The first step in a journey...

Hi folks, the last day of July already, where does time go and when you've been missing from the cubbyhole for most of last week, otherwise engaged spending time with the grandkiddos and then a fun day trip to Edinburgh to meet special friends, I need to get my crafty hat on again and do some catching up.
But first I'm sharing a card made with the fabulous new Medallion 3D Impresslits from Tim Holtz and Sizzix, some of the new Distress Oxide colours and some not so new favourites, Stampers Anonymous Flower Jar and Flutter stamp sets

I trimmed Distress Mixed Media Heavystock to measure 4.1/2" x 6.1/2" and applied a coat of Ranger Opague Crackle Texture Paste with a palette knife. Once it was dry, I diluted Tea Dye and Old Paper Distress Oxide re-inkers with water and applied to the surface, working it down in the crackle, with a brush.

I stamped the script background from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Entomology with Ground Espresso Archival Ink randomly on the panel.

Apologies that there are no more step-by-step photos ,my SD card has been playing silly beggars for a while and seems to think it can pick and choose which photos to save, definitely time to shop for a replacement.

I gave the panel a coat of Distress Collage Medium Matte to ensure that the Crackle Texture Paste which may have reacted with the moisture from the diluted oxide reinkers doesn't flake off and used Tea Dye Distress Crayon to add more colour around the edges and randomly on the panel, rubbing it into the crackle with a damp finger.

I added Idea-ology Butterfly Design Tape, Life Quotes Remnant Rubs and twine.

I stamped the flowers and jars from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Flower Jar on to Distress Mixed Media Heavystock, coloured with Distress Oxide Reinkers and die cut with the matching Sizzix Framelits.

and repeated the process with the images from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Flutter and the matching Sizzix Framelits.

I coloured a scrap of  Mixed Media Heavystock with Old Paper Distress Oxide using a mini round blending tool, spritzed the card back and front with water and die cut using the smaller of the Medallion 3D Impresslits and wow the texture and detail is amazing. I coated the medallions with Distress Collage Medium Matte, rubbed Tea Dye Distress Crayon into the detail, sanded back to lighten the detail and applied Ground Espresso Distress Oxide around the edges using a mini round blending tool. I added Idea-ology Clippings Stickers and splatters of Ripe Persimmon Distress ink.

I added Black Soot Distress Paint to the edges and matted the panel on to a slightly larger card blank which I created from a sheet of Tim Holtz Kraft-Core Coredinations.
And on the subject of journeys, I took a trip down to Edinburgh on Saturday to meet up with the lovely Paula Cheney, her hubby Jay and niece Maddie

Despite being caught in a torrential downpour and a mad taxi ride with one crazy "looked like a hitman" uber driver, we had such a fun day, visiting Royal Yacht Britannia and chilling out with a yummy lunch and lots of chat. A huge thank you to these very special elves for making the day so special and for bringing a "top secret" box of gorgeous Idea-ology Halloween and Christmas goodies from Santa Tim and Mario, safely across the pond and this is as much of a sneaky peek as you're going to get...

but I will tell you there are lots of gorgeous new goodies coming your way, so speak nicely your bank manager ready for those long wish lists.

I'll be spending the day with the grandkiddos, have fun whatever you have planned.

Toodle-oo for now

Hugs Kath xxx

Simon Says...Wild Things

Hi Everyone...welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog...thank you for joining us for last week's Christmas In July Blog Hop...we hope you can join us this week too because...

and the theme for this week is...

WILD THINGS

I made a card with a Wild Jungle background featuring a Hipster Chimp with atitude

I created  two backgrounds on Yupo White Heavystock using Mushroom/Latte/Turquoise/Pistachio and Limeade Alcohol Inks but ended up not using the brown one

I stamped Simon Says Stamp Folk Dance Background Cling Stamp inked with Alcohol Lift Ink on to the green background and transferred the ink on the stamp to a panel of Distress Watercolor card which I'll be using in a future project. I laid paper towel on top of the Alcohol Lift background and used a brayer to lift the ink, changing the paper towel to a clean section every time until there was no ink showing on the towel (a great tip shared HERE by the lovely Paula Cheney, perfect for using with big stamps). I then buffed the background with a soft cloth.

I stamped the insect from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Entomology on to the background with Black Soot Archival, then on to Distress Watercolor card, fussy cutting only the wings (can't wait to get those matching Framelits) which I coloured with Squeezed Lemonade Distress Ink using a Distress Detailer Brush. and fixed in place with a dot of Multi Medium Matte in the centre of the wings. I die cut the foliage from black cardstock using Tim Holtz/Sizzix Wildflowers 2 Thinlits.

I inked the Chimp from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Hipster with Black Soot Archival and stamped several times on to Distress Watercolor card, inked again with Carved Pumpkin and used the matching Sizzix Framelits to die cut.

I coloured the Chimp with Ground Espresso, Black Soot, Antique Linen, Carved Pumpkin and Victorian Velvet Distress Inks using a Distress Detailer Brush.

