Dimensional Asters

I've used the fabulous Heartfelt Delicate Asters from Creative Expressions to create a tag this week.

The background has been coloured with fired brick and salty ocean Distress Inks, applying the inks to a non-stick craft sheet and spritzing with water and then mopping up the colour with my tag.

I stamped the asters five times onto white card, coloured with fired brick Distress Ink and then cut out and layered each flower to give dimension, adding a coordinated button and thread to the centres. I also added machine stitching to the outside edge.

Ruler Ribbon has been added as a stem for my flowers and machine stitched into place. I have then added twine which I have secured into place with a tiny attacher. A large Fancy Key Charm has been added to the bottom of the tag for added interest.

I have added small wooden hearts for further interest along with a small tag stamped with the sentiment 'with love' from Sam Poole's Art Sayings stamp set.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

LILY OF THE VALLEY

I thought I would show you another of the samples I made for Sheena's shows that took place last weekend.

I used the LILY OF THE VALLEY image and created a backdrop with Fresco Finish Paints.

The flower head only has been used this time to create a wreath which I have then matted onto circular pieces. I have also added a fragment to the centre for added dimension along with two wooden birds. I also added three small circular fragments to the top of my card.

A dimensional bloom has been added, stamped onto decorative paper using the FLOWER POWER stamp set.  I added Lily of The Valley to the bottom of the card along with another small wooden bird.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

Into The Woods

Are you inspired following a woodland walk, love those woodland creatures or love to play with your woodgrain products, this week Simon Says Stamp and Show invite you to join us on a creative walk into the woods. Whether you are inspired to create a wildflower meadow, love forest, nature inspired colours, or perhaps something whimsical with fairies. There is lots of room for creative interpreation this week from using a woodgrain patterned paper to an owl stamp and anything in between.

I was inspired to use wood products, woodland branches and an owl in my nature inspired canvas.

I must admit this weeks challenge had me stumped! I spent many hours searching through my products until I stumbled on the Crafters Workshop Mini Branches Reversed stencil and then I was on a roll. No forest is complete without branches and mine were given fabulous texture using Wendy Vecchi's White Embossing Paste through the stencil. Lots of wood products included here, from Prima Wood Leaves and Flowers, Prima Nature Garden Wood Tickets, and even an owl cut from Metal Foil Tape.

Sorry about the blurred picture! I began by covering my canvas board with Freckled Fawn woodgrain washi tape.

Cut a large owl from metal foil tape using a Spellbinders die and then embossed the owl with the Diamond Plate Texture Fade and then covered with black soot Distress Paint.

Once I had covered the owl with paint I then removed any excess with kitchen towel.

I washed over my canvas board with Gesso and then added the owl to the canvas board, adding mini gears and a pen nib to the owl, adding a touch of black soot Distress Paint to all the metal embellishments to age a little.

I then added white embossing paste through the branches stencil.

The branches really add that woodland feel to the canvas.

A smaller owl has been added to a piece of driftwood I found in my craft goodies. I added Prima clock parts for the owls eyes and a piece of wood for his nose. I also added clock parts to the centres of my flowers. Two Prima Jeans Buttons have been added to two corners of my canvas. I then added some embossing paste around my owls and across the bottom of the canvas so they looked more embedded within the canvas rather than just floating.

Before colouring my canvas I coated everything with one coat of Gesso.

I then sprayed the canvas with Calypso Teal and touches of Melted Chocolate Dylusions Ink Sprays. I also found some copper letters in my collection and added OWL to the larger owls body, again adding clock parts to the top of each letter.

I then dry brushed Gesso over the whole canvas, and then I was finally happy with the result. The Gesso really lifts the textural pieces and lightens the whole canvas. I love how the branches look in the background.

Chitchat stickers were also added to the canvas, using words that I associate with any walks I have taken in the woods, I embrace the surroundings, it's always an adventure in the woods with my children and we often find bits and pieces to use in our art and you always discover something new on a woodland walk, you really should try it!

