Brusho's

It seems ages since I last blogged, been busy with other stuff, but I have made this card this week.

For the background I got a piece of bubble wrap, sprinkled on some Brushos, gave it a spritz with water, then pressed it onto some glossy card, love this effect!.  All the stamps are from the Tim Holtz set 'Seamless Experience'.  I have quite a few of Tim's stamps, I really need to make time to use them..... lol.

Some news............

.......... I've been itching to mention this since Saturday.......  I've been asked to join the fab DT over on Visible Image, after applying to their DT call a couple of weeks ago.  So I'm thrilled to bits to be joining them and using their fab stamps, hoping to bring fellow crafters some inspiration.  I've used their stamps for a long time now, starting from when I used to run the I Love ProMarkers blog and they became one of our sponsors.

This card uses just one of their sentiment stamps, the image is a stencil and the background was made with just one shade of Aquatints, I think they're brilliant.  Lady Liberty, looks like she's got a lovely blue sky behind her.

And the real thing..... 

 ........taken in September last year when we were in New York for our wedding anniversary.  She's lovely isn't she........

Purple Christmas

I'm trying to make at least 1 Christmas card a week, (did 2 this week.... lol)  I made this one at the beginning of the week and forgot to take a pic.

I used a background stamp by Just Rite for this one, the sentiment is also a stamp by Just Rite.  They really do stamp up lovely.  I stamped it in Imperial Purple Versafine and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  Versafine ink is brilliant to use for heat embossing. The borders were cut with a Joanna Sheen die, and the snowflake with various dies.

A closer look at the snowflake.

A bit of experimenting......

I've been playing with Aquatints this afternoon and this is one of the backgrounds I made.  The stamps are by Visible Image.  Looks like there's a storm brewing..... lol.

All the colours are from one set, Landscape.

Enchanting Snowflakes

It may be a bit early for some, but I like to make my Christmas cards all year round.  This one features a stamp from Visible Image - Enchanting Snowflakes.

I used Distress Inks for the backgroun, Lemonade and Festive Berries, both applied and blended with sponges.  I then used a snowflake stencil and inked through with the same inks.  I used Versamark to stamp the snowflakes and embossed with white embossing powder.

I cut the snowflake on my Cameo, added the same inks and finished it off with a bit of sparkle and a gem.  The sentiment tag was also make on my Cameo.

A bit of the Retiform technique....

...... and Visible Image.... lol.  Well I got new stamps for my online shop, Opal Crafts and needed some samples, so it would be rude not to have a play wouldn't it..... lol.

I used Adirondack inks in Pink Sherbet and Purple Twilight for this one.  Once the blending was done, I stamped with the Crackled Background and Bronte Border with the same inks.  I then stamped the, Behind Every Mask stamps, in Versafine and heat embossed with black embossing powder, mounted it onto a black tag to finish.

A Christmas Card

I was rummaging through my stamps today and came across this one, Poinsettia Set by Visible Image.  I think it was only used once or twice for last Christmas, so thought I'd have a play.

I stamped onto shimmer vellum with Versamark and embossed with WOW Diamond White embossing glitter, it's oh so sparkly in real life.  I then cut them out and layered them up.  For the background, I stamped again with Versamark and embossed using clear embossing powder.  I then blended Frosted Berries Distress Ink all over the piece of card, the clear embossing acts as a resist, so the white of the card base shows through. I used a Spellbinders die to cut the circle and a Cheery Lynn die for the greeting, then finished of with a few gems.

Bleeding Tissue Technique

I've been trying out this technique today, after seeing it online a while ago, and finally getting the tissue in the UK, which I'm selling in my online shop Opal Crafts.

All stamps used are from Visible Image, also available in my shop, but they're selling fast, need to get more!!!  This technique is nice and easy, all you do is place your pieces of tissue on your card and wet it.  I cut some circles with a die, but you can tear it too.  You can also use the same wet piece a few times, it's just that the colour isn't as bright.  Each of these samples uses just 2 shades of each colour, but as they bleed into each other, the colours change.

A Bit of Bokeh

It's been a while since I did a bit of Bokeh, so it's been a nice change.

This was another background done on the Gelli Plate, I just added the Bokeh last night.  Visible image butterfly stamps, heat embossed in silver.  I coloured the top one with Promarkers and added a bit of glitter and gems.  I also did some heat embossing round the edges of the card.

A closer look at the butterfly to see the full effect.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges.

 House of Cards - Boke Technique - 30/5
Craft Stamper - Take a Stamp, Anything Goes - 27/5
Crafty Cardmakers - Make your own background - 15/5

It's All About Pink!

I used a technique from the Craft Stamper mag for the background on this card.  I've since found out its called the Retiform Techinique.  (thanks Kathy)

I used 2 shades of Adirondack pinks, Shell Pink and Raspberry.  The stamps were freebies in a craft mag a while ago and are of course by Lavinia Stamps.  I added some glitter to her wings and around the edges, thought it doesn't show too good in the photo.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges.

Lavinia Stamps - 31st May

Craft Stamper - 27th May
Crafty Cardmakers - 15th May

Just To Brighten Your Day.......

I've been playing again, and yes with Visible Image stamps..... lol.

The background is a sheet I did while playing with my Gelli Plate a few weeks ago.  I'll play around with it for a while and save all I do for future cards.  I stamped on top with Bronte Border using Adirondack Caramel, Crackled Background stamped with Adirondack Butterscotch and Ink Splats stamped with Adirondak Rust, which I also use to blend the edges.  The sentiment and image are both from the Chandelier Set, stamped with black Versafine and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Craft Stamper - 27th May
Crafty Cardmakers - 15th May

More Visible Image

Well I just never get sick of stamps by Visible Image, (think I'm addicted..... lol)

I got the idea for the background (Retiform Technique) on this from my latest copy of Craft Stamper, which dropped through the letter box this morning.  I  knew straight away this would be prefect for the Inkognito Woman stamp.  I stamped and heat embossed the image first.  The I used a piece of card to blend my ink against and continued all the way round the card.  I used 2 shades of Adirondack ink pads, Oregano and Willow, applying Willow first as it's the lighter shade, then just a touch of the Oregano, again against the piece of card.  I used the same stamp for the edges just inking and stamping the bubbly part of the stamp, love the effect this gives.  The sentiment is from the 'Happy Birthday' stamp set.

I finished this one last night, but only took the photo today.  I used one of my many Gelli plate backgrounds for this, they're brilliant for things like this.  Once I'd added the acrylic paint to the plate, I pressed an embossed piece of card into it so the paint transferred to the card.  I embossed the card first with just the usual embossing folder.  Then I got my 'Time After Time' stamp set out and added a bit of stamping.  I stamped the clock, wings and words onto a scrap piece of card, cut them out and mounted them with sticky pads to the background.  I like the clock and wings stamps because they're separate stamps, so don't have to be used together.

Hope you like these and thanks for looking x