Lili of the Valley stamps - dancing couple

This is a recent stamp I bought - as I am a dancing teacher in real life, I couldn't resist this one.  Very simple card, but coloured in Copics, and I also coloured the ribbon in Copics too - this one was American seam binding in cream - works well coloured with distress inks and water, but also works beautifully with Copics.  Used the 3 colours in her dress to colour the ribbon with, then pleated it.  No sewing skills necessary, lay some strong double sided tape down (I used stix I think - backed in red) and pleat it as you go along.

Lili of the Valley stamps

I did this card just using copics on cream card - used the Japanese stamp (just the top bit) to make the edges, then I used their one of a girl camping.  I'd like to pretend I intended bunting to be there anyway, but I got a bit of ink on one bit of the card..... so used my copic colours to fill in an oddment of card and cut it out into flags. 

Paper Artsy stamps and Brushos

You can probably tell I have just attended some classes using Brushos..... I made lots of samples, and chose this stamp - this was my husband's birthday card (mostly because I wanted to keep it!!)  The background is glossy card, and I had already done a lovely brusho background using a stencil (put stencil on card, put dry brushos on top, spray with water) - it turned out beautifully, but then I put glossy card over the stencil again and got this.  I did stamp on top but also in pale green.  The stamp is printed onto acetate and then I used a cocktail stick and some white paint to highlight it; the most obvious one is his t-shirt.  I just matted it on to black card and used a Sue Wilson die to back it.

Lili of the Valley stamps and Brusho Crystal Colours

I have just got some Brusho Crystal Colours - have been having great fun playing with them.  They are a watercolour ink powder; you can just dilute them and use them as watercolour paint, but I did my background using them on paper and then spraying water on.  (You can also put them on to wetted paper - either looks good.)  You can either leave them to set for 10 minutes, or use your heat embossing tool to dry them.  I can't remember what I used, but definitely violet and yellow, and probably some black.  I stamped my background stamp first (in Versafine) then did my background in Brusho's.  I stamped the lady onto acetate, and coloured her in on the wrong side using Copic markers.  I fixed her with a staple (which is hidden by the flowers) as some types of glue react with the Brusho's - sometimes this can be fine, but other times you may not want it to!  (You tend to get a patch of the colour underneath coming through.)
I painted my background stamps with Brusho's used as a water colour paint - using Sea Green, Violet and Orange.  I cut the flowers out of left over backing paper (I made an A4 sheet and cut it down) and used some ribbon as leaves.

JOFY stamps - upcycled box

This was a wine box - I had kept it for ages thinking I must do something with it.  I decided to paint it (I did paint it all over, but these pictures only have the lid done) with Paper Artsy fresco paints.  I used Chalk all over it, then I used Turquoise to distress it - I used the Ally Reeves technique of using a sponge (I bought a well known supermarkets own brand of washing up sponges - 11p for five!).  Then I stamped it with Jo Firth Young's beautiful stamps - seeing them made me think of doing this box with them -  and I coloured them with distress markers.  Once the box was finished, I coated it with a spray (Americana Sealer/Finisher) to seal it.  I managed to sell this at a Craft Fair so now I am keen to see what else I can find round the house or garage to alter.....

Hobby Art Stamps - reindeer and robin

These were snow globes - the kind you buy to put your photos in.  I decided to stamp and watercolour these - I used the Hobby Art Stamps to do both sides.  I meant to enter these for the Hobby Art challenge in December, but when I tried to do it, I had computer problems.  These are probably not the best photos, but I took them at a craft fair at Denbies.

Clarity trees stamp

It's been a while since I blogged...  I have started doing craft fairs, and don't always think to take a picture of everything.  This is a stamped picture on a Gelli plate - makes it so easy to get reflections!  This is one I did at the Clarity Stamps workshop run by Barbara Gray last July.  We just did the artwork, but I decided to put it in a frame - couldn't bear the thought of putting it on a card and having someone throw it out after the event. You stamp it onto the Gelli plate (using Adirondack inks) and then add the water/ sky/ sunshine using inks and a brush.