Sunday 26 February 2012

I'M NOT BOSSY JOURNAL PAGE by Kat

Hi all,
I would like to share with you all today
the first page of an art journal I am going to
put together myself,
it's going to be an interactive book that has
pockets, flaps & pull downs,
each page is going to be different.
(well that's what's in my mind, whether it will work is another thing) LOL

so I am happy to present to you page 1,
this page has a side tag pocket to pull out.



I thought I would post this a little differently
to see if it ends up with less writing than my normal posts,
I hope you don't mind.
I am going to list all the things I used
then show the pictures on how I made the background.

I used :-
1 A4 piece of card cut into 2 A5 pieces,
Manila tag size 8,
 distress stains Bundled Sage, Tumbled Glass,
Scattered Straw & Antique Linen,
Distress Ink Vintage Photo,
Wild Honey & Tumbled Glass,
Stamps I used are,
archival inks Sepia & jet black
Collage sheets to make up the figure etc.,
the phrase is printed out on the computer
a bind it all machine, & scraps of card
scrap of ribbon.

here's the background pictures.


smooshed stains onto a craft sheet
then dragged the card through them then dried with a heat tool


added the distress inks


splatted the stain to make the splats,


sprayed water through a stencil


then blotted it off with kitchen roll


finally I added the stamps

I stamped the birds then glued everything in place

hope you like it!
If anyone has any two part phrases, quotes or
jokes etc that would fit this style of journaling
please leave me a comment, 
I would love to read them,
you never know they may just make it into the book (LOL)

have a creative day,
Kat x.

Saturday 25 February 2012

Domino Pendant by Alison

Hello Everyone. This week I decided to alter one of The Artistic Stamper's Bamboo Dominoes, & make it into a pendant.


I started by adding a couple of coats of Studio Gesso to the Bamboo Domino. Then I used purple twilight & sailboat blue alcohol inks to colour it. I stamped the little flourish from the Nature Is Art Plate, with jet black Stazon, then clear embossed the whole domino twice.

I inserted a couple of lengths of silver wire, I think mine was 24 gauge, through the holes on the domino.


I added some silver tube beads as shown. This was a little bit tricky, & I used jewellery pliers to pull the wire through.


I then twisted the ends of the wire a couple of times, inserted one end through a crystal bead, & wrapped the other wire around the bead. I twisted the wires together, then used round-nosed pliers to make a loop, wrapping the end back around the loop. When closing the ends around the loop, take care not to crush your crystal bead with the pliers, like I managed to do on one end! Lol!


I used extra strong glue to attach a tiny metal Foliage flower, then coloured a pearl bead with purple alcohol ink & glued it to the centre.
Finally, I added some silver jump rings, an Ideaology Chain Tassel, some black cord & fastenings.


I hope you like my pendant, thanks for looking!
Alison xox












Wednesday 22 February 2012

Passion and Desire by Sioux Jenneys

I'm sharing a journal page today :)


1. The background started off with having sprayed a page with Distress Inks in peeled paint and shabby shutters I found there was just too much of it so got out the large sequin waste closed background and swirls from Swirls, Splats and Dots A5 and got ink onto them and stamped them on a blank page. I then made sure the inks were really dry and, using an ink blending tool, added Distress Ink faded jeans over the whole page.

2. I stamped the woman from the Nudes plate in Archival coffe onto white card then tore the edges and inked it with Distress Ink vintage photo and a touch of black soot then stuck her to the page.

3. The words "Passion" and "Desire" from the same plate were stamped in Adirondack pigment ink wild plum and watermelon and the open circle from Swirls, Splats and Dots used Distress vintage photo.


4. I used Distress re-inker black soot and an old fashioned pen nib to hand write the words

"I've got this yearning burning feeling inside me!"
Which all fans of Motown will recognise ;)
By the way do water down the re-inker 50/50 with water or it takes forever to dry...
...I just mixed it straight on an acrylic block!!!



See you again soon!
xoxo Sioux

Monday 20 February 2012

Blowing Bubbles by Emma

Hi everyone!!

It's time for me to share my second piece for February and today, I've decided to get my paints, inks and pens out and use them in conjunction with a Mabel Lucie Attwell stamp.
So, here's how I made this card...

To begin with, I made the backing paper for my card by stamping randomly onto a piece of A4 white paper, using the circles and dots from the Swirls, Splats and Dots A5 stamp plate, inked with Tumbled Glass DI and black Archival. I then brushed the edges of my paper with the Bottle Paint Dabber and added dragged lines, using the end of my paint brush. I cut to size a piece of the stamped paper, matted this onto black card and adhered it to the front of my card blank. With the offcuts of the paper, I made these into paper rolls to use later.

