Brown and Yellow

On the Wednesday Stamper Challenge Blog the theme this week is to create something that combines the colour brown with another colour. I had been playing with Distress Inks last night creating backgrounds. This piece fits the challenge exactly as it has 2 shades of brown distress ink in it, Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo to which I had also blended some yellow, Mustard Seed. After blending the inks I had been playing with water, spritzing bits with water, flicking water on and also stamping with some Elusive Images stamps using only a spritz or two of water to "ink" the stamp.

One of the pieces I liked best from my playing was this piece which I had stamped with a flower from the Wild Meadow Themeplate. So after seeing the theme for the challenge today I decided to use it to make something. As it was only a small piece I had been playing with I decided that with a small bit trimmed away it would be just the right size for a Skinny (3" x 5") After trimming I simply restamped the same flower I had been using last night, but this time heat embossed it with Gold EP and then added some pretty amber coloured cabochon gems.

Finally thanks to everyone who has left comments on my little accident with the dog. The bone seems to be healing nicely, tho I get some odd twinges in my face now and again. And for those who asked, Brock, the eternal puppy/canine hooligan is fine. I don't think he felt a thing, bless him!

Skinnys with a Floral Theme

I joined a swap list recently to swap skinnys, the theme for the swap is "floral" and these are my first three makes for the swap.

From the left the first one was made using a Kaleidacolor inkpad (Pastel)to brayer the background. I was curious to see how this would turn out on porous cardstock so I used 200gsm artist's cartridge paper. It's not as smooth a finish as obtained using coated cardstock but I like it. I the stamps are from and Inkadinkadoo set called "Bohemian Flourish and were stamped with Versfine Onyx Black ink. The white highlights were added with a Sakura Souffle Pen. The finished result was edged with a sliver Pentouch pen and mounted onto black card.

In the middle skinny I used a stamp from the Laura Ashley Contemporary set. I stamped the image twice onto damp watercolur paper. Before stamping I had spritzed the paper with water and then rolled a clean dry brayer over it to make sure it was evenly damp. With this done I first stamped the image using a Kaleidacolor Pad (Desert Heat)the inks bled on my damp paper just a little, blurring the image as I had hoped. Once this was dry I stamped over it again using an Adirondack Pad (Cappucino), this time leaving a much sharper impression as the paper was dry. Finally I made my background layer by sponging ink onto my card using various shades from the Kaleidacolor Desert Heat Pad, and then stamped one of the Inkadinkadoo Bohemian Flourish Stamps around the edge.

The skinny on the right was made using another Kaleidacolour pad (Fresh Greens) to brayer the background. This time I added spritzes of Memories Mist in Mango Lemonade, Orange Juice and Amaretto. I used a stamp from the Elusive Images Wild Meadow Themeplate with Versafine Onxy Black ink and used a Sakura Clear Glaze Pen to colour the and give it some dimension. Finally I edged this with a gold Pentouch pen and mounted it on black card.

On a final note, today I received a lovely surprise with which I hope to make something tonight. If it works out I will share this fun technique tomorrow.

My first Skinnys

I recently signed up to take part in a Skinny swap on Craft Swap Forum. I have never made a skinny before, but they are much the same idea as Fat Pages except for being a different size. The size is 5" x 3", and they should always be decorated in portrait orientation. Like a Fat Page the back should be decorated, but not as heavily as the front. A margin area on the left side should be kept clear to allow them to be punched for binding into a book.

Anyhow here are my first 3 skinnys from left to right:

The first on the left was made using a stamp from the Elusive Images Peacock Glory Themeplate which I heat embossed in gold then coloured using stencil brush and inks from a Kaliedacolour pad (Blue Breeze). It was then mounted onto a backing paper made using a technique I learned from my friend Jan aka Far North. It involves stamping a scrunched up plastic bag all over some paper and is lovely messy inky fun! Some ribbon making a loop behind added a bit more texture and interest.

The middle one was made using Hero Arts stamp which I stamped with Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black) then coloured in with a light wash of water colours. I added some clear glaze from a Sakura Glaze pen over the postage stamp to give some dimension and then cut stamped image. Next I mounted it onto a background I had made using Petal Point Fluid Chalk inks to colour the card and then stamped the edges with a Stamp from Clarity Stamp which I had inked up with an Adirondack Rainbow pad(Woodlands) The tag is secured with a brad at the top and some foam pads at the bottom edge.

The last one on the right is a stamp from Creative Expressions stamped in Jet Black Versafine ink and coloured with Twinkling H2Os. I edged the cardstock with touches of Brilliace Lightning Black and Rocket Red ink.