Gell Plate Tape Embellishments for Christmas

Hi everyone. It's my final week in the Designer Spotlight at Simon Says Stamp. Thanks to the team for having me, it has been great to be back! This week the theme is Tape. I decided to try an old technique using a Gelli Plate and Sticky tape to create some embellishments for Christmas cards.

 There are quite a few videos out there on this technique - most recently from Birgit Koopsen. I used both normal sellotape and also clear parcel tape so I had different thicknesses to work with.

I started brayering bits of paint (I used Dina Wakley) onto the gel plate, followed by stamping in both paint and archival ink. I predominantly used Psychedelic Grunge from Tim Holtz. It is important if you want to use Mica later to leave some space on the plate - just random gaps that will be filled later.

I then took my selected tape and placed across the plate in strips - ensuring it is lightly burnished to remove any air. When you remove the tape the paint and mark making is transferred to the tape. I then brushed mica powder into any spaces - its hard to see in the photos but it adds some Festive shimmer sparkle!

The mica removes the stickiness that is left on the tape so I used Matte medium to adhere to white card before die cutting or hand cutting shapes for my Christmas cards.

I cut my tree and presents by hand and punched a little star for top. The greeting is from Tim Holtz Scribbly Christmas.

The bauble was cut with a die from my stash and the banners hand cut.

Again simple shapes were hand cut to create my present.

I hope you like my little cards. Thanks again to the Simon Says Stamp team for having me for the month! 
Nikki
xxx

Recycled Cardboard Mini Book

Hello! Hope your weekend was good. I am back for my third week as a guest designer over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge blog. This week the theme is Recycle.

 As I was thinking what to make I noticed an empty cat food box waiting to go to the recycle bin - so I decided to create a mini book out of the packaging.

I started with five 2.5 inch squares (quite roughly cut) from the box and stripped them of the glossy marketing. I created little tabs to join them together and added extra glue along the spine. 

I used old book pages along with Gesso and Distress paints in Black Soot and Walnut Stain to paint the surfaces.

I then started collaging scrap of materials and paper to the pages - including Dina Wakley collage paper and left over bits from Tim Holtz Journal cards. I finished each page with a quote from Tim Holtz Theories stamp set.

As always, there is a $50 voucher for one lucky winner each week - so do join in for your chance to win.
Back next week for my final week!

See you then
Nikki

Tim Holtz Large Stems - Thinking of You

Hi everyone. Today see's my second week in the Designer Spotlight at Simon Says Stamp. Our challenge this week is Thinking of You.

I decided to make a card using Tim Holtz Bigz die - Large Stems as my focal point. However I started with the background, as I often do to ensure I get the right balance of colours. I added some Transparent texture paste in places through Tim Holtz Latticework stencil on my card and sprinkled lightly with Seth Apter Baked Texture. Once the paste was dry I heated the embossing powder. I then added Distress inks in various blues to the surface, followed by some stamping with the Lattice stamp from Tim Holtz Lattice and Flourish. 

I die cut my flowers and used Distress Paints in Hickory Smoke, Blueprint Sketch and Tumbled Glass to colour. I added some random stamping and splattering too! I die cut again in black to create the shadow. Mt words are from Simple Sayings (Tim Holtz).

Thank you so much for your visit, see you next week!

Nikki 

Flourishing Vases Thank you card

Hi everyone. I am very pleased to be back on the Simon Says Stamp Monday blog in the Designer Spotlight this month. For my first week the theme is Thanks / Thanksgiving - featuring products from AALL and Create.

I used Flourishing Vases stamp set by Tracy Evans and the Digital Bubbles stencil along with paints from PaperArtsy  (I used Bougainvillea, Forget Me Not and Mulled Wine.)

For the background, I add a couple of colours to my Gel Plate and brayered. I placed the stencil on top, lightly pressed and then removed. I then took my print off the plate. I used a similar background for the vase and flowers but in lighter colours.

I fussy cut the flowers and vase so I could raise them slightly.

'Thank you' was stamped in 2 colours using my stamp platform.  The stamp is from Darkroom Door.

Do pop over to the Simon Says stamp blog where there is, as always, loads of inspiration from their talented design team. And if you join the challenge there is a $50 voucher for one lucky winner.

Thank you so much for your visit, see you next week!

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

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

Home Sweet Home - PaperArtsy

Hello - tonight I am over at PaperArtsy with this project for the current topic - Windows, Doors and Architecture. Do pop over for more details.
Nikki
xxx

A happy accident! Simon Says Stamp Guest Design

Hi everyone. Today is my final post in the 'Designer Spotlight' at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. A huge thanks to Lols and the team for the invitation and their wonderful support throughout the month.

This week the challenge theme is Thinking of You.

I have recently purchased Tim Holtz Ornate Frame 2 and wanted to get this out of it's packaging (!) so decided to make a card featuring the frame and the leaf from an older set - Tim Holtz Sizzix Framelits LEAF BLUEPRINT Wafer Thin Die & Stamp Set.

I had an idea that went completely wrong but ended up quite well! I started with some autumnal colours of distress inks on some card - completely covering it with random patches of colour. I then intended to add some versamark through a stencil and heat emboss with clear powder to retain the multi colours under the embossed surface. However I failed to fully fry the distress inks so when adding my clear embossing powder I completely covered the card. I heated it anyway and ended with a mostly sealed surface - no stencil pattern visible!

Not wanting to waste what I had done I reached for my distress paints and began marbling the surface with different colours - drying each colour before adding the next. With the heat, the paint adhered to the sealed surface but retained quite a glossy finish and I loved it! The paints are more vibrant than when doing the same effect directly onto card ( I know - I tried it!).

I die cut my ornate frame twice - once in black card and once in white card - I painted the latter with Tarnished Brass distress paint before quickly sprinkling some embossing powder ( a mix of gold, dark red and brown) over it - not covering - just a light sprinkle. I then heat dried.

I stamped the leaf and cut one whole and 2 halves. I added my autumnal distress inks randomly over them - adding darker colours to the edges before taking Distress Crackle Paint and covering the leaves. Once dry I created the dimension using glossy accents.

The greeting from Tim Holtz Simple Sayings completed my card.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Nikki

xxx