21 with papers

This sample is showing the use of backing papers together with the Woodware 21 stamp.  Another sample for Sunday

When this post goes out I'll be busy setting up my stall!.... almost here!

happy crafting

Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

A new style for me!

I'm not one for doing cutesy characters...  not generally the sort of style I would pick - but I borrowed this stamp from Sarah to challenge myself to do something a bit different.  I raided my box of Ink Mister backgrounds and found this particularly vibrant busy one and thought - right double the challenge to put this stamp onto such a vibrant piece.  I was determined not to paper piece - but to stamp directly onto the background.  I started by stamping and embossing my little girl (she's a Wild Rose Studio stamp).  I then set about experimenting with colouring mediums.  Because the background was so saturated with mica, I was finding the paints and promarkers I was trying was just sinking below the mica and getting lost.  So I decided to paint in the stamp design with some gesso.  I did this slowly and gradually and after painting each time I wiped over with a jay cloth to make sure the heat embossed areas didn't get paint dried on the top.  After a few coats it was enough to start trying some different colours.  I tried some distress paints, but I couldn't get a strong enough colour, so I went back to my Promarkers - and after building up a couple of layers of colour I got the effect I wanted.  I found the colour went on a lot easier using the chisel end rather than the point - that seemed to move the colour about.

I added the words (Chocolate Baroque stamp) and added some lines with a black promarker and drew through a mask with a black fineliner.  I also added some white gel pen highlights around the wording and around my little girl to make her stand out from the background even more.  Finally I mounted the piece onto black card and onto a 5x7 card blank.

It's nice to challenge yourself... always a bit daunting but satisfying when you complete your project!

Started to get excited.. only one more day before I travel up for the trade show woohoo!

happy crafting
Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

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More Flower Hearts

I so enjoyed making the flower wreaths that I thought I would adapt the idea using items from my craft box.

I've started with the Wild Rose Studio Always and Forever Paper pack.  I stuck a sheet to a piece of good weight cardstock and then use my scalloped heart die to cut it out.  I then repeated the same step - but this time cut out my heart from the blank card side - so I knew it would be a perfect fit for the other heart to go back-to-back.  I chose my ribbons and tied a knot at each end and then stuck the ends to the back of my heart using tape.  I then used a base of double sided tape (I always recommend Stix2) and also Cosmic Shimmer PVA Glue around the edges to ensure I would get a proper secure stick encasing the ribbon in the middle.  I then pinned around the outside using clothes pegs to ensure everything was all properly stuck down. 

Whilst that was bonding I selected a range of papers from the same pad and used my Memory Box Pinwheel Flower die to cut out lots of different colour flowers.  Once cut out I curved them all round my pricking tool handle to give some curl and then put in a generous blob of dries clear glue in the centre.  You can then turn then into little flowers.  This step definitely requires a little patience (not something I have lots of when I'm crafting!) as if you let go too quick, your curl doesn't stick... I found about the time it took me to eat a chocolate button was about long enough ...  so make sure you have plenty of chocolate buttons to hand for this project!! :-)

Leave your flowers aside a little while to properly dry, and don't worry if they vary slightly - I quite like having them slightly different sizes and shapes.  You can then start laying them out on your heart shape.  Start from the middle and work outwards, and move them around a lot to try different sizes, different colours in different positions until you are happy, then lift the flowers one by one to apply your PVA and stick them down firmly.

Isn't it pretty!

happy crafting

Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
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Paper Hearts

Here are the last of my heart cards.  I've used the same set of dies as I have for the last couple of day's projects, but this time working with printed papers.

I've used only papers from one paper pack - Wild Rose Studio Always and Forever paper pack.  I've used three different designs here.

Firstly I've cut the different size hearts from 2 different papers and the base layer is cut from pink plain cardstock and then embossed using the Crafts Too Love hearts embossing folder.  I've then picked out a matching paper to use as my base mat on the card.

The second card I've used strips of papers.  I started by cutting out strips from four different papers.  I cut out a base square of card that would be large enough to cut my heart shape from and lightly marked in pencil the area to cover.  I then put down cross hatches of double sided tape (I always use Stix2 as I find it has an excellent stick!).  I then laid down my first strip of paper and then matched the next one underneath so it lined up and so on until all layers were down.  At this point I could then cut out my heart die and I knew that my papers wouldn't move.  I then assembled my card.  The 'cherish' stamp is from a Hero Arts set - called Word Borders - I've had these a few years so I don't know if they are still available!

My final card is onto a large 8x8" blank.  I cut out 9 hearts with a small die trying to get a mixture of different colours and shades.  I spent some time rearranging the hearts in different ways to make sure that the colours and shades were balanced and I didn't end up with similar papers next to each other.  Once happy I used my Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue to stick them down onto a pre-cut square mount.  I then mounted this onto a complementing paper, then a white mount, then finally onto plain pink cardstock.  I really like this card - it's clean simple lines look very elegant.

Just a handy hint - if you are looking to workout what size to cut your mounts and you want to use a printed paper, as in this case they were from a 6x6" book - remember that you will need to size the next mount downwards in size - rather than working from your topper and working up as sometimes you then need a larger piece of printed paper!  Always worth planning before you cut all your various mounts.

That's the end of the hearts... well for now anyway!  Something different tomorrow - promise! :-)

Happy crafting

Jane
www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

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

one border, two cards!

Two cards for you tonight - as I won't have time to blog tomorrow! Following on from yesterday's card I have used the other die from the same border set on these two cards. This lovely lattice border has been used on a 5" square card. The border is slightly smaller thatn the length of the card so gives a nice finish top and bottom. I've then just lined the right hand edge of the inside of the back piece of card with a contrasting colour to make the most of the delicate pattern. The first image of the lady is from the fabulous Joanna Sheen Fashion Boutique CD - an all time favourite of mine. The dog is a stamp from Wild Rose Design and has been coloured using ProMarkers and cut out using a nestability die. Simple designs but so elegant and very effective. If any of you are creating lovely things using your nestabilities and border dies, I'd love to see them - email me an image and I'll put the best ones up on a future blog!

here's hoping you all find time to craft this weekend!

Jane