Butterfly Scent (By Julie)

Hello, today I have two more Perfumery themed cards to show you.

My first card is made with Butterfly Perfumery and Floral Perfumery

To start with my base card has been layered with black card-stock and then my stamping card was cut to size so that about half an inch of black card could show as a frame. The flowers from Floral Perfumery were stamped in the bottom right of the card and coloured with Polychromus pencils along with the background. On separate card, I stamped the row of butterflies and the sentiment which both come from Butterfly Perfumery. Both were coloured with pencils as before and then cut out and glued to the front of the card. The row of butterflies was curled with a pencil for added definition and then glued into place with 3D glue gel. 

My second card was created with Floral Perfumery and was stamped directly onto my DL card blank.

The main perfume bottle image was stamped first with Onyx Versafine and then the little filler leaves were stamped around the edge. The whole design, including the background was coloured with Polychromus pencils and then the card was finished off with a sentiment stamped above the perfume bottle.

Many thanks for taking a peek. Please call back for regular Design Team inspiration.

Floral Perfumery Bby Rachel)

Hello there! Rachel here today with some of my makes using the floral perfumery and rose perfumery sets. This first sample is on canvas board. I started the piece by creating a background mostly in acrylic then I added the rose images around the side using tissue and finally the main image again using tissue that I had stamped and coloured in pencil.

In my next item I created a 3D piece by stamping on card and colouring in using glitter pens and then decoupaging up back and front. I added this into a glass dome.

My final piece is a card - the background is brushos and I used glitter pens to colour the image.

I do hope you have a great day!

Big hugs

Rachel xx

Blue Rose and rose Tag (by Magda)

Hello
here I am again with two Rose step by step projects.


Blue rose

1.  Stamp on a white cardstock the rose of Floral Perfumery with Versamark
2.  Heat emboss with white embossing powder
3. Blend with a blending sponge mixing Distress Ink Pad Chipped Sapphire and Faded Jeans

4. Stencil the background with baby wipe to lift colour and dry

5.  Attach the mat on your card using Ultra clear double sided red line Tape

Tag

1. Colour the tag blending Distress Ink Pad with a sponge and directly with the pad.  This will give
    you the stripes on the background
2.  Spritz with water and dry.

3. Stamp the sentiment of Floral Perfumery in the middle of the tag

4. Stamp twice the rose of the same plate on a white cardstock with Archival Jet Black

5. Colour them with Brusho and cut the outline

6. Glue with PVA  the roses on the Tag

7. A nice ribbon will give a nice touch to the tag

I am waiting to see the new stamps Lesley will launch next month, are you curious too ?

Thank you for reading till the end my post

Magda

The Magic of Nature (by Carole)

Hello everyone, Carole is back with her final post of the month, a beautiful Spring themed card. 

Carole writes:

Hello again, another project for February, it is a little busier than my previous projects.
As Spring is in the air, or so they say, (it's got to come some time), I have used the pretty Spring Awakening stamp. She is one of the Four Seasons stamps, all of which I like.

Products used:

Spring Awakening stamp
Distress inkpads: Squeezed Lemonade, Dusty Concord
Versafine Smokey Gray, black permanent inkpad
Clear embossing powder, parchment paper
The words are made up from a section of one of the sayings from Let's Get Festive and Essence of Nature.

It is useful to be able to use parts of sayings from different sets. It makes them go further. Like the Autumn card I made for a previous Guest Design Team post, the hair can be inked separately to make a good background. This I did with Versafine, onto a background made with Squeezed Lemonade and Dusty Concord Distress inkpads. The Lady is stamped and embossed, then coloured with the same colours as the background. I stamped the primrose clump three times and cut around them to make an added feature.
I wanted to pick up a little of the violet colour so have mounted the background onto a violet coloured card and then the white card base.
The words are stamped with a permanent inkpad onto the parchment and when this had dried thoroughly, I tore around the relevant words.

