Groovin' 60's with Sheena Douglass

Hello lovely crafters!

I hope you are all well and ready for the festive season! Not long now!

Sheena is back tomorrow with a fabulous new collection, Groovin' 60's. All the Teamies have been having such fun with these stamps and stencils. We are really getting into the swing of this now and we know you will too. The shows start on Hochanda tomorrow at 8pm and then continue Friday at 9am, 12pm, 4pm and 7pm. You won't want to miss them, Sheena will have lots of amazing demos.

Another brilliant thing about this collection is it allows you to go full on colour with no apologies and I do love colour!

This is 'Hattie'. I adore this stamp and its easy to decoupage too, so you can really make her hat stand out. With this card I also wanted to give the impression of tie die with the surrounding flowers and then go very bright too.

Sheena is a huge Dusty Springfield fan, so I wanted to make her something really special, so I created this canvas with a mixture of the stamps and stencils. They work together so perfectly, and also with some of the other music stamps from a previous release.

These swinging chicks are really getting into the groove. For this I wanted to give a nod to the monochrome that was popular at the time as well as the vivid colours. 

And then came the flower power! I was feeling the peace and love with this home decor piece, because I'm really a hippy at heart!

This new collection is also great for men's cards. The mod colours spoke to me for this creation. I wanted it to be be quite strong and graphic. 

 

So, are you ready to step back in time and get your 60's groove on? Dive into the spirit of the era and enjoy!

T.T.F.N peeps!

Adele

x

Reindeer in a Winter Wonderland with Sheena Douglass

Hello lovely peeps,

I hope you are all well..I almost forgot, 'tis the season to catch the lurgy!! So, sadly, I've not been feeling great this last couple of weeks...hoping to shift this horrid thing soon...

Anyhew, I am happy to announce that it's my turn to do an inspirational post for Sheena again :)  and seen as how the festive season is upon us I thought I would create and share a Christmassy card.

For this one I have used Sheena's fab Reindeer from her Almost There stamp collection. I adore this as I love these magnificent creatures and am a huge lover of polar bears too. Anyone who knows me, is aware that I am a great animal lover, another reason I admire Sheena's stamps!

Apologies that there are no step by step photos for this but I will talk you through it.  

1.   Firstly, I took the Wishes of the Season stamp set from the recent Scenic Winter launch. The tree scene was then stamped on to a white panel 7.5" square.

2.   I die cut a circle for the moon and applied it to the background with stick and stay. I wanted it peeping from behind the trees. 

3.   I then used Distress Inks and created a night sky with northern lights. Don't worry if you get a slight white halo around the hills, this makes it look like snow is blowing off them. ( I used an egg shaped smoothie, you can get closer with these as they have a point.) Sprinkled it with water droplets (faux bleaching) to give the impression of snow falling.

4.   Then I masked the landscape off with a piece of paper. I flicked Pebeo gilding paste liquid on to the sky part with a fine brush and once it was dry added silver foil.

5.   I Peeled off the die cut moon and then gently wiped some of the remaining blue on the smoothie across the moon so it was not shocking white against the sky. You don't need to add more ink, it has to be a faint hint of colour. 

6.   The Evergreen trees from the Scenic Winter collection were then die cut, coloured (with Aquablend pencils) and layered on to the scene, glued flat, the middle tree just slightly standing away from the moon. Cosmic shimmer white glitter was then added.

7.   I stamped the reindeer on a a 7.5" piece of card. He was cut out as though he was standing on a raised piece of ground, so this would add depth. He was layered up with 3D glue. I then also added white glitter to the landscape and to create snowy drifts applied random streaks of white liquid pearl glue and sprinkled it with white glitter. 

I hope that helps. :)  Thought I would also share this with you, designed with the same stamp set. I created a northern lights sky again with Distress Inks. Ran a clear sparkle pen over the top section in a few wavy lines and then silver foil was used in the same method as explained above to suggest stars. The polar bears were stamped with versa mark and then black embossing powder was applied. The ground was extended by drawing lines with an Versa mark pen and again adding black embossing powder.  I thought this was a simple but effective little card to make. 

So just to recap I have used Sheena's...