I added Idea-ology Small Talk Snarky Stickers

and extra foliage die cut from white cardstock and Classic Kraft Stock using Tim Holtz/Sizzix Funky Floral 1 Thinlits

I added Glossy Accents to the spectacles and flowers, matted the panel on to contrasting layers of Classic Kraft Stock sanded to reveal the kraft core and fixed to a white card blank,

You can find all the products I used over at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp online store...just click on the links below...

Why don't you pop over to the Monday Challenge Blog and check out the amazing creations from my very talented Design Team mates and as always you all have the chance to win a $50 gift voucher to spend at Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time...1pm UK time...2 pm CET to join in...

You can also follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram

and if you use Instagram...

please add #sssmchallenge to your entry uploads so we can see them on there too

I look forward to seeing what you create this week...

Have Fun and Happy Crafting

Hugs Kath xxx

Two For The Price Of One...

Hi folks...after a cracking thunderstorm last night, it feels even more humid and it looks like it's going to be another scorching hot day. Surprise, surprise, two blog posts in one day and two for the price of one cards using the Alcohol Lift Ink with it's unique properties enabling you to lift alcohol ink from the non-porous surface of Yupo paper and transfer it to a porous surface, such as Distress Watercolor Card or as I used here, Distress Media Heavystock

with Distress White Heavystock Yupo paper and Distress Media Heavystock cut to size

I added drops of  Mushroom, Crimson and Valencia Alcohol inks on to the Yupo paper and blew through a straw to get the ink to move around a little

I added Blending Solution to the felt on a mini round blending tool and pounced to blend the colours.

I inked the image from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Theories with the Alcohol Lift Ink, dabbed with a paper towel, using a clean section of the towel each time until all the ink had been removed and then buffed with a soft cloth. The alcohol ink that was removed from the image is now on the stamp which allowed me to stamp the image on to the Distress Media Heavystock. But I thought I would try something a bit different and re-stamped the image over the ghost image on the Yupo paper, positioning the stamp slightly up and slightly to the left, with Black Soot Archival.

I repeated the process of lifting and transferring the ink with the images from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Etcetera

I added a drop of the Alcohol Lift Reinker on to the felt on a mini round blending tool and pounced through the Gears Mini Layering Stencil from Set 1

I used a mini round blending tool with Fired Brick and Ground Espresso Distress Oxide inks to add colour to the background, spritzed with water and dabbed with a paper towel to create the water splash effect. I used the same mini layering stencil with Ground Espresso to add some interest.

I scored and folded white cardstock to create a 4.1//2" x 5.3/4" card blank, added Travel Design Tape around the edge and fixed the panel in place with Distress Collage Medium Matte

I pounced Mushroom and Gold Mixative Alcohol inks on to the Idea-ology Mini Sprocket Gears using a mini round blending tool, added black thread and Small Talk Stickers. 

I used Tim Holtz Craft Pick to add handstitching, added an Idea-ology Foundry Adornment and Mini Sprocket Gears coloured as before, Small Talk Stickers and Glossy Accents to the image.  I trimmed the panel down slightly and fixed to a black A2 card blank. 

I'm finding this fabulous product very addictive but now I think it's time to move on and have some fun with the new Distress Oxide colours.

Toodle-oo for now

Hugs Kath xxx

Simon Says Stamp - Friendly Frolic

Hi folks...Simon Says Stamp very kindly sent me the gorgeous Folk Dance 6" x 6" Cling stamp from their Friendly Frolic release...

you can check out all the new products in this walk-through the collection video

and all the products are available to buy HERE

I decided to make a card celebrating Summer, a great chance to play with some of the new Distress Oxide ink colours from Tim Holtz.

I trimmed a piece of Dina Wakley Cotton Watercolor Paper slightly larger than the stamp, tapped Tumbled Glass, Tea Dyce, Squeezed Lemonade and Spun Sugar Distress Oxide ink pads on to the stamp randomly and spritzed with water.

The Cotton Watercolor paper has a bit of a textured uneven surface so I left the stamp in place for a minute or so to allow the ink to sink in to the surface.

I used a circle die to create an aperture in the panel, inked up a scrap of card with Squeezed Lemonade Distress Oxide, spritzed with water, stamped Summer from Simon Says Four Seasons Saying with Intense Black ink and fixed the card behind the aperture.

I coloured scraps of white card with the same Distress Oxide inks and die cut flowers using Tim Holtz/Sizzix Floral 1 Thinlits with my trusty Sidekick.

I arranged the flowers and leaf sprays around the aperture, popping the flowers up on Tim Holtz/Sizzix Mini Foam Adhesive to create dimension
I stamped the rest of the sentiment in the aperture and on to a strip of card coloured with Tea Dye Distress Ink using Intense Black ink.

I trimmed the panel to measure 5" x 5" and matted on to a 5.1/2" square white card blank.

I'll be back soon to share another two Alcohol Lift Ink cards, in the meantime, have fun whatever you're creating and have a great weekend.

Toodle-oo for now

Hugs Kath xxx