Ericka’s Maple: Visible Image

Hello again everyone…

I’m back sharing another of my makes for Visible Image today and this set, Erika’s Maple, is a little bit special as it was created in memory of the gorgeous Erika Philpott, one of Visible Image’s biggest fans.  Erika was Canadian so what better way to remember her than by us all creating beautiful things with her special maple leaf stamp.

As always with Visible Image stamps, this set is full of possibilities and I love the texture of the leaves and the slightly smudged/scribbly look of the individual words.

I started with a kraft card and used an ink brayer to roll on some gesso in a haphazard way and roughly added some orange toned Distress Oxide Ink Pads to create colour. While this was drying, I heat stamped the leaves onto heavy Yupo paper using Wow’s gorgeous Metallic Copper powder. You have to be careful using heat on Yupo as it can warp really easily so keep the heat gun moving at all times.

With the leaves cooled and trimmed, they were coloured using alcohol inks. I chose Autumnal colours but they would look brilliant in cool, icy tones… (ooh, idea for next make!) Although the leaves had texture, I thought the card needed more and so grabbed some corrugated cardboard. Having added some colour using the ink pads once more, I swiped the Wow! Slow Drying Embossing Pad over the ridges and embossed using the same Metallic Copper powder used for the leaves. I also used this powder to add a ‘frame’ on the card by just wiping the embossing pad onto the edges.

With the cardboard adhered in place, the leaves were added using foam tape to give extra dimension. The sentiment was then stamped and trimmed before layering and adding to the card.

And here is Erika’s Maple is all it’s beautifulness…

Some of the designs the other ladies from the DT are going up with are just stunning. You can see everything we make on the Visible Image Facebook group page or over on Instagram where Helen will show us all off! If you’re on Insta, check out the tag #visibleimage too as some absolute CORKERS get posted!!

Catch up again soon… H xx

October Guest Designer Wow! Embossing Powder

Hello everyone… or should that be ‘Cześć’ as I’ve just come back from a little break in Krakow and Lodz.  Absolutely fantastic place and thoroughly recommend to everyone!!

I was asked a while back if I’d like to be the October Guest Designer for Wow! Embossing Powder and of course I said yeeeeess please!!  Wow’s products are always on my craft desk and I honestly don’t think you can buy better quality powders (I’ve tried – always gone back to Wow!).  The sheer range of colours and genres (metallics, sparkles, opaques, pearl, glitter, even glow in the dark and puff!!) is phenomenal and their Slow Drying Embossing Pad is just perfect.  If you haven’t tried them and you’re into your stamping, just buy a couple (they’re only cheap) and try them for yourself.  You will love them and to watch them melt – so mesmerising!!

Anyway… you might have seen my makes and blog posts for Wow! Embossing Powder over the last few weeks but suddenly realised I hadn’t blogged them on my site… shocker.  My first make for them used their gorgeous Thankful stamp set with Metallic Gold Sparkle powder.

‘Merry and Bright’

Heat emboss with the Metallic Gold Sparkle, colour and add extra sparkle with a Tonic Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pen

Distress oxide background for a chalky, grungy look with an aperture die-cut. Add more embossing powder to frame.

Finished card with the products used

You can find the full write up for Wow! over on their blog… just press HERE!

My next make for Wow! uses Aall and Create stamps and stencils and looks a little something like this and uses Black Twinkle and Pop from the Confetti Trio (the little polka dots around the edges).

‘Sparkle and Shine’

Heat emboss on watercolour card with Black Twinkle and paint using watercolour paints

Mask the border stamp to add the stencil before adding dimension to the project using glossy/crackle accents and foam dots.  Stamp polka dots around the edge to frame using ‘Pop’ from the ‘Confetti’ trio

Finished card with the products used

Again, the full write up for Wow! can be found HERE!

My next make you make not have seen as it’s part of the inspiration for Wow!’s October Challenge (Christmas) and uses just the one colour – the beautiful Rose Gold.

‘Noel’

Ombre a background, spritz with gold ink and heat emboss using the beautiful Rose Gold powder from Wow!

