It's Only A Dream... by Emma

Hi everyone!! It's time for me to share my final piece of July with you all and for this post, I chose to get really inky and create this Mabel Lucie Attwell card.

To begin with I took a piece of plain cream card and blended Antique Linen DI all over it. I then randomly sprayed an area of the card with the Dylusions spray and dried it with a heat gun. I then inked up the Calligraphic Mat 12 with black Archival Ink and stamped directly onto the inked cardstock. Next, I took some Vintage Photo DI and blended the edges of the card for an aged look, before applying some more Vintage Photo DI through a stencil. I then applied some of the Snow Cap Adirondack paint through the same stencil and finally, used one of the border stamps to complete my background.

I stamped the Mad Hatter's Tea Party outline onto watercolour card and then using the Distress Marker Pens, I scribbled some ink onto my craft mat and with a waterbrush, handpainted the image. When the inks were dry, I blended the background with DI's and added the completed artwork to a matt of black card and adhered it onto my background. 

I then made a tag from some more of the cream card, blended with Antique Linen DI and then stamped "dream" onto the tag and added some Chit Chat stickers and computer generated wording, to create my quote. I matted the tag onto black card and added some seam binding dyed with Crushed Olive Distress Stain before attaching this to the card.

Finally, I stamped two of the small butterflies from the "Tick Tock" stamp plate onto Grungepaper and coloured them with Wild Honey Distress Stain, before carefully cutting them out and attaching them to the card front.

Products I used:

Mabel Lucie Attwell ~ Mad Hatter's Tea Party Stamp

Tick Tock Butterflies

Journalling Words 2

Borders A6 2

Calligraphic Mat 12

Post Box Red Dylusions Spray

Grungepaper

Chit Chat Stickers

Distress Stains

Distress Marker Pens

Distress Ink

Snow Cap Adirondack Paint Dabber

Black Archival Ink

So, that's about it from me for today...I can't wait to read your comments and I hope you like my vintage Mabel Lucie Attwell piece!!

Hope you all have a creative day and see you very soon!

Emma xx

Triple Embossing... by Frankie Gaywood

Hello again, stampers. It's my turn again, to share a piece with you. So, for my second project, I would like to take you back to what hooked me on stamping and crafting, a trillion light years ago!! Embossing powders, and triple embossing in particular. I watched in wonder and amazement whist the alchemy took place, and HAD to do it for myself!!! Been fascinated ever since...

Once again, I took out my yummy background stamps, a few colour-coordinated powders, some pre-cut chipboard shapes and a few pieces of stampbord. I began with a rectangular base board and smooched it with distress inks, then set it aside.

Then, piece by piece, I embossed each one with clear, ultra thick embossing powder. This means you don't have to use as much of your pretty colours to get the depth you need!!

Next, whilst the clear was hot, I sprinkled my jewel colours and heated them.

I inked the stamps with versamark, or gold ink, then pressed into the hot embossing powder. A few seconds later, they could be lifted, carefully, and the wonderful indentations and patterns became obvious... joyous moments, each time!!

Finally, I rubbed the edges and texture of each piece with Inca Gold copper and gold pastes, then set them out in the order I had decided upon... Got to love my new crafting gloves for poorly arthritic paws, eh!!!??

And there we have it - a jewel-like wall hanging, which glows in the sunshine, and is full of delicious texture and pattern.

 This is the dots background stamp and a screw- head brad. I made 4, 1 for each corner.

 Here is a Tim Holtz Idea-ology piece, an ornate plate adorned with buttons, beads and a tiny grunge paper rose.

 Here are the gears and caligraphy background stamps. Also the time and keys plate.

Here we can see the idea-ology piece close up, and the grid background stamped with gold. I love the texture where the hot UTEE has bubbled passed the grid marks!!

And this is the complete piece. It is very pleasing to look at, in real life, because of the texture and deep jewel colours, even if a couple of the shapes look a bit like chocky biccies!!

