Lavinia stamp challenge

Not quite sure what happened to my link, but anyway, Here is the sample I'm adding for the Lavinia stamp challenge.  Distress ink background, Sweet Poppy Stencil and a couple of Lavinia fairies.

Fingers crossed, would love to win some more of their beautiful stamps.

 

 

 

http://blog.laviniastamps.com/

New card for 1st birthday

I've been asked for a card for a little boys first birthday, so here is draft no1.

Will be back to the drawing board tomorrow to see if I can come up with any more ideas.  Hmmmm thinking cap is on.

Experimenting

I've only been playing today, so no results to show but I have a top tip to share ........ some of you will probably had done this anyway, but today I thought I had a brainwave ..... so let me pat myself on the back for a minute even if you have done it. Put an empty laminating folder thru your laminating machine then put it thru a die cutting machine with different size circles (or any other shape you want) you then have different size masks for suns, moons, you also have the positive and negative ...... came in very handy and the inks, pastels just wipe off.
Saves keep cutting bits of paper and throwing them away after one use ........ see ....... skinflint or what, also the ink isn't wasted as it acts similar to one of these inky mats, obviously not as good but every little helps ;) x
A couple of pics of Archie with his chew, while he was waiting for me to finish playing before going out for his evening walk.

A quick play after work with my new stamps

Background is distress inks, stamped and embossed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet poppy stencil with white embossing paste and gold glamour dust on a distress ink background.

Sweet poppy Stencil with white embossing paste and my favourite micro beads on a background of distress inks.

Another sweet poppy stencil with white embossing paste and crystal glamour dust on distress ink background.

All ribbons inked  up to match and will be added when these have dried tomorrow.

On a roll

I've spent most of the afternoon playing ....... some of the results I'm pleased with ....... all are based on Eileen's workshop techniques.

 

Tag using distress inks, a wet mask applied ........ didn't leave the impression I expected but actually turned out better this way, I used versa mark ink on my stamp and a clear embossing powder.  Coloured the ribbon to match the ink.  I'm really quite pleased with this.

 

 

Well I couldn't resist stamping on it .......... first fairy slid just a tad but 2nd fairy was a very good fairy........ I'm leaving it alone now ......... I just know not to chance my luck any further.  Fairy's are Lavinia Stamps.

 

Ahhh now to my masterpiece ........ I can hear you all gulping ........ this is a piece of pearlescent card ....... I put my distress inks on the sheet, blitzed with water then pulled the card thru, dried and repeated.  I can see things in it ...... probably most will only see a mess but it will come in useful at sometime ....... I hope.

More Sweet Poppy

Another one of Eileen's inspirations.  I love this technique.  I used distress inks for the background, some white dreamweaver embossing paste and then threw some Crystal Glamour Dust on.  Waiting for it to dry now.  I'm in two minds whether to stamp on it or leave it as is.  I've done quite a bit of stamping yesterday and today and for some reason it's not going well ......... hmmm I might just quite while I'm ahead on this one.

Sweet Poppy Stencil

This was my only success of yesterday.  The light was going late last night but I was determined to have a play on my new stencil.  I used distress inks, translucent paste and my favourite micro beads.
Didn't have a chance to see what it was like until this morning.

Not too bad. First time using a stencil brush as the detail on the stencil is quite small.

I've done some homework

Today has been a bit of a downer after such a brilliant couple of days, so, after shopping, cutting grass, washing, ironing and cooking, I squeezed myself into the tip I call my craft room.
Well, I only have 4 pan pastels, white, yellow, red, blue.  I remembered Eileen's instruction, blend colours on some kitchen roll ......... so I did!  Here's the results ........ not quite the colours I was looking for but I am pleased with the effort.  This is one of the Lavinia stamps I bought at Ally Pally recently.

I can see where I went wrong with the words .......... I pressed too hard but next time I'll be a bit more gentle.

So inspiration from Eileen, words supplied by Barbara and a long shopping list put into Joanna Sheen, Lavinia Stamps & Sweet Poppy Stencils ......... I'm hot to trot when they all arrive.  Watch out challenge bloggers, when I perfect my techniques I'll be entering a few ......... you're all safe for a while though :)   Ooooh and I used some mica powders for wings and stones ..........and what do you think of my halo round the moon .......... and yes I need more word stamps but I'm grateful for the one my friend sent me :)
http://blog.laviniastamps.com/

workshop part deux

I've taken snaps of my happy accidents ..........   I'm really pleased with my first attempts at new techniques and so glad to have had someone so brilliant to teach me.  I will be doing many more and hopefully I'll improve to make them nearer to Eileen's standards.

Eileen's workshop

Wow, what a fantastic weekend.  Beautiful B&B, lots of laughs ..........

Workshop was fantastic, I had a few happy accidents.  Will post the projects soon.

I met up with Daisy, Holly and Snowflake.

Now time to give Archie a cuddle, he hasn't been a good boy, he kept Chris up all night crying, then he found a box of tissues and distributed them all around.

