Friday, 27 March 2009
Stampin Up! blog candy
Jo, of Stampin 'n Stuff, is giving away one of the newest Stampin Up! sets as blog candy. The set is called Forest Friends, and has a deer, a rabbit, an owl and a tree, which would be lovely for a child's card. Pop over to Jo's blog here to see it and enter her giveaway.
Saturday, 21 March 2009
More Distress Ink landscape
Having got to grips with Michelle's technique with my previous card, I decided I should now try coming up with my own designs, so here's the first. The small fir trees on the left and the stag are from Stampscapes. Their stamps are perfect for this style, as are those from Beeswax, whose stamp is the tree on the right.
The outer frame is also made with Distress inks, and it's a piece I had left over from making the card I described earlier here. The vertical "Happy Birthday" filling in the space at the side is an Aspects of Design stamp by The Stamp Man.
At the moment I'm finding it a bit difficult to gain precise control over the inkpads when using them direct to paper, but I daresay that will come with practice. It's quite fun seeing how the landscapes turn out and then deciding what to use as a focal point to enhance them. I have a feeling I'm going to get hooked on this technique!
The outer frame is also made with Distress inks, and it's a piece I had left over from making the card I described earlier here. The vertical "Happy Birthday" filling in the space at the side is an Aspects of Design stamp by The Stamp Man.
At the moment I'm finding it a bit difficult to gain precise control over the inkpads when using them direct to paper, but I daresay that will come with practice. It's quite fun seeing how the landscapes turn out and then deciding what to use as a focal point to enhance them. I have a feeling I'm going to get hooked on this technique!
Distress Ink landscape
This is my first attempt at following one of Michelle Zindorf's tutorials. Michelle is an amazing artist who generously shares her ideas on her blog. For this one she used Distress Inks direct to paper. I hadn't tried that before, but they work beautifully. Michelle's tutorials are very easy to follow, and her instructions for this card can be found here.
Instead of the Stampin' Up tree which Michelle used, I chose to use one from Crafty Individuals, because it fitted my frame better. Also, I had to change some of the colours because I didn't have all the ones Michelle used. Otherwise, I followed her instructions pretty closely. I think the result is a testament to just how clear and well-explained her tutorials are. Thanks, Michelle! I really enjoyed making this card.
Instead of the Stampin' Up tree which Michelle used, I chose to use one from Crafty Individuals, because it fitted my frame better. Also, I had to change some of the colours because I didn't have all the ones Michelle used. Otherwise, I followed her instructions pretty closely. I think the result is a testament to just how clear and well-explained her tutorials are. Thanks, Michelle! I really enjoyed making this card.
Sunday, 15 March 2009
Contrasts
Still busy with my Nestabilities. I cut a scalloped frame for a Crafty Individuals flower image from their book "Butterflies & Flowers" (currently their free gift with orders over £25). Background and butterfly are Cuttlebug embossed. The wording around the frame is computer generated. Rather proud of myself for that because it's the first time I've figured out how to do it to make it fit! The edge of the frame and the Prima flowers are tinted with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink.
Then, for something completely different, A Walk in the Woods. That's the title of my newest stamp, which is from Innovative Stamp Creations. As soon as I saw this stamp I simply had to have it, because I love trees anyway and a walk in the woods is one of my favourite pastimes. It's a superb stamp. Doesn't look much until you stamp it, & then it has an almost photographic quality, even on plain paper, though it's even better on the shiny card I used here. I coloured the picture with diluted Distress Inks. On the background card I stamped birch trees (from Beeswax) and part of A Walk in the Woods (though that doesn't show so well in the photo). Punched leaves extended the path out of the picture, balanced by three co-ordinating brads on the opposite side.
Then, for something completely different, A Walk in the Woods. That's the title of my newest stamp, which is from Innovative Stamp Creations. As soon as I saw this stamp I simply had to have it, because I love trees anyway and a walk in the woods is one of my favourite pastimes. It's a superb stamp. Doesn't look much until you stamp it, & then it has an almost photographic quality, even on plain paper, though it's even better on the shiny card I used here. I coloured the picture with diluted Distress Inks. On the background card I stamped birch trees (from Beeswax) and part of A Walk in the Woods (though that doesn't show so well in the photo). Punched leaves extended the path out of the picture, balanced by three co-ordinating brads on the opposite side.
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Butterflies
Some more Nestabilities/Cuttlebug cards.
For the first one, I used the Nestabilities to cut the two frames, then cut the butterfly out of the smaller one & embossed it with the Cuttlebug dots folder. The stamps in the background are from one of the new sets in the Crafty Elements range from Crafty Individuals. Both the flowers set and the butterflies set are must-haves.
The second card has a Cuttlebug embossed background and butterfly motif, and the flowers around the motif are from Rubber Stamp Tapestry. The "butterfly" word is from the new Crafty Individuals butterflies plate.
I found lots of inspiration for both the Cuttlebug and Nestabilities here at Sue Nelson's Heart Prints website, where she displays many beautiful cards and ideas, well worth a look.
