Love Shack

My final project for this month with Creative Expressions today, although I suspect it won't be the last time I use these lovely stamps. I've gone with a beach hut theme to showcase a selection of the images.

If you want to have a play along, I've made an instructional PDF 

HERE

If you'd like to win this project, just follow my blog and leave me a comment. I'll randomly select a winner on 3rd July - good luck!

Pure Sunshine

Another card using the beach themed stamps by Creative Expressions for you today. This time, I made a background using texture paste, then inked to colour the card.

I stamped an coloured the sandcastle stamp then cut out the figure and mounted it onto foam

The greeting came from the Couture Creations Party Time set

Poppies

This started life as a different project 'in my head'; it was going to be a card and I was all set to use a different technique, but ended up going off on a tangent and ended up with a plaque. I really enjoy mixing up my masks, background stamps and embossing folders to see where they take me.

I have a pretty full summer of crafting planned, and part of that involves going back to my roots in sewing/dressmaking. Time was, I used to design and make all my clothes, but then fabric got too expensive and clothes got cheaper plus I didn't seem to have the time. Recently though, my fingers have been itching and I've been stockpiling fabric and patterns all ready for turning into lushness.

My first project is a  retro blouse using an original 50's pattern - never used a vintage pattern before, so it was a bit of a steep learning curve! 

And finally, we have our blog hop winners - a full list is on the Creative Expressions Blog, but the randomly chosen winner from my commenters is Jackie Durrant. Well done Jackie!

In Bloom

I love seeing what fantastic new masks Ali Reeve has come up with, and this Dainty Daisy is a new favourite.

For this first card, I took the leafy mask ( an all time fave) and inked through it with shabby shutters Distress ink. Keeping the mask in place, I went over with a text stamp and peeled paint DI. I removed that mask, then placed the daisy mask over my leafy background, embossed it, then inked with shaded lilac and dusty concord. Then I removed the mask, inked it with Perfect Medium and transferred the ink through my Grand Calibur and heat embossed with silver. I love the ghosting effect I got with the leafy pattern under the silver embossing, and the leafy pattern behind the flowers really adds movement.

For this card, I used mostly the same techniques, but with a totally different look. I took one of Ali's Apertures (set 3) onto white card with the swoosh mask over the top, inked, then removed the swoosh and inked some more before overstamping  with the script stamp. Then I replaced the aperture with the daisy mask, inked with DI (spritzed and flicked with water), dry embossed followed by Perfect Medium and then clear heat embossed.

Off to play with more masks now - I'm on a roll!

Driftwood

Another card for you today using the seaside theme stamps

I stamped the image and embossed in white

Used distress ink to colour the image

I stamped the woodgrain background and embossed in white and then cut a frame for my focal image using Spellbinder dies

I painted some cardstock with crackle paint followed by white chalk paint

To complete by focal image, I made a mask...

Then stamped the lighthouse

I used my handmade backgrounds to mat 

Finally I added a string bow and button.

Blog Hop Time!

Welcome to the Creative Expressions June 2014 Blog Hop! Hopefully you got here from Neil's blog, but if you didn't, here's the start at the Creative Expressions News Blog!

The four new large Frame stamps from Creative Expressions have been designed with co-ordinating mini frames inside, which can be used separately or as a whole and also swapped with other frame designs in the range. There are also an additional four mini frame designs, plus sentiment sets which have been designed to fit inside the various frames.

One randomly selected person commenting on this blog post before the closing date will win a fabulous prize of some of the new stamp designs.

For my project, I couldn't resist using my favourite Gilding Flakes and mask, as well as my new toy, Micro Beads. 

Thank you for visiting my blog, please leave a comment below in order to be in with a chance of winning a prize!
The winner chosen at random  for commenting on my blog will get this fab bundle of goodies

Once you have done that, you will need to click here to visit Kerry's blog.

To help you along the way, here is a list for the Blog Hop:-

1. Julia Watts

2. Kim Robertson

3. Tracey Laughton

4. Donna Ratcliff

5. Neil Burley

6. Tracy Heaton (you are here)

7. Kerry Hickton

8. Pam Smith

Start page, prize details and how to take part: are on the Creative Expressions News Blog. The blog hop started on Thursday 12th June at 10am and ends Tuesday 17th June at 5pm.

Thank you for taking part in our Blog Hop – good luck!

To the Lighthouse

I'm loving the new stamps the DT are playing with this month for Creative Expressions. For June, we have the beach scenes stamps  perfect for getting into a holiday mood.

For my first project I chose the lighthouse - I think this is probably my favorite and I love lighthouses.

I stamped with Sepia Archival, then used a brush to gently blend distress ink to indicate the glow of the light.

I made a mask and then applied blue ink for the sky, again using the brush.

I used promarkers to colour the rest of the image.

My 'frame' was made using the Swirly Frame mask - I inked up the mask, laid it ink down onto my cardstock and then ran it through the die cutter with my tan mat underneath to emboss the design and transfer the ink at the same time. I then added more of the same blue ink for intensity.

For a nautical touch, I added twine to the card and tied knots in each corner.

Next week, we're launching more new stamps, and to celebrate, we're having a Blog Hop - so be sure to pop back next week to see what else is new from CE.