Simple Layered Card

 Morning everyone, hope you are all well, today I have a card using my A5 Honeybee stamp #330 combined with my Enjoy The Journey Stamp #321.

I created a video for this piece which you can watch below, this showcases all the step by steps from start to finish.

Below are some detailed close up pictures so you can see more of the detail.

I love the colour blend on this piece, the two colours work so well together.

I also stamped the inside of my card to give a professional look.

I also love the wooden embellishment which contrasts perfectly with the backdrop.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, Tracy x x 

Artistic Outpost Blog Hop

Welcome to the monthly Artistic Outpost Blog Hop. This month the Design Team are showcasing imagery from the Holiday Stamp Category.

I am showcasing the MIDWINTER stamp set this month, set against a brayered background. I placed one of Wendy Vecchi's Frames into the centre of my card and then brayered over the frame with Broken China followed by touches of Brushed Pewter Distress Paints. The Brushed Pewter adds a wonderful shimmer to the background. I then flicked touches of each paint to the background to give delicate splatters. I then removed the Frame which leaves an aperture for my focal imagery.

I placed the Star Layering Stencil into the centre of the aperture and applied Broken China Distress Ink over the stencil. I then stamped the stag with Potting Soil Archival Ink, placed  a mask over the first image and then stamped him once again. I also added the sentiment to the top of the aperture.

I added a decorative bow, coloured with Broken China Distress Ink and I added touches of SnowTex to add to the frosty/snowy feel of my piece. I also attached a token and addes some foliage which is covered with Distress Glitter adding yet more shimmer to the design.

This picture highlights the shimmer from the glitter a little more and you can also see the layers added to my design with the stamping and stencilling.

I die cut 25 from card and then coloured with Broken China Distress Ink and then added a coat of Clear Rock Candy. I also added touches of SnowTex to the aperture.

I also decorated the inside of my card, again with a brayered background and stamped the stag and sentiment once again.

My fellow team mates have created fabulous pieces of art to inspire you along your journey.

Terry

Tracy

Shari

Kate

Gerrie

Lisa

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

A gentleman is always that: a gentle man

Today we have our monthly Product Focus and this month we are concentrating on stamp sets from the Masculine category. I am showcasing the Hats Background and the Hat's Off stamp sets from Artistic Outpost.

The background has been coloured with Distress Inks, applying Broken China Distress Ink through a layering stencil and then applying Gathered Twigs Distress Ink to the edges of the card for definition. I have also added a touch of background stamping for further interest.

I die cut the pocket watch from white card and added four layers to give dimension and then cut an aperture from the top die cut using the sized ovals from Sizzix. I coloured the top pocket watch with Broken China Distress Ink and then flicked with water. I also included a touch of background stamping.

I stamped the focal image with Potting Soil Archival Ink and added a piece of Mica over the top along with a numbered brad coloured with Alcohol Inks.

I stamped the sentiment onto white card with Archival Ink and sponged the edges with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink.

I die cut two circles from white card and added hats to each die cut piece using the Hat's Background stamp set. I coloured each circle with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink and added natural twine for added texture.

My fellow team members have created more wonderful pieces to inspire you along your journey.

Tracy (you are here)

Gerrie

Terry

Kate

Shari

Lisa

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

Wherever I lay my hat that's my home

Today I am showcasing the fabulous Hat's Off and Hats Background stamp sets from Artistic Outpost.

I created a card with shadow frame, I have seen quite a few of these around in blogland and thought I would give one a try and I am really please with how it turned out. The background has been coloured with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink and flicked with water to add an aged vintage feel to my piece.

I added the hats and bike riders to the edges of my frame embossing them with clear embossing powder and I stamped the Hats Background to the centre of my frame. The text is printed on my computer and I added HAT to the centre for added interest.

These images are perfect for a masculine card and I know I will be using them frequently.

I added a metal hook, top hat embellishment and natural twine to embellish.

I also decorated the inside of my card to give a professional finish.

Hope you like my creation for today! Tracy x x x

Artistic Outpost Spring Blog Hop

Time for our Spring Blog Hop with Artistic Outpost.

For this months blog hop I am showcasing my favourite, the BIRDS OF A FEATHER stamp set, adding the focal image to a heart easel. The background of my card has been coloured with Mowed Lawn and Salty Ocean Distress Inks and I have included two further die cut hearts to the background.

The gorgeous bird image has been stamped with Potting Soil Archival Ink and I have added a monocle for added interest, along with remnant rubs.

