IR-RESIST-ABLE!

How are your Competition entries coming along? Stuck for inspiration?

Here are two wonderful Resist projects from Freyja - same stamp, but what a difference colour can make.


Scripted Leaf 1
Copyright Freyja Lee

Freyja says:

• Stamp –Stampington C8426
• Kaleidacolor ‘Creole Spice’ Rainbow Inkpad
• This card uses the clear ink resist method
• Stamp the leaf with Versamark and when dry brayer over with the rainbow pad
• Over stamp with black ink adding any other small stamps and embellishments.
• Mount as shown.

Scripted Leaf 2
Copyright Freyja Lee

Freyja says:

• Stamp – Stampington C8426
• Adirondack ‘Winter Sky’ Rainbow Inkpad
• This card uses the clear resist method.
• Stamp the leaf with Versamark and when dry brayer over with the rainbow pad
• Over stamp with black ink, punch the panel edge with Fiskars ‘Rope’Edge punch.
• Mount as shown adding embellishment of choice.

Don't forget to send in your entries for the competition! Email me your pix before 31 March - so you have loads of time.

Click here for full details (yes, there are prizes!)

COMPETITION - INSPIRATION

How are we doing for ideas for the competition? Anybody stuck?

Here's some inspiration: two cards by Freyja, both using chalk inks (soft, matt, blendable). Remember, the theme is FLORAL (which means flowers & anything that goes with them).


Rose Study
by Freyja Lee












The entries are starting to trickle in slowly, and you still have loads of time (see the post below for full details). To enter, email me (click on the logo, right) and send a jpg of a photo or scan.


Apples
by Freyja Lee












If you'd rather mail your entry, go to Blade Rubber Stamps (link on right) and you'll find the address there.

Just mark "Competition" on the envelope - all cards received will be displayed in the shop.

COMPETITION!

Blade Rubber is hosting their very first competition! There will be prizes!

I realise this is going to cause much excitement... so get your thinking caps on now. The theme is FLORAL.


Jade Flower
Copyright Susie Jefferson







This means a floral card, ATC, scrapbook page... anything you want, as long as you use rubber stamps to create it. You can use peeloffs or German Scrap as edgings and embellishments, but they cannot be used as the main focus of the card.

1. Send me a jpg of a photograph or scan at a resolution of 150dpi and a height of 450 - 500 pixels (approximately 6 - 7 inches).
2. Email your image to me, and put COMPETITION in the subject line. Don't forget to put your contact details (click the box at the top right).
   

Japanese Flower
Copyright Susie Jefferson







Closing date: 31st March, then Freyja and myself and the Blade Rubber Stamps team will pick the 10 best, and put them up on the blog for you to vote on.

We'll close the voting and pick the winners on Good Friday (10th April) and announce the winners on Easter Sunday (12th April)

THE PRIZES ARE:

• 1st Prize - 5 unmounted Blade Rubber Stamps images
• 2nd Prize - 3 unmounted Blade Rubber Stamps images
• 3rd Prize - 1 unmounted Blade Rubber Stamps images

I am really excited to see what you come up with!

IT'S SPRING - NEW ART, NEW BACKGROUND

Now Valentine's Day is over for another year, I thought we'd have a new background - something bright & breezy and more Spring-like. I have also increased the type size, so I hope you'll find it easier to read as well.

To celebrate, here's a postcard and a tag I just made. As you can see from the scrapbook page further down, I'm feeling very Parisian and also very pink! Must be because it's Spring (nearly)...


Postcard
Copyright Susie Jefferson











The postcard was made for a swap I'm in, on UKPaperArts Yahoo group.

THE POSTCARD:

• The stamped background text and the Eiffel Tower are both from Tim Holtz's "I See Paris" sheet.
• The background was stamped in Ranger Archival ink in Sepia and the Eiffel Tower in Brilliance Graphite Black.
• Tear round the Eiffel Tower image and colour it Direct To Paper, using Versacolour pigment inks in Old Rose & Opera Pink, with a touch of Sky Blue.
• The image is from a photo in my private collection.
• Both Eiffel Tower and photo are layered over torn vintage French text from an old dictionary.
  
