Playtime Adventures

Hi everyone!

      This is a creation that started as just a playtime!

     I realised one day, while trying to organise more space in my art cupboard, that I haven't used my Distress stains very often...I have about 15 of them, but they just sit there....Time to change that.

I had no ideas at all when I sat down to make this....My only initial plan was to pick out some Distress Stain colours and began to play..

I chose Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass, Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint. I dabbed some on to a craft mat and flicked it onto white card using a paintbrush. I spritzed with water and then dried with a heat gun, lifting the card to move the diluted stain around. I didn't actually like it at this point...but I figured I may as well see where it goes - so I just began to have some fun, mainly looking to rust effects for inspiration...

I used a layering stencil to add a splatter effect with white acrylic paint.

I stenciled letters around the corners with Decoart Quinacridone Gold

I stamped several text and flourish stamps with Jet Black Archival ink

I stenciled some words using an Andy Skinner stencil....some were double

 stenciled to add a layered effect - I used Burnt Umber/Black and Black/Titan Buff

I dabbed around the edges of the card with Quinacridone Gold using a foam pad

I spritzed the card with Cosmic Shimmer Vintage mist in Ancient Copper - Really hard to capture in a photograph but the effect when looking at it in RL is amazing....just a beautiful splatter of rusty brown when viewed straight - but turn it to the side and there is the most gorgeous vintage copper explosion!

I then added bolts to the corners with Decoart Liquid Glass

 When dry I covered the bolts and the edges of the card with Decoart Texture Sand paste. I then brushed this with a wash of Decoart Media Paynes Grey acrylic paint. This was then covered with Quinacridone gold and I repeated the layers of grey and Gold until I got the rusted effect I was after...

When brushing the Quinacridone Gold over the rust I swiped some brush 

strokes down to add streaks of rust

I added Chit Chat stickers edged with Walnut Stain DI and some embellishments which included an photo-booth picture, salvage stickers number, a key, pen nib and button.

Hope you like it!

Thanks so much for being here

Happy Crafting

Laura 

xxx

The First Snow

Hi everyone!

 Is Christmas here yet?!

 I can never wait for Christmas to arrive!...so here is a little taste of what is sure to be a huge collection of Christmas crafts by the time we reach the festive Holiday!

 This started out as a bit of a mess around with kraft card and white paint...

I started by just painting some Decoart Translucent white acrylic paint onto the tag...

Then I got some white acrylic paint onto an old credit card and began to make lines

I stamped some snowflakes onto the tag with opaque white ink

I splashed some Frayed Burlap DS onto the tag

.....and some White Linen Dylusions spray

I added some tissue tape

...and lace. Then I added some white Liquid Pearls to the lace

I added a '25' from Alpha parts - painted with Frayed Burlap DP

A white piece of card was stamped with a calendar stamp using Potting Soil

A snowflake die cut was dabbed with glue and had Rock Candy Glitter sprinkled over it. Then a crystal button was added to the center. The word 'Snowfall' was added

White hemp string was tied into a bow at the top of the tag

Hope you like it!

Happy Crafting!

Laura 

xxx

Create with Words

Hi everyone!

      I am here today with a challenge from Fashionable Stamping Challenges. 
Today it is my challenge and I have asked that we....

    Create with Words

So any words please - But please, make sure they are stamped images...

Here is what I made...

 I decided to make a card....I don't make many cards. I don't know why but I find them trickier to make than anything else. I always feel limited by the space - which is silly really because I can make a tag or an ATC....there just seems to be a 'block' when it comes to making a card....

     Anyway....I started with one of my favorite Tim Holtz stamps for the background...I love that random script and text effect and it always makes a good background! I stamped it with Vintage Photo DI as I wanted a faded muted effect and Archival ink would have been too distinct.

I added butterflies to it as well in Gathered Twigs DI.....

The main focal part of the card was a piece of card that had been used to mop up inks from a  previous craft session.

The inks used here were Peacock Feathers and Mown Lawn DI's...I stamped a flourish edge stamp using Potting Soil archival ink and mounted the card onto a piece of card that was covered with Gathered Twigs DI.

The quote is one of my favorite Paperartsy stamps and it was stamped onto card that had Gathered Twigs DI blended over it

A piece of wood print ribbon was placed onto the card

A stamped flower was attached with a button center

And there is my finished card.....

Enter this challenge and you could be the winner of $20 to spend at Flonzcraft Stamps!
And of course you could be picked as one of our Catwalk Spotlights!
 

  Remember we are a stamping challenge so please feature a stamped focal image on your creation. 

Hope to see you there!

Happy Crafting!

Laura xxx

Tando Tin

Hi everyone!

Bit of a quiet summer for me this year...spending some precious relaxing time with family before the school year begins in September! - I will be back in the Autumn full of fresh ideas, but for now - here is something I made a while ago....

 If any of you follow my wonderful dear friend and OCC team mate Julia you will see where I got my inspiration from! (if you are not following her - why not?!!)

I am, and always have been, an avid follower of her blog and am always looking to learn any little creative trick that she shares....

While I am way off being as talented as Julia is, I do love to use her blog posts for inspiration and her recent teapot post was one of these. I had to have a go.....

I got the tin and gave it a coat of Decoart Gesso - I had never used this product before and I LOVE it! It worked so much better than any other Gesso I have ever used. 

Then I stuck some Tando swirls to the tin lid and covered with another coat of Gesso

 

Then I began to paint inspired by one of Julia's favourite colours - Decoart Media Fluid Acrylic Paint in Green Gold. I have to agree with her - the colour is gorgeous!

I then covered the lid with Decoart Crackle glaze and when dry I covered it with Decoart Carbon Black Antiquing Cream. I left this to dry before wiping away with a baby wipe.

I then dry brushed the lid with a tiny amount of Gold Decoart Media Fluid Acrylic Paint.

I painted some die cuts flowers with a mix of Green Gold, Primary Yellow and Titanium White Decoart Media Fluid Acrylic Paint. The flowers had been embossed and were coated with a coat of Decoart Carbon Black Antiquing Cream which was wiped away when dry with a baby wipe.  I finished the flower off with a light coat of Gold paint and a gold button.

 I used four smaller die cut flowers and painted these with Decoart Media Fluid Acrylic Paint in Gold I dry-brushed the edges with Caron Black and painted a brad with the Carbon Black paint too.

 I glued on some music serviettes to the side of the tin with matte medium and then covered with several coats of Decoart Ultra-Matte Varnish mixed with Green Gold paint. This was also then coated with Carbon Black Antiquing cream before being wiped away...

 Here is the completed altered tin.....

 I do hope you like it

Happy Crafting!

Laura 

xxx