Hot Pinks and Orange #140

I seem to be in a bit of a pink and orange phase at the moment - whenever I dive into my box of Distress Inks, I seem to gravitate towards Spiced Marmalade and Picked Raspberry. 

I created this piece using the Chocolate Baroque Wild Meadow stamp set - a firm favourite of mine.  The greeting is from the Chocolate Baroque Artistic Affirmations set.  I've used a clock mask in teh background and stamped in dark shades of archival and Versafine inks to give that silhouette effect.  A final bit of white and black highlights adds the finishing touches!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Stamping Workshop #139

I've had such a great day today at our all day stamping workshop.  This lovely deer card was my creation for today (I was too busy teaching to finish my other project!).  This deer stamp is a Stacey Stamp.  I've stamped in archival black and coloured using Cosmic Shimmer Drawing Inks.  The background has been created using the Tim Holtz Shattered Mask and Gathered Twigs and Spiced Marmalade Distress inks.  It has all been mounted onto an 8x8 card blank.

These are the fabulous creations of Laura and Lisa who joined me at today's workshop..

Aren't they fab!

Lisa's Steampunk card (Creative Expressions Stamp)

Lisa's Daisy Card (Stampendous Jumbo Daisy Stamp)

Laura's Lighthouse card (Crafty Individuals stamp)

Laura's Peacock card (Chocolate Baroque Stamp) coloured with Cosmic Shimmer Watercolour Paints

Got just a little soggy getting to and from the car with the torrential rain - but it was certainly the day to stay indoors crafting!

hope you got to have a crafty day too

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

A little wine? #119

Today's creation features a stamp from Indigoblu - the BFF set.  I started by creating a bold background using Distress Inks - Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean and lots of blending. 

I stamped with my bubble stamp (creative expressions) using both inks and then again using some black archival.  I like to work with this type of stamp off the block, wrap it around my finger to give greater control over where the image is positioned.

I next stamped the wine stamp using Archival black and added a few white gel pen highlights.

I drew a line across the top with a fineliner pen.  I then drew vertical lines down at different lengths.  I next drew lots of little circles and a star at the bottom.  I added some white highlights to this too.  It makes a nice efective zentangled border.

i hope you've all had a chance to enjoy some time with your families this weekend, I have had a lovely weekend catching up with family - and fitting in some very long overdue time sorting out the garden... although I think the nettles won today... they may now be on the compost... but I have gained lots of stings along the way!  Those Norfolk nettles sure do pack a punch!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Burgundy Phoenix #118

I created this phoenix at the demo on our birthday event. I promised I would show what I created with him.

He was created by applying red, pink and purple Distress Ink through my Sweet Poppy Stencils Phoenix stencil.  I blended my colours using cut n dry foam and once I was happy I then applied translucent paste through the stencil.  While it was still wet I sprinkled a little gold glitter to give a little sparkle.  The Phoenix was then left to dry.

I next mounted him onto the black and burgundy card mounts.  He was too big for a 5x7 card so I worked onto an 8x8" card instead.  I remembered I had a swirl that was similar to his tail.  I think this is a very old inkadinkado set of swirls.

I stamped the swirl using Plum Archival, don't worry about making a mess in the middle of the card, you will be covering this up.  Just start stamping your swirls and keep putting your phoenix back on to see where you need more swirls.  Keep stamping until you have a good balance around each side.  The picture above is the finished swirls just before sticking the Phoenix topper down.  When you are happy, stick down your Phoenix.

Hope you are a enjoying your Easter Sunday  - enjoy your Easter Eggs!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
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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
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Little Blue Owl #106

I taught a fabulous group of keen crafting ladies at Stradbroke yesterday.  We created mixed media collage panels using a mixture of Cosmic Shimmer Misters, Distress Paints and Stains and a wide range of rubber stamps.

This was the sample I created to show them the finish of the Distress Paints.  I started by created a muted background using pinks and blues and blending them with my cloth.  I then added some pattern detail by adding paint through some masks and once dry I drew around the banner mask with a fineliner pen.

Next I stamped with the woodware viva Le Plume stamp using a blue ink to create some texture in the background. 

Next I stamped my Woodware owl onto the background.  It was very pale so I decided to stamp the owl on a separate piece of card and coloured him by using Distress Inks and applying with a waterbrush to give a watercolour effect.

finally I added my greeting - which is from Kaisercraft.

