Winter in Paris

  Hi everyone!

I am here today with the latest challenge from Fashionable Stamping Challenges. 

and the subject this month is

...Winter in Paris 

As we are getting closer to Christmas I decided to give this card a festive twist...

To make sure that I kept the focus on Paris I, of course, used that most iconic image - the Eiffel tower....

To make the card I covered the craft mat with Black Soot DI and Iced Spruce and Picket Fence DP. I then spritzed with water and swirled the card through they inky paint pool and dried the card.

I then used a Flonzcraft Christmas script stamp on the background using Pumice Stone DI

I stamped the 'Christmas Cheer' message and the picture of the Eiffel tower in Jet Black archival ink and cut and matted these images with leftover painted card. I then did a quick spritz with Decoart Media white shimmer mister

I then got together a selection of die cut holly leaves and branches. I painted the holly leaves with Decoart Media Avrylic paint in Phthalo Green-Yellow then covered them with Liquid Glass to give a shine. 

I covered the branches with Walnut Stain and Gathered Twigs DI. I dabbed them with glue and covered them with Rock Candy Distress Glitter

An ivory rose was brushed with glue and sprinkled with Rock Candy Distress Glitter

I added some crystal and pearl beads and also some ivory lace

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

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

Topsy Turvy

Hi everyone!

      It is the 1st of the month so that means there is a new challenge at Our Creative Corner!

This one is hosted by our wonderful Lys - it is her first time hosting a challenge and she has come up with an amazing one that will get you thinking!

Topsy Turvy! 

We often try to do the right way, use the suitable thing, organize our creations following definite lines or intentions… 

Sometimes it doesn’t go the way we wanted to. 

Sometimes it goes to the bin, 

Sometimes we discover something new

…...and we love it!

On the right side or Topsy Turvy… Is there a right side in art?

So let’s play!: whatever it is: upside down, inverted, reversed or escaping from the right order…. 

Please show me one “topsy turvy” creation, and how it came to life in your hands!

How to make something Topsy Turvy...? At first I had no idea! 

Then I began to think about all those grungeboard letters (that never get used) and using them as decoration...

     I decided to use them for this project...The letters U,W, M, N and Z - I got several of the letters in different sizes and attached them to a candle holder positioning them all sideways, upside down, the wrong way round....so rather than using the product as I normally would which is to obviously spell out a word, the letters were being used instead for pattern and texture.

On top of the candle holder I used all the } and the dots from exclamation and question marks...

When these were all stuck on with glossy accents glue I then covered it all with Decoart Gesso

I then got to work adding colour...

I used a sponge and added patches of Green Gold, Cerulean Blue,Yellow Green Light and Cobalt Turquoise Hue.

 

I blended all the colours together, working quickly....at this point my intention was to make things very pale - despite using bright blues and greens. I intended to knock the colour back by applying crackle glaze then covering it all with White Antiquing cream - I definitely wanted it to be delicate and pastel...

Then my ideas went totally 'Topsy Turvy'....because I looked at the bright colours and really liked them! Suddenly all plans got tipped upside down and I was going in the opposite direction of where I intended to go....out went delicate pastel and in came punchy brights...

I grabbed the Decoart Misters in turquoise and white and spritzed everywhere

I added some dark green paint to a sponge and dabbed along each edge

I then got some green gold acrylic paint and dabbed over the white speckled
mist paint to add more coloured texture.

    And there is my totally Topsy Turvy candle holder....a really fun journey!

     Why not have some fun with your craft stash - use something in a way you never thought of before and you will be amazed at where it will take you!

 Our wonderful sponsor this month is

 Decoart 

One person this month will be chosen by Random.org to receive a wonderful prize...

 A Decoart Media Sampler Kit and Andy will include a few of his stencils too

 colours may differ on the actual prize

This is a prize you do not want to miss!

Don't forget to come along and see what wonderful things have been made with Decoart items this month for the Sponsor Spotlight!

You could be our winner chosen by Lys and appear at OCC as our Top Talent!

 You could also be one of the Top 3 and be featured on our Pinterest board....

So come and share your 'Topsy Turvy' creations with us at Our Creative Corner this month

Hope to see you there!

Happy Crafting!

Laura 

xxxxxxxxxx

Halloween Greetings!

Hi everyone!

 I wasn't intending to do a specific Halloween creation for the end of the month...but then I bought the Hickory Smoke Distress ink...and it is sooo gorgeous I had to use it...

 I got some card and dabbed some Hickory Smoke DI and Picket Fence DP onto the craft mat and spritzed with water. I then swirled the card through the ink and paint and dried it with a heat gun... dabbing it in the ink/paint until I achieved the mottled effect I was after.

I stamped a skull onto tissue wrap and stuck it to the card with Decoart matte Medium

I stuck some die cut web shapes to the top of the card

Then I dabbed some Hickory Smoke DI around the edges and stenciled over the top using Roman Numerals stencil with White Acrylic paint.

 I stamped a spider web and script and text stamps around the card  

I then diluted some picket Fence DP with water and flicked the paint over the card

 I dabbed some Carbon Black Antiquing cream around the edge of the card and wiped away with a damp cloth when dry and then dabbed it with some Paynes Grey and then sanded it so the edge looked distressed and aged

Then I dabbed the card in places with Spiced Marmalade DI. I needed to make this permanent so I dabbed it all over with a sponge dipped into Decoart Matte Varnish...working quickly to not dislodge the ink...The ink being water reactive did move slightly, but this added to the rustic effect as it formed streaks rather than smooth blending.

I then applied some Decoart Gold Interference paint - It looks amazing but is really hard to photograph...This was the best shot I got of it...

Happy Halloween was stamped onto the card using Jet Black Archival ink

I stuck the card onto mount board and attached black wire to the top as a hanger. I twisted the ends into curls and then wrapped hemp string around it before fraying the edges.

Hope you like it!

Happy Halloween!

Laura 

xxx