More stamps and 2 colours for STAMPlorations

Hello I am back with some more inspiration for our June theme and photo prompt challenge over at STAMPlorations.

All the details are here.

I have affiliate links in my STAMP posts which simply means that if you click on any of the links here and buy something from the STAMP store I will receive a small commission at no cost whatsoever to you 😊I also offer a very special extra treat if you use my code, details at the end of this post.

You can enter up to a maximum of 3 entries. There are awesome prizes up for grabs; A $20 prize code for the winner, as well as $7 prize codes awarded to 3 randomly selected entries. Please remember to add our challenge logo to your post if you would like to be in with a chance of winning. Full details can be found here.

You can work with the theme, the photo prompt or both. 

I worked with the following stamp set and have added live links in my post. Remember if you also use my unique code STAMPGIRLJANE at the check out you can get an additional 20% off on top of any existing discounts! Shery ships internationally at very low cost too.

I with this awesome stamp set, a new one for my stash.

Fierce and brave

 The 2 colours I used this time were red and yellow for summer. This is what I got up to;

I made a background using rose red and yellow brushos.

I stamped the head and sentiments and clear embossed.

I added some extra colour to the face and hair using my Zig watercolour markers.

For the finishing touch I added a red adhesive jewel to her hair. I then matted up onto black card and then my card blank, 

Here is my finished card; 

with a couple of close ups;

and one final shot;

I hope I may have inspired you to join in with this month's challenge, which is open internationally. Once again the details are here.

Remember that if you order more than $15 of product from the website (after discounts and before shipping) and quote my unique code STAMPGIRLJANE at checkout not only can you get 20% off your order you can also choose a product for FREE up to the value of $7! Here is a link to the website.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

I would love to see you also over on Instagram where I share new creative makes nearly every day. This is my link/profile @jane.tyrrell

Sadly these days I just don't have the time to blog everything! 

Bye for now,

Jane x 

Before I go I just want to mention that FeedBurner are removing their "follow by email" function from Blogger at the end of the month. I have removed it from my side bar already. I have over 1,000 existing lovely email subscribers who I would hate to loose. If you have a Blogger account and currently get notifications by email of my new blog posts I would love if you would just hit my "follow" button on my side bar. My posts will then show up in your reader list feed. Otherwise if you follow me on Instagram, this is me here; or you can find me as @jane.tyrrell I will always mention there which of my posts are blogged. Thanks so much for all your support, Jx

The Official Visible Image Artist trading card swap.

Hello it's time for my fortnightly blogged design team make for Visible Image. Last month, with their blessing, I started up an "official" Visible Image Artist trading card (ATC) swap over on the customer page. I pair up participants who create an ATC using the theme given and then post to one another. It was a great success and everyone voted to continue it as a regular event. If you like trading ATCs I highly recommend you come over to the customer page and join us. So far 53 Visible Image fans worldwide have take part. Some of the design team (including myself) also take part. 

Above is a selection of the ATCs I have made in the past and below is the swap I made for the first "just be you" swap.

I thought today it might be useful for people who have either never heard of or don't know where to start, to show from start to finish my way of making an ATC. This post might also be useful for future reference. Please bear in mind that this is how I personally approach my ATC making and there are many different ways of doing so. 

The theme for the current swap is "here comes summer". The swap on Facebook is for one ATC but I always chose to make 4 as I keep one, I send one to my 7 year old crafting granddaughter and I swap one elsewhere. 

The first thing I did was to choose which stamp sets I wanted to use for the theme. I decided to work with the Summer wings butterflies 

and to add some background interest to my ATCs I also chose to use the gorgeous grunge circles stamp from the Butterfly effect

 

To make my background I used one of my shaving foam distress re inker marbled backgrounds. I wanted something really light with lots of white space. There are lots of videos on line if you are not familiar with this really old technique. I first made these with food colouring when I was at primary school! This one was made using Squeezed lemonade, Salvaged Patina and Kitsch Flamingo re inkers.   I then cut four 3.5 by 2.5 inch backgrounds from the sheet.  All ATCs need to be this "standard" size. Many people including me, display them in trading card pockets and if they are not this size they won't fit. 

I stamped the word summer from the  Summer wings set using Versafine ink and clear embossed to give a shiny appearance and add some texture

ATCs can be created in portrait or landscape form so I decided to make 2 of each. I always like add some background detail so I stamped the grungy circles from the

 Butterfly effect set using the new Salvaged patina distress ink. I love this new colour and yes you can stamp regular distress inks using Visible Image stamps. Their quality is such that the ink does not bead.  Regular distress ink give a lovely subtle vintage effect which you can see above. If you stamped in an oxide you would get a much more intense effect but that was not was I was looking for. 

Next I got out my bag of inky scraps and chose some pieces which co ordinated with the backgrounds. 

I stamped out lots of the 3 sizes of butterflies and cut them out.  They are so useful for adding to any project that it's always a time saver to have some ready to go. I cut off the antennae as I would be re stamping the whole butterfly again on the ATC.

To me what makes an interesting ATC is lots of little details. I often use my sewing machine to sew around the edges but you can also use a "faux" sewing effect with a sewing marking wheel. Just use it against a ruler. I use the metal edge of my ruler.