Next, I stamped the outline of the Mabel Lucie Attwell, I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles image onto white paper and coloured it in with alcohol pens. I then cut around the outline and set it aside for later. Next, I made the background for my Mabel image by "splatting" Peeled Paint, Shabby Shutters and Tumbled Glass Distress Stains onto my craft mat, spritzing the stain with water and then dragging my piece of card through the inky pools. I then placed the Circle Grid Crafter's Workshop Template over my stained background and stencilled through the holes using Snow Cap Adirondack Paint Dabber. Once again, I also painted random strokes onto the background with the edge of my paint brush using white and black Gesso.
Once the background was dry, I inked up the circles from the Swirls, Splats and Dots, A5 stamp sheet, using black Archival Ink and stamped directly onto the inky, painted background. Next, I adhered the coloured Mabel Lucie Attwell image into place, added touches of Glossy Accents to highlight the bubbles and added the text which I typed out and printed off from my computer, before matting the completed artwork onto some black and white card and adding it to my covered card blank. 
Once everything is in place, I adhered the paper rolls that I made and set aside earlier.
Finally, I stamped the "Limited Edition" ticket, from the Tim Holtz Odds And Ends Tickets Stamp Set, cut it out, then signed and attached it with a decorative pin, to the front of my card.
So, that's about it from me and I hope you like what I've made.

Thanks for stopping by to take a look and to comment on all my posts ~ I really do appreciate all your kind words.

Have a wonderful week and I'll see you again, soon.
Emma x

Saturday 18 February 2012

Family Values by Alison

Hello Stampers! This week I've got a little lavender pouch to show you.


I stamped the image from the Family Values plate twice onto cream calico fabric, using jet black Stazon ink. I cut around one image with pinking shears, then cut out some words on the other image. I coloured the words with pink perfect pearl mist, then glued them in place with Ranger Glossy Accents. I then sewed buttons around the edge of the image.


Next, I cut some backing from floral fabric, using pinking shears. I sewed the pieces of fabric together, trapping an edging of lace in between, & adding a loop of ribbon in one corner. Before sewing the last short edge, I inserted a piece of wadding & some dried lavender.


Here's my sachet, hanging on one of my favourite tops, ready to go in the wardrobe. I may have to make a couple more of these, ready for Mothering Sunday next month! ;o)

Thanks for looking!
Alison xox



Thursday 16 February 2012

BUTTERFLY PUBLICITY TAG by Kat

Hi all, Kat Here,
it feels like it's been ages since I made a tag,
so that's what I have to share with you today,
I have also had a little play with my distress stains.
so here is my creation.

I started with a size 8 manilla tag
I took took the distress stains
Picket Fence, Vintage Photo & Brushed Corduroy,
smooshed them on my craft sheet & dragged the tag through the ink
then dried it with a heat tool,
I then repeated this with the ink that was left 
& dried the tag again,
I then took the vintage photo stain,
 banged it on to the tag to make cool splats
(a trick that Hel's showed me) cool ha!
then dried the tag again.


I then blended round the edge with
Vintage Photo & Walnut Stain Distress Ink
& stamped the butterflies off the Papillon plate Tim Holtz.


I then stamped the butterflies on some scrap card &
coloured them in with pro markers,
cut them out & attached them over the top,
to give some dimension.


I made a little torn edge sign with THIS
fab saying & attached it to the tag with a memo pin
& to finish I stapled some brown ribbon along the side edge.


hope you like it!

just quickly,
 can I say a big thank you to every one
that leaves me such lovely comments on
the things I post here,
I am always  excited to read them
& they are so appreciated. 

hope to see you next time,
Kat x.

Sunday 12 February 2012

Triple Moo Card by Sioux Jenneys

I needed a birthday card for a male and I needed it fast (you know what it's like! LOL)
so I'm sharing this quick card today :)


1. Colour 3 plain white moo's (28mm x 70mm) with Distress Ink antique linen, vintage photo and tea dye.

2. Using the same colour Distress Ink that you coloured the background...stamp the Round the World in antique linen, the watch from Time and Keys in vintage photo and the bicycle wheel from The Open Road in tea dye.

3. Using sticky tape to mask off portions, stamp the phrase from Time and Keys on each moo in Archival black.


Not sure why but the antique linen image is not showing too well on camera although in real life it has a nice contrast!!

4. Edge each moo with a black marker pen and mount onto different colours of Ranger Distress Core'dinations and edge again with a black marker before attaching to the card base and stamping a sentiment of your choice.



