Limor Circles ATB

Hi all, another blog post from me today. I created this a while ago and realised I haven't blogged it yet, ooopppsss. So here it is... This is a ATB - or Artist Trading Block. Similar to ATC's (Artist Trading Card) but a 3D version. I have played with ATC's before and have done a few swaps with other artists and have always loved what I have received. 

But.... I'm an 8 x 8 girl!! I love a big square surface to work on. So the size of the ATC took a bit of getting used to. So I though an ATB with bigger surfaces to work on was a fab idea. 

I decided to used the Limor Circles stamp set from IndigoBlu for this project as there are loads of different designs of circles to choose from and in different sizes. 

I first cute my cube base from a piece of linen A3 cardstock. I then cut 6 squares approx 3" for each face of the cube. 

I chose a selection of blue distress inks to play with ranging from faded jeans to peacock feathers. And started stamping.....

I lined all the 6 square pieces up and as randomly as possible, started stamping. I wanted to create a similar design for each square but in a random style. So each square had all the same stamps but not necessarily in the same place.

I then used the large and medium target stamp on each square and added white and black embossing powder. 

On the cube base, I stamped the net circle from the Limor Circles down each folded edge with FlitterGlu and added IndigoBlu Mega Flakes.

I then stuck each square to each side of the cube and then constructed it in to a 3D cube. 

Thanks for popping by.... 

Leave me a crafty comment if you wish.

Toodles for now.... 

Holly Bow Tea Lights for ALTERED ECLECTICS

Hi peeps, I'm posting this for my first Design Team challenge over at Altered Eclectics and I'm so excited to be part of this team. 

As this challenge is the December challenge and the last before the festives, it will run until the 1st of February. So, plenty of time to play and get your entries in. Click on the link above to go to the blog and join in with the challenge. Woo Hoo!!! Of we go....


I saved a load of baby food jars from when my little ones where tiddlers and I've had them stored in a basket in my craft room. I thought I'd dig them out and have a play with the Holly Bow stamp from IndigoBlu and IndigoBlu English Cottage Artist Acrylic Metallic Paints. I chose the most Christmassy colours to start and first went with the Metallic Gold - Goldfinger.

This is what I came up with... 

I painted the jars with a couple of coats of Goldfinger paint, these jars are glass so a couple of coats was pretty good going!
I then stamped the Holly Bow stamp on to IndigoBlu Perfect Stamping Card and painted it with Ruby Slippers and mixed Emerald City with Sleeping Beauty for a darker green. 

I then stamped the Holly Bow on to parchment paper with FlitterGlu and Chocolate Box Mega Flakes. Then layered it over the top of the painted Holly Bow. 

I then wrapped some jute string with a red ribbon around the lip of the jar. 

I did the same with the second jar but used the stamp upside down to show the versatility of the stamp. Two for the price of one!!! 
Then just pop a tealight candle in to finish...

Thanks for popping by, hope I have inspired you to recycle your glass jars in to something pretty. 

It's a blue christmas

Hi folks, thanks for tuning in.... another christmas card from me this week courtesy of those gorgeous christmasy stamps from IndigoBlu. 

For this creation I decide to use the stunning 'Winter Wonderland' stamp. This is a gorgeous silhouette image of a beautiful wintery scene but included the most intricate details.

I'm still in my "blue period" which worked perfect with this stamp. 

I started by spraying Sleeping Beauty and Aladdin IndigoBlu English Cottage Artist Acrylic paints on to IndigoBlu Perfect Stamping card.
I did this with two pieces of card, one to stamp on and one for the background. This is fast becoming my favourite technique with the paints as the outcome is different every time. 

I stamped the Winter Wonderland at the bottom of the smaller piece of sprayed card with FlitterGlu and used the stunning Morris Dance Mega Flakes to create a gorgeous shimmery scene. I then stamped offset over the top of it with Stazon Midnight Blue ink to create a shadow. I stamped Snowflake Lace with the same ink at the top of the card. 

I used a piece of black card as a mat which I edged with the Chocolate Box Mega Flakes then layered it on to the second piece of sprayed card. I distressed the edges of the base card to create some texture then finally matted on to a black card blank. 

You can find all of the products I've used here or use the link at the top of my blog to go direct to the IndigoBlu website.

You can also check out the IndigoBlu blog for more fabulous inspiration and join in with the current IndigoBlu challenge blog. Links for both are at the top of my blog. 

Thanks for popping by.... toodles for now. 

Tag!!! It's Distressed!

Hi folks, I got to have a little play this week and thought I'd get back to what I love best.... a bit of distressing!!!!

I got out the fab IndigoBlu paints and started to have a little fun.

I love these paints!!!! The IndigoBlu English Cottage Artist Acrylic Paints are so versatile. They can be used in so many different ways which is why I love them so much. 