Tear some corrugated cardboard and swipe the slow drying embossing pad over the ridges before dusting with the Rose Gold powder and heating

Layer the elements over one another before matting onto card

Finished card with products used

So there we are.  That’s the first three of my makes although I do have a couple still to share.  Hope you like them… I’m pretty chuffed with them although to be honest the powders make it so easy!  You can see LOADS of inspiration over on Wow!’s Facebook page or upload your own makes to their Facebook Fan Page and see what everyone else has been up to!

I’ll be back soon with new makes to share.

H xx

Recycle: Visible Image

Hello everyone…

My day for Visible Image inspiration has ticked on round again (where do these days go?!) and today I have something a little different for you.

I honestly didn’t know where I was going with this card, it  evolved as I was going along, as it usually does with me. Rarely do I have an actual plan for my makes… I just see what happens and what works.

I started by smooshing Distress Oxides (Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon and Peacock Feathers) onto trimmed watercolour card and spritzed with water to get a watery, inky background. Using two acetate circles, I used Derwent Inktense pencils to draw around the circles and took a brush to add water and soften the edges before adding Distress Crayons.   I then used a Wow Embossing pen and their Rose Gold powder to add definition.

I then decided to add more texture using the polka dot stencil from Set The Tone and I heat embossed this using Wow’s Verdigris powder.  Having decided to go with some sore of aqua theme (as that seemed obvious where I was heading) I used one of the mesh stamps from Mesh-ellaneous around the edges.

Using the circles as masks once more, I added clear shimmering fish from Dare To Swim and heat embossed the ‘seaweed’ using stamps from the Organics set and Wow’s Oceanic powder.

With the background complete, I took the larger fish from Art Rebel and heat embossed using ‘Flame’ from Wow.

Having trimmed one fish from card, I decided to add some netting (from an orange bag) and some fish line under it to add to the whole pollution theme.

For the sentiment I took the large letters from Just Be Happy to make the word ‘recycle’ and heat embossed them in Rose Gold before trimming and matting onto white card and adding to the card using foam tape.

There you have it.  Something a bit different today.  Here’s all the Visible Image products I used for this make..(quite a lot today!)

Don’t forget to join us on the Visible Image Facebook page for daily inspiration from the DT and amazing makes from crafters using Visible Image products… there really are some uber talented people out there! You can also keep up with all thing Visible Image on their Instagram page too.

Catch you next time… H x

 

Christmas Chaos: Visible Image

Hello everyone,

I’m back today sharing another Christmas make for Visible Image.  I’ve used the fabulous Christmas Chaos and the Christmas Backgrounds sets which are just brilliant especially if you like grungy makes like I do!

I kept the background for this card nice and simple, using Distress Oxide’s to create a traditional coloured background to which I added Paperartsy’s Infusions to give a little more depth and then spritzed with some shimmer spray for some glitz.

For the Tree, I coloured some card using Distress Oxide’s again and then heat embossed the beautiful Christmas text using Wow’s Metallic Gold powder to give a rich, warm colour.  Over this I stamped the tree outline from the Christmas Chaos set and fussy cut it out.

I’ve heat embossed the star image three times onto gold card and trimmed two and then trimmed just the star.

After adding foam dots to one of the images and to the trimmed star (so I can layer it up over the top of the tree) I’ve popped this to one side to add some dyed cheesecloth.

The cheesecloth was dyed using Distress Spray Stain and I used the Candied Apple red to match the background of the card. I didn’t want it to stand out too much, just provide a hint of texture under the tree.

The cheesecloth has been glued into place and then the tree added over the top with foam dots behind it.  I added two dots stacked together in the middle of the tree and just one on the outer edges as I wanted a curved look rather than just a flat finish.

For the sentiment, I ripped two sections of vellum and stamped on the top one before stapling it in place and winding round some twine.  This was them matted onto gold card (same card as I stamped the stars onto) and adhered to a card blank.

Fairly simple card for me and it’s a traditional card with a modern edge, if you get me.

Here is the gorgeous Visible Image stamps I’ve used for this make…

Christmas Chaos

 

Christmas Backgrounds

 

Don’t forget to get hold of all the latest Visible Image news and inspiration form the DT by following them on Facebook and Instagram.  Some lovely (and might I add super talented ladies) have joined us on the permanent DT from the guest DT and are making some amazing projects so keep an eye out for them!

That’s all from me today but I’ll catch up soon when I just might have some news to share 😉

H xx

More Faerie Magic: Visible Image

Hello everyone…

I’m back today sharing another Faerie Magic make for Visible Image, one of their new releases.