• I used a clear alphabet to stamp out April in Paris, using Ranger's Sepia archival ink again, and drew over the letters by hand with a red glitter pen. I also coloured in the lady's lipstick with the red glitter pen.
• Her cheeks were coloured with a cottonwool bud (carefully) with the Old Rose pigment ink.
  

Tag
Copyright Susie Jefferson












THE TAG:

• Crumple a manilla tag then smooth it out again. Do this a couple of times.
• Swipe the tag with Distress ink in Mahogany and spritz a couple of times with clear water.
• Allow to dry naturally, or hurry it up with a heat gun.
• Stamp the Eiffel Tower in Ranger Archival Sepia ink and tear around the image.
• Use a cottonwool bud to tint the tower with a touch of Old Rose ink.
• Stamp the alphabet as described above.
• Tint cheeks & lips as above.

Much fun!

I sent off the tag, along with one of Blade Rubber Stamps unmounted stamp images, as a little thankyou giftie for the brilliant punches tip sent in by Jean Harrison.

You too might get an unmounted stamp as a thankyou prezzie - so send those stamping tips and tricks in! Best one gets a freebie unmounted Blade Rubber Stamps image, and no doubt I'll be sending a tag or ATC along with it.

HERO ARTS WATERCOLOUR HOW-TO

Never let it be said that I don't have my finger on the pulse for you all! Here's a sweet little video how-to using watercolour pencils and a waterbrush, from Hero Arts.



Sweet, isn't it. Doesn't it make you feel as though Spring was nearly here...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! HOORAY!

Happy, happy Valentine's Day everyone! Hope you got some nice goodies...

Here's my Waterfall scrapbooking page, which is suitably romantic with vintage silk roses. What could be more romantic than springtime in Paris ... unless it's cherry blossom time in Japan...



Springtime in Paris copyright Susie Jefferson








I'm being very mean and not telling you exactly how I did it (as I am teaching a Waterfall class next week) but you can check out YouTube and type in "waterfall" to see quite a few tutorials. So I'm not being all that mean, really.

FREEBIE GOODIES

On my personal blog, 1stFloorFlat - I'm taking part in the Valentine's Day Blog party. This means you go to see my blog (and download the free goodies - I also put up a scrapbook-style card project) and click the link to go to other blogs... who ALL have Valentine-y specials loaded. So there will be tons to see, and lots of blogs you won't have read before.

This has to beat boring old television! ENJOY!

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN No 30

A full month of Valentine's Day cards & projects! What a journey!




Forever My Heart
Copyright Freyja Lee



I hope we have managed to amaze, delight and inspire you to do something special for your loved ones.


The Three Graces
Copyright Freyja Lee






Freyja says:

• Stamp – Judikins 2285H
• Make a Twinkler background on Mulberry paper.
• Stamp with black on acetate and colour a portion of the acetate back with Mary markers.
• Layer onto white attaching the acetate with brads before mounting onto a black main card.
• Optional, wind embroidery threads around sides.

NOTE:

• Tear the edges of both pieces of paper at the same time to get that matching torn edge. If you tear towards yourself, you'll have a very soft fuzzy edge with lots of rough paper showing. If you tear away from yourself, you'll still get that torn edge - but it will be sharper without the rough inner paper layer showing. Experiment to see which looks best for the paper or card you are working with.
• Twinkling H2Os are a solid paint sold in little cakes, which you can use exactly like watercolours. They have a built-in sparkle, a stunning range of colours, are waterproof and can be painted onto acetate and many other surfaces. Go here to read my article on how to use them.

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN No 29

We are nearly at the end of our month of Valentine projects, so here are two little Japanese stab-bound albums.


Joyous
copyright Susie Jefferson










Joyous uses a scrapbooking paper in pale green for the background, with a torn scrap of scrapbooking paper collaged on top, with a vintage photograph mounted on top of that. The torn paper and the image (cut out with a giant scallop punch) are both edged with Distress ink in Black Soot. For a change, I cross-tied the ribbon binding and tied a giant floppy bow, and finished off with feather butterflies. The album is a nice size to fit in a handbag or on a bookshelf (A5 size, which means an extra 1.5 inches added on the left to allow for binding) and one single image, or two or three small images, is enough for each page.

