Cherry Blossom Birthday

     A new project for Creative Expressions this morning using a John Lockwood Striplet stamp, Cherry Blossom. I love oriental designs so this stamp will be used a lot!
     It's a very basic card, nice and easy to make and no additional postal costs either.

    The design is stamped on to smooth white card using Perfect Medium, it's them embossed with CE Cosmic Shimmer Bright Gold.
     I have used Graph It alcohol markers (9201, 5110) to colour the flowers and the open area in the middle. I stamped some extra flowers and cut them out so I could add dimension to the card. Each little extra flower has a tiny gem in the middle.
     The design panel has been cut out and mounted flat onto a plain white DL card blank, I wanted to keep the whole card very simple.
     The greeting is die cut in gold mirri card and glued on flat to the design, the only raised work are the flowers so this scan be sent in the post without too much trouble.

Materials used
CE John Lockwood Striplet Stamp - Cherry Blossom
CE Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powder - Bright Gold

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Creative Corner - Happy Birthday

Colouring Crazy - Pink and Pretty

Sister Act - Anything Goes

Up In The Air

     We have a new challenge over at The Male Room this week, our theme is 'Up In The Air' but No Birds Allowed!

      Sometime ago I bought a set of stamps  from Chocolate Baroque called Steampunk Travel. I rather liked the play on words for some of the designs, like this one, it's called a 'Skylight'!
     To keep it masculine I decided to raid my stash and dig out the metal sheets I have from Walnut Hollow. I stamped on to a copper sheet using Stazon, then I used some of the metal work tools to trace around the design outlines and work from e back to stretch the metal and give the design dimension.
     The stippling around the design is done using a small ball tool to make tiny dents.

      Once all the metal work was done it was time to add some age. This was done by dabbing Distress Paints on to the metal and allowing them to dry. Once dry the metal was buffed with a tissue to remove some of the paint and bring a shine to the raised areas, leaving colour in the recesses.

      The background started life as a piece of Kraft card, it was embossed with a cogs folder before adding gilding waxes.
     I have used three colours of wax to build up the worn look, Teal, Chic Pumpkin and Autumn Bronze. These are dabbed on at random and allowed to dry off before being buffed up to a nice shine with a tissue.
     I haven't added much in the centre of the card as this will be covered by the main image panel.
     I like to make mildly grungy items, especially for men and I love the gilding waxes because of their gorgeous colour and the sheen.

     The copper sheet has been stuck down with red line tape on to a black mat layer. This layer has been stuck with red line tape again on to the background. Red line tape is ultra sticky so it's great for metal and other slippery surfaces.
     The word 'Skylight' is stamped on to black card and embossed with copper before being die cut using a small label die.
     Both the design layer and the label are attached with tiny copper brads before the background was mounted on to a black mat.
     I tried this on a Kraft card but it looked too dark so it has been mounted on a cream card blank. I apologise for the photographs but it's tricky taking a good picture of something shiny.
     I do hope you come and join us at The Male Room, we have lots of inspiration from the DT to get you started, you have the next two weeks to join us with your creation.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Shopping Our Stash - For The Boys

Cardz 4 Guyz - Use a Die or A Punch  (Label)

Clear It Out - Your Style & Favourite Stash Item ( Gilding Wax)

Card Mania - Use A Metal Embellishment (Copper Sheet & Brads)

Crafty Cardmakers - For A Man Or Boy

Get Creative - For The Boys / Father's Day

Topography Tag

     This weeks project for Creative Expressions uses one of their MDF tags. I decided to make something for my son to give to his Dad.

     I have an old OS map of our area, not wishing to destroy the original I took a copy of the area I wanted and stuck that onto the tag with a good PVA type glue.
     I used my trusty wallpaper roller to smooth out any bumps and put it aside to dry.  Once dry I distressed the tag with Distress Ink Old Paper, it is patchy on purpose along with a stain just in front of the car.
     The decorations are all oddments collected at boot sales and from charity shops. Scrabble is not much use when half the letters are missing, so the other half can be used for embellishments. The blue metal circle is a watch collar and the ball chain is from an old keyring.

     The car is from an odd cuff link and the spanner is from a board game. All these bits are stuck on with Glossy Accents, it's a great strong, clear glue.
     The finished tag was well received, it will hang in the workshop along with some other little treasures.



Materials used
CE MDF tag
Distress Ink Old Paper
Glossy Accents
Lots of bits and bobs

I would like to enter this tag in the following challenges:

Anything But Cute - Make It Masculine

Crafts 4 Eternity - Dads

4 Crafty Chicks - Father's Day

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes Altered Art

Recycle, Re-Purpose & Re-invent - Anything Goes Altered Art

Sparkling Tree

     With only 188 sleeps to go maybe now is the time to start making Christmas cards if you haven't already. Come and join us at CASE-ing Christmas, we have lots of inspiration for you, each week we have a card to CASE so there's always something to spark your imagination.

     This week we have a lone tree from Ellen to get us started, you may find something else in her card to start you off but I went for the tree because I love this stamp. This tree is from the same set as the row of trees I used on Monday's post, it's by Creative Expressions.
     I have embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Black Sparkle on white pearlescent card, then die cut with Spellbinder Mega Rectangles. It is finished off with a gold star brad (thanks Ruth) to add my dash of colour so I can enter 52 Christmas Card Throwdown again this week.
 

