Instinct

Hi Crafty Friends!

Got more inky printed goodness for you with today's card, have a look ...

The background was made using thecircle Media Plate by John Next Door with Picked Raspberry and Speckled Egg DIs for the first layer. The second one uses the Wheels slimline stencil by STAMPlorations in combination with Festive Berries DI. The third layer uses Festive Berries DI around the edge.

The birds in flight were stamped in London Fog Memento.

The bird was stamped in black Versafine and watercoloured using Aurore, Ocean, The and Brou De Noix Izink dye inks.

The card was finished off with a stamped sentiment and copious amounts of sequins, Trendy Birds 2 and Art Is stamps by STAMPlorations. 

I shall be back later with another Advent Calendar make. Wishing you all a lovely Day!

hugs
Monika 💕

Art Is

Hello Crafty Friends!

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

I decided to work with the Trendy Feathers 2, Trendy Birds 2 and Art Is to create a collage stamped card. Here it is ...

I started off with a piece of linen effect card I used to mop up some PaperArtsy Infusions Powders (Are You Cerise, A Bit Jaded) from my craft mat after using them on my tag here.

Using my MISTI, I stamped first the bottom half of the Trendy Feathers 2 in Rich Razzleberry and then the top half in Island Indigo. Next I added some flying birds and a couple of sentiments in Island Indigo and the large bid in black Versafine ink.

I selected a quote from the Art Is, stamped it in black on a piece of card, snipped it apart, edged each piece with a gold leaf pen and attached them into place.

I outlined the large bird using a white gel pen, added some circles with a white and a glittery gel pen using the ARTplorations Bubbles Stencil, edged the whole piece with gold leaf and attached to my matching base card to finish.

Each week the STAMPlorations Inspiration DT are showcasing stamps from one designer. All the stamps by that designer will be reduced by 10% for that one week apart from one set which will have a 20% discount. No coupon is needed at check out, and you still can apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA -which doesn't expire, by the way- for an extra 20% off all stamps, dies and stencils!

As mentioned earlier, this week we are showcasing stamps designed by our very own Shirley under her label 'Shery Russ Designs'. All her sets will be reduced by 10% apart from the Art Is 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:
Trendy Feathers 2, Trendy Birds 2, Art Is, ARTplorations Stencils: Bubbles
   

Revisiting Favourites

for my Spotlight feature over at STAMPlorations ...

Hello Crafty Friends!
It's my turn for a Spotlight Project over at STAMPlorations. It is a sort of a follow on from Monday's Mixed Media Tutorial. I am looking to make an alternative cover for the note pad I am going to use to record my art journal projects with a little help from two of my favourite Stamp Club sets, Bloom Sketches and Mixed Media Grunge, and the Daisy Dance and Foiled Again ARTplorations Stencils.

Here is the finished project:

Anything I tend to pick up a lot or put on a shelf needs to have minimal layers and embellishments to feel robust. My way of dealing with this is to add layers and detail through sponging and stamping hence the use of the two stencils. As you can see one through the other you are getting an incredible depth and the daisies just seem to float.

I really love how the stamped border turned out. The stamps from the Mixed Media Grunge set add detail without stealing the show.

If you want to find out how I made my cover, pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog for a full step by step tutorial.
That's it from me now, have a lovely day!
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

Bloom Sketches, Mixed Media Grunge, Art Is, Art Marks,
   

Bold Sentiments Journey and Create, ARTplorations Stencils Foiled Again and Daisy Dance
   

Now You See It Now You Don't

Hello Crafty Friends!

It's Tuesday, and that means it's Inspiration Time over at STAMPlorations. As my DT contribution, I made a special effects card which took days of careful planning .... just kidding ... it was one of the unexpected lucky outcomes ...

I was using my Liquarel watercolours the other day and had some left over which I used to quickly colour some pieces of card. The one I used for today's card was Cyan on linen effect card spritzed with water which gave it a lovely ethereal feel providing me with the inspiration for today's card.

I stamped the Trendy Feathers 2 in white craft ink using my MISTI, added my sentiment from Art Is and stenciled the flying birds from the ARTplorations Some Birds Stencil using this fabulous filler I got from the pound shop.

The magic of this card is that the feathers are only visible in certain light conditions, a bit like Mona Lisa's smile. I tried to take the photos in a way that enables you to see them ...

The more you turn away from the light the easier it is to spot them. This effect might be due to using a linen effect card which makes the pigment ink sit on top whereas the watercolour has soaked into the card stock. Normally the two would combine.

That's it from me for today, pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog for more information and to leave a comment for your entry into their prize draw.

Off to do some work now.
Have a lovely day!

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: Trendy Feathers 2, Art Is
 

ARTplorations Stencils: Some Birds

September Stencil Sunday

Hello, Crafty Friends!

Welcome to another Stencil Sunday in September which gives me the opportunity to remind you of the Mixed Media Challenge over at STAMPlorations. As you know Anything Mixed Media Goes as long as it is not a card and you use at least one stencil.

My DT contribution for Stencil Sunday is ... a Vintage tag .... and I always thought, I couldn't do vintage for love nor money ... this one just happened as I went along wanting to do something completely different on the outset.

TIP!: In Mixed Media it's always good to go with the flow.

Here are the basic steps on how I made it:

• die cut the large tag from CUTplorations Luggage Tags Nesting Dies
• take a pale turquoise and purple brusho print off your crafting mat (I used some Brusho which I had left over from my upcoming Spotlight Project 'Stamping With Brushos) Not sure, if it was down to the brusho print, but the ink colours didn't seem to blend like they normally do. Something I need to keep my eye on.
• blend some pink through the ARTplorations Honeycomb Delight Stencil (I used Melon Mambo SU ink)
• do some 2nd generation background stamping using stamps from the Mixed Media Elements set in turquoise (Tempting Turquoise SU ink)
• blend with yellow (Daffodil Delight SU ink)
• stamp the script from the Mixed Media Elements set in black partially wiping the ink off before stamping
• stamp swirls in olive green (Old Olive SU ink) using one of the stamps from the Distressed Floral Swirls
• stamp and add you sentiment from the Art Is set
• add two birds using Sparkle Medium (Black Stars) and the Some Birds ARTplorations Stencil
• add pearls and a touch of golden glitter
• finish off with a little lace

I am entering my tag at:
Craft Stamper Make It Take It - Anything Goes

I hope you feel inspired to create something different .... why not link it up with the Mixed Media Challenge over at STAMPlorations. The theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes except cards which means projects such as tags, ATCs, canvases, layouts, art journal pages etc,are perfect for entering, and you must have used at least one stencil (any brand) in your project. The challenge will close at the end of the month. You can find the full challenge details plus more Mixed Media inspiration here on the STAMPlorations Blog.

That's it from me for today. I shall be back soon with another project to share.

Have a lovely day!

hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used:
ARTplorations Stencils: Honeycomb Delight, Some Birds 
 

STAMPlorations Stamps: Mixed Media Elements, Distressed Floral Swirls, Art Is
 

CUTplorations Thin Metal Dies: Luggage Tags Nesting Dies