A little bit sketchy Almost There stamp set

Scenic Winter Collection

Wishes of the Season stamp set

Evergreen Trees die.

Distress Inks:

Blueprint Sketch

Chipped Sapphire

Twisted Citron

Seedless Preserves (Polar bear card only)

Black embossing powder

white glitter

White liquid pearls

Clear Sparkle pen.

I hope you are feeling inspired! I love the way Sheena's collections combine so perfectly, so now you can see that the Scenic Winter stamps and dies will look great with other ranges too. Have a play. You know you want too! :)

And now it's time to love you and leave you... there is a bottle of cough medicine calling me...yes, I'm here....

T.T.F.N peeps

Adele 

x

Time Traveller Techniques for Sheena

Hello crafty peeps!

It's really great to see that's lots of you already have the Time Traveller collection and you have been making some great creations! :D

They really are the most amazing stamps and dies to work with. Another triumph from Sheena!

As promised here are some of the techniques I used... so where to begin.. I'll try not to waffle too much but there are lots of photos.. I will, promise... lol.. I think it is best to go through this systematically ...so let's start..

Backgrounds..

One of the main things for this collection is, you get to play even more... as you need lots of fab backgrounds with lots of texture!

So this is the verdigris technique you will have seen Sheena demo, using the metallic Pebeo paints and Aquatints, the white from the Essentials set and the teal from the brights. I painted a panel of black card in a textured way, neat, with the Pebeo and then when that was try, mixed the two Aquatints to created the rusty look. Whilst it was still wet I sprinkled it with table sale and left it to dry for a better effect.

Other papers created..stippled and smooth textures...

Fleather painted metallic...

Ghostly cog background. I created this so it looked like the cogs were coming towards you out of the steam. To do this you need to stamp with Versa Mark and go over them with Distress ink. At first it may seem like this is not working so well, give it time, as the ink sinks into the card it will resist the Versa Mark more..

Crafty Tip:  If you decide you like this look, stamp a few pieces of card with the Versa Mark cogs BEFORE you move on to stamping with darker ink.. the reason being, it's hard to clean them afterwards and you need them VERY clean to do this technique well. Any hint of another colour ruins it. 

Northern Lights Balloon card

I created the sky for this using Distress Inks, I've done this with Aquatints before now I wanted to try DI's. 

I only wanted a trail of stars along the top of the card to indicate height in the atmosphere as if the characters were rising through the northern lights sky. I took some roughly torn  paper as I didn't want the stars in a straight line, wanted them natural... Flicked Pebeo liquid foil paste from a brush on to the background, allowed it dry before applying the silver foil.

I stamped the sentiment, thought this was the perfect one... I wanted this card to look magical and haunting, the calm before the storm in story.. added glittery whisps by just running a clear sparkle pen across the top of the sky in wiggly lines. The black die cut balloon was then added, coloured and shaded with gilding wax.

Vintage balloon card

So this card was created as the 'flying through the storm' card. I wanted it too look very vintage and a bit eerie... others have called this "magical" which is lovely.  In the centre of the blizzard fly our friends, the quiet in the centre of the storm.. I took a 8" white card panel, marked off a edge round each side with a pencil and tore it roughly down to 7.5 inches. 

Stamped it with Sheena's Christmas postcard stamp in brown ink. Then DI's were used on it. The middle doesn't matter no one would see that, till now! lol.. 

Created another smaller panel, stamped the cogs around the edge with versa mark and went over them with DI and it resisted the cogs, so they looked ghostly.  I then sprinkled this with drops of water (the blizzard) and flicked Pebeo liquid glue on to it and applied gold foil when dry.

To stamp the steam I inked up the stamp, only in that place and applied it to the background where I wanted it by folding back the rest of the stamp. It only stamped the steam nothing else.  I cut the balloon and coloured it with DI, also adding gilding wax highlights. It was shaped and applied to the card with 3D glue. The bottom boat section was decoupaged so it curves out and gives more depth. The edge of the paper was then distressed with my nail. 

Canvas - Professor Ernest in his lab..

I really wanted my canvas to be an important part of the Steampunk adventure I was telling.. so I created a whole scene... started by taking some cardboard and distressing it.

Took my canvas and painted it with black gesso, adding tissue paper for texture..

