Do a double take for Creative Expressions DT

Well this month over at Creative expressions we have been playing with antique dressforms plate and also some of their singles range from which the bags below come. These singles range come pre cut and pre mounted ...so are ready to go!  I decided to play around with texture paste and gilding wax to make two cards that are the same but different!
So here is card no 1 : using singles stamp ..bijou bag 

and here is card no 2 : using  rose blossom purse

so card no 1 . I started by creating a background using clear texture paste mixed with antique linen distress paint and spreading it on , then spritzing newsprint flourish stamp with water and stamping into paste to create some texture.

When dry the rest of the background was coloured using frayed burlap distress ink. For the bag itself I stamped the image using frayed burlap distress ink and then clear embossing. I water coloured the bag using water brush and distress markers in antique linen and frayed burlap.

For detail I added some polished silk glitter in sahara. I also stamped the sentiment from the set and added some cheesecloth and a paper rose dabbed with distress paint .

For card no 2 : I created another background , still using paste but through some old sequin waste , and when dry coloured with frayed burlap Distress Ink. I also highlighted the raised areas with enchanted gold gilding wax.

The paler areas are where I flicked some water and blotted off some of the ink...it is so much fun to play creating backgrounds..
For the bag ( rose blossom ) I stamped in frayed burlap and clear embossed and then painted the main body of the bag using the gilding wax. I did this by scooping a little into a palette and adding a couple of drops of blending solution... you may choose to have some ventilation...and then mixing into a paint. I have kept a dedicated brush too.

The edges of the bag were coloured using distress markers and I added some dots of gold pearl pva for the clasp.

Another sentiment, some cheesecloth and a flower and a little flourish stamp and there you have it , 2 stamps, 2 cards... the same but different!? 
thanks for stopping by it means a lot ...see you next week when I have been playing with the antique dressforms plate x 
Make sure you pop across to the Creative Expressions news blog where all the DT show case their projects on a daily basis .x
It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.  ~e.e. cummings

feeling festive ?

Well I have got into my Christmas Crafting a lot earlier this year in an attempt to keep my mind and body busy and also to gear up for a few craft fairs, which are rewarding in so many ways ..

So here is a quick Christmas Card ...I know a card.... 

I loved this stamp and don't know why, the shape the skate ...just appealed to me ...So wish I could show the shimmer on the background...but in my excitement to finish it I forgot to photograph the background...:(

I started my embossing the front of the card using this fab Tim Holtz snowflake texture fade and then inked with frayed burlap and weathered wood and sprayed with cosmic shimmer pearl spray .

For the main blueprint image I used my fab Distress Markers and also waterbrush and scribbled the colour onto my craft sheet , picking up with my brush. I then added a little rock candy distress glitter to highlight the edge of the boot and blade.

I edged the torn edges with distress ink and added one of Tim Holtz simple saying and there you have it!

Well I have some design team pieces and comments to catch up on , so I will wish you all a lovely weekend...there will be exciting changes on my blog really soon , as the lovely Susie is giving me a makeover! my blog...not me ...that may be a lot harder!

keep those fingers inky!

Trace x 

playful purples for creative expressions DT

yes I did say and purple...and yes it is me! I have been playing with colour this week , again usng the floral silhouette set..and left my comfort zone of neutrals and browns behind...so here goes :

So i Started with a large ish piece of mountboard..for my hanging..Hels makes some amazing pieces combining this and corrugated card...which I must try and I love using this stuff...too..

I started by applying creative expressions texture paste ( white ) through stencils...script and mini dots. when dry I set to work with seedless preserves, picked raspberry and peacock feathers...almost scared myself when I pulled those colours off the shelf altogether but they blended beautifully and ended up looking a lot less scary! 

I then used faux bleach technique by spritzing water through this fab disco stencil..( forgot I had it!) I then set too with some background stamps..love this bubble wrap one, also chicken wire and also the flourish form the great floral sihouette set.
 

I then used the same inks to colour a piece of cardstock using wrinkle free distress technique and then cut out some lareg flowers using vintage floret dies and also inked up some butterflies.. I layered the flowers and adding little jingle bells for centres and added some wire twirls and the butterflies.

 well for more makes with this fab set make sure you pop across here to the creative expressions blog and in the sidebar are the links to all the design team.

have a fun and inky day!

trace x 

destinations through a window for Frilly and Funkie DT

well here I am better late than never with my Dt make for Frilly and funkie...the theme , chosen by the lovely and very talented jenny ...is destinations through a window...pop here to see all the details and the fab DT makes.

so here is my make :
 

I wanted the vintage feel of a holiday gettaway with sunshine, ancient history and a floral encased window...

I started with a mountboard for the base and then a layer of cardstock, torn, distressed and over stamped. I then added a beauttiul white window...using picket fence crackle paint and edged with vintage photo.

I stamped and masked some pillars , using coffee archival and careful masking, coloured the whole piece in vintage photo and then using a waterbrush removed some highlights...and a bit of flick and spritz for good measure. I added some torn embossed cardstock for added texture and finally some flowers using a fab tutorial from the jennie here .

I used the tattered floral die to cut these and vintage photo distress, make sure you pop across as there are some fab Dt makes.

