With Brayer in Hand

Hi Everyone,
Another fabulous class this afternoon, even if there was no cake lol.
This has to be the first time in ages when no-one turned up with something for us to eat. I'm sure that we all made up for it when we got home.
Anyway, there were plenty of ideas for me to share with everyone.

As usual we made a tag, although as with the Alcohol ink class there was too much information to cram onto one tag, so we made two.

I showed them basic brayering, then the cling film technique and also how to enhance the colour with a Versamark pen and clear embossing powder.

The second tag showed them how to use the brayer with an Embossing Folder.
I made a card to show them each of the various techniques that I shared, although I am sure that there are loads more that I didn't get around to.

I have always loved making backgrounds, so a brayer has been part of my crafty equipment almost from the start. I learnt my brayering from the fabulous Suze Weinberg and have usually gone for the more random look.

This card, like the previous one, uses my favourite Kaleidacolour inkpad Creole Spice and a little bleach.
Once the brayered background has been created I spritzed it with water and then lay screwed up cling film over it until it is dry. You have to be patient and let the panel dry completely before removing the cling film or you don't get the fabulous frosted glass look.

This card was made with a 'Barbara style' brayered background. You have to remember the 'wheelie' to get the lovely faded centre.

This card is made in the same manner but I used the brayer after I had already used most of the ink on it so it has a much softer look.
The stamped panel has been coloured using Spectrum Noir pens.

This card highlights two different uses for the brayer.
The central panel has been created using the Resist technique, and the background panel has been created by brayering ink onto an embossing folder before running it through my Cuttlebug.
I also showed them a panel that I had made using an Embossing folder and Glycerin 'Sheena style', but I just didn't get around to finishing a card with it so I will have to share that on another occasion.
You will have to let me know if I have missed any uses for my trusty brayer, I'm always open to suggestions, so long as they are nice ones that is lol.
Hugs Kimx

To Brighten Your Day.

Evening Everyone,
Where did that week go to?
I seem to have spent most of it sitting on my bum, so I suppose that I shouldn't complain, although I haven't noticed that it has had much effect on my swollen ankle. I just have a larger bum from all the inactivity lol.

I have a class at Davina's tomorrow, but unfortunately one of the ladies will be missing as she is not feeling very well. I sent her this card in the hopes that it might brighten her day. 

The central panel was created from a piece from my bits box. The floral image has been inked using Pigment inks and embossed with clear powder. The flower was stamped again to the side of the first image without re-inking. This is called  Embossed Resist. (The embossed image RESISTS the ink from further stamping)

I chopped up the panel and then reassembled it to look like a brick wall.
This was a technique that I got from the Technique Time Tuesday blog where they called it Faux Tiles.
Sadly the challenge blog is now closed but there are some fabulous tutorials still there for you to be inspired by.
Better get my instructions written for tomorrows class, and this time I had better not leave them in the printer instead of taking them with me lol.
hugs Kimx

To Have and To Hold

Hi All,
Today is a very special day for a friend of mine, so I hope that the sun has been shining for her, as it is her Wedding Day.

I normally see her at work every morning for her coffee fix, so this is the card that I made for her and her new Hubby.

I used one of the large LOTV word stamps and an old LOTV topper.

I stamped and embossed Congratulations using Versamark ink and Ivory Frantage Embossing Enamel. Colour was added using Antique Linen and Victorian Velvet Distress Inks.

The flowers have been die cut from Kraft card using assorted DooHickey dies.

The miniature greeting is also from a LOTV stamp set that was exclusive to Create and Craft.

An Easel card is always a nice way to make a card stand out from the crowd.

My 'Little Sister' is also finally getting married later this year, so I used the large LOTV greeting to make a Wedding acceptance card to send her.

I used the same combination of colours along with words from a fabulous Woodware stamp set.
I'm sure that what ever the weather has been like today Vicky and Greg will have had a magical day. I am looking forward to seeing the photos.
Hugs Kimx

A New Home at Woodware

Good Morning
They have a New Home challenge over at Woodware this week, so I have taken time out from my other sample making to create this card.

My Sister and her Husband are currently renovating an old barn in France which will become their new home, and so this stamp made me think of them when I was looking for an idea.

