'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

Bubble Bauble and Bow

Evening All,

I hope that you have had a fabulous Sunday.

Here are the last of the cards that I made using Jane's Bubble Bauble and Bow.

I have used Distress Oxide inks and all sorts of bits and pieces to fill in all the circles in the bauble.

I have made a point of creating a tag for each class, now we are back after lockdown. (I got rather behind with them before everything stopped for Covid) The tag has instructions on the particular technique we are using on one side and then a visual reminder on the other.

Thanks for stopping by.

Crafty hugs Kimx

 

Butterfly Bubble Wreath

Evening Everyone,

Here's another wreath card made using one of Jane's new Festive Bubble Stamps.

I do love the fact that this stamp works every bit as well for a birthday card as it does for Christmas.

I stamped and embossed the leafy wreath on to a piece of mop up background

and then added some faux candi and gems.

I also added a fussy cut butterfly and stamped and die cut sentiment.

I used the rest of the piece of mop up for this card. Who said that you had to use the whole of the image?

I used bleach on the larger circles to remove the colour, , and then added glossy accents, gems and pearls along with another fussy cut butterfly.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx
 

Bubble Wreath

Evening All,

Another scorcher today, although it has thankfully ended with a bit of rain. Not as much as I would have hoped with the thunder rumbling around, and certainly not enough to affect the temperature at all. I'm not sure that I will cope if the whole of the summer is this hot.

I hid indoors on Sunday and finished off cards from Saturdays classes on Jane's fabulous Festive Bubble stamps.

They are a marvelous way of using up all those odd gems and glitter glues that you have kicking about.

I also used the die that is available to cut faux candi from the same silver card stock that I used for the matt to the panel.

Although this stamp is part of the festive collection, I'm sure you will agree that it works for any occasion.

I must be out of my tiny mind meeting up with a friend at the gym today. The trouble is that now she is retired she seems to have become busier than ever, and this was the only way and time that we could get together this week. They do say that retirees wonder how they ever found time to go to work, and she definitely fits that profile lol.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Friendship Blooms

Evening All,

I'm sitting here yawning my head off, but it might have something to do with having just spent some time in the gym. It's a good job that I have a 'Gym Buddy', because I don't think that I would have done anything today after work, except sleep. We are good for one another, spurring each other along when neither of us feel like doing anything. 'Even doing something is better than nothing' is our mantra lol.

As you know I don't like to waste anything, so the background to this card uses the ink that was left on one of the stencils after I had used it on another card. I just spritzed the inky stencil with water and then pressed it on to a piece of card stock.

Once the panel had dried I stamped and embossed the bunch of flowers from Altenew Our Friendship Blooms stamp set. There is also a stencil available to enable you to colour the image easily using inks and blending brushes.

I added some stamped script to the background before I die cut the image and layered it over a white deckled panel.

A die cut sentiment, some faux Card Candi and a white gel pen finished the whole thing off.

I'm having a very early night tonight. It's my weekend with the Littlies, so I will need to be on my game.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Purple Poppy

Evening,

After our lovely class yesterday I have been trying to finish off a few bits of homework.

This fabulous floral stencil was a favourite with all of the ladies on Saturday.

I created a piece of script background with an old stamp and then stenciled over the top using Distress inks.

With the stencil still in place, held there using my Wendy Vechi Make Art Stay-tion, I drew all around the image with a fine micron pen.

I added some soft stenciling to the base card using the same colours, and finished the whole thing off with a die cut sentiment covered in glossy accents, gems and hand made Card Candi.

This second card using the same colours of ink and leafy background stencil from Lavinia. The background started as a piece of clean up paper for the blending brushes. I have one brush per colour family and like to clean them off on a piece of paper before changing ink colours.

I held the white die cut LOVE under the stencil, on top of the clean up paper before adding more ink. I rather liked the contrast on the die cut so I decided to stack it and then add some glossy accents to help it stand out against the background panel.

Off to bed now since I am back at work at stupid o'clock tomorrow. Still at least it shouldn't be too hot tomorrow which will suit me very well.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx
 

WoodwareWitterings Sketch 53

Morning Everyone,
We have a sketch for you to work with this week over at WoodwareWitterings, and today it is my turn to play.

I have chosen one of Jane Gill's stamp sets JGS370 Calendula Bloom,

stamped and embossed onto Mixed Media cardstock using Vintage Sepia Versafine ink and clear embossing powder.

I sponged the panel with dye based ink and pieces of cut and dry foam.

No precision colouring for me I'm afraid, all except the stem and leaves.

I stamped and coloured a second flower head and cut it out using a circular die before layering it over another circle made from dark brown card stock.

The band across my card has been created from a strip of vellum and a sentiment stamped and embossed onto a small piece of card.

To add a little extra interest I stamped around the edge of the panel with the clean flower stamp which I had spritzed with water.
This gives a fabulous watery image in the background, and for the finishing touches some tiny card candi punched from the waste and some faux stitching.
No waste in the making of this card, so just for a change there is only one card to share with you lol.

Oh and here is the sketch just in case you fancy giving it a try.

Have a great day.

Happy Crafting and Hugs

Kimx

The Beauty of Birds

Hi All,
Well did you get to see Barbara on the box, or were you busy with other weekend tasks?

Here as promised is one of the cards that I made for the shows.

The background has been made using one of the Clarity Stencils embossed using my EBosser and then sponged with Distress ink and spritzed with tea.

The background to the parakeets is made using a mix of black coffee, watercolour Pearlex and cling film. Black coffee has also been used to paint the images.

I used Beauty from one of the Wordchains stamped and embossed in the corner,

and Faux Card Candi made from more of the handmade background paper along with some Faux Stitching.
I don't think this actually made it on to the show, and as usual I loved other peoples ideas far better than my own. Isn't that always the way.
Night night and hugs
Kimx

Christmas for Kids Big and Small

Hi All
I'm filling in for Siobhan again this week over at Woodware where Dorothy has challenged us to make something Christmas - for Kids Large or Small.

I picked one of Francoise stamps FRS252 Huge Santa for my card.

It works brilliantly with Paper Piecing, and I don't care how big, or small a kid you are, who doesn't want to see Santa at Christmas?

The background has been made using my trusty Creative Palette, some dye based inks and bubble wrap.

The papers used on 'Santa' are from my stash and I will be able to finish several other similar cards using the leftover letters. That really is the beauty of Paper Piecing, you get more than one card from your stamped images.
The Faux Candi is made from small punched circles of matching card stock.

I added faux stitching and some 'Puffy Stuff' to Santa's hat along with some glitter. Even I have to have a bit of glitter at Christmas time lol.
Please pop along to the Woodware Blog and see what the rest of the team have come up with to inspire you.
Happy Crafting
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