Go where your dreams take you .......

Happy Good Friday!

Looking forward to the long weekend ........ let's get the Easter break started with a little reminder for this month's Craft Stamper Challenge.
As always the theme is Anything Goes as long as there's some rubber stamping on there somewhere ..... couldn't be simpler.

We have a great prize for the challenge winner, from the fabulous rubber stamp company ...... Visible Image

One lucky entry will receive 3 Visible Image stamp sets .... yes I did say three sets!

Need some inspiration? ..... well here goes

Mica powders, one of my favourite Visible Image stamps and a little bit of heat embossing

I started by giving a piece of smooth watercolour card a very light wash of colour using mica powders mixed with water ...... I used a blue and a green from the Luscious range from IndigoBlu, blending the colours towards the bottom.
I flicked the card with more water and let it sit for a few seconds before mopping up the excess ..... love the effect that this gave .......

I stamped the sentiment ...... from the Visible Image Where Dreams Take You set, and heat embossed with Ranger's Liquid Platinum EP.

I then stamped the butterfly randomly over the card using black Versafine ink ..... it's from the Visible Image Own Kind of Beautiful set and is such a pretty butterfly.
I stamped it again onto another piece of coloured cardstock and fussy cut around it before attaching it over one of the butterflies on my card

Look how pretty the sheen is from the mica ....... and I used the tiniest amount of powder for the background so these little pots are going to last you ages!

I added a few sequins here and there and some dots of glitter glue for added sparkle.

And for the inside ...... I brushed some of the colour across the centre of the card and stamped that pretty butterfly again

Check out the Craft Stamper blog for more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team and then why not join in the fun.  I can't wait to see what you create ..... happy stamping!

Thanks for popping by ........ have a great Easter weekend. Not too many chocolate eggs!
I'm looking forward to spending some time in the old craft room as we haven't got that much planned. We've got a party tomorrow evening ...... Lauren and Robbie's engagement bash, and then it's the usual family Sunday lunch at ours.
I had hoped our new table would have arrived this week, it was due on the island around the 4th ...... but we're still waiting (sigh!)  I thought last Sunday's family meal would have been the final one on our current table ..... at least it's going out happy!

Ooops!  The red wine carafe had dripped ...... just in the right place.  He's even got hair if you look at it in a certain light! ......... hmmm I think maybe there had been a little too much red wine that afternoon.  We thought it was funny!

Cheerio until next time .....

Layering stamps and mica powders ........

Happy Monday to you ......

I hope you all had a good weekend ...... mine was busy as usual.
We had a lovely workshop on Saturday ....... layered stamping using inks and mica powders.  The ladies loved it, especially the mica powders, and were so pleased with their results.
Grab a cuppa and I'll show you what we got up to .......

We used some Altenew stamp sets ....... Peony Bouquet, and Vintage Roses, to create pretty layered stamped designs.

Using these layering stamps enables you to create beautiful coloured blooms with depth and shading, and they're really easy to use.
Try them with coloured inks ...... 3 layers, 3 different shades.

I used Memento Dandelion, then Cantaloupe topped with the final layer of Wild Honey Distress for the roses ......

Then it was New Sprout,  followed by Pistachio and then Bamboo Leaves for the foliage (all Memento ink colours)

A few dots of glitter glue and some sparkly sequins add a bit more interest .....  and then a simple stamped and embossed greeting to finish off

I added in some pretty gold thread too and stamped more of those pretty roses on the inside

I don't usually go for yellow shades but I love how these turned out.

Next up we used the Peony set with the mica powders on coloured cardstock to give a lovely pearlescent look ....... so easy to do, with stunning results! (not easy to photograph though!!)

Thanks to the lovely Jennifer McGuire for the 'How To' on this technique ..... it's pure magic.

Again using the layering stamps ..... 2 layers on the above grey version, and three on the purple one

First layer (solid flower) was stamped in Versamark ink and then dusted over with mica powders. The second layer was then stamped in Versamark again, (the petal detail) and that's when the magic happens.  The Versamark takes off the mica powder leaving all that detail behind ......... easy!

I used Ranger's Perfect Pearl on the grey card above .... so delicate
And a pearl mica with a gold sheen on the purple version.  (I'm sorry but I'm not sure which brand ..... no name on the pot and I've had it for a while.  It might be from Imagination Crafts but please don't hold me to that!)

The grey version I left at two layers, but can you see on the purple card I added in a third layer, this time stamped with a co-ordinating ink (Majestic Purple I think it was)  This layer adds just that little bit more shading and depth to the flower.

A few sequins, pearls and dots of glitter glue add sparkle to the designs

And of course they needed some words on there ...... stamped and embossed on the one above,
or simply stamped in black ink for a more elegant look

The Peony Bouquet set also has a gorgeous outline stamp for the large bloom which we used to create a totally different look using mica powders again, this time mixed with water.

We stamped and embossed the image in white, onto watercolour card, then used a pink mica powder mixed with quite a bit of water, to create a wash of colour over the top

The more water you add to the mica, the paler the colour.

I then used the same mica powder to paint in the blooms .....

A sentiment, stamped and embossed .....

And a few splatters of mica here and there finish off the outside .......

And there's a little something on the inside too ......

I'm looking forward to the Easter weekend coming up ..... should be a nice relaxing one.  We've nothing planned except Lauren and Robbie's engagement party on Saturday night so I'm hoping to spend some time in the old craft room.  What have you got planned?

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time .......

The weekend workshop ......

Happy Monday .......

