Lighthouse Scenes created for Chocolate Baroque

Good morning. Today I am sharing a couple of my recent samples using the Seashore Scenes stamp set (plus Mermaid Queen and Underwater for embellishments). The first is a sunset scene mounted onto a patterned background paper from Crafty Individuals, the second a mini wall hanging.

Sunset Scene Card:

1. The patterned paper was trimmed and edged with black pen to frame before sticking to the card blank.
2. The background was painted with water based inks (orange and yellow) and the image stamped with Versafine (Onyx Black). Some areas of colour were lifted out using water and blotting. The image was coloured with watercolour pens and pencil. White pencil was used to emphasise highlights.
3. The foreground was created using Expand IT tinted with watercolour pen, heated to puff and create the texture. Mounted onto black card to frame and glued to the card with foam pads for dimension.
4. The shells were stamped with Versafine (Vintage Sepia), spritzed with blue and gold ink sprays, cut out and lightly shaped before gluing down with 3D glue gel.

Materials:

• Seashore Scenes, Mermaid Queen and Underwater (for shell embellishments) stamp sets
• 6 X 6 card blank, 6 X 6 background paper (Crafty Individuals – The Seaside), black card and white stamping card, scrap cartridge paper (for shells)
• Inkpads: Versafine (Onyx Black and Vintage Sepia)
• Alcohol ink pen (black)
• Watercolour pens and pencils
• Water based inks (yellow, orange)
• Ink sprays (blue, gold with mica)
• Colourcraft Expand IT (puff paint)

 

The scene looks so different done in an alternative colourway.
Follow the river hanging:

1. The scene was stamped onto whiteboard with Versafine. A fine tipped pen and additional scene building stamps were used to extend the scene. Drawing Gum was used to mask the gull image while stamping the background images (i.e. grasses behind the gull and post).
2. The scene was coloured with watercolour paints. Extra details and texture were added with coloured pencils. Drawing gum was used to mask some areas while painting (e.g. clouds, water highlights).
3. Grey board was trimmed and cut with a rope edger die (top edge) and overlaid with red card cut to match. Holes were punched in the top to tie on the hanging string.
4. The starfish and shells were stamped onto cartridge paper, coloured with watercolour and mica paints. After shaping they were glued to waste acetate pieces with 3D glue gel to make them more robust (particularly as they overhang the ‘canvas’ edges).
5. The rope and ships wheel were cut 2-3 times each from Kraftcard, layered up and glued together to make them more robust. Colouring was added using Distress Ink, glaze and glitter pens.
6. The scene, embellishments and string were glued to the hanging. Finished with PVA pearls and touches of glitter glue.

Materials used:

• Seashore Scenes, Mermaid Queen and Underwater (for shell and starfish) stamp sets
• 15 X 10cm whiteboard shape (Chocolate Baroque kit), Grey board, red card, white stamping card, Kraft card, scrap cartridge paper and acetate
• Watercolour paints and water based paints with mica
• Coloured pencils
• Pebeo Drawing Gum
• Glaze pen (red) and glitter pen (gold)
• Fine tipped pen (black)
• Inkpads: Versafine (Onyx Black), Distress Ink (Scattered Straw)
• PVA pearls and glitter glue (clear)
• Bakers twine (red & white)
• Dies to cut ships wheel, rope edge (top of hanger) and rope embellishment

Floral Rocker card created for Chocolate Baroque

Good morning. This rocker card was one of my samples using the Tangled Garden stamps from Chocolate Baroque. The stamps went perfectly with one of my embossing folders from Sheena Douglass. Something bright and cheery on a gloomy day x.

