Speed Craft Sunday 11

Afternoon, hope your Sunday has been a good one. 

I have been lucky enough to spend time with both my kids, Mothers Day has mixed emotions for me, but what I take great comfort from is that both Steve and Amber did actually WANT to be with me today. Im sure I dont need to tell you that not everybody was born to good decent nurturing parents, you would have to drag me by the hair to get me in the same room as either of my biological parents, yep I just said that out loud, deep breaths.

Lets get on to Speed Craft Sunday quickly!

I started with coloured card for a change, I love Black and Yellow.

I stamped the large butterfly and small butterfly, then placed a piece of acetate over the card to position the small butterfly on the other side-there would still be ink on the stamp so you can end up marking your card while trying to achieve the correct postion.

Then I covered the butterflies with masks and brushed black ink around the edges, next I inked up a piece of bubble wrap with the same black ink, this bubble wrap has little bubbles, then lay the wrap over the card and rub lightly in the central area only, this gives a softer random spread of pattern.

Remove masks and then add little accents with white pen. Create two matching strips to stamp Line Sentiments onto, and mount everything up on a 7 inch card blank.

Time to create, about 18 minutes.

Thanks for popping in, I appreciate it.

Stencil Saturday in a rush

Mornng! Actually feels like more like middle of the night, but hey ho.

I have to blog mega fast, .so I can get out the door and on the motorway, so here is one of my cards using the new Circus stencils,and Whatever text stamps, you can find them over on the Claritystamp website.

Ok, gotta run!

Maria x

Finish it Friday 13

Morning!

So Iv'e had my usual Friday delve through the mounds of rejected and abandoned bits and bobs in my box...

The bird piece jumped out at me, it was using one of the lovely A Little Bird cutting dies, I cut a lot of the design away, but it didnt look how I expected so it was banished to the box! I decided to pair it up with the Treescape die.

An inky background is what is needed!

I marked the card at  the corners of the aperture die, so I knew what was going to be visible.

And voila!

Now I like it.

Thanks for popping in!

Im off now to get packed for Catterick class tomorrow.

See you tomorrow hopefully for Stencil Saturday.

Midweek Mix 1

Hello, and thanks for popping in!

Time for a new feature on the bloggy, Midweek Mix, which basically means I can blog anything I want!

I have one more day to create a feature for, Thursday, I already have another nice and different idea lined up ready.

 I've worked hard to come up with my own feature ideas to make my blog individual to me, I'm very happy for other crafters to be inspired to try designs on my blog and even join in with a daily feature, BUT I hope other bloggers are respectful enough to come up with their own feature ideas,  our blogs are personal and should reflect the author, don't you think? 

So after a little scout through my pics, I thought we could have a little look at some hearts and birds...

This one is using the Bird Heart Sprig cutting die and some lovely Indian Summer paper.

The 3 way stamp set is quite cool too, I cut a little aperture mask so I could stamp into the heart.

And another one using the cutting die, this one is actually a shaker card with tiny burgundy beads.

Hope you like!

Maria x

Groovi Tuesday 10

Good Morning and thanks for popping in.

The weeks are flying by aren't they, week 10 of Groovi Tuesday already.

I think the Unicorn and Dragon plates are great for kids, with nice bright colours, especially with the Indian Summer papers.

I coloured this one with Pergacolour pens, more vibrant than pencils.

And I even used up one of my many many many many paper scraps, just use a decorative edge punch and away you go.

That's it for today, Lots of work to do, and then I am being taken somewhere (no idea where) to see something (no idea what)????? 

Dress code, a nice frock.

Never a dull moment with Pete, wouldn't change him a bit!

Maria x

Mixed Media Monday 6

Hello! Monday again, hope you had a nice weekend.

The project today is also a Finish it Friday project, but I thought id use it today.

The triple panel is a gel plate pull using paint and then ink with some mdf cogs.

Die cut cogs and swirls would go well I thought...

Maybe a bit of paper weaving...

And a little stamped sentiment!

I really should get my gel plate out more often.

Hope you like it!

Come back tomorrow for a very clean Groovi project.

Maria x

Speed Craft Sunday 10

Morning! Only just, I know, I had a nice sedate pace this morning, tired after telly!

So while still in my pjs I spent 12 minutes at my desk...

I stamped the entwined hummingbirds in Cornflower archival ink and covered the circles with masks, luckily they are the perfect size for the woodware 2 inch punch, so no cutting involved.

I then inked up the script stamp from the Journal set, Buttercup archival all over then Sap Green just around the edges. Stamp it across the middle.

Stamp again, above and below. Sponge a little yellow ink around the circle masks. I pondered putting the yellow into the circles instead but that would have involved cutting an aperture mask-not gonna do that when my lovely hubby is cooking my breakfast downstairs, Im starvin!

Hope you like!

I havent linked to anything, breakfast is ready, but everything is on the Clarity website, not my breakfast though, thats mine.

