New Embossing Folders....

.....and my turn to do the 'Inspiration Post' from the Inkoids. Sheena has some great new embossing folders launching on Hochanda this coming Saturday 3rd September......launching on my birthday, wonder if that's a good sign?! lol!

Now these folders, 8 in the set, are actually part of the Day of the Dead range but they are all so versatile that they could be used for just about any occasion.  So thought I'd share a card using two of the folders together and teamed with the ivy die from last years Perfect Partner collection.

So lets have a quick run through as to how this was made :) So I started with a piece of black card and then roughly dry brushed on some Dyna paint; the colours I used were 351 Silver, 356 Violet/Blue, 358 Green/Blue and 350 Blue/Black. If you're going to do this technique then at this stage make sure you don't apply the paint too thickly or you'll never be able to sand it back! So once I'd put the paint on this is what I had (told you it was roughly applied!)

Next step was to emboss it using the folders, firstly I used the 'Castle on the Water' folder .....

Then I used the 'Storm Brewing' folder but when I put it through the machine (I use the Big Shot) I only embossed the top part, the clouds and lightening, so as not to over emboss the castle...

Once its embossed take a sanding block and sand back to reveal the black card. I've used a 300 gsm black card (Crafters Companion Matt Black Card) but if you're losing a lighter weight then just be a little careful.  Once sanded you should have something like this...

Then with some black gesso and some white gesso add some highlights and shadows to add more definition and shape.......

Mount this onto a silver miri mat, then a black one before attaching to a white card blank.  I cut and embossed three bits of the ivy and lightly applied some silver gilding wax before gluing in place with some 3d glue gel.  To finish off I used the pebeo gilding paste to thinly add some accents to the edges of the castle, the lightening and the edgers of the waves then once it had gone tacky I added some silver foiling.

Hope you like the card :) Sam will be putting another 'Inspiration Post' up on Monday, so don't forget to check it out if you get a chance. 

Thanks for stopping by

Donna xx

Oh my word....

....just realised how long since I last blogged....bad blogger!! You'll never guess what I've got for you today.....CHRISTMAS! Yes you heard me right, it's Christmas, well maybe not but it's time for the launch of the first part of Sheena's Christmas collection.  There are some brilliant new embossing folders and some lovely new stamps featuring some great wording/sentiment designs.  I think you will love them :)

Here's a sample that I've made for the show featuring one of the new scenic embossing folders which as you can see is something that could be definitely used all year round......

I've used Dyna paints to create the background, simply sponging on the colour and then I ran it through the embossing folder. Then to highlight the embossing I used all three colours of Pebeo Gilding Wax. 

The launch shows will be on Create and Craft on Thursday at 8am, 11am, 2pm, 4pm and 7pm, there's bound to be lots of great demonstrations from Sheena so make sure you catch the shows if you can.

Donna xx

And so it's time.....

.....for my very last post as part of the Country View Crafts DT . It was a hard decision to step down but as I said the other day work and other commitments 'told' me it was the right thing to do, it's truly been a privilege to be part of such a talented bunch of ladies!

This months theme at Country View Challenges is 'Shabby Chic' and for my second make I've used some of the same techniques and materials as my first card but with a completely different look .......well at least I hope so anyway!! Lol!

Again I've used gesso over card and then embossed but this time I used Kraft card and I also added a tiny amount of pink AquaTint to the gesso so it had a slightly pink look in areas. I added a die cut clock face (Tim Holtz's old Weathered Clock die) and then used Sheena's Wild Rose stamps and dies for my flowers.

 

To create the buds I simply cut up one set of the petals and then rolled one or two individual petals up to form a bud like shape.
Please do pop over and join in the fun at the Country View Challenges blog.

See you soon
Donna xx

Shabby Chic.....

....is the new challenge over at Country View Challenges. This will be my last month with the Country View Crafts Design Team, it's been a lot of fun but work and other commitments mean I have to move on. So here is my penultimate make, a little shabby chic card ....

The background was made using one of my favourite techniques with an embossing folder.....I painted a piece of card (black) with some gesso and when it was dry embossed it with an embossing folders from Crafters Companions Vintage Floral range before lightly sanding it back.The images are actually taken from one of there CD-rom's  -Times Gone By. I used Sheena's Wild Rose stamps and matching dies for the floral embellishments

Why not pop over to the challenge blog and join in the fun.

