Christmas at PaperArtsy

I am over at PaperArtsy this evening with some Christmas cards featuring stamps by Sara Naumann.

Nikki

Christmas Greetings!

Hi! Today we welcome a new challenge at A Vintage Journey and a wonderful Christmas (or not!) theme of Star Light - Star Bright. Our host is the lovely Julia - here is her description:

This month we are asking you to to create with stars. Fill up the dark winter sky with them or use one really big one as your central focus. Stencil them, stamp them, emboss them or die cut them. Make a card, make a star box, make a canvas, create a journal page - remembering to create in the vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journaling, industrial or steam punk styles.

A couple of weeks ago Brenda (Bumblebees and Butterflies), Alison (Words and Pictures) and I had another of our Skype crafting sessions and we decided to to each create a project for this theme. For those that haven't seen our previous Skype Craft - we
all connect up via Skype and take it in turns to chose a step which we all need to follow. Sometimes we work on the same substrate but this time we each chose our own.

Brenda kindly recorded the steps - so I have added a quick summary of what I did to each of the steps.

1. A - Use paper to start the layers. - I covered my substrate with black and white patterned paper

2. B - Use the monoprint method to add any colour medium of your choice - I used watercolour card to transfer white paint randomly across the surface (it was too black!)

3. N - Add a wash or washes of a colour medium - I added blues!

4. A - Use a stencil any way you wish. - I used a star stencil, added versamark and added Baked Texture to the surface before heat embossing.

5. B - Use asemic or dynamic writing to add a layer of visual texture. - I took a silver metallic pen and scribbled! It is there if you look for it!! As it is silver it shows up when the light catches it.

6. N - Add a bit of texture. I added more Baked Texture around the edges of the plaque.

7.  A - Determine and prep the focal point of the design. I die cut my 'Christmas' several times and adhered together before using the same embossing powder again. Texture was added to the 'Happy' (a precut greyboard piece) before paints sponged.

8. B - Find elements to bring the composition together. - Stars - more stars!

9. N - On one or more of the elements use two different mediums of the same colour. I went for my blues and silvers on my die cut stars and 'Happy' - using embossing powder, foiling and glitter!

10. A - Add some words - Well I was ahead of the game now - already did that!

11. B - Add some sparkle - Ditto - so I cleared up the glitter I seemed to have got everywhere!

12. N - Assemble and add whatever you need to finish off your design. - I added Snowtex around the edges and on the words to enhance the winter feel.

It was a fun day!

If you havent already head over to AVJ for lots more Star Light, Star Bright Inspiration.

Nikki

Coffee Time - Guest Designer Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone. I am thrilled to be Guest Designer today at Frilly and Funkie. The challenge this month is 'In the Kitchen'. I decided to include a kitchen theme as well as using a kitchen item - salt.

My panel is around 6inches square with a slight recess and frame. I decided to work directly on the frame but worked on measured heavy card stock for the central area. For both I started by creating some texture using stencils and texture paste and allowed to dry. For the centre panel (card) I added watery washes of Deco Art Media paint in Quinacridone Gold and Paynes Grey - allowing them to merge together a little and then sprinkled salt on, leaving it to absorb the moisture and pigment before wiping away once dry.

I also used the same technique on the border with 2 blue tones - but with less salt to create a more subtle effect. I also dry brushed gold paint over this surface to reflect the colours inside the frame.

I die cut the tea cups (coffee in this project!) from Tim Holtz’s Tea Time Bigz die and sponged with blue paint. before returning to my stencil and added gold paint. I added blue archival ink around the edges of the cups to make them stand out a little more.

I reached for the quirky quotes from Tim Holtz Snarky Small Talk and decided this coffee one was perfect! A little sponged paint toned down the white card.

I think there are days when this quote is very appropriate for me!

Nikki

xx

Festive Overlays and Shifter Stencils - Christmas cards

 I am over at A Vintage Journey today for our Creative Card feature this month. I have been busy making cards using Tim Holtz shifter stencils and the Festive Overlays stamp set. For all the processes and a lot more photos do head on over to AVJ - here.

Nikki

xxx

Mini Books and Tissue stamping

Hi everyone. Just a brief post to redirect you over to PaperArtsy this evening - where I am tissue stamping!

Nikki

xxx

Wildflower Silhouettes and Distress Oxides

Happy Friday!

