My Blog is moving! #147

There are changes afoot here at Aldridge Crafts HQ.  I am rellocating my blog to be within my website for a more streamlined set up, so very soon my posts will be made from my new blog.  This may be as early as tomorrow (if all the techy stuff is straightforward when I set it up in the morning)... otherwise over the next few days.  But don't worry - I'll post links on here for a while so you won't lose me and as a lot of you find my posts via my links on Facebook & Twitter, the links will take you to my new blog.

That's enough of the boring techy stuff - onto the creative stuff!  Today's creation is zentangling with the Sweet Poppy Phoenix Stencil.  Love this stencil for zentangling!  I kept the body pattern quite bold so it really stood out and then used repeats of quite simple patterns for the feathers and tail.

Did you know that we stock Zentangling supplies?  I've just had a new delivery of the fabulous books - only £5 each and 11 different titles to choose from.  We also stock the Micron pens too - but these haven't been put onto our website yet - but just drop us a line to add them to your order.

That's all from me today... off to get a good night's rest as I have to have my technical head on in the morning!... wish me luck! :-)

happy crafting

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

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

An experiment in Zentangling

Picture One

Picture Two

Picture Three

OK... time to start experimenting a bit with my zentangling.  I've posted a couple of designs recently using stencils to zentangle.  I fancied trying out working onto a patterned background and as I've recently acquired a new dictionary to alter from the charity shop - I thought that would be a good project to try. 

I picked the sweet poppy stencil - Butterfly Tree and I wanted to zentangle the background, not the tree.  I started by drawing around the outline of all parts of the design (see picture one).  I then started to draw random segments and pattern within it.  i tried to keep a variety of patterns and different darks and lights.  When I got to the edge of the page I drew in some twiddly scrolls to keep the edges soft and fluid.

It's not all that clear to see from the photo - but looks better when it's in front of you.

Lessons learnt from this one...  darker patterns are needed to give a bolder definition to the design.. perhaps to leave some blocks un-patterned or filled in completely..   I will be continuing to experiment with this technique!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
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Zentangled Zen Fairy House

As soon as I started to play with this Fairy Zen House Stencil from Sweet Poppy Stencils, I was itching to use it to zentangle with.  It's a perfect design for it as it has different sections for different patterns.

I started by tracing the outline of all the sections with a fine tipped fineliner.  Next I gradually worked my way around the design doodling different patterns so there was an even mix of dark patterns and lighter areas.  Just a simple black mount was all that was needed and it was mounted onto a 5x7" card.

Simple... but oh so effective!

Right.. better dash - off to meet my parents for a meal out!  enjoy your Sunday!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Hello Old Bird!

More from the black and white theme again.. this time using my Inkadinkado bird stamps and a little zentangling.

I started by drawing a line across my card, putting a few twists and turns into it.  I then stamped my birds in black.  I started to decorate the birds with different patterns.  I stamped the greeting in the corner and then drew a border around the outside with my fineliner.  It was then mounted onto black card.  I just love the contrast of working in black and white.

We'll have a bit of colour tomorrow!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Zentangled Dress

 You know how sometimes you see a stamp or a stencil and you just know what project you want to create... and even if you need to make something else.. you need to make that project just to get it down on paper and out of your head!... well it was like this for me.  This is one of the fabulous new dress stencils from Sweet Poppy which I have ordered along with lots of other designs of their stencils due to arrive shortly!

I had a lovely chat with Lucy from Sweet Poppy at the trade show this week and said I couldn't wait to get going with this stencil..!

I started by using a fineliner black pen - the finest nib I had which was 0.1mm.  I slowly and carefully traced around every part of the dress stencil (I left out the decorative elements to leave just the dress).  Try to keep the pen as upright as you can as this will protect the nib from being damaged by the metal stencil.

Then the patterns begin.  I kept the designs quite simple so that the dress had different layers to it and then the mannequin had it's own definition too.  I then just mounted it on a simple black card mount and hand-drew a little line border around the edge to frame it.  It's such a detailed design I didn't want to distract from it by adding any other decoration... it was beautiful just as it was!

So remember... stencils are not just for using with paste..  go forth and zentangle!!

If you would like to try zentangling and creating this card, you can join us on our workshop on 6th March 6-8pm for just £12.50 - give us a call or an email to book your place - or book online here..

happy crafting
Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

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(email us if you would like a dress stencil reserved from the new stock!)

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Zentangled Monsters

Another outing for my Woodware Monsters stamps again today.  This time with a different slant.  My regulars will know I am partial to a bit of zentangling, and as soon as I saw these stamps I thought they would be an  ideal stamp to zentangle!  I stamped my three monsters in a line and then just started to doodle.  I left the faces clear so that they didn't lose definition.  Then a few dashes at their feet so they had something to stand on. 

Next I hand-drew a deliberately wibbly border (that's a technical term you know!)  I then drew in the lines to colour in alternate squares.  Finally mounting onto black and adding a little black bakers twine to add a little detail to my finished card.  This one is on a 5x7" card blank.  I challenge you all to rummage your stamp collection and find one to zentangle.  Be sure to either email me a pic and I'll post it on the blog, or link to your blog in the comments so I can see your zentangling too!

have fun
Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
Shop for Fineliners for Zentangling
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