I stamped and embossed the image FRS244 Country Fields onto watercolour card and painted it using Watercolour Pearlex.
'A New Home' is a small stamp from an old favourite of mine FRCL165 Winding Paths.

I used a Dreamweaver stencil LJ910 Rolling Hills and my E-bosser to create the panel on the left hand side of the card. I thought that it mirrored the hills on the stamped panel.
I added some tiny gems to the flower centres.

The ribbon down the center of the card hides the edge of the stencil.
As it will be a while before my sister's house is any where near finished and lived in, I think that I will send this card to a friend who moved home last week. After all now I have the idea it will be easy to recreate.
Have a great day.
hugs Kimx

Congratulations

Hi All
Just a quick post while I put my feet up and rest my ankle, cause sitting on my bum doesn't seem to have done a great deal lol.

This is another of the batch of baby cards that I made earlier this month.

Once again I have used one of my LOTV toppers and some other bits and pieces from my box.
I think that is enough rest for now, I have way too much to do to lie here for too long.
I did check my e-mails and do a little blog hopping so it has been longer that 10 minutes rest.
Back to the drawing board, or the craft table anyway.
hugs Kimx

Flourishes challenge at Crafty Cardmakers

Hi All
Sorry for the late post for the Crafty Cardmakers challenge, but my laptop suddenly decided that it was going to take on a mind of it's own and type every letter that I hit twice!!!!! What is it with me and technology??
Our challenge this time is set by Elaine and she has chosen the theme 'Flourishing' so she would

like to see a flourish of some kind on your project, this can be stamped, die cut or even both!

We are sponsored by THE STAMPING BOUTIQUE with 3 Images of the Winner's Choice. If, however, the winner has used a Stamping Boutique Image they will received 4 images of their choice.

My card has been created using a stamped panel from my 'bits box' which was made using some old Penny Black and Hero Arts stamps and pigment inks.

The background panel on the card has been created using a flourish embossing folder, with a little added distress ink to highlight the flourishes.

I added a couple of Cheery Lynn flourishes covered in Frantage Embossing Enamel, and some Gold Krylon pen to the edges of the panels.

The Friendship recipe is from LOTV.
I don't think I will push my luck and try and enter this into any challenges, I had better quit typing while I am ahead lol.
Don't forget to stop by and show the rest of my lovely Teamies some love.
Hugs Kimx

Anything Goes with Magenta

Hi All
Have you had a good weekend?
I have been a good girl and have been resting my ankle, which has meant sitting on my bum and crafting. What a hardship lol.
I have to have an x-ray to see if there is any underlying cause for the swelling, but in true NHS style the earliest they can fit me in is Thursday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My card tonight was made using a fabulous old Magenta stamp which has been stamped and embossed onto some Bazzil card stock.

The flowers have been painted with thin undiluted bleach, and then some of them have been painted with Pearlex, and the leaves with dye based ink.

I noticed that Magenta have an Anything Goes challenge running until the end of this month so I thought that I would enter this into it.
Hugs Kimx 

A Chelsea Gold Medal

Hi All

I know that I posted this card a while ago (See HERE) but I am sending it to some friends who have just won a Gold Medal at the Chelsea Flower show for the 3rd year running, so I hope that I will be forgiven.
I first met them when they came into the garage each day for coffee, and although they are no longer regulars, since we changed our coffee beans!!, they still pop in occasionally.
I have made several special cards for them in the past so I thought that they might appreciate this one to celebrate their magnificent achievement.
A picture of their stand actually made it onto the front page of the I Daily on Tuesday 20th May, and they were amongst the pictures posted in the Huffington Post write up of the Chelsea Flower Show.

Here is Bill at the Chelsea Flower Show, looking very dapper.

And also Simon. They were even interviewed on TV on Wednesday evening on the BBC2 programme about the Chelsea Flower Show.
I don't usually watch programmes like that, they are not my thing, but it was nice to be able to say 'I know those people'.
I imagine that they will be celebrating as soon as the show finishes, they certainly deserve it.
hugs Kimx

Woodware Father's Day Gift

Hi All
Another very early scheduled post, as it is my turn to share with you a Father's Day gift for the Woodware challenge.
I decided that I wanted to make something a little bit different, for me at least, and so I made this plaque to hang on my Sin-in-law Jason's shed.