Painted canvas with a mixture of the metallic paints, after adding torn cardboard, paper die cut cogs and black sand texture paste, (which does take awhile to dry, you can do other things whilst this is happening.) 

After texture paste dried, added gold/copper Pebeo paint and then used verdigris technique.

Started to add other elements..

Clocks and Time Cards

So this is the background for my 'Sands of Time' card

Base for pocket watch card... The sentiment was stamped and embossed with black powder, this means you can run gilding wax over it.

My clock card with glittery aged paper.. DI's with the faux bleach technique, also sprinkled Pebeo glue over this and added gold foil. I like the gold speckles this creates, it makes me think of molten metal, which is appropriate for Steampunk.  Sponge was ready to apply Gold Aquatints around the edge..

Sponged on, slightly watered down gold Aquatints.. love the swirly effect I got with this. 

Hourglass card. I applied a Versa Mark pen to this and sprinkled cream and gold embossing powder on to the sand part of this...

Hourglass background, sprinkled with gold, copper and cream embossing powder. I wanted it to look gritty as if some of the sand had escaped.. 

Cog Journal

For this I took some Kraft card and painted it with the copper Pebeo paint. Stamped on to it with the torn stamps using black embossing powder and cut out the middles.

Stamped the cogs in brown ink on to the front of the notebook, so they would peak through.

Stamped more cogs on the the front with Versa Mark and embossed with black powder. Highlighted these with gilding wax and added cogs to poke through the holes.

To the Skies!! Diorama card.

Lizzie, belle of the airways, had to have a real flying balloon! I started by stamping her out a few times so I could use certain elements to decoupage. She was coloured with Aquablend pencils. I also cut out an extra piece of the raised lens of the goggles.

Created the diorama in black card and sponged it with gold Aquatints. Added a plain black panel to the centre. The back wasn't the same as the front as my DI's inks were starting to dry up! Needed refills! 

Front with the ghostly cog technique and finger print gold foil random across it, also droplets of gold foil. The front panel was double strength it was white card mounted on to Kraft card and then the square was cut out, I like to make sturdy cards.

Wanted the sky inside to look like a early morning with hints of sunlight peaking through gathering clouds as if a storm was ahead. Not a great photo as couldn't use flash for this, wanted you to see the colours, hopefully you get the idea. Used the faux bleach technique on this as if it was starting to rain.

The floating balloon!! I was really giddy when I had this idea! lol. So, I did it by gluing a strip of acetate to the underneath of the sky panel and then the other end to the back of the balloon. It was strong acetate and I curved it to hang inside the diorama, Lizzie wouldn't have it floating too far away would she! ? ;) 

Steampunk Machine card

So this was created by first using the backgrounds I'd made. The gold fleather and the verdigris.

I wanted the pipes to have some real texture and tone to them, look aged instead of just flat... I stamped them with Versa Mark and added black embossing powder and then shaded on top of this with the gold gilding wax. You can see the difference in this photo.

Started to construct the card. Curved the pipes and added foam tape underneath them to give dimension. 

Propeller card

I wanted you to see that you could also create a simple card that looked effective, with a nice background and one die and stamp. So, verdigris background, cut the propeller out of some black card sponged with Pebeo gold paint.

Used Versa Mark to stamp propeller and added black embossing powder.

Gilding wax over the top

Created a flag and stamped sentiment, used black embossing powder and added a hint of gilding wax.

Then, I needed a centre for the propeller, so I made my own. Found some pearls the right size but not the right colour. Painted one of the large ones with black gesso and then when it was dry I was able to rub over it with gilding wax.

Sir Edward and his Time Machine...

Firstly, I stamped out the gentleman and die cut and stamped the goggles. I added acetate lenses to the goggles too. His moustache was decoupaged. 

I stamped the Thingamabob on to the panel of white card in the top corner. Applied drawing gum to it and then created a cog background around it.  I also stamped around the machine the Grunge Band stamps as I wanted it to look like his Time Machine had just started to settle and was winding down. I applied foil to parts of these. And, as you saw Sir Edward sits on top of this.

Hello, are you still there? lol.. That was a long one wasn't it... but informative I hope. ;) 

Now I'm off to do something Steampunks do best.. make a cuppa! If only I had cake to go with it!...sigh....

