More Russian Inspired Projects (by Judith)

Hello everyone, do you have a favourite from the new stamps that we are showcasing this month? For me I guess it would have to be the lovely Katya, the image is such a versatile stamp, and can be used in so many different colour options and settings. I have so many ideas for this stamp floating around in my head.

I have a card to share with you that was shown on the recent TV shows on Hochanda. I stamped the image first onto a piece of smooth watercolour paper, then masked the image, before creating a background, using Distress Inks. I placed a stencil slightly offset to one side of the stamped image, and added some blue ink through the stencil. I heat set the background with a heat tool, and then stamped and embossed the Large Crackle Backround stamp around the edge of the background, using Versamark and gold embossing powder.

I removed the mask, and coloured the image using water based markers, using shades of blue and yellow to tone in with my background colours. Finally I chose a lime green card to mat the background onto, before I adhered everything to my card base.

I have also created a very chocolately Easter card, perfect for this time of year. I found a shimmery background in my stash of left over background pieces, which was just the right colour. I stamped and embossed the Russian Floral Egg stamp all over the background, using Versamark and copper embossing powder.

I spread some Soft Form Relief Paste-Copper over the stamp, and left it overnight to set. Once the paste had set to a film, I peeled it away from the stamp, and trimmed the edges neatly. I added a little bit of gilding wax in a chocolate brown colour, just for a bit of definition.

I added a thick band of dark brown ribbon to the background, before matting it onto some dark brown card. Finally, I adhered the egg with strong double sided tape. It looks just like a foil wrapped Easter egg, good enough to eat!

Do keep checking back for more inspiration from my Design Team mates over the rest of the month using these fabulous stamps. Wishing you all a very Happy Easter, Judith xx

Fabulous Faberge Egg by Zoe

Good Morning Lovelies and I'm back for my second post this month featuring the wonderful Russian Themed Stamps. They are gorgeous and will appeal to everyone at any level of crafting skill.

I hope you like my samples?

My first card is using a Linen textured card which I masked off with low tack tape, I used Pan Pastels and sealed using cheap hairspray, leaving the tape in place I stamped the Russian Exquisite Egg in the middle first then either side using Versafine Onyx Black Inkpad, removed the tape, stamped my sentiment, added some sequins. 

My second card was stamped with Versamark Inkpad and heat embossed in white, I then inked over using dye-based inkpads, I then stamped around the edges using the same colour inkpads as the background to create a bit more texture, finished with a diecut sentiment.

My third project is a very simple wall hanging, I just used Chipped Sapphire Distress ink and moved the ink around using a water brush, I blended around the egg using the same Inkpad and a sponge, added some of the crackle from the crackle stamp without using a block in the same ink. I then matted and layered and stripped back some cardboard box I'd had lying around and painted with a white crackle paint and once dry I sprayed with a glossy varnish to seal it.

 

 

Thank you so much for taking time to visit, have a great day xx Zoe xx 

Primrose Card (by Brenda)

Hello everyone, today sees the first of three posts this month from one of our regular Guest Designers, Brenda Weatherill. Breanda has created a lovely Spring themed card for your enjoyment.

Brenda writes:

Using a circle die, I cut an aperture into a 6 x 6 piece of card and then stamped the primroses from the Glorious Spring stamp set and coloured them in with pencils.

I then took a slightly smaller piece of card and using a circle mask for the sun I created a background with Pan Pastels. Taking the rabbit image from the same stamp set, I masked over the branch before inking the stamp with Archival Black Ink, so that I was left with just the rabbit and the rocks.

I stamped one of my favourite sentiments from the Words of Inspiration stamp set. I used foam pads to raise the aperture layer, added green card as a backing, and mounted the background onto a card base.

Thank you Brenda for an inspirational design. Brenda will be back next week, with another project to share,

Heartfelt Thanks (by Marga)

Hello all, today I would like to show you a card made with some new and some old stamps.

The background I made with Distress Inks and I splattered some water on it.

In the corner I stamped the leaves from the Wisteria Lane set with two different colours of ink.

Then I stamped the Silhouette Palaces with a brown ink and masked them a little so I could stamp the oriental houses from the Babushka set. These houses I coloured with ink. The sentiment is from the Words to Dazzle and Sparkle set.