Ooh! Why not make a triple moo card next time you are in a hurry :) See you again soon!
xoxo Sioux

Friday 10 February 2012

Shot Through The Heart by Emma

Hello everyone!!

It's that time of the month when I get to share my first piece with you all and today, I thought it would be nice to continue the theme of our ongoing HEARTS challenge and make something for Valentine's Day. I had lots of bits and bobs, scraps of paper and sheets of chipboard hanging around my craft room, which I'd kept with the thought that one day they might be useful and so, I thought the time had now come to recycle them all, and this is what all those bits and bobs made...
To begin with I covered an old CD with various colours of alcohol inks. Once I achieved the desired effect, I just dabbed some Snow Cap Mixative over the top. I then painted an old ribbon spool, that I had left over from the Christmas wrapping, with Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Paint in Traditional Tan, set it to one side to dry, before inking up the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Once the painted ribbon spool was secured into place onto my CD base, I die cut the Mannequin shape from the Sewing Room set of Tim Holtz's Alterations dies out of chipboard and covered it with Charcoal Black Studio Paint. I then die cut a separate piece of the body section of the mannequin from a piece of sticky back canvas and stuck this to my painted chipboard shape, once again inking the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I adhered some sticky back aluminium to a piece of chipboard, die cut a set of wings from this and then ran it used a Texture Fade to emboss each wing. I adhered the wings to my main body shape and then stuck the completed die cut shape to my painted ribbon spool base, using Glossy Accents and waited for it to dry, so that the Mannequin was securely in position.
Using the Movers and Shapers Mini Tattered Florals die, I die cut enough petals to make five dimensional roses which I then blended with Fired Brick Distress Ink and misted with Forever Red Perfect Pearls Mists. Once dry, I inked up one of the Calligraphy Mats with Black Archival Ink and stamped onto each petal before making up the dimensional blooms and sticking them to the base of my piece.
Next, I triple embossed a heart shape piece of chipboard, using red embossing powder. I then die cut the arrow from Tim's Valentine Silhouettes set using some more of the aluminium covered chipboard and covered it with alcohol inks before attaching it to the body of my mannequin.
Finally, I stamped the word "Imagine" onto a piece of cream card, inked the edges with Antique Linen DI and made a banner shape. I stuck this to the inside section of the ribbon spool and finished the piece with some vintage seam binding coloured with Antique Linen Distress Stain.
So, that about it from me and I really hope you like my recycled creation.
See you all soon and hope you have a lovely Friday and a very creative weekend.
Emma x

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Keep Calm by Alison

Hello again Stampers! Today, I have an inky frame to share with you.


I began by totally covering a papier mache frame with pieces of torn book page. I used Studio Matt Medium to glue the pieces of book page, then brushed more Matt Medium over the top, to seal.
Next, I brushed a thin layer of Studio Gesso all over the frame, so I could apply the Distress Inks to colour it. I used Fired Brick & Stormy Sky.
Then I stamped the flourish from the Flourish Swirls Plate, using Stormy Sky Distress Ink. I used a heat gun to dry and set the ink. I then stamped the splats from the A5 Swirls, Splats & Dots Plate, using Fired Brick Distress Ink, then heat set these too.


I stamped Keep Calm And Carry On Stamping onto glossy card, using Archival Jet Black Ink, then embossed it with clear powder. I cut it out, leaving a thin border, then inked lightly with the Fired Brick DI. I glued it to the inside of the frame, then added a crown charm.
To finish, I added some blue & red buttons, & applied Gold Inka Gold to the edges of the frame.
Thanks for looking,
Alison xox


Monday 6 February 2012

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED journal page

Hi all, Kat here,
I have another journal page to share with you today
so I will jump right in,


I started by blending Iced Spruce Distress Ink
all over the page,
then stamped the buildings & the
Inspiration Light Bulb onto the page with
I then hand drew the stalks, leaves & petals with
a black pit pen,
& coloured them with
by smooshing some ink on a craft sheet, watering it down
& painting it on with a water brush,
I coloured some of the buildings the same way with
next I hand drew B,L,M across the page to spell the word
BLOOM using the flowers as the OOs,
the rest of the phrase is stamped with small alphabet stamps.
& to finish I used  the Small Cogs stamp
& Iced Spruce Distress Ink around the edge of the page.

That's it hope you like it!
I'll be back on the 16th with another project,
hope to see you then,
Kat x.