For the first one, I used the Nestabilities to cut the two frames, then cut the butterfly out of the smaller one & embossed it with the Cuttlebug dots folder. The stamps in the background are from one of the new sets in the Crafty Elements range from Crafty Individuals. Both the flowers set and the butterflies set are must-haves.
The second card has a Cuttlebug embossed background and butterfly motif, and the flowers around the motif are from Rubber Stamp Tapestry. The "butterfly" word is from the new Crafty Individuals butterflies plate.
I found lots of inspiration for both the Cuttlebug and Nestabilities here at Sue Nelson's Heart Prints website, where she displays many beautiful cards and ideas, well worth a look.
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Time to Play
At last I've had chance to spend some more time playing with my Nestabilities, and here are some of the results. The geometric shapes are great for framing, and I particularly like the effect of the plain circle with the scalloped circle border. I've used these on the first card to frame some Elusive Images flowers from Graphicus. I stamped three different sizes and layered them with sticky pads, curling the edges of the petals slightly on the top two layers. The background is made with a Cuttlebug embossing folder, and the sentiment and butterfly stamps are also from Graphicus.
The next card is a quick and easy one. The Hydrangea stamp, by Anna Griffin, is mounted simply over sheer ribbon. The background is a printed paper and a stamped sentiment adds the finishing touch.
The final card of this set is quite unlike anything I've done before. Big and bold is not my usual style at all! However, it's growing on me. The background is sponged and then stamped with my favourite Crafty Individuals flourish, and the printed paper and butterfly and dragonfly stamps are also from Crafty Individuals. I was lucky to get the Spellbinders Celtic-style "Kelly" alphabet set at a much reduced price from Once Upon a Stamp. I think it complements the flowers beautifully.
I'll be demonstrating these examples at my next class.
The next card is a quick and easy one. The Hydrangea stamp, by Anna Griffin, is mounted simply over sheer ribbon. The background is a printed paper and a stamped sentiment adds the finishing touch.
The final card of this set is quite unlike anything I've done before. Big and bold is not my usual style at all! However, it's growing on me. The background is sponged and then stamped with my favourite Crafty Individuals flourish, and the printed paper and butterfly and dragonfly stamps are also from Crafty Individuals. I was lucky to get the Spellbinders Celtic-style "Kelly" alphabet set at a much reduced price from Once Upon a Stamp. I think it complements the flowers beautifully.
I'll be demonstrating these examples at my next class.
Friday, 13 February 2009
Posting links in blogs - a great tip from Glenda
Glenda, from Graphicus, has posted a great tip on her Artylicious blog. She shows a really easy way to put a link in a blog post comment, by copying & pasting from your own blog. But if you don't have a blog, how can you do it?
This is how to do it if you don't have your own blog.
The HTML code for posting a link is as follows. I have had to split the characters on to different lines otherwise they would display as a link (or not at all), instead of the code, but they should follow on from each other all in one line. Between a and href there is a space (ie. leave a space, don't type the word 'space', or the brackets!), but no spaces anywhere else.
<
a
(space)
href
=
"
"
>
<
/
a
>
I keep that written down so I can refer to it whenever I want to post a link.
Between the two sets of quotation marks, you put the URL of the page you want to link to. The URL is the "address" of the page and begins http:// In Internet Explorer and Firefox it's usually found near the top and towards the left of the screen. Copy the URL & paste it between the quotation marks.
The URL of Glenda's blog is http://artylicious.wordpress.com/ So I would insert that in between the " and " like this
"http://artylicious.wordpress.com/"
Now here's the clever bit. If I want the link to look like this - Here's Glenda's blog - I have to insert those words between the two opposing arrows >< which come after the final quotation mark.
Like this >Here's Glenda's blog<
Then the link will look like this (hopefully!)
Here's Glenda's blog
I hope this helps (and that it displays correctly when I post it!). I tried an earlier version but it came out as gobbledegook. Let me know if it works!
This is how to do it if you don't have your own blog.
The HTML code for posting a link is as follows. I have had to split the characters on to different lines otherwise they would display as a link (or not at all), instead of the code, but they should follow on from each other all in one line. Between a and href there is a space (ie. leave a space, don't type the word 'space', or the brackets!), but no spaces anywhere else.
<
a
(space)
href
=
"
"
>
<
/
a
>
I keep that written down so I can refer to it whenever I want to post a link.
Between the two sets of quotation marks, you put the URL of the page you want to link to. The URL is the "address" of the page and begins http:// In Internet Explorer and Firefox it's usually found near the top and towards the left of the screen. Copy the URL & paste it between the quotation marks.
The URL of Glenda's blog is http://artylicious.wordpress.com/ So I would insert that in between the " and " like this
"http://artylicious.wordpress.com/"
Now here's the clever bit. If I want the link to look like this - Here's Glenda's blog - I have to insert those words between the two opposing arrows >< which come after the final quotation mark.
