A Ticket to Fly

I made this card for two reasons - firstly for someone's birthday, secondly as an excuse to play with my lovely Inkydoodles 'Hexley Transport' stamps!  This design is perfect for men and boys, but if done in different colours it would be great for girls too.  So starting with the background panel which is a piece of Kraft card.  Three colours of Distress inks are blended on to the card, I chose tones of brown - Tea Dye, Brushed Corduroy and Rusty Hinge, to give the appearance of aged metal.  Then using a mask I embossed the panel  in a machine.  I had to run it through a couple of times to get the depth of embossing I wanted, as masks are thinner than embossing folders and often need a shim.  I then added some more Brushed Corduroy Distress ink to the raised areas.  Next I stamped a border of cogs along the top and bottom edge of the panel, using Brushed Corduroy and Rusty Hinge inks.  There are four embossed screwheads at each corner of the panel, these were highlighted with copper gilding wax.  I then matted the panel onto a brown base card.   I embossed a strip of Kraft card with a cog border mask  then rubbed copper gilding wax over the raised pattern, polishing it afterwards with a soft cloth to set the wax and give the border a metalic look.  I then cut the border out and attached it to the card with dimensional glue.  On some white card I stamped the steampunk balloon car, a small cog, a ticket, and 'Balloon No 3'.  I coloured the images with Pro Markers then cut them out and shaped them with a ball tool.  I used a die to cut out the 'Balloon No 3' image.  I also die cut some cogs and used gilding wax again. Then I attached all the images and embellishments to the card with dimensional glue and added a sentiment.  I love steampunk stamps!

Vintage- Steampunk Clock

This project is created from an MDF clock kit from Inky Doodles and also features some of the brilliant Inky Doodles steampunk stamps, namely 'Clockwork Birds' and 'Time Flies'.  I have also used other stamps from my crafty stash by Sheena Douglas, Indigo Blue, and a lovely script stamp that I've had forever!  I wanted to create a vintage 'shabby-chic' theme but I also wanted to use the steampunk stamps especially one of the clockwork birds, so I decided on a 'Vintage Shabby-Chic meets Steampunk' theme!  
Start by giving all the MDF parts in the kit a couple of coats of white gesso paint to give a smooth non porous surface to paint on.   I left the numerical clock face in it's natural form as it is cut from wood, and I like it as it is.  Using acrylic paints, I mixed colours together to make cream, and dusky pink colours.  I then painted the front side of the back of the clock with the two colours in 'patches' of colour, blending the edges of the patches in to each other.  I did the same for the rim of the clock.  When dry I stamped the script image randomly two or three times over the background in Sepia Versafine ink using second generation ink.  I then stamped  cogs, a vintage swirl, and a chequered background stamp in the same way on the background and the rim.  I then used flitter glue to stamp the vintage swirl image several times over the other images on the background and rim, then add gilding flakes.   Next I added some Walnut stain Distress ink to the wooden numerical clock face to darken the wood a little, then added flitterglue and gilding flakes randomly to highlight the numbers and add texture.  Then all the pieces are sprayed with 'Spray and Shine' to seal the artwork. 
The next thing was to create the embellishments!  On a piece of white card I blended three colours of Distress inks which complimented the paints used before.  Then some floral and leaf images in three sizes were stamped on to the coloured card using the sepia ink.  The flowers and leaves were cut out and the script was stamped over them to add interest to the petals, giving the effect that they have been cut out of an old book page.  On another piece of white card I stamped the clockwork Chaffinch in Sepia ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  I also stamped and embossed another wing and key, to decoupage on to the bird later.  I used the same Distress inks that I used to colour the flowers to paint colour on to the bird, which was then cut out.  Using a die I cut some foliage out of Kraft card, and then added Distress ink to a little wooden key from my stash.   The flowers and leaves were  then shaped, so was the bird.   The flowers were assembled by putting a dot of glue in the centre of each sized piece and stacking them in decreasing sizes.  Then the leaves, flowers, foliage, and the bird are all dipped into the melt pot into clear UTEE(scary!)  This seals the embellishments, makes them very durable, and gives a beautiful glossy shine to the pieces.  The key is covered in a layer of Glossy Accents.  FINALLY- the clock rim is glued on to the main clock background; the numerical clock face is also glued in place; the Chaffinch is attached with dimensional glue, so are the flowers, leaves, foliage and key.  Gold Liquid Pearls is dotted into the centres of the flowers and VOILA!!  My vintage-shabby chic- steampunk clock is complete!    And I loved every minute of creating it!! 

Ancient India

 

 


This design is once again inspired by Sheena Douglass and uses stamps and an embossing folder from her 'A Taste of India' collection, namely 'Indian Arches'.  I couldn't decide which I wanted to use, the stamp or the embossing folder, so I used both!  Starting with the base card, I have used a white 8"x 8" card.  Distress inks, Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade are blended on to the card, then Walnut Stain is used around the very edges to create a distressed look.  Droplets of water are flicked randomly over the inks then blotted off with tissue, giving a 'faux bleaching' effect.  Floral images are randomly stamped all over the card in second generation sepia ink.  There are two focal panels in this design, one stamped and one embossed.  The stamped panel features the 'Indian Arches' image.  It is stamped on to white card using Sepia Versafine ink, and heat embossed with clear powder.  The same three Distress Inks are blended all over the panel.  The lightest colour is used where the light source would be, and the colours get darker where the shadows would be.  The panel is then mounted on to dark brown card.  The embossed panel uses the same brown card, and gold gilding wax is rubbed over the raised pattern.  A heavier application of gilding wax is used as the light source this time.  This panel is mounted on to gold mirror card.  Three flourishes are die cut from the brown card and gold gilding wax is added, giving a tarnished gold look.  Three floral images and three leaf images are stamped in sepia ink on to white card and heat embossed with clear powder.  The images are then painted with H2O's in colours  which compliment the colours already used.  When dry, gold and red liquid pearls are dotted around the edges of the petals and along one edge of the leaves.  The card is assembled by layering the two focal panels offsetting one from the other.  The flourishes are added next, then the flowers and leaves complete the design. 