Stamps I used: Words of Dazzle and Sparkle, Babushka, Silhouette Palaces, Wisteria Lane.

Hugs Marga

Floral Egg (by Julie)

Hello! Hope you are enjoying the Russian themed designs we have for you this month. Today I have two cards created with the beautiful Russian Floral Egg stamp

This layered card may look a bit complicated but it's quite easy once you know so pull up a chair and I will let you in on the secret.

Stamp the egg design onto stamping card and colour with brush markers. You will now need 4 oval nesting dies or an electronic cutting machine to cut the stamped design into different layers.

Place your dies onto the egg altogether and tape into place with masking tape and then run through your die cutting machine. You will be left with 3 patterned oval frames and one solid oval shape (the centre piece). You now need to cut another set of 4 ovals but completely separate this time as you need to stick your patterned frames onto the solid ovals. Cut a black oval base and arrange the layered egg and stick into place with 3d glue gel.

The base card background has been created by stamping the egg design with clear Versafine ink and then brushing over with Pan Pastel.

I started my second card by masking the top and bottom sections of the base card with sticky notes so the Floral Egg could be stamped across the centre of the card to look like a ribbon. Once stamped, colour with Polychromus pencils and add white pen highlights. Take the Large Crackle Background, ink up with a light grey die based ink and stamp around the base card and then ink with Mustard Seed and Dried Marigold Distress ink.

On separate card stamp the Floral Egg with black ink and colour with Polychromus pencils. You then need to stamp all over the egg with the Large Crackle Background with a light grey ink. Cut your egg design out, mount onto dark card and attach to the front of the card base.

Thank you for stopping by

Julie xx

Pretty girl (by Dominike)

Hello,
I hope you have a good weather as we have in France. Sky is blue. Birds are singing. It is spring.
Yes, it is not unuasal in April. But it is so good !

Today, I am very happy to offer you this card with this beautiful stamp Katya.

I used Gelatos and for the borders, very little pieces of gold leaf.
I hope you like these beautiful new stamps. Thanks for your comments.

Kind regards.

Bonjour,
J'espère que vous avez tous un aussi beau temps que nous en France. Le ciel est bleu. Les oiseaux chantent. C'est le printemps. Ce n'est pas vraiment original en avril. Mais que ça fait du bien !

Aujourd'hui je vous offre cette carte avec ce magnifique tampon Katya. Pour la couleur, j'ai utilisé les Gélatos et pour le bord quelques petits morceaux de feuilles d'or.

Merci pour votre visite et vos commentaires.
A bientôt.

Katya for a Birthday (by Magda)

Hello
We all love the popular new Russian Theme stamps and I want to show you how I used the elegant Katya rubber stamp.

Step by Step:

1. Blend a white cardstock with Distress Ink Pads  Festive Berries and Salty Ocean
2. Use both colours, randomly stamp the new stamp Large Crackle Background
3. Stamp Katya with Versamark on a white cardstock and emboss it with Wow Embossing Powder   
    Clear
4. Blend Katya with Distress Ink Pads  Festive Berries and Salty Ocean and cut around the edges
5. Glue Katya on the background with Collage Glue Stick
6. Stamp with Versafine Onyx Black the new stamp Silhouette Palaces
7. Stamp Happy Birthday from the set  Words to Dazzle & Sparkle with Distress Ink Pad  Festive  
    Berries
8. Assemble the background and the sentiment on a black card base

                                           

I hope you will love Katya too and thank you for passing by .
Magda

Make a Wish (by Anne)

Good morning. Here is another of my TV show samples using the Katya stamp. I have used in in a different way to make a decorative mandala. I hope that you like it.