It is time for an inspiration post at the Take It Make Challenge blog for this months challenge - a few more of us providing a few ideas for the Anything Goes (with stamping) challenge. As usual there are fabulous prizes up for grabs including a Christmas bundle from Kaisercraft incorporating stamps and stencils plus the chance to be selected to feature in Craft Stamper Magazine!

I was inspired by a birthday card I received from a friend to use my acrylic blocks and blending tools to make some colourful cards. I used both Distress Oxides and Distress Inks and stamped Tim Holtz Wildflowers in black archival.

Back later with my latest offering for PaperArtsy.

Nikki

Embossing Fun

I recently treated myself to the Lumbar 3-D Texture Fade and finally found a bit of time to play. The canvas is 9inches square and I built up a textured background using lots of layers of torn, embossed card.

 Then I got to work painting. I have one work in progress shot...yes it really did look this bright at one point - I wanted colour but knew it would be knocked back quite a bit!

I used washes of Distress Paint in Festive Berries (centre) and Mermaid Lagoon (outside) along with some white to knock the colours back. Once I was happy I highlighted all the embossed surface with black oil pastel.

I repeated the process on an MDF circle for my central piece and also cut and embossed one the Butterfly Duo butterflies. The embossed butterfly was treated in a similar way and a little sparkly matt medium added.

I would like to enter the latest challenge at Frilly and Funkie where we are being asked to 'Impress Us' and Simon Says Stamp - Take Flight.

Have a lovely day

Nikki xx

Getting festive with Tim Holtz Worn Wallpaper and Festive Overlays

Is it too early for Christmas cards? Sorry!

We have a new challenge today at A Vintage Journey with the theme of Paper Stash - our host is Sandy and this is what she says...

I am sure we all have them, those endless bits of beautiful scrapbook papers we have hoarded over the years. Create a project of any kind using them in creative ways in our preferred vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journaling, industrial, timeworn or steampunk styles.

I have started my cards using some new products from Tim Holtz - Festive Overlays stamp set and the Christmas Worn Wallpaper collection. I love the overlay idea - did I hear Tim Holtz say it was Paula Cheney's idea? A good one, whoever it was!

The cards above are A6 size. I was on a roll so made some 4x4 inch and A7 too!

I am back at AVJ later in the month for our Creative Cardmaking post - where I am using the same stamps but lots more texture and ink!

Nikki

xxx

Stencilled hangings for PaperArtsy

Just stopping by to say I am over at PaperArtsy this evening having a play with new paint colours (yum) and stencils /stamps from PaperArtsy. Do hop over to see what else I got up to!

Nikki

xxx 

Good things come in threes.....

Hello!

Last week I got 'together' with Alison Bomber from Words and Pictures and Brenda Brown from Bumblebees and Butterflies. Well it was a virtual meet up over Skype! You may recall Brenda and I did this last year to create our 'Skype Journals'. This time it was lovely that Alison joined us too, we had a great few hours crafting together with lots of laughter along the way.

We had decided we were going to work on a large mdf surface in advance but the rest of the session was decided as we went along - each of us selecting a step in the process. Brenda was very organised and documented our steps!! Some of these steps took alot longer than others. It was fun listening to each others thought processes without actually telling the others what we were doing - that had to wait for the BIG REVEAL at the end. 

B - Seal substrate with gesso

N - Use some texture paste any way you wish. 

A  - Dilute one colour of paint and apply in any way you choose. 

B  - Add crackle in anyway you want.

General - We gave ourselves time to start to gather embellishments and give time for the crackle to dry 

N - Add texture to one or more of the embellishments. 

A  - Add colour to one or more of your embellishments. 

B  - Create a panel to use in building layers. 

N - Apply a coat of paint to the background any way you like. 

A - Stamp ...... Alison said 'it's in your hands' but it must be pure stamping over the background. 

B - Dip, drip and dry watery washes. 

N - Edge the base in whatever way you want. 

A - Trial the composition and design and finalise the embellishments. 

B  - Do an Alison and add some words. 

N  - Add a touch of metallic. 

A  - Splatter.

Alison and I both worked on a large MDF tag - Tim Holtz Etcetera or That's Crafty - GiganTAG. This is a large surface - around 15 x 7.5 inches - a little scary when it comes to composition! I kept my embellishments smallish but then struggled with all the empty space - I don't do empty space very well. I confess I added the square / rectangles onto the mesh after we finished as it just seemed too empty!

The background had quite a few layers of texture, crackle, paint and stamping!