Floral Jewels

 

These cards are very similar, using the same colours, same techniques, same card stock, same stamps. but I've used different embossing folders for the background panels.  All the stamps and embossing folders are from Sheena Douglass's 'A Taste of India' collection, which is gorgeous!  I decided to use jewel colours with hints of gold for a rich, opulent look.   The base card is plain black.  The next  panel is a piece of Topaz coloured card that is embossed in a folder through a machine.  Silver gilding wax is lightly rubbed  over the raised pattern to give emphasis and sheen.  This panel is matted on to the base card.  Next a piece of lilac (Tourmaline)card is embossed as before, then three colours of gilding wax, purple, green, and blue, are applied as before. This panel is matted on to black card and layered on to the card.  On a piece of white card, the floral image from the 'Henna' set is stamped in black ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  Several single flowers and leaves are stamped and embossed in the same way, then all the images are painted with H2O's in jewel colours to compliment the waxes and card stock.  The images are all cut out, and attached to the card with dimensional glue.  Gold liquid pearls are used to create texture in the flower centres, and accents on the central panel. 

Clockwork Flowers

I had so much fun designing this card and playing with these lovely steampunk stamps by Sarah at Inkydoodles! ( Time Flies).  I wanted to design a pretty Steampunk card using bright, cheerful colours with a distressed and metallic feel.  I decided to create 3D  Steampunk flowers, and to include the gorgeous Dragonfly in the set. This is a technique heavy design, but a good worker.  So, the base card is plain card stock the same colour as Kraft card.  A border of cogs (Hexley Transport) is stamped along the top and bottom edges of the card using a brown Distress ink. A yellow Distress ink is then blended over the edges with patches of the brown ink.  The background panel is a piece of white card on to which a stencil (Clockwork Kingfisher) is placed.  A mix of Radiant Rains and Glimmer Mists are sponged and spritzed on to the card over the stencil.  These inks/paints are all pearlescent which gives a lovely sheen to the background.  When dry the brown Distress ink is lightly blended over the white pattern left by the stencil  to reduce starkness.   The large dial and cog collage image is stamped randomly all over the panel using black Versafine ink.  Several of the words are also stamped randomly in the same ink, and some in gold Brilliance ink.  The panel is completed by distressing the edges with the brown ink.  The panel is matted on to black card and layered on to the base card.  The flowers are created by stamping a floral outline image on to white card six times.  The images are then heat embossed with clear powder and cut out, three as whole flowers and three as just the middle petals.   They are then painted with H2O's in colours that compliment the background.  When dry the large collage and the words are stamped over the flowers in black and gold ink.  Then gold Liquid Pearls are dotted around the edges of the petals.  The clock faces which are the centres of the flowers are created using the body of the Dragonfly which is stamped and heat embossed as before.  They are then painted, cut out, and glazed.  The Dragonfly image is stamped on to acetate in black ink and heat embossed with black detail powder, using heat resistant acetate.  The image is cut out and glittered on the reverse side.  A key is made in the same way.  The flowers are shaped with a ball tool then assembled using dimensional glue.  Foliage sprigs are die cut and glazed and added to the card.  The Dragonfly and key complete this lovely design.   

Baubles and Bows

Another lovely Christmas card, this time for my eldest grandson.  He's 10 years old so I wanted to make the design a bit more 'grown up' than previous years.  I used the same colour scheme, card and paper as I did for my other grandson's card, but in a different way.  The base card is plain red card stock that has been edged with Moonlight White Brilliance ink.  Gold mirror card is used to mat and layer with some red and white dotted paper.  a piece of snow white Centura Pearl card is embossed in a folder through a machine.  Fine white glitter is added to highlight parts of the raised pattern.  Three filigree baubles are die cut from the same red and gold card already used, and attached  to the panel using glue that is then covered with a bow.  A small panel of red card is die cut and embossed, then matted onto the dotted paper.  A sentiment is added and alphabet stamps are used to personalise it.  

Chinese Lanterns

This lovely design comes from my love of the far East and the Orient.  It is inspired by Sheena Douglass and her team, using some of her stamps from her 'Little Bit Oriental' collection.  I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  The base card is a white scalloped edge card.  An image of a Cherry Blossom is randomly stamped in clear ink around the edges of the card, then heat embossed with  clear powder.  Sky blue Brilliance ink is blended along the edges of the card over the Cherry Blossom images, giving a soft resist effect.  The background panel is a piece of black card which is spritzed with both silver and blue Glimmer mists, then put in an embossing folder and put through a machine.   Silver gilding wax is rubbed gently over the raised pattern to emphasise the the lanterns.  The panel is matted on to blue card and layered on  to the base card.  The Cherry Blossom image is stamped on to a strip of blue card in black ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  The blossoms are then painted with white H2O paint, and when dry this panel is matted on to black card and attached to the card with dimensional glue.  Some gems are added for a bit of sparkle.  Large Chinese lantern images are stamped on to acetate in black ink and then heat embossed.  They are cut out and turned face down, then glitter is added to the back of the images.   When dry the lanterns are attached to the card with dimensional glue.