Stampsmith Challenge #40

Stampsmith Challenge description:   Spring colours and flowers.   Using a Stampsmith stamp.


 Here is my entry

Main Items Used

Stampsmith stamp - Thank Heavens 2

3d Flowers   - Free cut files from Birds Cards
Frame - Free cut files from Svgcuts

Silhouette Cameo Machine

Cuttlebug embossing folder

Kindy Glitz

Stickles

Aquarell watercolour pencils

I found a wonderful place that offers free designs for cutting machines and also some digital papers and stamps.    Bird Cards 3D flowers were used in this but shrunk down quite small.    I coated the leaves in Kindy Glitz.   I believe Kindy Glitz is the same as Stickles except that it is an Aussie brand.    

I stamped my image with Black Versafine.   It is important when using the watercolour pencils that you use a permanent ink that wont run.    I still allow a day or two for it to dry and set into the paper just to be sure.    I did try the Bic Mark it pens but they re-wet this ink so they are not suitable.   I think they are the same formula as copic pens so test before trying. 


 The watercolour pencils are a very cheap alternative to copics.    I bought a 36 colour set for around $20 from Officeworks in Australia.   I'm sure they are much cheaper in other parts of the world but that is a good price for here compared to Copics.   However for this card I used an old 12 colour set.   As you can see there are enough colours to do basic colouring.   The 12 pack usually has 2 blues, 2 greens, etc so shading is easy.   You can get a 12, 24 &  36 pack which has about 6 shades of blues, greens, reds etc.    Here is a link to the pencil colour chart.   Watercolour pencils     If you want to get really serious there are even larger packs out there with 100+ colours.

When colouring the stamp I used the lightest colour all over then the darker colour on all the shadows.     Using a very small tip paintbrush just slightly damp, I blend the colours from the lightest into the darker colour.   You can build up the colour and also use the pencils without water.    Test your paper first too.  The paper I use for photo stamps is a very smooth matt finish and it copes well with the water. (bought from an Aussie supplier and is stickybacked)  




TIP:   If the pencil tip breaks off, don't throw it out.   You can crush it, add water and use it like  paint.  

No way, has it really been that long since I posted.

Well, I have been busy!

Not that anyone is avidly following my activities.   How does anyone have a life these days with Twitter, Facebook and all those other invasive programs.       I stay well away from all those.  

I do love blogs however, creative ones.    Ones full of creative people & ideas.    There are some amazing and talented people out there.

I have been lucky enough to finally buy a Silhouette Cameo machine and I LOVE IT.

It really is a brilliant machine and cuts beautifully.   I make fused glass pendants and the details I can cut on the vinyl for the etching stencil are incredible.   Detailed and tiny precision cutting.   

I also love that I can design my own creations.    Do your homework and make sure the machine does what you want it to do.   Some machines will cut thicker material than the Silhouette and some machines rely on cartridges only.     What ever you choose, it's a blast.!

Stamping!!!!!

Stamping on Nails!!!!

Seriously, was I living under a rock.....how did I not know about this.!     Do you?  

Yes, even us Aussies can get in on the fun (stockist in Australia & great overseas sellers).   If you want to know more leave a comment and I'll do a little info ie best deals & comparisons.     This took 10 minutes to do......and I only got it yesterday!

Scrapbuggy Challenge #7

As you might know if you are an Aussie....we are going mad buying up big on the internet.    One of the reasons is lack of choice here and shockingly expensive items that are sometimes a third of the price overseas.    Because of the extra spending, post is taking an infuriatingly long time to get here.   Normally a package from the US would take 9 days....(yes I do pace and stalk the postman so I know).     My latest package from Scrapbuggy took  39 days....!!!!!     Why am I telling you all of this...well, I'd ordered the Scrapbuggy exclusive Kids die and without it I couldn't enter the challenge.....lol....So finally with only 2 days left of the challenge I managed to put this card together.      A bit of a rush but overall I just adore this die and so glad I bought it.    

Thanks for looking.

Buggy Challenge #6

I was so very lucky to win the last Buggy challenge (doing happy dance...sorry no pics you'll just have to imagine).    It was fun to have a plan to work to so when I saw the next challenge I had to join in.
 
One of the hardest cards to make for me are cards for men.   So with a birthday coming up for my brother in law and a new Scrapbuggy Challenge, they made the perfect mix.

The challenge was to use a Layout.   

I used the following dies from Quickutz -                       and from Cuttlebug

  Thanks so much for stopping by and having a look.  


 A.J

Stampsmith Challenge #19

While wandering around the Blogiverse for inspiration I came across the Stampsmith Challenge.

The challenge is to use any stamp and use Teal & yellow as the colours.

I decided to use Lucy from the Stampsmith Lucy set.   I just love her expressions.  

I chalked a lemon yellow around the edge but it hasn't shown up on the photo.   The frame and insert are from a Spellbinders combo set and Lucy's hat is a cuttlebug die.

I curled some paper up in gold and teal to around the leaf sticker and added some bling in gold and amber.

For Lucy's realistic colouring I stamped using Versafine in black and after drying my preferred method of colouring is water colours.   I use a really cheap set of paints but they work really well and blending colour is easy.    I would love Copic pens but they are not easy to find in Australia....well, I've never seen them.....

Thanks for looking.

A.J

Buggy Challenge #5

After a long, long break I've jumped back into card making with a challenge.    I urgently needed a birthday card for my wonderful cousin Karen, who is a very glamourous lady indeed.     Sometimes inspiration is hard to find after a hiatus so having a starting point is great for a kick into action.

One of my favorite places to buy Quickutz from is Scrapbuggy

After having a wander around the site I noticed there is a scrapping challenge.   The challenge is to design something using the layout found here  Buggy Challenge #5

Okay, so it's not a scrapbooking page but I used my artistic license to use it for a card layout.   Lots to fit on to a small space but I think it still worked.

These are the Quickutz dies I used.......

 

And some Cuttlebug bits, I also used several other embossing folders.   Got to love those.!

As always, after being so careful with the gluing and colouring, as I picked it up I got a lovely big black mark  on the side.   What's a girl to do!!!!     An extra piece of sticky lace covered this up nicely.    This is the same holey lace that I used across the bottom, inking it with a silver green ink. 

Hope you enjoy and find some ideas and inspiration as I do when I wander around the blogiverse.