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!

Shop for Stencils

Zentangled Daisy #104

Today's creation features the fabulous Jumbo Daisy stamp from Stampendous.  It's been on my 'to do' list to zentangle this lovely flower - all those large petals lend themselves to the technique perfectly!

So... I knew I wanted to zentangle the flower - what to put it onto... how about a shot of vibrant purple colour!  I just love the contrast.  I've sprayed using a mix of purple and pink shade misters - Cosmic Shimmer - including the chalk pink and purple to add some muted tones too.

The flower mask is from Crafty Individuals and inked using Archival Purple ink and the ruler design is a that special touch mask.  The words is from a Kaisercraft stamp set stamped with archival Black.

I've also put a few feint dots in the background with a mask too as the background was lacking a little something interesting.

some borders and detail with a black fineliner and I'm all done!

I've got a fun day tomorrow - teaching a lovely group of ladies to use the Cosmic Shimmer misters and stamps to make a decorative panel - I'm expecting about 25 and just little me in 2 hours.... it'll be manic... and fun fun fun!!

Hope you have had time to fit in some crafting time today

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

PS - Don't forget there's only a few days left to enter into our Tattered Lace Die Giveaway - every tattered lace die purchased between now and midnight 11th April will gain  you one entry to win a Tattered Lace die of our choosing!

Shop for the Stampendous daisy stamp
Shop for ink misters
Shop for masks.

Elephant Gothic Arch

We've recently added a new range to the shop - a fantastic range of chipboard shapes and kits from Tando Creative.  This Gothic Arch Frame kit comes with a back piece then all the frames and inner pieces separate so you can decide what you want to create with the project.  I decided to make the full frame up.

I started with the back piece and painted with gesso.  I then decided to add a dictionary page, once stuck down and dry I inked up with Distress Inks - Scattered Straw, Aged Mahogany and Ripe Persimmon.  I like working onto the script page with distress inks - it gives a different effect than just plain cardstock.

I next built up my frame - sticking each layer together with PVA glue (not attaching it to the base just yet).  Once dry, I painted the whole frame with gesso and then with Art Proff crimson shade paint.

I thought the Chocolate Baroque Indian Elephant stamps were ideal for this project and all the stamps I've used are from that set.  I used the little flower stamped into gesso as my 'ink' to stamp around the frame.  I then added gold liquid pearl dots and sprinkled with a little yellow glitter to sink in whilst it dry.  I then put this aside while I worked on the main panel.

I stamped the flower using archival black onto the back panel and then took time to outline the flowers with white gel pen.

I then stamped the elephant on a separate piece of card and inked up with the same distress inks but a lot more emphasis on the yellow shades so he would stand out from the background.  I cut him out as carefully as I could and then stuck him down, taking care to place the frame over the top to make sure you can clearly see the design.  I next stuck the frame down onto the back using PVA glue.

Now time to add the highlights to the elephant.  I did lots of outlining with the Liquid Pearls gold and again sprinkled with the yellow glitter.  make sure to leave the glitter in place until the liquid pearls are dry before trying to remove the excess.

I just love these kits and I definitely plan to make more samples - great fun - and I've still got the middle panels from this kit to play with yet!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk
Shop for the Tando Creatives Products

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.

shop for Chocolate Baroque Stamps
Shop for inks

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!

Shop for chocolate Baroque stamps
Shop for Cosmic shimmer Misters
Shop for Distress Inks

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!

Shop for Chocolate Baroque Stamps
Shop for Inks
 

A touch of yellow, green and orange....

I'm part of the fabulous Chocolate Baroque Facebook Group - if you are a Chocolate Baroque fan - it's a great group to be part of as you get so much inspiration on how to use their stamps.  You can post your creations to share with the group and this week they have some colour challenges that got me creating!

here's my first for the yellow, green and orange challenge.  The background is Cosmic Shimmer Misters - Mango Blaze, Golden Mint and Pastel Chalk Yellow. 

The scene stamp is Chocolate Baroque Landscape Edges and the Happy Place wording is from Artistic Affirmations set.

I've stamped them both in Archival Black and then added some white gel pen highlights and a hand-drawn border with a black fineliner.

I've enjoyed working with this colour mix... more to come later this week!

Always fun to go with challenge colours - why not give it a try?

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Shop for Cosmic Shimmer Misters
Shop for Chocolate Baroque Stamps