Delicate Asters for a Special Friend

This month's stamps from Creative Expressions have been such a joy to use, this week I've made a lovely pink card for a special fiend, and those Delicate Asters flower stamps are the perfect simple addition to set this card off. 

I used Picked Raspberry Distress ink around the edge of the card and used Ranger's lovely Adirondack brights pigment ink on the pink flowers and red gold Brilliance ink on the orange flowers.

I used the 'Stamps to Die For' Blossoming Frame with the pink ink and the Sentiment is from the Special Sentiments stamp set from Creative Expressions in the middle of the frame.

I've used a ridge textured card to stamp onto and the Distress ink really shows up the texture around the edges. 

Pigment inks usually get pushed to the back of the drawer these days, but I've enjoyed playing with their bright colours again.

Have a good week.

Michelle xx

May sunshine & flowers for my Calendar Journal

I got a little bit behind with my Calendar Journal page this month, but I've been recording my days in a diary until I caught up. If your not familiar with the Calendar Journal revolution, the very talented Kate Crane has a Facebook page where everyone shares their wonderful monthly journal pages.

I've used the fab Delicate Aster's stamps from Creative expressions to make the colourful flowers on the bottom of the page.

I've used Dylusions Inks (Lemon zest, Squeezed Orange, Fresh Lime, Cut grass, cherry Pie) to create the background and also used various stencils to add more interest. 

Then I stamped the Aster's using Archival inks.

I painted the petals with white acrylic paint so it would show up the colour better when using my Prisma colouring pencils. Also this was easier than stamping them on white paper and cutting them all out too.

I've coloured each flower using bright contrasting colours, I love the way the blue just pops out!

Now I can start to fill in my days properly. Actually I have forgotten to put my days of the week on, but I will add them later.

***************

On another note, I've been a little preoccupied lately playing with a new medium for me, oil paints.

I decided to do a still life painting of a few things I had lying around the house and some fresh fruit.

The great thing about oil paints, I've discovered, is that the paint stays wet over a few days so you can change things you don't like all the time. So since I thought I was finished the painting, I've revisited it about 4 times to adjust the shadows and tweak it a little bit.

I only have to wait a month now to varnish it, then frame it.

There's a lot to be said for acrylic paints. However, I really like the feel and smell of working with oils.

I'm looking forward to doing another one, I'd like to include some geology into the next one, so maybe some fossils.  I'm excited!

I've submitted this painting to Paint Party Friday, it's been a while since I did that.

Have a great weekend

Michelle xx

Bright colourful tag for Creative Expressions.

Well the BBQ went very well on Monday, the sun was beaming and we had great food. Home made chilli burgers, tandoori chicken, focaccia and buns. Plus a nice leafy salad. Yummy. Wish I had taken a photo. I was plied with Prosecco cocktails all afternoon and felt rather delicate the next day. Actually glad there wasn't a photo to be honest!

I was wandering what to make with my lovely flower stamps for Creative Expressions this week and I stumbled upon a page that Kate Crane liked on Facebook. It was a page called Peculiarme71 by a lady called Deb Combs. I really like her digital explosions of colour and it inspired me to make this tag below. So thanks to Deb x

No walkthrough this time, I got carried away and before you knew it I was finished.

I used Creative Expressions Singles Stamps Beaded Swirl, and Damask Heart and the new Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters stamps. I also used Dylusions Inks, That Special Touch stencils, and white embossing powder for the flowers.

I really love the contrast of the white. 

I'm currently in the middle of doing a large mixed media canvas for a friend, so hopefully it will be finished soon and I can share the process on the blog. Looking forward to handing it over.

The weekend is nearly here, hopefully the rain will stay over the Atlantic, fingers crossed.

Michelle x

Say it with flowers...and chocolate!

Well there is a reason I promise for being so absent from my blog. Once again I've agreed to host a barbecue on Bank Holiday Monday (why do I do it to myself!), I'm hoping that the weather is going to be hot, hot, hot! Last week they were predicting 15^oC for Monday and now they're saying it will be 21^oC  Oh joy!...OK to some of you, you may think that 15^oC is a bit rubbish, but for us Brits that's tropical I can tell you, especially if we have no wind chill going on!  Anyhoo, I've been doing lots of back breaking work in the garden making it look all nice for people coming round. Organising a get together is a great way of making sure all those little jobs you've been meaning to do around the house....get done!  After Monday I'll be able to sit in the garden and just watch my veg and flowers grow over the summer.

Tonight I have made a little gift bag and put some chocolates in. The sentiment on the bag say's "say it with flowers and chocolate". This is so true for me, you're on a winner if you send me sunflowers or lillies, with some Hotel Chocolate! (especially the salted caramel ones!). Sorry waffling again.

I used the new Creative Expressions Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters mounted stamps. I love these new stamps, I can see them being used over and over again.

FRONT

BACK

I started off using Dylusions inks Bubblegum Pink and Squeezed Orange sprayed onto a die cut Tim Holtz gift bag.

I folded the edges and distressed them with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. Then I stamped a few Asters on the background too. Over the top of the background I used Creative Expressions Metallic Amethyst and gold gilding wax, just rubbed on with my finger down the bag.

I love it when the light catches the gilding wax.

I sprayed a sheet of good quality card with Lemon Zest & Pure Sunshine Dylusions Ink and stamped the Asters in different sizes on the card. I cut them out and attached them to my little gift bag. I used some Ice Stickles on the centre of the Asters. I stained a piece of vintage ribbon with the rest of the ink on my craft mat to match the colours of the bag and the flowers. I made the sentiment using a small set of Hampton Art alphabet stamps. Then I did some faux stitching around the edge.

In my little gift bag I put some squares of chocolate. I stamped a square piece of cellophane with the different sized Asters using a pigment dye ink pad. I set the flowers on the cellophane with a heat gun, only gently though, so as not to burn the cellophane.

Maybe we'll play some games on Monday and whoever wins, can have this little gift bag.

But I'm gonna make them work for it!

I've got a lot of catching up to do, so I'll be popping by your blog for a little look at your latest.

Have a great Bank Holiday weekend, make the most of it.

Michelle xxx