More Altered Envelopes

As promised here are the other envelopes I altered, believe me it is addictive because I still want to make more... more... more... I used some of the new Summer distress inks they are definitely a must have, stunning colours!

No doubt there will be more of these... next step is to use larger envelopes, paper scraps and so on. It would be nice to see what the envelope looks like when you actually send it to someone :) I wonder if there is anyone out there up of a swap? Would love to create some envelopes (and matching cards) for my crafty friends :) Just leave a comment if you do or contact me by email.

Materials:

Distress Ink - Vintage Photo

Lindy's Stamp Gang Moonshadow Ink - Tawny Turquoise

Stampendous Cling - Lone Bird

Stampendous Cling - Feather Points
Some masking with Spellbinders cutouts

Materials:

Distress Inks - Peacock Feathers, Squeezed Lemonade, Rusty Hinge

Stampendous Cling - Bathing Beauty

Stampendous Cling - By The Sea

Aspects Of Design - Mesh Effect Background

Crafters Workshop Stencil - Mini Cosmic Swirl

Creative Expressions Mask - Small Polka

Uni-ball signo pen - white

Caran D'Ache Neocolor II Watersoluble wax pastels

Derwent Inktense Watersoluble Ink Pencils

Materials:

Distress Inks - Wild Honey, Mowed Lawn, Squeezed Lemonade

Stampendous Cling - Blossom Spray

Uni-ball signo pen - white

Caran D'Ache Neocolor II Watersoluble wax pastels

Derwent Inktense Watersoluble Ink Pencils

Materials:

Distress Inks - Peacock Feathers, Pickled Raspberry, Vintage Photo

Stampendous Cling - Felinus

Stampendous Clear - Charm Collection

7 Gypsies Clear - Lille

Uni-ball signo pen - white

Crafters Workshop 6x6 - Mini Paradise

Ranger Dylusions 5x8 stencil - Letter Jumble

You can find some of the materials at The Stamp Man

The Stamp Man Challenge - Bling it on

My project is a 2 parter, Mail Art altered envelope and a matching card. I did make more than one envelope because I got hooked, I will post them later :)

I started with the distress inks in the new summer colours on the envelope (front and back) and card, then sprayed the glitz spritz to give it a shine and watery (drops) effect. I stamped my mermaid image and added a net effect using the mesh background stamp.

On the bottom of the envelope I used one of the Artemio stamps to create a sand like texture using Versamark and  Lindy's Stamp Gang embossing powder.

Well I have to admit that I hate colouring stamps, although I love to draw and paint colouring 'existing images' (stamps) is not my favourite technique but I thought it will be good to come out of my comfort zone and do something different.

For this I used my wax crayons and Inktens pencils to get a painterly effect and I have to say I actually enjoyed it he he. To finish I used a white pen and for the bling effect a silver and gold pen :) I framed one of the mermaids using spellbinders dies and added it to the card using dimensional stickers to lift it up a bit.

Materials I used are;
Stampendous cling - Mermaid
Artemio Clear Stamp Set - Distressed Backgrounds
Aspects Of Design - Mesh Effect Background
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Peacock Feathers, Picked Raspberry
Ranger Archival ink - Jet Black
VersaMark - Watermark Ink Pad
Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Glow's Glitz Spritz - Royal Lapis Lazuli Fire
Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Glow's Two-Toned Embossing Powder - Desert Moon Copper Pine
Card stock - Kraft, White
Caran D'Ache Neocolor II Watersoluble wax pastels
Derwent Inktense Watersoluble Ink Pensils
Uni-ball signo pen - white, silver, yellow, gold
Faber-Castell PITT artsit pen - black XS
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Petit Ovals Large & Petit Scalloped Ovals Large
Recycled - Kraft Envelope

You can find some of the materials at The Stamp Man

Lavender Sachet Swap with Terri

On Friday I received my parcel from Terri containing this lovely Lavender Sachet. We decided to make one for each other in a swap.

I absolutely love the stamp she used - I think it is a stamp from Crafty Individuals - the adorable beading, the colour she has chosen for the fabric and the card she made. Thank you so much Teri!!

Front

Back

UFO part 2 and some good news

It's been a while since I posted, life has been too stressful... but finally I got the best news ever - all clear! After my mammogram I was called for a follow up appointment where they told me that they found a lump and I needed a breast biopsy to see what it was.

I've been in Limbo for a couple of weeks with in the back of my mind that my mother and sister had breast cancer. Such a relief when I finally got the result that it is all clear and nothing to worry about.