If you feel you need to add anything extra (although in small albums, I think just a little journaling: who, what, where, when - on the left-hand page, with the photos on the right, is enough without getting too fussy) you might want to think about stamping an edging to each page, or corners, or a scrap of scrapbooking paper as a border.

Just because it's a Valentine's Day project, it doesn't mean that you only give things to your partner... the day is also meant for gifties to the ones you love - so what about a Brag Book for a grandparent or aunt (or godmother, sister, brother, uncle, babysitter....)


Baby Brag Book
copyright Susie Jefferson







The Baby Brag Book is a dinky little album - A6 size, so just perfect for a single photograph on each page (which means you can finish it virtually in one session!) Don't just stick it in flat - add just a little extra with perhaps a little stamping (for example, flowers stamped randomly around the edges of the page, perhaps 2 or 3 different colours) and use photo corners or peeloffs to emphasise the picture. Perhaps mount it on contrast card to continue the theme set by the cover. Who wouldn't love to receive an album like this?

Again, I used scrapbooking paper for the background, with the photograph and phrase mounted onto deep pink pearlised card, layered as shown. The photo is fixed with retro gold photo corners, and the phrase mounted with pop dots to give dimension. The little girl in the background is a rubber stamp (I used Ancient Page ink in Sienna), and again I have used a feather butterfly as an embellishment. The ribbon is organza, which is transparent (and very strong - which you need in bookbinding).

For general instructions, see Countdown Day No 20.

RESIST TECHNIQUE - VIDEO

Here's a very useful video demo on doing resist techniques.



So now you know how to do it! This is one technique I love, and you can do so much with it.

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN No 28

We're nearly at the end of the Countdown - two more days to go, making a complete month of ideas full of Valentine's Day projects, cards and samples.


Confetti Heart
by Freyja Lee














The secret to this card is Marvy Metallic markers.

Freyja says:

• This is white gloss card that has been badly brayered and rescued fom the rubbish bin! Just for fun.
• Coloured with a selection of Marvey markers.
• Cut into five pieces with attached two to a card front which is folded in half inwards, attached two to the inside back of the card and one cut into a heart and attached to the front over lapping the fold with foam pads.
• The butterfly peel off is mounted onto a scrap of Twinkler painted paper and cut round.
• The inside of the front fold can also be decorated or stamped with a greeting.
• Add a cord or ribbon the the fold for extra ‘pizzaz’.

NOTE: I just love these colours - pink, purple and gold blend beautifully. Marvy Metallics spread easily on gloss card (Freyja used a brayer to spread the ink) . And the scallop edge on the card is a nice final touch (use scissors or one of those paper cutters where you can change the wheel) . Also notice how the colours "pop" on black card (waaaay more dramatic than if layered onto white). Navy and purple would also work well.

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN No 27

Today, we have a lovely Stampington card from Freyja.


Copyright Freyja Lee















Freyja says:

• This ultra romantic Stampington image is stamped over a shaving foam marbled background. The flower is another piece of marbling made from punched hearts.
• The mount is a piece of embossed wallpaper. Collect a few samples, leave plain or sponge, paint or even gold leaf for useful and decorative mounts.
• The butterfly is a silver/clear peel off over scrap painted paper.Don’t dismiss peel offs, they can make the perfect embellishment to finish a card.

• TIP: When sponging or painting always keep black and white scraps of card or paper to hand and use to stamp,sponge or brush off spare colour before cleaning up. Collect a few samples and you will always find a colour or unusual ‘rainbow’ of colours to match your work. Use for backing peel offs, punching shapes or for stamped and cut out embellishments.Especially luminous with pearlescent or metallic colours and gorgeous under those sparkle transparent peel offs for extra ‘bling’. Unique, costs only pennies to make and can’t be bought at any price.