Materials:

• Katya and Words to Dazzle and Sparkle stamp sets
• 8 X 8 inch card blank, stamping card (white), coloured card (blue with lighter blue core)
• Multicoloured dye based inkpad (purples & blues) and Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass)
• WOW Embossing powder (Clear Gloss)
• Water based sparkle pens (blue, purple, yellow)
• Dies (circle and decorative lattice circle)
• Decorative embossing folder and sanding block

How to make it:

1. Emboss the blue card and lightly sand to enhance the texture. Glue to the card blank.
2. Stamp Katya 4 times onto stamping card using rainbow ink. Heat emboss with the clear powder. Dye inks dry quickly so you need to add the powder immediately after stamping. Cut out the headdress to create a mandala. Colour with glitter pens adding some shading by dragging colour with a water brush. Glue to the card front.
3. Cut the decorative circle from blue card and add additional colour with sparkle pens. Cut the plain circle from white card and stamp the sentiment. Edge with Distress ink and glue to the card with 3D foam.

You Inspire Me (by Asha)

Good morning, friends! What do you think about the lovely new Russian-themed stamps showcased by the team this month? Seriously amazing, right?!

Here's an Art Journal page from me, featuring the lovely Katya. I embossed her with WOW Rich Gold EP and coloured her with alcohol markers.

I added texture around her by stamping the Large Crackle Background using Ranger Archival Ink Plum. Along the bottom edge of the page, I stamped the smaller stamp from the Silhouette Palaces set using Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black. The sentiment is from Words Of Inspiration, also stamped with Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black.

Hope you're having fun with these new stamps. I have more pictures and details of products used over on my blog. Don't forget to swing by often for more amazing projects by the rest of the DT. Thank you for stopping by and have a magical day!

Beijinhos,
Asha

Katya (by Veronica)

I loved doing this sample for the recent TV shows, using the gorgeous big Katya stamp with the larger silhouette palace stamp in the background.
I used brusho powders in the background to try to create a mysterious effect, after first masking Katya with masking fluid and then stamping the buildings twice on each side using a very old dye-based ink pad as I didn't care if the colour bled a bit.
Grey brusho powder for the background, spritzed with water.
Once everything was dry, I peeled off the mask and coloured Katya with alcohol markers. A gold mirri card matt added before mounting onto a white base card.
The team made some fantastic samples for the shows which will be appearing on blogs over the next few weeks, so if you had a favourite from the                                                                                    shows, keep looking!

A message from Russia (posted by Claire)

Good morning, Claire here with a large tag made using some of the fabulous new stamps and stencils that Lesley launched on Hochanda recently. I love mail art so I couldn't resist having a play with the new collection.

I began by making a background using distress stains (Tarnished Brass, Vintage Photo, Broken China and Faded Jeans). I stamped here and there with  the beautiful Russian Exquisite Egg stamps but holding it in my hand so I just caught parts of the design and then embossed with gold embossing powder. I also added a little crackle with the crackle stamp using the same technique. I took one of the stencils and inked through it with a deep blue inkpad and then applied a layer of glassy gel medium. While that was drying I made the rest of the elements. I stamped Katya, again with dark blue ink and cut her out, I inked a post card from my stash and used one of the Silhouette Palace stamps and faux postage paper to make the 'stamps'.

Once everything was dry I assembled my tag, adding some flowers, pearl trim, charms, lace and ribbon from my stash.

Thanks so much for visiting today, keep popping back as my teamies have created some really gorgeous artwork to inspire you

Claire xx

Russian Tryptich (by Judith)

Hello everyone, I hope that you are enjoying the projects shared by my Design Team mates showcasing the fabulous new stamps that were aired on the recent TV shows on Hochanda. If you caught the shows, you will have seen the project that I am going to share with you today.

To create my project, I covered a wooden tryptich with pale pink acrylic paint, and I then stamped Katya and the Russian Floral Egg onto some pale scrapbook paper, using brown ink. I stamped the Large Crackle Background over the top using second generation stamping, as I did not want the crackle stamp to overpower the images. I used the same brown ink as before. I coloured the images with pencils, choosing a fairly muted colour palette, in keeping with an old religious icon that you might find in a church or museum. I added some brown shading around the edges of each section, just with the edge of a pencil, before adhering each section to the tryptich.

I covered the back of the tryptich with a very pretty serviette, using a matte medium adhesive. I chose a design that looked very ornate with gold swirls and a dark base, as I wanted quite a mediaeval feel to the design.

I added gilding wax to the edges of the triptich in shades of green and gold to give an older feel to the piece.

