Industrial Hearts

Time for my second creation using the fabulous Hearts Entwined stamp set from Creative Expressions.

I embossed my background with the Couture Creations Damask embossing folder, colouring with Alcohol Ink and rubbing over with wire wool to give an industrial feel.

Rusty wire has been added across the metal secured in place using the tiny attacher.  I have stamped the sentiment onto Kraft card using black Archival Ink and added a little black soot Distress Ink around the edges.

The hearts have been stamped onto Kraft card, cut out and had mini gears attached to each to add to that industrial feel.

To complete I have added a pewter heart from the Adornment Charms dangling from the rusty wire.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Stay warm.

Tracy Evans x x

Rustic Charm

Simon Says Stamp and Show are asking what are you known for?  Are you like me and use texture in your arty creations; are your forever adding brown ink to the edges of your cards, are you mad for fabric, what is it that inspires you to start your creative piece, are you known for your inky backgrounds, whatever your style we would love to see what you dream up this week.

I created a collaged piece which I added to a frame showcasing all the things I am known for.

All my close friends and family know I love hearts, I collect anything heart related, jewellery, home decor pieces, garden ornaments you name it, I have it.  I am also a lover of rustic and natural pieces and my framed home decor piece showcases that perfectly. Hearts - check, cut using the Alterations Love Struck Die; texture - check, added using Wendy Vecchi's White Embossing Paste; I love the embellished look - check including buttons from Prima Flowers Nature Garden Wood Buttons to name but a few of my embellishments used in this piece. I had to remove the frame to take some photographs due to the glare from the glass, why do I always make pieces that are so difficult to photograph? I am also known for not thinking things through, I just create what is in my head without any thought about how I will photograph said piece - check, I had major problems taking a picture of this piece in the frame lol!

This is my piece added to the frame, very difficult to photograph without getting background glare and seeing me in the glass, sorry but I did my best lol!

This is how the frame looked before any decoration.  I began by painting the frame with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Paint Little Black Dress, applying two coats for a good thick coverage. Once my frame was completely dry I then dry brushed with a little gold Paint Dabber to add a little more interest to my frame. The mount inside my frame has been coloured with brushed corduroy and walnut stain Distress Inks to add to that rustic feel.

Once I had coloured my mount I then added some stamping using coffee and black Archival Inks, using Kaiser craft Vintage - Cherish clear stamp. I cut the two hearts from thick card from some old packaging (I love to recycle wherever I can) and covered in white Embossing Paste and once dry I painted with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paint, adding highlights with a gold Paint Dabber to highlight all the wonderful texture.  I also added some gold coiled wire for added interest. The hearts have a backdrop of a piece of burlap to give that natural rustic charm to my piece along with some vintage lace.

To add a little more interest I also included "cherish" Chitchat stickers to each heart to echo the CHERISH in the stamped images around my mount.

For a liitle more texture and interest I stamped the swirls from Wendy Vecchi's My Kind Of Art stamp set embossing with Queen's Gold Embossing Powder, adding to each corner of the mount. I also embossed the edges of my mount with embossing powder.

My dear friend Terry sent me some wonderful wooden hearts which I thought were a perfect embellishment and also added to the rustic charm of my home decor piece.  I stamped each heart with the Kaiser Craft stamp and coloured with Distress Inks.

To complete, I added Prima Flowers Wood Buttons threaded with natural twine. The inspiration for this piece were the colours in the wallpaper in my office so this will be perfect to add to one of my walls in the office/craft room.

For more great ideas please pop over to the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog and take a look at my fellow team members they have created some inspirational projects. Remember there is also the chance to win a $50 prize from Simon Says Stamp.  I always look forward to seeing your creations each week.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, much appreciated.  Enjoy your week. Tracy x x 

Products Used:

Tim Holtz Alterations Dies - Love Struck
Tim Holtz Idea-Ology - Chitchat Stickers
Wendy Vecchi Studio 490 My Kind Of Art Stamp Set
Wendy Vecchi White Embossing Paste
Prima Flowers Nature Garden Wood Buttons
PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Paint Little Black Dress
Gold Paint Dabber
Distress Inks - Brushed Corduroy, Walnut Stain
Archival Inks - Coffee, Black
Kaiser Craft - Vintage - Cherish Clear Stamp

Twine
Queen's Gold Embossing Powder
VersaMark Stamp Pad

Floral Delights

Here are a few more sneak peeks of samples I have made for Sheena Douglass, her shows are Monday 21st January 8am, 1pm, and 5pm; Tuesday 22nd January 9am and 4pm; Wednesday 23rd January 8am, 11am, 2pm, and 6pm and Thursday 24th January 8am, 2pm and 5pm. Sheena has a four day deal on Create and Craft using some funky flowers and fabulous sentiments.

 For this card I wanted to give a more feminine feel. I showcased Sheena's images in the Spellbinders Floral Ovals die and blended a little peeled paint Distress Ink around the edges. I kept the aperture and embossed with a Damask embossing folder, again colouring the edges with peeled paint ink.

I coloured the flowers with victorian velvet Distress Marker and the leaves with peeled paint, adding dimension to a few of the leaves.

This card was created along the same lines but this time I made the fantastic sentiment the focal point.

I added a few of the fantastic flowers for added dimension, colouring with victorian velvet ink and spritzing with water, adding a coordinated button to the centre of each.

My third card uses greens and creams, again adding a sentiment to the centre and dimensional flowers, adding Stickles to the centre of each flower for that touch of bling. I sanded back the embossed areas to reveal the core colour.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

A Little Rain Must Fall

Here are a few sneak peeks of samples I have made for Sheena Douglass, her shows are Monday 21st January 8am, 1pm, and 5pm; Tuesday 22nd January 9am and 4pm; Wednesday 23rd January 8am, 11am, 2pm, and 6pm and Thursday 24th January 8am, 2pm and 5pm. Sheena has a four day deal on Create and Craft using some funky flowers and fabulous sentiments.