Thanks for popping in!

Maria x

Stencil Saturday double bill.

Good Morning!

Early start for me, have to be up and out of my hotel by 6.30 to get back to Hochanda for 7am.

Groovi one day special shows are at 9am, 1pm and 5pm.

So I better show you some stencilly fun quickly...

This was piece number one, I utilised a piece of card I had die cut a picot oval from, I stencilled Leonie's cool Arrow stencil down the side just using Artistry ink pads, and then added some splashes. Then I stencilled the Natural Beauty stencil on another piece of card so the ladies face peeped through the oval aperture.

Then there was the matter of cleaning the inky stencil...

Well I don't do cleaning if I can help it, so I just spritzed the stencil with water and rubbed it on another piece of card, how nice is that!

That's it for today, thanks for popping in, see you tomorrow for Speed Craft Sunday?

Maria x

Finish it Friday 12

Friday again!

So after a quick dig in the box of heartbreak, I found these bits...

Both are Gel Plate bits with ink, the square one has been unloved for about 3 years approx, I remember trying to achieve a snowy look, which I managed, so this must have been a spare. The round piece was a demo piece from a gel plate class, I used the clean Leafy Swirl stamp to remove colour from the gel plate for a ghostly look, seems to be a ghost theme on my blog this week!

These bits really did not need much doing to them, so I just die cut a lovely Fresh Cut die to match the swirl and bingo!

Ooh that's quite a good pic for me!

Hope you like!

Gotta go pack and jump in the car now, I'm on Hochanda launching a One Day Special at 6pm tonight, maybe you can tune in?

Maria x

A stencil ghost?

Hello! Blimey I never blog on a Wednesday usually, but I spotted the March challenge over at CAS Stencil challenge blog, the theme is Ghosting, and I knew straight away exactly what I wanted to do for that.

The ghosting effect was created by applying versamark ink through the Damask Rose stencil onto Clarity Coated card, then I brayered over with Artistry inks to reveal the ghostly resist!

Then I did all my stamping with the Art Nouveau stamps and added a touch of coluring.

Do pop over and check the challengo blog out, they have some great themes.

Thanks for popping in!

Maria x

Groovi Tuesday 9

Good Morning, thanks for popping in.

My project today is a 'white' piece, no colouring in.

I used Linda's Butterfly plate

Time was not my friend when using this beautiful plate, so I just did a single layer piece. I also used one of the new Pergamano tools, the semi star tool is used around the ribboned band,then I embossed around the perforations. I'm not very confident with the new tools yet-remember i'm not a traditional parcher, so much practice needed, and more hours in the day!

That's all for today, hope to see you soon!

Maria x

Mixed Media Monday. Deal me in!!!

Afternoon, thanks for popping in!

Something new to me today.

Some of you know I play Poker regularly, I don't smoke cigars and drink Bourbon while playing though lol.

Anyway, we get new cards each season, and the old ones, which are made of plastic, end up in the bin, but last night I swiftly intercepted and salvaged the old cards when it dawned on me that they are the same size as ATC's! I love a bit of recycling.

So I raided my scrap box (twice in a week, I know right?)

I had a great time making these, it gives me a lot of pleasure to save something from landfill, yep i'm a bit of an eco geek. 

I just stuck my scrap backgrounds onto the playing cards and trimmed. And went from there.

This one is an ancient jelly plate painty scrap, and a couple of trees embossed with distress powder and cut out, then I added a tiny bit of stamped inca gold, it looks much brighter in the flesh.

This one was a tag background that I did a paint/ink resist, then added background stamping and added the little tag with the fob watch and key, little bit of inca gold in a couple of places, glossy accents to the watch face, done!

And Iv'e added my name to the back so you can still see its a recycled card, I think that will be my new ATC signature lol.

That's all for now, I have to get back to my desk and finish 3 more of these to send off to my swap partner for March. Then I have some actual work to do.

Maria x

Speed Craft Sunday 9

Good Morning!

Very quick post again. I have a very full Groovi class today, but just enough time to show you my speedy creation...

I used the circle stain stamp from the Journal set with 3 colours of archival ink, 1st 2nd and 3rd generation ink for each.

Then I added bits of the harlequin stamp in yellow, and then the script stamp in grey.

Finally the butterfly and dragonflies and some splashes.

I decided not to put a sentiment on, I like it just as it is.

Time to create, about 15 minutes including cutting the extra butterfly.

Hope you like!

Maria x

Stencil Saturday, Pan Pastel

Hello, thanks for popping in!

I thought id show you a stencil project using the new stencils that Barbara demonstrated on Hochanda on Thursday.

Just so you know, the little white dots are actually a reflection of the lcd lights on my light tent, No matter what I tried I couldnt get a pic without them because of the acetate on the card.

