Christmas In July & Brushing Up On Colouring Skills

Hello Crafty Friends!

How is your week so far? I had some 'happy mail' earlier this week, when the long awaited Stamper's Friend popped through the letterbox. I already got a MISTI and love it dearly, but I wanted to get something a bit cheaper, one I would would happily take to craft club or classes without fearing that it might get damaged. As you might have already guessed, I am very protective of my stash. Most things look almost as new even though they've been used a lot.

Anyway, I was supposed to get the Stamper's Friend about 6 months ago, but there were delays. These delays meant that I got two free stamp sets, one of which I used to bush up on my colouring skills. I ended up make 3 cards using one of the new sets and some brush markers for colouring. Christmas in July ...

Yes, the Poundworld markers came out to play again and something I hardly ever use nowadays ... Peel-Offs.

For this card here I used the markers with a damp brush for the ribbon and bow. Lots of delicate fuzzy cutting and a PaperArtsy Infusions BG brought it all together.

And for my last, more traditional looking card, I felt emboldened and tried this style of colouring using some of my SU Stamp'n'Write markers, slightly off-set my topper, added a couple of embossed lines and sequins to finish.

I am entering my second card at: Addicted To Stamps And More - Make Your Mark

That's it from me for today. Have a lovely day!
hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used:
PaperArsty Infusions: Are You Cerise and Golden Sands
Stamps by Be Creative! - Christmas Celebration
KIDS Paint Brush Markers from Poundworld
SU Stamp'n'Write Markers: Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze
Be Creative! Stampers Friend from StampAddicts

Just Breathe

Hello Crafty Friends!

It's Inspiration Time over at STAMPlorations. This week my teamies and I are showcasing stamps designed by STAMPlorations owner Shery under her label 'Shery Russ Designs'.

Inspired by a lovely sunny weekend at the caravan, I decided to showcase some of the stamps from the Say It Big Series: Just Breathe, Game Changer and Soar, with a little help from the Stitched Spring Landscape and Art Edges CUTplorations Dies plus the Some Birds, Square City and Just Flow ARTplorations Stencils to create the following three cards ...

Simple sponging, stamping and die-cutting, using the negative, for a monochromatic look ....

... going bold with marker pens, they were a little dry  which made for an interesting effect ...

... simple sponging and stamping again ...

These cards were fun to make. I especially like using the markers with the stencil. Adding a white gel pen shadow to the sentiments helped them stand out more and finished the cards off beautifully. Here is one last look ...

As mentioned earlier, this week we are showcasing stamps designed by Shery under her label 'Shery Russ Designs'. All her sets will be reduced by 10% apart from the Faith Expressions set which will be 20% off.

Of course Shery will still draw a winner at random from all the comments left on this month's Inspiration Posts over on the STAMPlorations Blog. Pop over to see what my teamies created and to leave a comment for your entry into their prize draw.

That's it from me for today. Have a lovely week!
hugs
Monika xxx


here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps ***, stencils and dies:
STAMPlorations Stamps: Say It Big Series: Just Breathe, Game Changer, Soar; Trendy Birds


CUTplorations Dies: Stitched Spring Landscape, Art Edges
 

ARTplorations Stencils: Some Birds, Square City, Just Flow
  

*** Discount code works on sale items too

Pondshop Brushmarkers 3

Hello Crafty Friends!

Last, but not least, three cards with butterflies which were the first images I coloured with the brush markers from Poundworld without using a damp brush. Here they are ...

First up a very CAS card ... the little butterfly was so delicate and the colours so beautiful that I felt it warranted a card with lots o white space to allow it to shine.

The second one is similar apart from having the stitched framed aperture, different colours and a slightly change layout.

The last one had some background stamping, glittery eyeliner and glossy accent added. The glossy accents slightly changed the colours and absorbed the golden glitter making it appear to be coloured as you can see from the slightly blurry close-up.

Here are close-ups of all three cards ...