Thank you for visiting and I look forward to my next session later in the year.
Bye for now and happy crafting,

Carole.

rose perfumery (by Veronica)

I have a card for my last post this month, using the main image from rose perfumery and the sentiment from floral perfumery.
The main image was stamped using black versafine ink and coloured with watercolour pencils, timmed to a square and mounted onto a dull gold mat befor adding to a square white card blank.
The sentiment was stamped with versamark and gold embossed, then die cut using a small heartshaped die and roughly gold embossed round the edges.

What's Your Favourite Perfume? (by Judith)

Hello everyone, I have a couple of projects to share with you today, completing my round up of samples showcasing the lovely Perfumery range of stamps that we aired on last month's TV shows on Hochanda. I am focusing on some of the smaller stamps in the sets this time, rather than the larger perfume bottles.

To create my first project, I stamped the rose image from the Rose Perfumery stamp set five times onto a piece of Drawing Cartridge, masking it each time. I stamped the leafy sprig in the gaps to create a wreath shape.

I added some Brushos and spritzed the background with water before removing the masks. I coloured the flowers and leaves with the same colours of Brushos that I had used for the background, and added a bit of Stickles for sparkle. I stamped the sentiment in the centre, and picked out the letters with a white pen.

To create my second card, I stamped the butterfly image from the Butterfly Perfumery stamp set onto fabric three times, using Archival Ink. I coloured the butterflies with fabric paint, watered down slightly, and cut them out, leaving a small border.

I found a background in my stash box which matched the butterflies, and stamped a sentiment using Versafine Onyx Black and clear embossing powder. I attached the butterflies, and drew some stitched lines using a fineliner pen. A matching coloured card was used as matting layer.

I will be back next month, with some more fabric based samples to share with you. Thanks for stopping by, Judith xx

Katya Messenger Bag (by Anne)

Good morning. I was so excited about the launch of the new fabric panels from Chocolate Baroque – enlarged images from my favourite stamp company printed onto fabric ready to paint and stitch – yay!

I have been working on a bag design big enough to carry A4 folders plus craft stash for when I am out & about. The large bag flap was a perfect place to feature the Katya panel. You could create similar using a commercial bag pattern (messenger style or tote), or by applying the panel to a ready made bag front.

I have used fabric painting, stamping, applique of stamped images, stencilling, machine and hand embroidery – but don’t despair if you are a non stitcher. I have included an idea for decorating a ready made tote bag with no stitching involved. The panels are also fabulous to use in mixed media projects such as book covers or canvases too – just stick it down with some gel mat medium or book binding glue. Then add stamping and embellish as for other mixed media work.

Materials used:

• Printed fabric panels (3 Ladies)
• Stamp sets: Take It or Leaf It, Large Crackle Background, Artistic Affirmations, Harlequin Rose, Bold Blooms
• Stencils: Silhouette Palace 1 and Silhouette Palace 2
• Range of fabric paints from my stash – all fixed by ironing: silk paints (fluid), transparent and opaque fabric paints plus multi surface paints (off white, cream, red, orange, yellow, blue, turquoise, pink, purple, metallic pink/purple, transparent pearl and green glitter)
• 3D fabric paint (pearl green) – such as Appliglue or similar
• Alcohol ink pens (yellow, turquoise, pink, green)
• Archival Inkpad (Jet Black)
• Tonertex foiling fabric glue and foil (gold)
• Cotton quilting fabric scraps for applique (white, purple, lilac, cerise, plus waste strips of printed batik)
• Cotton fabric (black) for backing and framing panel
• Machine embroidery threads (black, variegated pink/blue plus green/orange)
• Hand embroidery threads: Stranded cotton (variegated pink/purple and orange/yellow), Pearl 5 cotton (variegated blue/green/turquoise)
• Iron on paper backed glue mesh (such as Bondaweb or similar) and Fray Check Glue
• Paint brush and Cut-N-Dry Foam
• For making the bag I also used: sewing thread, heavy weight cotton fabric (blue), light weight linen patterned fabrics for lining (blue & cream), plastic sink drainer (for base), Bosal foam stabiliser (one side iron on), bag feet and magnetic clasps (silver colour), zipper (blue), shoulder strap (recycled from old bag)

How it was done:
I first made a lining using my heavy weight cotton and linen printed fabrics. I wanted a heavy weight long lasting lining so layered my fabrics and treated as one layer. I also included plenty of pockets. I haven’t included details of my pattern here – sorry – but it’s something I am working on for my own business. You could choose a commercial pattern for a messenger bag with a large front flap to decorate, or a tote style bag to feature the panel.

