Pure indulgence

Well you know we are all so busy and my life right now is so busy I wonder how I find time to eat let alone anything else but....having been thoroughly spoilt for my birthday( thanks hubbie and children!)...it would be rude not to indulge in a little playtime ...just for me....So after much deciding...over which set of yummy new stamps shall I play with first...(yes I was lucky some new Tim ones and some new Brett Weldele ones ...and lots of other goodies....very spoilt!) I decided upon this fab gentleman from the ships captain set...and the rest was pure playtime....

So here are the results a large tag ...just for the pure pleasure!

I started by playing with some distress stains....namely faded jeans ...hasn't been off the shelf in an age and thought it might be feeling unloved! and evergreen bough...So I smooshed and spritzed until happy and also did an extra piece which I set aside  for the tentacles to be stamped on.
 I then edged in walnut stain distress ink...gosh I love this colour!

I stamped the tentacles onto the background and added a bit of colour with my trusty distress markers and then when dry a smidge of walnut stain.

Now for this rather captivating chappy! I think he has gone to the top of my favourites...there is something about him...stern yet captivating! maybe its just me . I coloured him with my much loved waterbrush and distress markers...tearing the bottom edge and inking .

finally lots of yummy idea-ology, in my book a girl can never have enough cogs!and some dyed seam binding...and voila happy me and happy playtime pleasures !

keep those fingers inky!

trace x 

in the deep blue waters of the ocean..for dragons dream DT

well it is going to be a two post day today as my Dt commitments have now clashed so this will be one of two posts.......this is my post for dragons dream DT and will be back later with my post for frilly and Funkie DT. So the dragon has been dreaming again and the lovely Sue has dreamed up our recipe this week..so remember you have to create a tag and use at least on real stamp.
So the recipe is blue, sea an stencils....
so here is mine:

The thing I love about these recipes is they challenge me to do things I would never dream of doing and I find I usually surprise myself with the end results!

So blue well I love that, sea...umm more tricky and stencils well that was fine too..now to combine all three.  I started by creating some texture using studio 490 embossing paste in white through a fab craters workshop stencil..mini confetti. When dry I also applied some rock  candy through the same stencil...an idea from the brilliant Hels .When this was dry I painted some distress satin in broken china through the crackles.

I then used stains smooshed into my craft sheet and dragged tag through this spritzed stains, drying and the reapplying until I was happy with the colour and splotchy texture created.

I then scared myself and inked up my new Lynne Perrella Stamp from a win over at Paperartsy..and stamped onto tissue ( never done this properly before.) I added colour using stains on reverse so as not to loose detail. Then glued to tag using multi matte medium and also applied a layer over the top.

Finally the sea, created by stapling some dyed seam binding..

a bit different for me..

so make you you pop across and maybe even dream with the dragon..

have a fun and inky day!

see ya later with my post for Frilly and Funkie DT

 

trace x

live everyday for coutryview challenge blogs dt

well here I am again with a reminder that there is still a few days to join in the anything goes challenge over at countryviewcrafts challenge blog here. So here is my second make for the month, I have kept with the same colour palette as the first piece which can be found here, but gone for a tag with a pocket at the back and a coordinating atc:

and the back

I started with the same supplies as for the first make ..as I was having so much fun.. I started by putting antique linen distress paint through a Dylusions stencil, drying and then adding distress paint layers in vintage photo and antique linen, then wetting and drying. the cool thing is when dry these paints do not re -wet allowing for lots of inky layers and spritzing of water without disturbing the painty base layer or stencilled areas...

When I had finished the layers of paint I splatted distress stain in antique linen and edged in vintage photo and walnut stain distress ink.

I added some fab tissue tape for detail and also added some onto the heart shape, which was coloured in same way as tag and atc. To complete the front I added a sentiment form the simple sayings Tim Holtz set full of all sorts of fab phrases., some rusty wings using an Andy Skinner technique and some rusty wire..cannot help it, I love this stuff!

