Always take the scenic route for Country View Crafts Summer challenge .

Well it is the start of a new month a new challenge over at Country View Crafts where the theme is summer... for me Summer inspired me to go with the delicate soft blues of water and gorgeous sea creatures that make me think of happy times near the sea.

For these I created two cards using Eileen hull recipe card die, plenty of distress goodies and Tim Holtz goodies and some fab crackle glaze from DecoArt .

I started by creating the background using the recipe card die from Eileen Hull and cutting two cards from thick card , I then applied some modelling paste through the yummy flourish stencil from Tim Holtz and left to dry. I then applied some tumbled glass distress paint using cut n dry foam and left to dry. Then I applied a layer of DecoArt crackle glaze over the whole surface and left it to do its magic!

When dry I rubbed in some walnut stain distress ink and edged in walnut stain distress ink.

To complete the base card I added some dyed seam binding and a piece of industrial borders from Tim Holtz.

I love the aged finish created .

 

And the contrast of the soft seam binding..

So to complete the first card I added foliage thinlit from festive foliage thinlit set..cut from patterned paper, a seahorse movers and shapers die cut, a small talk quote cut in pieces and inked...and an idea-ology token..

The second one was finished in much the same way..

So that's my taste of summer , make sure you pop across to see the pieces my team mates have created ..you wont be disappointed and hopefully you will find time to join in this month x

 

Some close up pictures of some of the details...

I do so love a bit of crackle .. and making things have a gentle and vintage feel makes me happy 

keep those fingers inky!

trace x

Travel the world with those you love for Country View Crafts

Well the new challenge theme over at Country View Crafts is 'on your travels' and for my second offering I have made a little mini travel journal using lots of DecoArt goodies and my passport die designed by Eileen Hull...I think this is such a versatile die and sure to be used a lot!

So here it is :

and here is the inside : ready to be filled with all your travel pictures, souvenirs, holiday memories and whatever else you want ...

So some step x steps of the cover part ... I die cut the cover pieces from v thick card ( about 500gsm ). I then applied some DecoArt crackle paste through one of Andy Skinners new stencils -and left the crackle to do its magic! I then coated the pieces in titan buff paint (one of left painted )

I like to use my fingers brushes and semi dry baby wipes to apply my paint , swiping layers of colour across ..I started by swiping various colours, building up the layers including paynes grey, blue green light, burnt umber,

English red oxide, cobalt turquoise .. sorry got carried away so layers were built up until I was happy with how it looked...

I then , when happy -ish applied some interference gold ...applied here to one of left..

When happy I sealed with matte sealer to keep the layers I have already in tact...when dry I dripped some washes of quinacridione gold down ..to mimic rusty stuff!

To complete I added a layer of black antiquing cream, left to dry and then wiped back to reveal some of the colour underneath...I love the look this gives the finshed piece...the great thing is you can rub away as much or as little as you like...I then sealed with matte sealer (all DecoArt ).

To add to the front I die cut a movers and shapers Tim globe and treated with crackle, painty layers and antiquing cream before sealing...

Now for the inside ...I die cut all the pages using correspondence paper stack , inked the edges and added some rub ons to them..

I added ... some of my favourite photo booth images....these two look ready for some adventures...and one of the great small talk quotes, copped into sections and inked around the edges...

Inside the back cover I used the great new envelope die from Tim Holtz to create a little matching envelope to store tickets of any other small bits and bobs from your travels...and there is a perfect rub on for all you want to say... here ..collector of memories...

So here is the front cover complete with globe...all the ages were tied in in groups using dyed seam binding and tied on outside to form bows. I added a chit chat sticker to complete the cover ..

and on the side I added one of the gorgeous travel charms from idea-olgy range..

So hope you like my make, you have plenty of time to join in and it would be great to see what you make .xx

you could be one of the lucky guest designers or the winner of a voucher to spend in Susan's jammed shop, so why not pop across here to see plenty of inspiration and pop in an entry xx

So safe travels on your journeys...however near , or far....

Heartfelt for Country View Crafts

Well today I am back with my second piece for the 'Use Kraft Card' over at Country View Crafts challenges. This time I have again used Tim Holtz kraft resist paper stack and this time created a mini book using an Eileen Hull die , ready to be added to with heartfelt messages for that special someone.

So here is my make :

  I started by cutting the pages from kraft resist stack and sticking them back to back to create three sets of pages inside... I die cut the covers from tick cardstock , covered in kraft resist.