It leaves holes behind like those from a sewing machine.

You can then use a pen to go over the line and it looks like stitching. Try to not be too neat as it looks much more realistic! I used a gold pen this time but black and silver also looks good.

I added some ink to the edges.

I then played with placement of the butterflies. When designing odd numbers always look better than even and 3 of something is very pleasing to the eye. I used 2 large and 1 small for my 3 butterflies. Once I was satisfied with the placement of  the butterflies on each card I stamped them in Versafine.

I then adhered the butterflies on top.

To give the cards a good thickness of around 300gsm I back mine with the inside of a Weetabix packet. This is really good quality kraft card and free! Just cut it slightly smaller than the ATC and adhere together. 

For finishing details I added a wink of Stella clear glitter pen to parts of the wings and some of the small circles and then Glossy accents on top for real sparkle.

The final touch was to add some co ordinating sequins. 

So here are the 4 all together as a group

and individually

This is the one sent to my Visible Image group swap partner

and one final photo

I hope this tutorial has been useful. If you have never made an ATC do have a go. They are such fun and a great challenge to design in a small scale. You don't need tiny stamps either...these 5 below were made using the new large A5 Dragonfly reflection set...I just used parts of the dragonfly with the words.

  All the Visible Image links are listed below

Visible Image group page on Facebook. Our friendly Group is here ...it would be lovely to see you there. You will see lots of gorgeous makes by the DT and customers to inspire your own creativity. I also organize the ATC swap there, there will be a new one coming up at the end of the month. 

The main Visible Image Facebook page is here; there are regular giveaways...open world wide. Do check out the Facebook LIVES and videos where you will be able to see lots more samples and ideas. 

Their Instagram page can be found here 

Pinterest here

And once again the shop web site is here; where all their gorgeous stamps and stencils can be purchased.

 I do not blog everything I make so if you would like to check me out on Instagram you then won't miss anything.  This is the link to my account, @jane.tyrrell

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Bye for now,

Jane x

Before I go I just want to mention that FeedBurner are removing their "follow by email" function from Blogger at the end of the month. I have removed it from my side bar already. I have over 1,000 existing lovely email subscribers who I would hate to loose. If you have a Blogger account and currently get notifications by email of my new blog posts I would love if you would just hit my "follow" button on my side bar. My posts will then show up in your reader list feed. Otherwise if you follow me on Instagram, this is me here; or you can find me as @jane.tyrrell I will always mention there which of my posts are blogged. Thanks so much for all your support, Jx

Celebrating Country View Crafts 100

Good morning I am back with my 2nd design team make for our special 100th challenge over at Country View Challenges. 

The theme for this month is to use one of our design team makes for inspiration and make something which also includes the number 100 in some way.  Please tell us who's make you used for your inspiration. You could be inspired by a colour way, stamps, theme dies etc one of us have use. You could ever CASE one of our makes if you want to. If it is not obvious what inspiration you used please can you clarify your entry with a short explanation. All the details are here.

I first met Susan, the owner of Country View, in person, at one of the Workshops she used to host in a fab village hall in Flitwick in  Bedfordshire. I was able to take a direct train from London there and it really was the most delightful of days out. It is also where I met my dear friend Brenda who taught at the workshops and who I still regularly meet as she lives not too far away. We have a mutual love of gardening and crafting and have so much in common. Brenda herself was one of the original cast of CV challenges. We had such good times at the Flitwick workshops and I made some gorgeous vintage things with her including this canvas;

and this tag memory book.

 I must have attended several the years until the hall sadly became unavailable to hire any longer. After that Susan used her own premises and until Covid intervened still held regular workshops. For me the drive there is long and congested especially round the M25 but I have been fortunate to still attend a couple. One of my absolute favourites was one where Tracey Easson of Just and girl and her Imagination stamps came to teach a workshop making a book. We had such a laugh, especially when the power went down as so many heat guns were drying tea soaked cloth that it tripped the electricity supply. Luckily very quickly power was restored and we carried on. Such fond memories.

So I decided to make a CVC 100 card using my favourite stamp set by Tracy called Whispering sweet nothings. I also wanted to use my newest distress ink bought from CVC, Salvaged Patina 

This is what I got up to;

 

Here is my finished card;

with a couple of close ups

and one final shot.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Simon says stamp Monday Inspired by an artist mine is the lovely and talented Tracy Easson.

Crafty catz anything goes

Cute card Thursday anything goes

Addicted to stamps and more make your mark

A bit more time to craft 1/3 anything goes

Happy little stampers watercolour anything goes

Thanks so much for stopping by, once again all the challenge details are here.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

Before I go I just want to mention that FeedBurner are removing their "follow by email" function from Blogger at the end of the month. I have removed it from my side bar already. I have over 1,000 existing lovely email subscribers who I would hate to loose. If you have a Blogger account and currently get notifications by email of my new blog posts I would love if you would just hit my "follow" button on my side bar. My posts will then show up in your reader list feed. Otherwise if you follow me on Instagram, this is me here; or you can find me as @jane.tyrrell I will always mention there which of my posts are blogged. Thanks so much for all your support, Jx