NOTE: I really like this one - I've always been fond of this particular stamp and I am always amazed to see how many totally different looks can be created with it. The heavily embossed wallpaper piece as a background is a particulary inspired choice... I can see us all sneaking into our local DIY stores to collect a few "little samples" (luckily, you don't need a huge piece).

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN No 26

A nostaligic card for retro fans!


Doris
copyright Freyja Lee











As I just uploaded the lovely little Bird Journal (the post below) I thought I'd keep to a similar theme in feel: a little bit vintage, a little bit collage, with a great technique.

This one uses Marvy Metallics pens - an oldie, but a goody, and I bet most of you have one of these pens stashed away somewhere that you forgot all about!

Freyja says:

• Purple and silver Marvy Metallics markers on black gloss card with Stewart Gill ‘Marcasite’ embossing powder applied when dry.
• Dab the dried surface with patches of Versamark before embossing.
• A transparency over textured card makes a panel and Clear Dimensional Stickers over peel-off letters make the name. Also a nice way of sending a photograph.
• If you do not have silver photo corners, colour white ones with a Krylon pen, silver Brilliance re-inker or acrylic paint.
• Mount onto a textured card to keep the ‘chunky’ look.

NOTE: Freyja has used a hammered texture card, which also helps to show off the image. Just because the card is white, it doesn't have to be boring! You could also computer-generate the letters (use a typewriter-style font) on thin card, and colour them by swiping over with an ink pad, eg: Brilliance (the metallics and pearl colours are semi-transparent) then punch out using a small circle punch.

BIRD JOURNAL

Stampington have just released a charming little YouTube video which shows you how to make Vanessa Spencer's Bird Journal.



Bird Journal copyright Vanessa Spencer
for Stampington




They also released the template and step-by-step instructions & photographs.

This could be made from any paper - I can imagine this in earthy handmade papers, raffia, rope twine etc ... or a heavyweight watercolour paper, white on white, stamped and embossed... Then again, there are so many absolutely gorgeous scrapbooking papers out there... Or use up all your odds and ends of card and paper by using the template (cut it out in mountboard or even the cardboard from cereal boxes) and collage on a mix of papers, then trim down.

The possibilities are endless!

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN No 25

This one is really passionate!


Love hurts
by Freyja Lee











Freyja says:

• Stamp – Nonsequitur ‘Love Hurts’ 79C
• This card uses the dye inks method mixing non permanent and permanent inks.
• Use a variety of non permanent dye inks and Ancient Page Permanent dye inks.
• Stamp leaves with green ink on gloss card then over sponge yellow,light green and pink inks blending well.
• When dry stamp more leaves, figure and mountains with Azalea and Lapis Blue ink.
• Over stamp the right hand small figures with black Stazon or, as here stamp on acetate.
• Notch the panel corners and wind gold thread around.
• Mount as shown fixing the acetate with tiny pieces of double sided tape under the acetate and adding optional brads .

NOTE: Brads are a brilliant way of fixing anything transparent or translucent to card (eg: vellum or acetate). Alternative methods which would also look good: punch two small holes at each corner and thread through with ribbon or fibres - or use photocorners.

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN No 24

Today's idea is a nice easy one - embossing!


Card by Freyja Lee















Freyja says:

• Stamp: – Blade Rubber ‘Heart’ 009B
• Choose a colour scheme, and emboss a panel and heart randomly with Versamark and Blade Rubber Embossing Powders. I used Copper, White, Gold and Denim.
• Layer onto two corrugated card panels
• The cream panel is stamped with the heart using Versamagic ink.
• Assemble and embellish as shown – the beads are hand made paper, inked and dipped in embossing powder.

NOTE: The letters are actually peeloffs - but look like beaten metal. Letter brads would also work well.

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN No 23

Today's idea is a little loose-leaf organiser, turned into an appointments book.




Diary
copyright Susie Jefferson






Give this to the love of your life to organise an upcoming special occasion.

• This was done very simply using deep pink acrylic mixed with white, then a little overstamping as a background detail using Magenta's Dragonfly stamp and Brilliance Orchid Pink ink.
• The picture is a little reproduction cigarette card, mounted to deep rose card and fixed with photo corners.
• The rose and the letters are stickers.

