More Happy Thoughts

     I like this sentiment so much I had to use it again, but this time with the rest of the stamps from the Daffodil Elements set by John Lockwood with Creative Expressions.

     The image panel has been stamped on white card and embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Detail Black, then coloured in with alcohol markers. In the set there are some separate flowers that can be stamped and cut out to build up dimesion on your picture, I chose to use three flower heads and mounted them on foam pads.
     The DL card had a rather large space at each end of the image panel so I used another of John's stamps sets to stamp and emboss in CS Bright Gold some butterflies.
 

      I stamped on spare card the same butterflies, then coloured with CS Drawing inks. I coloured the butterfly on the card as well as the spare one so when the wings are up it still looks nice. The back of the butterflies wings are coloured the same pale blue as the sky.
     The image panel is stuck down before adding the top wings of the butterfly.
     There are several sentiments with this set so it's quite versatile which is what we all want from any craft item, John's stamp sets offer a range of uses making them value for money.



Materials used
CE John Lockwood stamps - Daffodil Elements / Butterfly Dreams
CE Cosmic Shimmer Drawing Inks
CE Embossing Powder - Detail Black / Bright Gold
Perfect Medium Ink Pad

Spots and Stripes

     Welcome to another project for The Male Room, this fortnight we are looking for a masculine card with spots and stripes on it.
     I have used a clear stamp by Woodware called Huge Happy Birthday and a technique called paper piecing to make a card that is approximately 7x5 inches.
    I have stamped with Perfect Medium and embossed with Stampendous Detail Black embossing powder on to white card, then stamped and embossed on to striped paper and spotty paper. Each letter has been cut out from the designer papers and glued on to the white card, alternating spots and stripes. As they are patterned papers (rather than card) it doesn't come out too thick and heavy so it's alright for standard postage, I have matted and layered but it's still quite thin.
     The beauty of this stamp is it can be used for young and old, male and female, all you need do is change the colours, now that's what I call value for money!
     Please come and join us at The Male Room with your creations, we would love to see them.

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

Fashionable Stamping - All About The Men

Sister Act - Anything Goes

CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes

Sending Happy Thoughts.....

     This weeks project for Creative Expressions is 'Sending Happy Thoughts...' your way. I have used a striplet stamp by John Lockwood called Daffodil Burst.

      The image is stamped and embossed in Cosmic Shimmer Bright Gold on Foundations Cream card. I have used Cosmic Shimmer Drawing Inks to colour the flowers. Drawing inks are Mica watercolours in liquid form, in a handy little bottle with a tiny brush (just like an eyeliner), they are the same gorgeous watercolour that is available in a paint pallet.
     I painted each flower separately with white then immediately with yellow so that I could blend the inks slightly. The stamens are painted with Marigold to add a small splash of bold colour.
     I chose to paint the flowers more like Narcissus as I have used a bright yellow card blank, well if you're sending happy thoughts it has to be a happy colour too.
     The image panel is mounted on a thin layer of burnt orange, then a larger layer of green , both coloured with alcohol markers, before going on to a thin layer of cream. I know it's lots of layers but it still comes up quite thin so postage should be standard.
     The sentiment comes from another of John's stamp sets called Daffodil Elements, it is stamped and embossed in CS Bright Gold again.

Materials used
CE John Lockwood stamps - Daffodil Burst Striplet / Daffodil Elements
CE Cosmic Shimmer Drawing Inks - Pearl Shine / Sunrise Yellow / Marigold Burst
CE Embossing Powder - Bright Gold
Perfect Medium Ink Pad

Anniversary Hearts

     This weeks project for Creative Expressions is again using John Lockwood's stamp set Flower Hearts Elements, but this time the roses. It was my friends wedding anniversary last week so it's safe to show this now.

     I began with a white card panel the same size as a small DL card. I stamped a small empty heart in the middle on the right hand side, then I masked it off and stamped over it with a rose heart.
     Then I stamped two more rose hearts at the top and the bottom, with two empty hearts between them. All the hearts are in line because I followed a faint pencil drawn line which I later used as a guide for cutting.

     I cut away the card to the right of the hearts and backed it with some gold paper. I cut a Spellbinder border from the same gold paper to run up the left of the card.
     The hearts are coloured red with a Graph It alcohol marker leaving the empty hearts clear for words.
     The sentiment comes with the stamp set, it's embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Bright Gold. The names are added using an alphabet peel off sheet.
     This whole panel is then mounted on a small DL card blank. Doing it this way means my alcohol marker doesn't show inside the card to spoil it.


Materials used 
CE John Lockwood Stamps - Flower Hearts Elements
CE Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powder - Bright Gold

Purple Haze

     Welcome to another challenge at The Male Room, this time we are looking for anything masculine inspired by a Song Title.

        The canvas is six inches square, this is a trial run for a bigger version at a later date. I have learnt a few things with this one, like the paper the image of Jimi is printed on should have a torn edge rather than cut, then it won't show up so much. I've been experimenting with thin papers as I'm a little worried about putting tissue through my printer, this is printed on Chinese calligraphy paper.
     I painted the canvas purple first, then added the texture using a quick drying flexible filler and a Memory Box stencil. The whole canvas was then spritzed with a Cosmic Shimmer mister Purple Violet and sprinkled with rock salt, then left to dry naturally.
     Once dry I tapped all the salt off the canvas which left me with a speckled effect that unfortunately doesn't show very well in the photo, taking photos of sparkly things can be very tricky sometimes.
     I have stamped in silver using a swirl stamp on the top right corner, I've also taken this stamping over the edge on to the sides of the canvas. I have stamped a music note using Archival Ink black, it didn't come out as dark as I wanted so I have gone over it with a Stardust Black gel pen.
    It really is very purple (Chris, you'd love it!) but it comes out a little more blue in the pictures and it's quite sparkly too. I need to collect a few more musical embellishments for the bigger one I think, as well as play around with different papers to print on. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them, after all carfting is sharing and we're always learning.
    Please come and join us at The Male Room with your Song Title inspiration, anything you like as long as it's masculine.

