Gecko stencil, translucent paste, micro beads, Splodgeaway mask and gilding flakes

My first attempt at this technique, I've framed the finished project for my daughter as she has a Gecko called George.
I did the gecko stencilling first having watched and spoken to the lovely Lucy Ellis from
Sweet Poppy Stencils who guided me through the technique.
I told Lucy about this Gecko stencil I had from Dreamweaver and that I wanted to use it for my Daughter's birthday and I said I'd share the results once I'd finished.
I purchased the stencil when I saw it thinking of my daughter but having no idea what I'd do with it!
Once I'd coloured, used the paste and micro beads I left the Gecko aside to dry, I then went back to it to decide what to do next...
I'd already thought I'd use the Splodgeaway stencil as it was about the only thing I could find in my stash that I thought would work.
I tend to work with a vision, picture or story in my head and for this I kind of thought about mosaic work initially.
Next I decided as purple is my daughter's favourite colour I used Picked Raspberry distress ink for the centre.
I sponged this on to achieve a deep colour which appears to look like velvet.
After adding Black Soot in the corner areas I then decided to use gilding flakes around the edge.
I love the touchy feely affect and was very pleased with the outcome.
Hope you like it too, I'll definitely be doing more of this xKx

Celebrating a Birthday

Morning bloggers and crafters,
Yesterday we celebrated my daughter's birthday and I thought I'd share the card I made for her.
This is what I've done for as long as I can remember, making Keepsakes for family and friends.
I've used papers and card embellishments from Craftwork Cards bits and bobs from
Sweet Lilac Flowers including the flowers, lace and the pearly accents.
Added from my stash, the tulle tied into a bow, hat pins, wooden buttons, string pearly beads and scrim fabric.
The alphabet was die cut from a Die-namics die from Oyster Paper Crafts.
When we look back at the family cards I've made they've changed quite a bit over the years with style and technique but all hold special memories.
Thanks for looking today, crafty hugs xKx

Visible Image Thursday Blog, Mixing up the Stamp Sets

Mixing up the stamp sets from Visible Image
Today I've used elements of the brand new Orin Destiny set with the Forest Background and Mystical Map along with The Grunge Flourish and Ink Splat from The Free Your Imagination set.
I thought all these elements worked really well together and achieved a design I was very pleased with.
I've stamped with Versafine in Habanero Orange and Imperial Purple.
Have a lovely day xKx

Welcome to the Land of Fantasy with Visible Image!

Happy Bank Holiday Weekend and here I have to share with you the brand new stamp collection launched today from Visible Image
Pictured below are the sets now available.
The rest of the Design Team have worked incredible hard creating awesome artwork to inspire you. Helen and Mark are a delight to work for, always hugely appreciative of everything we do for them.
They work tirelessly to bring unique, meticulously accurate and detailed designs that are bang up to date.
So here is the collection

The week was incredibly hectic for me and I would have absolutely loved more time to create with these fantastic stamps.
There will be more time but here is what I have done so far and I really hope you like my inspiration and that of the rest of the team.
If you like what you see please take a moment to pop over to the
Visible Image Blog or
Facebook Page to let Helen and Mark know what you think, they really appreciate all your comments and feedback.
For the first two of my makes I used a Pan Pastels, the next uses Luminarte Silks and the last uses stencils, embossing paste and distress inks.
Thank you so much for popping by my blog today, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Crafty hugs xKx

Thursday Blog with Visible Image

It's been a busy week this week, I've been prepping for a further Tarmac workshop at
The Artistic Stamper on Saturday and also creating samples for the launch of the latest
Visible Image Stamp release.
I've had such fun experimenting with these new beauties and I can't wait to share my ideas with you but, I have to be patient until my blog on Saturday.
Back to today's idea based around a secret walled garden.
Stamps used
Grasses
Butterfly
Flower Heads from the Thank You and Congratulations sets
Brick Section from the Max Rocks Set
Live Your Dreams Sentiment
Birds from the Free Your Imagination Set
I stamped all the elements in Versafine inks,  Vintage Sepia, Spanish Moss, Habanero and Toffee then I blended distress ink in Scattered Straw for the background after masking the sun area off first.
Finally I blended Vintage Photo distress ink around the outside edge and stamped the birds over the revealed sun.
I was happy with this cottage/secret garden feel and I hope you love it.
Thanks for stopping by today xKx

Altered Art/Mixed Media Book Covers - Samples for Workshop 18th May

Visible Image Thursday Blog

Today I'm sharing a simple idea for inspiration...
My good friend Eileen Godwin has created some lovely shaped cards recently using nesting dies.
I was going to complete my design on a square or rectangle card but decided the circle would do the job nicely.
I used white linen card available from Papermill Direct, stamped in black Archival and distress markers for the colour
The stamps are
Visible Image
Large Butterfly
Flower head and stem from the Thank You set and the
Butterfly Sentiment
The flower head has been stamped and cut out with a circle punch and along with the butterfly and circle base all mounted using foam pads.
I hope you like this idea...xKx

Anything Goes - Sweet Lilac Flowers

The lovely Poppy background stamp and Friend background is from 

Hero Arts

The Friend background is stamped in vintage sepia Versafine and then the Poppy stamped in Versamark for the resist.

