Sending Smiles Across the Miles

Evening,

I've sent several cards abroad just recently, to friends across the pond, so here is a card that would be perfect for just such a posting.

The background was created using the 'Bump and Smudge' technique.

Distress Oxide inks are perfect for this,

and then I added the sentiment and a couple of fussy cut floral images.

A similar idea here, but this time used for an Anniversary card.

I used rather more ink for this one

and plenty of water splatters.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

The Countdown Has Begun

Evening,

The countdown to my crafty holiday began in earnest this week. I am finally getting to go to SirStampalot for what is my kind of holiday........................a week of playtime in a craft shop. How much more could you want?

I did think that it might be derailed at the start of last week when Chloe and Becki tested positive for Covid, again!! My holiday was due to start with a few days helping out with the 'Littlies'. Thankfully things have gone according to plan after they all tested negative, and I seem to have escaped it at my house as well where my Grandsons have both now gone down with it.

One of the classes that I taught when I was last at SirStampalot, nearly three years ago, was one called 'Bump and Smudge'. 

Distress oxides are perfect for this technique.

You stamp the image using the oxide ink and then smudge it with a blending tool to give a lovely soft blended background.

As you can see, I rather liked this lovely floral stamp.

I partnered it with various large dies and a Best Wishes stencil.

I added embossing powder to this panel which I didn't like.

So I added some grey ink until I liked the result.

I die cut the word LOVE from the center and used it on another card.

One of my first jobs when I arrive at SirStampalot on Monday will be to organize supplies for the classes that I will be teaching this time.

And of course there will a shopping basket to start as well lol.

For now, it's Movie Night, so we are all watching Mirror, Mirror with a bowl full of popcorn and sweeties.

Happy Weekend.

Hugs Kimx

Purple Poppies

Morning All,
I hope that you are having a great weekend.

I found this fabulous poppy stamp at Ally Pally a few years ago.

 It is a Carabelle Art stamp called Pretty Like a Flower.

I used it here with the 'Bump and Smudge' technique that has become quite a favourite of mine.

I didn't think that the cards needed anything much more than a sentiment

and a few gems or nail heads.
I think I might have to dig this stamp out again, I had forgotten how nice it is.
Have a great day.
Happy Crafting and hugs
Kimx

A little Something Just for You

Afternoon Everyone,

Wow, two weeks worth of posts, not bad going for me lol.

This card was made with one of the fabulous old Art Impressions stamps that I got to play with at SirStampalot back in November.

It worked well with the 'Bump and Smudge' technique that we played with while I was there.

I also felt that it lent itself to a little added colouring.

One of the benefits of sitting on my butt at the moment is that I am gradually wading my way through a ton of card photos, which means that I have found a couple more using the wonderful Penny Black Brushstroke stamp At Grace.

As I have said before, the Stamping Platform/Misti has made stamping out these larger stamps so much easier. In this case having stamped it out and smudged it in brown it just looked like a mess, so I stamped and embossed over the top using a blue Distress Oxide. I definitely wouldn't have been able to do that before I got my stamping platform.

Thanks for stopping by again.

Have a great evening.

Happy Crafting and hugs

Kimx

Pink Cow Parsley

Evening All,
I always find that I have a favourite when working with Jane's fabulous new stamp designs. A stamp that it is very easy for me to make samples with.
When Jane sends me the sets and kindly lets me have first choice over which ones I make my samples with, she has a bet on which ones I will choose...…………..and she is usually right.
I do try and reassure her that it is not that I don't like the other designs, it is just that with such a very tight turnaround I always go for the ones that I know I have an idea for, so that I don't have to think too hard.
This is one such stamp set. JGS684 Cow Parsley

This is actually the card that I sent to Creative Expressions for the catalogue.

Just simple stamping and embossing over a piece of alcohol ink mop up background.

As you will be able to see from the numerous samples, I certainly didn't have a problem playing with it.

This card was made using the 'Bump and Smudge' technique that is very much a favourite of mine just at the moment.

 It led to several pieces that were all very similar in colour,

 but that were mounted up rather differently.

 This card uses a piece of blended background using Distress Inks.

 I actually used black embossing powder on this one,

and this one, which is rather unusual for me. I much prefer black ink and clear powder, but it just didn't 'POP' as much as I wanted, so I reached for the black powder as well.

I don't have dies to go with Jane's sentiment stamps (she hasn't made any yet) so I just did a bit of fussy cutting.

This final card is also made using 'Bump and Smudge'. I did tell you that I liked it lol.

By happy coincidence Jane was on the TV while I was in Peterboro so we were able to meet up for a few minutes so that I could lend her these cards for her show. think she might be on again in February with her latest release, so I will have to get things in the post to her this time.
Better get some shut eye now.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs Kimx

A little more Bump and Smudge (with a link)

Morning All
It's a rather dull and miserable one here, so perfect for shutting myself away in my craft room and playing.

I'm also trying really hard to keep on top of some blogging.

I just have sooooo many cards to share with you, so I'm trying to be a good girl.

These are some more of the cards that I finished off after my 'Bump and Smudge' class at SirStampalot last year,

I will pop in a link to where I saw the original idea HERE as I have had a couple of comments from friends asking how I have done the technique.

These lovely little stamps helped me use up some bits of embossed card stock.

Not that it has made much of a dent to my stash. I think that I need another sort out.

The Grandkids school and nursery usually benefit from that. The kids love all the little bits of card and paper for the craft corner, although I will of course check with Mum first before palming her off with a 'bag full of my old tat' as it has often been referred to.

Remember one mans tat is another mans treasure lol.

Have a fabulous day.

Happy Crafting and hugs 

Kimx

A little handmade wallpaper

Evening All
I obviously had rather too much fun with the 'Bump and Smudge' technique at SirStampalot.

Another fabulous find while I was there was a rather lovely little Magnolia stamp. I think it makes wonderful vintage wallpaper.

Of course a piece of wallpaper just screamed out for one of the lovely Magnolia images that Janice and Andy sell to sit in front of it.

But it does look just as good with stamped floral images,

and even floral die cuts as used in the next card.

I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to a nice crafty weekend with good company and some fabulous Woodware stamps to play with.
Thanks for stopping by.
Happy Crafting and hugs.
Kimx

Bump and Smudge with Penny Black

Evening Everyone,
I think we all have favourite stamps and stamp companies, ones that we come back to time after time. Or a particular style of stamps that we are instantly drawn too.

For me it is the Brush Stroke style of stamps from Penny Black. Each new release provides a massive dent to my bank balance lol.

They are amazingly detailed when stamped out, even though they sometimes look as if they will just be a huge solid blob. The advent of the Stamping Platform has also made it much easier to do blended multiple layered stamping.

This card was created using the 'Bump and Smudge' technique and both brown and blue Distress Oxide inks.

Sometimes the image blurs rather too much when smudged,

but the beauty of using the platform is that you can just stamp the image again using the same colour, or an alternative to add back the definition.

Slightly less 'smudging' here, very Wedgwood :O)

This card shows just how much detail you can get from these stamps.
Thanks for stopping by.
Happy Crafting and hugs
Kimx