Playing with Imagination in Bloom.

Evening Everyone
Another fabulous day, even nicer than yesterday. I don't really do the sunshine, I'm a bit of a vampire really. That's how I maintain this pasty English Rose complexion lol.
Once again I have had a very productive weekend finishing off more bits and pieces from my box. This time I have been playing with some Imagination images.

As I have said on numerous occasions, I could no more tell you what the cards were going to turn out like that I could fly.
Unlike the lovely Barbara Gray I don't 'have a plan' going in, I just sit and play and see what happens. Sometimes I have an idea for a card but then it morphs into something else due to the colour and size of the papers in my box, or even a technique that happens to catch my eye on the TV or a blog. You never know what you are going to get with me I'm afraid so I am so glad that so many of you have stuck with me and my crafty ramblings.

This card was made using the Iris Decoupage stamp set from Imagination Craft. I stamped the iris onto cream coloured background paper and then fussy cut the flowers.

The main image was stamped and embossed onto a piece of background paper made using lemon juice and  distress inks.
The pink checked background paper is from my stash and I added some swirls in the corners using one of the other lovely stamps that is part of the set.

The fussy cut flowers are added using silicon to give dimension.
I also added a little extra colour with some paint from one of the Pearly Palettes.
The challenge over at Imagination this month is Imagination in Bloom so I would like to enter my card into it.
Better go now, thanks for stopping by.
hugs Kimx

For Imagination With Love

Evening Everyone,
I've been playing with my fabulous Imagination stamps and stencils.

Their challenge this month has been Love is in the Air so I made the card especially for it.
The background has been created using a stencil, Kaleidacolor ink pad and a stencil brush.

I taped the stencil down with low tack tape so that it didn't move before I brushed ink all over it.

The central stamped and embossed panel has been coloured using the 'Wet Watercolour Technique' and the Imagination Vintage Pearly Palette, so my dye based ink pad was chosen to match.

With Love was stamped and embossed several times down the left hand side of the background panel which had also been sprayed with some black Spray Webbing.
I do love these Decoupage stamps, they are so easy to use and stamp out beautifully.
I will be chained to my desk for the next couple of days as I have masses of DT samples to make, so I had better get a good nights sleep.
Hugs Kimx

Add a bit of Glitter and Sparkle

Evening Everyone
I hope that you have had a good day. Back to normal for me tomorrow I'm afraid. Thank goodness it is going to be a very short week!!
A consequence of two days of Make and Take at the NEC is a rather large stash of sparkly background papers, so I thought that I would try one of them out with a bit of stamping and embossing.

It also just happens that the challenge over at the Imagination Craft Challenge blog is Glitter and Sparkle, so I thought that I would enter it there, although unfortunately the sparkle doesn't show up very well in the pictures.

The background paper has been created using Diamond Sparkle Medium, white card and a brayer.
I stamped and embossed the leaves onto a piece of watercolour card stock and coloured them using the Vintage Pearly Palette, before cutting them out and sticking them onto the background panel.

The green card has been dry embossed and then a little Gold Gilding Wax has been added.
Why not check out the challenge, there is a fabulous prize to be won.
hugs Kimx

A pearly Iris

Hi All
Well they call them decoupage stamps, so I thought that I would do just that with one of them.

I stamped and embossed the Iris onto watercolour card and then painted it with an Imagination Pearly Palette by making the card very wet and the 'dropping' colour randomly over the image.
This creates a lovely blended effect which I heat set because like all crafters I'm impatient and want to see the effect NOW!!

I stamped and embossed the image again onto a piece of cream background paper and then fussy cut the Iris before adding them to the watercolour panel using silicon.
I shaped each of the pieces first on a pergamano mat with a very large embossing tool.
The other thing that I really like about these stamps, as well as the designs of course, is that each set is accompanied by a greeting and a couple of background stamps so they really are such good value for money.

I have stamped and embossed the greeting in white onto the green background paper and then added  some swirls using a versamark pad.
The punched and layered border has been created using papers from my stash and a Martha Stewart punch.
Hugs Kimx

Non Traditional Christmas

Evening Everyone
I'm afraid this is another very quick post, my very early start just led to a granny nap which has just left me feeling even more tired. Let's hope that tomorrow is a more creative one.

 This is a card made using one of the lovely Decoupage stamps from Imagination.

The stamped and embossed panel has been coloured using a Pearly Paint Palette and then mounted onto some background papers from my stash, with a little added stamping and sponging.
I suppose the colours are a little more Birthday than Christmas, but who says that Christmas cards have to be traditional colours.
Hugs Kimx

An Imagination Daisy

Evening Evaryone
I have been trying very hard to look in my 'Bits Box' first whenever I have a card to make.
It doesn't always work as there are so many lovely new stamps to work with that the box always seems to get added to rather than used up.
My card today proved the exception, I used up several items including background papers from the scraps box. I even managed to use a lovely embossed piece that had been lurking at the bottom of the pile lol.

The daisy is from one of the fabulous Imagination Decoupage stamp sets.

I have cut the Daisy using a circular nestie and coloured it using one of the Pearly Paint Pallets.

The sentiment is from the same stamp set.
The background papers are from my stash and this one has been dry embossed with a diamond pattern and  then sanded before tiny gems have been added.
Even the shrivelled bow was from a 'Bits Box', so I think I did really well, don't you :O)
Hugs Kimx

A Parcel of Christmas Wishes

Evening All
Have you had a good weekend with plenty of Crafting?
There has definitely been a far more Autumnal feel to things around here. It is amazing how quickly the nights are drawing in.
The kids will be back at school next week, so before we know it it will be half term and then Christmas lol.
With that in mind here are a couple of cards that I made with an Imagination Stamp set a little while ago.
I do like the Imagination Decoupage sets as they are always so versitile.
The cat at the window could be used for both a nice cosy Christmas card or a birthday card for a cat lover.