Sunday 5 February 2012

Flowers Dance by Sioux Jenneys

I seem to be in journal page mode just lately so today I'm here to share just that! :)

I don't know about you but I do like to get mileage out of my stamps ;)...
...and by that I mean being able to make something completely different from the original intended use!
I was playing around with the solid leaf stamp from Flower Power and got very excited when I managed to make some flowers instead...it's a simple little thing but it made me happy :)


1. I used Adirondack pigment inks in wild plum and sunset orange to simply stamp the leaf image three times for each flower (no masking involved).

2. Coloured the background with water brushed neo colour crayons (you could use Distress Ink instead as a water colour)

3. Stamped portions of the Music stamp over the background in Distress Ink brushed corduroy and lightly brushed over it with the wet brush before quickly giving it a blast with the heat gun to stop the ink bleeding too much and degrading the image beyond recognition!

4. Drew in the stems with neo colour and a shadow using a charcoal pencil all around each flower.

5. Stamped the Scrabble letters in Archival black, cut out, attaching them to the page with Studio Multi Medium Matte and gave them a hint of colour with watered Distress Ink in antique linen.

6. Stamped the Dance sentiment in Archival black too.



Ooh! Making that made me happy :) See you again soon!
xoxo Sioux

Saturday 4 February 2012

Winner of The January Challenge

Hi, its the chief stamper here again and this time with the winner of the January Creative Team challenge. We had an amazing number of entries to last month's challenge yet again, and we thank you all so much for joining in.
Now I know that you just really would like to know who has won the £15.00 worth of The Artistic Stamper stamps, so without much ado.. and a drum roll please....the winner is

with this gorgeous piece

Congratulations , and please email me, so I can send you prize to you.

Don't forget that this month's challenge is HEARTS, and we love seeing your creations...
Have a very creative day
Jennie x

Wednesday 1 February 2012

February Challenge- Hearts

Hi to you, and welcome to February, the month of love! Thank you for all your wonderful entries to last month's challenge. We will announce the winner in a couple of days.
Last month we were very lucky to have the very talented Sarah Engels-Greer as our Guest Designer, many thanks to Sarah for her fabulous creations.

The new challenge this month is HEARTS. To join in with the challenge is simple; make a piece of artwork, include the theme and some rubberstamping, pop back here to link up using the Froggy at the bottom of this post and leave us a comment to let us know you have joined in. As ever there will be candy for one randomly picked entrant - £15 worth of The Artistic Stamper stamps of your choice plus the Kling On to mount them onto. And... if you use Artistic Stamper stamps on your entry, you will be entered twice into the draw!



Here are the Creative Team's absolutely fabulous creations for this month's challenge




Kat has made an A5 journal page using Heart background & Stipple background stamps & Swirls,Splats & Dots A5 plate with Iced Spruce Distress Ink onto the page that had been Gessoed with Claudine Hellmuth Gesso she then made hills & little houses from old book pages & patterned papers, the phrase was stamped with an alphabet onto old book pages & then cut out, the whole seen was glued down with Multi-Matte Medium then shaded around all the elements with a graphite pencil & a blending stump, to finish Kat doodled the top edge with a black marker & coloured the flowers in with a burgundy colouring pencil.




Alison stamped large hearts from Roses are red Plate onto Tim Holtz Shabby Vintage paper, silver embossed them & cut out, Stamped the phrase onto one heart with faded jeans distress ink, stamped & silver embossed a small heart & added that below the phrase. She stamped the heart border with faded jeans DI down the sides of a 7x5 card, & added panel of bue paper at the bottom. She added the hearts & Ideaology trimmings to finish.


Emma has made a freestanding plaque using the 'Where There Is Love, There Is Life" wording and the row of hearts stamp from the Roses Are Red A6 plate. She blended Wild Honey and Tumbled Glass Distress Inks over the background, then flicked water over it and dried it with a heat gun. She inked up the Smudge Background stamp with Wild Honey Distress Ink and stamped the background. Next, she used some Tim Holtz Alterations dies to die cut the shapes. Some of the die cuts are covered in self adhesive sticky back aluminum, embossed with a Texture Fade and then coloured with alcohol inks and the remaining are coloured with Fired Brick Distress Ink and painted with Rock Candy Crackle Paint. She finally stamped the wording in Black Archival ink, cut it into individual words and adhered it to the piece.

Jennie has made a rosey heart using Tim Holtz's Alterations Pine cone die to make mini roses. To make the roses, glue District Market Composer Tissue wrap to Co-ordinations, and make the roses. Dip some inot clear UTEE, and leave some plain. Add lots of Perfect Pearl mists in Interference red, and hot glue a papier mache heart.
We look forward to seeing your fantastic creations in the challenge this month, and don't forget to add a comment when you post your entry.
Have a very happy and loving month
Jennie