I hope you have enjoyed looking how this project was made?? If so, please leave a comment. I also hope that not too many of you think I have taught you to suck eggs!! But I often hear people saying that triple embossing is hard to do/understand. Doing small fragments helps you to have a go without being worried about it!!!

Next time I see you here, it will be with my final piece as your guest designer, so have fun until then.

Love and light

Frankie

xx

DragonsWeb

Let There Be Light by Emma

Hello everyone!

Hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend and enjoyed your choccie eggs. For my first post and share of the month, I decided to make a tealight holder, (using a battery operated tealight...not one with a real flame) using up odds and ends that I collected in my crafty stash for "one of those days that they might come in useful times"! I hope you like it!

To begin with I inked an old unwanted CD with Citrus and Sunshine Yellow Alcohol Ink and then used Glossy Accents to attach a plastic dessert container, which I knew would have a new purpose in life one day, to the CD. I then stamped the Flower Power Stamp Plate and stamped various sized blooms onto Grungepaper to create the flowers to go around the base of my tealight holder.

I then applied Tumbled Glass and Dusty Concord Distress Ink over the stamped flowers before making them into 3D blooms. Next, using the Movers and Shapers, Mini Butterflies die and the On The Edge Butterflight I die cut the images and applied Wild Honey and Fired Brick Distress Inks over them. I inked up the Dots Background stamp with Black Archival ink and stamped directly onto the single butterflies and finally, die cut the Mini Branch and Leaf and blended them with Peeled Paint and Gathered Twigs DI.

Now, all you need to do is wrap the On The Edge Butterflight die around the base of the plastic container and attach the grungepaper elements onto the Alcohol inked CD, using Glossy Accents. I added the Grungepaper die cut butterflies onto small folded pieces of acetate to give the appearance of them in flight.

Finally, I stamped the Butterfly Words quote onto a piece of card, blended with Tumbled Glass and Vintage Photo DI and attached this using a Memo Pin Idea-ology Fastening.

So, that's about it from me for today...I hope you feel inspired to get inky and start creating. Don't forget that we would love to see your creations in our RIBBONS AND LACE challenge ~ you have until the end of APRIL to submit your entries. We also have a Creative Team Callout and if you would like to join our very talented Creative Team and show us your creations here on the blog, then click HERE for all the details of how to apply!!

See you again very soon!

Bye for now.

Emma x

Nature's Little Helper by Emma

Hello everyone!

It's already time for me to share my second post of the month and I decided to make a little hanging plaque to celebrate Spring arriving, using one of the gorgeous Mabel Lucie Attwell stamps as my focus point.

Here's how I made it ~

To begin with I stamped the Mabel Lucie Attwell image, Nature's Little Helper onto watercolour paper and coloured it using Distress Marker Pens (which incidentally are just the best pens I have ever owned ~ I love them!!). I scribbled some colour from the pens onto my craft mat and then hand painted the image using a waterbrush. Next, using Tim Holtz's Cabinet Die from Sizzix, I die cut a piece of chipboard and adhered my finished artwork onto this.

I then took a piece of corrugated cardboard from an old box and once again, used the Cabinet Die, together with the Movers and Shapers Mini Cabinet Die inside, I die cut the cardboard to make a frame. I used the Gold Metallic Paint Dabber over the frame, brushed some Vintage Photo DI over the edges for an aged look and then covered it with Rock Candy Crackle Paint. Once it was dry, I added the frame to my artwork. 

Next, I stamped six of the smallest of the flower shapes from the Flower Power Stamp Plate onto Grungepaper, blended Seedless Preserves DI over them and then shaped the petals into two 3D flower blooms. 

I used the Mini Tattered Leaves die to die cut leaves from a sheet of clear Clearly For Art and blended lettuce Alcohol Ink over the top, before moulding them into shape. I then added the finished elements to my frame, together with a decorative pin.