I used the parcels on their own for my cards, and made them Christmas cards as that was the theme of the TV show that they were made for, but they could just as easily have been made for a Birthday.

I coloured the stamped and embossed images with the Vintage Pearly Paint Pallet and then added them to the card using Silicon.

This card has been made in a similar manner, but is very CAS for me don't you think?
Better go and iron my uniform.
One day I will get it done earlier in the weekend, but I won't hold my breathe on that one.
Hugs Kimx

Christmas in July

Evening Everyone
Another hot one then, although there did seem to be a bit of a breeze today so I have coped.
I can see that I am going to upset a few people over the next couple of days as all of my DT work recently has been Christmas, and despite the heat it is now time to share it with you.
I suppose at a pinch, and it would have to be a very large one, you coukl forget that this card was made with a Christmas stamp set if you ignore the holly that is.

OK so I did say it was a stretch lol.
This was made with one of the lovely new Decoupage stamp sets that Sue from Imagination Craft sent me to play with.
She will be showing them on the telly on Thursday at 10pm, a little late for me but I will have my Sky box set to record. (QVC Sky channel 640 at 10pm)

I stamped and embossed the image onto watercolour card and then painted it using the 'Wet Watercolour Technique' and Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress inks.
The donkey has been painted with bleach to remove the colour.

The holly has been painted using the Vintage Pearly Palette.
The greeting is part of the same stamp set, they really are such good value.
I'll be back tomorrow with another card, sorry it will probably be Christmas again Lin :O)
Hugs Kimx

A Decoupage Daisy from Imagination

Eveing Everyone,
Are you havinng a good weekend? The weather here has been lovely and warm, not that I have ventured outside, I have been chained to my craft room once again.
Why is it that my 'Crafty To Do List' never seems to get any shorter? As fast as I cross one thing off the top of the list three more things appear at the bottom lol.
Oh well, I suppose it keeps me out of mischief and off the streets.
Today I have been working on some DT work for the lovely Sue at Imagination Craft, so it seems only right that my card tonight is one that I made a while ago using another of her fabulous Decoupgae stamps.

This card was made using Versamark, White Embossing Powder and Distress Inks.
The small daisy and the sentiment on the background panel are part of the stamp set.

The square panel is the main stamp in the set. I have padded it slightly with silicon and also added a little Pearly Paint to the flower center although it doesn't show up very well in the photograph.
Now I can cross Imagination DT work off my list tomorrow, and move on to Clarity. Maybe I will share a card I made for Barbara in my next post, we'll have to see how I get on.
Off to bed now.
Hugs Kimx

Sorry Lin, it's the C word again lol

Evening Everyone,
And before you all think that I am being very rude, the C word in question is Christmas.
I'm saying it very quietly so as not to upset my good friend Lin, and numerous other acquaintances who will be squirming in their seats at the slightest mention of that certain season so early in the year.
Unfortunately most of the DT work that I have had to do just recently has been for Christmas so it has been hard for me to avoid it :O)

I have been trying very hard to finish off some of the vast quantity of 'bits' that seem to be accunulating after DT work, demos and classes.
With this in mind here is a card that I made using a  fabulous Flower Decoupage Stamp from Imagination Craft.

I love these stamp sets as they are so nice to use and they have several co-ordination smaller images as part of the set. And best of all they are very reasonably priced.

I think this particular set has to be one of my favourites, but then i am a sucker for Poinsettias. Stamped ones anyway, I always manage to kill the real thing lol.

I have coloured this image using a 'Wet Watercolour Technique and the Imagination Vintage Pearly Palette.

Unfortunately the photography doesn't do justice to the wonderful pearlescent finish that the paint gives to the image.

I also used some of the Mica Powders on the green and purple card stock.

The finishing touches included some Faux Stitching, a flower and some foliage.
I have managed to stay awake most afternoons this week, but I think that Mondays early start if finally catching up with me, so I'm off to bed.
I will get around to visiting some of you, but I won't make any promises as to when. So much to do, and so little time to do it in.
Happy Crafting
Hugs Kimx

Let's think warm weather.

Hi All
Well I don't know about you guys, but I am absolutely frozen. Much as I hate the snow I'm sure it felt warmer when it was falling.
I'm sitting here with a hot water bottle and a blanket, and not a crafty thought in my head.
I need something to make me think of warmer weather, so here is a card that I made a while ago using one of the fabulous Decoupage stamps from Imagination.

I just love these stamp sets. They stamp out beautiful with great detail, and they all have extra co-ordinating stamps as part of the set so they are fantastic value.

I stamped the main image onto watercolour card and then painted it using Imagination Pearly Paint Pallets and plenty of water.

I flooded the stamped and embossed image with plenty of water and then 'dropped' the pearlescent paint into it. You can leave it to dry, but I prefer to speed the process up using my heat gun.

I have added some tiny gems, glossy accents, Starlight and Souffle pens.

The background to the card has been created using squares of Bo Bunny paper Double Dots Vintage Island Mist and Powder Blue.
I stamped onto each of the squares using a coordinating Distress ink pad and the small flower and leaf stamp from the set.
I would like to enter this into the Forever Friends Monthly Challenge where they are looking for Animals/Butterflies/Birds.
There, I feel suitable warmed up now.
Of course it might also have something to do with the lovely curry that my daughter cooked for dinner. Either way I think I will take my hot water bottle and blanket with me to my desk and see if I can come up with something creative.
Have a good evening.
hugs Kimx