Groovi Tuesday 6

Hello, thanks for popping in, I appreciate it!

Groovi Tuesday then, I couldn't decide what to show you, so I thought id show you a couple of projects, because I can...

This one was created using Tina's Flower Burst plate and the Bold Straight perforating grid.

And this is one I demonstrated on Hochanda a while ago, I love anything with bunnies/hares, this also incorporates Tina's Doodle plates too.

Plenty of perforating and cutting on this one, the more I do it the more I like it!

Ok thats it for today, hope you can come back soon.

Maria x

Mixed Media Monday 2

Good Morning and welcome to another Mixed Media Monday!

This project was originally going to be a Finish it Friday project, because all the elements came from the reject box, but I decided it could pass as mixed media, so here you go...

I love an opportunity to recycle old packaging, I buy Sizzix Bigz cutting dies specifically to use them on cardboard etc.

I used my Dapper cutting die with the cardboard.

There were a few cogs in the scrap box and the square frame was stamped with screwed up paper and Inca Gold-looks better in the flesh.

I stamped some cogs with archival ink.

Oh look, more cardboard!

I stamped the tags and filled them with more cogs and text.

Bit of brown and teal ink for the cogs and tags, then put it all together!

Hope you like it, thanks for popping in.

Hopefully see you tomorrow for Groovi Tuesday.

Maria x

Speed Craft Sunday 7

Hello, thanks for popping in, hope your Sunday is going well so far.

I have a Groovi class today, only local though, so no motorway trip, yay!

Just time for me to show you this weeks Speed Craft Sunday project.

I stamped the Rose first then stamped the Line Sentiment around to make a frame, a stamping platform is helpful with this.

Then I gently brushed green ink toward the corners through a circle stencil.

I coloured the leaves with waterbased markers blended with a clear sparkle pen. The Rose needed to be white so I just used the clear sparkle pen with the tiniest bit of green ink just to tint slightly.

I tried for black and white plus one colour, so i can use this as a second entry into the Country View Challenge.

Time spent on this one, including colouring, 20 minutes max.

Stencil Saturday, with a bit of velum.

Good Morning!

Its getting to be quite regular this blogging malarky isn't it.

Saturday then, stencils...

And I spotted a challenge over at CAS on Friday blog using velum on your card, so I thought Id have a go at that too.

Dark pictures again! and the cards are quite nice too.

I used a plate to cut the shape into my cards, i couldn't decide which way i wanted the curve so i did both.

I also cut a copy paper mask too, lay it over the inside of the card and stencilled with purple ink. The stencil is a Clarity New Design Club stencil.

I found a few butterflies cut from velum, added purple ink to the back layer.

I brushed purple in to the front of the card, darker from the curve, getting lighter.

The second example, I also added a velum overlay to mute the stencilling a bit.

 I used Vine Leaf strip stencil for this one.

That's it for today, have a great day.

Maria x

Finish it Friday 8

Hello and Happy Friday!

I have had my usual rummage through the reject box, and I actually found a few bits to use, but my decision was influenced by the challenge over at Country View Challenges, the theme is Black and White plus one.

So this is what I started with, the black and white was easy...

I started with the piece of black card with the Elderleaves stamped in white with splashes, that's been in the box forever! and the large white piece has been there just as long maybe longer, I was doing a pattern building piece with a single corner stamp, but then abandoned it.

I didn't really need to do much to make it work, I just trimmed the black piece so it would fit in the frame, wrapped a piece of twine around, added the Line Sentiment stamps in the corner, and of course added a pop of colour, I am quite liking yellow at the moment.

Done!

Thanks for popping in, have a good weekend.

Maria x

Freshcut Fairies

Good Morning!

I thought I should blog today, seeing as I missed Tuesday.

So I had a browse through my pics and decided to show a couple of die cut cards.

I used the same Leafwing fairy cutting die for both cards.

First one is a bit colourful, with the help of Indian Summer paper, my favourite.

Second one is sparkly!

I used offcuts of black card for both, they were just the right width for the dies.

This is a nice glitter card, no shedding, I hate shedding! Not cheap though.

Hope you like them!

Back to work for me now, busy day.