 I also coloured some seam binding in vintage photo and another piece in walnut stain using distress stains. I added a trinket pin and philosophy tag too.

For the back I created a pocket for the atc but this could hold a gift card. I made the atc using the fab atc die and also cut a second from corrugated card to back the atc , this gives texture and dimension.

The little heart was cut using the hearts movers and shapers die and I stamped some mini alpha script from going somewhere set, onto it, some tissue tape and a twist of rusty wire and voila!

Hope you have liked my make and remember there is still a few days to join in the fun., here

have a fun and inky day

hugs trace x

arty houses meet distress

well for creative expressions this month we have been lucky enough to have some fab new stamps to play with, art houses and a fab and flexible ruler background..both designed by Sam Poole. Well these fab  stamps are full of endless possibilities from vibrant, to grunge, to vintage..

So here's my make this week:

I wanted to make something in monotone colours, as I love working with single colours and also to make something a little different.
So I started by making a mini canvas:

then decided, that this could easily be a gift, so decided to create a gift bag for it to pop into..

Then because I was having so much fun I decided to make a tag, which would fit perfectly round the neck of a lovely bottle of wine! or gift of your choice..

So for the canvas , I inked the background with antique linen and frayed burlap, forgotten how much I love this colour! Added some splats from distress stain ( antique linen) forgotten how much I love doing this too. Then when dry, I added the post script stamp in pumice stone. The house itself was stamped in walnut stain, coloured suing distress inks and pens and a waterbrush. Then when dry I used clear UTEE and embossed three times, to give the shine.

I finished off with an idea-ology crown , a chit chat sticker and some wire..( no surprise I found a way to get wire in then!)

The gift bag and the tag were made using the same palette of distress colours, but I added more walnut stain and also raised up the doors to create some dimension...
now for the fab ruler background. I stamped this out and coloured with antique linen distress then cut out and edged with frayed burlap. I then added the strips to the bag and tag to show this background can also be used to embellish pieces as well as to make fab backgrounds!

Finally I added some idea-ology and seam binding to the top of the tag.

thanks for stopping by, make sure you hop across and see what the rest of the design team have been making! There are so many possibilities with these fab art houses!, there are some fab makes already!

 

have a fab and inky one!

lace love for Simon says..

Well I am still in the painty play mode and wanted to do a soft feeling piece, so the layers may be hard to see..but they are there..
Also Simon says stamp and show wants lace love..so here is my make ...(yes a tag!)

I started by creating a painty background using nougat and ice blue fresco, dried then added subtle stamping layers using various stamps..bubble wrap stamped in paint and buttons stamp used softly and randomly..then a text mini paperartsy stamp stamped in broken china.

I added some London night paint softly around the edge and when dried brushed with silver treasure gold.


The image a mini from paperartsy was stamped onto fabric in black archival, washed with a light covering of ice blue and the detail in the dress added in slightly more layers of paint.

I added this gorgeous lace , a lace die cut and some hand stitching. I loved the look of the pleated seam binding on a previous project and added some here too to create another brighter element and another texture.

I also added a heart covered in book paper, and paint..wound with silver wire and brushed with treasure gold.

 I added some buttons, covered in paint, some seam binding dyed with broken china and  faded jeans distress..oh and some twirls of wire... 

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to stop by I appreciate your support and company as I wrestle with my confidence in this crafty journey!

I am entering this for the following competitions:
lace love @ simon says stamp and show

have a fun and inky one!

 

be mine .... for Creative Expressions DT

Well another Thursday and another Creative Expressions make, this time using the great hearts entwined set...
I love hearts and this has lots that can be very versatile..
So I went for a tag as I love the shape and flexibility..this could be used for tying to a bottle, a parcel, or adding to the front of a card.
So here is my make :

I decided to go for less traditional colours for this one and use some favourites browns and blues.. I started by making quite a grungy feel to the background swiping paint dabbers in mushroom, pebble and then to add layers with swipes of espresso and aqua.