I painted the Katya panel using transparent coloured paints so as not to obliterate the black outlines.

Fabric paints designed for light coloured fabrics are best suitable. Opaque colours (designed for dark fabrics) would obliterate the printing so you need to bear this in mind. I also used some paints designed for multi surfaces (including fabrics). These can sometimes leave a stiffer finish than those specifically designed for fabric. However, for a bag this can actually be a bonus and it is not essential to keep a soft fabric feel. If you are not intending to wash your fabrics then you can use just about anything that you would use on paper. However, I would recommend heat fixable paints for a bag as you don’t want colours to transfer from the bag or run if caught in the rain! Painting was fixed by ironing.

Tip: I like to leave my fabric painting overnight before heat fixing with an iron (follow the manufacturer’s directions). The panel is silk/cotton so can be ironed using a cotton setting safely. I usually iron from the back.

I did test the panel for compatibility with alcohol markers and found that if over wet and rubbed with alcohol the printing did bleed slightly so I would avoid these, or use with care (i.e. without flooding close to the printing).

I then applied some of the Tonertex glue, left to ‘dry’ (goes tacky as dries clear) and applied gold foil to elements of her headdress.

If you are not a sewer you could stop at this stage. As with card making the panel benefits from ‘mat & layering’. Black fabric provides a nice frame. You could back the fabrics with fusible web and iron onto a ready made bag. Heat fusible webbing does not always provide a strong hard wearing bond so gel mat medium, book binding glue or a fabric decoupage glue could be used to prevent the panel lifting off or fraying with extensive use. There are also several types of 3D paint that could be applied around the fabric edges too (e.g. Appliglue).

I found some lovely strips of batik fabric in my ‘waste’ scraps bag (I knew that they were too nice to bin – ha ha) so I had to include them in my bag panel design. Nothing was stuck down yet.

Next I stamped various colour fabric scraps to use as applique elements, using an Archival Inkpad. The images were dried and then heat set with an iron. Colour was then added using alcohol ink pens. Again colours were heat set. 

Fusible web was applied to the back to prevent fraying and the stamped and coloured images were cut out.

When stamping with paints I prefer to apply them to my stamps using Cut-N-Dry Foam. I find that it gives a more even application with less clogging of the stamp than brushing or using kitchen sponges etc. In addition if placed paint side down in a plastic tray (recycled) they stay wet for longer. This is particularly so for multi purpose paints that can dry out very quickly. I also spritz the tray lightly with water to help keep them wet while working.

The fabric background was first coloured using the fluid silk paints (they are like an ‘ink’ formulation rather than thicker paint) – encouraging them to bleed and blend with a light water spritz. As with card making I tried to create a darker blended edge to frame the scene.

Next the bag panel was stamped and stencilled. The applique elements and panel were ironed down (using the fusible web backing). I used the border stamp across the top edge and lovely crackle stamp in the background. I had to add a little bling with the metallic colour too (you know me! – ha ha).

Tip: Stamping onto a darker fabric you will need to use darker or more opaque paints (or they won’t show up). Metallics work well too.

I added some 3D glue ‘pearls’ to Katya’s headdress and overlayed some areas with transparent pearl paint for extra shimmer. I also added glitter paint to some areas. Simply wasn’t enough bling already.

The panel was backed with foam stabiliser before embroidery (I wanted a quilted effect). I stitched down the panel and fabric strips and then used free machine embroidery to stitch down and decorate the applique. Hand stitching was added for additional texture.