I did miss him though, he would have loved to have come and met the girls and got in amongst the glitter and inks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A really fab weekend, not had one like it in yonks so must be repeated and sooner rather than later.

24 hours later

Well all finished developing now, it smells gorgeous, it's been stored in an empty body shop gift box.

Developing well

Couple of hours later and today's project is developing well ........ still not touching it :)

 

I love this technique ........... can't wait until tomorrow morning to see it fully developed.

Lazy Wednesday

Been quite a busy day today, getting ready for Friday's jaunt down to Kent.  Have joined the RAC, just incase.

Had a little bit of time so had a little play with my crafting goodies.  I found a freebie stencil which came with a magazine so I thought I'd just experiment and see if it was any good.  Here's the result, but it's in the developing stage at the moment .......... so........ I must not touch, I must not touch ......... so I will sit on my hands.

Here's a bored Archie, sitting on the back of the sofa wondering if he's going to get out for his 2nd walk.

 

Right, off for a bit of fresh air then back to check the tyres on the car (yuk) will leave petrol, radiator check and oil check until tomorrow.

Sweet Poppy Stencil

Finally got around to making up a card with this project from a couple of weeks ago.
I'm giving it to my son's colleague as a thank you card, for her extreme kindness to me last Saturday.
I hope she likes it.

 

Picture hasn't turned out too good but that's due to the lighting.

No crafting this weekend

No time to craft this weekend. After yesterdays nasty shock, I'm trying to get all that should have been done, today.  Running out of time to do the necessary and it will soon be time to get ready for the coming week at work.  Ah well, hopefully I'll still have my lovely weekend to go to at the end of the week.  It will be a tonic so I really hope I don't have to miss it.

Bank holiday Monday

Ok, so here is a photo of one of yesterday's projects.  Seen on BG's show on Saturday using mica powders and double sided sticky sheets.  Still need more work to get this technique right but I enjoyed just playing.

I used the only Clarity tree stamp that I have, she used one of her lollipop type tree stamps.  Probably would have been more successful with a simpler stamp, but hey ho.

Busy morning cutting the grass ....... Archie pruned my shrubs :(  This afternoon I spent the time experimenting with mica powders (had a go at a project BG showed yesterday, unfortunately the tree stamp I have had loads more detail)  I'll put a picture on tomorrow of the result, having just managed to get my hands semi clean from playing.  Next I played with my new mask from Ali Reeve ..... cottage by the riverside.  I would love to find an online video of a project using it, I wasn't very happy with my result but I may have another go tomorrow and run it thru the embossing machine first then heat emboss the detail.  Hopefully I'll get a better result.  I now have ink stained fingers and backache from leaning over my crafting table all afternoon, but I enjoyed the experiments even if they do need more practice.
Looking forward to tonight's episode of Endeavour. Then an early night.

Saturday card class make

I got up in a very angry mood this morning.  Thankfully all the cutting of the wretched stem took the sting out of my tail.  Crafting can be very beneficial to letting others stay well!
Ok this week's effort is probably the first one that I've been reasonably pleased with, still not my type of card making but it seems to be improving my stamping ability.

 

The head of the flower was stamped twice and then the centre of the flower, the stem stamped separately then all coloured, glittered and stuck.  Used some of the Stampendous glass glitter for the first time, I found it a bit large but I guess if you have a design that can take it, it's very nice.

 

Well back home now and hopefully time to play with an Ali Reeve mask that I bought after my crafting session, am gradually building up my supply of distress inks, I really should make a note of the colours I already have so that I don't duplicate.

 

Archie is a little put out, he hasn't had the attention he requires and so has brought in another piece of the grey slate from the flower beds and is sitting looking daggers, knowing full well that the slate will be taken away .......... well it gets my attention.

 

 

I've been playing in the craft room today.  Firstly I had another go with a Sweet Poppy Stencil, the daffodil, just getting in a bit more practice.

Secondly, I thought I might have another play with the clock now that the paint had dried.  So it's been a bit of a messy day, but it's kept me out of mischief.

 

 

I was quite pleased with cutting the circle and not making it into an oval, so that was stuck down onto the base.

Next, I decoupaged with a matching paper.

 

 

Then I added the crackle glaze, so far it hasn't crackled but I'm guessing it will over the next few hours.   The numbers and workings were then added when the glaze had dried.  Anyways it may be not masterpiece but it's working, so I'll be able to tell the time in the kitchen, which is all good, especially when I'm cooking.......... otherwise I have to rely on the smoke alarm.

 

Here's the result of the play with the daffodil stencil, I'm still having a little trouble blending, but I guess this will come in time.  I hope so anyways.

 

 

I'm getting the hang of handling the micro beads anyways .......... not quite so many running around the craft room today.

 

I have booked into one of Eileen's workshops, just to keep Barbara company, to meet Daisy, Holly & Snowflake and also to learn first hand some of Eileen's lovely techniques.

So look out Kent because I'm coming on 17th May, lock up your men!!! and put padlocks on the bar!!!!

Woooooooooohoooooooooooo