     The next layer is plain black card, with the final layer being white card that has been edged with Cosmic Shimmer Aurora Crystal Sparkle embossing powder, just covering the edge that is seen gives me a glitter card layer.
     The card base is cut from black card placing the fold just below the cutting edge of the largest die, that way my card has the same shape as the top layers. It is folded to form an easel.
     I have put a small white shape inside to be written on, it is hidden when the card stands.

     To hold the easel I have used the smallest die to cut a black shape and stamped and embossed with white powder.
     The greeting label is mounted on foam pads so it holds back the picture layer when being displayed. The tree is on foam pads on the black layer and that is again on foam pads on the white glitter layer.
     I have added a couple of gold star swirls to the front corners just to tie in the colours.
     Please come and join us at CASE-ing Christmas, we would love to see your creations.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Colours  Black/White and One Other

Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Goes
The Glory Of Christmas - Snow
Holly Jolly - Frame It

Vintage Heart

   Creative Expressions have some great MDF shapes, this week I've used the heart for my project, it measures about 7.5 inches tall x 4 inches wide and comes with a hole drilled through for hanging.

     I gave the heart a coat of white gesso all over, the chalk paints have a fantastic coverage but it doesn't hurt to make sure the surface is primed.
     The first coat of chalk paint is Mulled Wine, this is on the front only as this is the surface to be crackled, the dark colour will show through the cracks of the paler layer. The back will be lighter so I can add a message to it.  One coat was all it needed for a decent coverage..

     Once the Mulled Wine was dry I painted a coat of Crackle Glaze over it. The glaze has to be painted in one direction only to help the crackles form when drying. I chose to paint this across the heart.
     For the top coat I have used Shy Violet chalk paint, this was painted over the crackle in the opposite direction (up and down) once the crackle was dry.
     It starts to work almost immediately, this may have been due to a warm room. It is important not to overwork the paint or the crackle glaze will mix in and there will be no crackles when dry.

     The back of the heart is also painted with Shy Violet but has no crackle. Using flake and glitter glue I have covered the edge with gilding flakes, Persian Dawn. While I had the glue and flake to hand I also covered a small piece of greyboard with flakes, I did intend to die cut the name from this card but the colour was too light so I used some Foundations Amethyst card instead.
     Each letter was die cut and stuck on with Cosmic Shimmer glue, then outlined with a gold sparkle gel pen. I used pink ribbon fastened to a button to make the hanger, then covered the button with three small paper flowers. The butterfly came off a necklace from a discount shop, he is metal with an extra set of wings that stand up.

Materials used
CE MDF Heart Shape
CE Gesso - White
CE Chalk Paint - Mulled Wine / Shy Violet
CE Crackle Glaze
CE Gilding Flake - Persian Dawn
CE Flake and Glitter Glue

I would like to enter this hanger in the following challenges:

Eclectic Ellapu - Pink Team = Anything Goes

Anything But A Card - Out and About

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

      Some mid month inspiration for you from CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra. We are an anything goes Christmas challenge so come over and join us with your seasonal makes.
     This card was inspired by the colour challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, I used to play along every week but now time escapes me, so it's nice to be able to join in this week.
     The stamp is by Creative Expressions, it's a few years old but I still break it out every year because I love the trees. I've joined a piece of black card to piece of white with masking tape on the back, then stamped with Perfect Medium. After stamping I have removed the tape and embossed them with opposing powder colours, then joined them back up again and fixed permanently.
     This black and white layer is mounted on to a thin layer of green glitter card before being mounted on a wider layer of black card stamped and embossed with a fir branch. All layers are mounted on to a slim white DL card blank.
     It's a little shocking to say we are half way through the year already. I don't know how it's gone so quickly, but at least by making a card or two each week the pressure will be off come November giving me time to focus on decorations and wrappings. Come and join us at CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra and build up your stock box too.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Black/White and One Other Colour

ABC Christmas  - L is for Lyrics ( Walking In A Winter Wonderland)

Tis' The Season - Photo =Snow Scene

Just Tagging Along

     Welcome to another challenge at The Male Room, this time we would like you to use a tag somewhere on your creation. Pop over to the challenge blog to see the DT inspiration and welcome Chris, the new member to our team.
     I have used the Tim Holtz tag die to cut a tag shaped card from Kraft card, just fold the card and make sure that the fold is inside the cutting edge, it will fit in a large DL envelope.
     The map is some backing paper from Papermania stuck on at an angle. The airmail washi tape also came from Papermania, it is blank down the middle but I have another washi tape with writing on it that fits perfectly over the top.

     The word Travel is stamped and embossed in silver so it matched the aeroplanes propellers, which are cut from silver mirri card.    
The little green tag is cut from another backing sheet and mounted on foam pads. The aeroplane is die cut using a part of an XCut set, I cut it all out in white card and used my Graph It markers to colour the wheels and wings, this is also mounted on foam pads.
     I haven't decorated inside yet as I don't know who it will be sent to, it will join the 'as and when needed' collection for now.
     Please pop over and join us, just use a tag on a masculine creation and link up to the challenge at The Male Room.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Boots - Father's Day / Man In Your Life

Pile It On - For A Man / Father's Day

Robyn's Fetish  - Tags

The Paper Players - Masculine