Back in the Zone

Evening,

Finally a successfully crafty day. I have been distracting myself with my cross stitch over the last few days, in the hope that following a pattern that I have chosen and love, will get my creative juices working. But with a deadline looming I have had to just sit and play, and I have finally got in to the zone.

Of course I can't share any of it with you, so here instead are another couple of cards made using fabulous Aall and Create stamps and Distress Oxide inks.

I do love a mop up background, they are always so different.

I have to admit though that sometimes it is a bit of stamping that turns them from something that I am really not sure about, into something that I absolutely love, and a bit of painting with bleach never hurts.

Another fabulous way to use Distress inks and Oxides is with this rather wet and wispy Watercolour stamping technique.

It is so much easier to achieve if you use a Misti or Stamping Platform of some type as the technique  requires that you re-stamp over the image once you have first stamped onto the wet card with your Distress inks.

Now I just need tomorrow to be as successful as today and I'll be a happy bunny.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Distress Micro Glaze, Stencils and Oxides.

Evening, 

As I've told you before, I have boxes of cards that I have made over the years, just waiting to be shared with you.

Here are a couple made during a playtime with Distress Micro Glaze, stencils and Distress Oxide inks.

I was inspired by something that I saw on Pinterest, I think, but of course I can't find the cards that inspired me now.........typical.

I loved the colours that they had used, and decided to combine the technique with some fabulous Aall and Create stamps that I own.

A smaller panel on this card, along with some double stamping for a very watercoloured effect.

I have several other cards made with this rather blurred background technique, so I will share them on another occasion.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs 

Kimx

Happiness is.............Good Friends

Evening,

I have just spent a fabulous afternoon in the company of good friends.

We used to work together at The Craft Barn back in the day, and although we keep in touch, our get togethers have been few and far between. In fact it has probably been 10 years since we last sat down together. Despite the years conversation flowed like we had never been apart, good friends indeed.

I have always loved solid, silhouette style stamps as the Girls will probably remember, so these beauties were a definite must from Stamps By Me.

The background has been created using stencils and Distress Oxide inks before stamping and embossing in black.

As you can see I used the stencil the wrong way round for this background, but who cares that the numbers are back to front, I don't, I just like the look.

Once again I have used a black ink pad and clear embossing powder to give a dramatic look to the card.

This final card uses the same numeric stencil, this time with black card and pale Distress Oxide inks.

In order to make the images stand out on this card, I stamped and embossed with versamark ink and pale gold embossing powder.

Thanks for stopping by

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

 

Painting With Embossing Folders

Evening,

Embossing Folders have so many more uses than just basic dry embossing. 

One way is to use them to make fabulous watercolour backgrounds.

I inked the folder with Distress Oxide Inks, spritzed it with water and then placed the cardstock carefully inside.

Instead of running it through an embossing machine which adds texture I pressed it firmly with my hands which transfers the ink to the cardstock but still leaves it flat.

You can usually get more than one impression from a single inking of the folder, just by adding more water.

These make great inked backgrounds for cards, and look so different in alternative colours.

I used them here to create a couple of Spotlight cards.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

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

Countdown to Christmas - Day 15

Evening,

I first started sending a Christmas newsletter nearly 20 years ago after I lost my Son and my Dad within the space of 2 weeks. It started as a way of letting people know about this, and has become a way of keeping friends and family up to date with family events.

It seemed particularly important this time because of moving in with my Mum, so it was a great way to let people know about the changes that have been made over the past year. As usual I added my return address label to the back of all of my cards. Today, as a direct result of these labels I have spent a very enjoyable morning with an old friend. I used to look after her son for many years, until he left to go to Secondary school. He was 30 this month, so it has been a long time since we spent any time together. She now only lives 5 minutes down the road from me, so we took a trip to the local garden center for a coffee and a long overdue catch up.

She too has retired, and is now able to start catching up with all of those crafty projects that you manage to have on the go when you are working. She enjoys needlework and belongs to a 'Stitch and Bitch' group which meets once a week to, as its name suggests, stitch, drink tea and coffee and bitch/talk about anything and everything. It sounds like fun, so we have agreed that I will join them in the New Year. That way I might finally get the chance to finish some of my numerous cross stitch projects.

I guess I really ought to share a Christmas card with you after all that waffle, so here is one made using the Letterpress Technique with a foiling plate.

I used Distress Oxide ink with the plate and as the ink remained very wet I also added embossing powder and then a few gems.

Thanks for stopping by and putting up with my ramblings.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Countdown to Christmas - Day 13

Evening,

Another snow filled day, although it was a little too icy to build a snowman........not for the want of trying you understand lol.

So it's back to some Christmas cards tonight.

Here are a couple made using a fabulous holly embossing folder

and some Distress inks.

Same embossing folder and ink colours,

only this time I used Oxide inks which give a much chalkier finish.

I'm off home tomorrow, weather and roads permitting, but it won't be long till I'm back. Chloe didn't want me to go, as usual, but went to bed much happier when I told her that the next time I come back to stay it would be Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by.

With Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

 

Watercolour Stamping with Embossing Folders

Evening,

Over the last 25 years of dabbling in this wonderful craft you pick up loads of new techniques. 

Well, they were new once, but like fashion they keep coming round. And just like fashion, there are also ones that remain firm favourites in your wardrobe.

I'm not sure that I could pin down one particular technique that I love more than any other because there are just soooo many great ones.

One of the newer favourites added to my crafting wardrobe is Watercolour Stamping using Embossing Folders, a relative newbie to the catwalk.

Ink up one side of the embossing folder with Distress Oxide inks.

Spritz the embossing folder with a fine mist of water and place a piece of watercolour card onto the ink.

Carefully close the folder, without moving the cardstock and press firmly using your fingers or a brayer.

DO NOT run through the embossing machine unless you want to do another technique - Letterpress.

The ink will transfer to the cardstock to give you the impression of the embossing folder. A different effect will be created depending on whether you use the embossed, or debossed side of the folder.

It is possible to get more than one impression from the inked folder, sometimes up to three as shown here in these three cards. Each one is paler than the last due to the extra water that you spritz on the folder each time.

I do love techniques like this where you get more than one impression, the problem is, knowing when to stop lol.

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