I wanted to make the sentiment the main focal point on this card. My background is actually kitchen towel which I used to mop up all my Luminarte from previous cards I made for Sheena. I could not throw it away as I thought the colours were fabulous. I used Luminarte Colour Concentrate mediterranean and mallard.

I also added touches of gold Paint Dabber to my background. From this picutre you can see the fabulous texture the kitchen towel gives to my background. I added a wooden umbrella, which coordinates with the sentiment perfectly, again coloured with Colour Concentrate and highlights of gold Paint Dabber.

I added one of the fabulous funky flowrs, which are fantastic for layering together and I added a coordinated button to the centre threaded with twine. You cannot see it here but the shimmer on the flower is just fantastic from the Colour Concentrate.

I love the sentiment which I have stamped in black Archival Ink and coloured with Colour Concentrate, I love this product. I matted the sentiment onto a piece of gold card to lift from the background a little.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I will be back soon with more of the cards I made for Sheena's shows.

Tracy xxx

Two Hearts Joined As One

Well the craft room is the best place to be today and I decided to create a card using a new set of stamps from Creative Expressions - Hearts Entwined.

To create my background I have done a few simple step by steps. I love the gold embossing, it gives this card a lovely opulent feel for me and adds so much texture and interest to the background.

To begin I added mowed lawn and salty ocean Distress Stains to my non-stick craft sheet and then spritzed with water.

Mop up the beads of ink with a piece of card stock.

Continue mopping up the colour until you are happy with the coverage. Dry each layer between each application to prevent any mudding of colours.

Add peacock feathers Distress Ink around the edges of the coloured piece .

Rub over the inked piece with an anti static bag before proceeding with the next step.

Apply VersaMark ink to the top of the embossing folder, I have used the Couture Creations Damask embossing folder. Apply the ink to the debossed area of the embossing folder. Simply dab the ink directly onto the folder.

Place the coloured card into the embossing folder and run through a die cutting machine, I used the Grand Calibur machine.

Remove from the embossing folder and sprinkle with gold embossing powder.

Heat with a heat tool to melt the embossing powder. I love the contrast between the embossing powder and the embossing from the embossing folder.

I coloured a second piece of white card with Distress Stains and then stamped the hearts from the Hearts Entwined stamp set onto the coloured card, cut out, added gold wire and wings for further interest. I also added the sentiment to a coloured piece of card and added a small punched out heart.

I added Chitchat stickers to each heart and three further small hearts to the top of the card.  I love the alternative colour palette for a Valentine's card. This would be perfect for my husband or son.

Thanks so much for stopping by. If you would like to keep up to date with the latest news pop over to the Creative Expressions news page HERE.

Tracy Evans x x x

STEAMPUNK OWL

I've given the SHARP OWL from 100 Proof Press a steampunk makeover this week using metal foil tape.

My background has been embossed with an embossing folder and coloured with ginger and black Alcohol Inks and then rubbed over with steel wool to give an industrial feel.

I have added a panel behind my owl using black Kraft-Core card stock to lift the owl from the background a little and I have embossed with a cogs embossing folder and sanded back the raised areas.

I stamped the owl onto metal foil using black StazOn ink and then stamped him a second time, this time embossing his body, colouring with black Alcohol Ink, rubbing over with steel wool, cutting the body out and adhering to the first stamped owl for dimension. I have added a mini gear to his body for further interest and two for his eyes.

STEAMPUNK OWL has been added to the top of my card using Alpha Parts along with two gears and a mini owl charm which I have recycled from some Christmas packaging.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Enjoy the weekend. Tracy x x

Love Forever

It's time for the first monthly blog hop of the year with Artistic Outpost and our theme for this month is VALENTINE/LOVE.

I decided against the traditional reds for Valentine and went with my favourite colour palette of the moment; this will be perfect for my husband. My background has been created with mowed lawn and salty ocean Distress Stains, applying them to my non-stick craft sheet, spritzing with water and mopping up the ink with my card.

My focal image is from the BIRDS OF A FEATHER plate which I have added to a large heart, again coloured with Distress Stains. I have added the heart to a panel embossed with a heart embossing folder, rubbing a little olive bronze Treasure Gold over the embossed areas for added opulence.

For a little more interest I have added the bunting to the top of my card from the COWGIRL STRENGTH plate, coloured with Distress Stain, cut out and added to the top. I have added three small punched out hearts, coloured with peacock feathers Distress Ink along with a forever Chitchat sticker. For added texture I have also included a heart cut from corrugated card, adding a wooden bird and Chitchat sticker to the top.

LOVE has been added to the bottom of my card using the alphabet background from the SECRETARY POOL plate, stamped with black archival ink and coloured with Distress Stain. From this picture you can also see the wonderful touch of gold on the embossing from the Treasure Gold.

I have added a further heart cut from corrugated card to the bottom corner, colouring with peacock feathers Distress Ink, adding a wooden bird and Chitchat sticker to the top.

My fellow Design Team members have created some fabulous pieces, pop along and be inspired along the way.

• Gerrie Johnnic
• Lisa Somerville
• Suzanne Czosek
• Tracy Evans
• Linda Coughlin
• Alison Bomber
• Terry Horrall
• Kate Yetter

Artistic Outpost also has a REFERRAL THEME running throughout January and the theme is ANYTHING GOES using any of your AO images.  You can link your projects HERE; there is a fabulous prize on offer.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x