I hope that my project will give you some ideas for using these beautiful stamps, not just for home decor pieces, but for your card making too. Thanks for stopping by, Judith xx

Blog Comment Winner March

Hello everyone, we hope you are doing well.

Once again we would like to thank you all for your visits here at the Design Team blog.  We truly appreciate the time you take to let us know your thoughts about our designs.  
Each comment in March was assigned a number and we used Random Org to draw a winner.  Congratulations to Chris Kelly you have won a £15.00 voucher to spend on Chocolate Baroque stamps!  Please send a quick email here to confirm your email address and Lesley will send you your gift certificate.
Lesley will be giving a £15 gift voucher to another lucky winner drawn from April's comments. The more comments you leave the better your chances to win!  

Thank you for your kind words and comments,
Good luck from the Design Team!

From Russia with love by Zoe

Good morning Lovelies, can you believe it's April already? Roll on Spring weather and all the pretty flowers I say.

So I'm here to share my sample that features the wonderful new Russian themed stamps that Lesley brought to Hochanda, they are exclusive to Hochanda at the moment but will soon be available to buy on the website too. I hope you like them?

I've used the Silhouette Palaces.

My first card I created my reflection using a piece of acrylic and a Memento Inkpad, circle stencil and again a brush to apply my inks, the water I slightly wet the brush to create that more fluid effect.

My second and I have to say "my favourite" was the simplest of all, watercolour card stamped with Versamark Inkpad, heat embossed in black, then I spritzed the card with water, carefully sprinkled on Brushos, I didn't want them to merge too much and used a paint brush and dry cloth to manipulate the flow.

 

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and leave a comment, I love to read what you think, buy for now will be back later in the month with more. In the meantime enjoy my fellow teamies wonderful creations.

Have a wonderful day xx Zoe xx 

Katya (by Marga)

Hello All, today I may show you a card made with the new stamps. What a great stamp this is again.

I coloured the background with Distress Inks and splattered some water on it. Then I stamped the stamp Katya with a light brown ink and colored it on some places with my pencils.

Then I stamped from the stamp sheet Babushka the oriental homes with black.

Stamps I used: Katya, Babushka

Hugs Marga

Love Spring (by Julie)

Hello and thank you for stopping by. Spring is my favourite season so I really enjoyed playing with the Spring themed stamps that Chocolate Baroque have featured this month. The stamp set used for this card is Spring Foliage, hope you like it.

Start by inking the edges of the base card with Dusty Concord Distress ink and then cut a piece of stamping card slightly smaller than the card base and die cut a heart from the centre. Stamp the Bluebell flower onto the die cut heart and colour with watercolour pencils and Distress inks. For decoration I added three flat back gems to the top right of the heart and the Spring sentiment to the left. (The sentiment is from Breath of Spring)

Stamp the Spring Foliage around your previously cut stamping card and colour with Distress inks. To create the shadow, just stamp again without re-inking.

Assemble the card by placing the heart in the centre of the card blank and gluing into place then using 3d glue gel, adhere the stamped foliage card onto the card blank, making sure that the die cut hearts match up.

Thank you for taking a peek at our blog. Please call back again very soon for some more Design Team inspiration.

Julie xx

Launching our latest stamps (by Lesley)

Well, I bet you thought I was just a figment of everyone's imagination! It is a severely long time since I posted anything on this blog, let alone actually write it from scratch, but as you may appreciate things have gotten a little hectic for us here at CB towers and I have left all the clever talented stuff to our brilliant Design Team.  In fact I feel a little bit of a fraud writing here today as I haven't even got a piece of my own completed artwork to show you. How bad am I?

Anyway, if you have been following our exploits on Hochanda you will know that last week saw us launching a stamp collection entitled A Taste of Russia.  This collection includes five new A6 unmounted rubber stamps and our very first set of masks and stencils. 

The A6 stamps are Silhouette Palaces, Large Crackle Background, Russian Floral Egg, Russian Exquisite Egg and Katya.

The masks are Silhouette Palaces 1 and 2 and then the Russian Spires Stencil.