Donna xx

Use Kraft...

...is the new theme over at Country View Challenges. I often use Kraft card, it's such a versatile and easy card to work with so this was a fun challenge.  For this make I've used one of my favourite techniques, combining Kraft with gesso and embossing it...

I started off by painting a square of Kraft card with gesso and then using a mixture of the stamps from the Textures Collection by Crafters Companion added some stamping around the edges...

...then I embossed it with the Hessian Embossing Folder from the same Textures Collection.  Once I'd embossed it I sanded it back to reveal some of the Kraft card showing through the gesso, then I caught the edges with some silver gilding wax...

I mounted this onto a Kraft card blank and then set about sorting out the flowers etc.  I used Sheena's Wild Rose stamp set and matching die from her Perfect Partners collection and cut and stamped them from some more gessoed Kraft and some plain Kraft card.  The ones which had been painted with gesso I also lightly sanded back...

Next I stamped some words onto bits of Kraft, cut them out and roughed up the edges a bit. Then I just arranged and glued everything in place to finish.

Why not pop over to the challenge blog and join in the fun, you could be in with the chance of winning a £20 voucher :)

Donna xx

Another little look....

....at the new stamps and embossing folders from Sheena Douglass that are launching on Create and Craft on Thursday, along with Spectrum Noir AquaTints.....

Make sure to catch some of the shows :)

Donna xx

Ooh I love new stamps!!

....and there are new stamps and new embossing folders on the way from Sheena this Thursday on Create and Craft.  They are designed to compliment the Perfect Partner stamps and dies that were released at the beginning of the year but if you haven't got those it doesn't matter because these will be beautiful on there own.  Here are a couple of samples I've made for the show......

There will be a number of shows...8am, 11am, 2pm, 4pm and 7pm ...so try and catch one of them (or all !) if you can :)

Donna xx

Hot and Spicy...

....is the new theme over at the That's Crafty Challenge blog. So I've gone for some hot and spicy colours........

Started off by embossing a piece of card using the Sheena Douglass Sakura Embossing Folder and then colouring it with a mixture of distress inks.......Ripe Persimmon, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed and a bit of Gathered Twigs

Then I stamped and cut out IndigoBlu's big butterfly and then coloured it with matching colours of distress ink

Then just glued everything together adding a sentiment from the Kaisercraft range and mounting everything onto a card blank.

Make sure you pop over and join in the challenge, you could win a £20 voucher to spend on the website :)

Donna xx

Last two shows.....

.......today for the Sheena Douglass's Four Day Deals. Shows are at 1pm and 5pm over on Create and Craft so if you get a chance make sure to check 'em out!

I used the snowy rooftops embossing folder for  this....

......simply ran it through once with black card and added gilding wax, then sprinkled a bit of embossing powder (very lightly) and heat set to give appearance of smaller snow/stars. Then ran some white card through with folder, cut out the rooftops, painted with distress inks, added some painty snow and then layered onto the black with 3d glue gel.

Don't forget to check out the shows for some great dems from Sheena :)

Donna xx

One more day to go...

....until the 4 day deal on Create and Craft with Sheena Douglass's new embossing folders....there's also some new stamps :) Here's a sample card using the snowflake and the snowfall embossing folders....

I'll be back tomorrow for one last preview before the shows kick off......
Donna xx

Day 3 of the sneaky peeks...

...of Sheena Douglass's new embossing folders and stamps that will be launching on Monday on Create and Craft. I've used the other rooftop stamp on this sample, the snowfall embossing folder on the back panels and acetate snowflakes made using the large snowflake embossing folder.....

I'll be back tomorrow with another sample card. Check out the other inkoids blogs to see their wonderful samples :)

Donna xx

Another peek at the new Sheena releases....

...that will be launching this coming  Monday on Create and Craft.  This sample that I've made uses both the stamps and one of the embossing folders....

I love this big snowflake embossing folder and as for the set of rooftop stamps .......well......I have new favourites!

So don't forget.....Create and Craft.....Monday 21st.... start of a 4 day deal with Sheena Douglass :)

Donna xx

Sheena's back with a four day deal....

