Number 83 #146

I've had a busy busy day today sorting out my craft room.  Why does the crafting table end up so covered in stuff! 

Well... this is the start and the finish pics - at last I am again organised and have room to craft hurrah!

So...no time for getting creative today, however one of the discoveries I made whilst clearing through my boxes of random things was this little ATC created I think at one of my demonstrations quite a while back.  Please excuse the dark colours, but I didn't get a chance to photograph it until this evening under houselights.  The colours in real life are lovely warm pinks and browns.

I've started with an alcohol ink background - dragging the colour down in vertical stripes.  The stamps are all Crafty Individuals - all stamped in Archival Black.  Then a few white highlights to finish.  A nice little piece of artwork I think!

Must get out the alcohol inks.. it's been a while since I've used them.  Did you know that there are new colours out?  We've just had a delivery in store of the new shades. 
 
now off to create a little zentangling ready for the workshop I am running in the morning!

hope you've had some time to enjoy the sunshine today

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Everywhere Tranquil #134

Another one from the archives today - I found this lovely creation amongst my boxes of bits and bobs when I was clearing and sorting yesterday.  I'm loving the vibrancy of the contrast between the pink and black.

The background was created with cat's eye pigment inks direct to cardstock and then stamped using the crackle stamp from Crafty Individuals.  All the other stamps are also Crafty Individuals - the ladies, butterflies and the words are on different stamps.

My usual few white gel pen highlights add some extra detail.

short and sweet tonight! :-)

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Paper Piece Bunnies - #113

Something a bit different today.  I've stamped using a paper piecing technique that is really easy but very effective.

I started with a 6x6" sheet of backing paper - the papers used today were from a cheap n cheerful little 6x6 pad I found at the works - all nice vintage style papers.  I chose a pale paper for my background with just a little pattern to it.  I chose a much darker, busier paper and stamped my two hares (they are Crafty Individuals stamps).  I cut them out and then highlighted some of their features with the white gel pen.  I stamped my tree using Memento Olive Grove (I think!!) - using the Indigoblu Tree-Mendous stamp.  I used the ink pad to add a little distressed border around the background and then dotted a few lines at the bottom so my hares would have a 'hill' to sit on.  I stuck my hares to the background and then finished off by stamping a Kaiser craft stamp greeting onto another paper from the set and then adding a dash border with my fineliner.

I've just put in a big order with Indigoblu - so there will be lots of stamps & mixed media products restocked - as well as lots of new stamp designs too!

This panel must have been eye-catching as it was up on our gallery wall until spotted by a customer who asked it be made into a card - I will have to make some more in this style I think!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Our new workshop list has just been published - see the blog post earlier today or visit the website for more details.

A little bit nautical #112

I fancied created a monochrome piece - and I had a new set of Crafty individuals stamps - Call of the Sea - which I hadn't yet had a chance to play with and what could suit it better than blues.

i started by wiping streaks of Memento Summer Sky on the tag and then stamping the lighthouse in Memento Paris Dusk.  Next I stamped the wording in the same colour.  The seaside words were stamped in Teal Zeal and then the feather in Bahama Blue.  I also used Teal Zeal on the little corner stamp along the top of the tag and then dragged some colour around the edges of my tag too.

Something a little different!

happy Crafting

Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Butterflies and leaves #111

Having a play with distress stains on this creation.  I started by swiping the background with broken china, wild honey and a little gathered twigs and then sprayed with water to help it blend.  I then used cut n dry with some orange tones to bright up some of the edges.

my next layer was to stamp with Tim Holts Royal Script in Salty Ocean and then the leaf in black (this is a Tim Holtz stamp too).    I then used some pale blue acrylic paint to fill in the flower to make it stand out from the background.

The butterflies were stamped next -they are a Crafty Individuals stamp and then the happiness border - which is a hero arts stamp.  Some white highlights on the butterfly and a black dash border finished the piece.

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Bright Birdy #107

This is the second of the samples I created for my workshop on Monday.  This one was to show the look of the Distress Stains.

I started by working with yellow, blue and red tones of Distress stains - adding blotches of colour.  I then generously spritzed it with water and used a cloth to blend some of the colours.  Go gently - your card surface is saturated with water so easily damaged.  Dry your card with a heat gun and then apply some more ink through masks to add some background patterns (this time I used the distress ink pads rather than the stains so I could get a more specific position and definition.  i also did some outlining of my mask using a white gel pen too to add some different dimension.  Next I stamped my main image - which is a Crafty Individuals stamp (Tea at Three).  I then added lots of highlights using my white gel pen, including mirroring the border which I did again with a black fineline.  I stamped my wording (Chocolate Baroque Artistic Affirmations) and then the swirls from the same set stamped in blue and yellow ink to add some extra detail.

finally I added a dash border with my fineliner and the gem accents.