What a miserable start to the week it's been .... it's rained nearly all day!  Luckily I didn't need to go anywhere so I've spent most of the day in the old craft room ..... I've had a couple of birthday cards to get in the post and I've been tidying up!
I decided yesterday to have a clear out of a few things ..... seemed like a good idea at the time!   Today was all about clearing away the debris!

Back to the weekend though ..... here's a full look at what we got up to, playing with Mica Powders.

Some of the ladies were familiar with those little pots of shimmery pigments ..... for others they were something completely new.

I should really use mica powders more often ..... when I do use them I love the effects you can get. Everyone had great fun trying out all the different colours ..... seeing how they looked on black card and then comparing the same techniques on white .... a totally different look.

I showed them all one of my favourite things to do with mica ...... use as a spray over inked cardstock, cover with clingfilm, scrunch it and leave it to dry.  It creates the most gorgeous shimmery, frosty effects and we had some fab colour combinations too.
Once the card was dry we cut into it and used it with dies to create some really simple, but very effective cards .......

This is my favourite die at the moment ...... Mod Hex background from Poppy Stamps.  I love it .... and so did most of the class at the weekend.
I simply used the die to cut the apertures in a piece of white card, cut it again, this time from my coloured card and inlaid one into the other ..... easy

Love the frosty look from the white pearlescent powder ...... but I also like the gold version too ....

The 'happy' die is one of the brand new CUTplorations dies from STAMPlorations.  Great font and such a nice size

We also used the powders straight from the posts ..... dusted over images stamped with Versamark ink.  Again on black card ..... love this effect

Everyone was amazed at all the detail that the powders pick out ..... the only thing with this technique is you have to remember to seal the powders in some way, otherwise they can rub off .... a bit like chalks do.
I find either a cheap hairspray .... the cheaper the better, or mist with a fine water spray and let it dry. I'm sure there's an actual product for this on the market, but I've never used one!

We did the same thing onto white card ..... totally different effect.  I think you get a more delicate look ......

You do have to be a bit more careful applying the powders onto white card .... I tend to go for the paler shades.   You don't want to work them too much as they can colour where you don't want it ..... and stain the white card.

It's always a good idea to use an anti-static bag over your card before you start ...... whether you're working on black or white card, it does cut down the risk of getting the powders where you don't want them.

Next we mixed the mica powders with a tiny bit of water and used them as paints.
Stamped the images onto the card ..... for the black version we used Versamark Ink and clear embossing powder ....... and then coloured in the images

There's one of those CUTplorations dies again ....... and look at the shimmer from the paint ..... so pretty

Here's another version ...... the words have been embossed this time using a fine detail embossing powder

And again, a completely different look on white card ....... you may have already seen this one, it was my DT inspiration for the Craft Stamper challenge last Friday .....

I just love the shimmer ......

This time we stamped with Black Versafine Ink before using the clear embossing powder.

I think I'm safe in saying everyone enjoyed the workshop .... they're all looking forward to the next one which is a good sign, and they all went home with very long shopping lists ..... ooops!!!

Thanks for popping by .... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio util next time

Autumn's on it's way .........

Happy Friday .......

I hope you've had a good week.  September is well under way and I don't know about you but I'm noticing a little change in the weather.  The leaves have started falling over here .... it'll be Autumn before we know it!
Colours in the old craft room have taken a change too ..... definitely going more autumnal I'd say.  It's not a bad thing though .... I love the autumn shades.

If you haven't already entered this months Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge there's still lots of time.
It's a Take a Stamp month ..... anything goes as long as there's actual rubber stamping on there somewhere

I said my colours had taken on a autumn feel ... what do you think?
A nice simple design using the Stampendous Daisy Stem Trio set of stamps .....

I stamped them using black Versafine ink and them embossed with a clear powder

Before colouring in the flowers I used a piece of acetate to smoosh some Distress Ink onto the background (Scattered Straw), just to add a bit more colour and interest.
I then used my Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powders ..... mixed them with water to create a paint and used them to add colour to the flowers.
I do love the effect you get when using Mica Powders ...... the shimmer is so pretty. I should use them more often really, but they're one of those products that kind of get forgotten about in the old craft room.  Maybe I'll leave them out on my desk for a while!
There's loads of different brands on the market ..... these particular ones were by Cosmic Shimmer but I do like the Perfect Pearls powders, there's a Finnabair range from Prima and IndigoBlu have just launched their brand new range of Luscious powders ....... think I might have to get my hands on some of those!!

This months challenge is sponsored by the fabulous Visible Image ......

And the challenge winner will receive 3 of their cool stamp sets

Don't forget .... we also have a Design winner each month, chosen by the DT. Would you like to see your project published in the Craft Stamper magazine, be a Guest Designer on a future challenge and have a Winners Profile on the Craft Stamper Blog?  To be in with a chance you have to enter the challenge so .... Take a Stamp and create something fabulous!
If you need a little more inspiration you'll find loads on the Craft Stamper Blog today .... the Design Team have been busy again.

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day and have a great weekend.

It's a workshop weekend for me ..... always fun.  Guess what we're playing with this weekend ..... you got it ..... Mica Powders!
I've got to get the craft room tidy first though ....... plenty of strong coffee and a little bit of quiet is needed this morning.  I'm not saying I'm a bit delicate but ...... we did end up at the Saddleoke last night! Oh dear ....... I didn't do any singing, well not with the microphone that is ..... I did have a few G&Ts though.  Don't worry .... I'll be fine by lunchtime!!!

Cheerio until next time