It's a lovely softly shaded piece - I was really pleased with the finished effect.  I'll be showing a bit of this technique at my demonstration on Saturday in store 10-4 which is to celebrate our 2nd birthday event!

happy crafting

Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

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Pretty as a Peacock #105

OOh exciting - I've just noticed that my website (www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk).. has just sneaked into the top 100 of the Top 50 Crafters board.. its currently number 98 (I started of at 130 odd!).. Glad to hear more people are finding us!

Today's project was started at last club night.  I've used a Dreamweaver Stencil.  I've applied mixture of Distress Inks through my stencil using my Cut N Dry Foam.  Seedless Preserves and Picked Raspbery for the swirls and I think it was Peacock Feathers (obviously!!), with a touch of Mowed Lawn and some Brown tones too for shading. 

Once you are happy, clean off the excess ink from the stencil using a soft cloth and then apply your translucent Sweet Poppy Stencil paste with a spreader.  You want to aim to use just one swipe as you do not want to contaminate the excess paste so it will colour the rest of the pot when you put it in.  If it does discolour it - simply decant into an air tight jar to use on another project.

Carefully remove your stencil and leave to dry thoroughly.  At first it will look white and muted, but as it dries it goes transparent.  There will be a little colour bleeding because you are using a wet medium over a water based ink - but it will not be enough to ruin your project - just add some character.

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Don't forget it our 2nd birthday celebrations in store next Saturday - 10-4pm.  I'll be demonstrating all day and there will be a prize draw and lots of special offer prices in store too!  hope you can join us!

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Citrus Butterflies

This is the last card I made for the citrus themed Chocolate Baroque colour challenge.  The background is Cosmic Shimmer Misters - Mango Blaze, Golden Mint and Pastel Yellow Chalk. 

I've stamped using Distress Ink Squeezed Lemonade and the harlequin background from Chocolate Baroque's Decorative Edges set.  I've then stamped the floral swirl from Chocolate Baroque's Butterfly Flourish Swirls set using Ripe Persimmon. 

I stamped the main butterfly flourish using Archival Black and then stamped again onto another piece of card so I could colour the butterflies with the same misters and added some highlights with Orange Peel Stickles.  I cut out the butterflies once dry and mounted over the top of the design.  I added white gel highlights to the swirls.

The wording is from the Artistic Affirmations set and the border is hand-drawn with a fineliner pen with a white line for contrast.

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Join us on our 2nd birthday celebrations on 12th April in store we'll have demonstrations, special offer prices and a prize draw!  10-4pm.

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101st post...... A little flowery....

I've only just realised that yesterday was my 100th daily post since starting posting a creation a day just before Christmas.  When I started I wasn't sure if I could keep up with the schedule... but apart from the odd days (fortunately I have a large archive of stuff I've made and I can dip into on an emergency!)... and I've found it a pleasure to keep up with.  Even better, the shop now looks so much brighter with a new supply of samples to inspire too!

Today's creation is another play with my Chocolate Baroque stamps for their colour challenge.  The background is Cosmic Shimmer Misters - Pastel Chalk Yellow, Mango Blaze and Golden Mint.  I've added some dot details using Distress Ink Ripe Persimmon through a mask.

The words are from Chocolate Baroque Artistic Affirmations.  I'm not sure which set the flower is from - but I've stamped out onto the same background and added some shaded with the ripe persimmon.  I added some white gel highlights to the middle flower and then a large gemstone on the top (these are lovely - a new larger gemstone size we've just got in stock).  The swirl in the background is actually the flower swirl stamp from Chocolate Baroque Butterfly Flourish Swirls set.

I'm not a big one for adding flowers to my cards - but really liked the finished simplicity of this one - hope you do to!

happy crafting

jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

don't forget our Tattered Lace Die Prize Draw is still on - one entry for every individual Tattered Lace Die purchased online or instore before midnight 11th April for our prize draw to win a Tattered Lace die of our choice!

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a little blue, green and red....

This is another of the Chocolate Baroque Facebook Group's colour challenges.  I've long wanted to have a go at colour blocking with these Chocolate Baroque Wild Meadow stamps - and the colour challenge was an ideal opportunity.

I used low tack tape to mask off my card so only 3 rectangles showed.