That's it from me for today. Hope you enjoyed reading about my £Shop trials.
Have a lovely week!
hugs
Monika xxx


here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps ***, stencils and dies:
Trendy Butterflies 2, Blossom Overture, Mixed Media Elements, Bloom Sketches

   

*** Discount code works on sale items too

Poundshop Brushmarkers 2

Hello Crafty Friends!

I am back today sharing another floral beauty with you, made of course using my £Shop bargain brush markers, a damp watercolour brush and stamps from STAMPlorations. Here it is ...

Again this was pretty straight forward, stamp image on mixed media card, colour with brush markers and damp watercolour brush and fuzzy cut. Stamp background using script and splatters with 2nd generation Melon Mambo ink, spritz with the same colour ink, stamp sentiment and attach the floral spray.

I am entering my card at:
Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge - Anything Goes with optional twist 'blue'
Craft Stamper Make It Take It Challenge - Anything Goes (I'm on their sponsor's, STAMPlorations, DT)

That's it from me for today. Have a lovely week!
hugs
Monika xxx


here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps ***, stencils and dies:
Blossom Sprays #2, Mixed Media Elements, Blossom Overture

  

*** Discount code works on sale items too

Celebrate Roses

Hello Crafty Friends!

Another quick card for today made with PaperArtsy infusions powders, die-cut roses and a sentiment from Happy Little Stampers' Bold Birthday Sentiments, here it is ...

I simply sprinkled the powders on my lightly textured cream base card, spritzed with water and allowed to dry. To finish off, I added the cream rose border and stamped my sentiment .... That Was Easy!

I am entering my card at:
Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - July Challenge
Addicted To Stamps And More - Anything Goes

That's it from me for today. Have a lovely week!
hugs
Monika xxx

Poundshop Brush Markers 1

Hello Crafty Friends!

Who doesn't love a bargain?! The other day I went on a little excursion to my local Poundshops and ended up buying a set of 6 brush markers from the kids craft section. Here is my first make using them for a soft watercoloured look with STAMPlorations stamps:

I stamped the Blossom Sprays #1 on Mixed Media paper, added some colour with my new markers and moved the colour around with my waterbrush before doing some serious fuzzy cutting. The BG is 2nd generation stamped in Tempting Turquoise using stamps from the Mini Mixed Media Backgrounds and the Mixed Media Elements sets. The sentiment is from the Blossom Overture set. I a sort of shortened it by omitting the Hope You bit, it just sounds a little bit more positive to me.

I am entering my card at:
Addicted To Stamps And More - Anything Goes
Craft Stamper Make It Take It - Anything Goes (STAMPlorations is sponsoring, got to support my teamies)
Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge - Anything Goes with Optional twist 'blue'

That's it from me for today. Have a lovely week!
hugs
Monika xxx


here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps ***, stencils and dies:
Blossom Sprays#1,Mixed Media Elements , Mini Mixed Media Backgrounds, Blossom Overture
   

*** Discount code works on sale items too

Bright ATCs

Hello Crafty Friends!

 After having been back from our holiday for one week now, I'm finally getting around to doing some posts that haven't been scheduled. We had a great time in Wales. Being away for 4 weeks seemed to be a little daunting, but time flew by and the weather gods were very kind showering us with almost wall to wall sunshine!

Back to today's post. A while ago I made some ATCs which I dug out, altered and turned into these beauties ...

The original ones were pretty plain with randomly stamped and embossed butterflies, oodles of watercolour, doodles and a bit of stamping. I decided to use them as a base to add the coloured die-cut butterflies, some die-cut foliage and sentiments. Let's have a closer look ...

I am entering my ATCs at the following challenges:
Happy Little Stampers ATC Challenge - July: animals
Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - July Challenge
Addicted To Stamps And More - Anything Goes

I am also entering the July ATC swap at the UK Stampers Forum on Facebook.

That's it from me for today. Have a lovely week!
hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used:
from Happy Little Stampers: Butterfly Birthday, Butterfly Dies
 

from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps ***, stencils and dies:
Uppercase Alphabet Plate Die, Lowercase Alphabet Plate Die, Grunge Floral Strips
 
*** Discount code works on sale items too