Mixed Up Saturday

 

Good Saturday Morning Ladies, 

I hope that this first weekend of April finds you as well as can be expected. Sending gentle hugs to those of you feeling low, special hugs on route to Brenda, I hope your treatment isn't causing you to feel too poorly 😘  Lynda I hope you & Terry aren't in too much pain and discomfort, I've missed hearing your updates my lovely 😘, Lilian, fingers crossed you are over the worst of Covid and that you can start to regain your strength, I do hope you don't have any lasting effects for you 😘, Maria & Janet,  hugs to you both, it just gets you down when you have to endure one thing after another 😘🤗, Our Michele,  I hope your hand isn't causing you too much pain today, it must be so frustrating not being able to use it, will you have to have some physio? 😘,  Karen,  Cheryl & Sonia & Sue  sending hugs to all of you too, I think we all have our aches, pains and ailments to deal with every day, I would love to spend one day perfectly fit & able with no pain!! 😘🤗😘

Today's quote couldn't be more true, you ladies are the best family anyone could wish for. ❤️ 

How gorgeous is my Mother's Day gift from Becca?!, the photo was taken while we were in London for the Girls birthday treat in February,  we came across this bench in Covent Garden and Becca could not resist, the girls hate having their photo taken so they needed some persuasion, this is the only photo of the whole day I think lucky it was such a beautiful one,  Becca had it made into a canvas for me, such a lovely gift, I love it 😍

Now this month's Issue of Creative Stamping is a good one so I thought I would give you little review....

Creative Stamping Magazine Review 

Issue 107

This Issue has some stamps and a nice embossing folder. Some of the stamps are great for mixed media backgrounds, there are a few nice flourish stamps too.  That rose cluster is beautiful. 

This first feature focuses on building Collages, the little 'How To' shows you how to stamp some of those free stamps onto tissue paper  you then cut them and paste them to your background.  Other methods are just literally stamping onto card and fussy cutting and then using them to create layers or randomly stamping, either way it looks effective  

This feature looks at different ways of using the free embossing folder. One method is sanding the embossed areas, ink smooshing then embossing opposite corners, then blending ink over the embossed detail starting lighter at the edges and gradually using darker ink.  All three of these techniques look effective.

These last two use a combination of the above techniques.  Maybe we should have an Embossing folder challenge. ????

Now this technique is not one I am familiar with, Cloisonné is an Ancient Enamalling Technique, 'Cloisonné comes from the French word for enclosed.  They used metal strips even silver & gold to create sections that would be filled with enamel. 

To replicate the effect authentically you need silver or gold embossing powder, stamps like flowers or butterflies that have no gaps in the outlines.  You can use Glossy Accents or  clear Embossing powder to give that enamelled look. On the first project she uses Alcohol inks to create different coloured backgrounds, stamps a flower scene them embosses with gold powder, she then paper pieces the flowers in. To finish she squeezes Glossy Accents over the whole oval piece, encapsulating the whole thing. It looks really effective.  Other pieces have been double embossed to give a thick glossy surface.

Some contemporary style designs made using a combination of the embossing folder and stamps. I love the stacked Macarons, so effective! The shop front card using Shrink Plastic for the Handbag & Shoe in the window! 

These cards are all coloured delicately with Watercolour pencils, in soft pastel tones, they look so pretty   

Home Decor and gift ideas are the focus of this feature,  I have to say that Coaster is beautiful. The tealight box is pretty too. What about that gorgeous gift bag, Some lovely ideas

This last piece shares how Nicky designed the cover card, which is stunning,  that dress is so beautifully coloured, all coloured with Distress Oxides. I might have a go at this as its Round and perfect for this weeks challenge!! 

I hope you enjoyed that quick flick through Issue 107.  

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Shopping

Lilian 

Lilian was lucky enough to get Craft goodies for Mother's Day,  some lovely Vibrant Dylusions Spray inks and that lovely Dyan Reaveley guide to Art Journaling book, I bet that has some great hints and tips.  Don't be put off by the mess of the spray inks Lilian,  make yourself a spray station out of an old cardboard box.   I am looking forward to your first project,  why not start off simple with Emboss Resist Technique? 

Thank so much for sharing your new goodies. ❤️ 

My Shopping 

I couldn't resist the new Anna Marie Designs Paper Collection,  it's beautiful Blue's and Greens with the Damask theme, the floral images are beautiful, they looked lovely simply die cut and shaped, there are matching sentiment toppers too that match perfectly, she made some lovely cards on the show. 

I love the Sunflower and that beautiful peony as well as that gorgeous bird, so this latest stamp set of Tracy's just happened to fall into my basket.  (Although I haven't much success colouring them with watercolour yet) 🙄😔, practice makes perfect apparently so give me a few month's and a decent paintbrush 🖌,  I will probably need a miracle too but I will persevere!  

I hope that you all have a relaxing weekend,  I think its going to be wet and cold, so the Craft Room will be the best place. 

Sending my love & hugs to you all,

Sandra                                                                                xxxxxx