I think the Tim Holtz Ornate frame is my favourite part of this project. I layered a few up and gave a thick stippled coat of gesso before adding PaperArtsy Infusions and a bit of water. I blasted it dry and stippled some matt medium over it to help seal the Infusions before adding touches of gold paint.

Brenda's step of adding a panel resulted in me grabbing this old mesh I have and adding some paints!

Once we were all done it was time for the big reveal - so  if you havent already do head over to Alison and Brenda's blogs to see their amazing designs.

Alison

Brenda

Thanks to both Brenda and Alison for a fun day! We are all a little short of crafting time these days so it was wonderful to take this time out.

I would like to join in the latest challenge at Frilly and Funkie - Creatures Great and Small and Anything Goes at Stamps and Stencils.

Nikki xxx

Oval Shaped Note book and Gift Box

Hello! Today I am sharing my design for the Inspiration post for the Craft Stamper - Take it Make it Challenge. As always the theme is anything goes - as long as you include some stamping. The prize this month for the lucky random winner is a set of 10 Ecoline Brush pens and as usual the design team favourite gets their design published in the magazine!

I few weeks ago I took part in a swap with the lovely people from Let's Be Creative. Our theme was to make something oval for our swap partner so I challenged myself to make this Oval Mini Book. As it was going to my partner I also make a little gift box.

I used Tim Holtz Ornate Frame Bigz die to cut the oval shape (ie the centre of the frame); from greyboard for the covers and also the pages inside. I created a crackled cover, added some stamping and some splatters. All paints are PaperArtsy. My flowers and leaves are die cuts from Tim Holtz Mini Tattered Florals.

On the back I added the initials of my gift recipient:

I would like to play along with the Mini Album Makers Challenge for September

See you next time

Nikki x

Baked Texture Abstract

Today you can find me over at PaperArtsy with this abstract canvas using Seth Apter's Baked Textures and PaperArtsy stamps and paints.

Nikki

xxx

Altered Coffee Tin for Stamps and Stencils

Hi everyone. It is an honour today to be Guest Designer over at Stamps and Stencils. I have a step by step over on their wonderful blog today.

Nikki

Tissue Stamping card

Hi there. We are one week into the new challenge on the Craft Stamper - Blog. As usual it is Anything Goes - as long as there is some stamping! There is great prize up for grabs this month - the new Ranger Alcohol lift ink and reinker.

 It was my good friend Cathryn's birthday recently and her favourite colour is purple! 

I created a multicoloured background with paint on card and added some stamping and stencilling. I then took a piece of tissue paper and stamped the wildflowers carefully in archival ink on the tissue before adhering to the coloured card underneath. I love the subtle effect this achieves.

I added a Wildflower die cut and my greeting before matting and layering.

Nikki x

Resist Technique with 3D Texture Fades and Distress Oxides

Happy Friday! It is the first Friday of the month - and time for a new challenge at A Vintage Journey. Amanda is our host and the theme is How can you resist. Here is the description:

There are any different products in mixed media that you can use to do a resist technique - gesso, distress glaze, wax, embossing powder, etc. We would like you to use at least one resist technique on your vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journaling, industrial, timeworn or steampunk project.

I recently treated myself to one of the (relatively) new 3D Texture Fades from Tim Holtz so decided to use this for my resist technique.

I started with a Distress Oxide background in blues and greens. I then added versamark to the embossing folder and ran it through the big shot so the versamark transfers to the card in the 'flat' areas rather than the embossed areas. I heat dried with clear embossing powder.

This allowed me to add as much Distress Oxide as I liked to the embossed area along with some spritzing and the colour easily wipes away from the background blue/green.

I also used a wax resist on my Distress Paint background layer - but I think I have managed to hide most of this!!!

Have a great weekend!

Nikki

x

More mini books....PaperArtsy

This evening (if you are in the UK / Europe anyway!) I am sharing some more mini books - this time over at PaperArtsy - be lovely to see you there for all the details on how I made these.

While I had this stamp set out I made a couple of cards too - stamping onto tissue paper before adding to a grungy background.

 Nikki

xxx

Tando Creative Mini Books

Today I am over at A Vintage Journey with a tutorial for these mini books by Tando Creative. The process I am going through is same I used on my Canvas a couple of weeks ago... if you missed it you can see it here.

I made two little books this time - similar but not quite the same colours!

I just love these cute litte book - 6cm square!

Some previous versions if you want to see something a little less bright! (Here)

Thanks for stopping by and do head over to A Vintage Journey for all the details today.

Nikki
xxx