Note: The fusible web backing does help prevent fraying but some areas may benefit from a little Fray Check along the fabric edges (e.g. my batik strips were not backed with webbing before stitching down so are likely to fray with wear).

Detail showing stencilling, stamping and embroidery.

I used free machine embroidery and black thread around the applique motifs, then further embellished with hand embroidery. The stamped smaller flowers were free machined with variegated thread.

Here you can see the stencilled palace with additional hand embroidery to highlight. 

The back panel was also decorated.

Love this sentiment stamp – describes me perfectly.

So happy with my decorated bag (back).

The pockets on the front panel were also decorated (sits under the front flap).

Detail – love this sentiment too.

The finished pockets with magnetic snap closures (to hold down the front flap).

I also decorated the little side pockets.

Texture added with hand embroidery.

Here you can see a little more detail of the free machining and hand embroidery on the main Katya panel.

I hope that you have enjoyed my latest creation.

Hope to be back with more soon, Anne xxx.

Floral Fragrances Part 2 (by Zoe)

Good morning and welcome, here are some of my samples that were featured last month on Hochanda using the stunning new Floral and Perfume inspired stamps, so pretty.

First of all I must really apologise for the lighting on my 2 cards.

My first card I coloured in using watercolour crayons. I stamped again and decoupaged the butterfly and flower to create depth. I used a backing paper from one of the previous shows for my mat and layer.

I used a greyboard tag and gessoed first, then stamped and heat embossed. I coloured in using watercolour markers and topped with a clear sparkle pen to seal it.

I coloured my final card using sparkle brush pens.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit, your comments are well appreciated.
Have a wonderful day xx Zoe xx

Bold and Bright by Brenda

Morning, Brenda back again after just a few days with a few more of my Perfumery cards from the recent Hochanda release.

A rather bright and bold one above with an ecoline ink background, the Roses from Floral Perfumery stamped and cut out to decoupage onto the coloured panel with just the slightest colour added to them. The panel has been simply matted onto white, onto white again as I felt with the colour it needed little more and just a sentiment from the same stamp set which says it all.

This time an acrylic ink background, some subtle stencilling using Useful Leaves Stencil, The main image from Butterfly Perfumery stamped focally but with second generation stamping as I wanted a faded affect, then the Butterfly and Rose stamped again, cut out and decoupaged, plus one of the sentiments randomly stamped across the background.

A watery Brusho background for this one, Floral Perfumery stamped out then the colour bleached away, I needed to let it draw and bleach a second time to get a totally white finish, then matted and layered onto coordinating card stock. A note to those who are asking why I don't just use masking fluid, I could and I do have some, but I find bleaching quite therapeutic and you get some quite interesting effects and not always what you expect.....I did one the other day on some really dark blue Brushos and ended up with lovely aqua colour flowers after adding bleach.....watch this space!!

Many thanks for your visit and I hope I have offered some inspiration.

A Walk in the Garden (by Carole)

Hello everyone, our Guest Design Team member Carole is back today, sharing a delightful card which uses a background that she found in her stash. We often make extra backgrounds and 'file' them away for later, why not have a rummage through your left overs, and use Carole's project as inspiration for a project?

Carole writes:

Hello everyone.
Time for my next post. Where does the time go?
When I was tidying my craft stuff, I use this term loosely, I found a beautiful background piece that I had made with my Brushos.
I have teamed it up with an image from one of my other favourite sets, the Mackintosh Beauty.
I have used her in one of my previous Guest Design Team posts, in fact exactly a year ago, but because you can snip away various parts of the design, she can look different each time you use her. I like this versatility in a stamp.

Products used:

Stamps: Exquisite Edges, Mackintosh Beauty, tiny butterflies from Essence of Nature, words from Loving Sentiments.
Brushos, Versamark, clear embossing powder, an Aloe Vera coloured inkpad, Majestic Blue Versafine, black permanent inkpad, parchment paper.

