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Saturday 31 October 2020

Sketchy Florals part 3 by Zoe

Good morning again Lovelies, boy hasn’t this month flown by?

I’m not a fan of Halloween but appreciate a lot love it, if you are one then I wish you a Happy Halloween, stay safe.

So here are the last of my samples using the wonderful Blueprint Sketch Floral Stamps, aren’t they just amazing? 

Wasn’t Lesley brilliant as always on Hochanda?

My favourite is the lightbulb, I know I shouldn’t have a favourite but it’s just so “now” 











Thank you for visiting today, I hope you like my samples.

Have a wonderful day xx Zoe xx

Friday 30 October 2020

Vellum Echinacea's by Brenda


Morning Peeps, my final shares of sampled using the new Blueprint stamps. 

The top card has a background of Distress Oxides, stencilling an a little bleaching to lift the colours, Echinacea  Blueprint stamped centrally then further blooms added with the smaller worker stamps. I bleached out the colour from the blooms then stamped again onto vellum, but out and decoupaged. A sentiment from one of the new sets, some flicks of white pen and white doodling around the edges.

A chipboard tag covered with acrylic paint onto which I added some torn strips of printed tissue paper. Chrysanthemum Blueprint  stamped with Versafine black, as is my usual the flower heads stamped again onto an inked offcut, cut out and paper pieced. The number stamped onto a piece of Aida and the remainder of the image coloured with Distress Markers.

Wednesday 28 October 2020

Keeping it Simple (by Christine)

 

Hello everyone. This is my final turn on the blog for this year.

The cards in my first two blog posts took some time to create so this time, I decided on a simple but elegant example. I also wanted to use some of the lovely dies I have in my stash to enhance the stamping.

The stamps I am using are from the beautiful Shared Beauty set.

I used octagonal dies to create my first layer. I had just received some red cardstock and thought the colour perfect for what I wanted to achieve.

Two circular dies, one very decorative, created my next layer. I then stamped the image with Versafine Clair Nocturne and used clear embossing powder to give it shine and impact against the matt red card. I used adhesive foam to attach it to give the card depth. I decided against adding a sentiment, but it would be easy to add an appropriate one when the need arises.

Originally, I had stamped the image in red and then embossed it but the shade of red just didn't work with the red card, so I had a spare image to use. I also had a circular frame cut in white card from the original piece of work, so it was obvious to use the two together. On the theme of keeping it simple, I added some white pigment ink to black card using the circles stencil from the Chocolate Baroque Strip Stencil - Collection 1 set and then positioned the stamped image in the centre. I added one of the sentiments to the card as a finishing touch.

Quick, simple, but I think effective.

Take care, stay well and see you the next time.

Happy crafting!

Christine.


Tuesday 27 October 2020

Pretty Notelets

Hello, I'm sharing a few more of my samples from the September show on Hochanda using the second set of blueprints stamps - Lupin Blueprint, Chrysanthemum Blueprint, Echinacea Blueprint and Allium Blueprint.

I made a set of little set of notelets using the small individual stamps that are in each stamp set.

To make my notelets I first cut some circles from cardstock to fit on my cards and blended some Distress Inks onto the background. I then used the same colour with a stencil before stamping the flower and sentiment.  I finished by doodling around the edges






Thanks for looking
Sandra x

Monday 26 October 2020

all together in the floral dance (by Rachel)

 Hello there! Rachel here. Did I get you singing? Hope so - then you'll be smiling as you look over some more samples I made for the September shows.

This first one is using the main image from the Echinacea Blueprint stamp set - stamped onto a gel press background and coloured with watercolour pencils. This panel has been mounted onto a card stamped using more industrial aspects of the stamp sets. 


This was my upcycling project - I used a cardboard box that something had been packaged in and covered it in the postcards that Lesley sells. Onto these I decoupaged images from the allium and the lupin sets - it made a very bright and cheerful gift box.


And finally - my sign  from the craft along shows - I used this to create this sign. The back back of the plaque is dry brushed in paint and has stamped images from the industrial parts of the stamp sets all over it. Next the letters were given a coat of acrylic paint and then stamped over and finally I added the allium to the centre of the O.


Hope you have picked up a few more ideas of ways you could use your stamps.

Big hugs

Rachel xx


Sunday 25 October 2020

allium


Today's share features the allium blueprint 

The first card has a brushed distress ink rainbow background, with some light stamping in one corner . the main allium image was stamped on the right using black versafine ink, and then coloured with watercolour pencils. sentiment comes from the same set
the second card uses the main image stamped onto a piece of drawing cartridge coloured using distress inks and coloured with watercolour pencils. The single flower was stam,ped three times onto spare card, coloured with brusho powders, fussy cut out and glued at the base of the main image.The background card square was also coloured with distress inks and randomly stamped with smaller stamps  using the same inks



 As a coffe drinker I soon acquire  a stash of empty cans, whcih i hate to throw in the bin - I recycled two into pencil/brush holders. I measured pieces of drawing cartidge to fit with a slight overlap, then coloured them using distress inks. Various images from all the new blueprint sets were stamped using versafine ink and the completed strips fastened onto the cans using redline tape.