Thanks for popping in, hope you can come back tomorrow for Finish it Friday.

Maria x

Mixed Media Monday 1

Good Morning!

And welcome to a new feature on my blog, Mixed Media Monday.

I actually love creating mixed media art, especially if i can incorporate some recycling, but my time is usually taken up with general stamping projects and Groovi, so not too much time for mixed media.

So first instalment is a mirror, i do like doing mirrors and clocks because i can give them as presents.

This is one i demonstrated on telly a while ago...

I started with some paste through the Woodland Wildlife stencil.

Then painted over with chalk paints.

Add some Inca Gold to the raised areas, and a few splashes of white paint.

You can also make a spray with Inca Gold, just plash a little around here and there, done!

Hope you like it!

Thanks for popping in, hope you can come back soon, not sure if i will manage a Groovi Tuesday tomorrow as ill be in Evesham.

Maria x

Speed Craft Sunday 6

Afternoon!

Firstly, i wonder if you will notice that i have used the same stamp for this weeks SCS (no not the sofa company) as i did for last weeks? well i only just realised when i was loading photos and spotted last weeks photos lol, but actually i'm not worried because iv'e done very different things with the stamp, so i'm gonna let myself off the hook!

I started the project this morning before i left home for the poker finals...nope i didn't do too well this time, bad cards bad cards and then more bad cards, but its always fun, and it meant i could get home early and crack on with some work.

I stamped the Poppies then covered with masking fluid, i left it to dry while i went out, although it only takes a few minutes to dry i didn't want to rush it and risk ruining it.

I added a few splashes too.

Then when i came home, i used one of Leonie's new stencils and brushed some Apricot ink first, then added Blaze for a bit more depth.

Rub off the masking fluid CAREFULLY, i tore a tiny bit of the card by being heavy handed.

I toyed with the idea of colouring the poppies with very pale apricot, but i worried about a mottled effect where the card was torn, so i decided to just glaze with a clear sparkle pen instead, its nice and sparkly and theres plenty of colour on the outside of the image instead.

Time taken, not including drying time, about 10 minutes.

Hope you like it!

Thank for popping in, please come back tomorrow for the first Mixed Media Monday.

Maria xx

Finish it Friday 7

Hello, its Friday again, doesnt it coma around quickly!

So what does the weekend hold for you?

Ill be working at a steady pace from home on Saturday.Then Sunday i'll be playing poker in the regional finals in Liverpool, wont be as much fun this time because Pete didn't qualify this season.

But before i fast forward through the whole weekend, lets observe Finish it Friday!

So this is what i started with...

Nice bit of Inca Gold through the Poppy stencil on black card, and a couple of diecut frames, i often end up with neat frames because when i die cut the shapes for a project i try to position the dies so that the waste is actually usable, like here.

 I think the pearly card goes really well with the shine from the Inca Gold.

Finished off with a stamped sentiment using Mini Wordchains.

Nice and easy, and a couple less bits in my huge reject pile!

Thanks for popping in, hope you can come back for Speed Craft Sunday and also on Monday i start a new feature on bloggy, Mixed Media Monday!!!!

Groovi Tuesday 5

Good Morning!

Busy one again today, finishng off my tv prep for tomorrow and doing samples for other upcoming shows.

So before i forget, ill show you my offering for Groovi Tuesday...

I used Linda's Baby Necessities plate, its a great plate because the composition is already done for you, but you can just pick out bits, the lacy bottom is quite cool and very transferable. 

I coloured with Perga Colour markers for brighter colour.

Ok thats it from me for today.

Don't forget there will be a brand new Youtube Tuesday from Claritystamp today, be sure to check it out.

Speed Craft Sunday 5

Good Morning, hope your weekend has been good so far. Its supposed to be  weekend off for us Moorhouses but Pete went into work yesteday for a couple of hours (turned into most of the day) so i just sat and plodded on with Groovi sample making.

Today though we are defffffffffinitely not working, Pete is cooking brekky as i type and then we are taking Tillypops out for a wander around an artisan market, maybe find a dog friendly pub for late lunch.

SO, i best be quick with this lil ole blog post!

The Brusho pots and watercolour card are still on my desk from yesterday, so i grabbed them and chose a stamp quick...

