Woodware - Magic Stamp

This week we our Woodware challenge was to use Magic Foam. Now this is something I did stock in my shop but never really used. It comprises of a block of blue foam that you heat for around 15 seconds with a heat gun then press on to a textured surface. The foam will take up the impression and you can then ink it up and use it as a stamp. The cool thing is, that when you are fed up with the pattern you simply re-heat it to make a new impression. Hence "Magic Foam". Debs did a great card yesterday where she pressed her foam onto some fun flower buttons. And you end up with a negative impression of your textured surface.
I used my foam on an embossing folder. The one I settled for to make my card was of a bamboo design. And an oriental theme to finish off my card.

I used the same embossing folder for part of the background. And I chose nice soft colours to make it suitable for a thinking of you card.
Be sure to check out the Woodware blog to see what the other girls have created using their Magic Foam!!
Well I am off to Happy Stampers show at Port Sunlight at the weekend with some friends. I am hoping to come back with some new goodies and lots of inspiration. I am also looking forward to meeting up with some friends down there....so lots to look forward too!! 
Siobhan x

Woodware - Winged Things

This week at Woodware we have been given "Winged Things" as our challenge brief. Just as well I checked last night because I had gone down a whole different path - I thought we we using a tic tack toe grid. So I had to abandon my first project and think of something quick and easy. The Great British Bake Off was due in 20 mins so I literally made a 10 min card.
The background stamping was done with parts of the lovely Stampendous song bird  stamp and then I stamped the main image in black to make it pop.

So no frills or complicated processes ... just simple stamping onto a blended dye ink background. But as is often the case, less is more.
My son Paul is home from his travels in Canada and Alfie our Schnauzer just loves being with him so I thought I would share this photo with you!!

 

Nearly the weekend, thank goodness. Have a good one!!

Siobhan x 

 
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Woodware - Sketch Challenge 26

Time for another sketch challenge over at Woodware this week. There have been some lovely samples so far and they have certainly given me a few ideas!!
This is our sketch : 

 

I have been playing with my stencils this week. As Autumn is fast approaching it reminded me that I had a lovely Dreamweaver stencil of a branch of maple leaves.
I wanted to use the stencil on a darkish blended background so I used Matt Black Embossing paste. I also used the new Dreamweaver pasting tool to spread my paste and it worked an absolute treat. When I did workshops using paste I found several of the ladies struggled with a palette knife. But this new tool is so easy. It is basically a long semi-circle of metal, easy to grip and wide enough to paste even large stencils in one or two sweeps!!

Once the paste dried I popped the stencil back on and sponged on some embossing ink to make the pasted leaves sticky. Then I brushed on several colours of mica powders (I used Pearl-ex but any mica powder will work just fine). A quick spritz of water helps seal the powder.

I layered up with some bronze card and the gold panel was stamped with leaves in gold and embossed with gold powder.

To finish of I die-cut and embossed a leaf from copper foil sheet. This is a great product that Woodware sell. It is nice and thick and so retains it's shape when die-cut. It also comes in gold and silver.

 I didn't put a sentiment on as I like to have a stock of blank cards that would do for sever occasions!!
Have a good weekend, although the weather is not meant to be good ... at least it's an excuse to get some time crafting!!
Siobhan x

Woodware - Layers set by Scrappy Jen of Wear Crafts

It seems ages since I last wrote on my blog. Thanks again to the lovely Kim Reygate who took my place on the Woodware DT during August so I could go away and not fret about deadlines!! As always her cards are just stunning.
So for my first week back we are using layers in our creations. I made a tag this week using layers of stencilling and stamping to build up my layers.
Here is the background :

 I blended dye inks as a base, added a little water distress then sponged through a couple of Dreamweaver stencils. I then added a bit of script and finally some scroll stamping which I embossed with Stampendous Frantage powder "Aged Aqua". I like to create my own backgrounds so that everything works together. Gone are the days when I used to search through my stash for just the right piece of background paper!!
Now for the fun bit. I just recently got this lovely Dreamweaver stencil of the cockerel weather vane and wanted to keep him quite rustic.

 

I then remembered I had a nice travel set of words by Stampendous that would fit the bill (if you would pardon the pun)

 
 A few screw brads and a little compass finish off my tag. The compass was silver so I just embossed it with gold to fit in better.
I am sure you will get loads of layering ideas this week if you check out the Woodware blog. Everyone has done something a bit different!!
See you next time for the next sketch challenge.