Friday 23 October 2020

Having a Lightbulb Moment (by Judith)

Hello everyone, for my final post this month, I am sharing two projects using the beautiful Lupin Blueprint stamp set. This fabulous stamp set is full of beautiful images, and some lovely sentiments. I really enjoyed working with this stamp set and will definitely be using it a lot!

For my first card, I created a background using a technique that Lesley shared with us on a Butterfly Tree get together. I painted a piece of scrapbook paper with white paint, then rolled Distress Ink over the top. I added stamping and stencilling with the same colours to create a collage effect. The whole effect looks very vintage, and makes a great background for the main image. I coloured the image with pencils, coordinating with the background colours. I also added some shading around the edge with Distress Ink.

To create my second card, I used a piece of scrap background from my stash box. This brightly coloured piece of card was crying out for some of the lightbulbs, and I stamped them across the yellow area in the middle of the page. I drew some lines at the top to hang the bulbs from, so that they were not floating in mid air. I created a matching background using the same colours of Distress Ink, and stamped the large lightbulb randomly over the top, using turquoise Archival Ink.

I hope that you have enjoyed our cards this month, thanks so much for stopping by. Take care, and stay safe.


Judith xx

Thursday 22 October 2020

Sketchy Florals part 2 by Zoe

Good morning Lovelies and welcome to my second post for this month.

I’m sharing with you a few more of my samples from last months shows featuring these amazing Blueprint Sketch Florals.
I adore them, I had such fun creating these, there is so much versatility with these designs.

Of course I’ve had to live up to my nickname “The Envelope Queen”









Thank you so much for spending the time to visit, I hope to see you later in the month, have a wonderful day xx Zoe xx

Wednesday 21 October 2020

The Kiss (by Christine)

 

Hello everyone!

I'm back with my second blog post for October. The stamp set of choice is the stunning The Folk Art Garden set.

I used the largest stamp from the set in the centre of a 5" square card and then added some of the smaller stamps around the edge for extra detail.


I used a variety of transluscent and metallic paints to colour the images, taking care not to move around the images so that the paint could dry properly in each area.

 


I could have stopped there but I had in mind a fantastic painting - The Kiss- by Gustav Klimt, which is one of my all time favourite works of art. I am lucky enough to have seen the original; it's incredibly vibrant and rich, using oils and gold leaf. In my more modest piece, I simply covered the white space with gold metallic paint.


Like my last post, this card takes some time to create, but if you need a special one, this could be the approach. It would look equally good framed as wall art.

 

Happy crafting!

 

Christine

xx

Tuesday 20 October 2020

Circle canvas by Brenda


Morning everyone, I have some more inspiration to share from my samples from last months Hochanda shows using the lovely Blueprint stamp sets.

At the top a circle canvas which I treated to an abundance of Gesso, Distress Inks, Acrylic Paint and stencilling before stamping Chrysanthemum Blueprint  and  Lupin Blueprint which I coloured in with Distress Markers. Two of the silhouette name tags, some clock hands and a few gems.


More colour, this time one of the Postcards covered with some texture paste stencilling and strips of white card to tone it down a bit. I stamped and cut out the Lupin Blueprint which I coloured with Distress Markers.


Monday 19 October 2020

Alliums and Lights

Hello I'm sharing a couple more cards from the Hochanda show in September featuring the 2nd series of Blueprint stamps.

My first card uses the single Allium flower from the Allium Blueprint set.

First, I stamped the Allium onto some Masking Tissue and cut out the image as close as I could.
I coloured a piece of card with a water colour wash.
I then stamped onto the centre of  my card and used the mask to cover it.
I then stamped each side of the masked flower ensuring that the stems were at the right angle for a vase.
I removed the mask and coloured the flowers with water colour pencils. I then added the vase which I cut from some patterned paper.
I finished with a label from the stamp set, and layered onto a card


For my second card I used Distress Inks to make the background.

I stamped the lightbulbs from the Lupin Blueprint set with Versafine and I stamped an extra one onto a piece of card with Versafine which I then embossed with clear powder.

I coloured this one in, again with Distress Ink. I used a ball tool to shape the edges and added some foam pads to the back to give a bit of depth. I glued around the edge of the lightbulb and placed it on the card. I used the chain stamp from Small Graph Paper set to "hang" the lightbulbs.




Thanks for looking

Sandra x

Saturday 17 October 2020

Lupins light up my life (by Rachel)

 Hello there! Rachel here today with some makes from the September shows - mostly focussing on the Lupin Blueprint stamp set. 

In this first sample I used a gell press background I had already made and added the decoupaged image on the top. Colouring of this was with watercolour pencils.


For this next card I got my coloured inks out and stamped and fussy cut lots of lightbulbs. Next I stamped a grey background using images from a few of the blueprint sets and then I arranged the lightbulbs to make a flower.


My next piece is a ceramic piece made using both the echinacea and the lupin blueprint stamped sets. I used glazes to paint onto the bisque fired pot before putting it in the kiln for a final blast!



My last card was made initially as a tag - using the lupin flower again - I did get a bit carried away with this one - coloured in water colour pencils. I then added it to a DL card I had stamped some of the words and blue print images onto...I was trying to achieve a bit of a parquet floor sort of effect!


I hope I have given you some inspiration of different ways to use your stamps!

Big hugs

Rachel xx


Friday 16 October 2020

Last Minute - by Magda ( Sketchy Doodle Landscape, Wild Meadow,Pretty Poppies, Lily, Words to dazzle & sparkle, Amazing Mackintosh Words)


Good morning,

today I like to show you 4 cards done with the same method changing colors,                                     stencils and stamped image.

This quick last minute receipe can always help you, when needed

1. Wipe a wash colour with a white cardstock and let dry                                                                              2. Use one or more stencils passing on it a  blending tool with the same colour                                          used at point 1 and a second contrast colour                                                                                                           3. Stamp in black the chosen flower                                                                                                               4. Colour each flower with the contrast colour used on the background                                                        5. Glue the mat on the card and don't forget the sentiment                                                                              

For the cards I used :

white cardstock ,                                                                                                                                        Distress Ink Pads for the wash                                                                                                                 blending tool on the stencil,                                                                                                                             for the flower :  Sketchy Doodle Landscape, Pretty Poppies , Wild Meadow,                                               Lily                                                                                                                                                                for the sentiment :  Words to Dazzle & Sparkle,  Amazing Mackintosh Words                                                   Inkssentials Glue n Seal






Thank you for passing by and hope to meet you next month again, hugs.                                             Magda 






Wednesday 14 October 2020

Floral Grid (by Christine)

Hello everyone, today sees the first of three posts this month by our Guest Design Team member Christine Patch. She has created a delightful card for your inspiration, and kindly provided a step by step tutorial for you. 

Christine writes: 

Hello everyone

It's my turn again on the blog to share some crafting ideas using lovely Chocolate Baroque stamps. So much has happened in the world since I was first on this blog but crafting with beautiful products remains a joy.

I thought I would share a 'how to' on this occasion. It started very simply with a die cut circle in white card. 


My idea was to create an image using several flower and leaf stamps, with a bit of added extra (in this case butterflies). I decided against adding any background to the white card since I wanted the images to stand proud.

Next step - add a grid. Out comes a black fine liner pen and ruler. I added temporary adhesive on the back of the card so that I can use the lines on my black glass mat to ensure the lines were straight. My ruler has a one centimetre line so I used that as a spacer.

On to colouring using Polychromos pencils and some shading to give additional depth. I also added some small circles with the fine liner pen where all the lines intersected.

Finally, I added two of the butterflies from my original stamping, colouring again with the pencils, but adding some clear sparkle gel for a little impact. A sentiment stamped in black and mounted on white then red card finished the card.

It's not a quick card to make but I think it's worth the effort.

I hope you like this design and might consider trying it yourself but adding your own spin. The stamp sets I used were:

Celebration Bouquet

Rose and Thistle

Rose Duo

Autumn Hedgerow

Butterfly Mind

Happy crafting!

Christine

xx


Tuesday 13 October 2020

by eck, it's echinacea (by veronica)


 Good morning everyone, hopefully the weather is better where you are!

Today I am sharing some samples using the echinacea blueprint stamps- or the eckythump stamps according to David....

My first idea was to decorate a small greyboard binder - by the time I had done it, I had worked out how to decorate it around the ready-fixed ring mechanism....... hopefully the next time I do this the result will be neater at least as I still have a binder to use.....

I had trouble using a brayer to add paint, so resorted to splodging paint on with a flat brush instead which doesn't give the same softer result. Next time I wil prop the binder up between two hardback books to give a level surface to work on ( and will also make sure I have enough desk space to lay the books out on as well!) I used three browny shades of paint, and then a darker brown over the edges and the the spine. I used black archival ink to stamp the large stamp and the smaller sentiment stamps, then stamped the image again onto white card and coloured the flowers with marker pens. The coloured image was fussy cut out and glued onto the binder


These are some of the inner pages of the binder using some the other blueprint stamps with pockets and tags or foldout pages as a change from ordinary pages.