont take it for granted, I had a lot of Pictures that i took on my phone and i dont know whether i have blogged them already so i have had to go through all my posts to see what i had done.


The walk to work on Sunday was particularly nice, as it gives me chance to think about what my plans are and how i am going to pick myself up and dust myself off once again, so please excuse me if there is a long delay before i blog again as repairs to my life are taking longer to heal than when i was younger.

Hippi chic!!!

I hope you are all keeping well, I am doing fabulously, and I feel great since starting back at Simply B store, latest fashions coming in thick and fast and a great selection of party dresses for the season.

Any way the card I posted has been done for a while but have not been able to post due to work, but here she is using Be creative papers and Hippie chick stamp by saturated canary, whom I adore with the addition of some satin ribbon, and a sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by xx

Papertake weekly challenge #2

I had made two cards for the Papertake weekly challenge the brief being all about the base anything but a square and I couldnt decide between the two so here is number two hope you like it, enjoy the challenge.




Thanks for stopping by