I used Distress Ink Salty Ocean, a mix of Distress Ink Peeled Paint and Memento Cottage Ivy and then Distress Ink Fired Brick for the 3 panels.

I then removed all the masks except the one at the botton and stamped using Archival black - stamping a mix of flowers from the Wild Meadow set - and the little butterfly.

I then used a green pencil to add some foliage colour and then added my main colours using quickie glue pen and different coloured glitters - a red, a pale blue and a bottle green for the highlights and a pale leaf green for the foliage.  I added a few white gel highlights - particularly on the green panel to get the stems to stand out from the background and then finally removed my tape from the bottom

A really effective technique to try!

happy crafting
Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Join us for our 2nd birthday celebrations in store on 12th April - 10-4 - for demonstrations, special offer prizes and a prize draw!

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Thetford Samples

Just as this post goes out the doors will open at Sincerely Yours at Thetford and I'll be busy demonstrating these fab designs all day.  I hope you will be able to visit and see these in person as the photos don't do the vibrant colours justice.  At the top we have used Distress Inks, in the middle fab bright ProMarkers and at the bottom Alcohol Inks combined with the floral borders from Chocolate Baroque.  Loving these stamps from Woodware! 

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Just for you in Pink and Orange

More samples for this weekend - this time with the Just for U stamp from Woodware.  More playing with layering backgrounds and inks....

More tomorrow!

Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

A little zentangling..

More samples for this weekend.  As well as working with the Woodware stamps - I'll also be doing a little zentangling.  We have had a delivery of books 1-10 in the Zentangle workbooks, so if you fancy a go there will be lots of ideas! 

More samples tomorrow..

happy crafting

jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Blue 21

This is the first of the samples I've produced for Thetford.  I'll be demonstrating with these fab Woodware clear stamps showing you how to use their bold outline designs together with background stamps, papers and colour. 

These stamps are so versatile - so many things you can do with them.  I'll be showing you more of my samples over the next few days -  hope you like them!

happy crafting

Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Little Brown Bird

This lovely little chap is another stamp from the stamps that come free with issue 16 of Creative Stamping.  I started by painting the tag with an antique white and a pale brown shade of acrylic paint using vertical brush strokes so that they were visible and part of the background texture.

Next I stamped using the script from Tim Holtz Royal Script stamp using Versafine Smokey Grey ink, I also stamped the crowns in a couple of places too.

Next I stamped the Chocolate Baroque harlequin border stamp (from Decorative Edges set) using Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  I then left aside to dry.

I stamped my bird and watercoloured using Walnut Stain, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry and Aged Mahogany distress inks and cut him out as close as I could .

I stamped all the greetings from the magazine stamps using black stazon and added the easter egg border and the music border top and bottom from the same set.  I then fixed my bird over the top.

I like all the muted brown shades on this one!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
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Bright Zen Fairy House

Another play with my Sweet Poppy Zen Fairy House stencil.  This time I have applied my Distress Inks with Cut n Dry foam through the stencil. 

Next I have applied my translucent paste through the stencil - but this time no glitter!... that's the only difference from the technique from last time - but doesn't it make a difference!  It looks lovely a glossy finish.

We've just got the mini distress ink packs in stock.  You get four different mini pads in one set, so if you haven't got any distress inks and fancy this technique - they would be just perfect to get you started!

A quick post this time for a quick project!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
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Love this little house!

I had a fab time demonstrating some techniques with Sweet Poppy Stencils in the shop on Saturday... and I think everyone else enjoyed it too!  One of the new stencils in stock is this cute little Zen House.  I hadn't had a chance to even get it out of the packaging before Saturday, but I already had in mind what I wanted to do.

I started with applying distress inks through the stencil using my cut n dry foam.  I used lots of bright shades, and made sure I added some shadows with walnut stain using a 1/4" stencil brush.

I cleaned off the excess ink from the stencil and then applied translucent paste over the whole stencil.  Once the stencil was removed I very lightly sprinkled it with some clear glitter - not so it covered it completely, just a little fairy dusting!  You then put it to one side and let the paste dry and as it dries it gradually goes translucent and the colours zing through!  It was such a lovely design I simply matted it onto a black border and mounted it onto a 5x7" card blank.

Love love this little house... I will definitely be doing more projects with this one!

happy crafting

Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
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