I stamped the background with Versamark and clear embossed it.
I used a paintbrush to wet the inside of all of the flower shapes and then lightly sprinkled a blue Brusho over. The water tends to be contained within the embossed areas so the colour doesn't spread too far and the splatters spread into the sky area.
I left this to dry and then coloured the lower section with the Aloe Vera inkpad.
The lady and the tiny butterflies were stamped with the blue Versafine and clear embossed. Her dress was coloured with the same colours as the background.
The words were stamped with the permanent inkpad onto parchment.
It was a little time consuming to cut the butterflies out but I thought they were cute.

Thank you for visiting today and I hope you enjoyed my card.
It is always a pleasure creating projects with such beautiful stamps as these.
Bye for now and happy crafting,

Carole.

Wings ( By Marga)

Hello everyone, hope you have a nice day today. My time to show you a card today with the lovely new stamps.

On this card I used only brown colours to colour the image.

The colours I used are Distress Ink colours and I coloured it with a waterbrush.

The stamp I used is: Butterfly Perfumery

Hugs

Marga

Fifteen Minute Cards

Hello everyone, it is time for our monthly blog post featuring cards and projects created in fifteen minutes or less. The Design Team have designed some fabulous creations to inspire you, and are sharing lots of tips and ideas to save time when creating their designs. If you want to make a card in a hurry, or are looking for smething to make for a craft fair, or as a batch card, maybe as a Wedding card or a Christmas card, (it's never too early in the year!), then we have lots of ideas to share with you.

So, grab a cuppa, and enjoy this month's selection.....

Brenda has designed a box of cards using Distress Inks, Versafine Clair Inks, Pan Pastels, and stencils. The card designs themselves are very simple, and would make great 'any occasion' cards. What a lovely gift this set would make for someone, but you could just choose any one of these designs to make as a quick card.

I have made a quick tag, which could be added to a gift, used as a bookmark, or added to a card. I have used a scrap piece of background from my stash to make the tag, which was coloured with Distress Inks and water, then sprinkled with salt and left to dry.  I stamped the butterfly border over the top and coloured it with Inktense pencils and a waterbrush. I added a sentiment, which had been stamped onto a piece of scrap card, with the edges distressed and inked. I distressed and inked the edges of the tag, and added a complementary ribbon.

Rachel has made a trio of pretty cards this month. She has blended Distress Inks through a stencil to create a background for her first card, stamping the rose image and then adding colour over the top.

For her second card, she has added a hand drawn border for extra detail.

Finally, a Distress Ink background with the fabulous leafy image stamped over the top:

Carole has created a vibrant card using the Dawn Chorus, Wise Owl and Fly Away With Me stamp sets. The background was stamped with Abandoned Coral and Fossilized Amber Distress Inks using various elements from the three sets. the image from Dawn Chorus is stamped with Versafine Onyx Black ink.

Pat has followed a blue theme for her cards this month, her first card was created by stamping the rosebud image from the Rose Perfumery stamp set onto a piece of paper from My Floral Soul designer papers using a grey permanent ink and colouring it with pencils. She blended some blue Distress Ink around the edges, and spritzed with water to lift some of the ink. She added the sentiment, again using permanent ink, and layered it onto blue card, then onto a white die cut layer before adding it to the card.

For her second card, she heat embossed the image from Floral Perfumery onto glossy card using silver embossing powder. She then coloured the background using alcohol inks with an applicator and blending fluid to aid coverage. She cut a strip of vellum and heat embossed a sentiment with more of the silver embossing powder. She wrapped the vellum around the background before attaching it to the card.

We have some pretty envelope art from Zoe this month, featuring some of the butterfly stamps from last month's TV shows. These would be a lovely surprise popping through someone's letterbox, but would make an equally great card design.

You could stamp a sentiment in the centre of the second one if you were using this idea for a card.....

Finally we have some great projects from Magda, who always inspires us with her time saving ideas. She has created a Brusho wash background for her first card.

She has used Distress Ink pads through a stencil to create the second card.

We hope that you have enjoyed our projects this month, and we will be back next month with more projects to share with you. In the meantime, do keep visiting the blog for a daily dose of inspiration from our regular Design Team posts. Thanks for stopping by,