'Branching Out' with a new Stencil

Evening,

There are some fabulous new DL Stencils launched today by Creative Expressions. and I was lucky enough to get to play with one of them.

Stencils are very versatile items to have in your stash.

They can be used with inks as in the central panel.

I also used a rubber mat with the stencil to run it through an embossing machine.

This gives added dimension, although it is almost impossible to see in the photographs no matter how hard I tried.

The panel at the back left hand side of the card has also been run through the embossing machine with the rubber mat. I spritzed the stencil with water before cleaning the ink from it and then placed it carefully on to a piece of coconut white cardstock and running it through the embossing machine.

This adds the ink from the stencil as well as adding texture.

I also used the stencil to emboss a piece of blue cardstock which was also spritzed with mica spray.

I made some faux card candi and added them to the card along with a stacked sentiment. So several slightly different panels made with one stencil.

I hope that the weather isn't too cold where you are. The frost has never disappeared from the garden today, but at least so far there is none of the snow that they have been forecasting, long may that continue.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

A Birthday Rose

Evening,

It has been perfect crafting weather today, not that I ever need an excuse to spend the day in the Craft Room lol.

I've been working on some samples for Creative Expressions, which are hush hush for now, so here is a card that I made a while ago using one of Jane Gill's fabulous Halloween stamp sets.

I stamped and embossed the rose onto black cardstock

and then coloured the rose and the spider with Iridescent Watercolour Paint.

I layered the fussy cut image over a piece of background from my stash.

The background was created using a stencil and paste along with some mica sprays.

I also found the die cut sentiment in my bits box, and added it along with a few gems.

Thanks for stopping by,

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Thank You

Morning,

When you have the huge amount of cards that I have yet to blog, it becomes difficult to decide which one to share next, so I decided that perhaps I would check out a few challenges to help me out.

The Alphabet Challenge Blog has a brand new challenge for 2023, Thank You, so I thought that would be the perfect way to start.

 Here are a couple of cards made using some more of Jane Gill's stunning floral stamps.

I have several cards to send to thank people for their Christmas gifts, so these will be perfect.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

A Crafty Task

Evening,

One of my crafty tasks before Christmas was to finish a card for the daughter of my old Boss. I promised him that I would still make cards for them as I have done in the past.

I found a piece of handmade background in my stash full of nice bright colours.

The floral stamp is one of Jane Gill's designs for Woodware at Creative Expressions.

I stamped and embossed the image and then used diluted bleach to paint with to remove some of the colour. I also stamped and embossed the card blank in gold for a nice contrast.

Of course her card would not be complete without her name on it.

My Christmas with the Grandchildren finishes in the morning when I get a lift home with Daddy on his way to work. No doubt there will be tears from Chloe who always gets upset when I leave, but I will be back with them very soon to babysit Jack when the Girls return to school before his nursery reopens.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Warm Winter Wishes from Creative Expressions

Afternoon,

Although to look outside it seems like the late evening already. I've been very organized, at the moment at least. I have started writing my Christmas newsletter.

I started sending one over 20 years ago, to let people know about the deaths of my son Adam, and my Dad. It was actually very therapeutic, and so I have tried to keep up with it over the years. So, as I have started writing it today, I thought that perhaps it was a good time to share a few cards that I made much earlier this year for the lovely people at Creative Expressions.

I stamped and embossed this design onto kraft card and then painted it with Cosmic Shimmer Pearlescent Paint. 

Stamped, embossed and painted on kraft card again, and then fussy cut and added to a handmade background from my stash.

I did a bit of Paper Piecing here along with some painting.

I just used part of the image here. I stamped and gold embossed the Mitten used in the first card and then die cut part of the image. Once again, I painted the images with the Pearlescent Paints.

Better get back to my newsletter writing. I want to try and get my Christmas cards in the post early this year so that people can see that I have moved. That is the aim anyway, although the best laid plans and all that!!

Thanks for stopping by

Love and Crafty Hugs 

Kimx

Jane's Sunflower Rays

Evening,

As you know from yesterday, I got given a beautiful bunch of Autumn flowers by my colleagues when I retired from work on Friday.

By happy coincidence one of the stunning new floral stamps from Jane Gill's latest collection for Woodware at Creative Expressions, is this large Sunflower.

My flowers immediately reminded me of this card that I had made for the release.

I stamped, embossed, coloured and fussy cut the large floral image and layered it over a white frame cut using a Sue Wilson die set.

The background to the card has been created using a stencil and stencil paste and some ink sprays.

A reminder of my beautiful bouquet.

I hope that you have a good evening.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Day 3 at Creative Expressions Spooktember Challenge - Blood Red

Evening,

It's Day 3 of the Creative Expressions Spooktember Challenge, and todays prompt is BLOOD RED.

 Unfortunately I haven't got anything of mine to share tonight, so here are a couple of samples made by one of the other DT members.

I hope that you have had a good Saturday. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Crafty Hugs 

Kimx

Sending Love and Sympathy

Evening,

Unfortunately I have another Sympathy card to send today.

A lovely lady finally gave up her fight.

This card was made a while ago using bits and pieces from my stash,

and a rather lovely die from Creative Expressions.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Fabulous is What You Are!

Evening, 

We had a fabulous day today with classes on 3D Embossing folders and white inks. We also saw the long awaited return of a couple of the ladies after their various health issues. They both looked really well, and it was so nice to see them after what seems like ages.

I haven't had the chance to take any photos of class samples today, so here is a card from a while ago made using a 3D embossing folder and acrylic paints.

It was made for Janice and Andy at Sirstampalot.

The die cut sentiment is from Creative Expressions and comes with some co-ordinating stamped sentiments.

I have a box full of Goodies from Janice and Andy to play with tomorrow, so I had better get my thinking cap on.

Hope that you had a great day. Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Gelli Plate and Rub-ons

Evening,

I hope that you have had a nice relaxing Sunday.

I was pleased to see on Friday that I hadn't put Janice from Sirstampalot off playing with her Gelli Plate after our little zoom session earlier last year.

I had used it on the background of a couple of cards that I had made for her, 

and she asked me to run through what I had done, which was obviously much easier over Zoom.

These are the cards that I made her using the Gelli plate, bubble wrap and paints for the backgrounds,

along with some die cut sentiments 

and some fabulous rub-ons.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Bubble Bloom Millie

Evening All,

Creative Expressions have launched some more of Jane's fabulous Bubble Bloom stamps this week, and I was lucky enough to get to play with them and make samples for the catalogue.

I think one of my favourites from this collection is JGS801 Bubble Bloom Millie

I inked the stamp up with several colours of Distress Inks - Crushed Olive, Forest Moss, Gathered Twigs and Ground Espresso.

Then I spritzed the stamp with water and stamped it onto a piece of wet watercolour cardstock. The colour bleeds across the wet card. Heat set the image, or allow it to dry naturally and then stamp back over the top with a dark ink pad to give a nice crisp image. This crisp image can be coloured in as well for a more traditional look. A Stamping platform of some sort is best for this technique.

This card was made in a similar manner,

although two cards never turn out the same.

I also added some extra stamping using JGS800 Bubble Texture Blots.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx