Numero Uno by Sandra

Hello, I'm sharing some more cards from the October show on The Craft Store.

These cards use the Numerology stamp set, a really useful set for main images and backgrounds.

For my first card I made an inky background with Distress Inks and water. When it was dry I stamped over the background using the 2 larger number stamps with Archival Ink. I realised that I had picked up an old ink pad which was a bit dry, but I carried on and quite liked the distressed look! I stamped  and embossed the fern from Wild Meadow as a focal point and added the Numero Uno onto a piece of card to finish. I layered onto some black card and then onto a 7x5 card.

For my second card I made an inky background again and cut out a tag shape. I  stamped the numbers randomly over the background and then stamped some splatters. I added the man with his umbrella from Eccentric Edwardian stamp set.  I then layered the tag onto some black card and onto a DL card. I added a sentiment from  Punky Expressions.

Thanks for looking

Sandra x

http://isthatthetime.blogspot.com/
 

Focus on Florals (by Judith)

Hello everyone, I hope that you are all keeping well. I am back to share more projects from last month's TV shows.

My first project was created with a piece of scrap corrugated packaging, the sort that comes as a parcel containing books or anything flat, really. I opened it out, took off any extra pieces, and peeled away the top surface to reveal the ridges underneath. 

I created a large piece of A4 background paper by using one of the little worker stamps from the Flora and Fauna stamp set, stamping and embossing it randomly over the background using white embossing powder. I then coloured the whole background using Fossilized Amber Distress Ink and a blending brush. I chopped the background into three pieces to fit my corrugated panel, and added a bit of torm script paper to the lower portion. I die cut three tags from Drawing Cartridge which had been stained with tea. I stamped the main images from Walk Tall onto the tags, and edged them with Black Soot Distress Ink. On one tag, I added a sentiment directly, and on the other two, I added a piece of black ribbon and a little piece of card with a sentiment. I stuck the tags to the background and added lace and black buttons. I matted the yellow background to black card for definition before adhering it to the corrugated card. I chose to score the corrugated card to make a tryptich that would stand up, and for stability, I added washi tape to the back.

I created a similar background for my second project, using another little worker stamp from Flora and Fauna, embossing the stamp using white embossing powder over the background. This time, I chose Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink as the background colour. I stamped the image from the same stamp set onto a piece of Drawing Cartridge, and coloured it initially with Distress Inks and a waterbrush. I added shading with pencils. I stamped a sentiment from Punky Expressions onto a small die cut rectangle. I edged all of the card pieces with Distress Ink before adhering them to the card blank.

I chose to use the very pretty foxglove from the Honey Bee stamp set as the main focus for my final card. I stamped the image three times, along with two of the bees, and masked the images, before adding colour to the background with Distress Ink. I spritzed the background with water. I stamped the silhouette image using first and second generation stamping using green and purple ink. I removed the masks and coloured the images with pencils. Finally I added the sentiment from the same stamp set.

I will be back later in the month with more projects to share with you. Take care, and thanks so much for stopping by,

Judith xx

Steampunk Flowers (by Doreen O'Brien)

Hello, I am back with my last blog post for this month.

I first made a background with Oxide sprays.

Stamped the cogs from the Steampunk Butterfly set.

I then stamped the flowers using Black Versafine ink.

Colouring them in with Distress ink and highlighting with a white pen.

Next, I stamped the keys onto the background.

Finally, I stamped on the sentiment.

 

I will say bye for now,

Doreen

Take Time to Breathe (by Andrew)

Hello Peeps thank you for dropping by.

Today I'm going to explain a card I did for the recent Chocolate Baroque TV show.

Begin with an A5 piece of card stock and trim 2cm from the long side and short side, (this will allow for matting and layering later).

Apply Distress Oxide in Salvaged Patina and Speckled Egg all over the card. From the Steampunk Butterfly stamp set use the quarter circle stamp using archival watering can ink pad and stamp either side of the long edge all the way down creating a type of border. 

Trim a piece of card to 19cm x 6cm, as before apply Salvaged Patina and Speckled Egg Distress ink.

With the Watering Can, ink up the butterfly stamp, first stamp on to scrap paper then randomly on to the card, so using second generation ink. Stamp over the whole panel.

Apply more Salvaged Patina and Speckled Egg to piece of card big enough to accomodate the butterfly stamp. Dry with a heat gun, now this is important, you need to make sure this is absolutely dry as when we apply the embossing powder, we only want it to stick where we stamp. Go over it with an anti-static bag as well.

Ink up the butterfly with Versamark clear ink, stamp image and apply detail silver embossing powder and heat set. Fussy cut out the butterfly.

Matt and layer big panel onto brown card and attach to A5 card blank, with the thin panel matt and layer long sides only onto same brown card, attach to main panel.

Using foam pads attach butterfly to centre on card.

On some scrap card (possibly the 2cm scraps you have just cut off (you did save them didn't you))!!! stamp the words "Take time to Breathe" on to two pieces of card from the Punky Expressions stamp set using Versafine Majestic Blue. Rough up the edges or tear them, apply Walnut Stain to the edges.

Cover the pices in Versafine and apply clear embossing powder and heat set, do this twice more and repeat with the other piece. Attach "Take time to" in top left using foam pads and "Breathe" in the bottom right.

Job done.

                      

 

Be adventerous by Brenda

The background was a mop up of Oxides with some stencilling over which I stamped the cogs from Steampunk Butterfly. The large butterfly from the same set coloured in with Distress Markers and an index clip to hold the piece in place. Sentiments from Punky Expressions .

A storm night at sea here, an oval inked with Oxides, lightening using one of the worker stamps from Make your Mark heat embossed with a mixture of details white and sparkle EP. The bird image and shells are from Seashell Collage stamped in Versafine Clair Twilight.

Thanks as always for your visits and kind words.

Where Imagination Meets Reality.......by Sandra

 Hello, I am sharing some more of my cards made for the June show on The Craft Store.

The stamps I have used are Steampunk Butterfly and Punky Romance.

For my first card I made a background using watered down blue and brown distress inks onto watercolour cardstock. When it was dry I used the same inks and stamped the cogs from Steampunk Butterfly randomly.  I stamped the corners and the bat wings in black archival ink and coloured with a darker blue. I finished the card by adding the sentiment, some pen nibs that I cut on my silhouette and a few small bats* from the Nevermore stamp set.

*The small bats were also included in last years Comfy Pyjama Online Retreat which was absolutely fabulous and it's happening again this year!

My next card uses the wonderful machinery stamp, pretty and grungy at the same time.

I stamped with archival ink, then used pencils to colour.  Once it was all coloured I used a blending solution to soften the edges of the pencils. I added the sentiment from Punky Expressions.

For my last card I used distress oxides for the background. I then used the large corner stamp to make a "dreamcatcher". I stamped in archival and used glitter gel pens to colour. I then stamped the keys and used a black pen to join the keys to the "dreamcatcher". I added a sentiment from Punky Expressions.

Thanks for looking

Sandra x

Painted Butterflies (by Judith)

Hello everyone, I have a couple of projects to share with you using stamps that were featured on last month's TV shows.

My first project was created using a stencilled background and three different colours of Distress Ink.  I used a piece of Smooth White Stamping Paper and moved the stencil across the page to cover the entire area. If you look closely, you can see where I have joined the two sections together, but it doesn't really matter, as it is just a background, and the butterflies from the Steampunk Butterfly stamp set mostly cover it up. 

I chose three words from the Punky Expressions stamp set, and stamped them onto the background using Versafine Black ink. I stamped the butterflies onto some Drawing Cartridge using the same ink, and coloured them with Inktense pencils, blending the colours with a waterbrush. Any watercolour pencils would do. I cut the wings out and adhered them either side of the words. Finally, I added the sentiment, also from Punky Expressions.

For my second card, I created a background using a piece of Drawing Cartridge and Distress Inks in shades of brown and green. I added stamps from Make Your Mark, Timeless and Steampunk Butterfly. I stamped and embossed two butterflies from the last set using copper embossing powder, and coloured them with Inktense pencils and a waterbrush, again, you could use any watercolour pencils. I cut the butterflies out and added words from Punky Expressions. I edged the background using a dark brown ink.

I had a lot of fun creating these cards, the stamp sets are so versatile, and as you can see, they all mix and match so well. I hope that I have inspired you to try out some ideas. Thanks for stopping by, take care,

Judith xx

Vitamin Sea

 Hello everyone, I am sharing some more of my cards from the June shows on The Craft Store.

I have used stamp sets  Mermaid Queen, Something Fishy, Seashell Collage, Make Your Mark, Punky Expressions and Edgy Edges

For my first card I stamped and embossed the main mermaid image and coloured with watercolour pencils.  I added some sparkle to the mermaid's tail so it was lovely and shimmery. 

I then used Distress Inks for the background taking care not to go over the mermaid. I used a blue archival ink to stamp the seaweed, bubbles and fish. Using the blue ink gave a bit of depth to the picture.  

I added some gauze along the bottom of the card which I coloured with ink. I then added some fussy cut shells and a die cut of a ships wheel. 

To finish I added the Vitamin Sea quote. To make this I used the alphabet on Edgy Edges. Using my stamping platform I inked and stamped each letter onto a piece of clear plastic and then moved my piece of card underneath until it was in the right place, removed the plastic and stamped onto the card. This takes a little time, but worth it.

My next card is a rusty, grungy porthole!

I cut a ring out of white card and added some grey board "nuts". I added some texture paste around the ring, heavier on the grey board. When it was all dry I painted with different shades of watered down blue and grey acrylics. I then added a wash of Quinacridone Gold paint to give the rusty effect.

I cut another circle slightly larger than the centre of the ring and added a distress ink background. I stamped the images and coloured with water colour pencils. The mermaid silhouettes were embossed in black. 

I covered my card base with some wood effect paper, stamped the ship in the lower left corner and added my porthole.

My last card today is a mini fish tank.

I blended blue and green distress inks randomly for the background. Using the same colour inks I added a stencil. I then stamped and coloured the foliage and fish. I added some glitter glue to give a sparkle to the fish. I added a sentiment and mat and layered my card. I then used a Versamark pen and some copper embossing powder around the edge.

Thanks for looking

Sandra x

sea view (by Veronica)

Today I have two cards to share using the seashell collage stamp set.

The first uses the seagulls, these are just waiting for signs of anyone approaching who may have food....

Coloured with watercolour pencils,apart from the sky which was sponged with distress ink. The large gull was stmaped on spare card, coloured,   cut out and glued over the main image. The base card was sponged wioth distress ink and randomly stamped with seashells in the same ink.

 The second card uses some of the smaller stamps from the set  to create a rough wreath shape. The shells were inked with distress inks in orange and green and the anchor and helm in brown. The words  and some of the seashells  seashells were randomly stamped around the edges to form the background in distress inks, and the same inks sponged round , with a very light blue added to the centre.  The sentiment is from punky expressions

Four Fold Cards (by Carole)

Hello everyone, today sees the first of three posts this month from our Guest Design Team member Carole Cann. Carole has designed a series of beautiful folded cards for your inspiration. 

Carole writes:

Hello everyone.
It is my turn again to show some samples as a guest designer. I always look forward to this and hope you like my three, very different projects.
I have used stamps that were highlighted last year as it is very easy to put them away in your stash and forget about them.
I have started off with a lovely four fold design. I really like this folded card as you can get an interesting finished project.
I decided to do a men's card, using the Eccentric Edwardian set, Steampunk Travel and Punky Expressions. Very good standbys for a men's card.

Make a master sheet for the background paper. Mine was made by just pressing Distress Inkpads onto the card, I usually use two colours, in this case Pumice and Wild Honey.
Spritz the background with water and leave to dry. The inks will bleed slightly and blend with each other.
The elements were stamped with Versafine black and one of the other colours.
The gentleman was stamped onto the card, but the very top of his head was masked so that the hat would sit properly. The hat was on a separate piece of card and cut out.
Finally I used a piece of metal, stamped with Stazon and embossed it to create an embelishment on the front.
Below are two other cards that I have done using this design. One was shown on Hochanda many months ago, but I thought it was worth another viewing for those of you who may not have seen it. The other was a birthday card for a friend using blue as the background.

Love this colour combination.
See you next week with something different.
Thank you for visiting and happy crafting.
Carole

Over on my blog cchotchpotch.blogspot.com there is another sample that I made for my daughter, using Chocolate Baroque stamps and stamps from an Alice in Wonderland range from another company. The flowers went so well with the other stamps I thought to have them as soon as I saw them. I hope you agree.

Sparing a Thought (by Kim)

Hello everyone, here is the second blog post this month from our Guest Design Team member Kim. She has created a thoughtful card for your inspiration.

Kim writes:

This is blog number two for the Design Team blog whilst the lockdown continues- can it really be another week that has gone by?

As I sit in my craft room looking out on the sunny day the overall air is quiet- not the usual hustle and bustle of life. I suppose if I think back this is how Sundays used to be before Sunday Trading came in- the only difference was that we could go out a bit more than we can now.

So I find myself thinking of loved ones and in particular my Mum who is on her own down in London- and I thought I would make her a card- just letting her know that I am think of her.

I used a 7 x 7 card base for this make and made a white layer approx 6.6 x 6.5 with a slightly bigger black mat.

Then I turned to Distress Inks- I think they get a little forgotten these days. I used Peacock Feathers, Weathered Wood, Mustard Seed and Mowed Lawn. Then finding a small acrylic block to act as a stamp- inked it up with ink- took one impression off on to scrap paper and then second generation onto my white card. I built up my background layers until I was happy, overlapping them as I went.

Next I took the wonderful seed head from the Glorious rubber stamp set- I particularly loved this stamp from the set- I feel that it is elegant and needs very little to show itself off. I stamped it using Versafine Clair.

Next I needed a sentiment, now that took me ages to find the one I felt was right. The normal Thinking Of You did not quite cut it for me- so I needed something a little more quirky but meaningful. After a lot of searching back and forth I came to this one 'A Penny Farthing for your thoughts'- as I think we all spend quite a lot of time these days thinking a lot about what is happening around us. This stamp comes from the Punky Expressions set..... a little odd for some maybe but it suited my thoughts.

Hope you like this little make- cards do not always need to be complicated. Let the stamp do the talking and I think this one does that- it is deatailed and elegant.

Thanks for reading

Kimmy x

Breath, Dream, Explore by Penny

Good morning peeps,  I hope you are all managing to keep warm and dry in this horrible weather!  I'm here with my last post this month with a sample from the December shows featuring my favourite CB Steampunk stamps.  For this card I have used stamps from the Funky Fish and Punky Expressions sets, Distress Inks, black Versafine ink, clear EP, clear texture gel, die cuts, metalic paints and some air dry clay embellishments from my stash.

I began by creating the background panel.  I took a piece of  white card and blended three colours of DI's then dried it with a heat tool.  I used a couple of small worker stamps and randomly stamped them over the panel.   I then took a stencil from my stash, applied texture gel through it and left it to dry.  I blended DI around the edges of the background.

  

 

On another piece of white card I stamped a seahorse in black ink and embossed it with clear EP.  I painted the image with metalic acrylics then cut it out.  I used a die from my stash to cut out some 'seaweed', and painted a few air dry clay shell embellishments with the metalic paints.

  I took a white base card and stamped the same worker stamps around the edges.  I attached the background panel to it, then attached the sea horse and the embellishments.  I stamped a sentiment and cut some of the words off to attach them seperately.

Thank you for popping in today I hope you've enjoyed this little project.  I'll be back next month with some more crafty projects, in the meantime stay safe and warm,

                                xx  Penny  xx

Quick Gelli Print Cards (by Judith)

Hello everyone, I have a couple of cards to share using the stamps featured on last month's TV shows on Hochanda. Both cards follow the same basic recipe, but with a few tweaks here and there, I have created two very different cards, one for a male and one for a female recipient.

If you have a spare afternoon, create a few gelli print backgrounds, or rummage through some of the backgrounds that you have already made to see if you have something suitable for this project. I simply used a brayer to apply two colours of Distress Ink to the gelli plate, then stamped a dotty tool over the top to get the background effect before pulling the prints. You could press bubble wrap onto the gelli plate for a similar effect.

For my first card, I stamped and embossed a couple of cog images from the Punky Flowers stamp plate along the bottom of the background, using gold embossing powder. I stamped an image from Steampunk Funky Fish and added a sentiment from Punky Expressions, using Archival Ink. I coloured the images using Koh-I-Noor watercolour pencils. Finally, I edged the background with blue Distress Ink.

For my second card, I created the background in exactly the same way, and then stamped an image from Punky Flowers using Archival Ink. I masked the flowers and stamped the image again a few times using Versafine Clair in a toning orange colour. I added a sentiment from Punky Expressions, and coloured the images with pencils as before. Before I attached my background to the card, I edged it with pink Distress Ink.

Punky Expressions is a very versatile stamp set, with words for lots of different occasions. These cards will be great for lots of different purposes, and can be sent to cheer someone up, just because, or for a particular reason. I hope that you will be inspired by my projects and try the ideas out for yourselves.

Thanks for stopping by,

Judith xx

Sailing Underwater Steampunk Style (by Pat)

Hello everyone, here is the second post this month from our Guest Design Team member Pat. She has created a fabulous steampunk themed card, great for those men in your life. 

Pat writes:

Hi everyone, I'm back with my second post for this month and I decided on something more masculine this time, although it doesn't necessarily have to be. I have used the Steampunk Sea World set of stamps, a sentiment from the Punky Expressions set, brown and blue permanent inks, clear gloss embossing powder, brushos in turquoise and orange on stencilled background, Distress Inks using a brown, orange and a blue for everything else, a waterbrush, a blending tool, and a stitched circle die.

I started by stamping the sailing ship using brown permanent ink and heat embossed with the clear embossing powder. I masked it to add the stencilled background using the brushos shaken sparingly on to the stencil itself and spritzed with water before pressing it on to the card. The colours have combined to make a pretty green, but as you can see with touches of orange remaining. I watercoloured the ship and added the blended blue over the background fading it towards the centre.

I then made a background using two more of the stamps from the same set again using brown permanent ink and clear heat embossed, then watercoloured with the brown. I finished by blending the same blue over the background making it darker around the edges and added a sentiment from the Punky Expressions set using the blue permanent ink which I clear heat embossed.

Thank you for joining me today and I will be back again next week with my last post.

Best Wishes,

Pat.

Splendid! (by Sandra)

Hello
I am here today to share my second post with cards made from the December show on Hochanda.

All the cards are made with stamps from Steampunk Birds, Punky Expressions and  Punky Flowers


A couple of CAS card using the paddle duck and rooster. I coloured them with alcohol pens. I love the sentiments!

Next, I stamped some of the quirky flowers and coloured with Distress Markers.

And finally the adorable owl. I coloured with Distress Inks on a Brushos background.

Thanks for looking
Sandra x

Punky flowers, fish and birds by Rachel

Hello there. Rachel here again with a few more samples from the December shows.

In this first one I used an image from the Punky flowers sheet and teamed it with a sentiment from the punky expressions sheet. The flowers were coloured with water colour pencils.

In this one the background was created by brayering ink on a round gelli plate and printing it. Then I added a punky flowers image and coloured it with pencils before adding a sentiment from the punky expressions sheet.

This one has a brushos background tht I stamped the bird over - I then coloured it in using inks then painted the water before finally adding punky expression sentiment.

My canvas was a bit of a labour of love - the background was done mainly using foam and my fingers with acrylic paints from various sources! Once dry I added the funky fish and steam punk sea world stamps that I had stamped, coloured and fussy cut. I added them and overpainted using a gloss medium. 

Finally my free standing piece - for this I used the funky fish and some punky flowers on a monolith - both images were coloured using acrylic paint.

I hope this has given you more ideas as to how to use your stamps!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Curios Adventures and Imagine What Lies Beneath by Penny

Goodly morning peeps, I hope you have all settled into the New Year by now.  I'm here today with my first DT post of 2020, and I'm delighted that it features some of my all time favourite CB Steampunk stamps!

Curiosity and Adventure.

For this mixed media piece I have used the beautiful stamps from the Steampunk Funky Fish, Steampunk Sea World and and Punky Expressions, metalic acrylic paints, Distress Inks and a variety of stencils from my stash.

I painted an MDF panel with a coat of white gesso then a coat of blue chalk acrylic.  I then used several stencils and different colours of Distress Inks to create a layered background.  When everything was dry I took some gold Soft Form Paste and added it through a stencil along the bottom for texture and the sea bed.    

I stamped and embossed the fish, sea creatures and two machines onto black card, painted them and cut them out.  I coloured them with metalic paints because they suit the Steampunk, industrial aspect of the images.  Three of the images have 'sand' or 'sea bed' attached to them, so they went along the bottom of the panel attached with 3D glue gel.  After shaping the other images I attached those to the panel with 3D gel too.  I stamped and embossed some sentiments and attached them as before.  To complete this mixed media piece I punched a couple of holes on the top edge and added cord to hang it up with.

Imagine What Lies Beneath.


A card this time featuring stamps from the Steampunk Funky Fish, and Steampunk Sea World sets,

pearlescent spritzers, Distress Ink and an embossing folder from my stash.

  

I began by creating the background, I spritzed a piece of white card with pearlescent inks.  When it was dry I embossed the panel in a folder that I think expresses underwater currents.  I then matted the panel onto black card.  I took a white base card and stamped one of the larger images around the edges with DI, then attached the background panel.  

I stamped and embossed several fish and a sea creature onto black card, painted them with metalic paints and cut them out.  I shaped them and attached them to the card with 3D gel.  I then stamped and embossed a sentiment onto white card and attached it with 3D gel as before.

Thank you for popping by today, I hope these samples have tickled your crafty mojo a little!  I shall be back later in the month with some more crafty fun.

Until next time,

                             xx  Penny  xx

Flying In To Land (by Judith)

Hello everyone, I have a project to share with you today, featuring stamps from last month's TV shows on Hochanda.

I love a bit of steampunk every now and then, and these sets are amongst my favourites. I have created a garden scene using flowers from the Punky Flowers stamp set, stamped onto tissue paper, coloured with pencils, and adhered to a painted canvas with matte medium. I then stamped the owl from Steampunk Birds onto a piece of drawing cartridge and attached the image with wet glue.

The sentiment is from Punky Expressions.

Thanks for stopping by,

Judith xx