As you know, I love a bit of texture and layering so decided to make some Gelli Print backgrounds a while ago which I could use as backgrounds and I love the text peeping through the paint on this pull, which is the ghost print (the 2nd pull of the same image).

I’ve used corrugated cardboard to create the stripes and large bubble wrap for the polka dots and you can probably spot the stars from the Stars and Stripes stencil.

After trimming the print to size,  heat embossed the Faerie stamp using Wow’s heat embossing powder in Metalline Violet.  To create the raised look, stamp her again onto watercolour card and colour using whatever you have to hand (I used Derwent Intense pencils and Distress Oxide ink pads).

Once coloured, add Wink of Stella to give some sparkle and then, when dry, added glossy accents.  With this dry, carefully fussy-cut the faerie and place to one side while you work on her wings.

I found some old adhesive glitter sheets in my stash and they were perfect for the wings.  Heat emboss two sets of wings using the same powder as previous, trim and stick one set in place.  With the other set, adhere to cardboard and trim.  Place 3D foam tape to the outer edges of this set so they are raised on the edges only, and pop into place.

To echo the bubble wrap dots, I added the small circular stamp in the Faerie Magic set to the left edge of the card and just peeping out from under the Faerie, you can see the ‘stem’ from the Random Art of Kindness stamped in Tonic’s Nuvo ink pad in Metro Grey.

With the stars in place, adhere the trimmed and coloured Faerie using foam tape.

For the flurry of stars, stamp the trio of stars directly onto the background using a permanent ink pad (I used Archival Ink in Jet Black) and colour using a yellow Sharpie pen.  For added sparkle, I brushed on some yellow glitter glue I didn’t know I had and then left to dry.

While drying, I coloured some card using the yellow Sharpie and stamped more stars and cut a few out.  Add tiny bits of foam tape to the back and adhere randomly over the (already stamped) stars.  To match the sparkly stars, add some sparkle to the Faerie’s hair (I used Ranger Stickles in Rose Gold).

Stamp the ‘Faerie’ sentiment’ in black permanent ink and matt the background to card before adhering to the card blank.  Add the other sentiment in the set onto some of the scrap Gelli print and also matt and layer (I also added added some foam tape to give it height).

To finish, add some dabs of glossy accents on the smaller dots and leave to dry.

Here’s the Visible Image products I used for this make…

Faerie Magic

 

Random Art of Kindness

 

Stars and Stripes

There is so much gorgeousness over on the Visible Image Facebook page, lots of inspiration to get those creative thoughts going so do pop over regularly.  You can also find plenty of inspiration over on Instagram on the Visible Image page or by using the #visibleimage so check it out!

Thank you for reading… hope you liked the make 🙂

Heather xx

 

 

 

 

Faerie Magic: Visible Image

Hello and happy Tuesday to you all…

It’s been a glorious weekend here.  The weather has been stunning (for once) and even better I had a long weekend from work so no day job for 4 days… yipeeee!  Time always seems to be against me especially when I am desperate to play with the new stamps by Visible Image so when a long weekend is on the horizon, I get super excited!

Yet again, Mark and Helen have pulled it out of the bag with their new stamps and I know everyone has been excited to order so I hope my make today provides a little inspiration for you.

The Faerie Magic set is just adorable.  The main faerie stamp is fabulous but you also get all those little stamps which will be so handy on other projects.

When I get new stamps, I often just sit staring at it for a while to get the feel of it and see if inspiration pings me in the face.  I’d already made a couple of cards when I came up with this idea of having her half off the card with her wings all sparkly and floaty.  Unfortunately, I got totally immersed in the making and forgot to take step-by-step photos so for that I apologise… but I’ll talk you through it!

 

To start, trim some watercolour card to your chosen size and stamp the lovely lady using a Versamark embossing pad and Wow’s Ebony Supafine embossing powder.  Use a scalpel to trim around her top half and then stamp her again on some scrap paper to create a mask.  Fold the card in half and use low-tack masking tape to adhere the mask in place over her bottom half.