For more great ideas please pop over to the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog and take a look at my fellow team members they have created inspirational projects. Remember there is also the chance to win a $50 prize from Simon Says Stamp.  I always look forward to seeing your creations each week.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, much appreciated.  Enjoy your week. Tracy x x 

Products Used:

Crafters Workshop Mini Branches Reversed
Wendy Vecchi White Embossing Paste
Prima Wood Leaves and Flowers
Prima Nature Garden Wood Tickets
Prima Clock Parts
Prima Jeans Buttons
Metal Foil Tape
Freckled Fawn Woodgrain Washi Tape
Tim Holtz Alterations - Diamond Plate and Riveted Metal Texture Fades
Tim Hotlz Idea-ology - Pen Nibs, Mini Gears Sprockets,Chitchat Stickers
Distress Paint - Black Soot
Claudine Hellmuth Gesso
Dylusions Ink Sprays - Melted Chocolate, Calypso Teal

SPRING BOUQUET

I'm using the Spring Bouquet stamp this week for 100 Proof Press as today feels like a real spring day, AT LAST I might add.

I painted the background of my tag with Fresco Finish Paints hey pesto, added a coat of crackle glaze and then a top coat of snowflake. I was inspired to use the fresh green of peeled paint Distress Ink after walking in my garden this morning, the greens in the garden at the moment as so fresh, I love them.

The Spring Bouquet image has been stamped onto three hearts and then one layered on top of the other for dimension. Each heart has been coloured with peeled paint Distress Ink and flicked with water.

Lace has been added to the top of the tag secured into place with my tiny attacher and I have added with love along with wooden hearts for dimension. One of the hearts has been stamped with the Spring Bouquet image. I love using parts of stamps this way.

A touch more lace to the bottom of my tag along with three small hearts stamped with the Spring Bouquet image and coloured with peeled paint Distress Ink. I have also added two brass keys for further interest.

This picture shows the fabulous dimension achieved by layering the hearts.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Time for me to now do some work in the garden. Until next time, enjoy your weekend. Tracy x x

Butterfly Girl

This weeks DT creation for Creative Expressions usses the fabulous Mini Vintage Floret combined with the Butterfly Girl from Sam Poole.

I decorated the background with Distress Paints spiced marmalade, spun sugar and picked raspberry and stamped the mini floret and embossed with white embossing powder to make the images pop.

I added dimension to her dress and stamped the mini florets onto her dress for added detail, embossing with white embossing powder.

The mini floret has also been stamped onto shrink plastic and one flower added to her hair and to her dress for added dimension. 'If I had wings' from Art Sayings by Sam Poole has been added to the top of my card.

I added FLY using Alpha Parts and added the mini florets down one side of my card along with mini birds for added interest.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

Lily Of The Valley

Sheena Douglass has some fabulous shows planned on Create and Craft on Saturday 25th May at 10am and 3pm where she will be launching some fabulous floral stamp sets. Here are two more samples that I have created for the shows using the Lily Of The Valley stamp set.

The background has been created with peeled paint and forest moss Distress Inks and flicked with water to give a little more interest to the background.

I've stamped the Lily Of The Valley with black Archival Ink and added a touch of dimension to the leaves. I bleached out the flower heads so they appear white just as they are in my garden at the moment.

I machine stitched some lace to the bottom of my card so that the flowers were not just floating, the lace grounds them. I also added a small wooden bird for added interest. I also added a dimensional flower created using Sheena's Flower Power stamp set stamped onto decorative paper.

I added two fragments to the top of my card with touches of the Lily Of The Valley image added to each.

My second card has been painted in the background which I crackled but I used tone on tone so that the crackle was very subtle. I also sprayed the background with Luminarte Radian Rain solar gold shimmering mist spray.

I added touches of gilding wax around the edges of the card to give a touch of opulence. I also added dimension to the flower heads, stamping them twice. I also added a couple of stems to the oval die cut.

A leaf has been added offset to one side along with three fragments, again highlighting the Lily Of The Valley flower heads.

