My final -ptych card using this month’s featured stamps from Creative Expressions is another play on the tone-on-tone theme. Featuring heat embossing, iridescent watercolour and careful colour choices, this is a simple, relatively quick, and effective card for any occasion.
Ever since I came across the name ‘Brusho’ and saw what Eileen Goodwin had done with them, I just had to have a play! For the unfamiliar, Brusho paints are water-soluble crystals of glorious colour which can be sprinkled onto a wet surface, or scattered dry and then spritzed, or indeed just mixed with water to make a watercolour paint. These are three cards I made this evening, on my first journey with the starter kit. The quotes are courtesy of Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous. For the first two, I stamped over and embossed with white embossing powder. For the last, I tried the faux batik approach, which I was less happy with, in part due to the wrinkled watercolour paper I was using – but that sort of goes with the sentiment of the card! And I love the effect, definitely on my to-play-with-more list!
In the last of the summer seaside theme posts for this month, I’ve made use of the new Pronty MDF crown available via Creative Expressions as the inspiration for my ‘King of the Castle’ project, also featuring their new Singles stamps ‘Treasure Seeker’ and ‘Sandcastle in the Sun’. I’ve used their acrylic inks to colour the images and added bling with polished silk glitters and pearlescent PVAs. It would be ideal to add to a layout or use as a standalone piece.
For a shopping list and full (printable) step-by-step tutorial: click here [PDF].
More bling next week!
I was wondering how to use the fabulous beach/summer themed stamps from Creative Expressions for this week’s DT card as the sky clouded over and the temperature dropped. Though it’s allegedly summer (according to the meteorologists), this card captures memories of beach-side sun far better than the grey clouds outside! Framed by a Polaroid instant photo size frame, the individual images are layered to give depth and allow easier stamping and colouring. A perfect snapshot of summer.
This is the last of my posts using this month’s featured stamps. I’m back to the Creative Expressions Singles ‘Scentiments’ and taken the image from the thank you stamp to paint with Distress Reinkers. Quite a quick make in a clean and simple style.
Just before the shopping list, don’t forget the BSSBS on 12th-13th April at Ally Pally, early; bird discount of £1 off for tickets booked before 8th April. See you there! Click for details:
This month’s Creative Expressions Design Team projects include two new Singles stamps: Get Well Soon and Thank you. I’ve embossed the outlines onto watercolour paper, adding to the attractive distressed look and coloured using Distress Markers and a water brush. The clean and simple look is finished off with matting onto card and a few dots of coloured PVA from Cosmic Shimmer.
This home decor piece uses the Mosaic and Floral Corner Singles stamps from Creative Expressions ‘Henna’ stamp range. By using watercolour paper I hope to have given the impression of the texture of rich Indian fabric, and using offset printing as well as careful cutting given dimension and interest to the piece. A frame from Ikea sets off the project a treat and allows it to stand freely or be wall mounted.
It’s another bleak day as I look out of the studio window, but I can inject a bit of late winter colour with another project based on Creative Expressions’ Winter Flowers stamp set.
You will need:
Creative Expressions Winter Flowers unmounted stamp set
Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powder: Ancient Copper Metallic
Cosmic Shimmer Misting Ink Spray: Sunflower/Meadow Lime/Soft Moss/Purple Violet
Cosmic Shimmer Mist: Pearl
That Special Touch Border Mask: Elegance
Foundations Card: Milk/Teal/Dark Roast Coffee/Coconut White
Ranger Perfect Medium: Clear
Ranger Distress Ink: Peacock Feathers
It’s my first post for Creative Expressions since I joined their Design Team earlier in October. I’ll be posting a new project each week on a Wednesday. This month the projects will be featuring the Creative Expressions Winter Garden unmounted stamp set, with this card featuring the wonderful cyclamen stamp.
To download a step-by-step worksheet, click here: Cyclamen Card Worksheet [PDF]
I’ve liked shadowpainting for some time now, but never seem to use the latex-based masking fluid before it all gunges up in the bottle. It helpfully says on the label to dilute with ammonia to get it liquid again… but I just don’t seem to have that lying around!
Meanwhile, I’ve used WOW! Bright White embossing powder on watercolour paper to do much the same thing – it’s a lot quicker as well using a stamp rather than tracing patterns with latex gunk and waiting for that to set. I’ve used Distress Inks (from reinkers) to colour each of the images. I’ll be teaching the technique at the Manic Stamper Craft Club in Leicester on Saturday 🙂