I stamped the Wild Poppies in Versafine black ink and gave it a waft with the heat tool to dry.

Then i sprinkled the red brusho onto the flowers and spritzed with water, filled the flowers in a little with a paintbrush then sprayed a little more water to get some colour spread. 

Not too much though, i'm not that confident with brusho actually, so ill stick with less is more i think.

Time taken on this? Well if you don't count the first project that went badly wrong, then 10 minutes including trimming and mounting.

Another one done ready for next months birthdays!

Lets have a go at a couple of challenges too...

Crafty Friends theme is Anything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge theme is also Anything Goes

Enjoy the remainder of your weekend gang.

Maria xx

Stencil Saturday, Powdered inks challenge

Hello, thanks for joining me!

I spotted the latest challenge over on CAS Stencil Challenge blog, the theme this time is powdered inks, and it always involves a stencil, right up my street!

So i had a flip through my Clarity stencils, and decided to use a New Design Club stencil from about a year ago, ish?

And i thought my Infusions would be good, especially as iv'e left my brusho and colour bursts at work, also i have a single random sparkle powder so i threw a bit of that in too.

I used a little piece of watercolour card, i bought two little pads of it really cheap when  was at Event City craft show with my mate Jane Telford last week.

I just lay my stencil over the card, sprayed with water and sprinkled with the powders.

I got a very cool mop up piece too, thats gone in THE pile, you know the pile i mean dont you lol.

The colours on this are actually really lovely but the picture is a bit rubbish, especially when you consider i bought a mini light tent...Maybe the camera on my ipad is the problem, maybe i need to get a decent camera instead?

The A5 carb blank is a nice bottle green, not black.

Shame the metallic from the shimmer powder doesnt show up on the picture, but hey ho!

The challenge lasts for a month and you can enter a couple of times too.

Im off to write this card out now, i know exactly who it is for, i think she will like it.

Enjoy your saturday folks, hopefully see you tomorrow for another Speed Craft Sunday, time permitting.

Maria xx

Finish it Friday 6

Happy Friday to you! 

Unless you work weekends of course, in which case Fridays don't mean that much?

Well on this ole bloggy Friday means time to show you something i created from rejects, scraps and offcuts from my overflowing Finish It box.

So, here's what i started with...

A shaving foam and ink piece using the Olive Branch Wreath stencil, and an image using the Happy Couple 3 way overlay stamps, the colours were not quite what i wanted at the time, but when i was rooting through my box i thought the colours matched great with the shaving foam wreath.

Didn't want a square image though, so out with my nested circle fresh cut dies, and bobs your uncle!

Bit of a trim, edge with sharpie pen and its done.

Thanks for popping in, now go and dig through your scraps, see what you can make!

Groovi Tuesday 4

Hi, thanks for stopping by for Groovi Tuesday.

I have allsorts to show you but i thought id go for something right up to date.

The Fairy plates from the one day special on Hochanda were quite lovely.

The size is just perfect to sit in a frame created with the Queen lace plates.

I wanted to do a nice soft sample, whitework but not bright white.

And then just some soft pinky tones behind from designer paper.

Thanks for taking the time to look!

Maria x

Speed Craft Sunday 4

Well its only just Sunday, busy day.

So here is my speedy project for today, it really needed to be super speedy, so 10 minutes later...

I used the Clarity stag stencil, but just the head, easy to mask off with tape. Then i used tape to mask the bottom area and used the texture from the body.

Bog standard blank ink and a sponge, add a wordchain, easy.

Oh and the base is a 5 x 7 topper from the Indian Summer pack.

OK, night night!

Maria x

Finish it Friday 5

Good Afternoon!

Its been a challenging week, but I seem to have survived it, and now its time for another Finish it Friday project...

 This is what i started with, an old demo piece where id used white paint through the stencil then coloured over it, and the other piece was a mop up piece from using black ink on the gel plate.

I managed to line the two pieces up to match. stamped the Birthday in purple ink but as you can see it doesn't look great, sooo

I stamped again on a piece of white card and tucked it in to cover the original stamping.

Its a bit random but i quite like it!

Thanks for popping in, i appreciate it.

Maria x