Discover....

Good morning!

A change of scheduled post this week as I've made this card as my contribution to the current Cards in Envy challenge of "Black and white" and I want to get it entered! - Cards in Envy is my absolute favourite challenge blog!.

I know that you automatically think of die cutting when you think of black and white but of course, I'm a stamper! So here is a stampers version of black and white!

I have only used white Sheena Stamping card, a black Momento ink pad, white structure paste, black gesso and an amber illustrator marker for the whole card which was fun.

So, from my blank piece of stamping card I stamped my focal image of the wonderful balloon in black Momento (Bee Crafty Art Stamp).  From there is was to concentrate on my background which has been done by simple wiping the ink pad across the page from both directions, pressing and drawing that ink pad inwards.  I just stamped some of the clouds from the main image (being careful not to catch the basket) and extended the clouds a little bit both sides.

The birds are from Lavinia Stamp.

Then structure paste (white) was pressed through an Indigoblu dinky stencil and some black gesso through another stencil (which was a great big swirl and I've used on a small portion of it).

The sentiments are cut down from some art journalling stamps by Indigoblu.

I then highlighted those with a bit of colour as the challenge suggested with an amber illustrator marker.

Another masculine card! Wahay!!!

Mat and layered with black and white card stock.

I would like to enter this in to the Cards in Envy challenge of "Black and White":-

http://cardsinenvy.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/black-white-card-challenge.html

Hope you've enjoyed a lesson in black and white today!

Thanks for dropping by today,

Leanne xx

Memories are our own Time Machine............

Good morning!

I have made this card for a friends birthday next month - had a good play with another of Sheena Douglass' Time Traveller stamp collection.  Forgot to take photo's for this one so I'll explain how I got there.

Started off with a piece of watercolour paper and used Aqua Tints to lay down the background colour.  Stamped the Time Machine but wasn't happy with how much ink I got down on to the paper (it's harder to lay down the ink from the stamp on to watercolour paper, often because of texture and fibres in the paper).  So I knew I had to enhance the stamped image myself (which is great fun).  I have used a combination of Inktense watercolour pencils and Spectrum illustrator markers on the Time Machine.  I couldn't make my mind up if I wanted it travelling over water or clouds so I went for a water look but to me it could still be clouds!!!!?

Finished with a nice big stencil - a big whirl as it travels in time!

Mat and layered.

I think he'll like that!

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xx

Our Friendship is Special...........

Good morning!

An extra post this week (lots of crafty pieces about here at the moment due to Christmas!).  I only have this one photo of the finished ornament so I'll talk you through it as best I can and show you the original stamp that I have used to get there.

This lovely ornament started life as an mdf heart - it's quite large measuring about 5 inches in length. I coated both sides in gesso and when dry I started work on the front.  I have stamped my main image (Impression Obsession) of the dear little robin - well, I guess he/she could be any bird really, it's just that I have turned him in to a robin!!!

I popped a small amount of modelling paste over the chest area and the tail to give it a bit of texture and relief.

Then I coloured the image in using Spectrum Illustrator markers and with their alcohol base, they blend beautifully if you use the blender pen to help you.

Then added some more of the modelling paste to form some snow at his feet and to balance the whole picture.  I sponged some archival ink around the edges and darkened one side with a charcoal pencil (a bit of a trademark of mine!) and highlighted the legs and feet with a white pen.  The sentiment was stamped in Staz on and again highlighted with white pen.  The Staz on bled a little bit (I was suspicious that this would happen but it looked great and gave it a lovely shadow so it stayed!).

Finally I coated the whole thing with spray and shine and left to completely dry then added a lovely ribbon and some twine to hang it.

I have actually made three of these for three very special ladies this Christmas and on the back I transferred the Fashionable Stamping Challenges logo for them as we are all Fashion Stampettes from the Fashionable Stamping Challenges design team. - I thought they came out really well - something to keep and remind them of me!

It really is super shiny but I just couldn't get this to pick up on the camera (sorry)!!!

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by,

I would like to enter this in to the Sweet Stampin challenge of "Let it Snow":-

http://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/let-it-snow.html

My Time To Craft "Christmas Animals":-

http://mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/challenge-335-christmas-animals.html

Leanne xxx