The poppies can the be colour blended using distress inks.

I added some white liquid pearls and the sentiment.

Finishing with some raffia, string and a beautiful 

Sweet Lilac Paper Flowers Red Poinsettia

All matted and layered onto a shaped base card.

I've made this for the 

Sweet Lilac Flowers "Anything Goes" blog challenge 

I hope you like it and there's a chance to win a hamper of their gorgeous flowers by entering the monthly challenge.

xKx

Next Workshop Sample for Swanley 18th May then dates to be arranged for Bristol and Coventry

To book or be added to the workshop list please email craftyk@hotmail.co.uk stating which location you're interested in, thank you. 

Samples for The Artistic Stamper Workshop 24th May

Two samples for the Tarmac Technique Workshop I'm holding at
The Artistic Stamper in Faversham
Contact the Artistic Stamper via their website link above to book.

Thursday Blog with Visible Image

This week each of the DT members chose the stamps and colour scheme for each other to work from.
My brief was, copper, bronze and green with the dream catcher, speckle and fishnet with my own choice of sentiment.
So using a shaped card I stamped the Ripped Fishnet in rusty hinge distress ink to create the background and blended the same colour around the edges along with some vintage photo.
For the tag part I stamped the Speckle Background in vintage sepia versafine and the Dream Catcher
in fern green archival, blending the tag edges again.
I also stamped the Ripped Fishnet again in the fern green and cut it before attaching to the side of the tag.
The sentiment I chose was Dream from the Imagine/Dream/Inspire set.
I finished off with feathers, seam binding and some platinum stickles over the speckles and dream catcher.
Hope you like the inspiration...

Tarmacing in Bristol and Coventry - Meet my Tarmac Crew!

I've enjoyed the most phenominal weekend which far exceeded any expectations.
A weekend where I was thoroughly spoilt by the most special friends and spent the whole time surrounded by friends old and new, having the best fun!
We did what we do best, enjoyed crafting, socialising, eating scrummy cakes and drinking tea and coffee.
All the ladies and Roy produced the most amazing projects and I think they surprised themselves by what they achieved, they were fabulous!
The proof of the stunning results are in the pictures and really that says it all!
Massive thanks to each and everyone of you for making it such a wonderful weekend.
Lots of Love and crafty hugs Karen xXx

 At the Lovely Jane's house on Saturday

 Jan's amazing cakes!

 The ever glamerous and lovely Terri

Lovely ladies, Edwina and Jan

Coventry rocked on Sunday!

 Work in progress

I spy one of Pauline's scrummy carrot cupcakes!

 Finished results, Wow!

Lavinia Stamps Challenge for May, Birthday Girl

It's a busy start to the month and today sees the new challenge over at
Lavinia Stamps Challenge Blog with the theme of Birthday Girl so nice and easy to get involved!
Think birthday, girlie, pretty, floral...
We had wonderful entries for last month's challenge and very well done to the lucky winner who receives a £40 voucher to spend on the Lavinia Stamps website.
Here's a preview of my inspiration for this month and I'll detail them more during the month.
Hope you can join us for the challenge.
Thank you for looking today, enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend...xXx

Anything Goes - May challenge with Visible Image Stamps

Today sees the start of a brand new challenge for May with
Visible Image Stamps the theme is
"Anything Goes" so it's nice and easy.
We had some fab entries for the April challenge "Tagtastic" with the randomly selected lucky winner receiving £20 to spend on Visible Image stamps.
The entries received were fantastic and as we had a tie there were 4 Fabulous Favourites chosen by the Design Team.
So I hope you can join us this month by entering Anything Goes.
My inspiration for you uses for the Clock -
Elements from the Time after Time collection
The Skull from the Max Rocks set and the
Flower Head from the Congratulations set

I've also used the Free your Imagination collection to show some altered art/mixed media techniques for my second piece.

I'll leave you with pictures, the Flower Head on the clock was stamped in various colour distress inks and I'll blog the mixed media piece in more detail during the month.
I hope you like them and that they inspire you to enter the challenge.
Thanks for looking today...xKx

My Thursday blog with Visible Image

A busy morning blogging!
I've got my weekly inspiration for Visible Image Stamps to share with you today just before the start of our brand new Monthly Challenge.
For this weeks inspiration I've used elements from the Time after Time collection which I've stamped onto a distress ink background.
I then die cut the Bigz Tim Holtz Sizzix Fob Watch and embossed with the Sizzix Retro circles embossing folder.
I then layered it using foam pads.
I love the striking contrast of the white against the colour, hope you like it too.
Thanks for looking...xKx