Positively playful

Well as I am scheduling in some blog posts while busy enjoying my family I decided to share a dabble with decoart I created a while ago... so here it is :

I created the drippy background using distress paints and some homemade sprays using mini mister bottles and distress re - inkers.

The next layer was created using a tag, embossed and then painted using the decoart media range of paints, the cool thing about layering these is the chance to play with transparent colours allowing great layering. I then added some crackle glaze and when dry rubbed paint into the crackles.

 Then I added some stitching, to give a different detail...

Then it was time to layer up the card, I added some stamping using one of Andy Skinners new stamps...love this circuit board...which I stamped in paint...just make sure you clean off your stamp fairly quickly. i die cut, painted and crackled a heart which then had a coat of decoart antiquing cream painted on and rubbed off highlighting the crackles.

I added some rusty wire and plenty of my favourite pieces of idea-ology for good measure .

Finally I added some stencilled detail using Andy Skinner's have your say stencil using paint.

 So there you have it , my decoart dabble meets distress playtime..and I made a card!

on my return, hopefully internet issues fixed I will be back to catch up on some long overdue blog visits x 

keep those fingers inky and painty!

trace x 

New year's resolutions for Frilly and Funkie ... be kind to yourself

Well the new theme over at Frilly and Funkie is New Year's resolutions...and here are all the details : It's time again for new beginnings and New Year's Resolutions. We know you got 'em. Even though you might not have written them down, told your significant other or shared them with your BFF, there are still some positive aspirations lurking in the back of your brain. Now it's time to share them.  Let's see a card, tag or project depicting a New Year's resolution.
So when I made my piece , I thought long and hard about the year I have had and decided that many things had taken all my efforts and energies and that to be a better person for all those I love and care about I need to remember to be kind to myself too...so that was mine... (however  I wish I had chosen Make it count, as sometimes sad events in our lives, that surround us, make us realise life is precious and we must make each moment count! Enjoy and savour life x) So here is my make :

I started by colouring the canvas with antique linen distress paint and lots of spritzing, as I wanted a really soft colour. I then added some gorgeous flourishes using Wendy Vecchi texture paste in white, this stuff is fab and I am almost finished my second pot! I applied it trough one of the lovely Wendy's stencils, just love this flourish shape.

 When dry I added some script and flourish stamping in frayed burlap distress ink. I also added ink and some treasure gold in white fire to highlight the raised areas and texture.

I dyed some cheesecloth using left over to almost soften the heart...and the heart is a great Wendy Vecchi art part painted in rock candy crackle paint and when dry antique linen distress paint added and then swiped with treasure gold.

Now for the letters I used my trusty word play die and cut the letters from grungepaper, coloured with frayed burlap paint and then coated with glossy accents.

Well make sure you pop across and see what my fab teams mates have made , and also pop in an entry yourself! Today  I am saying my final goodbyes to my Grandad, so may your star shine brightly xx  Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love,  the things you are, the things you never want to lose.   ~From the television show The Wonder Years

Ranger Ink - Inkssentials Glue N Seal - Matte - 1 Ounces	Sizzix Alterations Tim Holtz Word Play Die	Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Stencil - 3 Flourishes Stencil	Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste - White	Ranger Distress Crackle Paint - Clear Rock Candy
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Antique Linen	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Frayed Burlap	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Frayed Burlap	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Fabulous Flourishes	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Letter to Santa
Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents

all things grow with love for Creative Expressions

Well its official , I am now slowly stepping back into the blogging world and trying to catch up with all my much missed friends. so here today is my post for Creative Expressions , using the winter flowers plate. I have decided to go for a little tag book :

and opened :

So I will start by showing you how I made the flowers on the front, these were stamped with coffee archival and cut out from the stems, also snipping down into the centre of the flower in between the petals.

then inked with vintage photo and waterbrush and cut 

and then shaped

then into my melt pot full of clear UTEE, to give a real and shine and also freeze their shape

now for the book pages...I swiped Distress paint ...love this stuff onto my craft sheet and swiped, blotted and smooshed my tags ...

and extra spritz of water to let the colours do their magic!

when dry and all tags completed on both side ..time to get inky!

I over stamped the tags and built up the layers using Creative Expressions chicken wire and bubble wrap stamps, using them without a block allows you to stamp random areas and by rolling the stamp you don't get a full stamped image...

I then added the crocus stamp in coffee archival and the newsprint flourish stamp in black archival..

now for the images inside I stamped in coffee archival , tore round the edges and added colour using Distress markers and a waterbrush.

 I then tore around then inked around the edges...and we are ready to complete the book :

and here are the completed pages..before adding images , pre folded so they can be joined using hitch fastners.

I then added the pictures inside using a small piece of tissue tape in corners for the sort of old fashioned photo album feel...some idea-olgy and our flowers and sentiment on front and some dyed seam binding and we are all done !

well hope you like my make see you soon x

keep those fingers inky!

trace x 

potion making for Country View Crafts Dt piece

well the challenge of something spooky continues over at the country view crafts challenge blog and what better excuse than to pick out The Chemist and some yummy distress paints .

So here is my spooky make :

 lots of Distress paints, well I do love them some texture from studio 490 white paste and also lots of little bottles.

I started by creating the background and hope you can see the spooky skeleton faces ( from my much loved apothecary set ) hiding in the background.

 

I stamped in picket fence stain and lightly misted to get them to fade into the background....some stamping with ink using script from Apothecary set too .

Now for Mr Chemist , the master of potions ...in this piece ...painted with watercolour brush and distress markers. 

 

And had lots of fun filling bottles and adding labels and adding little tags using tiny tabs and tags die . I coloured some of my bottles using alcohol inks,

 So hope you like my make and make sure you pop across and join in the fun x

Thanks to everyone who has stopped by I appreciate all your kindness and comments x

have a fun and inky day!

Trace x