Loving the colours on this piece!

happy crafting
Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
Shop for Crafty Individuals Stamps
Shop for Distress Stains and Inks

Its Hare.....

It's hare.... sorry here!  Trade show day... hurrah!  Whilst you are reading this I will be busy oohing and aahing over all the new crafting goodies and trying my best not to spend too much!! 

Today's project has been started with an Ink mister background created using masks to give it some definition.  I inked through a mask to add the dotted details.  I stamped and embossed my tree stamp (Indigoblu Treemendous) and stamped my hare (crafty individuals) onto some white card and then used Mustard seed and Spiced Marmalade Distress Paint to colour him.  I cut him out and stuck him down and then added some white highlights. 

He needed something to sit on so I used my versamark through the same spotty mask and then added embossing powder to give him a dotty base.   Finally I added a ticket from the Adage tickets from Tim Holtz and tinted it with the same colour paints as my hare.

I really like the mix of colours on this piece.. hope you do to!

right... back to those shopping lists....

happy crafting
Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
Shop for Crafty Indivuals Stamps
Shop for Indigoblu Stamps
Shop for Ink Misters
Shop for Tim Holtz Tickets

Make Time to Make Art

I love the colours on this piece.  The background has been created using Alcohol Inks onto glossy cardstock.  I just love the vibrancy of alcohol ink backgrounds.  I did the background quite a while ago so not 100% sure of the colours... but it looks to me like Orange, a bit of yellow, Cranberry and drops of blender. 

As the background was so beautiful this one didn't need any other colours adding to it, so I kept it simple and stamped in Black Archival.  The butterfly stamp is from Crafty Individuals and the other stamps are Chocolate Baroque.  A few highlights with a white gel pen make all the difference!

A very important sentiment on this card.... make sure you make time to make art this weekend... You'll be so glad you did!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
Alcohol inks are available to buy instore but sorry we can supply online due to royal mail dangerous goods restrictions!
Shop for Glossy Card
Shop for Chocolate Baroque Stamps
Shop for Crafty Individuals Stamps

Time for Tea

A lovely simple design today.  This card started with a piece of white matt cardstock being tinted with Distress Paints - Spun Sugar and a little Festive Berries.  I splodged some of the paint onto my non stick craft mat and then spritzed the mat and paint with a water spray.  I also spritzed the cardstock so that when I then wiped it through the paint, it would mute the colours and not be too bright.  It was then left aside to dry.  

Once thoroughly dry, wipe generously with an antistatic bag and then stamp the stamp design with Versamark and emboss with a fine detail black embossing powder.  The stamp I have used is Crafty Individuals Tea at Three. 

I selected a sheet from the Wild Rose Studio Always and Forever Paper Pack that would complement the bird and the delicate pink shading.  I mounted both this and the bird stamp with a black card mount and mounted it onto an 8x8" card blank.  The final trimming was a black polka dot ribbon.

I did consider adding some colour to the bird stamp - to highlight some detail - but once I had laid all the card out, I liked all the pink tones - so though that I would leave it as it is!

You'll detect a bit of a heart/love theme this week as I've been busy making some Valentine's Day cards for the shop - but I'm showing them over the next few days to hopefully show you some ideas of variations you can make using only a few supplies.

happy crafting
Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Glitzy Dragonfly

Hello on this chilly day.  If you've been lucky, you've been able to stay in the warm today and do a bit of crafting because that's been just a bit chilly out there!

Today's project is a 5x7" card that has been layered with beautiful papers from Crafty Individuals.  These are from Book one.  I found the dragonfly paper and thought that would work perfectly as main paper.  I selected a different pattern to go behind my dragonfly.  I cut and mounted each piece onto white and then black card.  I then stamped my Crafty Individuals dragonfly drawing stamp onto the paper and then again onto white cardstock.  I cut out the dragonfly from the white cardstock and then glittered him up with Stickles - Crystal.  Once dry I stuck him down just by his body so his wings could fly free.  As a final touch I measured a centimetre in from each corner of my panel and just knicked the card with my scissors - this gave a notch for my bakers twin to sit in and once wound round all four sides I secured it at the back with some tape.

Simple but very effective!

There's still some places left on this Thursday's heart card workshop - if you would like to book, just give us a call on Thursday on 01953 454976

Right... better get busy this evening creating tomorrows project!

happy crafting

Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
Shop for Crafty Individuals stamps
Shop for Printed Paper Pads

Distressing fun

Crafty Individuals Stamps with  Leaves Mask onto Glossy card

I've been having a play with my Distress Stains.  These are the distress inks in a liquid form.  They come in a handy bottle with a sponge tip to apply direct to cardstock.  These five samples have all been created using combinations of just three colours - Wild Honey, Broken China and Forest Moss.  I've combined them with stamps from Crafty Individuals and Inkadinkado - all stamped with Archival Black ink and highlighted with white gel and black fineliner accents.  I''ve used masks from 'that special touch of' to add extra pattern. 
 