For all woman out there - make sure you check, double check and check again. Early detection can save life's!

Anyway on to crafting again. Thinking of family and the past I decided to finally finished another piece of my pile of UFO's... and altered frame and using a family photo.

I used a cheap wooden frame, added dark brown acrylic and let it dry. To create a crackle effect add  a layer of white glue and let it almost dry before adding a contrasting colour - mine is white - that will create the crackle. To finish it I painted to metal corners white and added the to the frame.

The photo I used is the only photo that exists of my grandparents. I have never known my grandfather, he died when my father was 4 years old making my grandmother a widow at 34 years old.

I stitched the photo on some calico fabric and added some black studs. the lace on the edge was my grandmothers which I hoarded it for years. The paper on the background is from the Be Mine collection by Echo Park.

The Stamp Man Challenge - Card for a queen

After long thinking and a lack of royal inspiration I came up with a 'Gift for a Queen' instead of a card. Do you think these are suitable for the Royal knickers drawer?

Anyway something different to use your stamps with,
Stamping On Fabric.

Lavender Sachet 1
Stampendous By The Sea, Aspects Of Designs

Lavender Sachet 2
Stampendous Butterfly Post

Lavender Sachet 3
Stampendous Butterfly Post

Lavender Sachet 4
Artemio Butterfly Collage

First I coloured my fabric with the ranger dye inks - after adding lots of water to the fabric - by applying the ink to my non stick craft sheet and wiping it up with my fabric. One piece of fabric I left the natural tea died colour.

Let the fabric dry and stamp the images with stazon ink (also works with the Ranger archival inks) on the fabric. Some of the stamped images I have outlined with embroidery thread and embellished with beads.

Next step is sewing the little bags and filling them with the dried Lavender. After the bags are closed I stitched the button hole stitch all around with embroidery thread (using 2 strands). To finish it I added an crochet edge by using the button hole stitches to attach my crochet stitch. Lavender bag 4 has also a ribbon woven into the crochet stitches.

Why not play along with us at The Stamp Man Challenges

Materials I used are;
Stazon ink - Black
Ranger Adirondack Dye Ink Pads - Stream, Lettuce, Cranberry, Butterscotch
Artemio Clear Stamp Set - Butterfly Collage
Stampendous Clings - Butterfly Post
Stampendous Clings- By The Sea
Aspects Of Design - Shipped Script - Ship and Map
Cotton fabric
Texere - Embroidery threads Kingfisher blue, Stardust glitter
DMC - embroidery treads, perle cotton 5
Vintage seam binding ribbon - cream
Beads
Dried Lavender


You can find the materials at The Stamp Man -

UFO's part 1 - Altered tin

Finally I tackled one of my UFO's, an altered altoids tin in a vintage perfume theme using my Graphic 45 stamps from the Olde Curiosity Shoppe.

Materials I used are;
Chipboard
Old book pages
Pinkpaislee Paper Pad 6 x 6 - London Market
Vintage Seam binding - Turquoise
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo
Paper Flowers
Martha Stewart Punch - Branch Leaf
Graphic 45 Cling Stamp Set - Olde Curiosity Shoppe 2
Eco-Friendly Acrylic Paint - Black, Mushroom
Metal embellishment
Bling from an old necklace


Digital Images are from The Graphic Fairy

The Stamp Man Challenge - Shabby Chic or Distressed

Once again there is a great challenge at The Stamp Man Challenges, this time it is Shabby Chic or Distressed.

For my card I used a wonderful stamp set from Artemio, don't you just love the butterfly! I used Versamark Watermark to create a resist technique with the postcard stamp and coloured the background using various Tim Holtz distress Inks.

For the butterfly I did something different. I coloured a piece of Calico fabric using the same Tim Holtz Distress Inks, stamped the butterfly on top using Stazon Ink and then cut the butterfly out. Before I added it to the card I attached a piece of adhesive foil tape on the back, that way I can bend it any way I want and make the butterfly more dimensional. For embellishments I punched out some daisy flowers and leaves and added some bling. The text I created on my computer.

Materials I used are;
Artemio Clear Stamp Set - Butterfly Collage
Stampendous Embossing Powder - Clear
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Fired Brick, Vintage Photo
VersaMark - Watermark Ink Pad
Card stock - Kraft, black
Vellum - Red
Stazon ink - Black
Inkssentials Foil Tape
Craft Creations 12x12 - Christmas Scroll Cream
Piece of Calico Fabric
Woodware flower punches - Daisy
Martha Steward Punch - Basic Frond Leaf
Bling

You can find the materials at The Stamp Man