I also added die cut pieces of chicken wire using Tim Holtz Mixed Media thinlits die along with die cut hearts covered with embossing powders and a touch of rusty wire for added texture and interest. I also added Chitchat stickers coloured with Distress Ink.

FLY has been die cut from mountboard using the Wordplay die and again covered with Wendy Vecchi embossing powders. I also added random stamping to the background using the background stamp from the Birds Of A Feather stamp set.

I actually feel like Spring is around the corner here in the UK and I am really looking forward to spending time in the garden along with all the wildlife it attracts.

My fellow team members have created artwork to inspire you further along the hop.

Terry

Shari

Kate

Tracy

Lisa

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x x 

Friendship Never Melts Away

Today I am shocasing the Winter Walk stamp set from Artistic Outpost.

I wanted to use the stamp set in a different way rather than use it in winter colours I wanted to go for a more rustic appearance.

The background of the card started life as a piece of white card which I coloured with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and then applied Vintage Photo Distress Powder over the top. I then spritzed the background randomly with Black Soot Distress Spray Stain to add to the rusty appearance.

I stamped the focal image with Black Archival Ink stamped onto white card and again shaded with Distress Ink. I bleached out areas on the house in the background .

I added banners stamped with the sentiments along with memo pins and number brads. The sentiments are from the Skating Emporium stamp set.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

Guest Creative Guide at A Vintage Journey

I was delighted to receive an email from Brenda asking if I would like to be a Guest Creative Guide at A Vintage Journey, The theme this time around is 'Special Numbers' hosted by Jools who describes the challenge as follows:-

So many of Tim Holtz products have numbers, papers, stamps, rub-ons, stencils and Idea-ology to name a few. Incorporate your significant numbers it could be Birthdays, Age, Anniversary or the lucky ones! use them on any project you wish and if possible explain the importance; we would like to see a vintage theme using Tim's techniques and products where possible.

I decided to create two projects for my Guest appearance, created for my husband's 48th birthday in April.

My first piece is a mixed media piece created from a piece of corrugated card cut to 8" x 8". I began by die cutting the base of a matchbox die cut from white card using Tim Holtz Matchbox Die, using only the base and creating an aperture within my design. The inside of the aperture has been coloured with touches of Gathered Twigs and Tarnished Brass Distress Paints.The next layer was a piece of cheesecloth applied to the background for added texture to my design.

Die cut hearts have also been added to the background die cut from mountboard using Tim Holtz new Heartfelt Die and I then applied Texture Paste over the Cargo Layering Stencil to add numbers to each of the hearts. I also added further texture to the design adding Texture Paste over the Honeycomb Layering Stencil. Once all my elements were added to the background I then painted the entire area with Black Soot Distress Paint and dried with a heat tool. I also included wire wrapped around the hearts secured in place with a Tiny Attacher along with small pieces of chicken wire from my garden.

I also included two soldered hearts one housed inside the matchbox aperture and the second matted onto a further piece of chicken wire. I also included two Arrows Adornments for added interest and a Big Chat Sticker from Tim's new Idea-ology range.

On the bottom three hearts I added Vintage Photo Distress Powder for added texture which you can see clearly in these pictures. The cheesecloth is fantastic in the background, I will definitely be doing that again.

I added 48 to my design using Numeric Alpha Parts and from this picture you can see how much texture and dimension the corrugated background adds to my design.

Once all the elements were added to my design and painted with Black Soot Distress Paint I then added layers of colour using Brushed Pewter and Tarnished Brass Distress Paints, drying between each layer. I also added touches of Sapphire Wax to add a touch of colour.

My second piece is a card, also created for my husbands birthday. I began with a piece of kraft card cut 4.5" in width and 6.5" in length and then spritzed the background with Gathered Twigs Distress Spray Stain.  I also added a few delicate splatters of Picket Fence Distress Paint. To add a further layer of interest I applied Texture Paste over the Cargo Layering Stencil to add numbers to the top and bottom corners.

I die cut three hearts from mountboard and added numbers to the background of each heart using Texture Paste and the Cargo Layering Stencil. Each of the hearts were then coloured with Gathered Twigs Distress Paint, with touches of Tarnished Brass and I then added Black Soot Distress Paint to the numbers with my finger. I also included a piece of rusty wire wrapped around one of the hearts, secured into place with a tiny attacher and I also included pieces of rusty wire on the bottom of my card.

