Mandala medley

Hi There! I thought I would show you how I made this colourful mandala card. 

On a 14x14cm square of card I stamped a medium sized mandala stamp 3 times overhanging the edges and clear embossed (The embossing isn't necessary if you want to speed up the process.)

Next I stamped the mandalas I had chosen to use on to a stamp and mask sheet and cut them out

I used the masks to cover the mandalas I had already stamped and then stamped over them until the whole of the piece of card was covered in mandalas. If you are embossing it is worth adding the embossing powder after stamping each 2 or 3 mandalas and heat embossing as you go.

if not embossing it is worth heat setting the ink with a little waft of the heat tool at this point. 

next I used the distress inks to paint the mandalas 

whilst this dried I stamped and embossed a sentiment in white on black card and cut it out

I used a pale grey ecoline to add a little shadow around the edges of a few of the circles, and covered a few less than perfect bits of stamping with a sequin or three. I added the sentiment on sticky pads and mounted it on to a card blank. 

Here is the finished card again. 

I used:

14x14cm square of card

Doodle art mandala stamps set 1

Doodle art mandala stamps set 2

Stamp and Mask sheets 

Ticker tape wordage stamps set 4

Distress inks in Peacock feathers, Fossilized Amber, Crackling Campfire and Uncharted Mariner 

Grey ecoline pen

15x15cm card blank

black card for matting and layering and adding a sentiment 

Versafine Clair black ink

Versamark embossing ink

Clear embossing powder if required

On Wednesday evening I completed another page in my Grafix media journal, this time on black Duralar. You can see the live here

Thanks for looking! 

Using Masking to make a Festive Card

Hi There! Last Tuesday I shared some ideas for single layer festive cards on the Bee Crafty Facebook page. Here is another idea that is quick and easy to do.

I used a 15cm card blank and stuck a 7.5cm sticky note to the centre.

Next I blended Broken China distress ink through the snowflake inkable on to the area around the sticky note.

I removed the larger note then placed a 5cm square sticky not in the centre and blended a little more ink around it.

I stamped the Holly and mistletoe in black ink and the snowflakes in broken china ink onto the card. 

Next I stamped the sentiment into the central square and coloured the leaves with ecoline pens.

A few drops of liquid pearls and glitter glue finished it off.

Here is another look at the finished card. 

I used:

15x15cm blank card

7.5 and 5cm square sticky notes

Inkable Snowflake mask

Yuletide Doodle Art XL Robin stamp set

Wordage  Small words - winter stamp set

Broken China Distress ink

Versafine Clair Black ink

Ecoline pens - I used forest green and pastel green

Liquid pearls and glitter glue

blending brush

Thanks for looking! 

A Bee Crafty bit of Autumn inspiration

 Good morning! It seems we have entered the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, so another Autumn inspired card was a must. after all, it is my favourite season! 

To make this card I have used:

Queen Bee Journalling Autumn botanicals

Wordage - Small words

Stencil tape/ low tack masking tape

Versafine clair in Acorn, Fallen Leaves, Shady Lane and Tulip

Tea dye Distress ink 

A blending brush

Liquid pearls in Garnet, buttercup and Avacado

Here is a step by step to explain what I did. 

First place a piece of stencil tape across your card blank at a jaunty angle and use the brush to apply ink along both sides of the tape. Apply around the edge of the card too if you want to.

Next, stamp the lovely Autumnal botanicals with their stems overlapping the tape in the different shades of Versafine Clair ink. I tend to stamp the same stamps opposite each other, but it isn't necessary. Random stamping is equally effective.

Now stamp more foliage in the tea dye ink to fill out the background.

Carefully remove the tape and stamp the sentiment. I used versafine clair Acorn ink for this.

Finally add some dots of liquid pearls as berries and (shhh, don't tell anyone!) to cover any fingerprints 😉 The Splat stamp is also brilliant for this.

Here is a last look at the finished card

 There are two days left to add an Autumn themed make to the Bee Crafty Stamps facebook group challenge, so why not join in the fun! 

Thanks for looking and for all your lovely comments!

Creative Stamping Magazine

 

The latest issue of Creative Stamping Magazine is now on sale.  Here are some cards that I made for it using Be creative papers, markers, buttons and gems. If you want to know how I made them there are step by step instructions in the magazine.

 The paper pad is called Time flies, and is perfect for New Year wishes.

Better late than never...

Well, I finally managed to make a card for the latest Less is More challenge where the theme is Masking. I made a one layer card using post its to mask off a sun within a section of the card. I used Adirondack inks in mountain rose, denim and lake mist with my ink dusters. I then removed the masking and stamped with Inkylicious flower and sentiment stamps.

 I used a touch of white gel pen and some cotton candy stickles to add a bit of interest. I'd never made a card in this style before seeing one of Chrissie's nearly 15 months ago, here. I now make them very regularly - thanks, Chrissie for the inspiration. Thanks for looking and I hope to visit some of my fellow LIMettes after Karate tomorrow night.

Getting really inky

I had a bit of time to play yesterday, and after rooting through some old stash I found a few scored pieces of astralux to make A6 cards. I've never used them because a whole astralux card was a bit scary. I decided to cut them up to make some panels instead. I stamped my new Hero Arts leaf flourish with versamark and then masked a 1.5" circle. I sponged distress inks in broken china, faded jeans and dusty concord over the whole piece. After removing the mask I sponged a bit more broken china over the circle. The blue leaves, ferns and Nigella seed heads are all Lavinia stamps and stamped in versafine. This isn't the only thing I made, but you won't be seeing the others for a little while...My fingers are still a bit blue - looks like they have been trapped in a door!
Anyway, just thought I'd pop on before I get tea ready to wish you all a very Happy New Year!

With one stamp...

The car is at the garage having a service, Meg has a friend round and I have decided to have a play with some adirondack inks. I bought Lake Mist a couple of weeks ago, and this idea has been in my head after an inspirational/accidental 'post-it' moment! I brayered the sky with lake mist using a post-it circle to mask the sun. I used the rest of the post-it to mask whilst I coloured the sun using Red Pepper. Next I used a torn edge to mask whilst sponging eggplant for the horizon. I stamped the grasses (Lavinia stamp) in Olympia Green and Onyx Black Versafine. Hope you have a tranquil day...