This would also be a good one for anyone planning an engagement party, wedding, Christening, anniversary, retirement etc - keep all the essential phone numbers etc together for that particular occasion - not on bits of paper, and not cluttering up your usual address book/organiser. Then, when the occasion is over you can either scrap the lot (in the bin), scrapbook or journal them, or put away in an old trunk for later generations to discover!

ANOTHER SNOW PICTURE

Here's the lane outside Kaye and Graham's home (in the Welsh countryside).














That steep hill looks scary... and icy....would one dare to toboggan?

Isn't the countryside absolutely beautiful!

SNOW DAY!

Have you ever seen such snow?

They say this is the worst since 1963, which was the worst of the century! Even living in London (we hardly ever get any snow) we were snowed in yesterday - planes were grounded, and the entire transport system ground to a halt.

Still, cold or not - the snow came over the tops of my ankle boots, so must easily have been 6 inches - I couldn't resist taking some photos, hence the little Slide show. I hope you enjoy it.

If you took any great pix of The Great Outdoors, perhaps you'd like to send them in. It can't last forever, and we'll all be looking back on this with nostalgia! (Think scrapbooks and journaling).

Make sure you wrap up warm and stay safe. Don't take long trips in your car without taking water and a couple of spare blankets, just in case you get stranded. Plus a torch (check the batteries) and your mobile, fully charged.

Meantime, as you may just be stuck indoors... perhaps you'd like to tackle some of the great projects on the blog - Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so you need to get all cosy, think warm thoughts and get those stamp supplies out!

HOW TO USE PUNCHES

Blade Rubber has just put my "How to use punches" article online.


Shelf liner
copyright Susie Jefferson








There are three projects included, so I hope you'll take a look - including the shelf liner, above.

I hope you'll find this a useful resource - it'll probably tell you more about punch art than you ever knew you needed to know!

There is also a troubleshooting section for jammed punches, blunt punches etc. If you have a tip not included in the article, please do email me!

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN No 22

Today's theme is passion!






Whenever, Whatever
by Freyja Lee


This card may look simple, but has real impact.

Freyja says:

• Main image: Stampers Anonymous Corinthian Pillar (but any similar architectural element will work).
• Background mount - stamps from Non Sequitur ‘Greco-Roman Elements’ 50C
• Stamp three pillars with Impress’ Mulberry’ ink on textured white card.
• Attach two copyright free self-generated or purchased transparencies with mini brads.
• For the background panel sponge white gloss card with pink dye ink and when dry stamp several small ‘Roman’ images with Versamark.
• Sponge over purple and blue dye inks and finish with purple stamped images.
• Mount as shown with peel-off or stamped words.

NOTE:

• Purple and yellow are opposite each other on the colour wheel, so any shade of those colours will "pop" when put together. Here mulberry and a sepia/yellow really contrast, but as both are muted in tone, the colours also don't scream at you.
• The little peeloff decals look like punched metal, and add weight to the composition.
• Find great copyright-free images at Art-e-Zine.

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN No 21

This is a very sweet & romantic card, softly coloured with liquid chalks inks.

Copyright Freyja Lee








Freyja says:

• Stamp: NonSequitur ‘Burning Hearts’ 56C
• Multi layer the background, blending colours and over stamp with Chestnut Roan Ink
• No masking is necessary. Stamp under layer images before the sponged background colours are dry for a soft, misty effect.
• Add two small tags for an interesting embellishment.

NOTE: The deckle-edged card used as the bottom-most layer adds the perfect accent.

FUN VALENTINE LINK

Hi all

I thought you might be amused by this one: How To Make a Valentine from an Onion.


Copyright Tack-O-Rama




Copyright Jeff Rudell






Thwarted in Love, Jeff Rudell hated Valentine's Day... but it's made for beautiful artwork!

Copyright Jeff Rudell








This has to be the best "negative turned into a positive" I've seen for a long time! So if in your life at the moment it is raining lemons, try to turn it into lemonade, to quote the song.