Like this >Here's Glenda's blog<
Then the link will look like this (hopefully!)
Here's Glenda's blog
I hope this helps (and that it displays correctly when I post it!). I tried an earlier version but it came out as gobbledegook. Let me know if it works!
Sunday, 8 February 2009
Great minds think alike!
For some time now I've been tempted by the Spellbinders Nestabilities dies to use with my Cuttlebug. On Friday afternoon I was looking at them on Once Upon A Stamp's website and got as far as adding a couple of sets to my basket. Then I thought that, rather than buy them online, since their shop is only half an hour's drive away from here I might just as well go up there on Saturday morning & get some without having to wait for them to come in the post. On Friday evening Sally sent me an email. She said "I've been thinking of getting some Nestabilities. Do you fancy going up to Once Upon A Stamp to get some?" We had not mentioned them to each other before then.
Naturally my reply was in the affirmative, and on Saturday morning off we went for our spot of retail therapy. We each bought three sets (good discount on four or more sets so we put them together) the embossing mats to go with them (these also enable embossing with brass stencils in the Cuttlebug) and some Distress inkpads. The Nestabilities are brilliant and work really well with the Cuttlebug.
Had a play with them today, & so far just had time to make one card. It's something of a departure from my usual style, but I quite like it. I used some Elusive Images stamps from Graphicus and a Cuttlebug butterfly embossing folder. The patterned layer behind the embossed butterfly is a background paper from the Artylicious "Butterfly Bliss" CDrom, also from Graphicus.
Naturally my reply was in the affirmative, and on Saturday morning off we went for our spot of retail therapy. We each bought three sets (good discount on four or more sets so we put them together) the embossing mats to go with them (these also enable embossing with brass stencils in the Cuttlebug) and some Distress inkpads. The Nestabilities are brilliant and work really well with the Cuttlebug.
Had a play with them today, & so far just had time to make one card. It's something of a departure from my usual style, but I quite like it. I used some Elusive Images stamps from Graphicus and a Cuttlebug butterfly embossing folder. The patterned layer behind the embossed butterfly is a background paper from the Artylicious "Butterfly Bliss" CDrom, also from Graphicus.
The best stamps ever! (So far!)
Wow! Graphicus are about to introduce two new stamp plates, on my favourite theme of butterflies. They are absolutely the most beautiful butterfly/flower/collage stamps I've ever seen. Glenda, (of Graphicus) is giving some away as blog candy. To win a set, leave a comment on her blog here: Elusive Images Design Team Blog
Not only are they beautiful, they will be really versatile. Stamps like these are on a par with chocolate when it comes to the feel-good factor, AND they're non-fattening. If I don't win a set, I really don't know what I'll do. I guess I'll just have to buy them......
Not only are they beautiful, they will be really versatile. Stamps like these are on a par with chocolate when it comes to the feel-good factor, AND they're non-fattening. If I don't win a set, I really don't know what I'll do. I guess I'll just have to buy them......
Sunday, 25 January 2009
ATCs
These are the ATCs I made for the Crafty Individuals ATC competition./swap. Can't wait to see which ones I get in return.
The first two use the "tissue paper" method which I learned from Jean at Crafty Individuals. Stamp on to tissue paper, tear out the portion you want to use & apply it to the card with Mod Podge (or similar). It's a great method because it enables the use of only a part of a stamp. The tissue paper turns transparent when the glue is applied.
The next three are self-explanatory, I think. All stamps by Crafty Individuals apart from the quote on the right hand one (unfortunately I can't remember now where it came from) and the alphabet set by Hampton Arts which I used on the middle one. The butterfly ATC on the left is similar to one I showed in an earlier post.
The one on the left, below, has a background of Crafty Notions sprays, and the flowers and flourishes are highlighted with a Ranger Inkssentials white pen. For the one on the right, I cut a circular aperture, sponged it with pigment inks, stamped over that & then backed it with a Crafty Individuals paper.
The next one (left) has an alcohol ink background, while the final one (right) is interactive! Open the shutters and you can peep into the secret garden!
The first two use the "tissue paper" method which I learned from Jean at Crafty Individuals. Stamp on to tissue paper, tear out the portion you want to use & apply it to the card with Mod Podge (or similar). It's a great method because it enables the use of only a part of a stamp. The tissue paper turns transparent when the glue is applied.
The next three are self-explanatory, I think. All stamps by Crafty Individuals apart from the quote on the right hand one (unfortunately I can't remember now where it came from) and the alphabet set by Hampton Arts which I used on the middle one. The butterfly ATC on the left is similar to one I showed in an earlier post.
The one on the left, below, has a background of Crafty Notions sprays, and the flowers and flourishes are highlighted with a Ranger Inkssentials white pen. For the one on the right, I cut a circular aperture, sponged it with pigment inks, stamped over that & then backed it with a Crafty Individuals paper.
The next one (left) has an alcohol ink background, while the final one (right) is interactive! Open the shutters and you can peep into the secret garden!
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