Using Distress Oxide ink pads (I used Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry and Seedless Preserves) blend the three colours together and place the Collision stencil over the masked image and the bottom of the card.  Again, using the oxide ink pads (this time I used Dusty Concord, Faded Jeans and Chipped Sapphire) blend over the pink hues, taking care around the mask before peeling away the mask and the stencil to reveal the flashes of colour.

Add some splatters of gold ink before colouring the faerie and her bubbles!  Stamp some extra ‘bubbles’ in a mid-grey tone down the right of the card and then the stars and moon stamps in clusters before adding sparkle Stickles to the moon and stars and Wink of Stellar and glossy accents to the bubbles on the faerie.

The faerie’s wings were heat embossed on vellum using Wow’s ‘Vanilla Sparkle Glitter and then adhered to a thick-ish acetate before trimming and securing into place.  To finish, brush the card with an anti-static bag (as I found the embossing powder stuck like glue in places) and stamp the sentiment using the same Vanilla Sparkle Glitter as before.

And there you go!  Here’s the two Visible Image products I used for this make…

Faerie Magic

 

Collision

You’ll find lots of daily inspiration over on the Visible Image Facebook page and over on Instagram so pop on in, say hello (we’re a very friendly crew!) and share some of your makes!

Catch up again soon… H xx

 

 

Visible Image: New Releases for June ’19

Hello…

I don’t know if you’ve seen the new stamps previewing for Visible Image over the past week or so but they’ve just released NINE new stamp sets!! Whoop!!  All are available for pre-order now and will be released on 22nd June for all your inky mitts!  Mark has designed them all in the usual, slightly off the beaten track, Visible Image style and Helen has done an amazing job on the sentiments and all are going to be super popular as always!

Today I’m using the new Guardian Angel set… which kind of reminds me of the statue’s out of Dr Who.  No?  Just me then! Haha…

I love this stamp set, it’s so unusual and quirky and not like anything else on the market and I love that about Visible Image products… all that little bit different from everything else.

Anyway, to start this card I cut up a poster I bought from Paperchase that had an old New York map on it, adhered it to card and used a brayer to apply Gesso.

Using Distress Oxide ink pads in Dusky Concord, Stormy Sky and Chipped Sapphire I’ve added stripes of colour before spritzing with water to give a mottled effect.  For more texture, I then splattered black and silver ink before drying.

After much procrastination, I decided to add the Strobe stencil using a large die cut circle.  I wanted a graduated colour so used Iced Spruce Distress Oxide ink pad on the centre of the circle, then Hickory Smoke before a light coat of Black Soot.  Looking at it, I felt it needed some light so went around the outside (over the black) using Scattered Straw and while the stencil was still in place I spritzed on gold Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.

To add some interest to the outskirts of the card, I’ve stamped on the little bubble stamp (which I know will be used so much on other projects so thank you Mark for the little background stamps you add to sets!)

I don’t know if it shows up in the photo but the bubbles have been graduated in colour from Ice Spruce at the top to Hickory Smoke in the middle to Black Soot down the bottom.  I’ve used the die cut circle from before as a mask.

The Angel itself was heat embossed using Versamark and Wow’s! British Summertime which is a fabulous opaque grey.

Derwent’s Inktense pencils have been used to add colour.  I love the smooth application of them and the colours are so beautiful.  I opted for the same palette of colours so it echoed the background.

With the Angel and the wings all colours, it was time to start layering up the card.  Having fussy cut the Angel, I added gold wire to the rear to break up the image.  Using foam tape on the wings and the main image, I’ve given the Guardian Angel some dimension and I think looks a bit more dramatic.

For the finishing touches, I’ve stamped, coloured and trimmed the feathers and the dove and secured them to the card (some have foam dots added, some don’t).

To lighten the mood of the card, I’ve heat embossed the sentiment using Wow’s Opaque Bright White powder (this really is the best powder on the entire planet!)

It was then just a matter of adding glossy accent to some of the bubbles and on the dove and crackle accent to the feathers before placing to one side to dry thoroughly.

Here’s some of the products I’ve used… not all as I couldn’t fit them in the picture!

And here’s the Visible Image products I’ve used for this card…

Guardian Angel

 

Strobe

And that’s it for today.  Hope you love the new releases as much as I do.  Check out the Visible Image Facebook Group for daily inspiration from the design team and don’t forget… all the new stamps can be pre-ordered before their release on June 22nd.

Hope to catch up soon… H x