I die cut a piece of Washer Border from white card using the Washer Border die and then rusted it using Tim's products. To achieve the rust appearance I followed the following few steps:-

1. Colour the white die cut piece with Gathered Twigs Distress Paint and dry with a heat tool.
2. Apply VersaMark Ink to the die cut piece and then sprinkle the piece with Vintage Photo Distress Powder and heat to melt.
3. Once cool apply more VersaMark Ink, randomly around the die cut and then sprinkle once again with Distress Powder, this will add different thicknesses of powder over the die cut and then heat with a heat tool to melt.
4. Once cool spritz with touches of Black Soot Distress Spray Stain and dry. Looks just like rust!

I also included a Elementary Flash Card tucked behind one of my hearts, which I spritzed with Gathered Twigs Distress Spray Stain.

Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment and a huge THANK YOU to Brenda and the team for inviting me along.

Tracy Evans x x x

Karen Burniston Pop it Ups Designer Challenge - Artsy or Cutesy

Morning all, I am back today with my second post as a Guest Designer for Karen Burniston's Monthly Designer Challenge and today I am showcasing the fabulous TAGS PIVOT CARD die. If you would like to see yesterday's card using the HEART PIVOT CARD die you can find that HERE.

Once again I have gone for an Artsy approach creating a multi layered background using stencils and paint. I began by brayering the background of my card with Broken China Distress Paint using light strokes to leave some of the white areas visible. I then added stencilled areas to the background using white paint and Weathered Wood Distress Ink through an arrows layering stencil. I love adding layers to my design. I added the fabulous clock die cut using the CLOCK AND GEARS die which I know is going to be one of those dies I use over and over again. This time around I die cut from metal foil tape applied black paint to the surface, allowed to dry for a few minutes and then removed the excess paint and I then added Alcohol Inks to the top. I die cut the clock image several times and also cut the clock in half and added two halves to the front and pivot.

The inside of the card has also been coloured with Distress Paint and again further layers added with stencils. I have also added more of the clock die cuts along with the gears again all cut from metal foil tape.

These pivot cards are great fun and I love the movement they give to a design. You can see Karen working her magic HERE in one of her latest videos.

This card was created with my nephew in mind who will be 21 this year hence I used numbers in my design combined with the clock and gears. I also added "Time To Celebrate" using label letters along with Remnant Rubs for added interest.

The TAG PIVOT CARD die comes with coordinating dies making it so easy to decorate and the tags in this die set could be used on so many other ways and on so many designs.

A few pieces of tape have also been included in the background once again for a further layer of interest and texture.

The challenge team have created fabulous designs to inspire you further, all of which you can see HERE.

Thanks so much for popping by and leaving a comment. Tracy x x x

Karen Burniston Pop it Ups Designer Challenge - Artsy or Cutesy

I was absolutely thrilled when I received an email from Karen asking if I would like to be a Guest for her monthly challenge, of course the answer was yes and I have had great fun creating my cards for this months challenge. I have a card today and one tomorrow using a fabulous range of dies designed by Karen Burniston, all available from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

My first card uses the fabulous HEART PIVOT CARD die which I absolutely love as I love using hearts in many of my designs and it was definitely ARTSY all the way for me with this card. I used kraft card as my base and added hearts using a layering stencil and Crackled Texture Paste. Once completely dry I coloured with Distress Inks and Distress Stain to highlight the cracks. The HEART PIVOT CARD die comes with 6 coordinating dies and I used the hearts dies to add coordinating hearts to the front adding one of the larger hearts to the pivot giving it a rusty appearance and adding rusty wire randomly around the outside of the heart. I love the texture of this piece it is so tactile.

What I love about the PIVOT dies is that they add wonderful movement and dimension to a design, adding more interest and a surprise element to any design. I continued with the stencilling on the inside of the card this time using Distress Inks and I also included random stamping along with a piece of chicken wire for further added texture.

I will do step by steps for the rust technique over the coming weeks.

Karen has a video HERE if you would like to see step by steps for these fabulous dies.

I thought this would make a perfect Valentines card for my husband so I also included 14 using numeric alpha parts and I also included a few remnant rubs for a further layer of interest.

I love the little keyhole that also comes with the HEART PIVOT CARD die which I added here die cut from black card adding a touch of wax to the top to highlight.

I completed my design with one of my favourite sentiments.

The challenge team have created fabulous designs for you this month to inspire you further, all of which you can see HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x