Materials:

• Tangled Garden and Words of Inspiration stamp sets
• Hammered card and stamping card (white)
• Inkpads: Marvey Matchables Dye based (Violet), Versamark
• WOW Embossing Powder (Fuchsia)
• Brusho Powder (Purple)
• Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pens (peacock, orange, pink and Clear Overlay)
• Gel (orange) and glitter pens (blue)
• Spectrum Noir alcohol pen (purple)
• Fine tipped pen (purple)
• Glitter glue (aqua) and PVA pearls (orange)
• Glycerine
• Glass seed beads (silver lined green)
• Circle Rocker die (Tattered Lace), sentiment panel die (Sizzix)

How it was made:

1. The circle rocker card blank was cut using the die and embossed with the floral embossing folder. The sentiment was stamped with purple ink and cut out. Peacock Sparkle Pen colour was blended over the surface using a sponge. I used the technique recently demonstrated by Sheen Douglass: Add a drop of glycerine to the craft mat and work into sponge. Then pick up some pen colour, after scribbled onto the mat. The glycerine makes it blend onto the card like a Distress Ink.
2. The card and sentiment panel were edged with alcohol marker and the fine tipped pen used to draw faux stitching.
3. The flowers and leaves were stamped with Versamark and embossed with pink powder, cut out and coloured with sparkle, glitter and gel pens. While wet a little Brusho powder was dropped onto the petals for extra colour and texture.
4. The flowers and leaves were shaped and glued to the card with 3D glue gel.
5. Glass beads were glued to the flower centres. Finished with PVA pearls and glitter glue.

Bold Blooms T-Light Holder created for Chocolate Baroque

Good afternoon. This was one of my recent samples using the Bold Blooms stamp set from Chocolate Baroque. I had a bit of fun creating this little T-light holder. The sentiment verse reads ‘Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul’.

Materials:

• Bold Blooms stamp set
• 15 X 10cm mixed media white board (Chocolate Baroque), metallic card (silver satin)
• Gesso (Black)
• Inkpads: StazOn (Jet Black), Versamark, Encore (Metallic Silver)
• WOW Embossing Powders (my own mix - pinks and purples)
• Sakura Glaze Pen (pink)
• Lose glitter (silver) and glitter glue (silver)
• Floral stamens (pink, yellow)
• Hot melt glue gun with clear glue sticks
• 2mm aluminium craft wire (Beads Direct) and scrap 0.6mm wire (pink coated)
• Electric T-light (battery operated)
• Jewellery pliers and mandrel (e.g bottle or jar)

How it was made:

1. The base and candle casing were coated with Gesso. The candle was then stamped with the sentiment using silver ink. Tip: roll the candle onto the inked stamp. Alternatively use a separate strip of black card and wrap it around the candle after stamping.
2. The base panel was stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with pink mix powder.
3. The 2mm wire was shaped into a spiral around a bracelet mandrel (use a bottle or jar if you don’t have one). To work harden the wire so that it keeps it shape gently tap along the wire (while still on the mandrel) using a nylon jewellery hammer (or use a wooden hammer, or even your acrylic block if you don’t have these). You will feel it stiffen and it will hold shape better.
4. I made an upright strut (seen just behind the small floral embellishment) and attached using loops created with round nosed pliers. I then used scrap wire to wrap to hold sections together where needed. Don’t worry if this looks scrappy, joins can be covered up later. You just need the structure to hold and not flop or spring around.
5. The images were stamped onto metallic card using StazOn ink and coloured with glaze pen, then cut out. The small leaves were cut from the larger leaf and combined with the small flower to make the small embellishment.
6. The large flower was stamped 3 times and was cut out, snipped into and shaped to make it 3D (i.e. into a cone shape). The outer layer of the large flower was backed with another stamped image to make it double sided (i.e. 2 images used to make the large flower outer). The middle of the third image was trimmed to make a central layer of petals. The middle of the flower was trimmed to leave a hole to glue in the stamens and attach it to wire.
7. Hot melt glue was used to attach the flower, stamens and embellishments to the wire, and the wire structure to the base. I dropped in some glitter before the glue set to add sparkle. Again you don’t need to be super neat with this. I then added blobs of glittered glue along the wire too.
8. Finally I used standard glitter glue to further embellish the flowers and base.