T.T.F.N peeps

Adele

x

Sheena Douglass Time Traveller launch

Hello lovely peeps!

I hope you are all well.  WOWZERS!!! What an amazing few days it has been for Sheena and all the team. This launch was much anticipated and it seems that we may have broken the internet at one point or even melted the phone lines..lol... It was right, we stuck another cog on it!

I can't tell you how excited the whole team was about this collection but being a Steampunk myself, I needed peeling off the ceiling! Happy dance time! lol.. and breathe!!!

And it's official, as they said it on the telly! I AM the Time Traveller lol! It's true you know! ;) As Sheena explained I have been a tad excited haven't I?  Calm thoughts, chanting and camomile tea... to be honest, all the tea in China wouldn't haven't stopped me being giddy! lol

Steampunk is very craft orientated as many members make their own costumes and gadgets etc....it is also about story telling and creating a character, so with that in mind, I wanted to capture the essence of this in some of my creations, therefore, some of them tell a splendid steampunk adventure!

chapter 1:  Firstly I would like to introduce you too Sir Edward Harrison, inventor, as he steps off his time machine and surveys his surroundings.

I thought that the Steampunk Man and the Thingamabob went so well together. You probably can't tell in the photo but he is decoupaged, I can't resist a bit of decoupage and it is so easy with these stamps. 

Chapter 2... in which we meet Lizzie, belle of the airways, brave adventurer and travel companion of Sir Edward...What will happen next??

For this card I wanted a background with plenty of depth as if the cogs were coming though the steam. Again, our Lizzie is decoupaged. 

Chapter 3... Professor Theodore Ernest is in his lab working on his latest invention...yet, dark beings lurk in the shadows! He is taken, kidnapped by evil genius Herman Luther, who is set on world domination! What lies is store now??

I really loved working on this canvas and combining all the elements from across the collection. It was also fun to create this story, working with all the different textures.

Chapter 4...Finding the lab in disarray and the professor gone, Lizzie and Sir Edward take to the skies in her airship for another adventure...yet it looks like stormy times may be ahead...

I had such fun designing this diorama card and part of the reason for this was so I could suspend a floating balloon inside it. Then other parts of the collection help to also tell this part of the story.

Chapter 5.. On the trail of their friend Lizzie and Edward head north to find the professor...

For this card I really wanted to make something magical and a bit mysterious to create suspense... (And I love northern lights, have you realized yet? lol) I was so touched that Leonie (one of the presenters on Hochanda, for those of you who may not know) said she thought it was "dreamy,...so cool." and that she "loved it." It made me smile inside and out. Thank you Leonie! :D 

Chapter 6.... The friends fly on into the storm in search of the professor..

Honestly, how much do I love this balloon? I've always had a love of hot air balloons, there is something quite romantic about them and I hoped to portray that in this card.  I think I might have achieved it as Leonie said  this was "beautiful and magical." Ooh, I'm soooo overwhelmed by all the lovely responses I have had, I can't tell you, I am truly touched and feel very honoured. I think all of us in the team make things and hope that others will like them but we don't expect the reaction we do receive, it has blown us away. So thank you, thank you, thank you. I may be smiling for months to come. 

Chapter 6...  Are the Sands of Time running out to save the Professor?? 

This was the last chapter in my story.. I left it on a cliffhanger as it is now up to you crafty peeps who bought the collection to finish the story.... This clock die and stamp is amazing.  I also used the texture paste for the sand pouring through the face. 

How brilliant are these pipe stamps and dies?  I've loved working with these too!  This was designed so it would seem like we were looking into a machine, perhaps the time machine! This is a journal as they are perfect for those too.

Sigh... these cogs... for this I wanted it to look like they were coming towards you out of the steam...

and again, another journal

For this one I was playing with Aquatints too...also love a bit of aged paper..

And here are the 6" cards I created with other parts of the Time Traveller collection..

Well, that was a lost post wasn't it? haha... wait till you see the techniques post!  Prepare yourselves..lol.. that will be coming up in the not too distant future.. I can wait to see what other crafty peeps have made with these...

T.T.F.N folks

Adele

x