Meadow Scrapbook/Art Journal Page

So I was very naughty and bought myself a Santoro Willow small scrapbook kit from TK Maxx. I say naughty as I am great at starting projects, but then I get distracted by the next new idea! Does anyone else have that problem?

Well, I decided would make a start on it straight away, rather than just sticking it in the cupboard (with the others). I found some lovely stickers I’ve had for a while and never used (you can see one on the left of the page with the dandelion clock on). I faffed and fiddled for ages with what to add to it and whether to make it neat and straight or ‘rustic’. I found the willow image on the top right. It was actually on decoupage tissue paper which I glued down onto white paper and fussy cut out. The rainbow patterned paper was actually a Primark clothes label….I love it! I cut the ‘wilderness’ text from an old dictionary and scribbled on the Meadow definition…I wish it wasn’t going slightly up hill, but I’ll call that a good step towards relaxing my perfectionism! I have a feeling I may add more elements to it over time, but I’m going to try not to.

I might have to have a think about whether it needs to have a ‘purpose’. I don’t suppose much of my other stuff has a purpose though, so maybe not. Does anyone else feel slightly guilty using other people’s designs rather than drawing out your own images? I feel a bit of a fraud sometimes, but it’s okay to enjoy and appreciate beautiful things isn’t it? And creativity is creativity in all it’s forms.

I’d love to see what everyone else does with theirs. I couldn’t really find any that have been used on the internet.

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Handmade Seaside Card

This is the result of my playing with my Woodware ‘Seashells’ stamps, versafine ink and embossing powders.

The background was made from a piece of lining paper I’d used as a drying mat for brusho pieces.

I’ll definitely be using the embossing powders like this again.

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A Super Sticky Stamp Solution

I bought some Woodware ‘Seashells’ stamps recently. They are beautiful, but I had a really hard time using them to begin with, because they are so sticky. I used the stamping platform, but the stamp stuck to the paper and when I lifted it off, it ripped the thin paper I was stamping on to.

I got some advice from the place I bought them from (Loobi Crafts) and they suggested I try Versafine ink. Well wow it really worked!

The print on the left is black Archival and on the right is navy blue Versafine ink. Both are one print using the Tim Holtz Stamping Platform.

After years of crafting I think I’m going to swap ink. From Archival to Versafine!

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Cattitude

As I was testing out the new stamps I got free with the June Issue of Making Cards and Papercraft magazine on a dictionary page and I thought what a shame it was that I’d used a page containing the word ‘alchemy’ rather than using it for something ‘alchemy’ themed. That then gave me an idea for this Cattitude card:

 

I love cats. I actually like that you have to work for their affection. I can’t have them myself at the moment as I rent a second floor flat. I love to visit my parents though. They have two crazy cats. The cats are currently in the dog house (not a sentence you hear very often) as it’s baby bird season and unfortunately their wild side is coming out I was tempted to use ‘killer’ or ‘master’……but maybe I’ll use them on a later card.

I  would like to enter this card into the May 2018 Be Humorous Country View Challenge.

Does anyone else have these stamps? If so, what did you do with them?

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Embossing, But Not As You Know It.

So I can’t remember where I got the idea from, but I thought I might try using some of embossing folders with clear ink and embossing powders.

I used a clear ink pad and just pressed it all over the inside of the folder. I then pressed card or paper down onto that part of the folder with the folder still open. I found that the best way to get a clear impression. I then used white embossing powder and heated it. Once it was cool I used Brushos over the top. You get different versions of the pattern depending on which side you use.

I’ve also just seen them on craft TV using the same technique, but rollering on the ink and putting the whole lot through the embossing machine! I quite like the distressed look from my technique.

I am working on a Fathers Day card with this background:

I hope it inspires you to try it out!!

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Happy Accident

So I decided to try removing one of my tricky large rubber stamps from the wooden block.

It actually worked well and stamps much better, but there was an unexpected gain.

There were bits of rubber left on the block and I thought…that’s a nice texture, so I tried stamping it. And turned it into a card background using Brushos.

And then I did some more!

How else could you use some byproducts from your stash?

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Best Wishes Handmade Card

Another card made with vintage papers, this time an old dictionary. My friend commented that having the word ‘cuckold’ in the background somewhat takes away from the ‘best wishes’ message, but hey there is also ‘cuddle’ so perhaps that cancels ‘cuckold’ out?!?

I used a 3D embossing folder which I pressed together with Brushos and the dictionary page inside. I then stamped and inked over the top and added the die cut frame.  I’m not yet sure if it’s finished, but then I often say that!

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