They are a water based flat matte artist quality paint, pigment rich and is fast drying so great for those eager beavers and acid free so no stinky smells. They can also be used on fabric too!!

They can be used with a little water and put in a spray bottle to be used as a spritzer. As they are of such a thick consistency and super pigment rich the colour isn't lost when added to water.

I am completely addicted to using them as spritzers. Which is exactly what I did for this creation.

Here is what I did....

I started with an 8 X 8 square of white IndigoBlu Perfect Stamping Card. I am completely in love with this card. 

It is such good quality and perfect for this technique. It holds the paint perfectly on the surface of the card and doesn't soak in or make the paint go murky like other cardstock. 

I mixed all the paint in to different bottles to a one part paint to four parts water ratio. And started spritzing.....

I used Park Lane, Townhouse Teal and a smidge of Peppermint Tea drying the layers in between. I tend to keep my heat gun going while I'm spritzing and randomly switch between each colour. I keep the heat gun approx 12" directly above the card so it doesn't 'blow' the paint in different directions. 

When I was happy with the background colour, out came the stamps! I chose Square Peg Round Hole and Itsy Bitsy Backgrounds to work with. I didn't really have a plan for the next part, I just used the stamps randomly with Stazon Gothic Purple, Vibrant Violet and Midnight Blue until I was happy with the layout. 

I then coloured a tag with the paint using the same method and stamped it with the Umbellate stamp using FlitterGlu and adding the gorgeous new Chocolate Box Mega Flakes which look like they are good enough to eat. So scrummy!!!

I then swiped the Phat Foam with the FlitterGlu on around the edges of the base card and adhered the flakes to create a border.

I used some cream hessian ribbon which I coloured with the Stazon ink along the centre of the base card and adhered the tag using foam tape.
I tied some purple satin ribbon on the other side and swiped over it with the blue ink. 

Thanks for popping by...

It's an IndigoBlu Merry Christmas...

Hi Folks, I'm getting all ready for Christmas.... well not really as I've never been the most organised person, usually running round on Christmas Eve. However, as I am now part of the fabulous IndigoBlu demonstrators team I get to play with the lovely new products and of course, this years gorgeous new christmas releases. 

This years christmas stamps are amazing!!!!!! I've chosen three of the new stamps for these two creations.

I chose the 'Snowflake Lace', 'Fancy Bauble Dinkie' and 'Design Merry Christmas' stamps.

They are both 8 X 8 designs on black 300gsm card.

Here is the first design...

On the first design I used the snowflake lace stamp to create a border edge. I stamped it using FlitterGlu and used Lancashire Rose Mega Flakes. 

I then stamped the Design Merry Christmas on to acetate, again using FlitterGlu. Again I used Lancashire Rose Mega Flakes on the acetate but picked the flakes out individually so the whole design was covered in a similar colour of flake. I went around the edge of the acetate with the FlitterGlu and flake to create a border then matted it on to black card. 

I used some crushed gold ribbon down the side of the card and pinched it in the centre then attached the Merry Christmas sentiment over the top of the ribbon using foam tape.

For the second design....

 

I used the Fancy Bauble Dinkie and Winter Dawn Mega Flakes. I stamped the Fancy Bauble in a repeat pattern then added the Winter Dawn Mega Flakes. I stamped the Design Merry Christmas on to black card with the flakes and edged it to create a border. I then adhered it to the centre of the card using foam tape.

Two simple but effective christmas designs from the gorgeous new IndigoBlu Christmas stamps. 

All the products I have used for these two designs can be found on the IndigoBlu website here.

Thanks for popping by..... 

IndigoBlu Indian Summer

Hi folks, here's my inspiration for the Indian summer challenge over at IndigoBlu. You can check out more inspiration from the fabulous IndigoBlu Design Team and link your entries here.

I sprayed some white IndigoBlu Perfect Stamping card with IndigoBlu's English Cottage Artist Acrylic paints. I used Burning Bonfire and Postbox Red from the Autumn Collection. Then sprayed over the top with a smidge of the gorgeous Ruby Slippers from the new metallics range.

I chose the Butterfly Collector stamp set to work with. I repeatedly stamped the grasses along the bottom of the card  then stamped the butterflies at the top right using Onyx Black Versafine ink. 

I stamped the butterflies on to some acetate with FlitterGlu and covered it with Lancashire Rose Mega flakes. I cut the butterflies out, bent the wings and adhered them over the stamped butterflies.

I stamped the grasses stamp in parts with FlitterGlu but slightly offset them against the black image. I again used Lancashire Rose Mega Flakes. 

To finish I matted on to some black card and went round the edges with FlitterGlu and Lancashire Rose Mega Flakes to bring in the colour.

All the products I have used are available from IndigoBlu.


Thanks for popping by....