I would show you some step by step but my computer has disappeared them :( ..

I inked the cover and then coloured some texture paste using abandoned coral distress paint and added to cover through the new flourish stencil from Tim Holtz.

I love the colour of the kraft against the abandoned coral and all the resist elements showing up too...

To complete the cover I added old music paper coloured with abandoned coral...dipping into it from craft sheet, a primitive heart..again more texture paste and that yummy flourish stencil, some muslin and finally some rusty wire to encase the heart .

 I added one of the new Tim Holtz stickers and chose black to contrast..

Inside I added some pockets and created tags that all have words on them , more inking and stencilling completes the tags and pages inside. These hearts have been inked and had tissue tape added .

I tied the cover of the book with some seam binding dyed using abandoned coral stain from craft sheet , such a rich colour...

So hope you like my make and make sure you hop across to Countryviewcrafts challenges for more inspiration throughout the month...and a whole month to join in the fun .

keep those fingers inky!

trace x

treasured memories for Country View Crafts

Well it is time for me to re-join my team mates over at Country View Crafts and the theme for this month is to use kraft card, I used kraft resist paper stack for my kraft card as I love all the textures and details on it .

I used lots of Tim Holtz goodies, ephemera and photo booth cards. I also played with one of the new release distress colours Abandoned Coral.. The boxes were made using Eileen Hull dies and are becoming firm favourites! I also used the heart die from Tim Holtz , which has so many wonderful shaped and sized hearts perfect for any occasion.

For the recipe box , I covered some thick card with kraft resist paper stack and then die cut the box.. I also die cut 5 recipe cards covered in kraft resist paper stack.... I then added lots of yummy layers .

I used the plain side to cover the cards and then added torn strips of the kraft resist and printed side , I then added layers of tissue tape coloured with Abandoned Coral distress paint.. I used this for all the cards and then added ephemera and photo booth cards and idea-ology cards for the details see below.

The box has the resist side of the kraft paper side up and again strips of coloured tissue tape added.

To complete the box I added a piece of ephemera and a heart die cut using abandoned coral distress paint edged in walnut stain distress ink . I added a typed token to tie box shut dyed with same colour and added paint to the typed token.

Here are the 5 cards...lots of ephemera ,abandoned coral, distressed pieces edged in walnut stain and some more hearts..and some kraft chit chat stickers .

Here are the cards in detail...this is the little boy ..

And this lovely man .. the father..

Now the little girl..

...mum

and  the happy couple ...

Make sure you hop across here to see all my team mates gorgeous makes ...and remember you have a month to play along and could be picked to guest design or be lucky winner of a voucher to spend over at Country View Crafts.

keep those fingers inky!

trace x 

capture a smile

Well I have been wanting to play with these new dies, well new to me dies, from Eileen Hull, especially the recipe cards as I thought they would make great cards, slightly larger than an ATC.. so here is my make for today ...

I made the recipe box and also three recipe cards to fit inside... using thick card covered in wallflower paper stack and lots of distress goodness and Tim Holtz idea-ology goodies .

So onto the details..

I covered some thick paper in wallflower paper stack, die cut the box and edged with walnut stain distress ink. I think I am hooked on playing with the ephemera packs from the idea-ology range, can't stop using them on everything! I layered up ephemera, all with distressed edges and inked with walnut stain distress ink. I also used a journaling tag, a vellum ephemera photo and some chit chat stickers.

To close the box, I added some holes and tied through these using some seam binding dyed with bundled sage distress ink.

Now for the cards inside ....

I used the same design piece of paper from french industrial paper stack. I wanted all 3 to be linked together as a set .

I covered each card with paper, then die cut using recipe cad die...I used a photo booth photo on each piece, I love these so many to choose from! Again I added layers of ephemera, distressed and inked.

I added some remnant rubs and some idea-ology given a  distressed look using decoart paints, they are great for creating an aged look

The cards were all created in the same way, building up layers of ephemera , rub ons and idea-ology to reflect how I saw the photos..

And finally card no 3 , completed in the same way... I hope you like these as I had so much fun making them !

Thanks to everyone who has stopped by and left comments while I slowly make my way back into blogland....and welcome to my new followers so thrilled you wanted to follow my inky and painty journey xx

I would like to enter this for Eileen Hulls art from the heart challenge - go green , as there are lots of soft and sage greens in this piece .

keep those fingers inky!

and hope you do something you love today xx

trace x