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

Anything But A Card - Anything Goes
Mixed Media World - Masculine / Father's Day
Love To Create - Anything Goes Mixed Media
That Craft Place - Anything Goes Mixed Media

Blooming Hearts

     This weeks project for Creative Expressions is made using John Lockwood stamp set Flower Hearts Elements, along with some other CE goodies.

      I stamped nine hearts and embossed them using Cosmic Shimmer Bright Gold. To colour them I used Cosmic Shimmer Drawing Inks, these are a liquid version of the watercolour paints. These paints come in small bottles with a brush very much like an eyeliner. The embossing repels the ink making it easy to achieve a great effect.
     Once all nine hearts were coloured I cut them out by hand and folded them along the centre line of one side. Glue the flat side over the folded side making sure to line them up carefully.

     As you work around the flower gluing all the hearts together they lift slightly giving the flower a little dimension.
    I used an alcohol marker to colour the white edges of the hearts to make them blend in. The centre is one of the new Dazzlers from the Gold set. There are three Dazzlers of Four different shades per pack.
     I chose to mount the flower on white card die cut with Sue Wilson's Madison Square die set. I used the two largest dies and kept them together over a green paper. The card blank was white before I covered it with gold paper.
     The finishing touch was to add some tiny gems to the white card, this could just as easily have been done using Cosmic Shimmer PVA Coloured glue, maybe next time. I haven't added a greeting to this card as I don't know what it will be used for yet but there are greetings with the stamp set.

Materials used
CE John Lockwood stamp set - Flower Hearts Elements
CE Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powder - Bright Gold
CE Cosmic Shimmer Drawing Inks
CE Cosmic Shimmer PVA - Dries Clear
CE Dazzlers - Circles - Gold Collection
CE Sue Wilson Die Set - New York Collection - Madison Square

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

Come and Get It - Anything Goes with Flowers

Allsorts - How Does Your Garden Grow
Sister Act - Anything Goes (cards)

CASE-ing Christmas Blog Hop

Hi, friends!  Welcome to the CASE-ing Christmas "CHRISTMAS IN JULY" blog hop!  There will be prizes from fabulous sponsors, and the challenge will be a bit different from what we usually do, but we think you'll like it!  You should have arrived here from  Donna.  Make sure to complete the whole hop for the most chances to win!

Here are our fabulous sponsors~

All Dressed Up

All Dressed Up has been selling it's darling digis on Etsy since 2013.  There is a large variety of seasons and occasions available--check the store out for the perfect image for your upcoming crafty creations!

Chocolate Baroque

Chocolate Baroque is a small independent art and craft company based in the North-East of England, owned and run by Lesley Wharton. We design our own range of natural rubber and clear art stamps from Sue Pages's hand drawn originals, complemented by typography from Glenda Waterworth. The rubber stamps are made in-house to our very exacting quality standards.

DeeDee's Digis

DeeDee's Digis specializes in wholesome, family friendly, digital stamps and papers that can be used for a variety of projects.  Check out their progressive challenge to get a FREE digi set each month for playing along!

Graciellie Design

Graciellie Design specializes in beautiful vintage digital images, papers, printables, and gorgeous handmade paper craft items.  Gracie Chavez is the very talented designer behind the store, and lives with her family in Honduras.

MHK Designs

MHK Designs digital sentiments are made by Mynn Kitchen of On A Stampage.  Mynn does not at this time have an online store, but for more information, or to request a personalized set of sentiments for a prize,email her at onastampageATyahooDOTcom.

Paper Sweeties

The Paper Sweeties LLC stamp line was created based on Debbie Marcinkiewicz's passion for everything paper, glue,ink, glitter … and whimsical girlie charm! The original design concept for the line of dolls with outfits and accessories was created in June, 2010, and follow up sets with beautiful frames, labels, banners, sentiments and lovely images followed.  She officially launched the business in August, 2012, and has since made thousands of customers happy with her sweet designs!

Polkadoodles

PolkaDoodles is a small company owned by Nikky Hall, based in the UK. Nikky is also the artistic talent behind PolkaDoodle's own range of rubber and digital stamps. We also stocks general craft supplies, and, best of all: Worldwide shipping is FREE!

 This image is from Graciellie Design, you get the image and the sentiment so you can make a complete card from one purchase.

       The cityscape has been duplicated to create a full street across my card and the sentiment is printed at the top. 

I have masked off the edges so I get a nice white border, the centre of the sentiment and the city are also masked to keep them white. Using Distress Ink Chipped Sapphire I coloured the whole card , making the sky darker at the top away from the city lights.

I spritzed the sky with a Tattered Angel Pearl Glimmer Mist to give it a star like twinkle, then added a tiny gold star. The windows of the city have a tiny touch from a pale yellow marker.

Once dry I removed the masking tape and mounted the panel on a dark blue card blank. I've deliberately kept this card A6 and almost one layer so I can send it overseas.

And now, here's the hop list~

CASE-ing Christmas

Mynn

Asha

Donna

Rocky

Steph

Cohenna

Daen'Ys

Judy

Your next stop is Steph, so get to hopping!  Afterwards, come back and link up with us.  We cannot WAIT to see what you create for us this month!  HUGS and Merry stamping, friends! :)