I was really pleased with the result – it has a sort of Indian feel. I may need to make another of these for myself.

Pretty Owl Necklace created for Chocolate Baroque

Good morning. This was one of my show samples using the Bold Blooms stamp set from Chocolate Baroque. I decorated an MDF owl and added it to some recycled chain and bead strings to make a pretty necklace. I made a little gift tag to match.

Materials:

• Bold Blooms stamp set
• Gesso (white) and acrylic paint (turquoise)
• Inkpads: Versamark, Stazon (Jet Black)
• Coloured pens (Pentel – pink and turquoise)
• Glitter Glue (clear)
• Ultra thick embossing powder (UTEE - Clear and Clear with mica)
• Recycled chain and bead strings, clasp findings and jump rings
• MDF owl and mini tag

How it was made:

1. The MDF owl was coated with gesso (primer) then acrylic paint. The image was stamped with StazOn and coloured with pens. A little glitter glue was added for sparkle.
2. When fully dry the piece was coated with Versamark and coated with pearlescent clear UTEE. Two more layers of clear UTEE were added to give a sealed shiny finish.
3. The pendant was attached to the recycled bead and chain to make a necklace, A little gift tag was stamped and coloured to match.

Oriental Mixed Media Canvas with Teneriffe Lace and Powertex

I created this mixed media canvas using acrylic paints and various elements treated with transparent Powertex. Powertex is great for stiffening, gluing down and protecting porous substrates such as fabric, card or wood.

The lace elements were my first attempts at making Teneriffe Lace (yes the lace name has 2 f’s - as in the original spelling of the island) using the newly released looms and instructions from Gina-B Silkworks. I struggled a bit with getting my knotting secure at first (until I read the instructions properly – tee hee), plus my weaving and tensioning was pretty uneven too. My technique soon improved but I wasn’t sure what to do with these first experiments. They nearly went into the bin! However, I then thought of Powertex treatment. The lace would be stiffened and sealed so no worry about any of the knotting coming lose.

The variegated blue threads that I used inspired me to create something with an Oriental theme. Incorporating my ‘imperfect’ lace elements into a canvas was perfect.

I was really pleased with the results and my lace pieces ended up being showcased very nicely.

Materials:

• Teneriffe Lace Complete Starter Kit (comes with Looms 1 and 3)
• Total Trimmings Project Book – Teneriffe Lace (comes with a Heart Loom 11)
• Strong thread (for the holding threads on loom) and pearl 8 embroidery thread (plain blue and variegated blue) for the lace work
• Transparent Powertex
• Card (approx. 230 gsm – white and blue)
• 12 X 12 inch stretched canvas
• Gesso (white), acrylic paint (blue) and Starlight Paint (gold metallic)
• Alcohol marker and PVA pearls (blue) – to colour edges and add centres to flowers
• Bamboo barbeque sticks
• Thread wrapped button embellishment, bead and tassel
• Dies to cut branches and blossoms (mixed brand and Spellbinders)
• Mandala stencil
• Rubber stamp (for background texture)
• Plastic sheeting to protect table and to dry Powertex treated elements
• 3D glue gel

How it was done:

1. The butterfly was created on the outer ring of Loom 3. This was a result of a bit of play and trying out the technique. I didn’t use a specific pattern but added darned areas to get a stylised butterfly shape.
2. The large circular motif was worked on the outer ring of Loom 1 following the design for the Teacup Pincushion Pattern included in the Total Trimmings Book.
3. The 2 small circular designs were again worked on Loom 1 (small inner ring) using the Lace Button Designs included in the book.
4. I treated the lace with the transparent Powertex and laid out to dry overnight on plastic sheeting (Powertex doesn’t stick to plastic). I snipped out the butterfly from my circular lace design. I also cut up some of my rough trial pieces to use as extra texture in the background.
5. The canvas background was painted with white gesso to prime. Rubber stamps were used with acrylic paints to add a little background texture. I also sponged acrylic paint through a mandala stencil to complement the lace elements. Starlight paint (which contains crushed gilding flake) was used to blend in from around the edges.
6. The branches and blossoms were die cut from card, shaped with an embossing tool, then painted with transparent Powertex. Likewise the fan was created using card and bamboo barbeque sticks. Again I treated this with Powertex.
7. Flat elements were glued to the canvas with Transparent Powertex. More dimensional elements were stuck down with 3D glue gel.
8. I also added a thread wrapped button embellishment and tassel. Gina has some wonderful instructional DVD’s and books which are fabulous if you would like to learn these techniques (Making Buttons DVD , Button Workshop Manual, Making Tassels DVD)