All of this collection will be available to purchase as from tomorrow, 31st March.  Below are just a few examples from the Design Team's samples which appeared on the tv shows.  You will be able to see more of their inspiring work during April.

I have to say that once again Sue has come up with some brilliant and unusual designs whilst the DT girls really did us proud with their beautiful artwork.  And of course your support means the world to David and I, we realise just how lucky we are to be surrounded by our wonderful team and by you;   please keep sending us photos of your creations with our stamps because seeing what you do with them always amazes and delights us.

So that's me signing off, I'm sure I shall pop up again somewhere soon until then I shall hand the baton back to the girls who have some fabulous things in store for you.

A little bag (by Dominike)

Hello,
I am back with my little bags. This one is a book I made to illustrate the alphabet.
1 - I realized a background with my Gelli plate and a stencil I made few years ago.
2 - I print the flowers with Versamark ink and Black embossing powder.
3 - I wrote the 3 letters

Bonjour
je suis de retour avec mes petits sacs. Celui-ci est un livre que j'ai réalisé pour illustrer l'alphabet.
1 - le fond est fait à la Gelli plate avec un stencil que j'ai réalisé il y a quelques années à partir d'un modèle Silhouette.
2 - j'ai tamponné les fleurs avec de la Versamark et embossé à la poudre noire.
3 - Les 3 premières lettres de l'alphabet sont écrites à l'encre noire.

You could see the other pages of the book on my blog next week.

Kind regards

Glorious Spring (by Magda)

The last project for this month has a little cute bunny who is ready to jump on an Easter card too.

Step by Step :

1.  Blend a white cardstock with Pan Pastel colours
2.  Stamp with Versafine Imperial Purple some stamps of Spring Foliage in first and second
     generation
3.  Stamp with Versafine Black Onyx the little Bunny and Glorious Spring Rubber Stamp Sheet A5,
     as shadow of the decoupage one and the sentiment, directly on the card.
4.  Stamp with Versafine Black Onyx the little Bunny again and cut around the edges
5.  Glue the second bunny in front of the "shadow" one
6.  Assemble the card, lighten some folige with Stickles Star Dust and glue a paper flower as an
     embellishment.

I hope you liked my monthly projects and you could have some new and different inspirations from my projects. 

Magda

Vintage Birdie Spring Card (by Anne)

WOW, the shows with the Babushka and Russian stamps this week were simply FAB. So many lovely samples from my Teamies and great demos from Lesley.

This morning I am sharing a Spring themed card with you – a Vintage styled project using the Spring Bird Crocus set. I hope that you like it x
 
Materials:

• Spring Birds Crocus and Breath of Spring stamp sets
• 8 X 8 inch card blank, 6 X 6 inch background paper from Crafty Individuals (Shades of Summer), white stamping card, green card and pink glitter card
• Inkpads: Versafine (Vintage Sepia), Versamark, Distress Ink (Broken China, Tattered Rose)
• Heat embossing powders (clear and gold sparkle)
• Watercolour, sparkle and glitter pens (yellows, blues, pinks, greens)
• Alcohol marker (pale blue-grey) and metallic marker (gold)
• Glitter glue (gold)
• Trellis die (to cut glitter card border – a paper doily would also work well)
• Metallic thread (gold) and acrylic gems (gold)

How it was done:

1. The bird scene, sentiment and border were stamped onto the patterned paper with Versafine and embossed with clear powder. Water based pens were used to colour. To bring out the scene a little more from the background I used a grey marker to add a drop shadow.
2. The scene was stamped a second time onto white card, coloured and cut out for decoupage.
3. Broken China Distress Ink was blended in from around the edges. The topper edges were then embossed with a little gold sparkle powder. Decoupage elements were glued down with 3D glue gel.
4. The topper was matted onto green card. I used an offcut from a Trellis die cut (pink glitter card) to layer behind the topper left hand side. Gold thread was added for extra sparkle and texture. A square paper doily tinted with Distress Ink would also work really well if you don’t have dies.
5. The background card blank was stamped using Tattered Rose Distress Ink. Broken China Ink was used to blend in from the edges, and the gold pen used to edge the card.
6. I finished with gold glitter glue and gems (I cannot resist a bit of bling).