Otter video

My husband managed to capture on his phone this video of the otter playing in the river! Only glimpses of it (you can see it a bit better in full screen mode), but one day I hope to get a better one!

Floating.....

Yes, I know, two posts in one day from me must come as a bit of a shock! However, I came across a rather gorgeous background technique on Pinterest and couldn't wait to try it out. It's called reinker float. Basically you emboss a design on to your card, soak it with water and then "float" the reinkers on the water so that they spread and merge. I won't go into all the details now as you can see just how to do it in a tutorial by Selene Kempton here.

I don't have any "shimmer white cardstock" (which Selene recommends and which I presume is from Stampin' Up), so I used some pearlescent card which seemed to work fine. (Bought it a long time ago so can't remember exactly what type it is, but I think it was from PDA and the colour is "ice white".) The main criterion is that the card should hold the water on top rather than absorbing it. 

Most times when I try a new technique it takes several goes before I master it to my satisfaction, but I'm actually quite pleased with my first attempt at this one! Of course it helped that it was easy to do! Using the pearlescent card gives it a lovely shimmer, almost mother-of-pearl like. The photo doesn't do it justice. 

The flower stamp is by Technique Tuesday. I stamped it with Versamark ink and embossed with clear powder (you could also use white powder but I wanted the sheen of the card to show through). Having thoroughly soaked it, I then dropped on Distress reinkers (Dusty Concord, Shaded Lilac and Antique Linen).  The card didn't need much besides the flower panel to finish it off. (Sentiment by Technique Tuesday, butterfly by Justrite, paper flower by Prima.)

I had avoided joining Pinterest until very recently, knowing that if I did I would end up spending quite a lot of time there! However, I've succumbed, and I'm so glad I did! There is so much inspiration out there and my boards are filling up very quickly. That's why I wanted to give this a go straight away rather than spend so much time browsing that I never got round to making anything. Must keep that thought in mind.......

Stamping Sensations May Challenge

Well, at last it's beginning to feel a bit more like spring up here! I'm looking out of my craft room window on to a bank of beautiful daffodils across the road. They were at least three weeks later opening than last year. It's even getting warmer - we only need two jumpers on now instead of three! Roll on summer, though, we need more sun!

Anyway, we have a lovely new challenge for you at Stamping Sensations, and our theme is

***** EMBOSSING AND TEXTURE *****

Any kind of embossing will be acceptable, dry or heat embossing, and there is endless scope for adding texture to your projects.

Our sponsor this month is the fabulous Tonic Studios, who have donated an awesome prize! A Peruvian Lily Stamp and Punch set and a gorgeous lattice window die, both from the Pick of the Bunch range designed by our very own super-talented Ruth Hamilton!

What a gorgeous prize! I want one! The Punch and Stamp sets really are stunning. Just imagine creating a lovely window box full of flowers in front of that lovely lattice window.

So, on to my card. I have incorporated both types of embossing.

The dry embossing helps to create the texture, as do the layers and embellishments. I stamped the fuchsia (from Tonic Studios' Pick of the Bunch range by Ruth) and heat embossed it with Wow! Neutral Ultra Shimmer embossing powder, which has a gorgeous sparkle. You can just about see it in the next photo. It was then coloured with Promarkers and cut out with a Nestie Labels 4 die. 

It is sitting on a background dry embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. The left hand side of the background has a lily (also from the Pick of the Bunch range) stamped over Gelli printed paper. The join is covered with a strip punched with a Tonic Studios border punch. The diecut butterfly is by Cheery Lynn, and the sentiment by The Craft's Meow.

My lovely teamies have some absolutely gorgeous samples for you this month, so do pop over to the Challenge Blog where I'm sure you'll be inspired!

At last!

There are otters in the river here, and although I've seen them occasionally, I've never managed to get a photo of one. Until today! Just beyond our back garden there is a steep bank which goes down to the river. Went out into the garden this morning and there was the otter, swimming and diving, looking as though it was playing without a care in the world! I rushed back inside to get the camera, by which time the otter had moved upstream, so I went into the field next door and just managed to get the photo before it went too far away.

I don't think there can be many people in this country who can see otters from their back garden. We are so lucky to live here. A lovely start to the day.

Made A Card!

Well, that's such an unusual occurrence at the moment that I though it deserved an announcement! I've been so busy lately that I've had very little time for crafting. However, I've just got some gorgeous new Inkylicious stamps which simply had to take precedence.

First I stamped the Lattice in Versamark ink and embossed it in clear powder, then coloured over it using my Inkylicious Ink Dusters and Adirondack inks. The background paper was coloured in the same way and then overstamped with the Damask stamp. Both stamps are repeatable, which is great because you can cover any size paper with them. I cut out the lattice and the brown frame with Spellbinders Labels 8 dies. The small label with the sentiment is also by Spellbinders, and the sentiment is by Inkylicious.. Butterfly die by Cheery Lynn, poppies die (coloured with Promarkers) by Memory Box. I saw the idea for fastening the ribbon with D-rings on a blog somewhere (I think!) but unfortunately can't remember where. Happy to give credit if someone can let me know where it's due! I though it was a neat idea, but it took me a while to find D-rings small enough. Eventually got them on eB*y.

I've a couple more new stamps still waiting to be inked up. Just need some more spare time!

Is it Spring??

Well, it's April, so it must be, but it sure doesn't feel like it up here! Although the last few days have been sunny, it's still very cold, and there is still snow on the ground in places. And looking at the weather forecast for the next few weeks, I won't be putting my thermals away just yet!