Time Flies Steampunk Wall Hanging created for Chocolate Baroque

Good afternoon. This is the last of my recent Steampunk themed samples created for Chocolate Baroque. I made this mini wall hanging using white board and mount board shapes.

Materials:

• Steampunkery stamp set
• 10 X 15cm white board shape (Chocolate Baroque), decorative paper from Crafty Individuals (A Weekend in Seville), scrap mount board and card
• Versafine (Onyx Black), StazOn (Jet Black), Distress Ink (Antique Linen), Versamark
• WOW embossing powders (mix Silver, Verdigris and Gold Rich)
• Alcohol ink pen (black)
• Soft Form Relief Paste (Silver)
• PVA pearls (black)
• Glossy Accents
• Ribbon (black)
• Mixed media dies (Tim Holtz BigZ Clock, cogs)

How it was done:

1. The white board panel was covered with decorative paper and the border plus sentiment stamped with Versafine. The edges were inked with Distress Ink and black marker.
2. The clock stamp was coated with StazOn ink then spread with the Soft Form Relief Paste. This was left to dry overnight before peeling away and trimming to neaten.
3. The clock and cogs were cut from mount board and scrap card. The clock centre was stamped using Versafine. The centre pieces were then coloured with Distress Ink and edged with black pen.
4. The die cut cogs and clock outer were coated with Versamark and heat embossed with metallic powder mix.
5. The embellishments were glued down with foam pads and 3D glue gel for dimension. Glossy accents was added over the clock face and some of the stamped lace cogs. PVA pearls were added for extra decoration.
6. Finally a small hole was punched in the top and ribbon attached for hanging.

Steampunk Adventures card created for Chocolate Baroque

Good morning. This was another of my samples for the recent Steampunk themed shows from Chocolate Baroque.

Materials:

• Steampunkery, Steampunk Travel and Punky Expressions stamps
• 6 X 6 inch Kraft card blank, Kraftcard scraps, 6 X 6 inch patterned paper from Crafty Individuals (Travels in Italy)
• Inkpads: Versamark, Versafine (Vintage Sepia), StazOn (Jet Black)
• Versamark Embossing Ink Pen
• Embossing powders: WOW (Clear Gloss), Ranger (Rust)
• Soft Form Relief Paste (Copper)
• Alcohol pen and fine tipped pen (dark brown)
• Watercolour pen (teal, brown)
• Koh-I-Noor white charcoal sticks
• Hairspray
• Dies (Sizzix gears)

How it was made:

1. Images were stamped with Versafine. White charcoals were used to add clouds and to add highlights to the airships. Images were further coloured with watercolour pens and a damp brush. I used a light spray with hairspray to fix the chalk and stop it from smudging. The topper was then edged with brown pen and faux stitching drawn with the fine tipped pen.
2. Embossing ink was added to the larger ship with the pen, and was heat embossed with clear powder.
3. StazOn ink was applied to the large airship stamp propellers before spreading with a layer of Soft Form Relief Paste. This was left to dry overnight before peeling away and trimming to neaten, then glued over the image.
4. Gears were cut from Kraft card, coated with Versamark ink and heat embossed with rust powder.
5. Sentiments were stamped onto scrap patterned paper, matted onto Kraft card, edged with alcohol maker and glued to the card with foam pads for dimension.