 

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Classics 2	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Classics 1	Ranger Archival Ink - Coffee	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo	Ranger Distress Crackle Paint - Picket Fence White	Sizzix Alterations Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Die
Sizzix Alterations Tim Holtz Movers and Shapers Vintage Cabinet Card Base Die	Mini Cabinet Card Sizzix Alterations Movers & Shapers by Tim Holtz	Tim Holtz Sizzix Texture Fades - Damask and Regal Flourishes Set	Melissa Frances Cream Pearl Embellishments

have a fun and inky day!

life is good! x

trace  x

vintage die cuts for country view crafts challenge

Well this month over at Country view crafts challenge the  theme is die cuts and you have stacks of inspiration to look at and many more yummy makes to come. So here is my second make for die cuts and this time....another hanging board...but much more soft and gentle feel to this make.. I hope.

So here is my make :

 I am going to try and keep the words to a minimum and just highlight a few things...never sure if i go into too much detail about my makes...so short and sweet today...well short ish!!

I used lots of different die cuts...the tattered floral die in tow ways and also used a fab tutorial from our new team member Jennie, found here , she makes the most amazing flowers and these are my first effort at her roses...(hope i have done okay!?)

The other flower is a hearfelt creation die cut. I also used the fab pediment dies ( embarrassed to say this is their first...but not last outing!!)

I used all my favourite things, texture paste through stencils, tissue tape, stamps, distress ink and rusty wire..oh and some idea-ology.!

I also used the sewing room die and movers and shapers heart die .

 

Well shorter in words at least...hope you like my hanging board and make sure you stop by country view crafts challenge and play along..you have a whole month and could be the lucky winner of a voucher for the lovely Susan's Countryviewcrafts store!! - there is something for everyone, free postage  and wonderful service too!

have a fun and inky day!

trace x 

believe in yourself...for creative expressions DT

well here I am with my make for Creative Expressions and this time I have gone for softer feel for this fab steampunk dressform , which is one of the new singles stamps...which can be found here. So here is my make for this week...and hold onto your hats...it's a card!

I started by creating the background for the card using a stencil and some white studio 490 embossing paste, this stuff is fab! (a similar stencil to the one I have used can be found here). When dry I added distress inks in broken china, weathered wood and frayed burlap....I have fallen so in love with these colours at the moment! When dry a bit of a spritz of water and dry , as this gives  a lovely effect.

The image was stamped in weathered wood distress ink and then clear embossed before tearing out.  I then applied the same inks around this image and spritzed with water.

When dry I edged the image with the yummy new gilding wax in pearl moon...this is yummy and smells pretty good too!?! The sentiment was treated in the same way and comes from the jam packed wordy set..art sayings.

I took some white flowers and made my own spray using stormy sky re-inker and water in a mini mister bottle and spritzed them. Then I added some frayed burlap distress ink when dry and then some of the pearl moon gilding wax. Some twirls of wire and the flower stems twirled and some lovely crochet ribbon that's it!

 
well hope you like my make for this week..

have a fun and inky one!

trace  x

upcyle for earth day for Frilly and Funkie DT

well it is the Funkie dt teams turn over at Frilly and Funkie to share their inspiration for the new theme chosen by the lovely and talented Linda.
Make sure you pop across and see the other fab DT make s...you could be the next chosen winner or randomly selected for $25 to spend at Linda lovely online store ...The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

So the Theme is upcycle for earth day..so here is my make from an upcycled box:

 and inside...

 
So here is how my upcycled project started life..

I started by crackling the box using paint and crackle medium and then onto the fun part.. I sued various stamps from the Artistic Outpost set Generation Redux , a real favourite and I love that there are small stamps great for creating background elements. I used antique linen distress paint and Frayed burlap and vintage photo distress ink to create lots of stamped layers. I then did some stamping with the yummy new antique bronze distress paint too.

I also used the music script from Artistic Outpost ephemera backgrounds. I tried to create layers of soft stamping that add to the overall background but don't all leap out..

The flowers are made using the same method as I used for my Saturday stepXstep ..details here. ( using ranger foil, embossing folders, alcohol ink, idea-ology washers and long fastners). I then added these to the box and added idea-ology leaves and some twirls of rusty wire

  
 I used an idea-ology piece for the centre (I changed the colour using treasure gold) and added a chit chat sticker.

 
Inside I shredded some old book pages, ok, I am behind the times I cut them into strips with my scissors!! I then made a mini canvas using some rusty wire, chit chat sticker and one of the beautiful rusty hearts that Linda has in her boutique...I love these , so this would be for a special friend!

Hope that you will find time to hop here and  play along , there are so lovely makes already and you never know you may be a winner!

have a fun and inky day!

trace x

Artistic Outpost Generation Redux Unmounted Rubber Stamps	Artistic Outpost Ephemera Backgrounds Unmounted Rubber Stamps	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Antique Linen	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Frayed Burlap	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Walnut Stain
Ranger Inkssentials Foil Tape Sheets 6x12"	Sizzix Alterations Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Die	Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Ginger	Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Pitch Black	Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Espresso	Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink Applicator, Stamp Handle and Felt
PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Paint - Antique Bronze	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Frayed Burlap	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Chitchat Stickers	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Long Fasteners	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Ornate Plates	Rusted Metal Embellishments - Rusted Hearts Set
Ranger Inkssentials Non-Stick Craft Sheet	Ranger Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool-With 2 Blending Foams