....a lovely set of 8 5x7 embossing folders and then in addition to the four day deal she'll also have two new A5 stamp sheets. If you're a fan of Sheena's products then you won't be disappointed with these........they're lovely :)
So fancy a little sneaky look?  Here's one of the samples I've made for the shows that start this coming Monday 21st on Create and Craft...

This features one of the embossing folders 'Figgy Lane' which was coloured with distress ink, spectrum noir pens and pencils, and over stamped with a snow flurry stamp........yes pretty much through everything at this one!! Lol!

So don't forget to tune in on Monday and see some of the other lovely sample from the rest of the inkoids and some great dems by Sheena.

I'll be back with some more samples over the next few days :)

Donna xx

More embossing folder fun....

......using one of Sheena Douglass's Taste of India embossing folders. This one started off as a gelli print before I ran it though the embossing folder and then roughly heat embossed the raised areas with gold. Finished it off with some gems to add a little touch of shimmer.......

Don't forget Sheena will be in Create and Craft tomorrow at 9am and 3pm.

Donna xx

It's time for another play with....

....Sheena's lovely Taste of India Embossing folders, there are more shows featuring these beauties on Monday 12th at 9am and 3pm over on Create and Craft.

The beauty of many of these folders is that they are a card in themselves.  For this sample below I simply blended Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon and Picked Raspberry distress inks onto some card and embossed it using the 'Henna' embossing folder and then applied a little embossing ink to the raised areas and heat embossed with gold. Then I embossed a white piece of card with the same folder and cut out some of the elements, coloured them with distress ink and added to the base layer before adding gems and a sentiment to finish.

Be sure to try and catch the shows.......if Sheena's around you know there'll be some fun dems :)

Donna xx

Getting closer now....

....to the launch of Sheena's India range of stamps, papers and embossing folders. So how about another little look? Here's another one of the samples I've made for the shows on Create and Craft......

 ....stamps and embossing folder on this one.  The main panel was stamped, heat embossed and then painted with h2o's; this was then mounted onto an embossed panel which I highlighted with a little Pebeo gilding wax. Once it was done I decided the main panel needed to stand out a little more so masked off the rest of the card and sprayed panel with Crafters Companion's Spray and Shine.

So don't forget to tune in on Monday for the start of the 4 day deal.......great product, some brill demonstrations and some lovely inspiration from the rest of my fellow inkoids :)

Donna xx

A trip to India.....

....with a couple of examples from Sheena Douglass's great new India range that launches as the 4 day deal on Monday at 8am on Create and Craft. There are stamps, embossing folders and papers so lots to play with! Make sure to tune in and have a look :)

This first card was made using nothing but the embossing folders...

and the second features the stamps on a background made by laying a mask over a layer of promarkers and removing a little of the colour with blending solution......nice and bright this one!!!

Back with some more sneaky peeks over the weekend :)

Donna xx

New Beginnings.....

.....is the new theme for this months challenge at Country View Crafts. After thinking about what I would do for this theme I decided to use a quote that summed up the theme and this particular quote is pretty apt for me because I've been forced into trying to make a new beginning......so think I'll be keeping this quote in my head for awhile......

I started off with cutting a tag inking it up with Squeezed Lemonade, Peacock Feathers and Shaded Lilac Distress Inks and then running it through my Big Shot with the Damask Texture fade. I've actually used the debossed side as my 'right' side, and to highlight the texture a little more I lightly blended a bit of Pumice Stone distress over the top.

Then I stamped the quote onto a little piece of card, cut a flower using the Tattered Florals die and some leaves using the Spring Greenery die and coloured everything up with more distress ink. Then simply glued everything together......the centre of the flower was simply made by adding a hand cut and rolled rose.

Thanks for stopping by

Donna xx

Well it's Monday so it must be.....

.....time for the 4 day deal on Create and Craft featuring Sheena's lovely new embossing folders.  They coordinate with some of her previously released stamp sets and are a lot of fun to play with.  Here's a little peek at one of the samples I've made using one of the smaller folders.....

Don't forget to tune in and watch some of Sheena's demonstrations and to see some more cards from the rest of the Inkoids.

Donna xx

Another little look at.......

.....Sheena's new embossing folders.....

Don't forget to tune in to Create and Craft on Monday for the launch of the 4 day deal featuring the new folders, over the course of the four days there'll be lots of lovely dems and samples from all the other Inkoids to provide plenty of inspiration :)

Donna xx