I love the easy way these swipe to create a great grungy effect!
Then after a quick blast with the heat gun...being not so patient..(but you could wait for these to dry) I inked up this great heart image using espresso paint and stamped across background.

 When dry I added more paint swipes to help this blend as part of the background. The main heart was stamped in the same way and mounted onto grungeboard to create dimension. I added some rusty wire...couldn't help myself! and then swiped the edges with treasure gold..(brass)
I applied this to the sides of the tag too.

The pleats are dyed seam binding which I hand stitched along the middle and then pulled the thread, love the different texture it adds.

I also added seam binding to the top of the tag dyed with broken china and walnut stain distress stain.
The sentiment from the same stamp plate was stamped in coffee archival on a torn painty piece.

well hope you like it!? I will be back next week with something quite different.

all the materials I used are listed below:

Hearts entwined stamp set
Seam binding
Archival ink - coffee
Distress stains - walnut, broken china
Paint Dabbers - mushroom, espresso, pebble, aqua
grungeboard

have a fun  and inky one!

 

I'm off back to nurse duty for James, and looking after Lucy until time to get Oliver from school...hope it has warmed up -8 this morning brr!

fly in spooky style..

hey there ,

 well another spooky Halloween make,

 and an experiment...

so today is a tag , in monochrome...

I love using one colour or black and white..

and find lots of colours much harder to pull off..how about you...?

so enough waffle here is my make:

 

 

 

i started by playing with the yummy distress stains and

the fab metallic distress stain..oh and picket fence....love this too...

 

once dried..i added some skulls stamped with picket fence

hope these show ...

 



and also some cobwebs ..

stamped with embossing ink, covered with the new ranger sticky embossing powder..

and rock candy loose glitter..did i mention I Love this?!

 

 

then i added skulls,

i had rubbed these with a light coat of rock candy crackle paint..love this too...

wings

twisted and stapled wire..

and an idea-ology word band on some twisted wire..

 

 

I loved making this spooky tag..

let me know what you think..

be gentle!

 



i am entering this for the following competitions:
Halloween and DT call @ http://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.co.uk/
Halloween @ http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/
mono with dies/punches @ http://fairytale-challengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/
spooky Halloween @ http://totallypapercrafts.blogspot.co.uk/
spooky @ http://craftingforallseasons.blogspot.co.uk/

 

have a fun and inky day!

getting krafty for creative expressions DT

well it is time for another creative expressions dt piece,

 and my first proper tutorial...

so here is my krafty tag:

 

 

this tag uses the fab steampunk stamps again..

and this time i have used the tree as my focal image,

there are so many combinations to choose from in this set..

and they are very versatile..

 

so start with a blank kraft tag,

ink the large cog stamp,

using embossing ink,

cover with clear embossing powder  and heat..this will make the images go clear

and they will act as a resist

next spritz the tag with water and then cover with

picket fence distress stain

and dry with heat tool.

 



once dry,

use a damp kitchen towel to remove stain

from embossed cogs.

 

then ink up small cog stamp,

using picket fence distress stain and stamp randomly.

 



once dried,

i admit i used my heat tool,

i distressed the edges, to scuff them

and inked using vintage photo distress ink

then add liquid pearls to the centres of the cogs..

 

 

now stamp the tree, onto kraft .

again using picket fence distress stain,

dry and cut out

and set aside..

 

 

now for the wire tinsel,

take some thin silver wire and fold in half,

then twist the two pieces together..

 

 

staple to the tree

to create the tinsel

using the mini attacher..

i used two strands..

then add liquid pearls to the centres of the cog designs on the tree too..

 

 

finally

cut a lace die cut border,

i used Tim's vintage lace

colour with antique linen and

vintage photo..

then cover with clear embossing..

heat and repeat 3 times to create a glossy finish..

 

 

finally add some vintage ribbon,

coloured with distress stain

and some idea-ology

 

 

i used Christmas muse token and some idea-ology baubles

on a trinket pin...

 

hope all that helps and makes sense...

this could easily be made into a card rather than a tag..

 

have a fun and inky day!!!!