With the Movers and Shapers, Mini Butterflies die, I cut two butterflies from some more of the Grungepaper, blended Ripe Persimmon and Seedless Preserves DI over the shapes and adhered them to my frame. I inked up the "Creative" stamp with black Archival ink, stamped it onto a piece of card, blended Antique Linen DI over the top and cut it into a banner shape before adding this to the finished artwork.

Finally, I punched a hole in the top of the frame and added some twine, tied into a loop so it will hang.

So, that's about it from me for today...I hope you feel inspired to get inky and start creating. Don't forget that we would love to see your creations in our TRAVEL challenge ~ you have until the end of March to submit your entries.

See you again very soon!

Bye for now.

Emma x

Feeling Blue...?

Good Morning to both you and the weekend...
and hopefully a little off-duty time for some and oodles of crafty dabblings too! Sarah here with my second make of the month. Today I'm feeling rather blue and girly but all in a good painty, inky way. I make no secret of being an ATC fan, especially when they're funky and chunky!

I cut a chunk of wood from an old beam that was lurking in the shed. It's the three dimensional model of your standard ATC (2½ x 3½ inches, but 1½ inches deep). I started with a couple of coats of paint with my Cloudy Blue Dabber and then cut a cardboard frame for the front which I swiped with Snow Cap before stamping some yummy Polka Dots.

I lined the frame with Mr.Tim Ball Chain and inked up some Grungeboard Letters with pigment ink. I chose the word 'Fleur', because somehow French sounds so much nicer!

I painted some Grungepaper in Snowcap and then stamped the really great flowers and leaves from Flower Power and Flower Blooms.

I love cutting weeny things out so I had a ball with those leaves! Plus it means you can create more movement and shape with them.

I layered up the flowers, added a brass stud and made a triple one for the top finishing off with an old ceramic drawer knob!

On the back, more yummy dots, leaves and three pretty mini flowers. Just too cute! I don't often say cute, but these just are! I played around with the words from Flower Blooms by stamping them onto painted card and splitting them up. Oooh, so many places to play with...

I think chunky ATCs make great gifts because you can put so much in to them but they're just the right size too... They'll happily perch on a shelf or in a cabinet.  

Are you stamper or cardmaker wanting to venture into mixed media but feeling a bit daunted by the thought? Well, this could be the perfect project to help you make that step, whilst still taking all your other skills along.

On the sides, I kept things fairly simple but still wanted to add a little extra detail with some seam binding, vintage buttons and another flower. I don't mind seeing the lumps, bumps and cracks in the wood - all part of the natural look!  On this side some more wordplay and chain. Finally, (fanfare) the whole ATC is mounted on four metal corner thingies also painted blue!
So, that's all folks, as they say. Hope you like it and will maybe give it a go yourself. Thanks for looking and Happy Weekending! Sarah.

"Holly" by Emma

Hi everyone ~ it's Emma here!

December is whizzing by and it's already time to show you my first project of the month using one of the FREE stamps that you get with any order placed at The Artistic Stamper during December.

So, time to share my decorative Christmas plaque ~ I hope you like it...

Here's how I made it and I've included lots of close up photos to show you all the detail!

To begin with I stamped the Mabel Lucie Attwell ~ Holly image onto cream textured card and coloured it in.

Next, I cut to size a 15cm square frame from white card, trimmed the edges to give a decorative effect and then cut an 8cm aperture from the centre. I blended Weathered Wood Distress Ink over the frame and then using the free snowflakes stamp, I stamped all around the edge of the frame with some more Weathered Wood Distress Ink. I then mounted my frame over the top of my stamped Mabel Lucie Attwell image and placed the completed frame onto chipboard, trimming off the excess.

Next, using Tim Holtz's Alterations dies, I die cut the Holly Branch from Grungepaper and the "25" from the Noel die from chipboard. I then blended Evergreen Bough Distress Ink over the holly leaves and Festive Berries on the berries ~ both inks are from the Winter Seasonal DI set. I then used Gathered Twigs on the branch which came in the Autumn Seasonal DI set. Next, I blended Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink over the "25" before covering each number with Picket Fence Crackle Paint.