I started by applying Pan Pastel to my cover my card, then I smeared Versamark on the stencil, lay it on the card and run through a die cutting machine, then rub the pastel sponge over the card again to bring out the line art.

Colour can then be removed with an eraser to give light and shade.

I then stamped a couple of Wee Folk and some birds on acetate, when the ink is dry the acetate can be wrapped around the card and secured at the back.

Ok, that's all for today, have a great Saturday!

Maria x

Finish it Friday 11

Happy almost afternoon!

Nope I haven't only just got out of bed, iv'e been busy, honest.

Friday then, when I trawl through the mountain of unloved, forgotten, rejected and generally abandoned pieces in my workroom.

I thought id show you two projects today, because the first one was already not needing much to finish it, it had already started out as a mop up piece then I added some stencilling, then for some reason just flung it back in the box.

See what I mean?

I paired it up with an inky mop up that id stamped a butterfly on.

Bit of shimmer on the butterfly and a sentiment...

Done! I really like this one.

The stencil is called Floral Heart.

The next project matches quite nicely I think...

More orange, my favourite! And more inky butterflies.

The waste from a big Sizzix postage stamp die cut, and a piece with heat embossed sentiments sprayed with inks for a resist, that has been in the box forever!

I really didn't know what to do with the resist piece for so long, but I got there in the end, and I love this!

When I create the cards from my F.I.F box, I make them just for pleasure, no deadlines, no work projects intended (although there's been a handful that iv'e considered for class), just pleasure, and then I find I don't want to part with them, but do give them away to nice people who I like!

Hope you like! Now go raid your scraps and make something cool, just for pleasure.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you can come back tomorrow for Stencil Saturday.

Maria x

Groovi Tuesday 8

Hello! Bit late on parade today, needed to finish off my prep for telly tomorrow and pack everything i need.

So quick Groovi post, so i can go get a cuppa and wash my hair-not at the same time...

I used the Dragon plate first, then added the landscape bits behind.

This is the first time iv'e used that particular backing paper from the Northern Lights pad, so I was very happy it worked well, nice and bright.

The red in the sky was a happy (ish) accident, I was blending the blue sky with Dorso Oil on tissue and managed to smear a bit from one of the dragon wings, can you see it at the tip of the wing? so I added some more red to make it look like it was deliberate, I think its called blagging it...

I think this would be a good one for a child as its bright and colourful.

Thanks for popping in!

Maybe you can watch my telly shows on Hochanda tomorrow, 12 noon and 4pm.

Maria x

Another Mixed Media Monday

Good Morning, hope you had a nice weekend and are ready to tackle a new week!

TV prep for me today and tomorrow, ready for Wednesday, but before I get started I'll blog...

I did this canvas using the lovely frameless Garden Heart stencil with Grunge paste.

Painted over with black paint when dry, then quite carefully added watery Inca Gold in all the little crevices of the design. Dry brushed a little Inca over the edges.

The sentiment is stamped onto some scraps of brown cotton using Archival ink, actually I stamped direct onto the canvas first but it didn't go so well, so a cover up job was needed!

Finally mounted onto a 8 inch white canvas, done!

Thanks for stopping by, hope you can come back tomorrow for some Grooviness.

Maria x

Speed Craft Sunday 8

Good Afternoon, thanks for popping in for another speedy project, today,s is super speedy, I created it whilst peeling veg for the roast dinner and cooking fry up for brekky, even with my dodgy arm I can still multi task!

So here's what I made...

I didn't have time to take pics along the way, I just had to go for it.

I started with a torn piece of paper, brushed yellow ink along from the paper, then added black to the edges. 

Then to add the stamps, and here's a confession...

I cut the stem off one of my Alium stamps, so that I can make the flower lean either left or right.

The same stem has a chunk missing from it, no idea how it got damaged, but to be fair it's years old, and I could just fill in with a pen, but on this occasion I thought i'd use the gap for the crossover of stems.

And just to finish off, I added a yellow shadow!

Done in about 8 minutes.

Hope you like!

Have a lovely Sunday.

Maria x

Finish it Friday 10

Its Friday again, so you know what that means right? Time to rummage amongst the mountainous pile of rejected, neglected and forgotten bits bobs and unfinished crafty projects!

 So this is what I started with...

A background using the Mountain Ash stencil, masked so the middle is left empty.

A stamped panel, now I remember this, I was playing around trying to work out what I was doing for one of the New Design Club stamps (The little lillies that are upside down in a vase) I decided not to incorporate the larger lillies, but i'd already stamped and coloured them, so in the reject box it went!

And with the little die cut frame, I thought these pieces were made for each other.

The only problem is my composition, do I want to be all neat and symmetrical....

Or do I want to be all rebellious and jaunty...

Can you guess which way I jumped?? Can ya? hmm?

Whether you are a conformist or a rule breaker, I hope you like it!

Thanks for popping in, have a great weekend.

Maria x