Anyway, it really is April, even if the weather doesn't think so, and we have a new challenge at Stamping Sensations. The theme is

** SPECIAL OCCASIONS, OTHER THAN BIRTHDAYS **

Lots of scope with this one. Anniversaries, weddings, new babies, retirement, graduation, new home, get well soon, congratulations (eg. for new job, passing exams, driving test) even sympathy cards. I'm sure you can think of many other Special Occasions. Just remember NO BIRTHDAYS!

Mind you, the winner this month will probably think it's their birthday! Our April sponsors are PDA Card & Craft, and they have given us this most generous prize!

The lucky recipient will be spoilt for choice! I used to live near PDA, and I miss being able to pop into the shop for a good browse! However, their mail order service is brilliant, so at least I can still buy their products. They are probably best known for their fantastic selection of top quality blank card and paper, but they have lots of other craft goodies too, including stamps (from many companies), dies and stencils, a huge range of embellishments, pens, punches, inks (including Distress), embossing powders, adhesives and beautiful printed papers, one of which I have used for my card.  I've been saving it for a long time, it's almost too pretty to use! But I decided it would be perfect for this card, and anyway I've got another sheet to keep!

PDA also stock the Marianne Design frame die, which I used to cut out the butterfly image. The butterfly stamp is one I've had for years, and I've no idea who made it, it doesn't have any ID on it. I coloured the image with Promarkers and inked around the edges of the frame, and along the border. The butterfly punch used to make the border is also anonymous. It's actually a corner punch, but I took out the corner guides so I could do the border instead. I coloured one of the punched out butterflies and stuck it just above the sentiment, which is by Personal Impressions.

My lovely teamies have some superb samples for you to feast your eyes upon, and if they don't brighten up this unspringlike Spring, I don't know what will! Do hop over to the Challenge Blog and have a look at them. I'll look foward to seeing your Special Occasion creations!

A Card For Brenda

The lovely Brenda (of Floral Fantasies) is celebrating not only her 4th Blogaversary, but also gaining almost 4000 followers. To mark these fantastic achievements she has invited her followers to make a project which reflects her blog, however we like to interpret it. Whenever I think of Brenda, images of flowers, trees, butterflies, fairies, silhouettes and general inkyness come to mind, with a touch of vintage thrown in for good measure! I think I've managed to incorporate most of these in my card!

I made the background with my Gelli Plate, using metallic acrylic paint and a Crafter's Workshop mask. This was then simply overstamped with various images.    I added a paper doily, a few tiny flower buttons, a butterfly and a sentiment, cut and framed with Nesties. A touch of glitter glue on the fairy's wings and the butterfly completed the picture. Here are a couple of close ups of the details.

All stamps by Chocolate Baroque, except for the bit of background text, which is by Hero Arts.

Since I first met Brenda, she has been a wonderful source of inspiration, and any time my mojo goes walkabout, I can be sure that a look around her blog will bring it back. Not only that, Brenda is incredibly generous in sharing her talent and creativity. So I'd just like to say thank you and congratulations on reaching these marvellous milestones, Brenda, and long may you continue to inspire us.

Unrepeatable!

One of the characteristics of the Gelli Plate is that it is highly unlikely you will ever get identical prints. This can be a good thing, because half the fun is not knowing what the print will come out like until you see it. However, it can be annoying when you get a really good print and know you'll never be able to repeat it!

I was playing with some Crafter's Workshop masks, one of which was the Mini Roman Letters (by Dina Wakley). This is the first print I made with it. Possibly my best Gelli print yet!

I didn't want to cover up too much of it, so all I added was some stamped clocks (Crafty Individuals), a column top (Non Sequitur) (I think it's actually Greek but I'm pretending it's Roman) a couple of gods (part of an Aspects Of Design stamp) and a printed picture (Crafty Individuals).

Think I might have to keep this card. I'll never be able to make another like it!

Gelli prints

Been getting messy with my Gelli plate.....

The pile of prints is growing!

Made a card with the one bottom left in the first photo. (Butterfly: Chocolate Baroque; Flower: Technique Tuesday; Text on background:Hero Arts; Sentiment: Inkylicious; Label: Spellbinders.)

Now, what to do with the others.......

March Challenge

Spring is on the way, so for our March challenge at Stamping Sensations we'd love to see your interpretation of

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Lots of scope in this one, I think. Anything that's outdoor-related (eg. fields, flowers, trees, seaside, gardens, mountains, children playing or any outdoor activity to name just a few ideas) should fit the bill. Here's my take on the theme.

The gorgeous Summer Poppy Meadow by Crafty Individuals  (our fantastic sponsor this month) came to mind immediately. I coloured it with watercolour pencils, but then went over the foreground poppies with Promarkers to make them stand out. A black Sakura Glaze pen highlighted the centres.

To make the background, I stamped a Crafty Individuals poppy (a freebie with an order) randomly, and then clear-embossed it to act as a resist while I sponged all over with VersaMagic ink. On top of that I stamped my favourite flourish (Crafty Individuals CI-182) .I cut black middles for some Prima flowers to echo the poppies, and finished the design with a Fiskars border punch, sentiment from Crafty Individuals CI-209 and ribbon from my stash.

Crafty Individuals is one of my favourite stamp companies. Not only do they have such wonderful stamp designs, but also gorgeous background paper books, masks, dies and other accessories, and their service is second to none. Do have a look at their newly revamped website. Jean and Malcolm, the owners, have a fabulous prize for this month's winner. Who wouldn't like this superb set of stamps?! Something for every occasion there.

Last month's theme really caught people's imagination (we had 159 entries!) and I have a feeling this one will do the same. Don't forget to check out my lovely teamies' inspirational samples on the Challenge Blog!