Once the crackle paint is dry, I assembled each of the Grungepaper die cut elements onto the left hand side of my frame, slightly overlapping the edge. I then placed the "25" on top of the holly branch to give the effect of it being suspended in mid air. I squidged some Rock Candy Distress Stickles over all the die cut pieces.

Next, I punched two holes and placed some eyelets into top corners of the frame using a Crop-a-Dile. I attached some glass beads to the twine and threaded this through the holes to create a hanger. Finally, I added some seam binding as the finishing touch, to complete my decorative wall hanger.

Thanks for stopping by to take a look at what I've made and once again, for taking the time to leave comments on these posts ~ I appreciate all your kind words.

Bye for now and have fun creating.

Emma x

SPICE UP YOUR CRAFT ROOM

Hi all,
Kat here, AKA Kat's craft creations

This months focus for the design team is on tissue tape,
you can grab some Here at a great price.

I found an old spice rack in a charity shop
& thought I could alter that for my distress stains
& this is what I came up with.

The spice rack was already painted in a glossy green paint

(that wouldn't cover so I went with it)

I started by stamping the words randomly all over

from the creative art thoughts stamp set

in Jet Black stazon

Then stuck the Tissue Tape to all the edges of the spice rack,

I embellished it with flowers made from

Flower Power & flower bloom stamp sets,

using Grunge Paper & Distress Stains

in wild honey & tumbled glass

the leaves are cut from a sizzix die

& coloured with peeled paint Distress Stains

I added sparkly gems to the centers

& some stick pins,

I arranged & glued it with

super glue & silicone glue

& there you have it!

Easy Peezy lemon sqweezy (lol)

Here's a picture of some other things

that can fit in my spice rack

(I am definitely going to look out for more

spice racks to alter & house all my bottles & jars in them)

Hope you liked it!

Just before I go I would just like to say a big

Thank you for all the lovely comments

I have recieved on the projects I have shown so far

they are so much apreciated,

I will be back on the 15th with my second project,

hope to see you there!

Have a creative day

Kat x.

Mirror, Mirror By Kat Fullman

Hello to all, Kat here, AKA Kat's craft creations I am absolutely thrilled & privileged to be invited to be the GUEST DESIGNER for the month of April here on the Artistic Stamper Creative Team.

May I take this time to say a big thank you to Hels & Jennie
for the opportunity to show my craft creations here.

My first piece I would like to shaer with you is a Mirror that I have altered.

I have placed a piece of paper over the mirror

(so you don't get me in the reflection)

I have taken some step by step pics

to show how I made it and some of the things I used are also in the pics,

(so there will be less writing to read)

That's always good in my book.

I used

stamps from the the artistic stamper range pictured below;

Here's the mirror before I altered it;

I made a template using white card

With Antique Linen distress ink & blending tool

distress white card as shown,

Then use the same ink & this Calligraphic Mat 13 stamp

(love the size of this stamp)

& stamp all over as shown,

With these 3 stamp sets,

Botanical plate 1 , Architecture plate 1 & Insects & Butterflies no1

I stamped ramdomly using Sepia Archival Ink

Using Vintage Photo Distress Ink

blend inner & outer edges as shown,

Then glue this to the mirror,

Next is the embelishment part,

Using Flower Power & Dots background stamps,

& Peeled Paint, Faded Jeans & Rusty Hinge Distress inks,

Wendy Vecchi studio 490 Leaf stamps ,

Tim Holtz Tatterd Rose Die & Grunge Paper

Make a selection of flowers as shown in pic above,

remember to shape them for extra dimention, then glue together,

I added a touch of rock candy distress stickles for that extra touch of sparkle

Hels has a fab tutorial on her blog

for the rose if your not sure how to make them.

Add some sparkly bits or gems,

I have used old & broken bits of jewellry for this one,

some silver buttons & 2 decorative stick pins from my stash

all stuck with silicone glue.

I think I have rememberd everything,

I will be back on the 14th with my second project

see you then, Have a crafty day,

Kat.