Crafty Individuals Stamp (3 birds # 7463) & Leaves Mask onto matt card

They are all created with the same technique.  You can work onto glossy card (Our A6 packs are now online #4320 25 sheets for £3.00 is ideal).  You can also work onto matt white cardstock - and as you can see from the samples it will give you completely different effects depending upon what you use.

Start by taking a blank piece of cardstock.  Work onto a messy mat or non-stick heat mat (a surface you can wipe clean).  Pick up your distress stain colour of choice and either wipe across the cardstock or dot and dab for more intense colours. 

Inkadinkado Stamps Dogs Life Inchies (#4364) on glossy card

 Add additional colours in the same way, going over the top of some of your previous colour.  Try to work with the lightest colour through to the darkest to minimise contaminating the sponge pad - but don't worry if some colour does transfer - just work it onto some scrap paper and because the colour comes through the sponge pad the original colour will come through.  Two to three colours give an ideal vibrancy without being too much variation in colour.  Place your mask over the top and again dot and dab over with your various colours to get a few elements of the pattern to show.

Crafty Individuals Stamps - butterflies & cottages and circles mask onto matt card

 At this stage - have confidence and don't panic.  You may think it looks like a mess!!  Leave it to dry - you want it to be completely dry before you start stamping.  Select your stamps and arrange at different angles using Archival Black ink.  Add little accents with small stamps, border stamps or lines of words to break up the images.
Finally take your white and black pens and start to add some highlights.  You'll see I've added various white highlights - really handy to lift the design if your background is a little dark and you are losing the definition of the image you have stamped.  If you have a big empty gap in between stamps, then squiggles just done by hand in black or white - or a few parallel lines also works well.  It's one of those techniques designed to just play and experiment and see what appears!

Crafty Individuals Elegant Lady (#3813) with Andy Skinner Word Up (#7880) onto glossy card

Hope you have fun giving it a try - and I'd love to see what you create!
happy crafting
Jane

Shopping Guide - 
the # references refer to the item codes on our website for items in stock at the time of writing!  Just put the number in the search box in the top left corner of our website to find the items! 
Shop here for Distress Stains at just £5.30 each.
Shop here for Masks
Shop here for Crafty Individuals

Alcohol Inks, Andy Skinner & more!

It's been a while since Sincerely yours at Thetford - a big hello to everyone who came and chatted with me! Here are a few of my favourite samples to emerge from my demonstrations during the day. I played with Alcohol inks, Glossy Card, Shrink Plastic and used stamps from Andy Skinner and Crafty Individuals and Inkadinkado. I'm posting up the alcohol inks onto glossy card today - and I'll put up the shrink plastic and glass samples later this week. I hope you enjoy the samples and they inspire you to get out your alcohol inks!

My favouriteof the day! Start with glossy card, then spritz with the chalk Cosmic Shimmer mister - yellow and green and dry with a heat gun. Then apply Alcohol inks - the mister ink resists the alcohol ink and you end up with these interesting cloudy patterns. Then stamp over the top with the stamps - from the Andy Skinner Antiques set using Archival Jet Black ink. Then a few final highlights with a white gel pen to finish. It's really worth experimenting with misters and alcohol inks - you get some great effects!

You can keep it subtle in colour by using some of the natural tone Alcohol inks. This has been applied using felt on an applicator tool. I've then stamped using a mix of Crafty Individiuals using Archival Black ink and also Versafine Sepia. Finally highlight and accent with patterns using Letraset fineliners and white gel pen. I usually cut my Crafty Individuals stamps into individual designs - ie the four cottages are now four stamps and the set of 9 motif designs 9 tiny stamps - even cutting up the words on sheets into individual stamps if you've got the patience is really worth it! It gives you much more flexibility in using the stamps to greater effects.

Play around with striped effects too. A few dots of colour onto the felt on the applicator tool and then drag it across your card in stripes. The stamps used here are from Crafty Individuals.

Another example of going bright - a few drops of bright colours onto white glossy card and then I've used Inkadinkado Inchies Dogs stamps and accented with the flourish stamp from Andy skinner's antiques set. Again a few highlights in black and white pens finishes off the design

If collage isn't your style - you can keep it simple, just create a simple background with a few drops of Alcohol inks and drag it across in waves - same sort of thing as the stripes - but add a few curves for interest. Then I've stamped with a Crafty Individuals stamp and then added a few details in Blue Versafine ink with the Crackle stamp. Again a few highlights to finish.

Now go grab those Alcohol Inks and get playing - you'll love it!... and if you need to top up your supplies and treat yourself to a new colour... or two.... have a look here we've many colours in stock!

enjoy

Jane