We do tease him about the time that he spends out there. If it was bigger perhaps we could fit in a bed so that he wouldn't need to stop working, but I know that he would rather that it was big enough to fit a whole car in to work on, not just bits of one lol.

I used the Creative Palette again. I'm getting quite addicted to playing with this, only this time I used acrylic paints. I used some extender on the Creative Palette first before I added the Acrylic paints, and then I stamped into it with Bubble wrap and stamps from Stampendous NKCRS02 Wired

I'm no use with step by step photos as I never know where I'm going until I start to play, so I took a photo of some of the equipment that I used instead.

I pulled the print off on to a piece of MDF that I had first painted with Gesso.

Boy, this is so not the usual me, I even impressed myself lol.

The letters are Chippies which I covered with Versamark ink and then Black Frantage Embossing Enamel.
I sealed the background with a mixture of Matte and Glossy accents applied with a paint brush, and this is also what I used to stick the letters on.
I'm not sure that it would stand up to the outside too successfully, but as the door to Jay's shed is shielded by an overhanging roof hopefully it won't be too much of a problem.

 

As you can see I got a bit  carried away again and so I made a card out of the second print that I pulled from the palette, this time using white card.

The paler section is where the original plate was pulled by the MDF, so I stamped and embossed CRQ144 Cling Dad Words into this section and then painted it using dye based ink.
The little mice on the projects are a small in joke since Jay's shed was home to a family of rodents during the winter. I think that he will see the funny side of it lol.

I needed something to pull everything together so I added some large leaves from an old Stampendous clear set SSC022 Fall Foliage.

They were stamped and embossed using Sepia Versafine and clear embossing powder.

Here is a picture of my Palette.
As you can see I'm afraid it never gets cleaned. I just add another layer of paint or ink to it the next time I use it!!!
It still seems to work, although I'm sure that Fran from Stampendous would be horrified.
I would like to enter it in to the following challenges
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - 3D Object
Paper Crafting Journey - For that Special Man
Our Creative Corner - Love those Leftovers ( The card was made from the print pulled from the paints left on the Creative Palette, so I hope this counts as leftovers)
Have a fabulous day.
Hugs Kimx

Get Well Soon

Hi All
I hope that you are all well, and enjoying the warm, if rather soggy weather that we are having. How can it change so much in just a short space of time from heatwave and brilliant sunshine back to soggy and wet!! Typical Great Britain lol.
I seem to have had to send loads of get well soon / hope you are feeling better messages just recently, so here is just one of the cards that I sent to wish anyone who is not feeling their best a speedy recovery.

 This was made using my favourite Stampendous Agapanthus stamp, Versamrk and Decorating Chalks.

I created a large panel of this fabulous background and then chopped it up to make several cards.

I didn't waste anything and even made my own Card Candy from the smaller pieces using a circular punch.
I was supposed to have been in Peterboro for the next few days staying with my best friend Suu, and then Janice and Andy at SirStampalot. However I had to cancel as I need to accompany both my Mum and my daughter to hospital appointments.
It is probably just as well that I have had to cancel as I am struggling myself with a very swollen ankle and now have my very own doctors appointment for tests having visited the drop in centre at the local hospital yesterday.
What a way to spend your days off! Still never mind at least it means that I'm not on my feet all day which has probably not been doing my ankle any good.
Have a great day.
Hugs Kimx

Princess for a day

Evening Everyone,
Well it looks like I can finally ditch the thermal top from under my work shirt!!
I think I might keep it in my bag for a little while...... just in case, as you can tell I'm not very trusting of weather forecasts.

One of my numerous tasks at the weekend, was to finish this card for a friend at work to give to her niece.

She had asked me to use coral and orange on the card so I picked this lovely old LOTV topper and then made a patchwork background using hexagons from my box to match it
I layered it onto a fancy circle die cut using a Grand Nestie.

She calls her niece her little princess so asked me to add that to the card along with her name. Good old peel-off letters and a DooHickey cloud.

The number 1 is a Chippie from Woodware that I have covered with a couple of layers of Frantage powder before stamping into it while it is still hot and molten.
I added faux stitching to all of the patches which finishes things off  even if it does take a little extra time.
I do like this time in the evening when it has been hot. The temperture is just right for me and the smell of the honeysuckle coming in through my window is just wonderful.
Hugs Kimx