26 February 2011

Love is .......

Love is................. not having a migraine any more!  My goodness, this one was really bad & I'm still not 100% but I am finally back in the studio & able to use the laptop phew!

Here's the card I made for my husband on Valentines Day - a Hanglar/Magnolia combo!

Image: Hanglar Stanglar girl, Magnolia Pink Bench, Magnolia Stitched Wooly Heart
Paper: Laura Ashley Connemara
Colouring: Copics, Prismacolor, Distress ink
Additional: Sewing machine stitching, Diamond glaze, Masking film, Stazon pad, Stamp positioner.

I had alot of fun creating this, including the use of a mask.  I've tried using Post-it notes in the past but found the paper a tad too thick and I got into a right mess with the non-permanent tape that I added to the non-sticky areas! So I splurged on a roll of Createx Masking Film & quickly found out you need to stamp your image on the film using Stazon not Memento! Then you simply cut out your images - in this case the Hanglar girl & Magnolia bench.

For those of you who've never done this before I thought I'd include a little guide: 

~ With Stazon ink stamp the Hanglar girl & bench on to masking film, once dry, cut out and put to one side.
~ Stamp the Hanglar girl, this time with Memento ink onto your chosen cardstock.
~ Once dry stick the masking film version over the top ensuring it fits exactly - with the mask being transparent it's much easier to place.
~ Stamp the bench using Stazon onto a Stamp poistioner & follow the instructions with it to allow you to place the bench exactly where you want it - remember to clean your stamp & use Memento when stamping your cardstock.
~ Now stick the masking film bench onto the stamped image.
~ With pink Memento ink stamp the Stitched Wooly Heart around your image.
~ Carefully remove the two masks & attach the backing paper to them (I keep all mine in a box so if I want to reuse the image I've got a mask ready & waiting!)
REMEMBER: Memento ink stays wet on masking film so be careful when removing the masks to ensure you don't smear ink onto your work! (Been there, done that!!) Tweezers are ideal for this.

After this has been done you are free to colour your image as normal - for me that meant Copics, Prismacolor and Distress ink with white gel pen & diamond glaze to finish.

Hope you've found this little tutorial helpful & if you've got any questions don't hesitate to ask.

It's good to be back

8 February 2011

What a difference a pen makes!

I was inspired to try this after reading Dove Art Studios blog where Jennifer has been colouring one of Dustin Pike's new images using various colouring mediums she's used in the past & comparing the results!  So this morning I decided to give it a try myself & thought I'd show you the results from my test:

All produced using:
  Personal Impressions Premier Quality Smooth White card (250gsm)
Magnolia "Death Cap" rubber stamp
 Memento Tuxedo Black

PENCILS:


Caran D'ache Supracolor II
As a teenager, whilst studying art at school Caran D'ache pencils were ny on all I used due to budget limitations.  The pigment in these pencils is very very good, with smooth, creamy leads which produce bright, vibrant colours that blend together well. Now, I always used cartridge paper which has a rougher surface, ideally suited to pencils, whereas here I used the same smooth cardstock for all.  If I recall correctly when I have tried to stamp images on cartridge paper in the past it has had a tendancy to bleed, so perhaps Bristol Board would be a good compromise as the card for this excercise was a tad too smooth so I couldn't achieve my normal standard of blending when used dry. The wet wasn't too bad, but again I could have done with a more textured cardstock. 

Prismacolor (blended with Zest-it)
I'm still learning with these pencils and usually use them for backgrounds rather than colouring entire images.  I've mentioned in the past that I use Zest-it as my blending fluid due to my asthma, and it does seem to work very well with these pencils. The colours are not quite as vibrant as the Caran D'ache but they do blend like a dream on the smooth cardstock making them an ideal companion for Copics!

PENS:


Tombow
These are the first pens I bought specifically for rubber stamping - personally I found them great for intricate detailed stamps but they were not so good over large areas.  They, like all similar felt tip pens rough up the surface of the cardstock and colouring lines show up.  I have the blender pen, but I never have managed to get them to "blend" nicely - have you got any tips?? 

Copic
My oh my, these are something else!  The trick with these is getting the right cardstock - the smoother the better - I've tried many in the short time I've been using Copics and found the test card to work best for me.  Please note, I am not Copic certified & probably like when painting watercolours, I break all the rules, so it may not be suitable for everyone.  I adore the fact that if you're careful you don't get colouring lines, Copics blend like a dream - although some colours are a tad temperamental and the colours themselves are vivid, making these ideal for stamping projects.  Not to mention they are refillable - yep I've got to that stage on some of my favourites already and as for the air-brush system - woo hoo - it's fun, although I still need to practice a tad more.

I had great fun doing this little experiment this morning - and it's confirmed, Copics are the medium for me (what a surprise!!!!)  Shocked 

Can I just ask if any of you have tried the X-Press IT Blending Card - it is supposed to be the "bees knees" for Copics & I'm itching to get my inky little paws on some to try it for myself . Does anyone know if it there are any plans to release it in the UK?

Why not try this little experiement for yourselves - and see what suits you best!


7 February 2011

"The Look!"

As soon as I saw this image on Mo Mannings Digital Pencil Shop I knew that this image would be added to my collection.

This is the look my sister in law gave when her little brother (my husband) annoyed her - in fact whenever she was annoyed!!!  The funny thing is - her daughter does "the look" too - much to the amusement of the family.  The dilemma I have is that they both have birthdays this month & I'm not sure which will be the recipient of the card............................


Image: Mo Manning: "Two Jill"
Paper: Paper Cellar Checks
Colouring: Copics, Distress Inks
Additional: Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, Ribbon & card from stash, sewing machine.

I had a go at distressing the cardstock with an emery board - I'm pretty pleased with the result - and the sewing thread is multi-coloured so it matches the checked paper - how cool is that!

Unfortunately the card doesn't qualify for the "love" theme on Mo's Challenge Blog this week - never mind.

     Happy Crafting

4 February 2011

Where your heart is.......

February - what does it mean to you?  The 14th of course is St Valentines day - as if any of us could miss the fact - teddies, chocolates, red roses and more hearts than you can throw a stick at are everywhere at the moment!!!!! 
                                                                       Valentine paper cutout

So it got me thinking, what makes my heart "smile" - first and foremost, my husband and son, without whom my life would feel so empty.

Then I guess comes creativity - whether it be painting, drawing, sewing or stamping.............you name it - "art" in any shape or form simply makes me tick.


               

I get that warm, fuzzy feeling when I'm painting watercolours, die-cutting & digi stamping 

 I'd love to hear what makes your hearts smile  Goofy Heart