I added Lily Of The Valley to the top of my card stamped onto white card and coloured with Distress Inks, applying black soot to the edges for definition.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

VIOLETS

Sheena Douglass has some fabulous shows planned on Create and Craft on Saturday 25th May at 10am and 3pm where she will be launching some fabulous floral stamp sets.

My first sample uses the fabulous violets, I love this image, especially as I am a keen gardener.

I coloured the background with broken china and faded jeans Distress Ink and then stamped the background with the text stamp from Sheena's Ageing Beautifully set, this text is perfect for adding interest to your pieces and backgrounds. I then embossed the violets with white embossing powder.

I coloured the petals with Distress Inks. I absolutely love how you can see the text through the petals.

I added a fragment charm, adding one of the violets to the background, giving my piece a touch of dimension and further interest.

Sheena also has some fantastic CLEAR, yes CLEAR ROCK-A-BLOCKS that are also being lauched on the show. Make sure you tune in for all the details.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

BOARDWALK

Artistic Outpost are celebrating the release of a new stamp plate and a Memorial Day Sale; celebrate the summer with new Artistic Outpost stamps and 15% off all rubber stamps. The sale is on until June 8th. No coupon code required. Your discount will be reflected in your shopping cart. Stock up on some new designs and enjoy your summer!

Today we would like to introduce you to the new BOARDWALK plate.

For the love of the Jersey Shore and Atlantic City's historic boardwalk, this stamp collection features a lovely ATC sized collage featuring Steel Pier, bathing beauties, a handsome gentleman, and other summertime elements. Collection available in both unmounted sheets of red rubber or precut and mounted on EZMount clingfoam.

For my first piece with the new collection I decided to decorate a frame painted with Fresco Finish Paint inky pool adding highlights with sky paint, using only a touch of paint to dry brush over the top. I also added Treasure silver gilding wax around the edges.

A piece of corrugated card has been added in the back of the frame adding machine stitching around the edges. The corrugated card adds wonderful texture to the backdrop. I also painted the card with touches of Gesso. I stamped the focal image first, masked her off and then stamped the Pier collage in the background. I then coloured with Distress Ink faded jeans and flicked with water to add bleached out areas in the background.

I added a bottle, coloured with Alcohol Ink and tied some natural twine around the neck of the bottle for added interest. I also included two summer Chitchat stickers and stamped 'under the boardwalk down by the sea' to the bottom of my frame.

White hessian has been added to the frame along with the two Steel Pier tickets, Chitchat sticker and carefree embellishment. I also added wooden letters to add 'SEA' to my frame.

I've also added more wooden letters to the top of the frame along with a couple of shells.

My fellow Design Team members have made some fabulous pieces to inspire you, please pop along and visit their blogs and be inspired along the way

• Gerrie Johnnic
• Lisa Somerville
• Suzanne Czosek
• Tracy Evans
• Linda Coughlin
• Alison Bomber
• Terry Horrall
• Kate Yetter

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x 
 

A Wonderful Day

Another sample which are being shocased on Create and Craft with Crafter's Companion for a fabulous 4 day deal. The Diary of an Edwardian Lady / Natures Notes CD Rom (artwork by Edith Holden).

The show times are:

Monday 20th May - 8am, 1pm, 6pm

Tuesday 21st May - 9am, 4pm

Wednesday 22nd May - 8am, 2pm, 6pm

Thursday 23rd May - 8am, 2pm, 5pm

I used a couple of elements from the CD along with the Marigold and Lace Flower Die'sire Quilling Dies to create my dimensional flower.

The background has been coloured with fired brick and barn door Distress Inks and flicked with water to give the bleached out areas. I have then embossed the flower image with white embossing powder and added a shadow, stamping the image again with fired brick Distress Ink.

I also decorated the inside of the card.

I also decorated the gift box to coordinate and again the box shape and paper are all from the fabulous CD.

I added some crochet ribbon and ricrac to the box for added interest along with two heart buttons.

A dimensional flower again using the Marigold and Lace Flower dies to add wonderful dimension to my box adding coordinated twine to accessorise.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x